Correspondence. 385 



useless parade in my first letter of all my Himalyan wanderings. Vain, 

 also, in regard to Captain Huttonand his seconders, have been the travels, 

 surveys and writings of Moorcroft, the Gerards, Webb, Hodgson, 

 Herbert and Traill. These distinguished men conceived that the North- 

 ern slope of the Himalya meant the high land in Chinese Tartary and 

 Thibet, (including some part of Kunawur and the Bhote Mehals which 

 lie North of the greatest peaks) ; and it never entered into their minds 

 to conceive that the Northern Kuds of Simla and Mussooree were a 

 part of the Northern slope of the Himalya. The commonest book on 

 Geology or Geography distinguishes between the side of the Himalya 

 which faces India, and that which faces Chinese Tartary. The very Hand 

 Books and the Primers of Zoological and Botanical Science take care to 

 separate the Habitat ■ Himalya' from the Habitats Neipal, Kumaon, &c. 

 Mr. Hodgson never confounds Cachar with the Lower Hills, still less 

 Lassa with Katmandoo. If we allow 80 miles of slope between the 

 high snowy peaks and the plains of India, (the actual distance,) we 

 may surely allow 80 miles to form a slope on the Tartaric side, how- 

 ever gentle it may be in comparison. But I do not require even 50 

 miles on that side. All the phenomena for which I contend, are to be 

 found within that distance. 



5. Here I might end, having shewn Captain Hutton (and I will add 

 yourself, in revenge for your note against the Kumaonees,) the dan- 

 ger of mis-stating the language of others, as such a mis-statement or 

 misinterpretation is likely to be followed by the argument of reductio 

 ad absurdum against the language and reasoning of the thoughtless ob- 

 jectors themselves. But, it is just possible that Capt. Hutton really 

 means something which the common interpretation of his language 

 does not allow, and, as I have before said, appearances are against him. 

 As this gentleman may, perhaps, be taken as an authority, it becomes 

 necessary to be very explicit as a counter-authority, and I rely fully 

 on your promise to publish my statements in this letter, as you did 

 those of Captains Hutton and Jack. 



6. Firstly. — I assert that among scientific men the Himalyan range 

 means the chain of highest elevation in the mountains which form the 

 Northern boundary of India. 



Secondly. — That in this chain some of the peaks are flanked by the 

 beds of rivers which rise on their Northern side, while others are not 

 so flanked, but send off rivers, to join those flowing to the Ocean, from 

 their Southern bases. They also, of course, send off rivers on their 

 Northern side to join flanking drains. That, of the former class of 

 peaks are those at Gungootree, Buddrinath, and Melum, where Passes 



