From Julius von Haast   21 July [– 7? August] 1863¹

My dear M^r. Darwin!

I had the pleasure to write to you on the      January last² and can not tell you, with what intense pleasure, I received your kind letter of the 22^th of January.³ If it is pleasant to hear words of encouragement, when living in the centre of civilisation, how much greater is the delight to receive them away from it and from such a man, as yourself, the noble champion of true philosophic enquiry.— But when I tell you, that your letter came into my possession just on returning from a very rough and toilesome journey across the Alps to the Westcoast, finding it with many others at an isolated sheepstation in the lower alpine regions, you may easily imagine, that this circumstance added not a little to my enjoyment.—⁴

I did not think, that my inaugural adress would interest any body except those few of my auditors, who really took an interest in scientific matters.—⁵ Unfortunately the adress being too long, I had to curtail it and therefore many passages were omitted and amongst them one, which explained the enormous difference between your glorious researches and those of your predecessors in the same field. In one of my next papers, when noticing your magnificent work on Orchids, in which you have shown to many botanists, how to proceed, I shall return to the subject;⁶ at the same time I shall endeavour to show not only, that the geological age of the world must be incalculable and elucidate the subject by describing the formation of our Alps, drawing some conclusions in looking at the enormous thickness of the strata, of which they are composed and their lithological character, but also in confirmation of your theory, I shall point out, that the old system of chronological sequence of the so called formations all over the world, has to be abandonned in a great degree.⁷

To this conclusion I came, when noticing some remarkable phenomena in connection with the fossiliferous strata of New Zealand. I see by an article in the Intellectual Observer⁸ (: a splendid publication:) that Prof. Huxley has written a paper, treating of the same matter in the Quarterly Journal of the Geol. Society;⁹ which unfortunately I have not yet seen, but which I expect every day. He seems to have come to the same conclusions.

I am just beginning to write my extended report on my researches of the last three years, which I hope will leave the printer’s hands in about 12 months and which will be accompanied by maps, sections & sketches.¹⁰ In it I shall give a great many details concerning the glacial period, which is developed in New Zealand in a most wonderful degree.¹¹

During my last journey, I again observed very often the tracks of the supposed Quadruped, but although I had a capital dog with me, I never succeeded in obtaining the owners of the feet, which had imprinted them. It seems almost to me that the animal enters its hole from below the surface of the water like the otter.—¹² But I got a great many Kakapo’s (Strigops) and as so very little is known of their natural history, I wrote a short paper on their habits, of which I send you enclose a copy, as it will be a long while before it will be printed.¹³ It will without doubt interest you, as it bears on many points in connection with the “Origin of Species.¹⁴ And the Solenhofen Bird—Amphibium, what a wonderful creature!¹⁵ The connecting links between the different species, genera and even order and classes did exist and will be found.

Your suggestion concerning the desirable record of the spreading of European weeds & insects in the Colony was a very good one, I have communicated it to the Philos. Institute & the members were extremely grateful to you.¹⁶ Some of them have already offered to report and are occupied in collecting the necessary material

This subject had for a long time attracted my attention and I shall give you a few instances of the wonderful capabilities of European products, to settle themselves on antipodean ground & to destroy or drive away the indigenous inhabitants.¹⁷ The Native (Maori) saying: “So as the white man’s rat has driven away or killed our Kiore (native rat) the European housefly drives away our own (Bluebottle) the clover kills our fern (.Pteris esculenta) so will the Maori disappear before the white man” is a very true one. Yes, it is really wonderful to behold the botanical and zoological changes, which have taken place since first Cap^tn Cook visited the shores of New Zealand.¹⁸ Some pigs which he and some other navigators after him left behind with the natives and the offspring of which in some cases became wild, have increased in such a way, that it is impossible to destroy them. There are large tracts of country, where they reign supreme, the soil looks as if ploughed hole near hole appearing from their burrowings. Some station owner of 100,000 acres have given contracts for killing them, (at 6 d. a tail) and as many as 22,000 on a single run have been killed by adventurous parties without any diminution being visible. Not only are they obnoxious in occupying the ground which the sheepfarmer needs for his flocks, but also in following assidiously the ewes, when lambing and eating the poor lambs, as soon as they make their appearance. They do not exist on the Western side of the Alps and only in the lower ground on the eastern side, where snow seldom falls, so that even the explorer has not the advantage of profiting by their existence. The boars are sometimes very large, covered with long black bristles and with enormous tusks, resembling closely the wild boars of the Ardennes & they are equally savage and courageous.

An other interesting fact is the appearance of the Norwegian rat. (At some spots the English rat is said to be abundant). It has thouroughly destroyed the native rat & is to be found everywhere even in the very heart of the Alps, growing to a very large size. The European house mouse follows it closely and what is surprising, where it makes its appearance it drives in a great degree the Norwegian rat away.— Amongst other quadrupeds cattle, dogs & cats are found in a wild state, although not abundant.

The European housefly is another importation   Where it arrives, it expels the blue bottle fly, which seems to shun its company. But the spread of the European insect goes on very slowly, so that Settlers knowing their useful quality of their old home aquaintance have carried it in bottles and boxes to their new inland stations

Amongst the European plants the most prolifique is without doubt the Watercress. Nobody who has not seen it, has any idea of its luxuriant growth. It has chocked up rivers, creeks & ditches so as to create great inconvenience to the Inhabitants. For instance the clearing of the river Avon, which meanders through Christchurch costs that city yearly many hundred pounds.

Docks, buckweeds & red Sorrel have spread everywhere even to the Alps, as far as cattle and sheep have travelled, and even higher up, they are found, the seeds without doubt being brought there by birds or winds. Several species of thistles are also spreading very fast and would soon overrun the whole country, as they have already done in some parts of Australia, had we not very stringent laws for their eradication.

You see there is ample room for research in New Zealand, also in this respect I am very anxious to see and study Sir Ch^s. Lyell’s new work on the evidence of antiquity of man, because it must be a masterwork, like everything this illustrious philosopher has written.¹⁹

As a feeble tribute from the Antipodes I may mention to you, that the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury at their last meeting have inanumously (:parsons ⁠⟨⁠no⁠⟩⁠t excepted) elected you an honorary member; you will probably receive the diploma with this mail.²⁰ In doing so, the members have honoured themselves and in associating the names of yourself and of our friend D^r. Jos. Hooker²¹ with the Institute, they have assured to their Society a powerful moral support.

In the Revue du Monde Coloniale of March 1863 (Paris) is an article: La science dans la nouvelle Zélande and in it a passage mentionning you, which I find so very appropriate that I venture to copy it for your perusal: “L’illustre Darwin a visité les rivages zélandais, alors que, comme un nouveau Platon, il preludait par de longs voyages ‘a l’élaboration de ses savantes théories.”²²

But I see my letter becomes rather too long, therefore not to take any more of your valuable time, I shall conclude, but not without hoping, that you will again favor me with your letters, which are like an Oasis in this wilderness of money-making settlers.

Allow me to include my photograph²³ to enable you to know your correspondent by sight and may I ask you as a great favor not only to myself but to all your admirers, to send me yours in return, which I shall highly value.

Believe me my dear Sir with great respect yours very faithfully | Julius Haast.—

Ch^s. Darwin Esq^re | FRS. etc. | Down, | Kent SE.

PS. | It is, I think, not necessary to tell you that you may make any use of my communications, how and when you like.—²⁴