1855.] CRAWFORD NEW ZEALAND. 531 



On the east also, and abutting against the range, are stratified ter- 

 tiary beds of sand and clay with lignite in the Wairarapa valley. 



Further to the east occurs a fossiliferous limestone, which rises 

 into mountain ranges, bounding the Wairarapa valley, and appears 

 to be also of tertiary date, but older than the former. 



The low coast-country of the western coast is bounded on the shore 

 by a strip of sand-dunes, thrown up by the constant N.W. gales, and 

 varying in breadth from one to eight or ten miles. In 1841, the 

 author observed at Manawatu a number of living trees several miles 

 inland, buried halfway up their stems in blown sand. The rivers on this 

 coast all form bars at their mouths, and flood the surrounding country 

 to greater or less extent ; and the Ruamahunga River, draining the 

 Wairarapa Valley (east of Port Nicholson), a district about sixty 

 miles in length, is dammed up several times annually by the accu- 

 mulation of sand and shingle at its mouth in Palliser Bay, from the 

 effect of the violent S.E. gales. From this cause the two lakes into 

 which, the river expands near its termination are being silted up by 

 the muddy water of the river. The lower part of the valley of the 

 river Hutt or Haeretonga, comprising about 8000 acres, is entirely 

 alluvial. This river, which flows from the greywacke range into 

 Port Nicholson, is subject to frequent floods, and pours vast quanti- 

 ties of detritus into the harbour. 



Presumed rise of the land in recent times. — At the height of about 

 1 feet above high- water mark, the rocks of Port Nicholson Harbour 

 bear a honeycombed appearance attributable to former sea-action. 

 The site of the greater part of the town of Wellington is a terrace which 

 has evidently been formed by debris brought down by small streams 

 and torrents from the hills, and spread out by the action of the waves 

 which washed the shore. The highest part of the terrace is between 

 80 and 100 feet above the present high-water mark. In Tasman's 

 Gulf also a progressive rise of the land is apparent ; much land 

 being in process of reclamation at Wakapuaka, to the eastward of 

 Nelson. 



Fluctuation in the height of the land, observes the author, is to be 

 looked for in New Zealand, for earthquakes are extremely frequent, 

 coming from the direction of Tongariro, the great central volcano of 

 the island, and decreasing in energy as they recede from that point. 

 The author considers that it would be well worth the attention of 

 geologists to watch the level of the land in New Zealand. A tunnel 

 which he cut horizontally from high-water mark to drain Burnham 

 Water in the Peninsula, near Wellington, will form a good mark in 

 that locality. 



Sydney, May 1848. 



[iVo/e. — The geological characters of several localities in New Zealand are 

 noticed in Dieffenbach's ' Travels in New Zealand,' 2 vols. 1843, and Swainson's 

 ' New Zealand,' 1853.— Ed.] 



