The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume XII, No. 2 [‎298r] (98/154)

THE GLACIERS OF RUSSIA IN 1896.
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II. Turkestan. —MM. Lipskiy and Barschevskiy have discovered in the Hissar
range a number of glaciers formerly unsuspected ; namely
1. Glacier of Severtsoff in the Khazret Sultan mountain group; the end of
the glacier lies at an altitude of about 10,500 feet.
2. System of Zigdi (affluent of Varzob, tributary of Kafirnagan). The Zigdi
range has on its northern slope the glaciers Zigdi, Sangal, and Buzlyuk, all buried
in snow.
3. System of Yagnob: (a) On the Barzenga river (chief headwaters of the
Yagnob) three great glaciers, the largest of which is immense; it has received the
name of Count BostovtsefT; its end is at the altitude of 11,200 feet; top, 13,000
feet; nearly all covered with snow. (6) Three glaciers belonging to the system of
the Sangdard, river ; the largest Hows towards north-north-east, and its end attains
the 12,500-feet level; and (c) the small glaciers Rivut, Tavastvm, Karg, and
Kavosang in the Zerafshan range, on the right-bank tributaries of the Yagnob.
4. A small glacier, Kalta-kul.
5. Two big glaciers, one of them reaching the 11,000-feet level (Sokoloft s) on
the Tash-kuvat, tributary of Sorbo. >
6. A group of big glaciers at the headings of the Namrut river (Mushketoff s,
Namrut, Dibarar, Galaist, Galagan), having big circuses, and reaching by their
lower ends various levels of from 10,500 to 11,500 feet.
7. Several glaciers, one of them a big one, on the Pakshif, Susob, and Kamarau
rivers.
8. A group of large glaciers, Muraka. _
9. Several glaciers are also mentioned on the upper tributaries of the Kabud.
Summing up the observations of the expedition, M. Lipskiy writes that most
glaciers lie on the northern slope, in groups, especially in the upper parts of the
Ya<mob. They are mostly buried in snow, and most of them are of easy access.
Large moraines, which are seen below the ends of the present glaciers, and large
accumulations of morainic debris, show that all the glaciers are in a phase of
dccrcftsc.
M. Maslovskiy’s photographs of the lower end of the great Zerafshan glacier
show that it has decreased since 1881. _ ,
III. Siberia.— The chief interest belongs to the Altai glaciers of the Byelukha,
which were visited in 1896 by Prof. Sapozhnikoff (‘In the Altai,’Tomsk, 189 0,
and have, as it now appears, a much greater extension than they were supposed to
possess. Thus, the Katun glacier consists of two branches, attaining respectively
the lengths of 34 and 4f miles, while it was supposed to be only 1| mile long.
Close by it lies the Black glacier, 2 miles long. They are all fed by the snows of
the Byelukha peak, and are quite separate from the Berel glacier, which also consists
of two branches, 2 miles, and about l£ n^e long. The lower ends of the Altai
glaciers attain the 6500-feet level. All the glaciers are now much smaller than
they have been once. _ , , . ,,
Other glaciers have been seen at the sources of the Kapchal, and three new
ones were discovered by Dr. Tronoff at the head ot the Bukhtarma namely
the Bukhtarma glacier, consisting of two branches, and reaching the 8000 tcet
level • the Ukok glacier, 5 miles to the east of the former, and about 1J mile ong ;
and the Alakha glacier, about 24 miles long, and reaching the 8000 feet level.
All are in decrease, as shown by their large abandoned moraines. ] „ .
M. Soboleff has made some good photographs of the Katun glacier (Zern e-
vvedeine, 1896, part iv.), as also a relief of the Katun mountains.
M. I^natoff (same periodical, 1897, parts i. and ii.) has discovered a new glacier in
the Kimas mountains, at the head of the Bukhtarma, in the South Altai range.