Mr. Mantell to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary.

Sir,—

In accordance with the instructions conveyed to me in your letter of October last, No. 51,1 do myself the honor of enclosing, for the information of His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief, the following documents relative to my late journey in the southern portion of this district:—

A brief journal of my proceedings and observations from my departure on the 3rd December, 1851, to my return on the 19th February, 1852. To this I have appended two tables, one showing the weather experienced during the journey, and the other the estimated distances between the various places visited.^*

I enclose also returns of the Native, Half-caste, and European population, based partly on personal observation and partly on the most trustworthy evidence which I could procure.

I have much pleasure in forwarding a copy of a journal kept by Mr. Charles Nairn* during his trip to Te Onau, the first inland lake in this district which has been explored by Europeans; and I trust I may be allowed to record here my thanks to Mr. Nairn for this addition to our knowledge of the interior.

Lastly, I forward a general report on the country visited.