64 
known about it. There is another point which has occurred to me, and 
that is as to the disappearance of races, or rather of large portions of the 
population from some of the great districts of India. In the north-west 
corner of India, where Rajpootana and the Punjaub are shown on the 
map, we have what is called the great desert of India — a region in which 
we find enormous plains of sand — unproductive districts, with scarcely 
any population in many parts, and with a rainfall in some years of 
only three, four, five, or six inches, while in some parts there is abso- 
lutely no rainfall at all ; and yet in other districts the rainfall is as 
much as six hundred inches yearly, there being no great difference in the 
proximity of the hills, and no very great difference in the distance 
from the sea. One of the causes of this phenomenon has been the 
deforesting of large tracts of country referred to by Dr. Gordon, who has 
told us that rivers which once existed have greatly decreased in size ; while 
one historic stream, the Suruswattee, flowing from the southern slope of 
the Himalayas, degenerates into a series of pools, until, at last, it is entirely 
merged and lost in the sand. A few years ago I was passing through the 
Suez Canal, which, as you are aware, was cut through a desert, and while 
walking on the quarter-deck of the steamer I remember sayrng to a person 
who accompanied me, “ What is the meaning of those little runlets, those 
grooves or gutters which I see along the steep sides of the banks ? This is a 
rainless country.” But the reply I received w T as : “ No, it is not. Rain falls 
here now occasionally.” This rainfall and vegetation along with it had been 
brought there by the very fact of cutting the Canal.'"' W e have instances of 
the reverse of this in India, produced by the removal of forests from districts 
which were the early seat of civilisation in that country. It was a populous 
country, but' is now a desert. There are many other subjects that I should 
like to allude to, but must not detain you any longer, and will now call upon 
Dr. Gordon to reply. 
Dr. Gordon. — As a remark has been made to the effect that I have not 
said all that I might have on the subjects upon which I have touched, I 
should state that my paper was restricted to one hour in length, and of 
course, I selected and condensed my subjects accordingly. There have been 
many remarks made to which, in the short time now at my disposal, I 
shall be unable fully to reply ; but I will do the best I can. Beginning with 
some of the later speeches, I would refer to a current idea that, if hygiene 
began at the time of Chakrata, it does not seem to have advanced very 
much ; but, according to the statement I quoted, the condition of the country 
in the time of the Aryans was such that there were no epidemics, — or they 
were of very rare occurrence, — while it is said that men lived on an 
average to the age of one hundred years. Making allowance for a 
little freedom of expression, it may be inferred that the great majority 
*The rainfall at the close of 1880 was so copious, that the verdure which 
sprang up in the neighbouring desert gave it quite a green appearance. 
—Ed. 
