272 CAUCASIAN GLACIEES AND FORESTS. 



summit of which rises above the lower rid<^es on the south 

 of Gebi, and must, from its isolated position, command a 

 perfect panorama of the main chain. Our plans for the 

 morrow being thus fixed, we postponed the settlement of 

 our further arrangements, and retook possession of our 

 mattrass with great satisfaction. 



Juhj Vdth. — The weather changed during the night, and 

 Moore was prevented from starting for his proj)Osed expe- 

 dition. In the morning it rained heavily, and our day 

 was spent chiefly in cooking a sheep we had purchased, 

 and discussing the means of getting across the wild 

 country at the sources of the Zenes-Squali to Jibiani, the 

 highest hamlet in Suanetia, close to the glaciers of the In- 

 gur. The height of this place (7,064 feet) suggested to us 

 the idea of a sort of Pontresina, whence we should be 

 able to make a series of excursions into the great mass 

 of mountains marked on its north in the Five Yerst 

 Map. Elated by the successful accomplishment of the 

 two glacier-passes, we planned, about this time, various 

 magnificent expeditions, which weather and other hin- 

 drances ultimately defeated. We were desirous of coming 

 to such an arrangement with our porters as might enable us 

 to camp for a day or two at the sources of the Eion, 

 and see what excursions could be made there. It was, 

 however, so difficult to make the peasants understand our 

 intentions, and to prove to them that if they sat and 

 smoked all day, while we climbed a hill, they were not 

 entitled to the same pay as if they were carrying our 

 luggage over a stiff pass, that we gave up the attempt in 

 despair; and finally arranged to engage seven men as 

 porters, at 1 rouble and 20 copecks a day apiece, as far as 

 Jibiani, a journey which they assured us was generally made 

 by hunters in three days. We enquired about a pass 

 named in the Five Verst Maj), and laid down as leading 



