3.—Aparima to Waikoau.

In the third district, from Aparima to Waikoau, grass is the exception, occurring only in isolated patches of a few square miles. Along the western bank of the Poroporokene there are many such patches, but those which I saw were either very wet or ferny.

Oraka Bay ("Colack's Bay" of whalers) commences a few miles from the entrance of Aparima, has a sandy beach of about four miles, and perhaps 300 acres of open land. Hinetui Point, which divides it from Kawakaputaputa ("Wockapatoo" of whalers), has some excellent soil upon it, but the land between it and Uruwera (Lake George), about one mile in width, is stony and worthless, but with good timber.

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Immediately behind Lake George lies the range of gentle wooded downs, which, commencing at Aparima, extends to the east bank of Waiau, at an average distance of six miles from the sea, and then follows the Waiau course inland to Mount Hamilton, Takorowakaika. These hills, though perhaps upwards of 700 feet high, lose much of the appearance of height from their gently rounded contour. Behind them, according to Te Au (a Nature residing at Waiau), is the grass country travelled over by Messrs. Nairn and Stephens on their journey to Te Anau.

The sandy beach in Kawakaputaputa Bay is about three miles in length; the open land about 500 acres, of fair pasture.

Throughout the reserve and its neighbourhood the soil is excellent.

The best open land begins at Awaroa, and winds between Harinui Wood and the inland forest to Okui Bay; it is heavily clothed with scented grass and other grasses proper to wet soil. There is fine land round it, and the simplest cultivation would serve the soil of the open ground, as it lies high and slopes considerably towards the Okui, a narrow stream which runs through it.

The next tract of clear country is at Aropaki, in Waewae Bay. There is here much fern, but the soil is good. In extent it is about six square miles. There is said to bean ahiaue (burning place) on this pakihi, consisting, like those of the Pomahaka, whence is derived the fossil resin which floats down the Molyneux, of burning lignite. A hundred acres or so on each side of the Waiau complete the list of the open land on the coast. At Waiau commences the grand southern forest, which extends from Foveaux Strait to Cook Strait.

Waikoau is a stream about twelve miles from Waiau, at the west end of the beach of Waewae Bay. The cliffs, of similar height (about fifty feet) to these from Aropaki to Waiau, extend that distance, and the land, though wooded, appears available for agriculture.

The Waiau River flows through a wooded valley about six miles wide, the bounding slopes of which are also, in the Natives' opinion, very good land. At a distance of about twenty miles north, Takitimu stands across the valley, the river flowing round its western spurs (see Mr. Nairn's journal). This mountain is, by the Natives' tradition, a canoe in which their ancestors came from Hawaiki. To the right of its eastern spurs a pale grass-topped hill is visible; this is Takarowakaika, Mount Hamilton, the farthest point reached by Mr. Hamilton on his journey inland. The river is about 200 yards wide, and very rapid; its upper course is said to be embarrassed with rocks and rapids, as its lower is with snags. Formerly it was frequently descended by the Natives on mokis, but the voyage was considered perilous. At high water, in moderate weather, and the absence of freshets, a ferry boat might cross at the mouth; in this respect it has the advantage of its twin river the Waitaki Like the latter it rises in a group of lakes in the interior. The present method of crossing in mokis is very unsafe—about three times as dangerous as the passage of the Waitaki at Te Punaomaru.