Geological Survey of Canterbury. 89 



which had not been reached during the Great Glacier period o£ New 

 Zealand by the advancing gigantic glaciers, or by the enormous 

 torrents issuing from them. For two days we were again detained at 

 the mouth o£ the Teramakau, whence I sent another report to the 

 Secretary for Public Works, on the results of my observations, and 

 proceeded afterwards to Greymouth, which also showed ample signs 

 of its wonderfully rapid progress. 



Five years ago I had camped at this spot in solitude, with no 

 European excepting three companions near me for a hundred miles, 

 and only a few Maori whares in my neighbourhood, and now rows of 

 large houses were built, and a busy life gave signs of healthy progress 

 all round. Several days were devoted to a visit to the Grrey Coal 

 Measures, where I found a hearty reception from the manager of the 

 coal mine on the Nelson side. This Company then sold as much coal 

 as it could bring down in its flat barges, carrying seven tons 

 taken down in one hour and twenty minutes, whilst it took 

 four men four hours to bring them up again. The Canterbury 

 portion of the coalfields was re-examined, and the fact ascertained, 

 that the Coal Measures were there also of considerable extent, and 

 would thus be one day of great value to the Colony. Returning to 

 Hokitika on the 9th of May, I examined, on my way, several claims 

 on the sea beach, which appeared remunerative, and which would thus 

 offer additional ground for a great number of diggers, without any 

 additional outlay. Intending to ascend the Hokitika river and its 

 tributary, the Kanieri, I obtained, not without trouble, a canoe from 

 the Maoris, for which E had to pay two pounds sterling a week (they 

 had soon fallen into the European way of charging goldfield prices). 

 Leaving the town of Hokitika next day, and ascending the river we 

 had to cross several shingle reaches, where the water formed rapids, 

 before we arrived at the small township Kanieri, at the junction of the 

 Kanieri river, and where I remained a day studying the interesting and 

 instructive occurrence of gold. The numerous shafts sunk in the 

 township itself and all around it, gave me a clear insight into the 

 manner in which the auriferous beds had been formed. 



On the following morning we had, for a few miles, a delightful 

 paddle up the still and deep brown water of the Kanieri Creek 

 dammed back by the shingle bank the Hokitika has thrown across it 

 at its junction ; this passed, its course became very winding, rapid 

 succeeded rapid, which to ascend gave us considerable trouble, whilst 



