154 Historical Notes on the 



panorama lies before the traveller, which can rival many of the most 

 celebrated views in the province. "Whilst in the east the eye sweeps 

 over a large portion of the Canterbury plains, at the termination of 

 which the characteristic mountain forms of Banks Peninsula stand 

 above the sea horizon ; in the other three directions, high mountain 

 ranges rise one above the other, shoving bold and picturesque outlines. 

 Deep below us, immediately at our feet, appear the Upper Ashley 

 plains, without doubt the bed of an extensive lake before the gorge 

 had been cut so deeply into the range, so that its waters could be 

 drained off. Descending by a steep path to Mr. Lee's station, where a 

 hearty reception awaited me, and which is situated about the middle of 

 the plains, I followed for two days the different source branches 

 of the river to their mountain recesses, examining the eastern flanks of 

 the Puketeraki range, the northern continuation of Mount Torlesse, 

 for a considerable distance, cattle tracks as usual offering me a safe 

 guide to fords and across swamps and swampy creeks. In several 

 localities in this inland basin, small tertiary outliers were met with, as 

 well as morainic accumulations and erratic blocks. Returning by the 

 same picturesque bridle-track to the Canterbury plains, I proceeded 

 finally to Oxford, examining on my way Starvation Hill, a small 

 volcanic centre, of which the form of the crater is easily discernible. 

 The country between this lull, which rises conspicuously above the 

 plains, and the foot of the ranges, is of a swampy nature, and indicates 

 that when the "Wahnakariri was flowing in a north-easterly direction, 

 forming its wide bed on the northern side of the Moeraki Downs, a 

 lake or at least a chain of large lagoons was formed between the out- 

 running spurs, which in course of time were partly filled up by 

 decayed paludal vegetation, and by silt and alluvial deposits brought 

 down by the small creeks from the adjacent hills. Starvation Hill, 

 like Burnt Hill, and a rocky projection in the bed of the W^ahnakariri 

 a few miles below the lower gorge, consists of basaltic lava, to which, 

 owing to its peculiar structure, the name of Anamesite has been 

 applied, all three being the continuation of the same system, which 

 forms the eastern boundary of the Malvern Hills. 



Another day was devoted to a visit to Yiew Hill, the basic rocks of 

 which it partly consists, agreeing more in character with those of the 

 small miniature volcano at Kowai Corner in the Malvern Hills. Some 

 instructive sections are exposed to view, the gradual change in the 

 lithological character of the older sedimentary rocks through the 

 overflow of volcanic matter, being well exhibited. Yiew Hill, standing 



