april — sept. 1859.] the Province of Auckland. 



141 



magnificent volcanic cones, — Ruapahu, shining with the brilliancy 

 of perpetual snow, — Tongariro, with its black cinder-cone capped 

 with a rising cloud of white steam ; — the two majestic mountains 

 standing side by side upon a barren desert of pumice (called by 

 the Natives, One-tapu,) and the whole reflected, as by a mirror, 

 by the waters of Lake Taupo. 



Lake Taupo is 22 English miles long in the direction from 

 Terapa to Tapuaeha ruru, and 16 broad. This lake is surrounded 

 by elevated pumice stone plateaus, about 2000 feet above the sea, 

 and 700 feet above the lake. The Waikato river, taking its rise 

 from Tongariro, flows through the lake, traversing the pumice- 

 stone plateaus on either side. In accordance with the names I 

 have already proposed for the Middle and Lower Waikato Plains, 

 the Taupo country will form the " Upper Waikato Basm.''* 



It is one of the most characteristic features in the structure of 

 the Northern Island, that, from the shores of Taupo lake, an al- 

 most level pumice-stone plain — called Kaingaroa Plain — stretches 

 at the foot of the East Cape range, with a very gradual descent to 

 the coast between Whakatane and Matata. A plain which, though 

 now presenting a sterile appearance, will, I hope, at no distant 

 day, be converted into fine grassy plains, capable of supporting 

 large flocks of sheep. 



In a similar way, a higher volcanic plateau, consisting of tra- 

 chytic tuff and breccia, and various other volcanic rocks, stretches 

 in a more northerly direction to the East Coast, between Maketu 

 and Tauranga, the farthest extremities of which reach even to the 

 Auckland District. On one side of Hauraki Gulf, the Coroman- 

 del range is covered with trachytic breccia, and again, on the 

 West coast, the same rock forms the coast range from Manukau 



* The following positions of some of the principal points in the Up- 

 per Waikato Basin, as they result from my observations, may be of in- 

 terest : — 



Ruapahu Centre 39° 1' 



Tongariro, Ngauruhoe Crater 38° 54' 



Waikato, entrance into Taupo lake .... 38° 42' 



outlet from Taupo lake 38° 31' 



Lat. S. 



Long. E. 

 from Gr. 

 175* 38' 

 175* 41' 

 175* 48' 

 176* 2' 



Tukawa, Te Heu Heu's Pa on the shore 



175* 48' 



