54 Dr Boue on the Geography and Geology of 



- Although the chains I have enumerated are under the line of 

 perpetual snow, and without glaciers, yet snow remains during 

 the whole year in greater or less patches. On the southern side 

 the patches are naturally of a smaller extent, at an equal eleva- 

 tion, than on the north side. In European Turkey there is 

 probably no hill which attains an elevation of 9000 feet, or per- 

 haps even 8000 feet. All the other chains in the empire are 

 much lower, and without snow in summer. 



5. The true Ifa/fton, or Hcemus, is divided into Veliki Balkan 

 or Great Balkan, between Sophia and Keczanlik, and Malo 

 Balkan, or Little Balkan, and forms the eastern part of the central 

 chain. If we allow 3000 feet, or very little more, for the elevation 

 of the Great Balkan, and 2000 feet, or less, for the Little Balkan, 

 I think it will not be far from the truth. Small contreforts, or 

 hills running parallel to each other, exist only on the northern 

 side between Schumla and Kabrova, the declivity being more 

 abrupt towards the south. A very low chain also extends from 

 the Bosphorus to the north-west, separating the waters which 

 run to the Black Sea, from those of the basin of Adrianople. 



6. A mass of rather small hills, forming the middle part of 

 the central chain, and running, some N. and S., as near Rado- 

 mir and between the basin of the white Drina and Pristina; 

 some NW. and SE., as the Karadagh to the east of Uskub ; 

 some W.N.W. and E.S.E., as north of Kostendil, occupying the 

 space of country between the chain which lies along the vast an- 

 cient channel of Nissa to Tchtiman, and the chains of the 

 Tschardagh and the Ipek Mokra Planina. 



Here and there prominences appear in the midst of this un- 

 dulating high .country or plateau. The largest and most ele- 

 vated of these lie to the N.N.E. of Egri-Palanka, and probably 

 exceed 3000 feet in absolute height. The group appears to be 

 the Orbelus of the ancients. All the other hills of this district 

 are often below, and seldom much above, 2000 feet. They are 

 either partly wooded to their tops or base, particularly when 

 they are calcareous or doleritic: some pastures occur on the 

 highest. 



The central chain of Turkey is thus composed of the Tschar- 

 dagh or Skordus to the W., and the Balkans to the E. ; be- 

 tween which we find, running from W. to E., the Karadagh, 



