From Julius von Haast 8 September 1866
Christchurch
Sept 8. 1866
My dear Mr Darwin
I have to thank you heartily for your kind letter of the 5th of May and the trouble you have taken concerning my election to the R. S.—1 Prof Ramsay told me already some months ago, that I had very little chance for the first year but I have no doubt, that with your powerful assistance and that of other kind friends my election will take place next year.2
I am delighted to hear from other English friends, that your health has so much improved & trust, that it will continue to do so, so that you will be able to take a more active part in scientific life, than you were able to do for the last few years.3
I am just occupied to plot my alpine work on a large scale which will take me another 3 months, but I hope then to publish a map of the Southern Alps proper which will not be uninteresting—4 Our Western goldfields continue to become every day more extensive and another rush from Australia is beginning to set in towards that part of New Zealand5 It is wonderful to behold how the wandering after that golden vliess6 brings such busy life into the wilderness; towns spring up as by enchantment & men battle successfully against nature & nature has to give way at the end.
Fearing to miss the mail, I have to be short this time but shall write soon again
Believe me my dear Mr Darwin | ever yours very sincerely | 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–.
Haast, Heinrich Ferdinand von. 1948. The life and times of Sir Julius von Haast, explorer, geologist, museum builder. Wellington, New Zealand: privately published.
Haast, John Francis Julius von. 1866. Report on the head-waters of the Rakaia. Christchurch: government of Canterbury province.
Haast, John Francis Julius von. 1870. Notes to accompany the topographical map of the Southern Alps, in the province of Canterbury, New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Geographical Society 40: 433.
May, Philip Ross. 1967. The west coast gold rushes. 2d edition. Christchurch, New Zealand: Pegasus Press.
Record of the Royal Society of London: The record of the Royal Society of London for the promotion of natural knowledge. 4th edition. London: Royal Society. 1940.
Summary
Thanks CD for his efforts on behalf of JvH’s Royal Society candidacy.
Is at work on a large-scale map of the Southern Alps [of New Zealand].
The ever-growing goldfields and their effect on the country.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-5207
- From
- John Francis Julius (Julius) von Haast
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Christchurch
- Source of text
- DAR 166: 10
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 5207,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-5207.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 14