EXPLANATION OF THE MAP. 
113 
its vicinity. The town lies at the foot of the mountain, being 
built upon an alluvial delta formed by the confluence of two 
streams, named the Matai and the Brook Street Creek, extend¬ 
ing also up their valleys and along the hill slopes that face the 
harbour. An excellent road leads from Nelson to the south 
through the luxuriant fields and meadows which bedeck the 
agricultural districts of the Waiinea and Waiiti plains. On 
these fruitful alluvial flats are to be seen farm after farm, while 
many villages are rapidly springing into existence. Since 1861, 
Nelson has possessed a railway, being the first constructed in 
New Zealand. It is the work of the Dun Mountain Company, 
for the purpose of developing the chrome mines, and leads from 
the harbour through the town and up the Brook Street valley. 
The existence of the harbour of Nelson is due to a most 
singular boulder bank which extends along the coast for eight 
miles, forming a natural dam, behind which there extends a 
narrow and shallow arm of the sea, which deepens towards the 
south, where it communicates with Blind Bay, and forms a 
small but safe harbour. 
CREIGHTON AND SCALES, PRINTERS, O CONNELL-STREET, AUCKLAND. 
