Geological Survey of Canterbury. 103 



close to the glacier, the fall of the river is inconsiderable, so that it 

 could be easily crossed on foot. The vegetation at the same time con- 

 tinued to have the same lowland character. Turning a rocky point, 

 we had at once the white unsullied face of the ice before us, broken 

 up into a thousand turrets, needles and other fantastic forms, the 

 terminal face of the glacier being still hidden by a foreground of pines, 

 ratas, beeches, and arborescent ferns, giving to the whole picture a 

 still stranger appearance. 



About three-quarters of a mile from the glacier we camped, and, 

 after a hasty meal, started for its examination. The same vegetation 

 still continued, and it was in vain that I looked for any alpine, or even 

 sub-alpine plants. From both sides numerous water-courses come down 

 over large blocks of rocks, mostly forming nice falls. Before we reached 

 the glacier, the valley expanded again, the left side having hitherto 

 been formed by an ancient moraine, more than a hundred feet high, 

 the river flowing in two channels, with a wooded island, from which 

 huge blocks of rock rose between the trees; but, owing to the 

 very low state of the river, the southern channel was nearly dry, 

 and only received, on that side, the contents of numerous small 

 waterfalls from the outrunning spurs of the main chain. Before 

 we reached the glacier itself we had to cross a moraine, mostly 

 consisting of small detritus, denoting, by its mineralogical character, 

 that it came from the very summit of the snowy giants before 

 us. My whole party had never seen a glacier, ana some of the 

 Maoris had never seen ice ; thus, the nearer we came, the greater 

 was their curiosity, and whilst I stopped a few hundred yards 

 from the terminal face to take some bearings, the whole range, 

 owing to the clear sky, being well visible, they all ran on, and I saw 

 them soon ascend the ice, which, with the exception of a few small 

 pieces of debris in the centre, was perfectly spotless, and presented a 

 most magnificent sight. Having finished my work, I followed them, and 

 soon stood under the glacial cave at the southern extremity, forming an 

 azure roof of indescribable beauty, and which one of my European 

 companions could only compare to the 'magnificent scenery of some 

 London Christmas pantomime. The glacier not only fills the valley, 

 the sides of which are formed of perpendicular walls of mica schist > 

 but even from the ice, large hillocks rise, consisting of the same rock 

 on which, better than anywhere I had ever observed, the planing and 

 furrowing action of the ice can easily be studied. And no one 



