Canterlury and Wcstland. 193 



CHAPTER III. 



GrLACTEBS, BlYEKS, AND LAKES. 



Owing to the intimate connection in which, with the exception of a 

 few minor streams, the glaciers, rivers, and lakes stand with each 

 other, I have thought it most convenient to treat of them together, in 

 order to avoid repetition. Measured with Amsler's planometer on the 

 map of the Province of Canterbury, published before the secession of 

 Westland, by authority of the Provincial Government, in September, 

 1866, on a scale of 10 miles to 1 inch, the area of both provinces is 

 17,963 square miles ; there are, consequently 62 miles less than the 

 amount given in later official records, which is : — Por Canterbury, 

 13,583 miles, and "Westland, 4442 miles ; total, 18,025 miles. 



Calculating the hydrographic basins on both slopes, those on the 

 eastern side amount only to 13,353 square miles, whilst those on the 

 western side reach 4610 square miles, which is caused by the fact, that 

 some sources of the western river systems stretch across the boundary 

 line between the two provinces, running along the main divide of the 

 Southern Alps. It will be difficult to find another country with an 

 area of such limited extent as these two provinces, possessing so many 

 important water-courses, of which however none, with the exception 

 of a few tidal rivers, are navigable. Of the hydrographic basins reach-. 

 ing to the main divide, or owing their origin to true glaciers, six are 

 situated on the eastern slopes, namely — the Waiinakariri, Eakaia, 

 Ashburton, Hangitata, "Waitaki, and Molyneux ; and sixteen on the 

 western slopes — the Taramakau, Arahura, Hokitika, Waitaha, Wanga- 

 nui, "Whataroa, "Waiau, Waikukupa, Weheka, Karangarua, Mahitahi, 



Or 



