220 Physical Geography of 



The Hinds. 

 The River Hinds, the course of which in the Canterbury plains is 

 along the depression between the huge shingle-fans of the Ashburton 

 and Eangitata, resembles the last described river in many respects. 

 The sources of its two main branches are situated in the ranges east of 

 Pudding valley, which unites the middle Eangitata with the Ashburton 

 plains; the two confluents, the north and south Hinds, joining at the 

 eastern termination of the Crawler Downs. 



The Oeaei. 



Between the Eangitata and Opihi rivers the Orari system is situated. 

 It drains the high ranges which, from the Two Thumb range, branch 

 off in an easterly direction along the southern banks of Forest creek 

 and Eangitata, below the junction of the former tributary. The 

 different head branches, the Hewson, Mackenzie, and Orari streams,. 

 of which it is formed, and the main river below their junction till it 

 has passed the Mount Peel range, mostly flow in gorge-like channels. 

 Once entered upon the plains, the bed widens very soon and forms a 

 broad shingle course. 



The "Waihao. 

 The Waihao rises on the south-western flanks of Mount Ximrod, 

 drains the western slopes of the Hunter range, and receives also con- 

 siderable additions from the range which accompanies the eastern banks 

 of the Hakataramea. This eastern main branch and its more southern 

 affluent, the western "Waihao, are two mountain streams flowing first 

 between high palaeozoic ranges in deep rocky channels, and afterwards 

 among the younger formations, where they have cut picturesque 

 gorges in the limestone rocks. For the last 10 miles of its course the 

 valley opens more, and the river-bed, for a few miles nearest the coast, 

 is generally dry during the greater portion of the year, but showing 

 from its broad shingle-bed that it is liable to heavy floods, when the 

 stream is about a quarter of a mile broad. 



The Paeeoea. 

 Finally, of the rivers which drain the eastern slopes of Mount 

 ^simrod and the Hunter range, the Pareora is the most important. 

 It flows mostly in a rocky channel, excepting the last eight miles, 

 before reaching the sea coast, and for a few miles in the upper 

 Pareora plains. 



