A NEW JOURNEY SOUTHWARDS.
The latter is the more correct form, and it agrees best moreover with the natural features; for, although the glen is, it is true, for the most part dry (kuruk), it is to an even more significant degree choked with gravel and stones (korumluk). At the point where it breaks out of the mountains the glen is framed in by clear-cut terraces of gravel-and-shingle. Between these we marched at first southwards, and then, upon reaching the hard rock, we turned to the south-east. Here the graveland-shingle terraces, which were at first arranged in steps one above the other, become lower, and after the glen narrows, they almost die away altogether, except for
an occasional fragmentary survival. In their place bare, steep, wild cliffs rise on both sides. Generally speaking the bottom of the glen is destitute of vegetation, except for a few tamarisks and kamisch growing in sheltered crevices; the bottom is indeed too full of gravel and small stones to admit of plants striking root, in fact it was difficult enough to ride amongst them. The glen serpentines an endless number of times, rendering fresh compass-bearings a matter of constant necessity. At the entrance of the glen the rocks consisted of red granite and black striped
granite, as well as of black schist. Higher up the last-named predominates. Quartzite also occurs.
Soon however we turned due east, and as we climbed up higher, the mountain-walls, which had at first reached a considerable altitude, grew lower, and behind the
Fig. 312. CAMP II LOOKING N 53° E.
IIIF Color HighRes
