.lUMNA iND BHA^GfRAT'Hf RITERa ^OS 



our view. A rocky ridje divides the large femicircle before us into 

 >^^wo parts ; in the back ground of that on the left hand, the eaftern 

 peak cf Be rider -puctih rifes to a prodigious heighth ; while from its bo- 

 fom ftretches down a large hollow of deep fnow, cut into ravines, and 

 precipices of a fearful heighthi The mountain itfelf exhibits one 

 huge fnowy mafs^ without fpeck or ilain. 



On the right, Simeru Parhat, apeak hardly inferior \o Bender-puch^h, 

 forms the center of a fnowy hollow, as rugged and deep as that to the 

 left; from each of thefe, flreams arife, which unire, and form M/w- 

 €i'Gdd'k dt a very (hort diftance from hence. As we were but a very 

 :fhort way from thefe hollows of fnow, we obtained a better idea than 

 we had any opportunity to da before^ of the vaft thicknefs to which 

 it has accumulatedo 



The hill people affa red me, that it mu(i be 500 cubits, while I was 

 loofeiy fuppofing to one of them, that the face of one of the precipi- 

 ces of fnow was 300 feet ; this Ihews the opinion the natives entertain, 

 but indeed only the wildeft conjeftu"' can be offered, for what mortal 

 can ever reach them ; they are defolate, cheerlefs, and unapproacha- 

 ble. 



The journey of to-day, is the firfl: which has been totally defert; 

 Yiot a houfe, nor a hut, nor any veftige of cultivation, nor trace of man, 

 lias any where appeared ; it has been defola'e throughout; but the 

 bills have been particularly verdant, and the pafture very rich; not 

 only a variety of grafies covered the ground, but a profufion of the 

 lovelieO: flowers burftinij through this green carpet gave the liveliefl 

 eife^l to every Hope and bank ; the beauty of the thiftles and ferns, 

 was particularly confpicuous, and cowflips, polyanthufes, orcbifcs and . 



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