138 STATISTICAL SKETCH 



Within the Boundaries above detailed, the horizontal superficial con- 

 tents of the province may be stated at 10,967 square miles, of which the fol- 

 lowing is the estimated distribution : — 



Snow, iV ^9^^^ square miles. 



Barren and incapable of cultivation, -^ 3655 ,, 



Cultivation, , tV ^^93 



Uncultivated, tV 2193 



»> 



»» 



The whole province consists of numerous ranges of mountains, the 

 general run of which are in a parallel direction to the northern and southern 

 line of frontier : they are, however, by no means uniform or parallel to each 

 other in their whole course, while innumerable branches of various height and 

 extent, strike off from each range in every point and direction. The 

 intervals between the bases of the mountains are every where extremely 

 small, and the whole country, when viewed from a commanding position, 

 exhibits the appearance of a wide expanse of unconnected ravines, rather 

 than of a succession of regular ranges of mountains. 



The peaks and ridges necessarily vary in height : commencing from 

 the plains of Rohilkund, estimated at 500 feet above the sea, the first range 

 gives an elevation of 4,300, while the second range, called the Ghagar, attains 

 the height of VjVOO above the sea. This elevation is no where exceeded 

 throughout the center of the province, but as the ranges approach the Hi- 

 malaya, their altitude rapidly increases, till it reaches in the lofty peaks of the 

 latter range, an extreme height of 25,500 feet. 



The valleys (if the narrow intervals between the mountains can as- 

 pire to that designation,) are lowest on the banks of the largest rivers, and it 

 is in the same situations that the greatest portion of level land is generally 



