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hazy, and the swell rapidly increasing broke frequently in nine fathoms, with great irregularity of the entrance, indicating a foul rocky bottom. The bar appeared one mass of broken water showing no channel.

Mr. Rochfort, informing me of a sheltered bay situated midway between our position and Jackson’s Bay, into which a small river named Mahitahi empties itself: consulting with him I determined to examine it, the more so as I wished to give time for the sea to go down, so that I might further examine the Okarita on my return.

Steaming close along the shore at half speed, at two p.m. we ran out of a heavy swell into fine smooth water. Cautiously sounding till close in under the south head, we dropped our anchor at three fathoms at dead low water; the bottom was hard speckled sand, and apparently good holding ground.

I consider this bay a much better harbour than either Timaru, Oamaru or Moeraki because it is protected from everything except a northerly wind, which seldom blows here with any violence, and on necessity a sailing vessel could put to sea without any difficulty; besides which I feel sure, vessels could generally discharge their cargo in their own boats, so little surf is there on the beach; and were there a short inexpensive jetty constructed in the south corner on the sand, even in a northerly breeze, I hardly think cargo boat communication would be intercepted, and further, it will I am sure prove a great acquisition to the larger description of vessels seeking shelter from a southerly breeze, being the only protected anchorage between Wanganui Inlet and Jackson’s Bay, which latter place it closely resembles. The southern headland is a bold rocky promontory stretching out a mile and a half in a N.W. direction and forming the shelter.

On this we landed stepping from the boat on a rock, and re-embarking at dark dry shod. I have named the bay “Bruce Bay,” because that vessel was the first to anchor there.

The weather looking fine, and the water glass smooth, we weighed anchor at 3.30 a.m. the following day; but no sooner did we leave Bruce Bay than we fell into a heavier swell than yesterday, our hopes of entering any of the smaller bar rivers fell very considerably; nevertheless we determined on examining them as closely as safety would permit.

We coasted along the shore which is all of a similar character between Bruce Bay and Hokitika, being in diggers’ parlance “made terraces” thickly timbered, the coast line with a few exceptions at the headlands being sandy beach.

At Waikukupa, a small creek abreast of Mount Cook, I observed the cutter “Trader” safely riding inside. You may recollect she left here sometime ago with a party of prospectors having the intention of entering the Wanganui; five tents were pitched near her. We were prevented from holding communication by the heavy surf.

Mr. Rochfort tells me this creek is not deeper at low water than your ankles—so I pass on to the Okarita. It was now perfectly clear, and we stood in as far as it was safe, and obtained a good view of the entrance, which I found much more confined and intricate than had been represented, and very much inferior to the Hokitika.

Hohuhamaru, which is on the southern side of the Okarita, is a high rocky headland, from which a rocky bottom evidently stretches out to the north-west, causing an irregular heavy cross swell frequently breaking, which would preclude vessels from anchoring outside.

The north side is a low sandy bank covered with coarse grass and flax, extending some five miles north, and enclosing a lagoon of considerable size. The resident Natives told Mr. Rochfort that in their remembrance the entrance has been completely closed up, so that they could walk across dry footed, being in this respect similar to lake Ellesmere.

The wind and sea increasing, and seeing no prospect of being able to enter in our limited time, I next visited in turn the Wataroa and Wanganui Rivers, standing in as before to the edge of the breakers. As both the entrances were narrow and more exposed to the south-west, or prevailing swell, I did not consider them worthy of further notice,