Trof. H. Sjogren — Valleys of the Caucasus, 399 



Cancasian chain, passes the Lagitsch range, which on the eastern 

 side of the gorge has the name of Nial-Dagh, on the western that 

 of Elgja-Diik. In point of volume the Gerdiman-tschaj river is 

 insignificant compared with the Sulak, but the natural cutting made 

 by it to the south of Lagitsch is little inferior in grandeur to that 

 through which the larger river passes near Gimri. 



In order to make clear the topography and geological structure 

 of the Lagitsch valley and the surrounding mountains, I reproduce 

 the following from an earlier paper of mine : " Bericht iiber einen 

 Ausflug in den siidostliclien Theil des Kaukasus in Oktober und 

 November, 1889." ^ 



The Lagitsch valley-system consists of two separate branches, of 

 which the larger and more easterly is the channel of the main 

 river Gerdiman-tschaj, while the smaller, which lies to the west, 

 carries a tributary stream. The two are separated by a mountain 

 ridge running N. and S. and reaching a mean elevation of some 

 6000 feet. The minor valley forms an almost circular cauldron 

 about six miles across, at the bottom of which lie the villages of 

 Dachar and Wascha. The main valley on the other hand is long 

 and narrow, and may be divided into two sections, of which the 

 upper, running from N.W. to S.E., begins on the slope of Baba- 

 Dagh, while the lower, which runs nearly N. and S., may be said to 

 end with the beginning of the Gerdiman-tschaj defile. Both valleys 

 are separated by high ridges of about 7200 feet from the Pyrsagat 

 valley-system on the E., and from that of Gok-tschaj on the W. 

 On the N. the Lagitsch valleys are bounded by the main range of 

 the Caucasus, which just here rises with excessive abruptness, and 

 reaches its highest point in Baba-Dagh, a peak of 11,940 feet. 



The only opening in the mountains enclosing the Lagitsch valleys 

 lies to the S. Here, through the transverse cutting with which we 

 are now concerned, the Gerdiman-tschaj passes a mass of mountain 

 composed of basalts, tuffs, and limestones raised to an almost vertical 

 position. Owing to the comparative impracticability of the gorge, 

 where the encroachments of high-water prevent the construction 

 of a good road, it is only at intervals that a regular communication 

 between the country above and below can be kept up. The most 

 convenient link of connexion is the road which goes to the E. over 

 the pass of Machtokjan-gjadu (7090 feet) to the Pyrsagat valley. 



At the entrance of the gorge, a mile or so below the village of 

 Lagitsch, the bed of the Gerdiman-tschaj has an elevation of about 

 3430 feet. As the ranges of Nial-Dagh and Elgja-Duk, which lie 

 on either side, reach heights of 6900 feet and 7600 feet respectively, 

 it follows that this transverse valley has a vertical depth of more 

 than 3800 feet. 



In respect to their geological structure the Lagitsch valleys con- 

 sist of a huge stratified series of clay-slates, which are to a great 

 extent ferruginous, and thinly laminated limestones, which are 

 impure, compact and often half crystalline. As there are no fossils 

 in these beds, — I have only found in some of the clay-slates doubtful 



1 Mittheilungen d. k. k. geographischen Gesellschaft in Wien, 1890, p. 153. 



