PRESERVATION INLET AND ITS COAL. This Inlet, many of our readers know, forms the most southern of a series of re markable sounds situated on the south west coast of the Middle Island. The entrance is situated between Gulches Headland on the north, and Point Puy segur on the south. The distance between these points is estimated at 4£ miles. Coal Island, lying at the mouth of the Sound, separates the entrance into two distinct channels — the one about two miles, and the other not more than half a mile wide. The narrow channel which forms the southern arm has the additional disadvantage of carrying " shoal water," at some places not more than one and one and a quarter fathom deep. It is merely a boat channel, or at best a refuge for small crafts in case of emergency. Although not a bar harbour, with certain winds the sea is reported to break heavily at its entiance. The main or northern entrance has a depth of from sixteen to twenty fathoms with safe and convenient anchor age of from five to nine. Puysegur is a low sloping point, while that of Gulches Head is extremely rugged, with rocks above water mark two cable lengths off, as also a succession of sunken rocks and reefs, which are, however, readily detected by mariners. Coal Island has an elevation of 850 feet. It is about two and a half miles long from north to south, and about one and a half mile broad. On entering the Inlet on the morning of the 4th, the Luna steered round to the north-eastern end of the island, anchoring under Crayfish Island in nine fathoms of water, so close in that a hawser was run out and secured to the trees. The island, which was at one time an extensive whaling station, is still known amongst the Maoris visiting Pre servation Inlet as a favourite camping ground. It contains a number of very fine caves in the slate formation, which afford evidence of having been largely taken advantage of by Maoris and others for shelter. Crayfish, or as it is other wise named, Steep-to, no doubt derives its name from the shallow passage between it and Coal Island, where large crayfish (Palinurus) find favourite feeding ground. The caves are of considerable size, and have evidently been formed by the erosion of the sea. 