"My first field of employment was the province of Auckland. The ample assistance placed at my disposal by J. Williamson, Esq., the very deserving superintendent of Auckland, enabled me within the short space of five months to travel over the greater part of this province, which constitutes
nearly the whole of the northern island, while pursuing my researches for the most part upon a definite plan.
"During the first two months, January and February, Auckland was my head-quarters, as the season was not yet suitable for pedestrian excursions in the interior. The heat during the summer months is so great, and the annoyance caused by the mosquitoes, who during those months frequent the forest in millions, is so intolerable, that travelling becomes all but impracticable. Neither of these drawbacks exists to any great degree in the vicinity of Auckland. The fresh sea-breezes, which continually blow across the isthmus, temper the summer heats, and the environs being cleared of forest are but little infested by those blood-thirsty insects.
"I accordingly applied myself next to those works which during the stay of the Novara had been set on foot by myself among the brown-coal-fields near the capital, and adjoining the remarkable volcanic formations of Auckland, with the view of getting some definite result, in order that I might provide for myself a detailed geological sketch of the volcanic district, since even the portion in close vicinity to the capital, notwithstanding the previous labours of my friend Mr. Heaphy, was, so far as regarded geological formation, as much a terra incognita as the interior itself.
"The basis of such a geological chart of the Auckland district was conveniently supplied by some topographical plottings on the scale of one inch to the mile, with which I was provided by the Surveyor-general's office. Unfortunately,
these sketches almost entirely omitted any notice of the description of land surveyed, and, in fact, comprised merely the outline of the coast and the net-work of the rivers, so that it became necessary to examine for myself the physical features of the country.
"On a closer examination, the variety of geological formation proved to be much greater than I had at all anticipated. What chiefly took up my time was the investigation of the remarkable extinct volcanic caves of the Isthmus of Auckland, which, so far as regards the great number comprised within a small space, and the peculiarities of their cave and crater configuration as modifying the lava streams, must be pronounced unique of their kind. Within a circuit of only ten miles from Auckland I had to mark down 61 different points of eruption! An excursion southwards to Manukau Harbour, and the mouth of the Waikato westward, led to our finding important petrifactions at the south source of the Waikato, and along the west coast to the discovery of belemnites and fossil ferns in excellent preservation. Thus for the first time the secondary strata of New Zealand were bared to view. Further excursions to the Drury and Papakina districts, as also to the Wairoa River, were rewarded by the confirmation of the extension thither of the brown coal formation, after which I extended my investigation northwards to the Waitakeri, and the peninsula of Wangaparoa.
"My map, so far as completed, and sent to the Colonial Government for their use and to be copied, embraced by the
end of February the whole of the environs of Auckland for a distance of 20 miles. It brought to light a district abounding in most important and remarkable geological features, besides a stratum of sedimentary deposit of all the geological periods (primary, secondary, tertiary, and diluvial), including numerous volcanic phenomena. My collections however embraced a quantity of splendid petrifactions, and an immense number of interesting rocks, while the botanical and zoological collections were greatly added to through the kind assistance of well-wishers of all degrees of the community.
"The question now to be solved was, 'Should I make the northern or the southern portion of the province the scenes of further exploration?' Properly to examine both was impossible within the short period I could remain. I did not hesitate to decide in favour of the southern district, and that for a variety of reasons. The southern portion of the province is inhabited almost exclusively by natives. Only missionaries, tourists, and a few Government officials had hitherto traversed these interesting regions. The north of the island, on the other hand, is much better known. Numbers of European settlers inhabit the shores of the numerous bays of the northern Peninsula. The colonists themselves, by word of mouth, or written information, could furnish me with all the information I required respecting the natural history of those regions, not to speak of the specimens that were constantly being sent me.