the western side of the city, about five minutes' walk from the
business centre of the town. It occupies some eight or ten acres of land
laid out in tasteful style. That portion which adjoins the river is
lined with a beautiful border of weeping willows. A system is adopted in
arranging the plants whereby all of a hardy nature are placed by
themselves, the tropical vegetation being arranged together in the same
manner; the plants indigenous to Japan, China, India, Australia, and
Great Britain form each a group by themselves. This is called the
geographical order, and has some advantages; but in adhering to such an
arbitrary rule of adjustment, picturesqueness of effect must often be
sacrificed. This whole collection of plants is of considerable beauty
and scientific interest, though the garden is yet in its infancy, being
less than twenty years old; but it is yearly undergoing much
improvement.

A city built upon a perfect level is very rarely seen either in
Australia or New Zealand, though there are exceptions, as in the case of
Adelaide. Such a site is by no means so pleasant to the eye, albeit
there are many practical advantages gained thereby. One feels shut up as
it were in these long level reaches; the abrupt hills of Sydney,
Dunedin, or San Francisco are preferable, even if often inconvenient.
Nevertheless Christchurch is a pleasing, prosperous, and rapidly
growing city, with much architectural beauty in its thoroughfares. As
the commercial outlet of a broad-spread, fertile, and easily accessible
district, it must continue to prosper commercially. Saturday is an
especially attractive day here, when the country people--both men and
women--from considerable distances come to town to dispose of their
produce in the open market. The variety and excellence of meats,
vegetables, fruits, and flowers accumulated here on such occasions is
worthy of any large capital city. There is a conglomerate of humanity
drawn together on this busy day of the week, which turns the streets and
squares into a sort of out-door fair. We observed none of that abandon
and careless dissipation which characterizes Melbourne on Saturdays; and
yet Christchurch does not lack for an ample class who make
pleasure-seeking a regular occupation.

At the Museum in this city a most interesting and perfect skeleton of
that great prehistoric bird the Moa was seen,--a bird which was
indigenous in New Zealand, and which is believed to have been extinct
fo