saw the bush; it was very beautiful; numerous creepers, and a luxuriant
undergrowth among the trees, gave the forest a wholly un-European
aspect, and realised, in some degree, one's idea of tropical vegetation.
It was full of birds that sang loudly and sweetly. The trees here are
all evergreens, and are not considered very good for timber. I am told
that they have mostly a twist in them, and are in other respects not
first rate.

* * *

March 24.--At last I have been really in the extreme back country, and
positively, right up to a glacier.

As soon as I saw the mountains, I longed to get on the other side of
them, and now my wish has been gratified.

I left Christ Church in company with a sheep farmer, who owns a run in
the back country, behind the Malvern Hills, and who kindly offered to
take me with him on a short expedition he was going to make into the
remoter valleys of the island, in hopes of finding some considerable
piece of country which had not yet been applied for.

We started February 28th, and had rather an unpleasant ride of twenty-
five miles, against a very high N.W. wind. This wind is very hot, very
parching, and very violent; it blew the dust into our eyes so that we
could hardly keep them open. Towards evening, however, it somewhat
moderated, as it generally does. There was nothing of interest on the
track, save a dry river-bed, through which the Waimakiriri once flowed,
but which it has long quitted. The rest of our journey was entirely
over the plains, which do not become less monotonous upon a longer