PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 
amongst other disadvantages, exposed to very heavy seas, is in 
many respects unfounded. At the mouth of the Grey, as well as 
at that of the IIuller, at both of which we experienced heavy 
gales from all quarters, the breakers on the bar were not so high 
as I should have expected, nor did they extend any great distance 
seaward, but few lines of breakers being visible. I am, in fact, 
satisfied that the mouths of the Grey and Buller may both be 
taken in moderate weather by large vessels and steamers, as well 
as by small coasting vessels. 
Before, however, commencing the description of the physical 
features of the coast line, it is necessary to state in what manner I 
have prepared the topographical map which accompanies this 
report. I was furnished by the survey department with a map, 
which contained, at my own request, a delineation of such tracts 
of the province as had been actually surveyed. I found upon it a 
coast line from West Wanganui, round Cape Farewell to 
Wakapuaka, my last station, the course of the Wairau, the 
eastern country round Lake Tennyson, and the northern end of 
Lake Boto-iti, and its outlet as far as the Devil’s Grip ; and, as Mr. 
John Bochfort had finished his extensive survey on the West 
Coast, I was enabled to take advantage of it also in preparing my 
map. In order to understand what I have to say in the sequel, it 
may be as well to mention that Mr. Bochfort’s survey began at 
the southern boundary of this province, at the Hurunui peak, the 
position of which had been fixed by triangulation from the 
Canterbury survey, the real position of Christchurch, the starting 
point of the trigonometrical survey, having been previously 
accurately determined by numerous astronomical observations. 
Continuing thence, by Lake Sumner, to the sources of the 
Hurunui, he surveyed across the pass, and down the Taramakau, 
which rises on the other side, to the south bank of Lake Brunner, 
upon which he continued until he reached the Kotukuwakao, the 
outlet of the lake, which he followed to its junction with the Grey, 
and thence to the mouth of the last named river. Thence 
he surveyed up the coast as far as the Ngakuwaho stream, 
which lies seventeen miles north of the Buller. He also worked 
up the Grey to its junction with the Mawhera-iti, and followed 
the latter stream up to the Inangahua, so reaching the Buller. 
This river had been previously surveyed by him, to within a mile 
and a half from its junction with the Maruia. As the numerous 
ranges and peaks in the country through which I travelled afforded 
me good opportunities of fixing, by means of magnetic bearings, 
the general features of the north-western part of this island, 
including the coast line from the Ngakuwaho to West Wanganui, I 
can with confidence lay before you the result of my labours, in 
which I have been well assisted by Mr. James Burnett. Although 
I had a pocket sextant with me, I thought it useless to make any 
observations for the positions of the mouths of the Grey and 
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