184 7-] Glaciers of the Pindur and Kuphinee Rivers. 805 



I would here observe, that in this climate, where we are subject to 

 periodical rains, persons should be cautious in concluding that piles of 

 rocks in long lines are moraines, even though their edges are in no way 

 water-worn. On both of these rivers I saw many instances of such 

 heaps of rocks, which might very easily have been thought moraines ; 

 and though from their immense extent, and the great size of the blocks 

 they contain it is not easy to believe that they have been formed by 

 the action of water, more particularly as the rocks have perfectly sharp 

 edges and as there is often no appearance of water ever having been 

 near them ; yet they have certainly been brought down by torrents and 

 may be easily traced up to ravines in the mountains. 



The term snow-bed having been hitherto applied by travellers in 

 these mountains, (with one exceptionf) both to true glaciers, and to 

 mere beds of unaltered snow. I will shortly explain what is meant by 

 it when used in the latter, which is the correct sense. In many parts 

 of the higher valleys, real beds of snow lie far below the limit of perpe- 

 tual snow for the greater part of the year, and some would probably be 

 permanent at very low elevations were they not destroyed by the rain 

 during the rainy season. These snow beds are formed by avalanches, 

 as is sufficiently proved by their form and position. Figs. 6, 7 and 8, 

 represents one on the Kuphinee river, which occurs at an elevation of 

 about 10,800 feet. 



It came down from a ravine, and entirely covered the river which flow- 

 ed under its whole length. The snow extended but little beyond the up- 

 per side of the ravine, but was prolonged far down the river on the lower 

 side. Its surface was marked by curved hills, as is shown in the sketch. 

 This is evidently precisely the form that would be assumed by snow 

 falling down the ravine into the river. The slope of the river bed 

 being great, the avalanche would naturally continue its course down it, 

 after having filled the channel immediately in front of the ravine. The 

 fall of an avalanche in the upper part of this valley gave me an oppor- 

 tunity of seeing the motion of loose snow in large masses ; it was very 

 similar to that of a fluid body, the snow appeared rather to flow than 

 to fall. So here, the snow descending through the raviue, gradually 

 filled the river channel ; the main supply moving with the greatest 



* I allude to Major Madden, who has given a short account of the glacier of the Pin- 

 dur in a late number (176) of this Journal. 



5 m 2 



