1842.] of the Himmalaya Mountains. clvii 



rock. In these cases, the depth is often considerable, while the ap- 

 pearance is such, as leaves not a doubt in the spectator's mind, but that 

 the present channel was once filled up with solid rock. TMs is a 

 conclusion we cannot escape from, however difficult it may be to 

 understand the removal of so many thousand cubic feet of solid rock 

 by the agency of water. 



336. In all the river beds too we see that there are accumulations 

 of gravel and boulder stones, all perfectly rounded, and consequently 

 all of them such as have been subject to the action of water. These 

 collections, it appears from the details I have given, are in many cases 

 of very great extent, and frequently occur at a height of even 300 feet 

 above the present bed of the river. That these collections should ever 

 have been formed by such bodies of water as are found at present in 

 their vicinity, is altogether inadmissible. Their extent, the size of the 

 fragments, the distance from which they are derived ; above all, their 

 great depth, and the height at which they are found above the present 

 bed of the river, all forbid so incredible a supposition. 



337. Even if we could get over these difficulties, and really believe that 

 rivers, which in their greatest power at the present day cannot move one 

 of these fragments a few feet, did yet in former ages, transport for many 

 miles, several thousands, nay millions of them, and accumulated them 

 in heaps many times exceeding in height the greatest depth of the 

 said rivers ; even if we could get over the difficulties, yet others greater 

 remain. The tract defined in Art. 71, called the Bhabur, we have 

 seen equally consists to a vast depth of these water-worn fragments, 

 evidently of the same era, derived from the same rocks, and transported 

 by the same causes ; so also the several plains or vallies described in 

 Art. 57, et seq. contain immense beds, the same in every respect with 

 those found in the river vallies. These it is evident, could never have 

 owed their disposition to the power of rivers, whatever may be said of 

 the former comparatively limited accumulations ; because they are found 

 where at present no rivers flow. 



338. That there is some connection, however, between the disposition 

 of these beds of gravel and formation of the river vallies, appears 

 evident from the following fact : — In establishing a series of bores along 

 the terrace, I found that the distance from the common boundary of plain 

 and mountain land at which gravel was found, was greater in the beds 



