Rivers, Ganeces anp Juuna. 425 
or no water in the bed, under the snow, and, consequently, that the most 
remote rill, which contributes under the snow, to the first formation of 
the Ganges, cannot be more distant than the ridge; soI think it may be 
allowed, that such first formation is on the hither side of ihe ridge, and 
not at any Jake, or more distant place beyond it. 
InpeEp, considering the large supplies which the snow valley furnishes, 
I rather wonder that the stream was not larger, when I measured it at the 
debouche.—W hether there are any boiling springs under the snow, as 
at Jumnotri, I do not know, but swppose there are not, as I did not see 
any smokes a steam, however, there may be, and the steam may be con= 
densed ere it can appear.—I imagine, that the season of the rains would 
be, in one respect, the most proper to attempt the passage of the great 
snow bed; it may at that time be reduced in thickness, but I have no 
idea that it ever melts away; yet, in the rains, it perhaps will not be possi- 
ble to ford the river above Gangotri, which must frequently be done, 
af the smaller avalanches, on which we very frequently crossed it, are 
melted. In the rains also, there must be greater hazard from the falling 
of the rocks, and slips. of the mountain, for the melting snow forms 
many rills, which undermine the rocks, and set them loose, and it is not 
possible to avoid a large fall of the mountains side, if one should unfor- 
tunately be in the line of its direction, when it comes down, 
I mave preserved specimens of the rocks of which these peaks are 
composed, also of the different sorts of pines which grow at their bases. 
Above Suc’hi, and Jhala, the country is not inhabited, nor is it habitable 
1 i 
