quietly ensconced in a little hollow, and contrasted with its neighbours hardly deserves the name. The Waipori River has its source away back among the mountains in the Traquhair Hundred, and like its greater mate—the Taieri—causes the settlers considerable anxiety at times. The road from Berwick across the Plain is somewhat tortuous, caused by the creeks and pools which are encountered. Water fowl of different species are abundant, and in the close season are comparatively tame. On the road the changeful scenes opened up at every few paces will delight the eye and fancy of all observers. Hardly anything could be suggested as lacking. Nature's handiwork and human artifice are wonderously displayed, and on reaching Henley, on the east side, where the train for town is taken, the feeling is experienced that the time has passed too speedily.
XIII.—THE SILVERSTREAM VALLEY.
(By G. H. Turton).
This lovely valley may be visited either by walking, riding, or driving, although the last-mentioned cannot be recommended, as the road is very steep and rough in some places.
Leaving the terminus of the Roslyn Extension Tramway, we pass down to the left through the Kaikorai Valley, and on up he steep slope on the other side to the Halfway Bush. After passing the Halfway Bush Hotel, a very primitive road may be noticed on the right side of the main road, leading towards Flagstaff. About half a mile further on, the road, which has all this time been ascending, reaches the top of the ridge and begins to descend into the Taieri Plain. We need not dwell on the fair prospects spread before us at various points along the route, as they have probably been already visited in some other excursion; but their beauty never palls, though reiterated attempts at description would doubtless do so. As we continue our descent we notice a large water-race, which comes winding round the face of the hill, and diving underneath the road, stretches away in the direction of Dunedin. This is the race which conveys water to one of the Dunedin reservoirs from the Silverstream, a distance of about twenty miles. Another half a mile on our road takes us to the bridge over the Silverstream. We do not cross this, however, but turn up to the right and follow a track which leads
