134 Scientific Intelligence. 



The latter of the above tables shews with distinctness the connec- 

 tion that exists between the greatest elevations of the snowy range and 

 the aquatic system of the Sub-Himalayas, so that the great snow peaks 

 are really entitled to be considered divortice aquarum on the Indian side 

 of the snows, whatever may be the case on the Tibetan side : and, it 

 is observable that at those points where the transnivean origin of our 

 river necessitates a partial reference of our aquatic system to extra 

 Indian limits, there no such towering snowy peak seems to demark the 

 alpine Sub-Himalayan basin as in cases where our aqueous system is 

 altogether our own and Cisnivean. Thus we have no peak to define 

 the basin of the Indus on its western or eastern margin. At least I 

 know of none, though Pargyul may in part be considered a water-shed, 

 and so, at the other end of the chain, may Chumalari. Both peaks, 

 however, are detached and stand on the plain of Tibet. Cholo is near 

 to Chumalari and not detached. Of the innumerable rivers of these 

 regions the only ones with ascertained transnivean sources are the 

 Indus, Sutlege, Karnali, Saupu, and Arun, whereof the four first take 

 their rise at Gangri, the great water-shed of the plain of Tibet, close to 

 Lake Mepang vel Manasrovar, and ihe fifth or Arun from the northern 

 slope of Hemachal in the district of Tingri. These five rivers are, as 

 might be expected, the largest of the whole, both the Karnali and Arun 

 exceeding the Ganges or Jumna within the mountains, and being nearly 

 equal the one to the other. Gangri is probably the Kailas of the Hin- 

 dus, whence diverge to the four quarters of the compass the four great 

 rivers of Bharat des. I have said above that only five of our rivers 

 have trans-Himalayan sources. It is however probable, though unas- 

 certained, that the Painomchu and Monas arise beyond the snows, and 

 are identical respectively with the Naivel Pa-chu and the Mon-chu of 

 Klaproth. Chu vel Tchu means river, so that in the one case we have 



an absolute identity of names, and nearly so in the other (Pa-Pai, the 

 root). 



Klaproth's determination to make the Sanpu something else than the 

 Brahmputra, has led him to overlook the several large streams de- 

 scending into Bhutan and Assam. Had he been aware that his Shok- 

 baja is Sho vel Bhutan, and his Mon vel Moun the Cis-Himalayans gen- 

 erally, he must have been more accessible to recent evidence against 

 his theory.* 



With regard to the heights of the Himalayan peaks, of the five 

 given, the two first are Webb's and Herbert's, the third Colebrook's, 

 and the fourth and fifth Waugh's, communicated verbally, the results of 

 his recent operations not having yet been completely worked out. The 

 peak called by me Cholo, Captain W. supposes to be Chumalari ; but 

 the natives say otherwise. Captain W.'s positions for triangulationf 

 were at 85 miles distance. Captain Herbert justly observes that un- 

 equalled and vast as is the elevation of the giants of Hemachal, no ad- 

 equate conception of the vast mountain mass can be formed by merely 

 adverting to them. The best way is to contemplate the whole extent 

 and general elevation of the snowy region spreading over some 1S00 



* Memoirs relatifs a FAsie 3,370 — 417, and Map. 

 f Tanglo and Singchal in Sikim, 10 miles apart. 



