ON THE GLACIAL REGION OF THE KARAKORAM MOUNTAINS. 565 



Nagyr over tte main ridge was defeated, so the party returned to Gilgit. 

 Some interesting observations were made on the mud avalanches in this 

 region. These are vast masses of mud, thickly mingled with huge 

 blocks of rock, which are swept down the gorges in the steep mountain 

 flanks on to the more level parts of the valley, and become important 

 fiictors in modifying this part of the earth. 



Departing again from Gilgit, the travellers visited the rock-bound 

 valley of Hunza-Nagyr. The weather was unpropitious, but another 

 attempt (not completely successful) was made to reach the Bagrot pass 

 from this northern side, and an expedition was undertaken to the Barpu 

 glacier. One branch of this was explored and mapped, and a peak 

 which rises at its head was ascended. The ridge separating this 

 tributary (Barpu) valley from the main Hispar valley was traversed by 

 a pass about 16,000 feet above sea-level. From the latter valley the 

 most important glacier expedition was undertaken, for the Hispar pass 

 (17,600 feet) was crossed to Askoli, which was reached on July 26, 

 nearly a fortnight having been spent on or by the side of the two great 

 glaciers, which stream from the summit (gained on July 18). Their 

 combined length is about sixty-seven miles, and they both terminate at 

 some 10,000 feet above the sea-level. 



Askoli was left on July 31 for an expedition to the great Baltoro 

 glacier, and a good view was obtained of Kj (or Mount Godwin- Austen) 

 {28,278 feet), which rises grandly from the upper part of this ice-region. 

 Pioneer Peak (22,600 feet), a minor summit of the Golden Throne at 

 the head of the Baltoro glacier, was climbed, as well as a lower (Crystal) 

 peak. 



The party returned to Askoli on September 5, and crossed southwards 

 from that place by the Skoro pass (about 17,000 feet) to Askoro, in the 

 Shigar valley, whence they reached Skardo on the Indus. From it they 

 visited Leh, and regained Abbotabad (whence they had begun their 

 journey to Gilgit) after an absence of seven months. 



Mr. Conway has added some 600 square miles of quite new topo- 

 graphy east of Hunza-Nagyr and north of the Rakapushi range up to 

 near the longitude of the Nushik La. Hence his route-map up the 

 Hispar glacier, down the Biafo, and on again to the Baltoro is based 

 on and kept in proper position by the topographical work of the Indian 

 Survey on the 4-miles-to-the-inch scale, executed in 1860-61 (previously 

 alluded to), very much enlarged, showing consequently a great deal of 

 close detail either sketched in on the spot or taken from photographs. 

 The portion near the Hispar pass, never before crossed by any European 

 travellers, has thus been very accurately laid down. He has also cor- 

 rected the topography of the tributary glaciers at the head of the Baltoro, 

 which Lieut.-Colonel Godwin-Austen when making his survey of it was 

 only able to plane-table roughly from a distance of fifteen to twenty 

 miles. 



This detail work of Mr. Conway covers about 1,200 square miles, and 

 is an instructive piece of Alpine topography, because the scale is large 

 enough to show the extent and proportions of the ice and snow-covered 

 surface, and the size and position of the lateral and median moraines, &c. 



Many photographs were taken, and a number of sketches were painted 

 l)y Mr. M'Cormick. The following collections were made : (1) A large 

 number of rock specimens representative of the geology of the districts 

 explored. These are being examined by Professor Bonney, who hopes to 



