Cnawronp.— Geology of the North Island of New Zealand. 321 
between Wellington and Napier. In Palliser Bay the cliffs are from 50 to 
150 feet high, composed of “drift” gravel on the western side, of gravel 
over blue clay on the eastern. Passing across Palliser Bay we arrive at the 
highly inclined rocks of the main range, cut off and scarped along this south 
coast, and at the Mukamuka are found trappean rocks, altering the slates 
into jasperoid rocks. At this point also was the greatest rise of land caused 
by the earthquake of 1855 (viz. 9 feet), and here the coast road, which was 
before that time almost impassable except at low tide, has now a broad 
stretch of rocky beach between it and the sea. 
Proceeding to the westward along the south end of the island, we con- 
tinue to pass the vertical scarp of the rocks caused by the great depression 
of Cook Strait; the strata being highly inclined, and the mountains forming 
remarkably sharp ridges, rising to a height of from 2,000 to 3,000 feet, 
and running in a N.N.E. direction. Looking up the noble harbour of Port 
Nicholson, the alluvial valley of the Hutt may be perceived, forming the 
only great longitudinal valley of the mountain ranges. Proceeding onwards 
we may find the same evidence of the intrusion of igneous rocks as at the 
Mukamuka, and may also perceive small patches of drift gravel lying at 
various elevations from 400 feet downwards. From the position of these 
terraces we may, I think, conclude that they were formed previous to the 
depression which formed Cook Strait. At Terawiti, instead of passing along 
the great scarp at right angles to the strike of the rocks, we now proceed to 
the northward in their line of direction, and as we look into the harbour of 
Porirua we may think of the “plant beds" there, a further investigation of 
which may perhaps lead to a clear history of the age of these rocks. On 
the left we leave the flat-topped island of Mana (paleozoic), and pass on to 
the junction of the tertiary and paleozoic rocks near Paikakariki, and here the 
great tertiary basin commences. From this point the ranges of the old rocks 
pass away inland towards the N.N.E., while the tertiaries, commencing the 
great western curve towards Cape Egmont, are as yet only represented 
by dunes of sand. Eight miles further on we reach Waikanae, opposite to 
which is the high paleozoic island of Kapiti, which forms a shelter from the 
prevailing westerly winds. In consequence of this protection the Waikanae 
River throws out a long point seaward. At Otaki, in addition to the sandy 
dunes, there is a considerable breadth of “drift” gravel formation, and also 
here and along this ecast there is much alluvium and swamp. At the Mana- 
watu River, the sandhills, which sometimes reach a height of from 40 to 50 
feet, attain their greatest breadth, of about ten miles, and are intermixed with 
some rich tracts of swamp and alluvium. Inland of this the “drift” gravel 
forms terraces, and what appears to be the blue clay shows itself a few feet 
‘above the river level, the mountains having receded to a distance of 25 or 
