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16 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
of course. M. Elisde Reclus, the encyclopfedist of geography, to
whom that Science owes as much as to any living writer, naturally
went for his information with regard to the Caucasian glaciers to a
geologist of standing
rather than to a '
tovirist.' The passage below,
copied almost Avord for word from M. Favre, occurs in the English
edition of M. Reclus's monumental GeogirtjAie Universelle :
'
Although with a greater mean elevation than those of the Alps, the
Caucasian peaks are far less covered with snov, and ice, not only in conse-
quence of their more southerly latitude and other climatic conditions, but
also owing to the narrowness of the upper crests and the absence of cirques,
where the accumulated snows might serve as reservoirs of glaciers. . . .
The absence of snow produces a corresponding scarcity of glaciers.'
Now, in this quotation, I am obliged to traverse, one by one, the
premises — except the statement as to latitude, as well as the con-
clusion. The climatic conditions are favourable to glaciers — that is,
the snowfall in the Central Caucasus is heavier than in the Central
Alps ; the crest is broad and has a number of high spurs, which
enclose extensive and well-filled snowy reservoirs, the source of
many and great glaciers.
M. Reclus gives, as physical maps illustrative of his statements,
extracts from the five-verst survey of Kasbek, Elbruz, and the
chain north of Suanetia. These are unfortunately false to nature,
and have been proved to be so, first by the perambulations of
mountaineers, and more recently by the one-verst survey now in
progress.
In one of the most original and instructive studies of the natui'e
and effects of existing glaciers, by a writer of deservedly high
authority, Professor Heim of Zurich, we are met by similar in-
accuracies.^ I need only mention the most startling. We find the
author stating that there are 46 square miles of snow and ice in
the whole Caucasus, of which half are on Elbruz. According to
the new government survey, the glaciers on Elbruz alone cover
about 83 square miles, and those of the chain, including Elbruz,
' Vol. vi. p. 40, of the English translation. All the heights assigned to peaks in the English
edition are computed wrongly. Vol. vi. p. 3G.
- Ilandbuch der Glctschcrhmde, von Dr. A. Heim. Stuttgart, 1885.
'—