INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 155 



close to the crest of the range, have an elevation of about 

 2000 feet, and are surrounded by hills, the highest of which 

 are about 1000 feet higher. Abu, on a spur to the east of the 

 watershed, is said to attain 4500 feet. 



Another range of hills, connected with the Arawali to the 

 south of Udepur, passes by Nimach, and runs parallel with and 

 west of the Chambal, as far as its junction with the Banas. 

 The elevation of Nimach is 1476 feet, and as the surrounding 

 hills are very low, they are perhaps not much higher than 

 2000 feet. The level of the country gradually sinks towards 

 the north-east. The elevation of Agra above the sea is 670 

 feet, and the junction of the Jumna and Chambal is a few feet 

 lower. 



barren 



it being hilly and unimprovable, but the valleys are occasion- 

 ally rich and very fertile. The climate is drier than that of 

 Malwah, and becomes very arid in the northern parts. On 

 the western slopes of the Arawali hills there is a considerable 

 rain-fall during the south-west monsoon, but the whole coun- 

 try to the eastward is sheltered by that range from the effects 



age 



inches. The 



the desert which stretches towards the Indus is as dry and 



Sindh. The mean 



mifirht have been anticipated Irom 



elevation and latitude. At Aimir and Nasirabad it is 76°. 



wara 



from 



Gangetic valley. The forest-clad slopes of the Arawali range 



dry for nine months of the year 

 are tolerant of great dryness ea 



may 



Hima 



— *^ — — — ~-^P — j 



laya, where the climate is similar. The summit of Abu, 

 like that of Parasnath, produces some epiphytical Orchidece 

 and other humid tvDes, but their number is no doubt incon- 



