A.—l

32

*New Zealand, chapter 21.

land, and made for themselves comfortable homes. The good order which is everywhere maintained amid tlie temptations of so exciting a pursuit is above all praise. 7. Agriculture is fast progressing on the plainsof Canterbury, and in the valleys and loAvlands of Otago. Long-woolled sheep of several kinds, and the best breeds of cattle, have also been imported in large numbers, and thrive admirably. The hills and uplands of both Brovinces are still occupied chiefly by flocks of the merino sheep, which find there a climate and country resembling, in many respects, their original home in Castile and Estremadura. 8. It is a journey of about tAvo hundred and twenty (220) miles from Dunedin to the great inland lake of Wakatipu, which is fifty-tAvo (52) miles long, with a breadth averaging from two to five miles. It is 1,070 feet above the sea level, and is surrounded by lofty mountain ranges capped with perpetual snow, and rising precipitately from the water. Lakes Wanaka and Hawca, and the other mountain lakes of Otago, are mostly similar in physical formation and in grandeur of scenery. 9. It is a remarkable fact that Lake Wakatipu was not known to the colonists at Dunedin and elsewhere on the sea coast of Otago before 1860. There was a tradition among the Maoris of the existence of a vast mysterious lake in the interior; but an enterprising settler (Mr. William Gilbert Eees) was the first European who reached its shores, in the Jaunary of the above-mentioned year. Already there are tAvo flourishing townships (QueenstoAvn and Kingston) on Lake Wakatipu, and steamers ply regularly on its waters. The mountains and lakes of this part of New Zealand are becoming the resort of an annually increasing number of tourists from the neighbouring Colonies. In fact, they will soon be for Australasia what Switzerland is for Europe. 10. After leaving Otago, I crossed the Eiver Waitaki into Canterbury, and travelled to the foot of the glaciers on the Avestern side of Mount Cook. The distance is about one hundred and ten (110) miles from the seaport toAvn of Timaru; the first seventy (70) miles —that is, as far as Lake Tekapo—can be teiversed in a carriage, and the remainder on horseback. We encamped for two days in a tent close to the great Tasman glacier, which Dr. Hochstetter* describes as " surpassing in magnitude by far those of the Himalayas and European Alps," and which is said to be the largest in any temperate region of the world, with the exception of some glaciers recently discovered in Thibet. Moreover, the semitropical luxuriance of the foliage is another feature in which the Alps of New Zealand far surpass the mountain ranges of Europe. 11. A graphic and scientific description of the Southern Alps, explaining their geology and physical geography, Avill be found m the 21st chapter of Dr. Hochstetter's work, which embodies the researches of Dr. Hector, Dr. Haast, and other explorers and naturalists.* " The Southern Alps proper commence south of the saddle between the " Teremakau and Hurunui Elvers, on the boundary betAveen the Provinces of " Nelson and Canterbury. Here in the middle of the Southern Island, the moun- " tains attain their greatest height, and as far as Haast's Pass on the boundary of " the Province of Otago, leading from Lake Wanaka to the West Coast —a " distance of two hundred (200) miles —they form in the direction from N.E. " to S.W., a chain of towering mountains, which, as to the height of their summits, " and as to the size and extent of their snow-fields and glaciers, rival the Bennine " and Bhaetian Alps. The first navigators on the coast of New Zealand looked " already with wonder at those magnificent alpine heights clothed in perpetual " snoAV, the giant summits of which now bear the names of Cook and Tasman. " The AAdld forms of the huge rocky masses on the West Coast toAvering to the " skies, and bidding defiance to the terrific breakers, were always an object of " deep admiration to the sailors visiting these shores; but up to our times this " mountain region remained a wilderness, untrodden by the foot of man. On the " discovery of New Zealand it was uninhabited—for the Natives shunned this " solitary mountain Avilderness —and it has remained uninhabited to this very day; * I would also refer to several able papers on the same subject, contributed by these and by other learned geologists to the Journals of the Geographical and Geological Societies of Lmdon. It is understood that Mr. Scaly, of Canterbury, is about to forward to the Geographical Sociely some excellent photographs of the glaciers and snowy peaks of that Province. Lastly, I annex (under separate cover) copies of seven of Dr. Haast's reports (chiefly geological) to tho Provincial Government of Canterbury.