212 
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [No. 2, 
« 
A vast field for exploration having been thus opened out by the 
Kashmir series, Captain Montgomerie hoped that the Journal of 
the Society would hereafter be filled with a mass of interesting detail 
regarding these glaciers. Should any Alpine explorers from England 
he tempted to visit this interesting field of research, Captain Montgo¬ 
merie promises them glaciers and mountains worthy of their exer¬ 
tions, and he added that the officers of the Trigonometrical Survey 
would he prepared to supply every assistance in the way of data as a 
basis for more minute inquiries. 
He reiterated that, as compared with the Shigar glaciers, those of 
the Alps may be considered of the second order, the best known one 
—the Mer He Glace—being about 7 miles in length and the largest, 
the Aletscli glacier being a little over 15 miles in length, whilst 
the larger ones surveyed by the Kashmir Series on the Braldo, &c., 
varied between 15 and 36 miles in length. 
Captain Montgomerie concluded by saying that he hoped hereafter, 
when next summer’s researches were finished, to draw up a more 
complete account of these magnificent glaciers. Meantime he trust¬ 
ed that the rough notes which he had hurriedly put together would 
give a general idea of their vast extent and of the importance of their 
addition to our knowledge of the physical geography of the globe. 
Captain Montgomerie subsequently spoke as to the advisability of 
employing native agency for the purpose of adding to our knowledge 
of Central Asia and other countries. He thought that natives of 
the north of India might be trained to take latitude observations and 
to make rough route surveys. The work of such natives would be 
tested in ground already explored by Europeans, and numerous other 
precautions might be taken to insure accuracy. Explorations in 
Central Asia had hitherto been most dangerous to Europeans, but 
natives of Hindostan went there constantly and returned in safety. 
For instance, the Commissioner of Peshawur had lately sent the 
Moola Abdul Mujeed from Peshawur via Cabul, Kundooz, Badakshan, 
and across the steppe of Pamir down to Kokan with a letter and 
presents from His Excellency the Governor-General to the Khan. 
The Moola returned in safety, and beyond the physical difficulties, 
such as crossing the plains of Pamir then covered with snow, he had 
no interruption, and if he had been able he could have taken latitude 
observations and made a rough route survey without any danger. 
