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(2) Ford Main Branch as above and then cross Twain River above its junction with the Main Branch (the latter is a dangerous ford, ice-cold water and better tackled in the morning), and go down to Regina Creek, which descends over a cataract of some 700 ft. in a quarter of a mile. Not only is the gorge filled with great boulders, but they extend far up the hillside and are overgrown by huge forest trees. This portion requires care and takes time. 1 took an hour to go 6 chains in one place, but if the route is blazed the return journey is easy. At the top the valley opens out into a broad basin lined with bold mountains. Another small cataract occurs about a mile above the big gorge, and then more open valley to the head. Return same day, or take a flying-camp and climb the range at the head of the valley and look into Copland River. This has not yet been done. (3) Mount McGloin, which dominates Cassell's Hat, has not been climbed, and would afford interesting and, I should think, very good sport. (4) To reach the head of the Main Branch take the gorge on the right-hand bank (looking up river). A complicated route to find, but safe enough if blazed with a bill-hook. Cross to the north bank above the gorge, and follow it to the open Lame Duck Plat, after which either side of the river will "go " as far as Christmas Flat. Then follow the creek coming in on the south until the grass-line is reached, thence no difficulty to the Saddle. , Owing to the great shrinkage of the McKerrow Glacier there may be some difficulty to reach it from the Saddle ; a mile up the ice brings one to Douglas Pass on its north bank, from which can be seen the Douglas Glacier and the gravel flat above described. Descent to the Flat is not difficult. To avoid returning by the same route a party can follow (in reverse direction) the route advised in (5) below. No snow and ice work involved. But it must be again stated that the party should be experienced in bush craft, rough-country work and, above all, in fording rivers. (5) To reach the head of Twain River from Cassell's Flat a shorter alternative route can be taken. Follow route (2) to Regina Creek and camp in the more open valley above the cataracts. Next day go over the range on the eastern side of the valley (there is a saddle behind the big conical hill). This leads to open grass slopes over which there is no difficulty in reaching Horace Walker and Douglas Glaciers, and so on to the gravel flat below Douglas Pass. Good camping just beyond Horace Walker Stream. No firing on the gravel flat beyond the Douglas trunk, but good boulder for bivouacing. A return can be made in reverse direction via route (4) if the ascent from McKerrow Glacier to Karangarua Saddle is open. (6) Instead of returning to Cassell's Flat from the Twain by routes (4) or (5) it would not be difficult to ascend the Karangarua Range and drop down into the Copland River and reach Welcome Flat Hut. This would involve some snow-work, but of no difficulty, and several new passes are available. (N.B. —/ wish to stress that no expedition from head camp should be taken without plenty of " tucker " if there is any danger of bad weather cutting off retreat owing to flooded rivers. A party might easily be suddenly cut off from supplies for a week, and there are now no birds to rely on for food, as when I made the original exploration.) Scenic Reserve 1018. Topography. —This reserve (61,000 acres) takes in the whole watershed of Cook River. Commencing again at La Perouse (10,101 ft.) at the south-east corner, the Main Divide running practically north-easterly for eight miles to Conway Peak (9,519 ft.) forms the eastern boundary, and for the whole distance the summits of the peaks rise above 10,000 ft., while Mount Tasman reaches 11,475 ft. From La Perouse the Copland Range runs west, separating the river of that name from the Cook River, which takes its rise from the very fine La Perouse Glacier. From Teichelmann Peak the shorter and steeper Balfour Range divides the main branch of Cook River from its tributary the Balfour, while an off-shoot from Mount Tasman to the west, named the Fox Range, separates the Balfour watershed from the great snow-fields of the Fox Glacier, which also drains into Cook River after reaching the low country. The Fox Glacier is cut off from the Franz Josef Glacier by the snowcovered Fritz Range. Historical. —The main branch of Cook River was first explored by the late C. E. Douglas and myself in 1894, when we penetrated to within a mile or so of the terminal of the La Perouse Glacier. In 1905 a party consisting of Dr. Teichelmann (A.C.), Rev. H. Newton (A.C.), R. S. Low (A.C.), with Alex Graham as guide, reached the glacier and, ascending Harper's Saddle (8,559 ft.), crossed to the Hermitage. Parties have since been in for the ascent of La Perouse, and one party (Miss Stevenson, A. Duthie, and Guide Suter) crossed Clark's Saddle from the Tasman Valley and went down Cook River to the coast in 1934-35. The Balfour branch was first visited by C. E. Douglas alone in 1888-89, and its exploration completed by him and myself in 1.894. I believe no one else has been in since, except a well-known old prospector, Paddy McKenna, who never gave any information about his work. Government prospecting parties are examining the valley now. The first recorded visit to the Fox Glacier was that of Sir Julius Von Haast in 1865, and he was followed in 1872 by Mr. W. Fox, Premier of New Zealand, with Mr. G. Mueller, Chief Surveyor of Westland, when the name " Prince Alfred " was changed to " Fox." In 1875 Mr. H. Cox (later Sir Hubert Cox) visited the valley with Mr. Alex. McKay and penetrated two miles on the south side ®f

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