150 Historical Notes on the 



and on the east by the Blount Torlesse range and its northern con- 

 tinuation, the Puketeraki range — was once covered by a huge glacier, 

 above which some peaks, as for instance, Purple Hill, Magog, and 

 Mount Binzer, stood as islands, whilst the greater portion of the 

 smaller mountains having a roche moutonnee form, show that the latter 

 were, during a considerable space of time, hidden below the great 

 ice-sheet, and derived their peculiar forms from the astounding 

 work of the great ice plough which had passed over them. "Wnen 

 the great glacier retreated, a lake of considerable extent was 

 formed, filling its former bed, and above which the isolated 

 mountains and smaller ranges previously alluded to, stood as so 

 many islands. Gradually this lake was filled with lacustrine deposits 

 in its middle and deeper portion, whilst the mountain streams 

 advanced at the same time with their shingle-fans, forming deltas. 

 In course of time, the shingle deposits of the main river, advancing 

 step by step, filled the whole with their enormous masses, resting upon 

 morainic accumulations and lacustrine deposits. These shingle-beds 

 form a plateau — a continuation of the Canterbury plains — the line 

 being easily traced through the "\rairnakariri gorge. It is evident 

 that the structure of these newer beds must appear very complex and 

 bewildering, unless the key to the whole has been obtained. Thus in 

 leaving the Cass and passing to the TTaimakarm in an easterly 

 direction, we first passed over alluvial beds, which, near Blackwater, a 

 lonely tarn, give place to morainic accumulations ; they are succeeded 

 by roclies moutonnees, between them the road passes, after which the 

 valley of the ^Taimakariri is reached, where I observed lacustrine beds 

 overlaid by thick post-pliocene shingle deposits, situated at least 

 400 feet above the present bed of the river. Instead of following 

 the river-bed to the junction of the Poulter, the road leaves it about a 

 mile above, and ascends to the downs on its right banks, passing over 

 a succession of morainic, lacustrine, and fluviarile deposits. Every 

 moment the view becomes more extensive, the traveller being here 

 surrounded by mountains at least 6000 feet high, whilst deep below 

 him in narrow ravines, the "Waimakariri, and Poulter flow. Roches 

 moutonnees rise in every direction amongst the level terraced ground in 

 the foreground, the continuation of which, on the right bank of the 

 "Waimakariri, is clearly visible from here. After descending to the 

 Poulter by a well-laid-out road, and crossing the river, a number of 

 terraces, one rising above the other, brought us again on to the plateau. 

 Here the station of Mr. Minchin is situated, where, being most 

 kindly received, I established my head-quarters. On this flat, a 



