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246 Limit of Perpetual Snow in the Himalaya. 
16,000 feet, and some of the more precipitous rocks remained 
clear even up to 17,000 feet. 
The conclusion to which Dr. Gerard comes from these facts, is, 
that the snow-line on the southern face of the Bissehir range is 
at 15,000 feet above the sea. But I should myself be more in- 
clined, from his account, to consider that 15,500 feet was nearer 
the truth ; and in this view I am confirmed by verbal accounts of 
the state of the passes on this range, which I have obtained from 
persons of my acquaintance, who have crossed them somewhat 
later in the year. The difference, however, is after all trifling. 
Such is the direct evidence that can be offered on the height 
of the snow-line at the southern limit of the belt of perpetual 
snow ; some additional light, may, however, be thrown on the 
subject generally by my briefly explaining the state in which I 
have found the higher parts of the mountains at the different 
seasons during which I have visited them. 
In the beginning of May, on the mountains to the east of the 
Ramganga river, near Namik. I found the ground on the summit 
of the ridge, called Champwa, not only perfectly free from snow 
at an elevation of 12,0U0 feet, but covered with flowers, in some 
places golden with Caltha and Ranunculus polypetalus, in others 
purple with Primulus. The snow had in fact already receded to 
upwards of 12,500 feet, behind which even a few little gentians 
proclaimed the advent of spring. 
‘Towards the close of the same month, at the end of the Pindur, 
near the glacier from which that river rises, an open spot on 
which I could pitch my tent could not be* found above 12,000 
feet. But here the accumulation of snow, which was consider- 
able in all ravines even below 11,000 feet, is manifestly the result 
of avalanches and drift. The surface of the glacier, clear ice as 
well as moraines, was quite free from snow up to nearly 13,000 
feet; but the effect of the more retired position of the place in 
retarding the melting of the snow, was manifest from the less 
advanced state of the vegetation. During my stay at Pinduri 
the weather was very bad, and several inches of snow fell; but, 
excepting where it had fallen on the old snow, it all melted off 
again ina few hours, even without the assistance of the sun’s 
direct rays. On the glacier, at 13,000 feet, it had all disappeared 
twelve hours after it fell. 
On revisiting Pinduri about the middle of October, the change 
that had taken place was very striking. Now not a sign of snow 
was to be seen on any part of the road up to the very head of the 
glacier; a luxuriant vegetation had sprung up, but had already 
almost entirely perished, and its remains covered the ground 
as far 
went. From this elevation, about 13,000 feet, evident 
signs of vegetation could be seen to extend far up the less pre 
cipitous mountains. The place is not one at which the height 
* pen ben asetioae. 
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