Overview
Thurs. Feb. 12.
Wind again back to its north-west. At 11:30 set out with Mr Waters, an old man who is living near-by, for a tramp on the hills lying to the north-east of Plimmerton. Took the Pauatahanui road which runs up over a saddle + then down a small stream-valley to a little bay of the eastern arm of Porirua Harbour. The shore-line consist of sub-angular single backed up by small + cliffs not now washed by the sea. The road runs along the narrow strip of marginal flat. On reaching
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the mouth of the valley of the Kahao Stream, we left the road + proceeded up the valley. This valley is about 1/4 wide at its lower end + has a good flat bottom; on either side are steep hills with numerous gullies each with a small alluvial fan at its lower end; these fans merge into the flat. On each side of the valley the boundary hills are cliffed [sic] for a distance of about 15 chains showing that the sea once penetrated that far up the valley. The Kahao Stm [Stream] pursues a meandering course across the flat in a channel for 4ft below its surface, the slim bank showing 18in of great silt resting on 2 1/2 foot of fine, somewhat-stained gravels. 1/4 mile up the valley the flat suddenly contracts to a width about 5 chains + there is a terrace about 25ft high of rock capped by gravels + clay. The course of the stream is here rather torturous. Photo (78)(79) 1/4 pl[ate] pan[orama] looking down Kahao Valley from the terrace. A little further on we passed a dip + sheep-yards, and above this the valley narrows in + becomes narrow gorge with a flat bottom on which the stream winds to such an extent as to impinge on the valley walls on either side alternately. Photo (80) 1/4 pl. of this part of the valley looking down stm, fragments of terrace on left. Finally at
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1:55 p.m. we reach the junction of the Kahao Stm + a large right-bank tributary. These streams are exactly equal size + junction very prettily, swinging round + meeting each other end on, forming a clear round pool from which the united stream flows away at right angles. Photo (81) 1/4 pl. looking up the 1st long straight stretch of the t
ributary. We continued up this tributary noting large numbers of young trout. The stm is good + clean with firm edges, but the water has a very woody taste. We followed the stream for a considerable distance + left it at 2:50 p.m. The junction of two equal "forks" rise away to the north + separated by a high narrow ridge. Photo (82) (83) 1/4 pl pan. of these two stream valleys + the ridge between. We ascended a spur running south + on reaching the summit found hilltop after hilltop connected by an east-west divide, where we expected to look down on to Plimmerton. The topography of this stretch of country at first sight seems exceedingly intricate + appears to consist of a jumbled view of hills, but in reality I believe there is a "trellis" drainage pattern + a ‘trellis-like" system of hill-ridges indicative of adjustment of the streams to ether structure or deformation. Large stumps of logs of rimu, totara, matai + hinau show that at one time[page break]
all this country was heavily wooded. We travelled along the east-west of divide a long distance + at last at 4 pm reached the crest of the range overlooking Plimmerton. We descended a long spur leading down to the homestead on the low rounded hill at the head of the drained part of the swampy bottom of Tapu Valley + reached home at 5:10. After tea walked into town with Maud + visited Dora’s cottage. Clif took Gertie out for a walk + they had a good time together[.] I understand so much so that further walkings out are