290 CAUCASIAN GLACIERS AND FORESTS. 



he last made this journey, was now no more, and that we 

 must make the best of our way through the water. The 

 stream proved fordable, but the strength and speed of the 

 current were so considerable, that some care was needful 

 to avoid missing one's footing amongst the boulders. The 

 scenery at the source of the Scena must be very imposing in 

 clear weather. The usual clouds cut ofP all view of the sum- 

 mits, but did not conceal the twin icefalls of the Koriildii 

 glacier, which, unlike the other glaciers of the Zenes-Squali, 

 survives its fall, and re-makes itself at the bottom of the 

 glen. It is surrounded by abrupt snow- streaked cliffs of 

 great height. The track, now broad and distinct, turned 

 sharply up the steep western hillside, and raised us to the 

 verge of a wide upland pasturage, suiTOunded b}^ compara- 

 tively low ridges. The slopes were bare of trees, but 

 covered with rhododendron-bushes, and with a beautiful 

 herbage, short in comparisoii to that foimd lower down in 

 the valley, but capable of feeding immense herds of cows 

 and goats. It was the sort of scene which in the Alps 

 would have been enlivened by numerous chalets, but here 

 there was nothing of the sort, and Francois, who longed 

 to transport the whole hillside within reach of Chamonix, 

 was loud in his lamentations over the shortcomings of a 

 population who could allow such natural riches to run to 

 waste. 



The stream which waters these pasturages bears the 

 name of Lastilagel. It has three sources, and there 

 is more than one way of crossing from its basin to the 

 headwaters of the Ingur. We descended somewhat, in 

 order to cross the main stream, which flows in a deeply- 

 cut channel, and having made our midday halt on its 

 banks, climbed a long and steep zigzag, from the top of 

 which the path bore away at a level, on the left of 

 the most southern source of the Lastilaofel. The snow 



