HIMALAYA 



2797 



HINCKS 





ers rise in Tibet only a few miles distant from 

 each other, on the northern slopes of these 

 mountains. 



The length of this mountain system is nearly 

 1,500 miles, and its breadth is between 100 and 

 200 miles. The Himalayas are not formed of 

 one single chain of mountains, but consist of 

 several high parallel ranges, capped by a great 

 number of rugged, snowy peaks and intersected 

 by great valleys and extensive table-lands. The 

 nucleus of this system is situated to the north- 

 west, outside the boundaries of India, in the 

 region of the Pamir (which see), known locally 

 as the "roof of the world." The Himalayas 

 are connected with the mountains of Asia 

 which stretch east and west. Immediately west 

 of them is the Karakoram, or Muztagh chain, 

 from which they are separated by the pass of 

 the same name, situated at an altitude of 

 19,000 feet above sea level. 



Peaks, Passes, Glaciers. From the plains of 

 Northern India watered by the Ganges, which 

 have an elevation of about 1,000 feet above sea 

 level, the Himalayas ascend by successive 

 slopes. They contain the highest peaks in the 

 world; Mount Everest (which see) has an alti- 

 tude of 29,002 feet, and is the highest point on 

 the earth's surface. Not far from it rises 

 Kunchinjunga, 28,146 feet high, the second 

 highest peak in the Himalayas. Both of these 

 peaks can be seen from the mountain resort of 

 Darjiling, in India. The view reminds one of 

 Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps, as 

 seen from Chamonix. This does not mean that 

 the beauty of the scenery of the Himalayas 

 compares with that of the Alps. The variety 

 of incidents, the richness of color and the sharp 

 contrasts which are so characteristic of the Al- 

 pine landscape and constitute its picturesque- 

 ness are lacking in many of the gray, barren 

 peaks of the Himalayas. But the majesty and 

 the grandeur of these stupendous ranges have 

 a fascination of their own, which strongly im- 

 presses those who see them. 



The passes which traverse these mountains 

 are among the loftiest in the world, for few of 

 them are at a lower altitude than 15,000 to 16,- 

 000 feet. Numerous glaciers, some of which 

 exceed in size the great Alpine glaciers, are 

 found in many parts of the range. 



Vegetable and Animal Life. The vegetation 

 is extremely varied, and on the steep southern 

 slopes it is very luxuriant. Tropical plants, 

 such as the plantain, fig and palm trees, are 

 found up to a height of 3,000 feet. The forests 

 also contain an abundant growth of shrubs of 



all sizes and are adorned with climbing plants 

 in wonderful profusion. Oaks, chestnuts and 

 laurels are common, and are found up to a 

 height of 7,000 feet, while deodar and pines 

 grow up to 12,000 feet elevation. These moun- 

 tains are famous for their wonderful growths 

 of rhododendron. The tea plant is cultivated 

 up to 5,000 feet on the southern slope; rice, 

 corn and millet, up to 6,000 feet; wheat and 

 barley are found at a slightly higher altitude. 



The animal life is also abundant and varied. 

 In fact, the Himalayas form one of the richest 

 zoological regions in the world, peopled with 

 species found in the tropical, temperate and 

 cold zones. The tiger, leopard, rhinoceros, ele- 

 phant and monkey are found here at high alti- 

 tudes. This region is the home of the yak 

 (which see). No other part of the world is so 

 rich in birds as these forest-clad mountains, for 

 almost all kinds of birds are well represented. 

 For maps, see ASIA. O.B. 



HINCKS, hinks, SIR FRANCIS (1807-1885), a 

 Canadian journalist, financier and statesman, 

 one of the ablest and most conspicuous of the 

 leaders who fought for responsible government, 

 for many years a member of the Canadian As- 

 sembly and later 

 of the House of 

 Commons, several 

 times a member 

 of the Cabinet, 

 and himself Pre- 

 mier from 1851 

 to 1854. Hincks 

 was born at Cork, 

 Ireland, but he 

 came of an old 

 English family, 

 known in Chesh- 

 ire since the days SIR FRANCIS HINCKS 

 of the Tudors. His father and his four 

 elder brothers were Presbyterian ministers, but 

 young Francis preferred a commercial career. 



At the end of a five-year mercantile appren- 

 ticeship young Hincks was sent to America, 

 where he visited the West Indies and spent the 

 winter in Canada. The advantages to be found 

 in Canada made a strong impression on his 

 mind, and three years later he determined to 

 emigrate. In July, 1832, he married, and a 

 fortnight later sailed with his bride for America. 



Hincks was a reformer by nature and was 

 soon in the thick of politics. In 1838 he 

 founded the Toronto Examiner, which was for 

 many years, under his direction, the leading 

 Liberal organ in Upper Canada. He was elected 



