The appearance of the gravel bars shows that the sea ran in upon a shallow surface at high tide, as at Napier, and after filling the interior area ran out again at low tide, probably then leaving the bar dry. Three gravel-bars are very distinct; the chief one faces Lyall Bay, another lies towards the northern end of the old bed of Burnham Water, and the most northern is found at the narrow neck of the upper valley.

The stratification of the flat, as far as can be observed, is a basis of gravel; next a stratum of sand and gravel, containing marine shells of the following species, the names of which have been determined for me by Capt. Hutton:—

Fusus zealandicus, F. linea, Buccinum maculatum, B. testudineum, Purpura scobina, Ancillaria australis, Natica zealandica, Struthiolaria nodulosa, Turritella rosea, Cladopoda zealandica, Calyptrœa maculata, Rotella zealandica, Polydonta tiarata, Labio zealandicus, Diloma nigerrima, Cantharides elegans, Nacella radians, Siphonaria denticulata, Myodora striata, Mactra discors, Mesodesma cuneata, Chione yatei, C. costata, C. stutchburyi, C. dieffenbachii, C. mesodesma, C. gibbosa, sp, nov. Ms., Dosinia subrosea, Tapes intermedia, Mytilus smaragdinus, M. dunkeri, Ostrea purpurea.

On or within this stratum pumice-stone is found in considerable quantity, and also remains of the moa.

The shells and pumice may be said to lie at the height of five or six feet above high water-mark. Above this, over several hundred acres, are considerable accumulations of vegetable remains, consisting of peat several feet in thickness, containing roots, stems, and branches of trees.

In Liudlam gully, on the eastern side of the flat, a formation of an apparently older date is found inclined at a high angle, containing a stratum of old soil or semi-lignite.

Several travelled boulders of granite and of schist, whose nearest locality in situ must be the mountains of Tasman Gulf, have been found on the bed of Burnham Water, and in other localities where they are unlikely to have been brought by canoes. Excluding the action of floating ice we must suppose that they were carried either by sea-weed or imbedded in the roots of trees.

Pumice, which is deposited in considerable quantity, was no doubt floated down from the Wanganui river, and carried inside the bars when the land was at a lower level.

The remains of old habitation on the Miramar Peninsula are numerous, and of considerable interest. Many of the kitchen-middens appear to be of ancient date, as they have been covered by drift sand and afterwards by vegetation, and have now again been uncovered. Their localities, with those on the isthmus, can be seen by a reference to Pl. XXI.

In the year 1840, when the first European settlers landed on the shores of Port Nicholson, the hills of the peninsula were chiefly clothed with the

common fern mixed with Phormium tenax, koromiko, tutu, ti, etc. A few patches of bush filled some of the gullies, but in general the forest had been destroyed.

The flat may be said to have been chiefly occupied by water. A shallow lake, called by Colonel Wakefield Burnham Water, spread over about 200 acres of the central area, and the water from it extended up the large swamps both, to north and south, lying in general nearly flush with the surface of the swamps. These swamps were composed of a mass of vegetation, of from four to seven feet thick, while in a wet state, lying upon the sand or gravel, the plants consisting of flax (Phormium tenax) rushes, raupo, etc. In the northern swamp a flax stick could in any part be easily pushed down to a depth of six or seven feet before it struck upon the hard sand.

The depasturing of cattle and sheep, with a considerable surface-sowing of English, grasses, has had the effect of almost entirely destroying the common fern on the hills, and replacing it with a close sward of a considerable variety of English grasses, mixed with a proportion of those indigenous to the country.

Finding it impossible to keep open an outlet into Lyall Bay for the drainage of the flat ground, I determined to drive a tunnel from Evans Bay through the narrow ridge which separates that bay from Burnham Water. This work was first executed in the year 1849, and was subsequently enlarged and further extensive drainage works carried on in the year 1859. The result has been that the water-level has been lowered about six feet, that the swamps have solidified, and the former vegetation which covered them has been replaced by a sward of English grasses, and that the former bed of Burnham Water is being rapidly covered with grass.

The following information relative to the peninsula was furnished to Mr. Wardell, R.M., by Te Manihera, of Wairarapa, and translated by Mr. Joseph Freeth:—

“The greater portion of the peninsula was formerly occupied by Rangitane, but at what date the occupation commenced is not known. The history commences from Te Rerewa (a Rangitane) who it is supposed erected the pa called Oruaite. The principal chiefs who occupied the pa were Te Rerewa, Te Huataki, Rangitahatiti, and Tukanae. After the great cession of lands by Te Rerewa to Ngatikahungunu the Rangitanes crossed over to the other island (Aropaoa). The Oruaite pa was then occupied by Ngatikahukuraawhitia, a hapu of Ngatikahungunu, and by Ngatihakeke, the principal chief being Kaingakiore. During his time war was carried on against Ngatikahungunu by Ngatiapa and Wanganui. Ten battles were fought in the vicinity of Oruaite as marked on the map. While the tenth battle was raging Kaingakiore consulted with his chiefs as to the desirability of going outside the pa and fighting the enemy on the open ground. His chiefs and his son did

not approve of such a course, but after some time he could not be restrained, and yelling out, ‘Tukua te kiore a Rakaimahiti; kia tete, tete ki waho!’ (Let go the rat of Rakaimahiti; if there is to be a struggle let it take place outside), he rushed out, followed by the main body of his warriors.

“A most desparate conflict ensued, in which the enemy were driven back and retreated to the gully, marked on the map as Ludlam Gully,' where they again rallied and made a desperate resistance, during which Kaingakiore was killed, but nevertheless his people were victorious.

“During this engagement Ngatiapa” and Wanganui lost 500 (make a liberal allowance for the exaggeration of the partisan narrator) killed, and Kaingakiore 70. After this a great number of Ngatikahukuraawhitia and other Ngatikahungunu hapus occupied most of the peninsula, and the other pa, marked on the map as ‘Maupuia,’ was erected and occupied by Ngatihinepari. The name of the chief was Te Rahui. No battles of any importance took place at Maupuia, although several did take place at various places in the neighbourhood of Wellington, one at Kokotahi, another at Te Taniwha in which Ngatiapa were beaten.

“Te Mahanga (near Cow Bay) was not a fortified pa, but a taupahi, i.e., a very large native village, which was occupied by the same hapus as the pas. A large pa was erected on the isthmus and was named Taputeranga, but at what time it was erected I could not ascertain.

“For a long time after the battles above-mentioned there was no fighting beyond a few skirmishes. After seven (?) generations most of the people left the peninsula of their own accord, and went to their other possessions elsewhere, leaving behind them a hapu called Ngatipuku to retain possession. After a while Ngatitoa came to take possession. They were led by Te Rauparaha. When Ngatikahungunu came to hear of this, they attacked Ngatitoa, who fled to Kapiti and other places. Te Rauparaha then sent for Waikato, Ngatimaniapoto, Ngatiraukawa, Ngatiawa, and Ngapuhi, who when they came took possession. They were well armed with guns, but were attacked by Ngatikahungunu (who had native weapons only) and beaten; some escaped to Wharekauri and other places.

“After this, all the chiefs of Ngatikahungunu held a great meeting, at which it was decided that they would give up fighting for a time, and disperse to every place where they were likely to be able to obtain guns and ammunition from the Europeans. Te Kekerengu, the principal chief, said he and his followers would go to the other Island and obtain what guns they could. He went with 108 followers. Taiaroa (father of the present member of Parliament of that name) was the principal chief of Ngaitahu at that time. On the arrival of Te Kekerengu and his friends they were murdered by Ngaitahu, only one escaping. This was done without the knowledge or consent of