The Portuguese and Dutch--the first European colonists of India--have told us very little about them; and even our own Anglo-Indian writers were long silent upon this interesting theme.

Exaggerated accounts of the hostility and cruelty of the Himalayan highlanders--more especially the Ghoorkas--prevented private explorations; and with the exception of some half-dozen books, most of them referring to the western section of the Himalayas, and comparatively valueless, from the want of scientific knowledge on the part of their authors, this vast tract has remained almost a _terra incognita_ up to the present time.
Of late, however, we have obtained a better acquaintance with this interesting portion of the earth's surface.

The botanist, lured thither by its magnificent _flora_, has opened to us a new world of vegetation.
Royle and Hooker have ably achieved this task.

The zoologist, equally attracted by its varied _fauna_, has made us acquainted with new forms of animal life.

Hodgson and Wallich are the historians in this department.