384 Correspondence. 



2. I have not been able to procure a sight of Captain Jack's notes ; 

 but, unless that gentleman takes up a totally different ground to that 

 on which Captain Hutton bases his arguments, there can be nothing for 

 me to discuss in opposition to him. 



3. On a second perusal of Captain Hutton's article in your July 

 Number, I find that he can only be understood to debate the question 

 whether snow lies deepest and longest on the Northern or the Southern 

 slopes of the several heights in the snowy range, and the mountainous 

 tract which that range crowns; and that he does not in reality (though 

 in appearance he does) attack the observations of Webb and others con- 

 cerning the fact, that on the Northern slope of the Himalya the line of per- 

 petual snow is not so low as on the Southern slope. I am now convinced 

 that Captain Hutton confounds the singular with the plural number ; 

 viz. slope with slopes. The following extract from his paper shews, that 

 he considers the Northern side of every hill in these mountains, that is, 

 in Bissehr, Sirmoor, Bareh, Thakooraien, Gurhwal, Kumaon, the Neipal 

 Territories, &c. &c.) to be the Northern slope of the Himalya ! and 

 the Southern slope of every hill to be (exclusive of its Northern side) the 

 Southern slope of the Himalya! ! 



Extract. 



" But the same facts which are here insisted on as facts, are observ- 

 able at Simla, without travelling even to the Snowy range; for, (the 

 Italics are mine) it is notorious to all who have visited the hills, that 

 the snow lies longest on the Northern face of Mt. Jacko than on any 

 other part of it." He then mentions the result of a snow storm in the 

 spring of 1836, which was visible in May, and adds, "The same facts 

 are well known likewise at Mussooree." Allow me to add, and to 

 every man, woman and child, at Almorah and at every human habitation in 

 the whole Northern hemisphere, where snow is ever seen at all. This very 

 day the ladies and gentlemen now freezing in the snow at Nynee Tal 

 would doubtless, be very happy to find themselves on the Southern side 

 of Ayar Pata; — but still, though on the North side of one hill in the 

 Ghagur range, they are, 1 dare say, rejoicing that they are not on the 

 Northern slope of the Himalya. This same Ghagur range, by the way, 

 is notorious (like Jacko) for the snow on its Northern face, as those 

 who look out of their windows at Almorah can testify, and still more 

 those who have been snowed up at the Ramgurh bungalow, or who 

 have slidden and slipped down the icy road thereunto. 



4. If a person living at any one of the hill stations is able without 

 travelling to support Captain Hutton's arguments, he and I evidently 

 cannot be discussing the same subject ; and I have, I fear, made an 



