From Julius von Haast 6 August 18631
Christchurch Canterbury NZ.
Aug 6. 1863.
My dear Dr Darwin!
Our mutual friend Dr Hooker tells me, that he could not deliver to you my enclosed letter of December,2 because it miscarried in some way, fortunately I sent a copy of it in March, so that you will now be aware of its contents.3 A few days ago I had a letter from Mr. Petschler of Auckland, who thinks, he will very soon be able to obtain the frog in question.4 I had the pleasure of sending you by the bookpost a map of the Province of Canterbury, the first product of our new lithographic-press.5 I have marked in different colours my various journeys; from the
upwards the country was unexplored and unsurveyed so that I had to construct also the topographical map.
I also marked Dr Hector’s (the Otago geologist) line of journey,6 who in crossing the Alps near the boundary of both Provinces, came upon a river flowing in a northerly direction, and thus came into our Province. When within 8 or ten miles of the sea he had to return, from want of Provisions. Another journey is also marked, that of the late Mr Whitcombe a very accomplished surveyor,7 who was drowned, begin of Mai, at the mouth of the R. Teramakau (Westcoast). Unfortunately his field book was lost and the only thing found on the body, was the map on which the course of the Okitiki was traced, which has been copied in this map.
In looking over the map, you will without doubt observe, that your name adorns one of our snowy giants.8 It was the only feeble tribute which one of your zealous adherents could offer you.—
Believe me ever | most faithfully yours | Julius Haast.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
DNZB: A dictionary of New Zealand biography. Edited by G. H. Scholefield. 2 vols. Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Internal Affairs. 1940. The dictionary of New Zealand biography. Edited by W. H. Oliver et al. 5 vols. Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Internal Affairs [and others]. 1990–2000.
Summary
Sends a map of the province of Canterbury, marking his own and other explorations.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-4264
- From
- John Francis Julius (Julius) von Haast
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Christchurch
- Source of text
- DAR 166: 5
- Physical description
- ALS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 4264,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-4264.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 11