190 FLORA INDICA. 



maon 



rially less than that of the eastern, for the passes over the 

 principal chains are quite as lofty, though none of the peaks 

 attain the extreme altitude of Kanchinjanga or Dhawalagiri. 

 The highest mountain west of Nipal is Nancla Devi in Ku- 



25,750 feet, but there are many peaks above 20,000 

 in all parts of the range. The last great peak is Dayamar, 

 north-west of Kashmir, the height of which is 20,000 feet, 

 beyond which the chain dips rapidly to the Indus. 



The main chain of the western Himalaya, commencing near 

 the great peak of Kailas, north of the lake Mansarowara, runs 

 to the south of and parallel to the Indus, which it separates 

 first from the Satlej, then from the Chenab, and latterly from 

 tlie Jelam. To the eastward this chain is entirely Tibetan, 

 but north-west of Piti it separates Lahul and Kishtwar from 

 the Tibetan districts of Parang and Zanskar ; still further 

 west it separates Kashmir from Dras, and finally terminates 

 at the great bend of the river Indus. 



The primary ramifications of the main chain are three in 

 number. One (the Cis-Satlej Himalaya) is given off close to 



and 



terminatin 



Hindostan near Nahan. A second (the Cis-Chenab Himalaya) 

 branches off from the main chain near the lake Chumoren in 

 Tibet, and separates the basin of the Chenab from those ot 

 the Beas and Ravi, terminating in the plain of the Panjab a 

 little east of Jamu. The third principal branch of the chain 

 separates the Chenab from the Jelam. 



Our knowledge of the Western Himalaya is so much more 

 definite than that which we possess regarding Nipal and the 

 eastern provinces, that it is necessary to adopt a more mnm e 

 subdivision. The following districts will be frequently referred 



to, and described in detail at a future page : 



1. Kumaon. 



2. Garhwal. f 



3. Simla; including Sirmur and Basehir and a number ol 

 petty states, extending from the Jumna to the Satlej. 



