ture, as far as we have penetrated the forest, of what would afford sustenance for cattle on the journey.
"3. The river is absolutely unavailable as a means of transport upwards, even to a flat-bottomed boat; it is liable to frequent and sudden floods; the drift-wood is deposited on its banks at a height of 12 feet above its usual level.
"4. The available land on either side is of very limited extent: it would be difficult to select as much as 12 miles by \ a mile, or less than 4000 acres; and this cannot be approached by the river, and by a road only at a cost in construction which the value of such district as an appendage to this settlement is too inconsiderable to justify.
"The available land does not slope away to the water's edge, but terminates generally abruptly with a steep face to the river, presenting an elevated terrace of land, varying from a quarter to half a mile in breadth, and backed by a mountainous elevation. Birch is the prevailing timber of the forest; but pine is also abundant, especially the variety called remo. The soil is for the most part a sandy loam, very similar to that which occurs on the western side of the Waiiti valley, but of a redder hue, and less stony. We discovered no minerals; the rocks consist chiefly of laminated strata of soft micaceous stone, sometimes approaching to the character of slate, and of a hard formation, brittle in fracture, and sharp in its edge as flint, but possessing no degree of transparency.
"Nelson, December 5."
4.—Notes taken on a journey between the Rewaka and Takaka[1] districts, 1844.
April 25.—Started at 10 a.m., in company with the Rev. C. Reay, Apiko, and two Maories, from Mr. Campbell's house, in the Rewako. Ascending the hill at the back of his house, steering west by north, at half-past two we came to a range of hills, from whence we saw the Marahou valley, bearing north by east, and the Rewaka south by west. Passed Mr. Heaphy's track during the afternoon. Our road lay over hills easy of ascent, and in most cases open woodland.
26th.—Steered west half north for two hours. Passed over small rocks in ascending a range, between which, however, there is room for a bridle-road to be cut. At half- past two we got to the top of the Pukeona range, from which we had a very fine view of the Takaka river and valley immediately beneath us; and saw Mr. Duffey's survey-station about two days' journey down the river. Met with a deep chasm such as Mr. Heaphy describes. Descended the range till about six o'clock, without meeting with water.
27th.—In two hours we got to an open grass plain of about 500 acres in extent, through which the Takaka runs. The descent from the Pukeona range to the Takaka river is difficult, and would require a circuitous road to be cut to allow horses to descend; though not worse than what I apprehend some parts of the road from Wellington to Porirua
- ↑ This is the route alluded to in the extract from the 'Nelson Examiner,' at p. 347.
