Geological Survey of Canterbury . 163 



down the coast, looking out anxiously for a spot where we might find 

 a small-boat harbour. This portion of the coast, from Wakapohai to 

 Taupari Kaka cliffs, is ironbound and wild in the extreme, and against 

 it the broad waves of the Pacific break with fury. Now and then we 

 ran close to the surf to see whether we could find a suitable spot for 

 ■landing, but the coast seemed nowhere accessible. However, as the 

 wind steadily increased, we at last selected a small sandy beach between 

 two high rocky promontories, where the surf appeared to be not so 

 heavy, and, keeping the boat steady, ran her in as quickly as we could. 

 But this was not accomplished without nearly swamping the boat, 

 which was half filled with water, and the beach was so sloping that all 

 our strength and energy were needed to secure her. 



The spot which we had chosen was most secluded and romantic. A 

 small beach, about a hundred yards long, close to Arnott's Point, and 

 bounded on both sides by huge rocky projections of wild forms, whilst 

 behind us, a rocky wall, about 400 feet high, rose boldly, in the midst 

 of which a small but charming waterfall descended. A rich vegetation 

 had sprung up where a little soil had accumulated amongst these rocks, 

 the line of the horizon above us being fringed with the crowns of the 

 forest vegetation on the top of the dirt's. We only lauded just in time, 

 for the sea very soon had risen to such a height that no boat could 

 have lived upon it; the rain came down in torrents, and a wild night 

 followed. In this seclu led spot we w r ere detained for nine days, owing 

 to the heavy surf keeping us prisoners, and although the weather was 

 occasionally very fine, before the sea could sufficiently calm down that 

 ■a boat might attempt to cross the surf, the wind would freshen up and 

 the sea become very rough again. However, it was not altogether 

 lost time, because it gave me ample opportunity to examine the district 

 in every direction. Thua I worked my way both north and south of 

 our camp, but not without occasional mishaps. There was scarcely 

 any difference between high a d low water — the latter being very 

 treacherous — high waves occasionally running up and wetting us to 

 the skin, and only our clinging with all our strength to the rocks 

 prevented us from being washed out to sea. Many of the rocks consist 

 of a very hard melaphvre (greenstone). Of such rock Wakapohai, 

 Arnott, and Taupari Kaka Points consist; and it is easily conceivable 

 that only rocks of such gieat hardness can effectually resist the 

 enormous power of the ceaseless surf. Between these old submarine 

 lava streams, which occur in many localities along this part of the 

 coast, sandstones, shales, and conglomerates are embedded, and have 



