DESCRIPTIVE NARRATIVE OF JOURNEY. 5 
Mount Robert falls abruptly oft’ towards the west; towards 
the east it has three spurs falling towards the southern part of 
the inner lake, and between these spurs lie large valleys, hollowed 
to a depth of 1,200 or 1,500 feet by the action of the mountain 
streams, and containing basins filled with deep green water. In 
about two miles-and-a-half we had to rise 1,500 feet, in order to 
reach the summit of the mountain. The ridge was in many places 
so narrow that there was hardly space sufficient for our looting. 
The surface of the ground was covered with a most interesting 
vegetation, a perfect carpet of Alpine flowers, among which the 
spear-grass raised its rich yellow stalk, the whole here and there 
surrounded with snow. From its highest point, Mount Robert 
falls abruptly to the south. 
A deep valley here intersects the chain, through which a small 
stream runs towards the Roto-ici valley. At this point I com¬ 
menced my topographical and other observations, the results ol 
which, as well as the altitudes of the mountains which I ascended, 
will be found in other parts of my report. 
1 must confess that the view over the sea of mountains by 
which I was surrounded quite bewildered me, and it was only 
after some time that I succeeded in reducing into order their 
various systems. From this point we expected to have seen Lake 
Rotoroa, which, however, we looked for in vain, although a very 
broad and long valley indicated the direction in which it was to 
be found. Contrary, however, to our expectation of getting a 
more extended view to the southward, vve lound it still shut in 
in that direction; but between the high chain south ot the 
'Wangapeka and its continuation towards the south, a large 
opening was visible, through which we saw a number of round- 
topped hills of every degree of elevation. Some of these were 
perfect cones, the regularity of which was surprising. They were 
all clothed with wood to their very summits, giving a pleasing 
variety to the landscape around us. Notwithstanding the sun 
was shining brightly, the atmosphere v T as sensibly cold. The 
Maori who accompanied us made a fire of grass, which w r e felt 
extremely comfortable. It was past four o’clock before I had 
finished my observations, and we started with all possible speed 
on our return to the tents, leaving, with regret, the grand moun¬ 
tain scenery around us. It became dark as we descended the 
mountain, and fearing to be benighted, I decided on making a 
straight line to the lake, by a nearer and more northerly spur, 
instead of following that by which we had ascended, which was 
longer, and densely wooded. After a long and fatiguing descent, 
we reached the banks of the lake, round which we were compelled 
to follow our way by starlight. Unfortunately, however, the 
banks were steep, and covered with dense overhanging vegetation, 
so that we had at times to wade breast deep through the water, 
or to climb over huge masses of rock. (Some of my party, whom 
