1841.] Capt. Huttorfs Geological Report. 201 



to lie in an opposite direction. The prevailing inclination of the strata 

 may therefore be said to be N. E. or S. W. It is, however, remarkable that 

 the latter dip, although perceptible on both sides of the snowy range, 

 is more prevalent on the northern than on the southern side. It has also 

 been pointed out as matter of astonishment, that while one aspect of the 

 mountains presents a gradual and shelving face, rich in soils and forest 

 scenery, the opposite exposure is, on the contrary, found to present a bare 

 and often mural cliff. This, however, is no just cause for astonishment, 

 as the circumstance where it occurs is simply owing to the outcrop of 

 the strata being on the precipitous side, while the dip of the other forms a 

 more shelving slope. But this circumstance is by no means confined to 

 any one direction in particular, for the outcrop of strata is no more preva- 

 lent on the northern than on the southern or any other exposure. It may, 

 however, be taken as a general feature in all mountains, that while the 

 dip or inclined position of the strata gives on the one face a shelving sur- 

 face for the growth of plants, the other face or outcrop must necessarily be 

 rugged and nearly barren, as furnishing by its precipitousness no resting 

 place for soils. In this respect the Himalya does not differ from other 

 mountain ranges. Travellers, however, having no knowledge of geology, 

 and witnessing these facts, have sought to solve the problem by bringing to 

 their aid supposed peculiarities of soil, of aspect, or of climate. 



Viewed at a distance from the plains of India, these hills appear to 

 form one long continuous chain or ridge, entirely clothed with everlasting 

 snows, and this line has been designated by way of pre-eminence or dis- 

 tinction, by the name of the "snowy range," or "region of perpetual 

 snows." Arrived within the mountains, and perched aloft upon the sum- 

 mit of some portion of this mighty range, the traveller is surprised to find 

 that what he had been led to consider one continuous field of snow, is no- 

 thing more than a vast assemblage of scattered and far distant peaks, ap- 

 proximated apparently by the distance at which they were wont to be 

 viewed into one wide-extending line, and forming component parts of the 

 same snow-clad range. 



He is surprised to find the greater portion of that line to be absolutely 

 devoid of snow during several months of the year, except within the deep 

 and sheltered glens, to which the rays of the summer sun can only pene- 

 trate for a few short hours during each day, and where frost resumes its 

 sway the moment his beams are withdrawn or intercepted by some tower- 

 ing peak. 



Far beyond the ridge which he has hitherto been accustomed to dis- 

 tinguish as the snowy range, he now beholds gigantic and frowning 

 masses clothed in the winter garment, rising often in isolated peaks to 



