GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 1 29 



formations, ranging from Silurian to cretaceous, described by Sto- 

 liczka, and occupying heights up to 20,000 feet, in a very little dis- 

 turbed basin to the north of the main gneissic axis of the Himalaya. 

 These points have been discussed by Mr. Medlicott in the manual. 

 Until Captain Griesbach's memoir on those and neighbouring regions 

 is published, or until some other investigator brings forward more 

 positive physical details concerning their arrangement than are at 

 present forthcoming, it would be inopportune to discuss the subject 

 again. 



There is only one consideration that I would like to lay stress 

 upon, namely, that if in any one or other locality, though all are 

 embraced in the general name " Himalaya," there are found to be 

 physical interpretations of the structure of the mountains differing 

 essentially from those which have been attempted in this memoir, or 

 from those of any other part, I would ask that not therefore on that 

 account should one interpretation be held as disqualifying another ; 

 but that all be taken as applicable, each in the individual area with 

 which it is concerned, until all the different localities have been so 

 dovetailed together by further research that a fair and reasonable 

 generalization can be undertaken, it may be on wider, more liberal, 

 and more intricate principles than have yet been conceived. 



CHAPTER VI. 



General Considerations — continued* 

 Every worker in mountainous regions, besides keeping his eye on 

 Abstract theories of the ground beneath his feet, and keeping in 

 mountain-making. mind the pro blems connected therewith, is 



naturally impelled to see in the inferences that he draws a justifica- 

 tion of some, and a refutation of other, cosmical theories with regard 

 to mountain ranges in the abstract; and especially is this the case 

 when the geological structure he is engaged upon has been adduced 

 by any writer in support of any one abstract theory of mountain 

 formation. I therefore feel it a duty to say a word or two in this 



1 ( 187 ) 



