Geological Survey of Canterbury. 87 



this district, had already been partly fulfilled, and if only the still 

 untouched treasures of coal are raised,* this maybe still more brilliant, 

 and a much more lasting industry secured to the country than by gold- 

 mining. 



The next morning, April 21st, we started early for Hokitika, along 

 the beach which, during ebb tide, offers generally fine travelling 

 ground on a hard sandy bottom. The whole way appeared like a 

 great main road rather than an ocean beach. Horses and riders, pack- 

 horses and their drivers, men with swags, waggons drawn by horses or 

 bullocks — the whole a picture of earnest activity — proved that we 

 were advancing towards the great centre of the goldfields. At the 

 mouth of the small Waimea river, distant about five miles from the 

 Teramakau, we found a settlement of small extent, consisting of about 

 thirty shanties and canvas houses, mostly stores and public-houses. 

 There the road leaves the coast for the extensive diggings at the head 

 of this creek. A similar but larger township was found at the mouth 

 of the Arahura, which we passed after a march of a few hours. The 

 nearer we approached Hokitika, the more the traffic became animated, 

 and when we at last entered that city of yesterday, we could not 

 conceal our astonishment that, in so short a time of only a few months, 

 such a large place could have sprung up, which being literally built on 

 sand, seemed at the same time healthy and clean. The principal street, 

 half a mile long, consisted already of a large number of shops, hotels, 

 banks, and dwelling-houses, and appeared as a scene of almost inde- 

 scribable bustle and activity. There were jewellers and watchmakers, 

 physicians and barbers, hotels and billiard-rooms, eating and boarding- 

 houses, and trades and professions of all descriptions. Everywhere 

 the English language would of course be heard in its principal 

 dialects, as well as German, Italian, Greek, and French, and several 

 other tongues. Carts were unloading and loading, and sheep and 

 cattle driven to the yards ; there was shouting and bell-ringing, 

 deafening to the passers-by ; criers at every corner of the principal 

 streets, which were filled with people — a scene I had never before 

 witnessed in New Zealand. Hundreds of diggers " on the spree " and 

 loafers were everywhere to be seen, but principally near the spit and 

 on the wharf, where work went on with feverish haste. Before 

 arriving at Hokitika, I counted seven vessels at anchor in the road- 

 stead, amongst them a large Melbourne steamer; whilst in the river 

 itself, five steamers and a large number of sailing vessels were dis- 



* This was written in 1866. 



