56 
DESCRIPTIVE NARRATIVE OF JOURNEY. 
of small streams, rivulets, and precipices, and is covered with 
manuka and sub-Alpine scrubs. I determined to cross this 
plateau for the purpose of ascending the highest point of the 
eastern chain, and in case I could not finish my work there, to 
descend to the Orikaka, which was flowing at the eastern side of 
it, and thus reach the Buller, but as the Maories, who are expert 
in building canoes, had deserted me, I was obliged to abandon my 
original intention of going down that river to its mouth, and 
determined to return by the same way we had come. Starting 
next morning, therefore, we left part of our provisions and one 
tent on Mount Bochfort, the weather still continuing magnificent, 
although very cold. On descending to the plateau we found it 
worse than our anticipations. It was extremely broken, and 
we were kept climbing up and down the whole day without 
intermission. As it oftered plenty of sections, however, 1 hoped 
every moment to discover coal, but although I searched with the 
greatest diligence, removing for that purpose snow and ice from 
the sides ot the hills, I did not at first succeed in finding any. In 
the evening, however, we found some small pieces of coal in one of 
the brooks near our camp, and I at once, accompanied by Mr. 
Burnett, followed these indications, until night began to close 
upon us. The next morning we again followed the same stream, 
the pieces of coal became more numerous and angular, and we at 
last reached a narrow valley, the rocks on both sides of which 
overhung. The rivulet here disappeared amongst huge masses of 
rock covered with deep mosses, and lying one upon the other so 
as to form a sort of irregular cavern. This we attempted to 
explore with lighted vestas, wading in the icy waters, but the 
opening soon became so narrow that we were unable to proceed 
It was evident that a coal stratum, probably of great thickness' 
had here been washed away, the overlying rocks falling i n .’ 
Although this valley was probably not more than 2,000 feet above 
the level of the sea, deep snow lay in it, and in some places the 
■ce was so thick as to permit us to enjoy the pleasure, seldom 
obtained m INew Zealand, of a slide upon the iee. 
T ?TiY 0 t d i ed U - S th f n r Xt da v° Ver the same kind of ground, and 
I still looked anxiously for indications of coal, but in vain At 
length, however, my search was rewarded, for, having passed up a 
little waterfall m a deep gully, I saw that the overhangiim rocks 
were compact grits, and although my whole party had passed over 
the fall, I at once returned and having removed the moss which 
covered the stratum below these grits, I found, to my srreat iov 
a large seam of good coal. Of course I stopped my partv who 
very soon returned to assist me in uncovering the seam which on 
removing the moss and ice that encumbered the fall proved tn Ko 
eight feet two inches in thickness of P we coal. P A further 
examination of this valley, which I named Coalbrook Dale proved 
that this seam was striking and dipping regularly, and I therefore 
