Discovery of the Haast Pass.

The next important exploration of Canterbury's geologist was a journey south to the Lake Wanaka region and thence through the unknown country at the head of Wanaka across the

(E. T. Robson, photo.)
The Canterbury Museum (founded by Sir Julius von Haast), Christchurch, New Zealand.

Southern Alps to the West Coast. This work he selected in order to make himself acquainted with the country along the boundary between Canterbury and Otago. In January, 1863, he started from Lake Wanaka, which he had reached on horseback, and then by a settler's boat, went to the Makarore (this name is misspelled on the present maps), which flows into the head of the lake from the main Alpine chain. He had heard that there was an aged Maori living at the Waitemate bush and he went to see him and ascertained that there was a way of reaching the West Coast by following up a branch of the Makarore. The old Maori said that by taking that route he would come out at the mouth of the Awarua, on the Western Sea, in two days. This branch the Maori pointed out. It was named the Wilkin by the firstcomers. But when on the spot and examining the physical features of the country, Haast decided, instead of the Wilkin, to try a page 20

Willington's new station in course of construction.
The above illustrations give a good impression of the imposing dimensions of the new railway station at Wellington and of the progress being made with the building operations. The top view shows the main entrance to the station (facing Bunny Street) and the view below shows the Featherston Street elevation and the arrangement of the passenger platforms, The present Lambton Station is shown in the left foreground of the picture,

page 21 singular break in the main chain at the head of the Makarore itself and see whether a pass might be found in that direction. He therefore set out to cross the Alps there, and his belief was verified. He had heard when on the more northern part of the West Coast that the Maoris knew of an Alpine pass in this part, but had not been able to gather anything positive from them.

On January 2 he started from Makarore to find a practicable way; his companions were William Young (Assistant Surveyor for Canterbury, as topographical assistant), R. L. Holmes, F. Warner (later on proprietor of Warner's Hotel), and Charles Haring. The party carried very heavy swags; they took provisions for four weeks. About twenty-five miles from the Lake, following up a tributary of the Makarore through wild country, the travellers came to a place where the level of the swampy open forest had a slight fall to the north. Soon the small waterholes between the swamp moss increased, a watercourse was formed, which was running in a northerly direction. Thus a most remarkable pass was discovered, which has no equal in the whole range of the Southern Alps.

From these observations on this watershed, Haast found that its altitude was only 1,716 feet above sea-level, or 724 feet above the surface of Lake Wanaka. The mountains on both sides rose into great glaciated heights. This is the place now known as the Haast Pass. A horseback track has been made through the forest and ranges following closely the way pioneered by our explorer and his party. Some day it will be roaded for motor traffic and thus form a wonderful highway to the West Coast, linking up with the South Westland main road. An amazingly rugged route of sublime scenery, it is a difficult track to-day; the great snow-fed rivers are the obstacles. We may imagine, therefore, the formidable character of this wilderness of mountains and forests and roaring rivers through which Haast's party, laden heavily, toiled in 1863.

There is a high icy mountain, just on the northern side of the pass, which Haast and Young ascended, in order to use it as a central topographical station and examine it for its geology. Haast named it Mount Brewster. Its glaciers give rise to the main head-waters of the river flowing to the West Coast, which the Maoris called the Awarua in its lower parts.

“From the slopes of this grand mountain, from an altitude of about 6,500 feet,” the explorer wrote, “we had a most magnificent view over the Alps. Lake Wanaka appeared far in the South, its blue mirror-like surface set among wild rugged mountains. All around us rose peak above peak, their rocky pinnacles towering in grand majesty above the snow and ice upon their flanks, while deep below us, in narrow gorges, we could look upon the foaming waters of the torrents almost at our feet.”