Chap. I.] general description of area. 5 



distinction of Eastern and Western Himalaya is familiar to many ; it is 

 not, as some may think, an arrangement of simple convenience, nor yet, 

 as has been argued, is it a question to be settled from mere hypsometrical 

 data. It is a change of which the full significance in the structure and 

 history of the mountain system cannot yet be determined, but the facts I 

 will point out seem to indicate that the range (under the stricter definition 

 of this term) to which the peaks of the Eastern Himalaya belong, ceases 

 or rather becomes subordinate here, and is not to be identified with any 

 such chain of peaks to the north-west, excepting as independent mem- 

 bers of the same system. Regarding the Western Himalaya, I have only 

 indirect remarks to make ; the Eastern Himalaya are essentially the snowy 

 mountains of Hindustan. They present, as a whole, three well marked 

 regions : — the range of peaks ; then a broad band of hills commonly 

 spoken of as the Lower, or Outer, Himalaya ; and outside or to the south of 

 these comes a narrow fringing band of much lower hills, for which the name 

 Sub-Himalaya is appropriate, and of which the Sivalik hills are the type. 

 The Lower, or Outer Himalaya exhibit no approach to a regular 



gradation of elevation. From within ten to twenty 

 Lower Himalaya. 



miles of the peaks to about an equal distance from 



the plains the hills have a very uniform aspect and elevation. They 



average from 7,000 to 9,000 feet in height, in some exceptional cases rising 



to 10,000, or even 12,000 feet. The peak of the Chor, about twenty-five 



miles to the south-east of Simla, is one instance of this higher elevation 



close upon the outer limits of the region. The Naini Tal hills too, near 



the very edge of the plains, are considerably higher than the ridges for 



some distance to the north-east of them. Herbert describes this feature 



more minutely. He says : — " If we divide the country south of the line 



of greatest elevation into five parallel zones, the fifth will be as high as 



the third, and the fourth considerably lower than either." The form and 



general direction of the ridges throughout the Lower Himalaya is a 



question of much importance in relation to the structure of the whole 



