170 Scientific Intelligence. 
a portion of the distance on the uppermost glacier which feeds the river. 
From this point a most magnificent view was spread out before us. The 
high mountains to our right, with their clear blue pinnacles of ice pointing 
to the sky, and shrouded in enormous glaciers, presented a truly Alpine 
scene, while the whole valley at our feet was completely filled by a 
glacier occupying an area of about five square miles. This latter, as well 
as the mountain from which it descends, and the river to which it gives 
birth, Dr Hector named in honour of Mr Haast, the provincial geologist 
of Canterbury, that gentleman being the first scientific traveller to describe 
the glaciers of New Zealand. After making an examination as to the 
best way to descend, a task both perilous and laborious, owing to the 
glacialised surface of the rock composing the mountain, and the high 
angle of inclination of its side, we commenced our descent. For some 
distance we succeeded easily, but occasionally we were completely stopped 
by a peculiar blue rock interbedded with the slate, and which may be 
appropriately likened, from its undulated surface, to corrugated iron. 
Although we had started from the saddle at about 1 p.m., it was grow- 
ing dark by the time we had gained the upper part of the small glacier to 
our left, and it was at least 800 feet above the true base of the mountain, 
or 900 above the surface of Haast’s Glacier. The continual fall of 
avalanches and loose stones in the valley occupied by the smaller glacier 
rendered travelling very dangerous, and as night was fast approaching, 
Dr Hector thought it advisable to reascend a portion of the mountain, 
and avail ourselves of a hole in the rock for a night’s lodgings, as well as_ 
a shelter from the falling ice. 
‘** The night was extremely comfortless, with a high wind that howled 
among the mountain fastnesses, and chilled us in our rocky cave; and at 
intervals a crashing noise, like the outburst of distant thunder, told us of 
avalanches quitting their icy thrones to pay their tribute to the ocean 
king. Early next morning we descended to the small glacier alluded to 
above, and prepared to traverse it. The valley which it occupies does 
not exceed a mile and a half long, and about a quarter of a mile broad; 
but owing to the steepness of the glacier, and the deep crevasses or rents 
that occur in the ice, a large amount of Alpine experience and skill is 
requisite before attempting to cross it. It assumes also the shape of a 
wedge, and in consequence of its sides nowhere touching the rocks that 
border it on either hand, but surrounded by wide chasms instead, its im- 
practicability is therefore rendered still more apparent. Previous to 
starting from Dunedin, Dr Hector, by his foresight, had provided a small- 
sized cord of about three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter, and eighty 
feet in length, similar to what is used as tracking-lines in canoe voyages 
on the rivers of Canada, and from its great utility to parties fording 
rapid rivers in this country, experience has taught us that it cannot be — 
too strongly recommended. For instance, when crossing the strong and 
rapid current of a river, our method was to tie the cord to our waists, at 
a distance of twelve or fourteen feet the one from the other, then, while 
the leader was baffling with the force of the stream in the deepest and 
strongest part of its course, he was supported by the others until he had 
reached a portion of the river the force of which he was able to contend 
with, and at the same time afford assistance to the next in order to cross, 
and so on until all had gained the opposite bank. In descending the 
small glacier in like manner, we were thus attached the one to the other, 
to prevent any serious accident happening in case of slipping the foot or 
falling into one of those frightful crevasses, the sight of which is often 
alone sufficient to unnerve the stoutest heart. We encountered two very 
dangerous fissures in the descent. Both were too wide to leap, and we 
cleared them in the following manner. Dr Hector sought out the most 
a 
So 
