42. The above list, if it were thought necessary, might be much increased. It is very true that they are nearly consequences of the manner in which these peaks are disposed, but it is this very disposition which is so singular, and worthy of remark. It is the extraordinary elevation above the ground on which they immediately stand that is so striking to a traveller within these mountains, because it is at once taken in by the eye, and requires no consideration to aid the effect. It is different with summits placed on an elevated table land, where we are continually obliged to remember the height of the latter, and even with this assistance, they fail to astonish and confound the imagination in the degree that a nearer view of the Himmalaya is found to do.26

43. I must remark here, that the instances given above, belong to a fact which is general throughout these mountains, and which as it is very striking, and seems capable of throwing some light on the mode of their origin, ought not to be passed over. It is this: wherever the separating ridge of two river vallies approaches the banks of one of them, there is its highest point; and where it holds a middle course for any distance, it is there found to be lowest; equally throughout the higher and the lower mountains will this remark be found to hold good, nor am I aware of a single exception to it.

44. But it is chiefly as snow-clad summits on the border of the Torrid Zone that these mountains have attracted attention. It is probable that but for this phenomenon, their elevation would have remained to this day a desideratum. To the inhabitant of the plains, who being under a summer temperature of nearly 100°, is exhausted with heat, it is certainly a phenomenon full of wonder. To those too who consider the heat to be in the sun's rays, (the bulk of common observers,) the wonder must be greatly increased, as the summit of the mountain is nearer by five miles to the sun than the plains at its foot; even the scientific observer cannot entirely divest himself of that feeling of admiration, which the sight of any thing so unusual to his common ex

depth and extreme narrowness, are very striking. M. Humboldt mentions several of these, one of which though it be not 3,000 feet across, is yet upwards of 4,000 feet deep. Captain Hall too, notices the depth and steepness of the ravines or quebrados of Chili. 26 But as these mountains are elevated on the high plain of Quito, which is eleva ted farther above the sea than the top of the Pyrenees, and constitutes more than onethird of the computed height, they are inferior in actual elevation to Mont Blanc. See Rees' Cyclopædia, Art. Andes.

perience, however agreeable to the deductions of science, must necessarily excite.

45. It is this phenomenon which has always occasioned them to be objects of attention, and it is singular enough that it is also on erroneous considerations connected with this phenomenon that the doubts of their superior elevation have been founded. I shall include under the remarks on climate, what I have to offer on the theory of the subject and the arrangement of the Isothermal bands. I shall here confine myself to a statement of a few of the most interesting particulars connected with the occurrence of this phenomenon.

46. It will be readily understood, that according to the season of the year, the zone which is marked by snow will be of more or less extent. If we take our estimate in that month in which the quantity is a minimum, and after which there falls more than melts, we may satisfy ourselves that a belt of ten to fourteen miles in breadth is distinguished by this phenomenon. It is not meant that snow lies in every point of this tract, but merely that within it will be found summits bearing snow all the The minimum elevation of this snow-bearing tract is round. year nearly in round numbers 15,000 feet, which may therefore be taken as the elevation in this latitude of the curve of perpetual congelation. There are, however, many spots of greater elevation perfectly bare of snow, this fact is, however, connected with a different arrangement of the seasons, and will be noticed in the section on climate. At all elevations exceeding the above, where snow lies, it is generally quite firm, except immediately after a fresh fall.

47. Many parts of this zone have such a disposition of the surface that it is quite impossible that any part of the snow which falls should ever be lost, except by melting, or by evaporation. The loss from the former cause must be very little at elevations much exceeding 15,000 feet. At 18,000 it must nearly cease altogether. The loss from evaporation will doubtless be considerable under so rare an atmosphere, still however we may safely conclude, that a surplus is left every year to accumulate. In favorable situations, we may imagine then the depth of these snows to be very great. In fact, we may suppose a case, without hazarding any improbability, where they have been yearly increasing since the origin of these mountains. Such supposition is calculated to give us a stupendous idea of the magnitude of these deposits.

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48. We have seen that the line of greatest elevation intersects instead of bounding the river districts (Art 30). On each side of this line to the north as well as to the south the peaks diminish in elevation, yet not equally. To the southward the decrease is more rapid, and is accompanied by an anomaly which is sufficiently striking. The diminution of elevation, which is pretty regular till near the boundary of the plains and mountain land, is there suddenly interrupted. The peaks shoot up considerably above the mean elevation of those immediately north of them, and as suddenly sink into the plains; so, that if we divide the, country, south of the line of greatest elevation, into five parallel zones, the fifth will be as high as the third, while the fourth will be found considerably lower than either.

49. Some of the most remarkable instances of this fact are the following: The Ghagur, which rises above Bhumowree, has one of the lowest of its passes, in a road distance of fifteen miles, elevated 7,121 feet above the sea. Another instance may be seen in the high

range south of Sreenugger.

A third in the Soorkunda range, as con

necting that peak with Bhudraj. The latter overlooks the Doon, the former is but fifteen miles from Dhera, situated in the centre nearly of the valley, yet their altitudes are respectively 7,510 and 9,271 above the sea. The Jamoo Peak is another example. The Bhoora Peak a still more remarkable one. The latter elevated 6,439 feet above the sea, appears actually to overhang the lower hills which form the transition from its foot to the plain country. Many more instances might be adduced, were it necessary to multiply the examples. If a surface be supposed, such as to represent everywhere the mean elevation, that surface will not be inclined regularly plane, but will have a considerable curvature.

50. Another curious feature in the physical structure of this mountain tract is the situation of the high peak called the Choor. Its summit is elevated 12,149 feet above the sea, and if it be made the centre of a circle of sixty miles diameter, the circumference will on one side just fall on the common boundary of plain and mountain land, while within this circle, no point will be found within 15,00 feet of this height, and even those mountains which approach this limit, are, strictly speaking, part of the chain of which the Choor is the highest peak. From whatever quarter it be approached, it will be seen from very great distances standing up above the surrounding ridges like a huge beacon,

at once remarkable for its superior elevation, as for its peculiarity of form. The investigation of its geological structure must, for these reasons, be found very interesting.

51. Of the several rivers and streams by which the drainage of the Gangetic basin is effected, some have their origin from the Indo-Gangetic chain, that is, from the farthest side of the snowy zone, others spring from various points within that zone, or from its southern face, and a third class from the lower mountains where snow only rests a few months in the year. To the first class belong the principal sources of the Kalee and Ganges Proper, the Kalee, the Dhoalee, and the Sooree, branches of the former. The Dhoalee, the Bishun Gunga, and the Jahnuvi of the latter. To the second class belong the subordinate branches of these two rivers, and the principal ones of the Jumna, that is to say, the RamGunga and Surjoo (Kalee); the Pindar, Mundaknee, Kalee, Bhillung and Bhageerethee, (Ganges); and the Beraee Gunga, Jumna, Soopin, Roopur, Pubbur, and Andryttee (Jumna). To the third class, which is the most numerous, belong all the other branches of these rivers, but six of them only require mention, as being at all remarkable. Of these, three pour their waters into the principal stream within the mountains. These are the Luddeea which joins the Kalee, the Nyar which belongs to the Ganges, and the Girree a branch of the Jumna. The other three

have a considerable course within the plains. The Cossillah and Ramgunga join a little below Mooradabad, and with the united stream, eventually contribute to swell the waters of the Ganges. The Murkunda, the third of these, loses itself, it is said, in the sands of the Desert.

52. Amidst so many branches, it may seem difficult to fix on that which is entitled to the pre-eminence, and to be considered as the principal source of the river. If, however, we recollect that the most distant source must be the most elevated, and must have contributed the largest supplies, we shall have a principle of selection, easily applied, and which leads to some curious results. In particular, it will appear, that the Soopin is the parent stream of the Jumna, and its source must therefore be the principal one. Of the Ganges, neither the Bhageerettee or the Dhoallee, so long considered rival sources, is entitled to that distinction. In reality, the Jahnuvi is the most distantly derived of all its branches, and must therefore be admitted to be the real source of this great river. Singularly enough too, of all the mountain rivers, this is the only one

that has not been traced up to its origin, owing to its being within the limits of Chinese authority; the conclusion then is inevitable, that however we may pique ourselves on having visited and fixed the sources of the Ganges, the position of its most elevated and distant source is still a desideratum. Nor has the first beginning of this mighty river been yet beheld by European eye.

53. The following Table gives the particulars from which the foregoing conclusions have been drawn. It exhibits the distance, in miles measured along the river's course, of each source, taking as the point of departure, the place where the river enters the plains.