‘THE HOLLYFORD VALLEY. 463 
300 feet and got on to a ledge, where there was a tuft or two of 
snow-grass growing. From here we thought we could see our 
way to reach the bottom of the precipice, from whence there was 
a valley, open at the head, but wooded heavily further down, 
leading down to the head of the Sound. As it was getting on 
in the day we did not attempt to go further, but we estimated 
that we were within two or three hours’ walk of the head. We 
left the saddle on our return about 4 o'clock, and, as the descent 
on the Hollyford side is not quite so steep as on the other, soon 
reached the head of Lake Adelaide, and following its eastern 
side to the foot, and thence along the creek, reached the tent 
about dusk. Not having a barometer, and the saddle not being 
visible from any trig points, I had no means of fixing its height, 
but judging from bush level, and the heights ot hills in the 
neighbourhood, I should put it down at about 3,700ft. Lake 
Adelaide is below bush level, probably about 3,000 or 3,100 feet 
above the sea. The height of the saddle, therefore, would be 
considerably less than that of Lake Harris saddle, and with the 
exception of the precipice just at the saddle there would seem 
to be no great difficulty in making a fair foot track, if not a pack 
track, from the Hollyford to the Sound. Of course such a track 
would be blocked for a considerable part of the year by snow. 
As I believe this is the first time the practicability of any track 
to the Sounds has been demonstrated, I have noticed this 
route the more particularly ; at the same time it is my opinion 
that a better route will probably be found higher up the Holly- 
ford Valley, or in from the head of the Eglinton. By the way, 
I may mention that Mitre Peak, on the south side of Milford 
Sound, is visible from trig N, near Lake Harris saddle. 
Nothing of further interest or importance occurred on the 
trip, which was concluded without hitch or accident of any kind. 
The men—more especially Mantle and Fitt, whom I engaged at 
Queenstown—worked capitally; and though the work was 
rough and hard at times, they always worked cheerfully, and 
there was no grumbling. The provisions we brought with us 
held out to a nicety, there only being 5olb. of flour and a little 
tea left. Those left in the “futtah” last year, however, were 
quite useless. Though the “futtah” was water-tight, and rat- 
proof, the constant dampness of the air mildewed the flour and 
oatmeal, so that it was uneatable, and most of the sugar had 
melted away. I regret to say that we found no trace of Ray- 
mond’s body, though, as we brought the boat up from Lake 
McKerrow to Pyke’s, the whole of that part of the river was 
thoroughly searched. I am now preparing the trig and topo. 
maps of the work, and also intend preparing a map on a smaller 
scale, which will shew a good deal of country outside the tri- 
angulation, and which will no doubt be of use. 
In concluding my report I may say that I have now seen so 
much of the country to the west of the Wakatipu that it has 
given me a keen desire to see more in two directions especially, 
viz., from the head of Lake Alabaster round behind Big Bay, 
