Geological Survey of Canterbury. 27 



by a number of frowning precipices, between which we had to climb 

 along steep rocky ridges before we could reach the summit. From this 

 point, 7400 feet high, we had an extensive view, both over the valleys 

 of the G-odley and Cass rivers, and of the glacier system at their 

 head, radiating from the snowfields of the Southern Alps, the grand 

 pyramid of Mount Tyndall towering grimly above all the other peaks 

 visible from here. 



Having finished the work here, we returned to Mr. Beswick's station, 

 and started again on March 26th, in order to reach the river which 

 flows into Lake Pukaki, and which would doubtless bring us to Mount 

 Cook. Passing by the northern end of Lake Alexandrina, its deep 

 blue waters, scarcely ruined by a breeze, formed a striking contrast to 

 the milky white surface of Lake Tekapo, covered with foam-crested 

 waves, on the other side of the range on which we were travelling. 

 We soon crossed the Pork river, and keeping along the foot of the 

 high ranges on our right, we ascended again to glacier deposits, which 

 continued for another mile. We then reached alluvial beds with 

 numerous small boggy creeks between them, and camped in the after- 

 noon in the bed of Irishman Creek where it issues from the ranges. 

 Continuing our journey next morning, we ascended, after two hours 

 march, a ridge near the sources of the Maryburn, from which we 

 obtained a most extensive view. The large Mackenzie Country with its 

 fine rounded hills and its numerous rivers and water-courses, and 

 bounded on the south and east by apparently low ranges, was spread 

 out before us. To the south lay Lake Pukaki with its ice-worn island, 

 looking not unlike the back of a gigantic whale ; whilst on the east, 

 the southern end of Lake Tekapo was just visible. Towards 1he west 

 the wild serrated snow-covered ranges on the western bank of the 

 Tasman river, gradually rising higher and higher towards the north, 

 were visible from the shores of Lake Pukaki to the magnificent Sefton 

 'peak in the Moorhouse range, after which the spurs in front of us 

 concealed from us the still higher alpine peaks to the north. I con- 

 sider this one of the finest panoramas in our Alps, from the extension 

 and striking contrast of the country surrounding the explorer. Soon 

 we came upon morainic accumulations on a truly gigantic scale, which 

 now belonged to the Tasman system, and were situate about 1500 feet 

 above the valley of that river. The view towards the Central 

 Southern Alps became more extensive with every step, and soon Mount 

 Cook, rising with its sharp tent-like ridge high above all the surround- 

 ing peaks appeared before us, and was hailed with great delight. 



