it is necessary to traverse no less than eight snowclad
ridges.
Towards the middle of these mountains, the width
of the plateau upon which the ranges rest diminishes,
and the ridges become fewer in number. Its more
extensive ramifications are noticeable at the western
end, beginning at the sources of the Syr-daria; and
the colossal Thian Shan, that already has lost its
name at its western extremity, finally sinks, like a vast
ruin, into the plains of Turkistan in the form
o f rocky spurs, surrounded by salt marshes and
sands. Kostenko* gives a separate description to
nearly 40 ranges f forming the Thian Shan, some
of which will be alluded to hereafter.
* In Ms “ Turkestanski K ra i,” of
in this description.
f They are as follows :— .
Range Bogdo.
Katun-Daba.
Narat-Daba.
Kaitu-Tag.
Jungar Ala-Tau.
Boro-Khoro (Talki).
Uzun-Tau.
Muz-Tag.
Sariasi.
Kok-Shal.
Borkoldai.
At-Bash-Tau range.
Mountainsto south of River Ak-Sai.
Narin-Tau range.
System of the Yaman-Tau (“ Evil
H ills ” ).
Ak-Shiriak-Tau (western range).
A k -Tek e mountains.
Ferghana range.
Mountains to the north of the River
Narin, the Terskei-Tau range.
which 1 have largely availed myself
Ak-Shiriak-Tau (eastern range).
Jitim-Tau range.
Son-Kul Plateau.
Mountains to the south of the
Karakol river.
Mountains between the rivers
Narin and Talas (the Susamir).
Trans-Ili Ala-Tau.
Range Alexaudrof.
„ Urtak-Tau.
„ Kara-Tau.
,, Chatkal.
„ A la i and the roads crossing
them.
Alai plateau.
Range Turkistan.
,, Shaikh-Jeli.
„ Zarafshan.
,, Hissar.
Pamir plateau and its system.
Tarbagatai range.
The rocks of this system are chiefly metamorphic
and crystalline.*
In height the Thian Shan range, as already hinted,
may be reckoned among the chief mountains of the
globe, and the snow-line is generally at a great altitude.
In the northern, or Sungarian Ala-Tau, it is
about 10,000 feet above the sea ; on the 43rd parallel
it generally rises to 11,000 feet, and in the southern
groups, about the Zarafshan, to more than 14,000 feet ;
whilst on the mountains of the Pamir it exceeds 15,000
feet.
Almost throughout the dominant range, and in
certain of its spurs, there are glaciers, the number of
which is computed to be not less than 8,000. Especially
grand are those found in the principal range,
called the Muz-Tag, crossed by the famous Muzart
Pass. Snow bridges in the Thian Shan are often
met with much below the glaciers, namely, at 5,000
feet or lower. These sometimes attain to a mile and
a third in length, and 100 feet in thickness. They
* Mushketoff, who has told us more, I believe, than any one, of the
geology of Turkistan,: divides these crystalline rocks into three categories.
To the first category belongs the granite group ; and to the
second ‘category, the dioritic or porphyritic group, including diorites,
aphanites, and various porphyries ; whilst to the third, or most important
category, belong the amygdaloid , rocks. The mountains formed of
rocks of the granite group are the most ancient, and the most massive,
and have fairly smooth^ or at least but little jag ged , ridges, whilst
their direction bears west-north-west. The second group, the dioritic
rocks, are, in comparison with the preceding, less widely distributed.
The ranges composed of these are far inferior in size and continuity
to those of the granite group. They lie principally in a south-westerly
direction. Their outline is sharper and less regular, whilst they have
deep rocky gorges filled with masses of débris brought down by the
torrents that in small cascades fall from height to height. The mountains
formed of rock® of the third category lie chiefly in a north-westerly
direction. As a rule they seldom reach the snow limit, and their
outlines are smooth and cupola-shaped.