i68 
THROUGH ASIA 
Turki is Chubir (Siberia). Whether this last interpreta- 
tion is correct or not, and it is not quite certain that it 
is, both names may with good show of reason be said 
to be appropriate. For the region thereabouts is char- 
acterized by an excessive winter cold ; while the valley 
is distinguished for a remarkable natural phenomenon, 
which I will now proceed to describe. 
The little stream which traverses the valley of Mus-kol 
has its origin for the most part in natural springs. During 
the winter the water gradually freezes and spreads across 
the valley in huge “ cakes ” or sheets of ice. They 
resemble small frozen Alpine lakes, and their surface 
is so glassy bright that it reflects every dimple of the 
sky and every angle of the mountain crests. In certain 
seasons these ice-sheets do not entirely melt away during 
the course of the summer. The largest I saw was nearly 
two miles long and more than half a mile broad. We 
rode half-way across It In order to examine its thickness. 
The lateral strain upon the ice, and the pressure of the 
water from beneath, give rise to long narrow ridges, which 
are sometimes thrust up to the height of several feet, 
and are cleft by fissures going right through them from 
top to bottom. With the axes and iron bar we cut a 
transverse section through one of these ridges, and found 
it was merely a crust about eleven inches thick. Below it 
was a hollow arch, 9^ Inches in height ; and then came 
the water, three feet deep, going down to the sandy floor 
of the valley. The water was clear as crystal and of a 
light green colour ; the thermometer gave its temperature 
as 3 i° 6 Fahr. (-o°2 C.) Looking down through the open 
section we made, I perceived that the still, transparent 
water was arched over in both directions by a long 
tunnel, and that the under surface of the ice-arch 
was decorated with frost-work, crystal pendants, and 
stalactites, all shimmering with the loveliest hues of blue 
and green. 
There were three of these ice-lakes. On the edge of 
the smallest of the three, close beside the spot where we 
pitched our camp for the night, were two typical ice 
