150 Transactions, 



at the same time formed 9^ favourable locality for the deposition of enormous 

 masses of shingle, sand, and silt brought down by the large glacier rivers 

 from the Southern Alps. Consequently we find that even as far as Timaru 

 the 100 fathom line lies about 100 miles from the shore. The fact that the 

 set of the currents is in a northerly direction, or nearly opposite to that of the 

 earthquake waves, may perhaps account for the great disturbances experienced 

 in Pigeon and Okain Bays long after they had reached their maximum in 

 Lyttelton Harbour. This is confirmed by the observations of the " Storm- 

 bird " on her passage from Lyttelton to Timaru. This steamer, in the early 

 hours of the 15th of August, was struck by two or three heavy seas, the sea 

 being calm at the time, and was driven about ten miles to the northward 

 by such a strong current that it was impossible to make headway against it. 

 The effects of these disturbances of the sea were felt severely in Timaru. 

 From the accounts published in the newspapers, it appears that a huge wave, 

 which has been variously estimated at 6 or 8 feet perpendicular height, 

 rushed upon the shore at 4.45 a.m., and rose several feet above the highest 

 spring tides. Just as quickly as it appeared, it retreated, leaving the bottom 

 of the sea exposed for a long distance. Another wave rushed in at 5.4 a.m., 



which was followed during two hours by several others, but of a lesser size. 



********* 



In Hokitika, on the western side of this province, nothing unusual was 

 observed during the day ; but at Westport, towards the time of low water, 

 several bores (as the newspaper of that place calls themj , or waves of un- 

 usual size, were seen to ascend the river, running in rapidly from the sea. 

 The largest and heaviest bore, 4 to 5 feet in perpendicular height, occurred 

 between the hours of five and six in the evening, ascending the river rapidly, 

 and causing a vessel to break from its moorings at the wharf, and travellers 

 going by Cobb's coaches along the beach observed the tide to rush very far 

 back and to come up again in very high rollers. 



What is here very important is the fact that also there the heaviest wave 

 was the last, and occurred so late in the afternoon. We are therefore com- 

 pelled to believe that the earthquake waves passing round Cape Maria van 

 Diemen, in the North Island, and round the southern point of Stewart 

 Island, and in a minor degree through Cook and Foveaux Straits, united, 

 only some distance from the west coast of New Zealand, on their westward 

 course, and that they sent some waves back to invade, although in a minor 

 degree, the opposite side of these islands.* 



* Since these notes were written, I have visited Lake Ellesmere, which is separated from 

 the sea by a bank of shingle and sand. This bank is lowest at its south-western end, and is 

 there about 8 feet above high watermark. Consequently, when the lake rises to such a 

 height, it breaks through this shingle wall and empties itself rapidly. There is a Maori 



