184 2. J of the Himmalay a Mountains. ix 



Of these the second being the most voluminous, and consisting entire- 

 ly of practical details, can only be interesting to a professed geologist. 

 [It is my intention hereafter to label and refer each rock specimen of the 

 large collection] I have made to the account of its occurrence as here 

 given, by number, so that, when the paper is studied with the cabinet 

 to refer to, I consider that it will give as correct an idea of the geology 

 of the province as could be had by actually travelling over it. And 

 there will be the further benefit that the experienced geologist will be 

 able to correct any mistakes into which I may have fallen, either through 

 inadvertence or want of knowledge. 



The first section constitutes a detailed and systematic account of the 

 Physical Geography of this district, being the first ever given. Such a 

 view independent of [its connection with the geological details, to the 

 full comprehension of which it is absolutely necessary, is also much] 

 called for as a contribution to general Geography, the latest works pub- 

 lished being singularly deficient in details on this subject, as well as 

 erroneous in the few that are given. As an example, I would refer to 

 Mr. Meyer's Geography, a very costly and bulky work, lately pub- 

 lished, and to Brewster's and Rees' Cyclopaedias, (Art. Himalaya and 

 Physical Geography.) In none of these works is a clear idea obtainable 

 of the physical features of this interesting quarter of the globe. I could 

 have wished to have had a little more [time for the systematic arrange- 

 ment of the facts and opinions in this] division, and I intend to improve 

 and extend it considerably hereafter. 



The geological reflections with which the paper concludes are, I am 

 sensible, those in which I stand most in need of candid criticism. The 

 early period at which I have been obliged to draw them up, the 

 want of books of reference, till within the last two months that I have 

 been in Calcutta, and the necessity of attending to the arrangement, 

 digestion, and revision of the other parts of the report during this time, 

 thus distracting my attention ; added to the anxiety I have felt to [do 

 justice to] the subject will, I trust, plead some excuse for the deficiencies 

 observable in it. Altogether, indeed, I would state as a sufficient apo- 

 logy for the errors which may be found doubtless in every part of the 

 paper, the great hurry entailed upon me in the preparation of the fair 

 copy owing to the difficulties and perplexities originating in circum- 

 stances which I have explained in my letter accompanying. 



c 



