IT PEEFACB 



A descriptive account of my explorations, with numerous extracts from 



my journals, has been given in the first three chapters, as I believe that 

 in that manner I can offer a great deal of information in a more popular 

 form to the reader on the Physical Geography, Geology, Zoology, and 

 Botany of the Country, than purely scientific reports can generally convey 

 to him. I have endeavoured to make him acquainted with the peculiarly 

 grand features of the Southern Alps, to make him participate in the 

 difficulties, dangers, and joys of an explorer's life, and, at the same time, 

 to show him that the work of the Geologist in an unknown country, in 

 which, moreover, he has to seek his way, construct his own map, and 

 carry often a heavy load on his back, is not an easy one, and that it 

 cannot be accomplished without considerable loss of time. The series of 

 lithographs attached to this report, representing faithfully some of the 

 finest scenery in Canterbury and Westland, will, at the same time, assist 

 in bringing the countries traversed more vividly before the reader than 

 mere word-painting could do. It was once my intention to add several 

 chapters on the Zoology and Botany of both Provinces, together with 

 meteorological and statistical tables ; but they would have increased the 

 bulk of this report, already exceeding its intended size, by more than 

 140 pages. 



The pleasant duty now devolves upon me to thank most heartily all 

 those inhabitants of Canterbury and Westland whose hospitality I have 

 enjoyed, or who have facilitated in many ways my progress through the 

 country. It would be impossible to name them all, because, without 

 exception, every one of them has always cheerfully offered me what 

 assistance he could. To my friends, Professor Dr. F s Ritter von 

 Hochstetter, in Vienna, for superintending the printings of chromo- 

 lithographed maps and sections ; the Rev. J. W. Stack, and Messrs 

 R. Mainwaring and W. M. Maskell, for reading the proof sheets for me, 

 my warmest thanks are also due. 



JULIUS VON HAAST. 



Christchurch, Canterbury, N.Z., 

 December, 1878. 



