Page:Rambles on the Golden Coast of New Zealand.djvu/115

Rh valleys indicated the courses of the great rivers, amongst which the valley of the Karamea was most conspicuous. Towards the east lay the Lyell Mountains, with their bold unbroken outline, over which appeared the rugged peaks of Mount Owen, and of the mountains at the head of the eastern branch of the Matiri. Beyond the Lyell range, where it sloped towards the Buller, rose Mount Murchison, the three peaks of which, visible from Nelson, are well known. Following the line of the large opening between the Lyell and Brunner ranges, and the eastern mountain chain commencing above the Top-house and running to Mount Franklin, the highest point in the Spencer Mountains is observed, and a series of lower mountains forming regular cones, which plainly tell the history of this great fissure. The valley of the Tutaki, the Matakitaki, and the Maruia were also visible, and above the eastern chain, in the direction of the head of the Rotoroa lake, appeared Tapaianuku, the highest summit of the Kaikoras. Towards the south-east and south the rugged lines of the Brunner range were visible, broken through by the Awerau, the principal tributary of the Inangahua, over the broad valley of which the view reached to the Grey country and the Black Hill. This splendid panorama was further bounded by the Southern Alps, in front of which Kaimata lay conspicuous. More towards the south, across the Buller, I looked down into the valley of Ohika-iti and Ohika-nui, shut in at their heads by the rugged masses of the Paparoha chain, the whole presenting one of the finest and most magnificent views that it is possible to conceive. . . . The Papahaua chain consists of two ranges, one near the sea running north, the other, six miles to the east of it, at the Buller, running north-west, the two afterwards uniting in a common centre. I named the highest peak, upon which I had fixed my station, Mount Rochfort (3572 ft.), after the first European who had ascended it; the highest point in the eastern chain, Mount William (3611 ft.); and their common terminus on the north, Mount Frederick (3500 ft.). Between these two chains lies a platform, from 1300 to 1800 ft. high. The plateau is intersected by an incredible number of small streams, rivulets, and precipices, and is covered with manuka and sub-Alpine scrubs.”

In making the descent, Dr Haast and his companion, Mr Burnett, made diligent search for coal, having previously found some small bits on the banks of a rivulet higher up the mountain, and he thus describes the discovery which led to subsequent exploration of the great Buller coal-field:—“At length my search was rewarded, for having passed up a little waterfall in a deep gully, I saw that the overhanging rocks were compact grits, and although my whole party had passed over the fall I at once returned, and having moved the moss which covered the stratum below these grits, I found to my great joy a large seam of good coal. Of course I stopped my party, who very soon returned to assist me in uncovering the seam, which, on removing the moss and ice that encumbered the fall, proved to be eight feet two inches of pure coal. A further examination of this valley, which I named Coalbrook Dale, proved that this seam was striking and dipping regularly.”

Subsequent explorations of the Buller coal-field made by Mr Dobson and others have revealed seams 20 ft. thick, and the existence of wide spreading coal measures.