New Zealand, its physical geography, geology and natural history, with special reference to the results of Government Expeditions in the provinces of Auckland and Nelson ... Translated from the German original ... by E. Sauter ... With additions ... by the author. Illustrated, etc

Front matter

■ <v< /'f// (•'/,/ i 'Ys/////at 'it/ ■ //<(■<•>/ ,-t.-,'.y .// ■ //<///</.//</,/ V ,•;,',';,-,/. •:,/,;■ ., *&j. '//■< >//'/ .'/]<■;•, ////■ J/<t n</ ■ ■ ■. ■ ■ . NEW ZEALAND ITS PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE RESULTS OF GOVERNMENT EXPEDITIONS IN THE PROVINCES OF AUCKLAND AND NELSON BY DR. FERDINAND VON HOCHSTETTER, Professor of Mineralogy and Geology at the Polytechnic Institution of A'ienna, late member ol the Austrian Nov ara- Expedition, President of the J. R. Geographical Sociely of Vienna, Honorary member of the New Zealand Society at Wellington, and of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury N. Z. etc. etc. TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN ORIGINAL PUBLISHED IN 1863 BY EDWARD SAUTER, A. M., PRINCIPAL LITTLE ROCK ACADEMY, ARKANSAS. WITH ADDITIONS UP TO 1866 BY THE AUTHOR.

ILLUSTRATED WITH TWO MAPS, SEVEN PLATES IN TINTS, TEN LARGE WOODCUTS, PAGE-SIZE, AND NINTY -THREE WOOD ENGRAVINGS IN THE TEXT. STUTTGART, J. G. COTTA. 1867. Printed by J. G. Cotta, Stuttgart. Preface to the German Edition 1 published in 1863. An Austrian man-of-war, His Majesty's frigate Novara, conveyed me towards the end of the year 1858 to the shores of New Zealand. In the capacity of geologist, I was a member ol the Expedition fitted out under the orders of His Imperial Highness the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian for a voyage round the world. By the kind arrangements of the Commander of this Ex pedition, Vice- Admiral , then Commodore, Baron von Wiillers torf-Urbair and by the timely preparations of the Colonial Government and the Colonists of New Zealand I was placed in such a position that I could fully devote myself for the space of nine months to the exploration of one of the most remarkable countries of the world, a beautiful country, which Albions enterprising sons, it's occupiers, looking forward to a rich and blooming future, are wont to call "the Great-Britain of the South Sea."

Was it the amiable disposition of the inhabitants? Was it the ties of friendship, that I formed there? Or was it the grandeur and peculiarity of the natural features of a country, appearing in its isolation like a world of its own, that at tracted me so strongly? I cannot say; but I still look back with enthusiasm to my stay in the Antipodes. On returning to my home in the beginning of the year 1860, it became my duty to work up the rich and copious ma terials I had brought with me in the shape of observations and collections, and to publish them as one of the results of the Novara-Expedition. A scientific work, accompanied by an atlas with numerous illustrations of newly discovered fossils, with views of the country and geological maps were to com prise the results of my geological researches.

Chapter I

Nine Months in New Zealand. The arrival. — Departure of the Novara from Sydney. — On the coast of New Zealand. — Great Barrier Island. — Hauraki Gulf. — Off Auckland. — First impression. — Reality versus imagination. — Friendly reception of the Novara Expedition in Auckland. Negotiations and resolution. — Plans for exploring New Zealand. — First impetus by Sir George Grey. — Further encouragements from Sir William Denison and Colonel Gore Brown. — Official negotiations. — Agreement. — Departure of the Novara. — Separation. Sojourn. — Contemplations. — Residence in Auckland. — Aid and furtherance from Government and friends. — Geological map of the Auckland district. — Journey to the Southern parts of the province of Auckland. — Preparations and equipment for the same. — Sketch of the journey. — Results. — Excursion to the Coromandel Harbour. — Lecture on the geology of the Province of Auckland. — Departure from Auckland. — Journey to Nelson. — Cordial reception. — Gold-fields. — Copper and coal. — Moa-skeletons. — The Southern Alps. — Lecture on the geology of the.

Province of Nelson. — Departure from Nelson and New Zealand. — Appendix. The Arrival. On the 7"' of December 1858, after a stay of four weeks on the coast of Australia , the Novara set sail from Port Jackson, the harbour of Sydney. The frigate, which on the long voyage from China to Australia had suffered great damage from a hurricane in the Chinese sea, and subsequently from stormy weather in the neighbourhood of New Caledonia, had undergone a thorough repair in the famous docks of Sydney, and was from masthead to keel as good as new; and the wind and waves, as though the)' had conspired to test at once the workmanship of carpenters, caulkers, and sail-makers, began to use us very roughly as soon as we had passed the "Sydney-Heads" at 9 o'clock a. m., and were steering our course towards New Zealand.

Fl ochstetter, New Zealand. The ship bore up most gallant]}'. The keener the South wind blew, and the more boisterous the sea, the faster she moved ahead. About noon the coast of Australia had already vanished from the horizon. Less agreeable, however, was the sudden change of scenery for us "Naturalists," who found ourselves, — together with the hundred different things we had collected and brought on board with us , a doubly helpless sport at the mercy of a boisterous sea. I was , indeed , fortunate enough , never to suffer from actual sea-sickness, yet, at every such sudden transfer from land to the upheaving sea, an invincible drowsiness would come over me , and not until I had paid the God of Sleep double or treble the usual tribute, did I feel myself entirely acclimatized on board. After two days the wind and waves subsided, and from this time, favoured by fair weather and alternate breezes, we had a pleasant, if not a very speedy passage.

In the night from the 18th to the 19th of December we passed along the. North Cape of New Zealand, without, however, coming in sight of the "Three Kings," three small rocky isles, which for the navigation from Sydney to the North Island of New Zealand form, so to say, the corner-stones, behind which ships bearing South-East,, are wont to pass to the numerous harbours on the East-coast of the Northern peninsula. On the 19th of December, shaping our course South East, we sailed along the East-coast, but at such a distance from the land, that we could only just see the very prominent Cape Brett near the Bay of Islands. However, a whale, which had followed the frigate close to the larboard-side for upwards of an hour, afforded us ample amusement. Every two minutes it would appear on the sur face of the water to inhale fresh air, and thus exhibit its colossal dimensions.

It was from 50 to 60 feet long. At eventide, a calm having set in, boats were lowered and a party was arranged for shooting albatrosses and other sea-birds (puffinus, procellaria), which swarmed round the frigate, and from sheer curiosity flew to wards the boats in greater numbers as the firing increased. On the 20th December we stood in front of the entrance to the Hauraki Gulf, the South-West bay of which forms the harbour of Auckland. Great and Little Barrier Island, or Otea and Hou touru, as the natives call them, with their peaks about 2000 feet high , lay before us. In these parts certainly but very few vessels had occasion to complain of too fair weather and perfect calm; yet, here again we made an exception to the general rule. It was a beautiful day; but not a breath of air was stirring to waft us to wards our destination.

The weather was much the same on the 21lh December; currents and slightly adverse winds had driven us out of the common route into the Hauraki Gulf past the "Hen and Chickens," thence between Little Barrier Island and Rodney Point as far as the East-coast of Great Barrier Island. Hence Commodore v. Wiillerstorf decided on entering by the Southern Channel between Cape Barrier and Cape Colville, a navigable passage ten miles wide , and we sailed slowly along the East-coast of Great Barrier Island. This island, about 25 miles long, consists of a chain of steep rising , serrated rocky mountains with many summits and sharp peaks. The highest point , in the middle of the island , named Mount Hobson after the first Governor of New Zealand, is indica ted on the maps as 23-30 feet above the level of the sea.

Its Northern extremities are very remarkably indented rocks, called the "Needles," and the South angle is formed by the round summit of the rocky Cape Barrier. AVhile the AVest-side of the island has a great many deeply excavated bays affording excellent moorings , on the shores of which both natives and Europeans have settled, the East-coast appears as a naked, uninhabited rocky shore with but one bay of any size, which is partially screened by "Aride Island," a lone, barren , and utterly inaccessible rock , so named by Cook. On the Northwest-side of Great Barrier there are some rich copper-mines; and in the woods of the island herds of wild horned cattle are said to roam. ' 1 In the central part of the island, to the eastward of Wangaparapar;. , hot springs have been recently discovered.

They spring up in the bed of a creek, which During the night we passed the straits between Cape Barrier and Cape Colville, and in the morning of the 22d, favoured by a North-Eastern breeze, we sailed down the spacious Hauraki Gulf. The weather had entirely changed by this time. The mountains were shrouded in fogs , and the horizon was so misty and murky, that we could hardly see the little islands sm*rounding us, or the land we were making for. Suddenly , however , the wind veered round to the opposite direction, the haze cleared away, and we now saw before us the entrance to the Waitemata Bay; — we had arrived in front of Auckland Harbour. The South-West wind had so suddenly withdrawn the veil of mist and clouds , in which we had hitherto been wrapped, that we were perfectly amazed at the first sight presented to us.

We were surrounded on all sides by islands, peninsulas and main-land , Tiritirimatangi , Wangaparoa , and the outlines of the North-shore; a low, undulating country destitute of woods, with steep shores, exhibiting regular layers of sandstone and shale, with small , sandy bays , the beach of which was dotted with small, isolated wood-huts. — Before us , in the direction of the sporadic groups of houses composing Auckland City , there lay numerous small truncated cones of hills , the form of which at the very first glance betrayed their volcanic nature. Pre-eminent among all the rest; as it were the leader of the whole host , who alone had ven tured out into the sea, and here proudly reared his lofty head, arose the Rangitoto, an island mountain, 900 feet high, — the true prognostic of Auckland.

Attractive as the view of this volcanic island was to me , with takes its rise under n dome-shaped hill at the back of Wangaparapara and flows towards the east coast into a large swamp near the sea. The waler of the springs is very clear, and the temperature ranges from 50 deg. to 212 deg., boiling point. The water is strongly saline, and gives forth a strong sulphuric smell like burnt gunpowder. A large quantity of white sediment accumulates rapidly on the stones about the springs, and quickly becomes hard and cemented to them. In the neighbourhood of these springs, about half-a-mile to the east of them, and flowing from the side of a heavily wooded hill, are some clear waters very cold, and exceedingly salt. its black streams us lava, with its strangely formed summit, where one small cone seemed to be set in the crater of another larger one: the first view of Auckland, I must confess, equalled by no means my brillant anticipations of New Zealand.

Entrance to Auckland Harbour Is that Auckland ? — I said to myself, the farfamed capital of the "Great Britain of the South sea?" Where is the New Zea land Thames ? Where the steaming , seething geysers and boiling springs? Where are all the volcanic cones of which I had read, the ever-steaming Tongariro; the Ruapahu covered with perpetual snow and ice; the Taranaki rearing its lofty head to the very clouds; where the New Zealand Alps? The picture my imagination had created of New Zealand was quite different to that now jn'esented to my view. The stupendous conical mountains in reality seemed to me shrunk up into little insignificant conical eruptions from 500 to 600 feet high. Although I knew full Avell , that those gigantic vol canoes, and the snow-clad mountains of the South-Island were no fables, but that they lay at such a distance from this coast as to render them invisible; yet my eye searched inquiringly after them, and I felt quite disappointed that not even the last trace of them was to be descried.

However , I always felt so , whenever I first set foot on a land, about which I had read a great deal; and every tra veller, I think, will experience the same. The reality of the spot which he first steps upon in a new country, never corresponds with the picture created by the imagination. After a long voyage he approaches the new coast with a feeling of impatience and utmost curiosity in the full belief of finding all that is attractive and remarkable collected on the very spot he happens first to set foot on , ready and waiting for him , who has come so far over the waters to see , with his own eyes , all he had read and heard of. But as it is with the traveller, who would like to see and experience at once all on one and the same spot, so it is, on the other hand, with others in regard to the traveller.

He, in his turn, is expected to have seen all and every thing , to have experienced and passed through every thing, especially if he happens to be a so-called "circumnavigator." And if he moreover should happen to have just visited the gold-fields of Australia , — why , nothing seems more natural than that he should have brought home with him all his pockets and coffers stuffed with gold dust. It is the imagination which ever speculates , brings the most distant objects near, and would fain comprise all in one grasp. Should my friends in Auckland require any further apology after this my candid avowal, that the impression made on me on the 22d of December 1858, on my first viewing the scenery of that country, did not realise the grand picture my imagination had drawn of New Zealand , I can only assure them , that as Auckland and New Zealand live in my memory at present, all my former expectations and anticipations have been surpassed by far , and should I live to be permitted a second view of that panorama, and to greet once more the Rangitoto, my heart would leap for joy.

On a nearer approach we could perceive, that the signal had already been hoisted on the flagstaff upon Mount Victoria, announ cing to the inhabitants the arrival of an Austrian man-of-war, and at 2 o'clock p. m. Captain Burgess came on board as pilot. I had no idea at that time , that I should make many a trip yet on those waters in the Captain's neat , fast-sailing cutter , and that to this same Captain Burgess, who tendered us so hearty a welcome, say ing that we had long since been announced and expected in Auck land, — I should be indebted afterwards for many a kind favour received at his hands. Although but a few miles distant from the harbour, the vessel laboured long and hard against the contrary wind to pass up the narrow channel between the Rangitoto and the Northshore into the Waitemata.

The nearer we approached, the more enlivening was the scenery. Boats came rowing up to us; natives paddled along in their canoes, and from the deck of a ship just leaving the har bor we were hailed with loud shouts of welcome, as she passed close by us; but it was not until 6 o'clock p. m. that we arrived at the anchoring place in front of the city. We met five other ships in the harbour; alongside of them now lay the Novara, the largest man-of-war that had ever anchored here. The whole population of Auckland appeared to have gathered to gether on the shore , when our frigate cast anchor , firing twenty one salutes in honour of the British flag upon New Zealand. The salutes were responded to from the fort. The Governor bade the expedition through his secretary and adjutant a most hearty welcome ; messengers arrived to hail our coming also in the name of the colonists and inhabitants of Auckland; and the very first reception betokened that genuine cordiality , that amiability and complaisance shown to the expedition in so eminent a degree by the generous inhabitants of Auckland , and which I met with every where among the colonists with whom I chanced to become acquainted on my subsequent wanderings.

Negotiations and Resolution. I little thought, on my first arrival in Auckland , that after a fortnight's stay the Novara would weigh anchor, and that I should wave from the shore a last farewell to my companions, and henceforth continue my travels alone. First of all, the duty seems to devolve upon me to relate, how unex spectedly this came to pass. My first plans and hopes of being able to travel through the interior of the North Island of New Zealand, so remarkable on account of its volcanic features, date from the stay of the Novara Expedition at the Cape of Good Hope, in November 1857. Sir George Grey, then Governor of the Cape Colony, — formerly, in the commencement of his brillant career, from 1847 to 1853, Governor of New Zealand, and 1861 recalled to it — gave the first encouragement.

He pictured to the commander of the expedition , Commodore von Wullerstorf-Urbair , the grand natural curio sities of that unexplored country, its volcanoes and boiling springs, which he himself had seen on various journeys tlnough the in terior, in such lively colours, pointing at the same time to the great advantages, that must necessarily result from exploring the interior of the North Island , especially to geology and geography : — that the Commodore , who never for a moment lost sight of the scientific task of the expedition, resolved on remaining, if possible, longer in New Zealand , than had been laid down in the original plan of travel. Therefore it was at that time already , that I con sulted Sir George Grey on the expediency of my undertaking an overland journey from Auckland to Wellington during the stay of the Novara in those two ports which she was to visit.

Sir George Grey also very kindly placed his very select library at my disposal for my further guidance , and furnished the naturalists of the Novara with the kindest letters of recommendation to influential men of that conntry. It is with a sense of heartfelt gratitude I remember the cordiality and the friendly encouragements of that noble-minded man, who, wherever he was, in Australia, New Zealand or the Cape of Good Hope, invariably made use of his influential position to the furtherance of science. However, the fine plans we had made at the Cape of Good Hope, at the very commencement of our travels round the world, would hardly have been put into execution , had not the question concerning the exploration of New Zealand, by a singular concurrence of cir cumstances , been solved for me otherwise than it had been originally proposed.

In November 1858, about the time of the stay of out' frigate in the harbour of Sydney, Sir William Denison, Governor- General of Australia, to whom the Novara Expedition is greatly indebted for a vigorous furtherance of its purpose, and for liberal contributions to its collections , had , shortly before our arrival on the coast of Australia , received a document from the New Zealand Government, requesting the services of a geologist to examine a newly discovered coal-field near Auckland. Sir William Denison , on becoming acquainted with Commodore Wiillerstorf 's intention to visit the harbour of Auckland , requested him , that he would permit the geologist on board the Novara to examine those coal-fields more closely during the stay of the vessel in the harbour of Auckland, and to deliver reports thereon to the Governor of New Zealand.

Commodore Wiillerstorf gladly embraced this opportunity, of rend ering the Government of an English colony at least some service, however slight, in order to prove by it our unfeigned gratitude for the cordial welcome and the vigorous assistance we had received everywhere on English ground. Consequently , on my arrival in Auckland , I was commissioned by the commander of the expedition to undertake a close examina tion of the coal-field in question, to give my opinion as to the quality of the coal and extent of the coal-fields, and also to point out the place best suited for working a mine. With pleasure I accepted this commission , and owing to the various excellent preparations , which the Government at Auckland had made for this purpose previous to our arrival , I was enabled within the short space of time from December 24"' to January 2d, to carry my researches so far as to arrive at definite results, which I presented in a special report "On the coal-field in the Drury and Hunua Districts in the province of Auckland." ' This report, urging most emphatically the esta blishing of mines, was delivered by Commodore Wiillerstorf to His Excellency , the Governor of New Zealand , Colonel Th.

Gore Brown, while our frigate was yet at anchor in the harbour of Auckland; — it called forth further proceedings and negotiations. In a country, as yet perfectly unknown in a geological point of view, in the various parts of which various mineral treasures, such as gold, copper, iron, coal, promised most essentially to raise the natural resources of the young and fast-rising colony, the ne cessity of a more extensive geological exploration seemed so press ing; it appeared to be so much the universal wish of the colonists, that the opportunity for carrying such an exploration into effect, now offered by the presence of a geologist, should be eagerly em braced : — that the Government of New Zealand applied to the Commodore with the request , that he would consent to a longer stay in New Zealand of the geologist of the expedition , for the purpose of making geological surveys in that country, but especially in the province of Auckland.

Commodore von Wiillerstorf, on reflecting that during the rest of the voyage no more such unexplored countries would be touched, was quite inclined to comply with the request , provided I could make up my mind to remain behind alone. Indeed , he was the more willing from the conviction, that the geological exploration of a country so little known as New Zealand, would lead to re sults , which through all generations to come would secure , even at the Antipodes , a lasting memento to the Novara Expedition, which had first been projected by His Imperial Highness , the Arch duke Ferdinand Max, and which , in consequence of being sanc tioned by His Majesty, the Emperor, has proved so important to Austria. 1 Report of a Geological Exploration of the Coalfield in the Drury and Hunua Districts, in the Province of Auckland (N. Z.) by Dr. F. Hochstetter, Geologist on board the Austrian frigate Novara.

It appeared first on January 14. 1858 in the "New Zealand Government Gazette,11 and in a supplement to the "New Zealander;'1 afterwards in several other New Zealand papers. I must confess, it was no easy matter for me to makeup my mind. It had, indeed, never been my intention to put, while separated from the expedition and from my fellow-travellers, those plans into .execution , which had engaged my thoughts ever since our stay at the Cape of Good Hope, and but too well do I remember the pain the decision cost me. It was on the 5th of January. Accompanied by my friend, the Rev. Mr. A. G. Purchas, with whom I afterwards became so intimate , I entered the Council- Chamber of the Colonial Government-Office, resolved to state to the assembled ministry my special reasons for declining the honour able proposition made me by the New Zealand Government, and preferring to continue my travels on board the Novara.

My ig norance of the language of the natives , the extraordinary territorial difficulties which the country, at no great distance from the capital, with its gloomy , pathless forests seemed to present , the want of any sort of topographical map of the interior, without which I deemed a geological exploration useless if not impracticable — these and various other circumstances made me doubt a successful solution of the grand problem before me. However, the eloquence and amiability of my friends, the Rev. Mr. Purchas and Dr. C. Fischer, as well as the obliging disposition of the ministers present overcame my scruples, and in cheerful anticipa tion of an interesting , time of travel , and of happy results , I finally assented. The ministry, consisting of Attorney-General F. Whitacker, Colonial-Treasurer C. W. Richmond, and Postmaster-General H. T. Tancred, as also Superintendent John Williamson , the head of the Provincial-Government, promised me the most vigorous assistance and the supply of every means within their power.

Consequently, in an agreement between the Commander of the Novara Expedition , B. von Wiillerstorf-Urbair and His Excellency, the Governor of New Zealand, Colonel Gore Brown, the con ditions were laid down under which I was to perform my new and honourable task. ' 1 See the official documents in the Appendix to Ch. I. On the 7"' of January, during very stormy weather, I dis embarked. I had all my things brought ashore, including the instruments and the apparatus necessary for my future operations. I had to leave my cabin, which had so long been my shelter, and to which I had become so much attached; and one of my colleagues occupied it after me. The departure of the Novara for Tahiti was fixed for the 8th of January. At break of day I was on board. After the several stormy days, which had delayed her departure, this was the first calm, bright morning.

The frigate was ready to set sail, and was only waiting for a breeze to spring up, and for a change of the current at the time of low-water. About 8 a. m. the command was given to weigh anchor, and for me the sad moment of parting had ar rived. To separate myself suddenly and for good from a ship, that had been my home for nearly two years , and the fate of which had been so closely linked to mine, cost me many a bitter pang. I tried to return thanks to the noble Commodore, and the gallant Commandant, but my voice failed me; I pressed the hands of my late fellow-travellers, my companions in joy and sorrow, who I saw were as sad at heart as myself. However, the band commenced playing; up went the anchor, the sails were unfurled, I hastened down the rope-ladder into my boat, — and made for the shore.

Before I had reached the land, the Novara with studding sails was gliding along the placid, watery mirror, buoyed up by a gentle breeze. I stood gazing after her for a long long while , wishing her a safe voyage and a happy return to my native home. After the body of the vessel had disappeared behind the Northshore , I still saw her mast-heads; for a moment the whole ship was once more vis ible above the low country; many a last farewell was waved to her by her friends on land, unobserved, however, by those on board; the breeze grew fresher, and the Novara had vanished from the horizon. It was not till then, that I awoke to a full sense of the no velty and change of my situation. The Novara was a piece of my native home; on her I had felt at home even while abroad in far distant countries.

In my previous travels I had been among friends and acquaintances, and lived after the good old home-fashion; the language we spoke was our mother-tongue; — only the scenery changed dining our travels; and even among people of different complexion, and on the most distant shores did I feel at home as long as the Novara lay in the harbour. Hence my travels in for eign countries, and among strange people might truly be said to date from now. I was alone and left to shift for myself. Such were my thoughts , when I wrote in my diary : 'Alone among the Antipodes!" Sojourn. Now, after having returned to my native hemisphere, when I recall the pleasant times spent in the Antipodes, I may well say , that I had every reason to be satisfied with my fate. New Zealand was altogether an extremely remunerative field of ex ploration for me.

In a geological point of view, every step was attended with new results, which, whether in accordance with or adverse to the sanguine expectations of the colonists, were generally connected with questions of material and practical value for the young colony. I had thus the satisfaction of finding the whole population taking a lively interest in my labours. This cheering and truly honouring sympathy was to me the most welcome reward for the many privations and hardships , which had to be necessarily incurred. The kind and valuable services rendered me by word and deed, wherever my scientific peregrinations led me; the num erous and attentive audience in Auckland and Nelson at my even ing lectures on the geology of New Zealand; the honours and distinctions , with which I was overwhelmed at my departure , — all this imparted to me the soothing consciousness and the cheering certainty, that I had not laboured only for myself or for a few initiated in the science, but happily for a whole nation, who with their lively interest and national energy participated in the results of geological and geographical researches, and most vigorously endeavoured to turn them to account.