854 Transactions. — Geology. 



named Lake Constance. From the direction of its outlet it appears to be 

 the source of the east brauch of the D'Urville river, which drains into Lake 

 Rotoroa. 



Continuing along the ridge in a westerly direction we attained the 

 summit of the highest peak we could see at 2 p.m. The height by our 

 aneroids was 7,850 feet above the sea. Mr. Thompson has since taken 

 observations to Mount Franklin, and calculates the height at 7,900 feet, 

 that is about 2,000 feet lower than shown on the maps. 



The prospect, which from the central postion of this mountain must be 

 very extensive, was entirely hidden from view by a heavy mist, and fearing 

 lest we should be caught in a snowstorm, we hastily erected a cairn over a 

 tin box containing the names of the party and the date of ascent. We 

 then began the descent, and reached the camp before dark. 



Next day we commenced the homeward journey. As we continued down 

 the river we observed, in many places, on the slopes of the Spensers, about 

 1,000 feet above the river flats, the remains of glacier terraces. Instead of 

 returning by Maling's Pass, we proceeded down the Waiau to Lake Guyon. 

 Here the Waiau Glacier appears to have divided, the Stanley River branch 

 having its terminal moraine at Mr. Fowler's homestead. The evidences of 

 glacier erosion around the lake are very distinct and interesting. 



Passing Lake Guyon we came to the Stanley River, and thence by way 

 of Fowler's Pass, 4,350 feet, arrived at Duncan's Creek, on the Clarence. 

 On the 21st we reached Tophouse, and the following day the accommoda- 

 tion house on the Motupiko. In our journey to the latter place we made a 

 detour to Lake Rotoiti. The waters of this lake, like those of Lake 

 Tennyson, are held back by an immense moraine, through which it has 

 cut its outlet. This old moraine covers an area many square miles in 

 extent. 



Near the lake occur heavy deposits of gravel, sand, and clay, occupying 

 positions 200 or 300 feet higher than the moraine. They have been deeply 

 furrowed by the great Rotoiti Glacier, thus showing that they were 

 deposited prior to the New Zealand glacial period. These gravel beds 

 extend down the valleys of the Motupiko, Motueka and Waimea, forming 

 the Moutere and Waiiti Hills. They also cap the Port Hills, Nelson, 

 where they' overlie beds of lower miocene age. Except at the latter place, 

 where they are highly inclined, they everywhere occur as perfectly horizontal 

 strata. These gravels and sands are river drifts that have been deposited 

 in still water. The high altitude they occupy at Lake Rotoiti gradually 

 decreasing to the north-east till sea-level is reached, is due to a period of 

 slow upheaval, subsequent to miocene times, and before the great glacial 

 period of New Zealand. 



