it, and is was again Dr. Haast, who during a journey along flic 
West Coast between Hokitika and the Waiau river, in 1865, has 
discovered that very remarkable glacier and named it Francis Joseph 
glacier in honor of Ilis Majesty the Emperor of Austria and in 
remembrance to the Novara Expedition, which had been sent out 
by His Majesty. 1 The Francis Joseph glacier comes down from 
1 Dr. Haast (Lecture on the West Coast of Canterbury, Christchurch 1865) 
gives the following description of the glorious panorama from the lake Okarita on 
the West Coast, and of the discovery of the Francis Joseph glacier. “The contrast 
between the ever restless sea — the gigantic waves coming and going without inter- 
mission — and the quiet watershed of Lake Okarita, with its numerous islands, 
surrounded by luxuriant forest, was most striking. Above the forest plains rose 
low hillocks, also clothed with the same intensely green West Coast vegetation, 
over which the Southern Alps appeared a mass of snow, ice, rock, and forest. As 
far as the eye could reach, mountain appeared behind mountain, all clad in their 
white garments, with which they are covered during the whole year almost entirely, 
becoming apparently lower until they appeared only as small points over the sea 
horizon — half cloud, half ghost, as a modern philosopher has said so well. But 
what struck me more than anything was the low position reached by an enormous 
glacier, descending north of Mount Cook from the ranges, appearing between the 
wooded hillocks at the foot, of the Alps. The sun being near his setting, every mo- 
ment. new changes were effected; the shades grew longer and darker, and whilst 
already the lower portion lay in a deep shade, the summits were still shining with 
an intense rosy hue. Turning towards the sea, the same contrast of colours was 
exhibited, the sea being deep blue, whilst the sky was of such a deep crimson and 
orange colour, that if we could see it faithfully rendered by an artist, we should 
consider it highly exaggerated. But the beauty of the magnificent scene did not fade 
away even after the large orb of the sun had disappeared, because, as the night 
advanced, the full moon threw her soft silver light over the whole picture, and lake 
and sea, forest and snowy giants still were visible, hut assuming, apparently, other 
dimensions, shapes, and colours. It. was late at night before 1 could leave this glo- 
rious view, and my heart swelled with such a pure delight as only the contempla- 
tion of nature can offer to her admirers.” — The next morning, the 14 th of June (1865) 
Dr. Haast continued his journey along the Coast to the Waiau river. — “Te view from 
the mouth of the Waiau river is most magnificent, as the valley, being straight and 
nearly two miles broad, allows us to gaze at the Southern Alps from foot to summit, 
having in the foreground the enormous ice masses of the Francis Joseph glacier appear- 
ing between a rich forest vegetation. The Waiau is a shingle river, flowing in several 
branches through its wide valley, the semi-opaque bluish colour of its waters at once 
revealing its glacier origin. Owing to the cold nights it was very low, so that we 
could easily cross, it being scarcely above our knees. We kept on the southern side 
of its bed, travelling partly in dry channels, over grass-flats, or sometimes through 
dense bush. This forest consisted either of pines intermingled with arborescent ferns, 
the whole interlaced by climbing plants, or — and what was still worst — of shrubs 
