Page:The journal of the Royal Geographic Society of London. Volume 34, 1864. (IA s572id13663720).pdf/236

32 which generally ended abruptly, by discharging down some crevasse. On every side were heard the noises of falling stones as they rolled down the ice-slopes or dashed into the pools. From the base of the mountains on one side to the other, was a distance of over 2 miles. We followed the left bank for 3 miles, along a more open track, and reached a camping spot called Shingchŭkpi. The continual change going on in these regions was shown at this spot. Mahomed had told me that in front of the encamping-ground we should find a lake with possibly some duck in it, as he had shot a couple there on his last visit. On reaching the spot not a vestige remained; the glacier and its moraine now covered everything, and there was barely room for the tent between the mountain-side and the ice. Lower down we had passed a small piece of water, which was rapidly silting up from the sand and mud carried down into it from a small tributary glacier in the hills above. Every ravine here had its glacier, and many of these ran for 6 or 8 miles up amongst the sharp lines of peaks above us.

The next day was a halt, the weather was so cloudy that it was out of the question to think of making even a reconnaissance of the ground about us. About 6 in the evening we were surprised by the sudden appearance of four men from Yarkund, who turned out to be Baltis of Shigar and the Braldoh, who had emigrated to Yarkund some years back, and had now come over to see their friends on this side. I soon got into conversation, and learned from them a good deal about the country they had come from. The poor fellows had suffered a good deal while traversing the mountain portion of their route, having to travel by night and hide away during the day, on account of the robber tribes. These men wore the sheep-skin cap and long-skirted coat of Yarkund, with voluminous sleeves padded with cotton; thick leggings, and stout leather boots or pubboos, completed their somewhat stout appearance. The goodness of their clothing contrasted strongly with that of their brethren of Baltistan, and showed that emigration had been advantageous.

The 8th was still cloudy, so after a vain attempt to get an observation, the camp was struck, the little scrub was made up into fagots, and we started for Skeenmŭng, where the glacier branches into two. It was not far, and in full view; but it was getting dark before we reached it. The first part of the way was very rough, over loose moraines; beyond, these became more separated, with clean bands of ice between. The ribboned structure of the ice was beautifully shown on this glacier, sloping inwards at an angle of 32°. Opposite Skeenmŭng a large tributary comes down from the mountains to the south. Here the ice was again much broken, and we had to zigzag about the crevasses before finding a place where we could leave the glacier for terra firma.