Page:The journal of the Royal Geographic Society of London. Volume 34, 1864. (IA s572id13663720).pdf/227

Rh the sienna tint of the weather-worn granite surfaces, which pervaded everything, added to the extreme desolation of the scene. During the ascent of the Boorje La, my pulse beat 138 in a minute, that of a Balti, 104.

The first part of the ascent of Thyarlung was grassy, then over small loose débris of rocks which became sharper as we neared the summit. Three hours and a half, however, of steady walking brought us to the summit, 16,844 ft. by trigonometrical levelling. The view, as usual from these great altitudes, was grand and magnificent; but it cannot be said that it was picturesque, being thrown too high above all the valleys, and the horizon on the high peaks lying away to the north and east—but grandly they looked, with not a cloud in the sky. Peak K 2, the highest on this side (overtopped only by Mount Everest in the far eastern Himalayas of Nepal), appeared of an airy-blue tint, surrounded by the yellower peak K 1 (Masherbrum), K 3, and others, all over 24,000 ft. in height. Other minor peaks, by hundreds, thrust up their heads—some snow-capped, some rounded, some bare and angular, running up as sharp as needles.

It was a splendid day, too fine to last as it proved, when we left the Bandè Loombah and marched up to the end of the small glacier at its head; then turning to the left we ascended the Thyarlung ridge, here low, to the Shigar Luggo (Passage). Thence the descent is very steep and bad just below the ridge, and becomes excessively stony beyond, being over moraines from the small glacier of the second order at this place. This glacier has evidently at some former time been much longer than it is at present, whilst, in addition, the snows in wint rwinter [sic] bring down great masses of débris which lie strewed over the lower slopes and bottom of the ravine. For some distance down, as in the case of the Boorje Loombah, the stream is not visible, till on reaching the end of the rough débris it gushes out in full strength, rushing and tumbling down towards the village of Shigӑri in the Skardo plain.

This village of Shigar is situated on an immense unstratified accumulation of earth and angular débris, which juts out into the plain, the work of olden glaciers. Taken altogether, this valley of Skardo is a curious study, from the many and great physical changes it has undergone since the mountains were first raised, as they now stand about it.

The height of the upper lacustrine deposit at Kuardo is quite 4000 feet above the present river, and this deposit also rests on the rock of Skardo in the town. This attracts the attention at once, for it indicates plainly that the whole breadth of the valley has at some time been filled up to that level.

The clay deposits nearer the level of the present river, and through which it has cut its course, show that once this Skardo