recount their graces, and to express the regrets that the habitats, of which they were the fit adornment, now bear but faint and few traces of their existence. Still the eye and hand of the diligent can discover and secure mementoes of the former glories.
The distance up to the first Waterfall is about half a mile, and on the road up, by way of the creek bed, a passage is made between precipitous rocks, rising on each side, leaving only a narrow way between, the sides of the cleft being decorated by the hand of nature with a covering of ferns and mosses. At length the fall is reached, and as the quantity of water in the summer after dry weather is comparatively small, it may, at first sight, be to many disappointing, but as it drops over a face about 30 feet in height, which is covered with mosses of the finest green, it possesses beauties of its own, and on a hot summer's day it conveys a suggestion of coolness, not afforded by a more turbulent stream. After a fresh, however, the volume of the stream is of considerable magnitude, rising, as it does, from a rift in the side of old Flagstaff itself, and gathering its waters from a considerable water-shed above. A little period of rest and dalliance is generally indulged in here, admitted by all to be extremely pleasant. This over, those so disposed can tackle the ascent, not very difficult, and reach the upper falls, four in number, one of which is considered by some finer than the lower, and all of them derive a charm from the fact that the bush above is still almost in possession of its virgin beauty.
On reaching the summit the explorer can either follow the creek up to its source, and from thence along the mountain side and reach Dunedin by way of Halfway Bush, or, if this route be too long, a shorter one can be taken across country, bringing him to the Reservoir, previously alluded to, whence, reaching Woodhaugh, he may join the coach for the return journey, or he may deviate at the Reservoir and come along a very pleasant line to Maori Hill, from thence descending through the Belt, down past Cosey Dell to George street.
But it will not do to leave those at the Waterfalls who desire to go further in country, so returning to the conveyance, if it be a specially hired one, the traveller may proceed along a road of easy grade and good condition still further up the valley. The vistas opened up at every turning in this the county of
