Geological Survey of Canterbury. 91 



from 'amongst the fine forest vegetation which clothed the banks on 

 both sides, whilst in still more numerous localities, the smoke curling 

 above the tree-tops betrayed the existence of human habitations. The 

 weather was now very fine, and the view up the river upon the high 

 mountain chains, rising abruptly at the end of the plains, exceedingly 

 beautiful — the dark green vegetation ascending for several thousand 

 feet, and contrasting strikingly with the pure white garment of snow 

 with which the higher portions of the ranges were uniformly covered. 

 Near the junction of the Kokotahi the Hokitika turns abruptly to 

 the south-west and changes its character, becoming for more than a 

 mile a deep slow flowing river, the shingle deposits of its smaller but 

 more rapid tributary having dammed the waters of the main river back 

 to a considerable extent. Its left bank consists of large morainic 

 accumulations covered with forest vegetation, the right bank being 

 low and covered with shrubs and ferns. The landscape has now under- 

 gone considerable change, a wide plain, mostly covered with Veronica, 

 Olearia, Coprosma, Leptospermum, and Coriaria bushes, stretching to the 

 high m untains. In the midst rises an isolated range, called Te Koi-ita- 

 rangi, about 800 feet high, which has a roclie moutonnee-like appearance. 

 Some others, of which one has the form of a regular cone, stand at 

 the foot of the outrunning spurs of the high ranges which bound the 

 horizon. 



"We now left the busy abode of the mining population, and entered 

 the solitude, although many trial shafts along the river-bed, and 

 afterwards along the high banks near the gorge, proved that numerous 

 prospecting parties had tried their fortune in many localities, without 

 obtaining the desired result. An attack of fever, without doubt 

 caused by being continually in wet clothes, kept me here for several 

 days in the same camp ; however, owing to the use of some strong 

 doses of quinine, I soon felt much better, and was able, on May 80th, 

 to reach the foot of the ranges, where the river enters the plain in a 

 deep gorge, the vertical or overhanging walls on both sides of which 

 consist of gneiss-granite. The water in this gor^e was so deep, that 

 we could nowhere find bottom with the large pole we had in the canoe, 

 and there was no perceptible flow. 



Passing through this really fine gorge, about half a mile long, we 

 found the river-bed above it so rough and full of large blocks of 

 stone, and the water so rapid, that we could not take the canoe anv 

 higher. We therefore continued our journey on foot, for some 

 distance, to enable me to examine the geological structure of the 



