esent light of the history of that race there is nothing which leads
to the belief of these rock-paintings being of Maori production; in fact
there seems to be sufficient evidence to prove their greater antiquity.
The present natives have never been rock-painters, not possessing for
this the requisite skill, though they have always been carvers in wood
after a rude fashion. There seems to be some consecutive meaning in
these rock illustrations, though what is designed to be indicated cannot
be made out by careful and experienced men who have come hither from
Europe solely to examine them. They are indelibly painted in red and
black on the face of the rock, which is composed of calcareous
sandstone. Close examination of the various figures shows that they are
underlaid by others, which have either worn away under atmospheric
influences, or have been partially obliterated by hand to make place for
those which now are prominently visible. Writing in hieroglyphics is not
the accomplishment of savages, but argues at least a semi-civilized
condition. So do the colossal statues of Easter Island (South Pacific),
which were never created by any such race of people as the present
savage inhabitants; and yet these tribes have no traditions even of any
previous residents of their island. It is the world to them, or rather
was until Europeans first visited the place.

The population of Christchurch is from thirty-five to forty thousand.
The plain upon which the city stands extends upon the same level for a
distance of fifty miles inland, forming one of the best agricultural
divisions in New Zealand, which is called the Canterbury District.
Statistics show this immediate region to have produced in 1886 nearly
seven million bushels of wheat, over four million bushels of oats,
besides barley and potatoes in very large quantities. There are over
three hundred miles of railroad in the District upon which to bring this
grain and produce to market, a large percentage of which is shipped to
Europe. We were informed that the number of sheep in this District would
considerably exceed four millions, and that the annual shipment of wool
was very large. The immediate environs of the city are dotted with
cornfields and dairy farms, whose products find a ready home demand.
Christchurch is famous for its annual agricultural fairs and pastoral
exhibitions, which attract annually twenty-five thousand strangers to
the town.

A horseback ride of a few