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is comparatively shallow, varying from six to ten fathoms, and surrounded by a large extent of level land, which is continuous with the flat through which the river winds, and is bounded on either hand by low sloping hills.

About five miles from its lower end it however acquires all the characters of one of the Sounds, being bounded by steep mountains that rise out of deep water. At the head of the lake there is a large flat, covered with thicket of the tutu, fuschia, and other shrubs, where we found tracks of wild pigs—the progeny, Henry learned from the old Maori, of a pair that had been turned loose a few years since. After finding the only safe mooring place near the head of the lake, which is a little projecting headland on the east shore, which will afford shelter from the N.W. gales, we returned next day to the schooner. For some time after this we had stormy and changeable weather, which caused some loss of time, and nearly a fortnight elapsed before I had completed the survey and examination of the lower part of the river and coast, and was able to proceed up to the lake with the schooner. This river is called by the Maoris the Wakatipu-kaduku, or the river that leads up to the Wakatipu Lake; by which they mean, not the Wakatipu Lake of the east side of the mountains, but the lake I had just discovered, and which, in order to avoid confusion, I propose to name the Kakapo Lake, in order to preserve the name of that rare and interesting bird which will, in all probability, soon become extinct; and preserving part of the Maori name, I would name the river Kaduku.

The Maoris describe this stream as of very small size; and further, that it is impossible to land with a boat at its mouth, or indeed in any other part of that bay, which I may mention is known to the whalers as the Big Bay. Martin’s Bay, into which the Kaduku River flows, is 4 miles across, between the two headlands, and rather less than a mile in depth. As the headlands are partly composed of the same grits, sandstones and conglomerates, that occur on Coal Island in Preservation Inlet, it is very probable that the beds of coal may also occur along with these strata, although, as yet, I have discovered no trace of it. The strata of the South Head is as follows: proceeding southwards from the sandy beach, the shore is strewn for half a mile with large boulders, principally of syenite, greenstone, and gneiss. The first rock exposed in situ beyond the boulders is a soft chlorite schist, passing into clay slate, and containing large intruded veins of white quartz, and occasional beds of silicious felsstone.

The schists have a remarkable resemblance to the Waitahuna and Tuapcka. They trend to the N.E. and dip at a high angle to the seaward; they are succeeded by a stratum 40 f. et in thickness, of cream-colored crystalline limestone, apparently of excellent quality. Overlying this limestone, and still pursuing the same strike and dip, are the conglomerates and grits of the carbonaceous strata, but in which I could not detect any stratum of coal or other traces of vegetable matter.

This conglomerate is remarkable for having the pebbles which are of small size and well rounded, very irregularly dispersed through it, frequently without touching one another. The matrix is a fine grained sandstone of a purplish grey tint. The pebbles are fragments of granite, syenite, quartz, silicious felsstone, basic felsstone, porphyritic conglomerate and diorite.

The conglomerate is succeeded by several hundred feet in thickness of calcareous shale, containing cherty nodules, not unlike flints. The above strata form ledges that are exposed at low water.

The cliff behind is composed of a very recent formation, consisting of a breccia of angular fragments of the underlying rocks, imbedded in moist yellow clay. At the base of the deposit, which is at least 350 feet in thickness, rests a stratum of blue clay and gravel. This deposit contains no fossils of any kind, to throw light on its origin. The hills behind are principally composed of the first-mentioned schists with quartz veins, which is a formation of much earlier date than the succeeding strata from the limestone upwards.

The same conglomerates are also met with on the North Headland, and there give rise to very remarkable coast scenery, but their relations are not so clearly displayed.

The best weather for entering the Kaduku River is after a few days of light N.N.E. or S.E. winds, or with a light S.W. wind if there has not been previously a gale from that quarter, as in that case there is sure to be a heavy swell, especially if the barometer is low. The most severe gales on the coast are from between N.N.E. and N.N.W., and not often from N.W., as is the case farther south, and on the whole these were the prevailing winds during the month’s experience we had of the place. As the bay is open and the current sets strongly offshore to the southward, there would be little danger in a vessel anchoring in it for a short time in fine weather, to wait the proper time in taking the bar, as, if a northerly gale sprang up, she could easily reach Milford Sound with the first of it.

The dangers, however, which are incurred in entering the Kaduku River, are very great in its present condition, arising from the narrowness of the channel, the strength of the outsetting current (excepting at high water), and the exposed nature of the coast, on which there is nearly always a heavy swell rolling. Still, however, I believe it could be greatly improved, and would form at least quite as