Overview
Sun May. 11.
An exploring excursion to the head of the Makahika Valley. Left home on horseback at 9.a.m. Set Aneroid at Honore’s corner 262’, 9.5. Apex Ohau Fan [Farm?] 340’ (corrected 345’), 9.11. Re-set Aneroid here. Corner of road at head of water-races, 309’ (311’) 9.16. Road at pipe-bridge 345’, (350’), 9.20. Stream in second cutting, 385’, (392’), 9.26. Front gate Sonoma, 418’, (426’) 9.31. Makahika Bridge 405’ (415’), 9.35. Road at my whare, 411’, (421’), 9.37. Narby’s gate, 417’, (429), 9.42. Height of road near Narby’s wide gate, 510’, (524’), 9.48. Wai-iti ford, 473’ (489’) 9.56. Corner of road at top of rocky gorge, 487’, (505’) 10.3. Makahika ford, 487’ (506’) 10.7. Terrace-top above mouth of Turton’s Stream 525’, (546’), 10:15. Left horse on river flat here + climbed to top of terrace on north side of mouth of Turton’s Stream + then up spur above. This spur is the terminus of the great lateral spur of the Arapaepae Ridge running east from Arapaepae No.2 + at its extreme end has a straight, level + razorbacked crest for several chains. East end of the razorbacked spur above terrace, 617’ (639’) 10.21. Above the razorbacked portion, the spur rises steeply to a high knob, 857’, (883’), 10.35. Further on the
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spur intersects Pees’ north bdy [boundary] fence, 905’ (952) 10.40. From here one looks down on Pees’ homestead which looks very shipshape with the new wool shed + fenced "cutting" leading up the terrace-face to the buildings. Left the main spur + followed the fence-line in a westerly direction over several lateral spurs. Took a 1/2pl[ate] photo (1) of Turton’s Valley looking towards its head from the corner of Wright’s section. End of side spur (of main spur trending east from Arapaepae No.2) at the north-west corner of Pees’ section, 725’, (757’) 11.1. Then descended to the lowest flat alongside Stream where it leaves Turton’s section + runs through the corner of the bush-covered section alongside. Flat beside stream at this point, 655’ (688’), 11.7. The stream flows in a small channel about 5ft deep, has a gravelly bottom + pursues a winding course. An outcrop of solid rock in the bed of the stream just here shows that the stream is now on much the same level as it was before the alluviation of the upper part of its valley took place. Below this point the stream flows in a narrow gorge, in entrenched [meanders] through the eastern flank of the Arapaepae Ridge, the gorge increasing in depth to a maximum just above its junction with the
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Makahika. The upper part of Turton’s Valley is a broad alluvium-filled basin, similar to that of "the Heights" but is less elevated + more completely affected by the rejuvenation of the contained drainage. Surmounting the lowest flat + on the right bank of the main stream more especially, are flat-topped spurs of high level alluvium, their summits marking the level to which Turton’s Stream raised the bottom of the basin-like upper portion of its valley at the climax of alluviation. The altitudes’ determined to-day clearly show that the climatic level of alluviation corresponded + was in accordance with the surface of the valley-plain of the Makahika + Ohau Valleys – the surface on which these rivers flowed in the Early Pleistocene. Summit of spur high level alluvium a few chains to the westward of the last altitude given above, 755’ (789’) 11.11. Continued up the valley on the lowest flat taking altitudes (see sketch map) 673’ (708’), 11:15; 697’, (734’), 11.23; 725'. (764'), 11.31. On the left bank of the main stream, one side spur running down from the rim of the valley, projects beyond its neighbours into the alluvial flat; above, i.e. west of this spur, the alluvial bottom attains its maximum breadth. The alluvium consists
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for the most part of yellow clay containing scattered sub-angular rock fragments; no layers of gravel were noted. As the head of the valley is approached large blocks of sub-angular rock are seem embedded in the clay. Here + there in the clay banks are masses of solid rock – evidently placed down spur-ends dating from the period of opening out + widening of the valley by stream erosion, + subsequently buried during the alluviation, + finally re-exposed by the recent rejuvenation. Leaving the valley-bottom I ascended the "projecting’ spur – summit of same at foot of steep upper part, 925’, (966’) 11.41 - to trig station Arapaepae No.2., 1395’, (1441’), at 12 noon. Took a ½ pl photo (2) of the upper part of Turton’s Valley where the alluvial bottom attains its maximum breadth. Also took a round of bearings with compass to fix positions of topographic features. Left Arapaepae No.2 at 12:22 reset aneroid 1441', and followed the crest of the great lateral spur running east from the trig. Fixed points along the crest of the spur with compass + took altitudes:- High rounded knob 1440’ (1428’) 12.33. Junction of bifurcation of spurs running through north-east + south-east respectively, 1365’, (1340’), 12.45. Big black stump just off ridge crest, 129 1/2 (1247’), 1.4. Junction
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of several smaller branching spurs, 1100'. (1038'), 1.20 Intersection of spur leading down to mouth of Turton's Stream + Pees' bdy fence, 1000', (932') 1.25. Descended to Makahika + reached horse at 1.45. On way home met the purchaser of Pees' farm with a mob of 700 sheep in difficulties on cliff above m entrance gate + saw him across bridge. To church in evening in Cheslyn Rise car – interesting + clever address by Rev. Haslam. At 10.30 heard dogs in back 42 among sheep – took gun + investigated – found 4 dogs fighting or something similar, making a hideous row – fired at one but missed – silence reigned supreme. Father + Will Steward also came to [see] what was wrong. Altogether a satisfactory day.