Geological Survey of Canterbury. 117 



Mount Harman begin to reach the main river, in which everywhere 

 huge avalanches were still lying. Some of them were of such 

 enormous dimensions, that their remains will last till late in the summer, 

 The opposite side oE Twin Peaks range, showing a somewhat terraced 

 appearance, was here more free from them, and will therefore offer 

 better travelling ground. As the guide assumed me that it was too late 

 to cross the Pass that day, although it was only half -past one o'clock, 

 we remained camped on this good sized flat, covered with blocks 

 of stone, grass, and alpine plants, of which the magnificent Ranun- 

 culus Lyallii had just began to bud. "We camped under a huge 

 erratic block, and although only about 3200 feet above the level of the 

 sea, snow was still lying deeply in most localities over this flat. Opposite 

 our camp, an avalanche was not only filling the deep gorge in which it had 

 descended, but it had invaded the main valley, and the river for some 

 distance had disappeared under it. The clouds were lying low on the 

 ranges, when next morning, October 31st, we prepared ourselves to cross 

 the Pass. A number of Keas (the green mountain parrot), flying past 

 our camp or sitting on the rocky ledges above, broke the stillness of 

 nature with their plaintive notes. Prom our camp to the junction of 

 the outlet of Lake Browning with the Twin Peaks creek, about half a 

 mile, the right bank was covered with a succession of avalanches, under 

 which the river was concealed in many places, whilst the lower part of 

 the mountains on the left side of the valley was mostly free from snow, 

 till at last, about 300 to 400 yards below that junction, the water had 

 entirely disappeared, and valleys and hill-sides formed one continuous 

 mass of snow from which rocky points rose here and there. The 

 whole country presented to the guide such a different aspect, that when 

 we arrived at that junction, instead of crossing over to the right bank 

 and fo]lowing along the outlet of Lake Browning to the summit of the 

 Pass, he took the valley of Twin Peaks Creek, at the same time assuring 

 me that he did not at all recognise the country. The fine weather had 

 unfortunately ceased, and dense mist enveloped us, so that we could 

 not see 20 yards before us. He led us up a valley, which exhibits 

 in its natural state a deep rocky gorge, but which now was so 

 entirely filled with snow that it had rather the appearance of a wide 

 open mountain valley slightly covered with snow. The snow being soft, 

 we toiled forward here for two hours, sinking often up to our waists 

 in it ; and although the guide assured me that this was the right road, 

 the compass and the direction he had taken convinced me that he 

 was going astray. The clouds became every moment denser, so 

 that we could scarcely see a few paces before us ; so at last, observing 



