282 



Snow on the Himalayas. 



to be half smothered in my hill tent.) On the northern slopes the 

 snow accumulated, and in narrow dells it may have been hundreds of 

 feet deep. On northern exposures too, extensive slips of pure snow 

 take place, and bury houses and bridges over the Sutlej occasionally, 

 and small streams in hundreds of places. Here 1 am about 9,000 or 

 9,500 feet high, wind generally southerly, no snow whatever on 

 southern slopes within 15 or 16,000 feet, apricot trees budding; but 

 on northern slopes and in hollows abundance of snow." 



The second letter is dated from Shalkur on the Pittee river, 

 August 7th, 1842 and is as follows : " About the snow lying longer 

 on the southern slopes of hills (hereabouts) what more can I say ? 

 In February (lOth and 11th) this year, I made a march of 15 miles 

 from Chooret on the Para to Chungo on the Pittee. In get- 

 ting up the northern slopes the snow was, I don't know how deep. 

 On reaching the summit of a Pass I found no snow, nor did 

 I find any on the southern slopes; except in hollow portions 

 or tolerably fiat bits. The highest Pass on the road is per- 

 haps 13,500 or nearly 14,000 feet. The effect is attributable 

 partly to the violent southerly winds which blow during December, 

 January and February, and partly to the sun's rays. In the beginning 

 of May, in coming from Nako to Chungo in Hungrung, I found no 

 snow on the southern, eastern or western slopes ; but on some northern 

 ones which were steep, there was snow three and four feet thick ; eleva- 

 tion about 11,500 feet. At Shalkur up to the middle of June the 

 snow lay on the northern sides of the gullies or ravines of the hills ; 

 and when out shooting, I have had much difficulty in crossing them ; 

 elevation 11,000 to 11,500 feet. I was informed also, that the 

 northern slopes of the Hungrung Ghat, between Soongnum and 

 Hungo in Kunawur, had some snow until the middle of June. On 

 the southern face it had melted six weeks before, except in hollow 

 places. Just now (August 7th) there is no snow on western slopes 

 of hills 17,000 feet high, but there are a few patches on the northern 

 slopes. The southern and eastern slopes of these particular hills I 

 can't see. You can make what use you please of the above — they 

 are facts." 



Thus I think it will now be apparent to any unprejudiced mind, 

 that the hitherto received accounts are erroneous, and that contrary 



