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Descbiption of the Countey. Although a description of the district was not the principal object of the expedition it may be of interest to embody such in this report, as very little is generally known regarding the part of the Urewera country which we traversed. The watershed of the Whakatane Eiver includes the valley of the Whakatane and Waikeri Eivers, along which the principal route of our travel lay. The Whakatane itself rises in a group of mountains north of the Napier—Taupo Boad, between Tarawera and the eastern margin of the Kaingaroa Plains. Its course is nearly due north from its source to the sea, and from the Maimai at the upper end of the Euatahuna Plain, thence to the sea, the valley is remarkably straight. For the first twelve miles of this distance the Euatahuna Plain has a breadth of from three to four miles, and an average elevation of 650 ft. above sea-level. Below this the mountains approach and enclose the river in a deep gorge, near the upper end of which is the junction of the Waikari Stream, draining rugged mountainous country from its source in the Maungapohatu Eange. About twentytwo miles from the sea the gorge terminates, and the river passes through the Euatoki Plain. The plain on the east side of the river has a breadth of about one mile to a point where it is intersected by the Waimana. On the western side the breadth of the low-lying land is not so great, and is less continuous, the low hills approaching close to the river-bank opposite the Pararu Station. The low-lying fiat land has the greatest breadth on the eastern side, but, taking the low undulating hills into consideration, the western side may be termed the widest portion of the valley. From the upper end of the Euatoki Plain the ranges slope at moderately steep angles to the west. North of the Waimana Gorge these slopes become more abrupt, although the height of the hills is less. Five miles before reaching the coast-line, the hill-slopes become precipitous, and form a line of escarpment which is a remarkable feature on this side of the valley to the sea. The low hills on the west side of the valley terminate about six miles from the sea, leaving an immense tract of low flat land between the Whakatane and Eangitaiki Eivers, a great portion of which is very swampy. Along the shore line of the Bay of Plenty there is a ridge of low sand-dunes, on the inland side of which the ground for some distance forms a dry alluvial belt. A deltaic branch of the Bangitaiki flows through the low swampy flat and joins the Whakatane Eiver at about one mile above the township. On the east side of the W T hakatane Eiver, as well as on portions of the bank on the western side, there is a great depth of rich alluvial soil, resulting from the denudation of the sandstone and slate rocks—often highly calcareous —of the upper valley, mixed with finely comminuted pumice and other volcanic ingredients. During the late eruption of Tarawera, the lower valley and part of the Waimana was covered with from lin. to 2in. of fine volcanic ash, which has been wholly beneficial to vegetation. Great apprehension was entertained by the settlers that this deposit would have an injurious effect on the land, but the whole of them now testify to the contrary. Above the escarpment already referred to there are a series of rolling hills, the highest portions of which are for a considerable depth composed of pumice; these hills slope east and north, and disappear in a depression which connects the lower valley of the Waimana with the low grounds surrounding the inlet, about half-way between Whakatane and Opotiki. It may be remarked here that there is some appearance that, before the gorge of the Waimana was cut, the river followed this course to the sea. From the junction of the Waimana with the Whakatane, after passing through the low flat on the eastern side already mentioned, it has cut a deep gorge through a ridge of hills for a distance of about five miles, above which a large valley opens out, having a width of about two miles and a half, and a length of about six miles, containing an area of nearly 10,000 acres of level land. These level lands along the banks of the river grow luxuriant crops of maize and potatoes; some of the maize plants in the cultivations were 10ft. in height. Some of the Natives have considerable areas under cultivation, and they use the latest improved agricultural implements for tilling the ground. Towards the upper end of this part of the valley the low grounds become considerably less in width, and terminate on the bank of the river about a mile and a half above Eakuraku's pa. Further on, the mountains on each side so confine the valley as to leave but a narrow strip of flat land on either side of the river. These strips are usually fertile, and either are, or have been, under cultivation. This is a characteristic of the valley as far as Tamaikoha's pa. About this point the valley assumes more the character of a deep strath or mountain-glen, and the areas of flat land are considerably less and not so frequent in occurrence. The most notable in extent is that at Tau-whero-manuka's pa. At the furthest extremity where cultivations have been, the higher terraces and hillslopes have been used for this purpose ; this is seen at the foot of Pawairoto Hill, The tar sources of the river on each side of Pawairoto seem always to have been hunting-ground, there being no indications of cultivation. The many branch tributaries coming from the eastward flow along narrow mountain gullies in which no settlement seems ever to .have been. The Waikari from Maungapohatu has nearly a straight course to its junction with the Whakatane. Its valley is narrow and deep, and the areas favourable for cultivation are of small extent, The lower part of the valley was not explored, but from the foot of Pawairoto Hill to Maungapohatu there is settlement and cultivation at various places. At the foot of the Pawairoto Hill, on the banks of the Waikari, was the last place we saw the cultivation of maize. Above this point the usual food-crop is potatoes, which with a variety of English grasses flourish with great luxuriance at Maungapohatu Settlement. The rugged features of the Upper Waikari Valley present many points favourable for the construction of Native strongholds, one remarkable instance of which lies along the line of travel which we followed on our way to Maungapohatu. This stronghold occupied the crest of an isolated conical hill, convenient approach being had thereto by a narrow path. The natural features have been strengthened by art to such a degree that the place might be said, under ordinary circumstances, to be impregnable, Although unoccupied at the time of our visit the outer palisading and internal