88 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. j 



conclusions from isolated facts, but instances sometimes occur — foot- 

 prints on the sand — so pregnant as to justify such a course, and I still 

 believe, after long thought, that the remarkable results of the flood in 

 question, which I had the opportunity of observing in the gorge of the 

 Waiau-ua, are of that character. It must be remembered that v^rhilst 

 all the great observers of physical phenomena have rightly concluded 

 that the changes w^hich have taken place upon the surface of the 

 earth have not been suddenly brought about, but result from the 

 slow though continuous operation of natural causes, none of them 

 can or do deny that there are, or have been, catastrophes or cata- 

 clysms, though these are usually limited in extent at any one period, when 

 compared with the whole terrestrial surface. The downfall of nearly thir- 

 teen inches of rain, in the course of three days, over an area of thousands 

 of square miles of steep mountain country, was unquestionably calculated 

 to produce a catastrophe in the level areas through which their drainage 

 passed to sea, for even the water which would thus be carried into the river 

 of a valley whose drainage area did not much exceed eight square miles 

 (which is about that of the Kaiwarra stream), would reach the astounding 

 quantity of sixteen hundred millions of gallons, a quantity equal to the 

 entire measured ordinary flow of that stream for a period of three years, or 

 to the estimated ordinary flow of the river from which the city of Wellington 

 is about to derive its new supply of eight millions of gallons a day, for a 

 period of nearly eight months. Whilst I have not hesitated in setting forth 

 the views contained in this paper, I feel that they may not deserve acceptance ; 

 but, even then, I trust that the observations I have brought under your 

 notice will not be without their use to those who take an interest in the 

 history of remarkable physical occurrences. 



Extracts from the official Meteorological Eeports for February, 1868. 



The rainfall, especially in the earlier part of the month, was excessive in some dis- 

 tricts. A storm, -which commenced on the 3rd, appears to have backed round from north, 

 through east, when the rainfall from tliis unusual quarter was productive of the most disas- 

 trous floods which have been recorded in the colony, and which devastated the eastern dis- 

 tricts of the South Island. 



Taranahi — On 2nd, barometer 29"628, wind S.E. ; but scud coming from E. and N.E., 

 threatening rain and wind ; at 3 p.m. barometer falling, wind S.E. and rising, evening wild 

 looking, with heavy rain; at 10 p.m. barometer 28-80. On 3rd, gale from S.E., with 

 thunder and lightning ; alout two inches of rain fell during night; wind changed to S.W., 

 and violent gale blew, breaking the anemometer ; a viaximum pressure of 18 lbs. to square 

 foot was registered ; barometer commenced to rise ; at 4 p.m. gale continued, but veered 

 back to N.W., at 9 p.m. barometer 2920. On 4th gale continued, with heavy squalls of 

 rain, hail, thunder, and lightning, but moderated towards morning. It continued stormy 

 up to Sth. 



