60 Tableau of High Asia. [No. 1, 



"be adduced the fact, that we found the isothermal lines for the year 

 and the summer, which coincided with the snow-line on the Indian 

 side, decidedly warmer than those on a level with the Tibetan snow- 

 line. The fact, moreover, of the Karakorum — though on an average 

 three degrees farther north — having the snow-line so excessively high 

 on both its slopes, offers another instance of the influence of limited 

 precipitation. 



In the Kiinlun, the meteorological conditions also become apparent 

 in the different limits of the snow-line on either side ; but here the 

 effect is the reverse of that perceived in the Himalaya, the greater 

 precipitation on the " northern" slopes (towards the plains of Turkis- 

 tan) lowering the snow-line on that side to a considerable extent. 



Although, in the Himalaya at large, the snow-limit of the Tibetan 

 side does not descend so low as that of the Indian, yet the influence 

 of exposition at once becomes apparent in the ordinary sense, corre- 

 sponding to these latitudes, if we examine the slopes of a crest or 

 mountain, of which, by the nature of its position, both slopes belong 

 either to the Indian side of the ridge in general, or to the Tibetan 

 side. The many and vehement disputes upon the much-discussed 

 subject of snow-limits have chiefly arisen from the entire neglect of 

 this modification.* 



The values we obtain for the height of the snow-line on the three 

 mountain chains of High Asia are : 



Feet. 



A. Himalaya. Southern (Indian slopes), ... 16,200 



Northern (Tibetan) slopes, ... ... 17,400 



B. Karakorum. Southern (Tibetan) slopes, 19,400 



Northern (along the Turkistani plateaux), 18,600 



C. Kunlun. Southern (facing mountainous ramifications), 15,800 



Northern (facing the Turkistani plain),f ... 15,100 



For the Andes , the snow-limits are, according to Humboldt and 

 Pentland : 



* See Batten, in the " Calcutta Jour, of Nat. Hist.," Yol. IV. p. 537 ; Vol. V. 

 p. 383. Capt. T. Hutton, " in the same Journ." Vol. IV. p. 275 ; Vol. V. 

 p. 379 ; Vol. VI. p. 56 j and Capt. A. Jack, " in the same Journ." Vol. IV. 

 p.' 455. 



f « Asie Centrale," 1847, VoL II. pp. 165 and 177. 



