PART I. 



HISTORICAL NOTES 



ON THE 



PROGRESS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



OF 



CANTERBURY, NEW ZEALAND. 



CHAPTER I. 



From the Beginning of the G-eological (Survey to the 

 Discovery or the West Coast G-oldfields. 



Before entering on the principal object of this Report, which is to 

 present in a condensed form the main results of the topographical and 

 geological surveys conducted by me since the latter part of the year 

 1860, in. the Province of Canterbury, it may not be deemed super- 

 fluous if I offer a short narrative of my explorations, giving a 

 somewhat detailed description of some of the journeys which were 

 undertaken into those portions of the province, never before trodden 

 by the foot of man. Such an account may be the more acceptable, as my 

 other occupations will prevent me, at least for some time to come, from 

 publishing as I had intended, a book in a more popular form on this 

 subject. In this narrative I have very often quoted largely from former 

 reports and other publications, thinking that I could not improve 

 upon the descriptions and accounts which gave the first vivid 

 impressions of the grand and sublime scenery with which the Southern 

 Alps abound in every direction. 



It was towards the end of 1860, when residing in Nelson, and 

 occupied in preparing the results of the journey in the south-western 

 portion of the Province of Nelson, undertaken on behalf of the 

 Provincial Government for publication, that I received a letter from 



