FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER TO MOUNT COOK.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 April 1924, Page 4

FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER TO MOUNT COOK.

A BOTANIST’S EXPEDITION

(By Professor Arnold Wall, in “Lyt-

telton Times,”)

Ou January ‘23 we moved on to tile Maito Brun Hut. The distance from the Ball Hut is about ten miles, all easy and pleasant going, once the moraine has been passed, along the middle of the Tasman Glacier. The weather now changed; it did nut break, but distinctly cracked, and we were completely enveloped in fog all the way from Ball to the Waite Brun [Hit. We soon realised that this was only a wandering cloud which had come to scrape the barnacles from its belly on the sharp rocks of the Tasman, and it did us no harm. It v.as pleasant to see how unerringly the guides travelled on the glacier in the gloom, nothing being visible except the ice and the mist. A fine, driving rain kept us cool, and we travelled very fast. Without knowing clearly how we had done it we thus found ourselves early in the afternoon stepping oil' the glacier by way of a moraine and then climbing about 700 ft. upon a good track up to the -Waite Brun Hut. During the evening the fog cleared away. The Maito Brun Hut is situated on the north-western slope ol Mount Maito Brim and close to the Malte Bum Glacier. It is 5700 ft up. and is in many respects the most attractive of all the five lints, ft stands in the midst of a rich field of alpine vegetation, not merely subalpiiie • tho surroundings arc Iwautiful and romantic in the extreme, and the view across tho glacier and up toward the head is quite ravishing. Here one is in the middle of a white world; as one looks out from the hut one sees nothing but snow-peaks and snow slopes and snow fields, with a very little dark rock here ami there. Tho bare, red, rooky faces of Malte Brun lie behind the above. Most beautiful of all, to my mind, is the. Hochstetfer Dome and slopes leading up to it. The great peaks of the Alps with their sharp contmffs and precipitous faces, their hrailing rocks and abrupt approaches, generallv suggest violence and upheaval, vast ti.imoil, the release of irresistible forces. But here all breathes of peace and infinite calm. The smooth, pure (lowing curves of spotless snow, iold upon fold, rising gently from one spacious terrace to another, might he the bed of a Titan, bis pillows and Ins coverlet, all inviting to eternal repose. The Dome on the right, then Mount Elie de Beaumont, like a crouching lion carved in ice. the gracelul Minarets exactly opposite, the snowlields above the Rudolph glacier and about Graham’s Saddle, all stand radiantly shining in the same dazzling robes. ASCENT OF JIOCIISTKTTKR

DOME. On the 24th. a perfect day. the whole party, with the exception of the botanist, ascended the Hochstetter Dome (9358 ft.), travelling up the glacier to the head and then up through those lovely snowlields to the Dome, with ny difficulty or danger, hut much damage to the skin in spite of all that zinc ointment could do. In the evening, the long chain of their footsteps could he traced for miles and miles winding gracefully and easily up and toward their goal. This party returned full of the glories of the view, from the Dome and thought their great labours well repaid. To the botanist the long snow-walk was quite useless, arid lor him a veiv different day was in store. The northern and north-western faces of Malte Brun and of the neighbouring peaks, such as the Aiguille Rouge and Chndleigli, are almost entirely clear ol snow right to the summit. Mount Malle Brun itself (10,421 ft). can he climbed to the top entirely upon rod;. These faces and spurs, predominantly red in tone, are equally alluring to the rock-climber and to the botanist; upon them Peter Graham had found vegetation up to 9000 ft. A \ eroniea and Butter-cup, both of which now bear his name, were discovered by him here and in some few other localities about the head of the 1 asmau Glacier. SLOPES OF MALTE BREN. Having seen tho Homo party oil, I left the hut about seven and went quickly up over easy debris slopes and small snowlields to the base of a high precipitous face on the north-western spur. Here, at about 7000 ft. my labours began. There are many chimneys in this face, and in all of them plants of one sort or another are to be seen. I went quite a- long way up two rf these collecting or throwing down for collection various interesting plants. After an hour of this work I made my way across to the southern edge of the spur where it overlooks the glacier between Malte Brun and the Aiguille Rouge. From this point 1 was able to ascend rapidly by a series of shallow couloirs and chimneys to the top of the ridge itself, collecting all the way and leaving little cairns to mark tho way back (none of which I saw again). Arrived upon the ridge. I followed it, without very much difficulty. as far as a small saddle or dip which interrupts it at the foot ol the last precipitous red cliff below the actual summit of Malle Brun.

Up to this, my farthest point. I had found plants Continually from time to time; there wore plants here and others visible beyond and a little higher, all of the same species—Haast's \ e-

roiuea. So far as 1 can learn, this point is somewhere between 8.500 and 9,000 feet up. It. is about- level with the top of the Make Bran Glacier. Messrs Chambers, J’orer and Barker had climbed Malte Brun two days before by way of this glacier, and their stops, were .clearly visible to me. I. understood from them that they left the glacier at about 9000 ft. I took four hours to reach this place, and one of these (and a little more) was spent in the chimney-sweeping operations lower down. I returned to the lower levels by different couloirs from those I bad used in going up. collected a good deal more, and arrived at the hut an hour bofore my companions returned from the Hochstetter Dome. TWENTY SPECIES IDENTIFIED. I did not succeed in finding either the Veronica or the Buttercup of Graham, which was a disappointment; but I made most interesting collections. I compute that there are altogeher about twenty species of plants growing between 7000 and 9000 ft! on this range. Among these Haast’s A eronica, as usual, is the most adventurous and the boldest; I had before seen it at about S2ooft. on Mount Arrowsmith, in the JRangitata country. My list includes two or three grasses; a Forget-me-not or two (one of them possibly a new species) ; “vegetable sheep ’; one fern. Lomaria. alpina, .which, oddly enough, also grows quite commoul.v at sea level, and may even be seen growing wild in Hagley Park, Christchurch; a Cotula. a Cnrdamine, a- DrocapKyThim and a Pratia. 1 was now most sorely tempted to have a crack at the summit of Malte Brun itself on the 26th. following the route by the glacier. Jim Stout and Jack Pope were only too willing and eager, and my companions very kindly and sportingly offered to wait for me a whole day. But other counsels, perhaps wiser, prevailed ; bread was veryshort indeed, and for various reasons good and bad, I gave it up, hoping

soon to return and continue the pursuit. This was lucky, for had we made the attempt, the same nor’-wester which rose suddenly between i and 8 on the evening of the 25th., and blew the-top of Mount Cook out of the expectant mouths of Professor and Airs Algie aiul their guides, as they lay in the Memorial Hut on the way up, would have baulked us and wasted a whole day for all of us. Tho 25th. was Stewart’s day. " He and tho two guides left at dawn to attempt the Minarets and Mount do la Beclic. They crossed the glacier and ascended to about 7000 ft. toward their goal, overcoming successfully the initial difficulties which are not small, hut eventually a quite impassable crevasse barred their progress completely and they wore obliged to return to the hut. They brought mo a few plants from the rocks opposite, one of which, a Forget-me-not, may turn out to lie valuable. The decision to leave Malte Brun unattended was now reached and packing in haste wo all walked the twentytwo miles hack to The Hermitage at high speed and in glorious weather.

Two days still remained to us and we designed to visit the Mueller Hut and the Sealcy Range during that time. However, the nor’-west storm of the 25tli. and 2Gth put this out of question. The high peaks disappeared in a whirl of fog and sleet, and an eighty-mile an hour gale”, wo were told, ruled .up above. The Mueller Hut is the first to receive attention from this quarter, so we remained at The Hermitage. In the afternoon of the 2Gth., in spite of showers, three of,us visited Sebastopol (4819 ft.) and some good collecting was done, especially among the small lakes and bogs about 4000 feet up. On tho precipitous rocks just above the road on the eastern face of Sebastopol, Peter Graham gathered a new plant, a near relative of “Edelweiss” during his celebrated traverse undertaken with Miss Diifaur. Nobody is likely to look for it there again as the feat was hazardous iu the extreme. I craned over from the top here and there, however, without result. Curiously enough, Graham never saw this plant anywhere else. The last day of our expedition, January 27, a Sunday, was again gloriously line, and we made the most of it. M.v companions, with Jack Pope as guide, climbed the steep ridge of Mount Wakefield (6500 ft.), which provided them with plenty of thrills. This is tho last peak on the eight-mile range which runs from tho summit of Mount Cook to the junction of the glaciers near The Hermitage. The botanist, r.s before, had to follow up his occupation elsewhere. GRAHAM’S VERONICA.

The plan for this day was to search the Sealcy Range, immediately behind

Tho Hermitage, to about 7000 ft., with a special eye to Graham’s Veronica. A start was made about 9, tho first creek on the wav to Ken Point was followed, and the spur beyond it quickly ascended. At about 5000 ft many nice things were collected; above tho thick vegetation several nasty knobs had to he passed, quite easy to climb, yet very risky on account of the extreme looseness of the rock. Here few plants grow, hut Haast’s Veronica and another manage to hold a footing. Ihe main ridge which overlooks 4 he Hermitage, th(T Mueller Glacier, and the Mn'cKenzie Plains, was reached about- 11. Travelling along this ridge rapidly, lor

the going is quite excellent in sons parts, I found by midday that Moun

Annette \v«s well within my grasp, and made that my objective. At about 7000 ft and perhaps half a mile from the sharp peak of Annette, T at last came upon Grahuin’s \ eroniea. and secured excellent (lowering specimens. This striking plant belongs to the section called Euveronica, which includes a round dozen species. All of those have notched eft- erratic leaves and nearly all arc very beautiful plants. The best-known is, of course, V. Hulke-

ana. a Marlborough plant, sometimes aosurdly called lilac, which is grown in every New Zealand garden. Another very line member is V. Lavaudiana, which is restricted to Banks Peninsula, and abundant on tho Port Hills. Two others grow only at very high altitudes on Ruapehu and the neighbouring volcanoes. Graham’s Veronica is ot a

rich purple colour, the leaves are deeply serrate, and thickly covered with short white hairs; the flower is white , and handsome. Enough was procured to furnish a few cuttings and an attempt is now being made to get it into cultivation in Christchurch. Graham’s Veronica was identified by the late Mr ■ T. F. Choescman with V. Birleyi, a plant of the Lake AYakatiuu district named after Hurry Birlcy, the wellknown climber and guide. The two plants, however, seem to mo to he very different, with due submission to so great an authority’. THE LAST STAGES. ’ By one I reached the top of Mount Annette (735.1 ft.) but found no more of the Veronica. AVhile taking my frugal lunch there I decided to return by way of the Mueller Hut, which was plainly visible far below. Another hour or more would have been required to reach Mount Sealey itself (8651 ft), and the route lay over a great snou field, quite useless to me. I descended rapidly to the Mueller Hut by way of a useful snowfieltl. not quite steep enough for glissade, but affording excellent fast travelling, ajid reached it within an hour. The Mueller Hut is about five miles from. The ■Hermitage, and is the most easily accessible of all the lints, although about two miles of the journey have to be travelled along the lateral moraine of the Mueller glacier. The moraine, as moraines go, is, however, quite easy and pleasant travelling. The hue is situated on the southern side’ (5000 ft up) ami stands in a fine commanding position high above the glacier. It offers a splendid view right up the Mueller to the head and of'the southern and south-eastern buttresses of Mount Soften, all of whose approaches and appurtenances arc peculiarly impressive and picturesque. The Mueller Hut is only second to tlic Malte Brun in respect of its immediate surroundings. There is plenty of alpine vegetation all about it, and it is specially distinguished by the abundance of Hector’s Celmisia, a most beautiful little species growing in very large masses or cushions, each plant being a brilliant rosette of sharp, ercc-t, silvery leaves. This plant grows commonly elsewhere about Mount- Cook, but nowhere is there so splendid a show of it as here. Returning by the track I paused to admire the immensely- lofty semi-circu-lar precipices about the base of Sefton and to listen for the last time to the roar and crash of the avalanches falling from the great hanging glaciers above them. A common billy, with all requirements for tea-making, occurs at “Green Rock.” where I had a tea party and a short spell, arriving at The Hermitage, at about- five—a verypleasant eight-hours’ day. I thus managed to visit all the five Hermitage huts during our short visit and brought mv work to a satisfactory conclusion. RESULTS AND ASPIRATIONS. In spite of the atrocious weather encountered on the western side of the Alps, the botanist was very well satw-

fied with the results of his work on this expedition. Rare plants or plants of restricted distribution w<ye obtained, such as the tiny Veronica ciliolata on Mount Moltko and Cefmisia Boweana on the Sealcy Range. The problem of Green’s Haastia was,' in his opinion, definitely solved, and important observations -and collections were made, especially on the MSI to Brun Range, from about 7000 ft to the upward limit of vegetation. A foundation was laid for future work in this direction. It became clear that a more thorough exploration of this range later oil in the season would probably yield valuable results, mid siiclran exploration is planned for next year. Many plants were also secured which are interesting because of the difficulty we find in determining their exact position. Several Veronicas, for example, on Sebastopol and at the Hooker Hut; several Forget-me-nots (Myosotis), one from Mount Molke, one from the Hooker Glacier, at least two from the Maito Brun Range; some Gentians from the Haast ridge, the Franz Josef Glacier and Sebastopol; and a few small Sedges (Carcx) from Mount Kinsey and Malte Brun. The questions raised by the study of such forms can only he answered ultimately by the collection and preservation of a. large range of specimens from as many localities as possibe, and it is to he hoped that in the future many workers may ho helping to attain this end, where there are now, alas, but very few. Finally it is proposed, next season, to prepare for the information of visitors to The Hermitage and others a handbook or popular guide to the whole flora of tho Mount Cook district, with illustrations, and if this scheme can he carried out, it is hoped that H may he the means of making known to a greater number of people every year the glory of the flowers of the New Zealand Alps.

On the twenty-seventh, wo regretfully turned our faces toward the tawny grass-lands of the Mackenzie Country and the Canterbury Plains. The hist photographs were taken at Lake Pukaki, which was as smooth cs glass, with the famous reflection or Mount Cook in perfect order. Then the big motor hurried us down to the lowlands, leaving behind the great Alps upon the skyline—Cook, Tasman, Sefton. T.a Perotise, Malte Brtui —fading swiftly from the reality of yesterday to a glorious memory and a dream.