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bays receiving the mountain streams are equally
impenetrable as the sides of the ravines are steep
and rugged. With the exception of the site of an
old settlement in one of the arms, there are few
acres in any one spot that could be brought under
cultivation, and in proof of this the natives seem
never to have had any settlement but the one
mentioned, and it is deserted, they told us, be-
cause the ground is cursed. However, the soil
everywhere accords with the luxuriant mountain
vegetation, being generally of the richest loam,
and of considerable depth.

The geological feature of all the points and
banks of the river is soft clay, slate, with frequent
veins of quartz an inch thick. The whole country
abounds in it, blocks being found on the hills, and
the beach is strewed with quartz pebbles.

The following is the order in which the bays
and anchorages of Pelorus follow, beginning
at the East Head, or Point Entry. After passing
Guard's Bay, which has rocks above water
stretching half way across to the East Head, and
with 20 fathoms between the extreme rock and
the head,—

The first bay is Ketu, one mile within. At the
head of this bay there is Snug Cove, having 10
fathoms, but across the entrance of it 30 fathoms.
Kopaua, or Richmond's Bay, is immediately
beyond, forming a bight of one and a half miles.
Here again the anchorage is, at the head, in 14
fathoms, the hills rising 1,800 feet. There is
another sheltered bay before reaching Takaka
Point, which is immediately opposite Chetwode
Island, the channel being a mile in breadth, 40
fathoms deep. Here the main branch of the
Pelorus bends to the eastward, while another
considerable arm, the Tawhiti-nui reach, stretches
nine miles S.W., containing islands, and having
a bay within a mile of Croixelles harbour.

Having rounded Takaka Point, the course
leading to the Hoiere changes from S.W. to S.S.E.
for three miles, when a bare point, Tewero, is
rounded, and the course again is S.W. for seven
miles, then South seven miles to the upper an-
chorage, which the channel winds through banks
in a westerly direction, four miles, to the mouths
of the Hoiere and Kaituna. Opposite Tawera,
and two miles east of Kaka Point, is the bay of
Kanauroa, a good anchorage, round the south
point of which we come to Whakamawahi, an ex-
tensive arm of the Pelorus, having three branches,
viz., the Hikuraki, which is separated from Guard's
Bay, at its head, by a narrow neck, only 100 feet
broad, and about the same height; the middle,
Mamiaro, having land remarkably bare for the
Pelorus; the third, Karepo, runs south for five
miles: on its east shore is the before-mentioned
deserted village of Kopai, having excellent an-
chorage, and the only part of these sounds having
a tract of land adapted to cultivation, say 200 to
300 acres.

Passing this arm, the next reach, for seven
miles, is Popoure, having bays on either side: the
Pokobino on the east; the Tamusakiawai, the
Pinukabe, and the Opouri on the west; the west
bays having the best anchorage. The channel of
this reach has twenty seven fathoms, mud.

The next reach, Pinohikapu, is less indented.
The head of this reach was the anchorage of H. M.
Sloops Fantome and Pandora, which, with the
exception of the Government Brig, the Tory, and
H.M.S. Pelorus, I believe are the only vessels of
any size that have yet navigated the estuary.
At this anchorage, ready communication can be
had with the natives. Their cultivations are now
visible, and small fishing stations seen on the
banks, and it is about five miles below the village.
East of this anchorage is the long arm of Torea-
monui Kipurou, extending twelve miles E. by N.,
having a depth of not more than fourteen fathoms,
gradually decreasing towards the head. It is an
average breadth of three quarters of a mile. The
Mahau Sound is three miles in length, divided
from the last by a narrow ridge, Putahinu, and at
its head there is a level plain, a mile long and
one and a half miles in breadth, extending to the
Torea-mounu arm.

Ohingoroa Bay and Moi Tapu have cultivated
lands one mile S.S.W. of the anchorage. The
Mahakipawa arm is very short; the head of it is
about an hour's walk from Anakiva Bay in Queen
Charlotte's Sound. Mahakipawa is rather a large
native settlement, and from whence we got most
of our supplies. Two small vessels trade between
it and Nelson. Wheat and potatoes are their
principal produce. Near the east head of the
Mahakipawa, the rivers Hoiere and Kaituna meet,
forming banks, and leaving channels only naviga-
ble for small boats. To Parapara on the Hoiere,
from the above point (through a winding channel
only navigable at or near high water), is a distance
of three miles. Here I give Lieut. Jones's account
of the Hoiere valley, as he accomplished the
journey to Nelson with Dr. Jolliffe, returning by
Croixelles Harbour: and Mr. Blackney's journal
supplies details of the Kaituna Pass.

"The track from the Pelorus to Nelson is a
portion of that cut by Mr. Barnicoat, a Govern-
ment surveyor, some few years since, with a view
of establishing a shorter means of communication
with the Wairau plains than the route at present
employed. From about a mile above the native
settlement, a path strikes the streams, the Herenga and
the surveyor's road, which winds along the right
bank of the Hoiere river about nine miles, until
the juncture of the little river Rai, at which point
the Hoiere is forded, and the track continues
along its left bank as far as the foot of the Maunga
Tapu, a distance of about eighteen miles in a
fairly line. Here the streams, the Herenga and
Tui-tine, which also effect a junction with the
Pelorus, are crossed after leaving the river Rai.

"The valley through which the Hoiere winds
varies in width from one to three miles. The soil
appears good, and well adapted for agricultural
purposes. Portions of it are heavily timbered, and
very fine spars could be procured with but little
difficulty. The patches of wheat, potatoes, and
maize in the hands of the natives, which we passed
through, although not extensive, appeared in an
exceedingly flourishing condition, the wheat par-
ticularly, the ears being remarkably large and
heavy.

"The ascent of Maunga-tapu is steep and
difficult; a series of smaller ridges, covered with
dense forest, rendering the track intricate and
very fatiguing. Its summit is 3,500 feet above the
level of the sea, and from it a beautiful view of the
windings of the Hoiere may be obtained; parallel
ranges of lofty and densely wooded hills, succeed-
ing each other as far as the eye can reach; the
bare peaks of the 'Saddle Back' on the left, 4,000
feet in height, and the 'Sugar Loaf,' also 4,000
feet, on the right, being the most conspicuous
objects.

"The descent of Maunga-tapu is equally tedious
and difficult. After leaving the immediate neigh-
bourhood of the summit, high fera succeeds the