Geological Survey of Canterbury. 161 



to consist of grits, sandstones, and shales, identical in character with 

 those of the Grey river, which led me to infer that some day workable 

 coal seams would also be found on this portion of the coast, a conclu- 

 sion which has since been partly confirmed by the discovery of some 

 seams by Docherty a few years ago. The view up the river is most 

 charming. The river-bed has a considerable width, possessing an 

 alluvial flat on both sides, covered with luxuriant forest vegetation ; 

 wooded hills of moderate size and diversified forms bound the valley, 

 the background being formed by the high serrated ridge of Mount 

 Hooker, glistening with ice and snow. After a short interval, we pro- 

 ceeded up the river, which owing to its rapid current, was not done 

 without great exertions, the boat having to be towed up all the time. 

 After having ascended about three miles, the river water began to 

 exhibit a division in two well-defined colours ; water of the pale bluish 

 tinge peculiar to glacier rivers during fine weather flowing on the one 

 side, and of a cV-k brown colour on the other. Soon after, we reached 

 the mouth of a southern tributary from which the dark brown water is 

 derived, a:: d which by a long shingle bar thrown up by the main river, 

 has been dammed up for a considerable distance. We now advanced 

 rapidly for about a mile on the broad and deep still water, bordered on 

 both sides by magnificent forests, after which the bed narrowed con- 

 siderably, and the current became gradually stronger ; rapid succeeded 

 rapid, and numerous drift trees lying across the creek now made our 

 advance so laborious and slow, that we could not that evening reach 

 the lake of which one of my companions knew the existence. "We 

 passed a terrible night, owing to millions of mosquitos, which together 

 with a similar torment by day from legions of sandflies that had almost 

 devoured us, did not improve our tempers. Next morning, after 

 passing several very nasty rapids, the river again assumed another 

 character, becoming broad and deep with scarcely any current observ- 

 able, and now resembling a canal. Numerous waterfowl enlivened 

 its surface, from which I obtained several rare specimens, as welcome 

 additions to my collections. Although well accustomed to New 

 Zealand forest scenery, I could never cease admiring the particularly 

 stately trees which appeared in endless variety of form and feature 

 with every new reach of the river. At last we reached the lake, which 

 I named Lake Hall, after my friend the Hon. John Hall. It is a nice 

 sheet of water about three miles long and two miles wide, with a pro- 

 montory entering it for a considerable distance from the west, and 

 surrounded everywhere by densely wooded hills of no considerable 



