Page:Rambles on the Golden Coast of New Zealand.djvu/54

36 We had hoped to bring them with us to Dunedin, where there might be more chance of their being recognised; but an opportunity did not afterwards present itself for this being done.

Of the two islands which divide the entrance of the Inlet, the larger, Chalky, is composed of a white sandy clay, not unlike Arbroath pavement, and, from the appearance of detached blocks scattered along the beach, it is not impossible that it might be applied to such a purpose. It is stratified, lying in horizontal layers, nearly as straight and as numerous as the leaves of a goodly volume. The other is of red granite, and there is reason to suppose that here, or on parts of the opposite shore, granite may be obtained not inferior to the famous granite of Peterhead. The peculiar feature of these Inlets holds good here, as well as in their upper reaches—there is deep water close to the shore, and, if there were inducements to quarry the rock, it might be shipped with the greatest ease. It was on the smaller island that Mr Beverly and his companions had their camping place for five days, under “adverse circumstances,” a cave 6O ft. long, 20 ft. high with free ventilation, being open at both ends, and with pretty, but rather cold, red granite walls. The vegetation on both islands is similar to that on the mainland, but, as usual on most of the islands, it is comparatively scanty. The forest is chiefly of birch.

From Chalky Inlet to Dusky Sound, the coast runs in a comparatively straight line. West Cape protruding slightly midway. The cliffs are about two hundred feet high, bordering terrace-land, from a mile and a half to two miles in breadth, broken by small rivers and ravines; and it again borders a stretch of undulating country, rising gradually towards the hills behind. The rock is granite or gneiss, and it is covered with an elastic mossy soil, not very favourable to the pedestrian, under such conditions as those on which it was traversed by Mr Beverly, even with a liberal use of seal’s or woodhen’s oil as a substitute for Warren’s blacking. The forest is mostly of red and black birch, dispersed in nearly equal proportions; and, as usual, where birch asserts its supremacy in the bush, it grows to a considerable height, and free from branches to the very top. Here the average height of the trees is from 70 to 80 ft.; the diameter of the trunk about 2 ft.; but many of them are 4 or 6 ft. through. At the northern extremity of this stretch of country, there are numerous patches of heathery or grassy-looking land, but only patches—handy habitations for a few coveys of grouse. As a whole, it is the last piece of country on the coast, until we reach Martin’s Bay, which is of sufficient extent and character to give the hope that it will be some day populated.

Unfortunately for our realisation of entire novelty, but very fortunately for safe navigation, we had been anticipated as visitors to Dusky Sound. Vancouver and Cook had both been there before us; and by both, I daresay, it is elaborately described. I can just remember having seen in an old edition of “Cook’s Voyages,“ an engraving of Dusky Sound, and a very accurate representation it is; but had Cook entered the Sound under such circumstances as we did, he would certainly not have named it Dusky. The circumstances were, no doubt, unusually favourable. Just permit one little extract from