Falconer cuni /lis Labours in India 337 



He then proceeds to inquire whether any cHmatal change has 

 been going on in the Himmalayahs within the historic period. 



"Roads of communication, "writes Mr Trail, "through the Himmalayahs, unite 

 the passes from east to west, but they are passable during a few days only in 

 each year, and are considered at all times dangerous by the Bhoteahs themselves. 

 Roads of this description formerly used are now impracticable, owing to the 

 increase of snow. The interior of the Himmalayah, except at the passes and 

 ])aths in question, is inaccessible, and appears to be daily becoming more so, 

 from the gradual extension of the zone of perpetual snow. The Bhoteahs bear 

 universal testimony to the fact of such extension, and point out ridges now 

 never free from snow, which within the memory of man were clothed with 

 forests, and afforded periodical pasture for sheep ; they even state that the 

 avalanches detached from the lofty peaks occasionally present pieces of wood in 

 their centre." — (P. 183.) 



This evidence of Mr Trail's, as to the climatal change, is all the 

 more valuable because it was given incidentally in a report on the 

 regions of the Thibet passes, without reference to any scientific 

 theory. It is corroborated also by the independent testimony of 

 Mr Edgeworth, recorded in one of Dr Falconer's note-books : 



" On the Vishnoo Gunga, between Bhadra Nath and Pundoo kesur, there is 

 an artificial mound at a place called Kutlean Kotee, which the Puharees say is 

 the remains of a large hill city, that became deserted in consequence of the 

 increased cold, or descent of the snow zone. Charcoal and remains of pottery 

 are found in it. There is a current tradition that formerly there was a straight 

 path between Bhadra Nath and Kedar Nath, which has become impassable, so 

 that a detour of several days is necessary. There was formerly a pass up the 

 Bhillung river which led into Thibet. It was last crossed more than fifty years 

 ago during the first Goorka invasion ; since then an attempt was made to cross it, 

 but the party, of whom Edgeworth's informant was one, were struck with snow 

 blindness, and nearly lost, so that they had to return." — (P. 185.) 



It is clear, therefore, that a great and appreciable change of 

 climate is taking place, from the testimony of these two inde- 

 pendent observers. The zone of perpetual snow is descending 

 upon tracts in Thibet where the forests grew; for otherwise it is 

 impossible to understand how wood could be entangled in a 

 glacier in any other way. Passes which were open within the 

 memory of man have been blocked up by the accumulation of 

 snow and ice, and the inhabitants driven out of a hill city by the 

 increase of the cold. Now, these facts admit only two interpreta- 

 tions ; either the snow line is descending, or the mountains them- 

 selves are being gradually lifted up into the zone of everlasting 

 snow. So far as we know the variation in the limit of perpetual 

 snow, it merely amounts to that of the mean temperature, which 



