112 Progress of the Trigonometrical Survey. [No. 2, 
probably the largest in the world out of the Arctic regions, the 
Baltoro Glacier, in the Braldo branch of the Shigar valley, being no 
less than 36 miles long. The Biafoganse is nearly as long, and 
forms, with the glacier on the Nuggair side, a continuous mass of ice 
nearly 64 miles in length. To delineate them properly a great 
amount of roughing and exertion, and not a little danger, had to be 
undergone by Captain Austen, as it was necessary for him to encamp 
on them for days, and to ascend to great heights on either side. 
5. ‘The carrying out of these interesting operations has involved 
vast labour and exposure. The country was found to be barren and 
desolate in the extreme, and the weather very unfavorable, in conse- 
quence of the extraordinarily heavy rains, for which the year will 
probably be long remembered. Contrary to their wont the clouds 
crossed over the south of the Himalayas to the northern side, bring- 
ing heavy falls of snow in August, and generally hindering the work. 
Supplies and firewood had to be carried great distances, argols of yak 
dung being often the only fuel available. Under these cireumstanc- 
es, the outturn of work is most creditable to the officer in charge 
and his assistants. Captain Montgomerie testifies to the zeal and 
cheerfulness with which all under his orders have executed the diffi- 
cult tasks assigned to them. He also acknowledges the cordial as- 
sistance which the members of the Survey have invariably received 
from the Maharajah of Kashmir and his higher officials. : 
6. The Kashmir party being employed in mountains which are 
only accessible during the summer months, its field season is the 
period of recess of the Trigonometrical parties employed in ordinary 
districts. 'The usual survey year commences in October, by which 
month the computations and maps of the preceding field season are 
generally brought up, and the party is ready to take the field again. 
The Kashmir survey year is exceptional and commences in March. 
The officers in charge of the various parties submit their respective 
annual reports on the termination of the field operations, which are 
the real test of the advance made during the year. Thus the Super- 
intendent of the department cannot prepare progress reports for 
strictly synchronous periods. Sir Andrew Waugh’s last report em- 
braced the summer of 1860, and the preceding winter. The present 
narrative embraces the summer of 1861, and the winters of 1860-61 
and 1861-62, and consequently gives the progress which has been 
