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Issuing out of a deep gorge of the mountains, it flows into the Waimea Plains; then holding a South-easterly course, it rounds the East base of the Hokanui Hills, where it enters into the fertile district called the Plains of Mataura. On the East edge of these Plains, situated two miles above Tuturau, are the Falls of Mataura. Here the river falls over a bed of limestone 20 feet in height, and when swollen, the cascade takes an appearance of considerable grandeur. From its Falls, the Mataura meanders through the low lands that approach the sea, which it enters at the Toi-toi, forming by its issue the entrance to the harbour of that name.

The Makerewa has its sources in the Hokanui Hills, from which it issues by two main branches. From the junction of the branches it flows Southwest about 15 miles, when it joins the Oreti; the combined rivers forming the tidal estuary called New River.

The Oreti has its sources in the Western spurs of the Eyre Mountains, at a distance from its junction with the Makerewa of 75 miles in a straight direction. Excepting close to its sources, it traverses a district generally undulating and level. Its peculiar feature is that it takes in no waters of importance below Five Rivers Plain. As its sources are thus entirely in a mountainous district, it is much subject to rapid rises and heavy freshes in the spring months, occasioned by the melting of the snow. At Five Rivers Plain it suddenly bends from an Easterly course towards the South, the bend being called the “Elbow.”

The Aparima has its sources in the Takitimo Mountains, from whence it first flows Easterly, then Southerly, to Jacob’s River, from which its sources are distant about 50 miles in a straight line.

The Waiau is the great River of the South-west of the Middle Island, and is about two-thirds the size of the Clutha. It has not been surveyed to its sources, but its upper course was viewed from Centre Hill, which commands a prospect of the same. Its two upper gorges were from this position judged to be 40 and 50 miles distant, which would bring them into close proximity with Bligh Sound and Milford Haven, situated on the West Coast. Mr. Howell, of Jacob’s River, informed me that a Native track exists between Milford Haven and one of the heads of the Waiau, which river was descended from, thence by the Maories in moggies, or flax rafts, to its mouth, near which the old settlement of Pahees exists. This would indicate the existence of a practicable pass for man to the West Coast; but from what I saw, it must be a very difficult one. The head of the Waiau cannot be less than 100 miles from its mouth, and I do not think it will exceed this, as throughout its course it is joined by large tributaries issuing out of the surrounding high mountains, so must increase very rapidly to the large volume that it attains.

A Western spur of the Eyre Mountains will, I believe, be found to divide the heads of the Waiau from the heads of the Clutha. The current of the Waiau is very rapid and deep, so as to be unfordable; but it might be crossed by rafts or boats at the Limestone Gorge. About 60 miles from its mouth are the Te Anau Lakes, which, having been only viewed from a distance, nothing of consequence can be noted regarding them.

At the mouth of the Mataura a harbour for small vessels exists; at the Bluff a harbour for vessels of any size: the New River may be entered by vessels of 300 to 400 tons, or probably more; and Jacob’s River by vessels of 100 tons. The Waiau has a constant outward current, and is said not to be enterable even by boats. More extended notices of these will be found in the “New Zealand Pilot.”

In connection with the river system is a remarkable configuration of certain plains and valleys, which lead to the inference of considerable changes of surface at recent dates (geologically speaking). Thus the valley of the Waimea stretches in nearly a dead level from the Mataura to the Oreti, in the same direction as the upper course of the Oreti, and on the same level. Also, the Oreti plains are on a dead level from the Oreti to the Aparima; and all the streams in the plains take their sources close to the banks of the Aparima, running from thence into the Oreti. The Hamilton Burn, a branch of the Aparima, and near its head, also joins closely on to the Oreti. These valleys and plains are filled with recent deposit, the debris of the mountains, so must have had some of the proximate rivers flowing over them. Thus, at no distant age, by slight variations of level, the courses of all these rivers may have been different to the present ones—the