ASIA. MOUNTAINS. The two great ranges of mountains in Asia are the Altai and the Himmaleh mountains. Other large ranges are the Caucasian mountains between the Black and Caspian seas, Taurus in Natolia, the Uralian mountains between Asia and Europe and the Ghauts of Hindoostan. ALTAI MOUNTAINS. The Altai mountains are an immense range, extending about 5,000 miles in length, under different names. They are supposed to be connected with the southern part of the Uralian chain, and stretch along the southern border of Siberia. They form the great northern support of the vast and elevated region, or table land of Tartary or Central Asia, which is supported on the south by the Himmaleh range. The elevation of the Tcharinsk mountains is computed at nearly 11,000 feet; but the Altai range has been but imperfectly explored. The mountains are composed of substances, which indicate primitive formation, as granite and porphyry; and contain limestone, marble, petrified shells; valuable mines of gold, silver, copper, iron, &c. also chalcedony, carnelion, and other minerals. The silver mines of Kolyvan, the richest of the kind in the Russian empire, are in the western part of the Altai mountains. These mines employed, in 1786, about 54,000 workmen. The mines of gold, copper, and iron, are also extensive and valuable. HIMMALEH MOUNTAINS. See Plate, No. 65. The Himmaleh mountains are a stupendous range, extending from the Caspian sea to the borders of China, having Hindoostan, Cabulistan, and a part of Persia on the south, and Thibet and Tartary on the north. The western part of the range is usually called Hindoo Kho. The range, to which the name of Himmaleh is usually limited, is about 1,400 miles in length, and from 50 to 100 in breadth. Several of the largest rivers of Asia have their sources in these mountains, of which are the KianKu and Hoang-Ho, flowing to the east; the Ganges, the Burrampooter, and the Indus, running to the south; and the Oxus and Jihon, flowing to the northwest. The Himmaleh mountains were called, by the ancients, Emodus or Imaus. Both their ancient and modern names have allusion to snow, by which they are covered throughout the year. They are reputed the most elevated mountains on the globe. Though there is considerable difference among the different measurements, yet all make them of great height. Captain Webb measured 27 summits, the most elevated of which was 25,669 feet high; the lowest 15,733; and 21 of them were upwards of 20,000 feet. According to the observations of captain Blake, Dhawala-giri, or White mountain, is 28,015 feet high. The peak of Chamalasi, near the frontiers of Thibet, is visible from various stations in Bengal, the most remote of which is not less than 232 miles; and sir Wm. Jones saw some of the mountains at a distance of 244 miles. The river Jumna, the most sacred branch of the Ganges, has its source high in the mountains near Gungotree, which holds the first rank among the holy places of the Hindoos. Here is a shrine of Mahadeo, who sits enthroned in clouds and mist, amid rocks that defy approach, and snows that render desolation more awful. The temple is a small building, of a square form for about 12 feet high, and rounding in to the top in the usual form of pagodas. It is approached through a labyrinth of enormous, shapeless masses of granite, which during ages have fallen from the cliffs above, that frown over the temple itself. On all sides, the prospect is closed by rugged and towering cliffs, except at the eastward, where, from behind a mass of bare spires, rise the huge and snowy peaks of Roodroo-Himala, |