104 Waugh on Mounts Everest and deodanga. [Jan. 11, isss. 
in the Asiatic Journal. Thus Mr. Hodgson has attributed the same 
name to No. XIII and to No. XV, without any exact knowledge of 
the height or position of either. He has fallen into this mistake 
from adopting the erroneous conception that there is only a single 
mountain in all this wide space. 
Mr. Hodgson proves no more than that there is, according to 
native report, a mountain called Deodanga somewhere between our 
Nos. XI and XXI (vide chart). That mountain may be one of the 
peaks fixed by us, or it may be one that we failed to fix, or it may 
not have been visible to us at all. If Deodanga is to be taken as 
the highest peak, that allegation only rests on the hearsay evidence 
of natives unable to determine the actual height of a mountain ; and 
if it be a true guess on their part, it by no means establishes the 
identity of Deodanga, because we do not know for certain that 
Mount Everest is the highest culminating point ; all we do know 
is, that it is the highest point we have measured. 
The only satisfactory way in which the position of Deodanga 
can be determined is by carrying up a series of triangles towards 
it until it can be seen and identified ; operations of this kind are 
impracticable at present for political reasons. In the mean time the 
position and height of Deodanga constitute a geographical problem 
remaining to be solved. If it is not identical with Mount Everest, 
a very grave blunder would be committed by assigning its name to 
another peak ; if it is identical, no harm will have been done by 
the adoption of another cognomen pending the doubt now existing. 
Great stress has been laid in some quarters on the fact that the 
position of Deodanga is given in German Maps ; now this proves no 
more than that German geographers are rash enough to lay down 
anything upon hearsay ; for we know beyond all question that no 
competent European with adequate means has ever been in the 
vicinity of Deodanga so as to be able to fix it. Deodanga does 
not appear in English maps, because it would be inconsistent with 
the rigorous notions which prevail among English scientific men in 
general to pretend to give the position of a point on the earth’s 
surface on hearsay evidence. It would violate every principle of 
accuracy and precision laid down by my predecessor for the conduct 
of the Trigonometrical Survey of India to jump at conclusions in 
this reckless manner. 
As the principle of adopting an European name has been much 
commented upon, I will here add without further remark paragraphs 
6 and 7 of my letter to your address cited at the commencement of 
this letter. 
“ I was taught by my respected chief and predecessor, Colonel 
George Everest, to assign to every geographical object its true local 
