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action of ice during what is called the glacial period. Proceeding down the 

 Kawarau Gorge, through the lower end of the Cromwell Basin, to Dunstan 

 and Manuherikia, almost all traces of the sharp peaked features are lost, 

 rounded slopes being the most observable, with river cuttings and deep furrows 

 scored in the sides of the Dunstan and Carrick Ranges. In continuation with 

 a third feature, so distinctly marked as to have produced in the minds of the 

 first explorers evidently a very strong effect, we find the vai'ious ranges at the 

 lower side of the Dunstan, Ida Yalley, and Maniototo Plains or Basins, called 

 respectively the Raggedy Ranges, Blackstone Hill, Rough Ridge, and Rock 

 and Pillar, the journey of about one and a-half days by the short road from 

 the Manuherikia, nearly to the West Taieri, is, in fact, over almost a continual 

 Raggedy or Rock and Pillar road, varied by creeks, gullies, and deep ravines, 

 having anything but euphonious names conferred on them by the diggers, — 

 the almost i-ounded hills being surmounted by rock, sometimes worn into the 

 most fantastic shapes and life-like figures, till the Taieri is approached. The 

 extraordinary features of this district may be judged of by the pictiires in our 

 Provincial Museum, and diagrams showing upper terraces of the Shotover, and 

 the difierent features here alluded to. 



The rough excrescences that led to the above names, are not so observable 

 more immediately down the Molyneux Valley, as far as the Beaumont, where 

 the road is no longer kept by the river side, and which point is about twelve 

 miles from Tuapeka. This valley, the same as the Dunstan and Kawarau 

 Gorges, bears ample evidence of ice action. From Tuapeka to the Woolshed, 

 near Tokomairiro, for a short distance along the short road, the knobby appear- 

 ance of the hills has entirely given way to smooth rounded hills, so that at the 

 latter places the precipices and sharp peaks which we began with at Skipper's 

 have entirely disappeared. I attribute these Raggedy and Knobby Ranges 

 also to the action of ice, and regard these large fantastic masses of rocks as the 

 parts of the peaks last left by the ice. The only occasional observable 

 roughnesses I have examined on the latter rounded hills, consisted of large 

 accumulations of cement, of different textures, colours, and components, which 

 in places cover very considerable tracts of country ; and I have found the 

 same to a limited extent also on the Peninsula, in Dunedin Harbour, together 

 with striated stones. 



Down the Molyneux Valley are also to be seen very marked evidences of 

 the action of water, to heights of fully 20 to 40 feet above the present level of 

 the drift forming these valleys, on faces of rocks pointing up country — from 

 which I imagine the flow of water during the glacial period, (when no material 

 absorption by the eai'th could have taken place,) in warm seasons at least, very 

 far exceeded that of the present day. 



I must now proceed to notice this ice period, and try to realize its efiects, 

 and for this purpose ask you to remember the pictures that at different times 



