148 



NATURE 



[December 17, 1891 



but inured to rough work in a wild country — commenced, 

 in 1886, a series of expeditions in the " High Alps " of the 

 Antipodes. 



The Southern Alps proper, for over one hundred miles, 

 form the backbone of the South Island, running roughly 

 from north-east to south-west, the crest of the chain lying 

 much nearer to the western than to the eastern coast. In 

 the neighbourhood of Aorangi the former is about twenty 

 miles away, while the distance of the other is quite five 

 times as much. Thus the valleys fall more rapidly 

 towards the west than towards the east, on which side 

 also a wide tract of plain separates the sea from the foot 

 of the hills. But in one respect, the New Zealand Alps, 

 at any rate on their eastern flank, differ from their 

 European namesakes, for they are pierced more deeply by 

 the lowlands. Even at the foot of Aorangi, in the vicinity 

 of which almost all the highest peaks are situated, the 

 comparatively level floor of the Tasman valley is rather 

 less than 2500 feet above the sea. Thus, although the 

 New Zealand peaks are considerably lower than those of 

 the European Alps — for few of them surpass 10,000 feet, 

 and the highest summit of Aorangi is only 12,349 feet 

 — they tower as high and as steep above their actual 

 bases as the Oberland giants above the valley of the 

 Lutschine. As Mr. Mannering says, Aorangi rises " for 

 nearly 10,000 feet from the Hooker glacier, and Mount 

 Sefton 8500 feet from the Mueller glacier, whilst the 

 western precipices of Mount Tasman (11,475 feet) are 

 stupendous." These words indicate another peculiarity 

 of the New Zealand Alps. Here the snow-line lies very 

 much lower than in Switzerland ; in this central district 

 it is only about 5000 feet above the sea. Thus the glaciers 

 are actually greater, and descend much below those of 

 Switzerland. The Tasman glacier, which may be com- 

 pared with the Gross Aletsch of that country, is from 18 

 to 20 miles long, and terminates at a height of 2456 feet 

 above the sea. On the western side the ice approaches 

 occasionally to within 600 feet. Thus in the New Zealand 

 Alps the Alpine climber meets with the same difficulties 

 and is rewarded by the same class of scenery, as he finds 

 in the Old World amid peaks and passes three thousand 

 feet higher. For instance, the Hochstetter Dome, first 

 ascended by Dr. von Lendenfeld, though only 9315 feet 

 above the sea, and presenting no special difficulties, is a 

 very long and laborious excursion over ice and snow. Mr. 

 Mannering and his two companions found it "twelve 

 hours' hard going " from their camp— von Lendenfeld's 

 party were out more than double the time. 



But great as are these glaciers, they are, like those in 

 our own hemisphere, attenuated representatives of their 

 predecessors —for New Zealand also has had its Ice age. 

 Once they extended far away into the lowlands. There, 

 erratics and ice-worn rocks abound for miles. Lakes 

 Tekapo and Pukaki are dammed by moraines, and in the 

 valley of the Tasman River some singular terraces can be 

 traced for 40 miles from the point where they commence, 

 near the end of the glacier, at a height of some 2000 feet 

 above the valley. Much debris is still transported by the 

 glaciers of the eastern side of the chain, but those on the 

 western are cleaner. The main range consists of stratified 

 cocks, which disintegrate, as the climber soon discovers to 

 his sorrow, rather readily ; and Mr. Mannering attributes 

 ithe difference in the amount of debris to the fact that the 

 NO. 1155. VOL. 45] 



beds have a westerly dip. This, at any rate, accounts for 

 the precipitous character of the eastern face of the 

 mountains. We infer, also, that denudation has been more 

 rapid on this side, for Aorangi projects in advance of the 

 watershed, like the Viso and other peaks on the Italian 

 side of the Alps. 



The ascent of Aorangi is evidently a long, difficult, and 

 even dangerous excursion. The route is quite as circuitous 

 as that formerly followed in the ascent of the Bernina ; 

 for the great ice-fall of the Hochstetter glacier, 4000 feet 

 high, has to be turned, and another glacier basin crossed, 

 before beginning the steep ascent of the actual peak. Mr. 

 Green's party was forced to turn back without actually 

 touching the culminating point, though they had overcome 

 all difficulties, for the short half-hour which the comple- 

 tion of the excursion would have required might have made 

 return impossible. As it was, they were benighted among 

 the glaciers. Mr. Mannering and his friend, after five 

 attempts, reached a point about 100 feet below where Mr. 

 Green halted, was compelled to turn back for the same 

 reason, and had a dangerous descent over the snow-fields 

 in the darkness. But as an Alpine Club was founded a 

 few months since in New Zealand, there will probably not 

 be many peaks to climb or passes to discover when 

 another decade has passed. 



Mountaineering in New Zealand is not for climbers 

 fond of luxury. Guides and porters are at present un- 

 known. Mr. Mannering and his companions had to carry 

 their own " swag " — and heavy loads these were —cut their 

 own steps, do everything and discover everything for 

 themselves, for they were self-taught mountaineers. 

 Sometimes he had only one companion, and then the 

 labour and the danger were alike increased. The weather 

 also seems to be more unsettled than it is in the Alps. 

 The rainfall is heavy — 150 inches in some places. Thus 

 fresh snow often adds to the difficulties and the dangers 

 of excursions, and falls of stones seem common, as might 

 be expected. Mr. Mannering tells most pleasantly and 

 unaffectedly a story of pluck, endurance, and skill, of 

 which our kinsmen in New Zealand may be justly proud. 

 He is a careful observer of Nature, and a true lover of 

 mountain scenery, as well as a daring climber. His book 

 contains a number of illustrations, taken from photo- 

 graphs, which show that the peak and glacier scenery of 

 the Aorangi group is worthy of the author's enthusiastic 

 praise ; and it is not only very pleasant reading, but also 

 adds much to our knowledge of the region. It may be 

 added that, if the traveller is not satisfied with the perils 

 of rocks and snow, those of flooded rivers are a common 

 experience ; and Mr. Mannering, in his final chapter, 

 describes the doubtful pleasures of a canoe voyage down 

 the Waitaki River. 



T. G. BONNEY. 



OUR BOOK SHELF. 



Manual of the Science of Religion. By P. D. Chantpie 

 de la Saussaye. Translated by Beatrice S. Colyer 

 Fergusson. (London: Longmans, 1 891.) 

 Though the title of this volume seems to imply that it is 

 a complete thing, it is really only the first half of Prof de 

 la Saussaye's book. Nearly three-fourths of the Amster- 

 dam Professor's manual is devoted to a sketch of the 

 chief ethnic religions and of Islam ; whereas the English 



