Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VII.djvu/805

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GFRORER geysers in the United States, see report of Lieut. G. C. Doane (1871), and the fifth and sixth annual reports of the "United States Geological Survey of the Territories," by F. V. Hayden (1872 and 1873). GFRORER, August Friedrich, a German his- torian, horn in Calw, March 5, 1803, died in Carlsbad, July 10, 1861. He studied theology at Tubingen from 1821 to 1825, was appointed in 1828 tutor in the theological seminary of that city, in 1830 librarian at Stuttgart, and in 1846 professor of history in the university of Freiburg. His first work, Philo und die jiidisch-alexandrinische Theosophie (2 vols., Stuttgart, 1831), was written from the critical standpoint of the Tubingen school ; but while preparing his Geschichte des Urchristenthums (3 vols., 1838), he changed his views, and ar- rived at length, during the publication of his Allgemeine Kirchengeschichte (4 vols., 1841- '6), at the opinion that the Roman Catholic church is the true church of Christ; but he did not join that communion till 1853. Besides the works already mentioned, he wrote Gustav Adolf, Kbnig von Schweden (2 vols., 1835-'7) ; Geschichte der ost- und westfrankischen Karo- linger (2 vols., Freiburg, 1858); Urgeschichte des menschlichen Geschlechts (2 vols., Schaff- hausen, 1855) ; Papst Gregor VII. und sein Zeitalter (7 vols., 1859-'61); Geschichte des 18. Jahrhunderts (edited by Weiss, 3 vols., 1862- '3) ; and Zur Geschichte deutscher Volksrechte (edited by Weiss, 2 vols., 1866). GHADAMES, or Gadames, a town of Africa, in an oasis near the S. E. corner of the Algerian part of the desert of Sahara, about 300 m. S. W. of Tripoli; pop. about 7,000, mainly Arabs, Moors, and negroes. It contains many gardens, several hot springs, six mosques, and seven schools. Woollen goods are manufac- tured, and there is a large trade in ivory, wax, hides, ostrich feathers, caoutchouc, &c. The adjacent region abounds with relics of Roman cities, and the town is believed to occupy the site of the ancient Cydamum. It retains considerable importance from being the focus of four commercial roads. The first crosses Fezzan, the second passes through the great desert and leads to Timbuctoo, the third con- nects with Lake Tchad, and the fourth passes S. of the Atlas chain of mountains, and con- nects with Morocco. GUARA. See SUTLEJ. GHARDEIA. See GAEDAIA. GHAUTS (literally, mountain pass; whence, through the Teutonic languages, the English word gate), the name of two ranges of moun- tains in S. Hindostan. The principal of these is the Western, which extends nearly 1,000 m. N. N. W. from near Cape Comorin to the river Taptee, at the mouth of which is Surat. The general direction of the chain is parallel with the coast of the Indian ocean, which it ap- proaches in one place, within 6 m. ; but it is for the most part at a distance of 20 to 40 m. On its western side it presents a front which GHAUTS 789 rises boldly from the hilly country between the ranges and the coast; but on the east it gradually slopes away, or spreads in table land, having an average elevation of about 3,000 ft. above the sea, or is continued in long spurs, which stretch out through this central region, known as the Deccan. The country on the west, which embraces the Malabar coast, is comparatively low, its average elevation being roughly estimated at 200 ft. above tide. It is hilly, but also penetrated by creeks and bays making back from the sea; and it is traversed by extensive ravines, which are shaded with forest and jungle. But fev gaps break the continuity of the chain, and only one of these is deep enough to drain the waters on the E. slopes into the Indian ocean. This point is in the S. part of the range against the Coimba- tore country, from which the river Ponany flows through a break 16 m. wide. Opposite this break it is thought that ships navigating the Indian ocean experience the N. E. mon- soons in greater fury than elsewhere. The av- erage height of the Western Ghauts is esti- mated at 4,000 ft., but some of the peaks rise much higher. Bonasson is said to be 7,000 ft. high, and Dodabetta in the Neilgherries 8,760 ft. The range is not remarkably rough or rocky. A deep rich soil covers the surface, and even upon the summits supports stately forests. The bamboo attains an unusual height ; the teak covers the mountain sides; and on the lower hills are forests producing pepper, cassia, frankincense, and other aromatic spices and gums. In the most elevated regions no undergrowth or jungle is encountered, but roads are maintained only at great cost, owing to the violence of the torrents of water during the rainy season ; hence the passes across the range are few and difficult. These are occu- pied by fortresses. The Neilgherries, among which are some of the most elevated peaks of the range, occupy a tract of some 7,000 sq. m. E. of the main chain N. of Coimbatore. Here the Eastern Ghauts are usually regarded as diverging from the Western; but some trace them further S. through the Carnatic in the range of hills which meet the Western Ghauts a short distance from Cape Comorin. Both this range and the Neilgherries extend across toward the Coromandel coast, meeting near lat. 12 N., and thence the chain of the East Ghauts continues with the coast, some say even to Balasore, which is within 125 m. of Calcutta ; but it is commonly regarded as run- ning out before reaching the river Kistnah, the range being thus limited to about 500 m. in length. Its hills are naked and rocky, and seldom attain the altitude of 3,000 ft. The drainage of this region is all toward the bay of Bengal. The S. W. monsoons commence in May and June, with terrific storms of thun- der and rain, which vent their greatest fury upon the Western Ghauts. This continues until October, and during this time that part of the Coromandel coast under the lee of the