Page:Rambles on the Golden Coast of New Zealand.djvu/185

Rh lies the solid icy mass filling up the huge gully between the lofty hills, and finally hidden from sight by a bend of the mountains. The ice assumes all manner of fantastic shapes. At the base there is a perfect bridge, bright and clear, but not to be trodden by human foot. Higher up is a huge pinnacle with an eye through which the sunlight seemed to stream. These were striking points, but ever new beauties in the view met the wandering eye, and the effect produced on the mind is beyond description. The low altitude of this glacier—about 675 ft. above the sea-level, and the luxuriant vegetation in close proximity to the ice, a vegetation covering the hills on both sides of the glacier for a height of from 800 ft. to 1000 ft.—are the most remarkable features. Further on we get a sketch of a glacier at one of the sources of Cook’s River. The party, says the narrative, proceeded up the river, but found the first and second fords rather deep. The river bed at the mouth is considerably less in breadth than that of the Waiho, but higher up it opens into a far more extensive country, some parts covered with high scrub and grass, appearing to afford an excellent run for cattle. After following the river from its mouth for three or four miles the party proceeded in a north-easterly direction for about five miles, when they came within view of a grand glacier falling from the lofty mountains in one solid body, and conveying the idea of a mighty rushing overwhelming river suddenly chained and fixed by frost. When first presented to the view the scene was most grand and singular. By perseverance the glacier was reached, but to obtain a good view of it, crossing the river to the south side was necessary, and that, at first sight, seemed impossible. Soon, however, the discovery was made that close up to the base of the glacier the river ran in several streams. Crossing some of these, and crawling over large boulders, and sometimes over the lower parts of the glacier, the party succeeded in reaching the south side in safety, when Mr Fox took some sketches of the magnificent scenery before him. The débris, continually falling down from the glacier, is very considerable, and the whole of the lower part appears from a short distance as if composed of grey stones. On the southern side of the point stands a lofty wooded hill, from which a fine view of the stupendous mass of ice can be had, but there was not sufficient time to examine it from that spot. The appearance of the glacier when closely approached is not so picturesque as the Waiho glacier, but is perhaps more nobly grand in its simplicity. Its height is 770 ft., and therefore nearly 100 ft., higher than the Waiho glacier. The water does not seem to flow out of it as from the Waiho glacier, but bubbles up in its front where there is a remarkable fountain throwing out a great body of water, boiling up some feet in height. The effect of the whole view, like that of the Waiho glacier, is much heightened by the bright red of the rata flowers. As the party proposed to return to Gillespie’s Beach the same day, but little time could be spared at the glacier, and having christened it the “Fox Glacier” the return was commenced soon after 2 p.m. Travelling homeward several stoppages were made, and excellent views obtained of the glacier and Mount Cook range in their majestic grandeur.