Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Captain J. Lort Stokes, R.N., to Governor Grey.

Dear Sir George,—

Having thus burdened you with our wants, I hasten to say a few words on our late cruise, the extent of which you will gather from the tracings enclosed. That either the climate is vastly improved southwards, or that we were favoured with unusually fine weather, remains to be proved by a series of comparisons. At present I incline to the opinion that the eastern and central part of the Middle Island possesses the most favoured climate.

Of all the selections made for settlements in these Islands, that for "the Great Canterbury" [gap — reason: damage]has the best anchorages, and is the easiest of recognition, from its hill features and submarine slopes, of any I have visited in these Islands. The soundings shoal to nine fathoms between the Heads, and gradually to three fathoms, where the "Acheron" lay, with the sea horizon opening east and east-by-north.

I passed a fortnight travelling over those vast savannahs lying at the foot of the hills surrounding that locality commonly named Port Cooper, by me Wakaraupo Bay. From an elevation of 3,000 feet by barometer, near the north end of this level tract. I saw one entire plain, stretching full a hundred miles to the southward, and watered by a multitude of streams, meandering like silver threads on their seaward course. On the east lay the blue deep sea, broken in the distance by the many peaked hills of Banks Peninsula; and on the west, at a distance varying from twenty to thirty miles, rose a range of mountains of sufficient elevation to have their summits capped with snow, and afford ample means for extending our network of triangles fully midway across the Island. Surprised at seeing such an extent of prairie land in this rugged country, generally exhibiting the reverse features, left me in doubt for a moment as to the name I should give the whole; the next suggested that of the Great Southern Plain of New Zealand. Northwards from Mount Maukatere were further plains of considerable extent, which Mr. Hamilton subsequently examined, and I enclose his accounts, with a tracing of the country north of the Great Plain.

When I meet Mr. Brunner I hope to be able to give his route, and to lay down, at all events, his whereabouts when he saw the Eastern Plains. You will see by the tracings that, with the exception of thirty miles, the Middle Island has been traversed by Europeans, and that, moreover, there is a very considerable increase of acreage there.

Leaving Banks Promontory, we steered southwards for Otago, examining the intervening coast by the way. The result of our visit to this port has been to prove that there is a channel of 21 feet at low water, being six more than were supposed to exist. The settlers are a quiet industrous band. Dunedin itself now consists of 130 houses, and the ensuing quarter's revenue is considered to be about £5,000.

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From a hill in the settlement I saw the whole of the Taieri Valley, and the head of that leading from Molyneux River to Foveaux Strait. The former is limited, and has many lagoons. The latter is distant, and without any certain sea approach. Some new birds and shells, and a few plants, besides lime and an inferior coal, comprise the list of scientific contributions.