138 Mr Kupffer's Account of the Russian Steppes, 



We have seen that the amphibolic and dioritic rocks form 

 a series of very considerable elevations, intermediate between 

 the central chain and the chain of the more ancient secondary 

 rocks, of which the Kinjal, the Inal, and the Bermamuc, form 

 a part. These rocks seem to have been produced by an erup- 

 tion which has taken place in the region of the argillaceous 

 schistus ; for whenever they appear, we meet also with masses 

 of this last rock heaved up in the most regular manner, and 

 evidently broken and altered by their contact with the dioritic 

 rocks. The schistose amphibole, particularly, is so confound- 

 ed with the argillaceous schistus, that it is difficult to distinguish 

 these two rocks, which sometimes alternate in very thin strata, 

 and which have the same colour, and almost the same texture 

 and fusibility. It is almost worthy of remark, that we meet 

 almost every where in the line of this soil, (the dioritic soil 

 does not occupy a great extent,) with springs of acidulous wa- 

 ter containing oxide of iron and carbonate of lime. The 

 Touslookchapap derives its name from a spring of this kind 

 which rises at the foot of the cascade. The acidulous spring 

 near Yesilkol rises out of the ground like that of Youngouche 

 which I have described. This spring deposits so great a quan- 

 tity of carbonate of lime that the whole declivity of the moun- 

 tain is covered with it. The taste of the water is very styptic, 

 on account of the oxide of iron which it holds in solution. 



The central chain of the Caucasus, which rises considerably 

 above the mountains hitherto described, is entirely composed 

 of trachyte. At a distance it exhibits a series of rugged rocks, 

 crests, and peaks, whose black summits break in a singular 

 manner the masses of snow which fill their crevices. These 

 crests rise to the height of 12,000 feet. The perpetual snow 

 begins in the Caucasus at the height of 10,000 feet. 



The Elbrouz rises in the middle of these angular masses in 

 the form of a double-topped cone. The smoothness of its out- 

 line would distinguish it from the surrounding summits, even 

 if it did not rise so much above them. Its height is 15,400. 

 Its advantageous position still adds to the impression which 

 the view of it makes upon the spectator, for it occupies the 

 most advanced corner of an angle which the chain of the Cau- 

 casus forms in this place, as may be seen in the maps. The 



