A VISITING GEOLOGIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2672, 31 May 1905, Page 36

A VISITING GEOLOGIST.

INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS. Among the present visitors to New Zealand (says the New Zealand Times) is JProfessor G. 0. Curtis, of the instruction Btaff of the geological branch at Harvard University, Mass., U.S.A. Professor Curtis, iwho is quite a young man. took for his specialty in geology the department that deals particularly with volcanic and glacial formation in all its intricate ramifications. He studied for a time under the distinguished Swiss geologist, Albert Heim, and has been for several years assistant to Frofessor Davis, at the Harvard University. Professor Curtis iras commissioned to make a geological survey of the coral and volcanic formation of the Society Group of South Sea Islands. He was engaged on that work for seven months prior to his coming to 2sfew Zealand, and his presence here is merely a " calling in " on his way back to •America. Fortunately he has been able to epare a few weeks to visit the Sounds district of West Otago and the Southern Alps, his observations on which may be of poms value to the colony, and certainly to the" geological lore of the American University. HOW MXFOKD SOUKD WAS MADE. His first objective was " beautiful Milfcrd," which he regretfully left to explore the glacial regions of the Alps, and thence iby way of Fitzgerald's Pass he reached the West Coast proper. Milford Sound, IProfessor Curtis describes- as a series of related physiographic forms, and their grouping within a small area in exceptionally frequent combinations gfces to make the Bound the most picturesque of the southern - jfiords. It seemed possible that MiLford Sound possessed elements which at some SEuture time might bring it to be regarded as one of the world's great scenic types. The sound was a product of glaciers. The great cliffs, which lend so weird a picturesqueness to the ensemble, - are like the channels that are being cut to-day by the great glaciers of the Southern Alps, especially those typified in. the Franz Joseph ygion, and the large grooves and smooth surfaces found on many of the rock faces about the sound correspond precisely to the glacier-worn rocks visible on the valley eides of some of the West Coast glaciers. Professor Curtis here explained that the region was particularly interesting to him, as the United States was a glacial country, and some 15,000 years ago had been covered with ice fields, in oases some 6000 ft in depth, in the same manner that Greenland -was to-day. In fact Greenland is a remnant of what was in prehistoric ages a huge erlacial continent that took in the whole of America. ABOTTT OTXB GLACIERS. He remarked that he would like to supplement the observations made by Dr Heim on the southern glaciers after that authority had visited New Zealand. Dr Heim had only visited the eastern 6ide of the glacial territory, where the glaciers do jiot show the same forms as the western glaciers do, or if they do. they are so obscured as to be unobservable. Dr Heim stated that he was disappointed because he did not find ' the smooth and polished lock surfaces so general in European placiers, and for that reason concluded that the glacial action was not erosive, but Bimply consisted of the export of shingle and moraine. While that appeared to be the case on a casual glance on the eastern side of the Alps, it could hardly v be maintained for New Zealand as a whole, for in the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers there ware abundant glaciated surfaces, typical roches teoutonneed __ (sheep-back rocks) that evidenced glacial erosion. The New Zealand Alp 3 are in a stage of denudation called past maturity, and their present aspect and condition have been brought about by an earlier degradation, which accounts for the debris being- so prominent a feature in the landscape. But while the- action has on the •eastern side formed morainal dams in the Tiature of high-level lakes, the form of action is erosive on the western slope. "While, as an instance, Lake Pukaki holds •Ihe drainage of Mount Cook and so prevents a rapid waste, the West Coast glaciers How uninfcerruptedlv to the sea. IIILFOET> SHOULD BE SOUNDED. Professor Curtis strongly advises that jsroper soundings should he obtained in MiLford Sound, as the present soundings, though general, are incomplete, and it was* essential from a seological standpoint that the maximum depth, never yet taken, should be obtained. To further this end he has forwarded to Mr Sutherland, of "VUlfnH Round, a sounding-line which he used extensively in the South Seas. He is also of opinion that careful and consistent marking should be made of the glaciers, to ascertain their rate of motion. Hitherto the little done in this 3irection had been very general and crude. He had mentioned that^ matter to Dr Bell, ,iie Government Geologist, who was of the same mind. A SCIENTIST ON SCENEBT. With regard to the New Zealand scenery, laid Professor Curtis, many people oomjared it to the Swiss Alps, and finding i&rtain elements lacking in New Zealand hat obtained in Switzerland, offered criti•ism. The two sets of Alps were in a diferent stage altogether, those of Switzerand being much "younger" than the Southern Alps, and for that reason they liffered in several elements- Each opn.

[ tamed different forms of elements that in no way competed with one another. Th*e New Zealand Alps had regions of tains (shingle) slopes, while the Swiss Alps were prominent " agile " peaks, though the ice and snow formations were quite similar. Both possessed the essential elements that made for alpine beauty in altitude, vegetation, and glaciers, but otherwise criticism as between the two was idle. KECOMMENDATIONS. Professor Curtis said that transportation was rery bad on the West Coast, and the extension of the railway service was greatly needed. Another need was a track along the Copeland River, the existing one — merely a blazed track — having taken the wrong course. Professor Curtis considers that such a track would be the best pass across the chain. The visitor said the Tourist Department seemed to be an excellent institution, and was a great aid to travellers. The Mount Cook Hermitage huts were excellently equipped, and the guides were a fine class of men, well qualified for their work. Though he did no "climbing for climbing's sake," he, in company with Guide Clark, ascended to several plaoes that the guide said had never been climbed hitherto.