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MANASAROVARA IN UN-DE'S. 459 



It is perched upon the top of an eminence, about 200 feet higher than* 

 the plain, and has Table Land running from it eaflward. Steep 3 

 craggy, lime (lone rocks in a (late of decompofition immediately over- 

 hang it, threatening feme of the houfes with deftruclion at no diftant 

 period. Infulated pillars, which have refilled the influence of the wea- 

 ther longer than the fofter portions of flone by which they were fur- 

 rounded, feem upon the very point of falling ; but apparently give no- 

 alarm to the inhabitants. — Still higher^, and lofing their heads in the 

 clouds, are pointed mountains, which from their brilliant whitenefs ? 

 appear to confift of chalk, covered here and there with a layer of yel- 

 low ochre. Immediately at the foot of the rock, on which the build- 

 ings fland, runs a very rapid ftream, which is laid to proceed from at 

 kke at the foot of the Himalaya, called Rdwan hrdd, and to constitute the 

 principal branch of the Satudrd* 



To the Weft of the town, and about a quarter of a mile diftant, are the 

 hot fprings, forming one of the mod extraordinary phenomena, I have 

 ever witneffed. From two mouths, about 6 inches in diameter, ifliie two 

 firearm, bubbling about 4 inches higher than the level of the flony fub- 

 dance whence they efcape. The water is very clear, and fo hot,: that 

 the hand, cannot ^bear to be put into it for an inftant; and a large vo- 

 lume of fmoak curls round them conftantly. They burft forth from a 

 table of calcareous flone nearly half a mile diameter, and raifed in moil 

 places ten or twelve feet above the plain on which it flartds. This has 

 been formed by the dcpofitfrom the water of the fprings whilft cooling. 

 Immediately furrounding the fprings, the flone is aswhite as the pu reft 

 flucco. The water flowing over a furface nearly horizontal, as it ef- 

 eapes from the vents, forms {hallow bifins of different fize and fhip^ 

 The edges of all thefe bafins are curioufly marked with indentations 

 and projections, like the tops of mufhrooms and flvUts-dc»!is, formed 



