Its Tributaries and Mountains Author(s): Fanny Bullock Workman Source: The Geographical Journal, Vol. 35, No. 2 (Feb., 1910), pp. 105-115 Published by: geographicalj Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1776943 Accessed: 20-06-2016 17:37 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://about.jstor.org/terms JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), Wiley are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Geographical Journal This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Mon, 20 Jun 2016 17:37:21 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms The Geographical Journal. No. 2. FEBRUARY, 1910. VOL. XXXV. THE HISPAR GLACIER.* I. ITS TRIBUTARIES AND MOUNTAINS. By FANNY BULLOCK WORKMAN, F.R.S.G.S., Offioier de 1'Instruction Publique de France. WHEN I last had the pleasure of reading a paper before this Societyin 1905, I showed a view of J. Petigax, C. Savoye, and myself standing under the reversed cornice, on top of the Alchori col, 17,000 feet, at the source of the Alchori glacier. We made the first ascent of this col with the hope of finding a caravan-passage on the north side to the Hispar glacier. Our disappointment at finding a cornice overtopping a sheer precipice of 2000 feet was mitigated by the wonderful view vouchsafed us of the north Kanibasar tributary of the Hispar, and a galaxy of magnificent peaks at its head. Some scenes spread before the explorer possess a strange allurement which remains fixed in memory, and that picture clung to mine, and I determined, if possible in the future, to visit the Hispar and its branches. As I stated in my last paper, we had failed to find a caravan-passage to the Hispar on several occasions, both on three cola ascended from the Chogo Lungma branches, which, had they proved feasible, would have led to glaciers accessible to it, and: on three points from the Alchori, which would have taken us over its great south wall. I said then I believed the only caravan-pass to it over the south watershed to be the Nushik La. Presently I shall have something more to say of this col as a practicable passage at the present day. Thus, having found we could not reach Hispar by a new, proper, mountaineer's pass, we decided * Read at a Meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, December 6, 1909. Map, p. 224. No. II.-- FEBRUARY, 1910.] I This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Mon, 20 Jun 2016 17:37:21 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 106 'ITIE IISPI'AR GIACIER. in the summer of 1908 to accept the comlmonplace, and approach it from the Gilgit road, called eighteen years ago by Knight the Siberia of Kashmir. Intending to remain six to eight weeks in that region, do some detailed surveying of the main glacier, and particularly of the north tributaries not visited by Sir Martin Conway, it was decided to take a topographer with the expedition. Our friend M. Charles Rabot of Paris consulted Prof. J. Brunhes, of the Fribourg University, who recommended two of his former pupils, Comte Dr. C. Calciati and Dr. M. de Koncza, both of whom had had experience in glacial topography in the Alps. The two being desirous of the opportunity offered to do some Himalayan work, the services of both were accepted. Our old Italian guide of three Himalaya seasons, C. Savoye, and three Cour- mayeur porters, also accompanied us. Two or three large caravans a year, only, being allowed to proceed towards the Pamirs, a permit from the Indian Government was necessary. Colonel Sir Francis Younghusband, resident in Kashmir, kindly under- took to arrange this matter, and we have to thank him for varied assistance and instructions given to officials both in Hunza-Nagar and later in Baltistan. Our friend the late Major G. Bruce, then political agent in Gilgit, was most kind: in arranging six months in advance with the Mir of Nagar for a supply of grain and the contingent of coolies to accompany us on the glaciers. We were prevented from greet- ing and thanking him for his valuable aid by the inexorable decree of fate, and in Gilgit had only the mournful satisfaction of placing roses on his newly made grave. The 240 miles of road separating Srinagar from Gilgit is no longer quite the Siberia depicted by Knight. It is a monotonous, dreary, and, at times, torrid enough stretch of country, but the road is a splendid tribute to the skill and energy of the engineers who built it, and who for years have seen to its constant maintenance, and the traveller has only to give the rein to his pony until he gets there, which is no special hardship to those accustomed to HIimalayan travel. Two marches beyond Gilgit, at Chalt, the Itunza-Nagar country is entered, and here we were met by Sher Mohamed Khan, assistant to the political agent, who took charge of all arrangements for the further marches to Nagar. Just beyond Chalt, that famous peak Rakapushi, called by all Hunza-Nagar people Domani, bursts into view, a glorious 18,000 feet of sharp, gashed and seracked snow-slopes, culminating in abrupt ice-glazed pinnacles. To my mind it is a more impressive, grander mountain than Nanga Parbat. The Mir of Nagar was to have met us a few miles before the village, but we arrived six hours earlier than was expected, and were already inspecting the camping-bagh below the palace, when he came hurrying down with a numerous suite to welcome us. He is a slim, fair-skinned, intelligent-looking man, with brown eyes and aquiline nose, and quite This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Mon, 20 Jun 2016 17:37:21 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms THE HISPAR GLACIER. 107 European in his dress. He brought his two bright-eyed little sons to see us. The afternoon was passed in going over all the previous agreements for grain, sheep, and coolie-supply for the glacier work. He was to arrange for a constant band of sixty to seventy coolies, who every two weeks were to be changed off for a relief-corps. The next morning, escorted to the outskirts of Nagar by the Mir, Wazir, and Khan, our large caravan in charge of a lambardar and military levy, left for Hispar village, 29 miles distant, whither the European agent and the topographers hadl preceded us by three weeks. Soon after leaving Nagar, the tongue of the Hopar glacier is crossed, and the narrow valley through which the Hispar river descends followed. It is encased on both sides by steep slopes composed of alter- nating strata of alluvium, sand, and gravel, interspersed with various- sized boulders, to a height of perhaps 2000 feet above its bed, upon which are superimposed tali of like materials fallen from peaks still higher up, through the whole thickness of which the river has cut its path, leaving the rough walls either vertical or descending to it in abrupt inclines. These walls are broken at intervals by deep ravines washed out by floods, and avalanches of rock and sand constantly erode them, filling the air with dust. As the valley widens at times, a series of terraces of similar make-up are met with. The whole vale for many miles below Hispar presents a scene of utter desolation. The small path, often quite obliterated, and again barely wide enough for one's feet, winds up and down the barren spurs or over the edge of creepy precipices, to near the alluvial fan upon which Hispar village stands. At Hispar we stayed only long enough to reorganize our loads, interview the topo- graphers who came down to meet us, and visit the Hispar tongue, which descends to 1~ mile above the village. I would here refer to the Yengutsa glacier, the tongue of which, as well as that of the Hispar, was thoroughly examined by Mr. H. H. Hayden in 1906, on behalf of the Geological Survey of India. The Yengutsa tongue descends at present to within 2952 feet of the Hispar river, and Hispar village lies only about 754 feet east of it. Dr. Calciati made a survey on the scale of 1: 20,000 with the " regle a eclimetre " of the part, including the tongues of the Yengutsa and Hispar, and so carried further the survey begun by Mr. Hayden. As points of study for the Yengutsa, he and Dr. Koncza took the same two pyramids marked in black G.S.I., adding in red the initials B.W. and date of our expedition of 1908. Having previously possessed themselves of the facts reported by Mr. Hayden, their examinations show that this glacier remains about as he found it in 1906, manifesting only a small decrease in thickness and length. They report a recession of 98'9 feet, as measured carefully from the line of pyramids on either I 2 This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Mon, 20 Jun 2016 17:37:21 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 108 THE HISPAR GLACIER.