PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 
81 
150 feet high, rises on its northern side above the surrounding 
level, and runs for some miles parallel with the stream by which 
the waters of the lake are emptied into the Grey. About the 
same point another stream joins the Grey from the westward, v 
flowing north-west and south-east, through a distinct depression 
in the Paparoha chain. Between the Tauwarikarito, which flows in 
a nearly westerly direction, and the Kotukuwakao, which dis¬ 
charges the waters of Lake Brunner, and which are about four 
miles distant from each other, is another ridge of small hills, 
running in a south-easterly direction through low level country, 
covered with valuable timber. The Kotukuwakao is a con¬ 
siderable stream, flowing north-west-by-north for twelve miles 
towards the Grey, without offering' a single fording place in its 
whole course. 
Lake Brunner is a splendid piece of water, above which, on 
its eastern and south-western sides, high mountains rise. It has 
a superficial area of twenty-four square miles, and will one day be 
visited for its picturesque scenery by the future settlers in the 
Grey plains and inhabitants of the town near the mouth of the 
river. This lake receives its waters from a smaller lake called 
Piherua by the Maories, which lies three miles distant from the 
former, having between them only an isolated conical mountain, 
round which, at its northern base, flowing through marshy ground, 
lies the connecting river. The Piherua itself is formed by a 
stream rising in the Werner range, to the foot of which this lake 
extends. Prom Lake Brunner, the Kotukuwakao, to its junction 
with the Grey, and the Grey thence to its mouth, form the 
boundary lines of the Kelson and Canterbury provinces. After 
the union of the two rivers, the Grey enters the gorge which 
it has cut through the southern slopes of the Paparoha chain, 
then assuming a more westerly course. Two miles lower 
down it leaves the gorge, the hills recede on both sides, a large 
triangular flat lying on its northern bank, bounded by a narrow 
limestone range, which rises to the height of 150 feet, near the 
sea coast. Pive miles more bring the traveller to its mouth, 
where this fine river is a quarter of a mile broad, and of con¬ 
siderable depth. 
I have now described, as far as necessary, the general physical 
features of the country explored by me, and I have, I think, shown, 
that although huge mountain chains preponderate, there are, 
nevertheless, some excellent and extensive valleys and plains, 
which must, at some not very distant day, prove useful to the 
European population of this province. I shall now proceed to 
describe the coast line from the Grey to Cape Farewell, along 
which, with the exception of a few miles, where perpendicular 
cliffs jutting into the sea would not permit me to pass round them, 
I have travelled the whole way. I may here state that the bad 
reputation which the west coast of this island had gained, of being, 
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