1 4 G Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



the volcanic dchris. Tliift it was not burnt off is certain, from the sharpness 

 of tlie edges of tlie surface, the absence of charcoal, or even of a charred 

 appearance, and the presence of a projecting piece of wood in the centre of the 

 stump, which must have held the tree upright to the last, and which would 

 not have existed had it been fired. That it did not result from a rotten tree 

 is equally evident, for it could not now be in so good preservation, the bark 

 would not have remained on it, the sharpness of the edges would not have 

 existed, and the wood would not now be fibrous ; decayed wood would have 

 lost its fibrous structure. It is therefore beyond any doubt that we have 

 evidence of the existence of man long before the period indicated by the 

 traditions of the Maoris of their advent to this island, and at a period before 

 what is probably the oldest volcano in Auckland became extinct. In the 

 Maori traditions there is no mention of any of the volcanos near Auckland 

 having been active. 



Art. XIII. — Descrijytion of a Wreck found at the Ilaast Iliver. From a 

 Report to his Honour J. A. Bonar, Superintendent. By Thomas 

 TuRNBULL, Chief Harbour-master of Westland. Communicated by \V. 

 ■ T. L. Travers, F.L.S. 



[Read before the Welllnrjton Philosophical Society, Sth August, 1874.] 



I HAVE made all inquiries possible at Hokitika respecting a portion of 

 a vessel brought up from the Haast by the steamer Waipara on the 30th of 

 last month. The position of the original piece is on the N.E. bank of the 

 Tauperikaka Biver, a small stream discharging itself into the sea, about 

 tliree miles south of Arnott Point, on the west coast of the South Island. 

 The piece of wreck is about 100 yards from high-water mai-k, and sur- 

 rounded with dense bush to the river's edfje, showinc: that it must have been 

 carried into its j^resent position some years ago by the action of the sea. 



The first notice of the presence of such a thing as a wreck in the bush 

 was communicated to mo during the rush of miners to that locality in the 

 year 18GG-G7, when it was found by some prospectors who were looking for 

 gold, and rather astonished them. The i)iece in question M-as then about 27 

 feet long and 12 feet deep, and is a portion of the broadside of a lai-ge ship of 

 very peculiar construction. I can find no trace of any such vessel having 

 been seen on the coast at the present time. There is a resident at tliis place 

 who was on the coa.st as far back as 1839, and I will give his own version of 

 his earlv knowledi^e of the West Coast. 



