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AUGUST’S FEATURED TEXT

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Views in India, chiefly among the Himalaya Mountains (1838) is an edited version of the travel book written by George Francis White. This work, although full of whimsical and archaic spelling, and displaying a significant lack of knowledge while discussing local culture, nevertheless is noteworthy for being one of the earliest works presenting a visual display of Himalayan and other Indian scenery to the rest of the world.

In offering the following series of Views to the public, it would be superfluous to descant upon an extraordinary degree of interest which they posses, illustrating, as they do, a portion of our Indian territories hitherto little known, and comprising the most splendid Mountain Scenery which can be found throughout the world. The Publishers have spared neither pains nor cost in the Engravings, which have been got up at vast expense (£2,400), from Drawings executed on the spot by an enterprising and accomplished traveller. The difficulties and dangers attended upon a journey through the Himalayas to the source of the Ganges and Jumna, will be gathered from the ensuing pages; and the Views, taken by Lieut. White, in addition to their spirit and fidelity, must be highly valued by all who can appreciate the ardour and energy which could alone have produced them, amid the toils, fatigues, and even perils of his Mountain Tour. The descriptive portion must speak for itself; its accuracy may be relied upon, and it will be found to contain much new and interesting information concerning the alpine regions of the East.

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