Art.

Otago Witness, Issue 1585, 8 April 1882, Page 8

Art.

MOUNTAIN PHOTOGRAPHY. ~

Mr Burton, of the photographic firm of Burton Brothers, has recently returned from what appears to have been a most interesting though difficult trip among the mountains inland from Milford Sound. This latter spot and its surroundings have been frequently photographed, and the beauties of the neighbouring scenery are tolerably well known ; but Mr JJurton has on this occasion pushed his way up tlu Arthur rivor, making good use of his time meanwhile, and reaching the Poseidon jiivcr, at the head of Lake Ada) spots whore foot of photographer has never hitherto been Hot. The goal aimed at— viz. , Mount Balloon j — timo did not enable the party to reach ; but tlio already rich collection of views of New Zealand mountain scenery has received many j most valuable additions from Mr Burton's trip. Wo have had an opportunity of inspecting the tm tiro series of photographs taken during the expedition (nearly 100 in number), and must pronounce them to surpass any anticipations J tiifit might have been formed as to their merit. Various views of the most im]toi'iant points of interest have boon taken iVniu five or six different coigns of vantage ; j an I early morning, midday, and evening J vlovrn have been obtained. In some, too, Mr Burton has been singularly happy ; notably in tli'i cloudy effects achieved in the case of the > litre and other peaks — effects of which he is naturally and justly proud. The wet weather appears to have delayed operations considerably i»t. tho outset, but eventually an actual start w-..t made with some negatives of Lion and Pembroke Peaks from Harrison's Cove, whioh m v xtrikingly successful. A perfect series of > in ws have been taken of Mitre Peak, which is an object Mr Burton has selected for especial favouritism. These have been for the H»"Mo part obtained from the steop, bu»li - covered hills that extend immediately behind the modest huts that formed tho headquarters of the party ; and one or t»vo n-jjMlives taken before the mists had well risen Jruiu the land have turned out admirably. The varying hues on tho summit of the peak on a cluar clay have als6 been happily indicated, and OU'J view is seen of' the peak snow-clad. A point to winch Mr Burton has evidently devoted "much 'attention is the necessity of ob...iining a good and picturesque foreground as iuliapensable in giving an air'of completeness to tii'i landscape' In the case of iiitro Peak, the h'iu before mentioned* are, an\i, rule, shown; and besides thus embellishing the picture convey an admirable idea' of the distanco at which the background of mountain peaks is seen. In » performing tho journey up the, Arthur river by boat a noi i«.s of photographs has been taken whieli it wunld be impossible to describe in detail. Ulijocts of .interest and grandly picturesque bounty .presented themselves . apparently at cmy bend' in the river, and Mr Burton has evidently experienced im cmparrab\de richesscsl' In referring generally to" the', effq'cts presented, w« must mention that' some excellent pieces of water reflection have ' been accomplished, and in many views a distant' glimpse' of Lake Ada — .v scrap of "sunlit water' nestling among the hUU— is brought in with a very' pleasing^ result. ] t is not to be supposed that the task ot reaching suitable points for what Mr Burio'n de'sigiialus "taking, shots" is' either easy' or one in which' an inexperienced hand would find himself particularly successful. ' On the contrary, a lot of rough, steep climbing has to be ' done, rendered doubly arduous by the necessary' encumbrance of' camera and other paraphernalia. The mode of 'procedure' under such circ'um BUncesi' is for 'the "artisf'by'h'o'ok or" crook to gain a footing for himself, and have his apparatus handed vp (> to ( , him by a companion. Whon a suitable spot for fixing the camera is reached, there is the further labour of clearing away scrub, &c.y and getting 'the" decks clear; and if foliage obstructs the prospect, this also jn'uat'be subjected to the axe. One view of Lake Ada has been in this way obtained from a height of 600 feet, and in a number of nega- j tivos the Bb'we'n Fall has been included, taken j fi-tmi various distances arid directions. These are ainmig the most attractive views of the series, nnd a great deal of care 'has' been expended on thorn. The Bowen Fall, as is generally known, in peculiarly picturesque, 'falling 'for some dislancn'on to a' monster lodge 'of rock from which lho water is hurled upwards' again to a height of about 20 feet. The surrounding scenery id most attractive, and presents 'a beautiful fniriework to this particular subject. The' fcMioerdown Hill (appropriately named) has also b !i'U the recipient of Mr Burton's attentions; :md the several photographs in which it is introduced convey an excellent idea of its steepnous and grandeurl Passing on, views of the "Wick mountains, with 1 a glimpse 'of the Sinclair chain, through the gorge of Joe's river have been obtained, as also Castle Mountain; and Mount Daniel,' all exceedingly bold and wiill-defined ' peaks. 'From the foot' of Lake Ada Mr Burton has opened up fresh ground mi lat as photography is "concerned,' and it is perhaps this part of the series that will excite jnost curiosity among those interested in photographic art. The fantastically-shaped juKik known as the "Devil's Armchair" has fiooii " shot at " most pertinaciously, and with gre;it effect, as has also that extraordinary rift in tho mountain chain appropriately christened tin: " Giants' Gate." Exploration has not been pushed as yet to the rear'of this, but there se6m good grounds for believing that a vast wall of ice o.dntß in the vicinity'; and although the defile is impassable, the spot will probably before long bn reached by a different route. However, the photographs shown by Mr Burton of this' re 1 -' jiurkable natural' formation' possess every element of novelty besides a surprising degree of perfection in finish and effect. The expedition wah pushed as far as the Poseidon river, from th-i banks of which the final negatives were taken, and the collection was further materially' supplemented on' the homeward journey. ' Wo can honestly say that tho collection will amply repay inspection, as there are included niuong them a number of effects which Mr Burton has rarely equalled and never surpassed in any of his previous efforts. ' ho consulting surgeon of tho .Royal Hinnano S >;iuty makes an announcement in one of thu uuiim papers in which nervous people will find a great source of comfort.* lie lias succeeded, ho .';ays, in discovering " a series of vory delic do, cheap, and simple tests, within the comprehension of any qualified practitiouer, which involve no disfigurement, and will establish b -.yond doubt the stage at which death is and ihe possibility of resuscitation ; while the system gives the key to -the restoration of suspended animation, whether life is in the balauce after drowning, or has to external H'icming nickered and passed away in tincrisis of a wasting disease." Jf tho discovery comes to anything, it ought to have tho. good o.ii'cct of ruaiciug English people willing to }>m-y their dead at a much shorter interval after death than is the cam now. The rapidity of tit ■■ funer.il in some other countries shocks our j Hi"i(Jment, but most physicians apfreo that the | t'-'iy in England ia a constant, source of] danger, J