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softer nature. Many evidences of this period of subsidence are met with far inland, behind the first system of palaeozoic strata, as for instance, in the coal basin east of the Thirteen-Mile Bush Range, and the extensive basin of the Upper Waimakariri, where all the phenomena before described are exhibited, although on a much larger scale.

By the continued sinking of the land, the higher volcanic eminences were again brought in contact with the destroying waves, and enormous masses of sand, derived from the degradation of the volcanic rocks, were deposited.

After a considerable lapse of time, the volcanic force, which had slept for a long period, again began to operate at the eastern base of the trachytic and rhyolitic ranges. Rocks of much greater specific gravity made their appearance in the form of dolerites and basalts, partly as dykes, partly as lava streams breaking through and disturbing the strata at the foot of the older volcanic regions.

That some of these lava streams were subaerial is proved by the very interesting and instructive beds of palagonite tuffs in Harper’s hills, the enclosed leaves and twigs of dicotyledonous trees showing that before the eruption of these basic volcanic rocks, the country had again risen above the sea level and been covered with a luxuriant vegetation.

The sections No. 7 and No. 8, will give you a clear insight into the relations of the different volcanic rocks and the tertiary strata at their base. But I may add, that for the elucidation and study of this interesting zone more time has to be devoted, and that more space will be required for its description than I can fairly devote in this preliminary report.

In what relation the separate volcanic system of Banks’ Peninsula stands to the eastern zone, which it surrounds like the segment of a circle, can only be determined by future careful examination.

To the more recent basic volcanic rocks belong the systems of the left bank of the Orari and of Timaru and its neighbourhood.

As in the course of my report I shall often have occasion to refer to definite positions, I here add a table of altitudes, classified according to the different river systems: those marked thus * being the results of barometrical observations, combined with those of the boiling water apparatus, whilst those without the star were only taken by the Aneroid barometer. I have to thank Mr. J. Williams of the Land Office, for keeping, during my absence, a meteorological register, which has enabled me to calculate with a fair degree of precision, the altitudes of the different stations of my journey.

TABLES OF ALTITUDES.
Calculated from the results obtained by the Aneroid Barometer.

RIVER RANGITATA.

• Junction of Havelock with two feet other glacial streams, from Mount Forbes..................................................... 3212
• Terminal face of Forbes Glacier...................... 3837
• Junction of the outlet of the Forbes glacier with Havelock (good camping ground)....................... 2871
• Clyde glacier, terminal face, source of River Clyde................................. 3762
• Tyndall glacier, terminal face.......................... 3950
• Junction of the McCoy with the Clyde (good camping ground).................... 3269
• Lawrence glacier, source of River Lawrence, northern branch of Rangitata..................................... 4061
• Junction of River Lawrence with River Clyde.......................... 2284
• Junction of River Havelock with Clyde, forming the River Rangitata...................... 2192
• Highest terrace in Upper Rangitata, west of Mr. S. Butler’s station................... 3418
• Mount Sinclair, between Rangitata, and Lake Tekapo........................... 7022
• Saddle between Coal creek falling into the Rangitata and Canterbury plains..................... 2208
• Canterbury plains, at the base of the mountains, where the Rangitata leaves the mountains.......... 1309

RIVER ASHBURTON.

• Mount Rowley, Ashburton.......................... 4244
• Ashburton glacier............................. 4828
• Ribbonwood range, between the Ashburton and the Lake Heron Country summit.................. 5862
• First terrace towards Lake Heron................ 3607
• Highest ditto.................................. 5160
• Lake Tripp (its outlet to Ashburton) the watershed between it and the Rangitata about 30 feet above the level of this lake..................... 2818
• Lake Acland................................... 2303
• Lake Heron (the outlet of which belongs to the Rakaia river system), between this lake and the waters of the Ashburton, the watershed is about 100 feet..................... 2297

LAKE TEKAPO SYSTEM.

• Great Godley glacier, source of River Godley, coming from Mount Tyndall, centre of terminal face........................ 3583
• Classen glacier, from Mount Elie de Beaumont, glacial cave................................. 3528
• Junction of Grey glacier with Great Godley glacier.................... 4832
• Separation glacier, between Mount Tyndall and Mount Forbes...................... 4382
• Macaulay glacier........................... 4375
• Junction of River Macaulay with River Godley........................... 2611
• Huxley glacier, from Mount Darwin, main source of River Cass............................ 5242
• Pass near it, towards a glacier belonging to the Godley River system..................... 6565
• Faraday glacier, another source of River Cass......................... 4723
• Lake Alexandrina............................ 2497
• Lake Tekapo.................................. 2468