thence to Rajamundry, is taken from a map of Col. Forde's marches, collated with Montrefor's large map, at the Eaft India House. It is all along to be understood that Col. Pearfe's line (corrected as in page 10) forms the fcale of the parts in queftion. The remaining part of the circars; that is, between the Godavery and Kistna rivers, is chiefly taken from a map of that country, published by Mr. Dalrymple; the ground-work of which is composed of the late Major Stevens's materials. The routes to Joypour and Badrachillum, are on the authority of Mr. Claud Ruffell; and the pofition of the latter place, which is very near to the Godavery, accords with Mr. Montrefor's idea, as expreffed in his large map.

The Godavery river, or Gonga Godowry, (fometimes called the Gang in Ferishta's hiftory) was, till very lately, confidered as the fame with the Cattack river, or Mahanuddy. As we had no authority, that I can find, for fuppofing it, the opinion must have been taken up, on a fuppofition that there was no opening between the mouths of the Kiftna and Mahanuddy (or Cattack river) of magnitude fufficient for fuch a river as the Gonga. It could not be for the want of fpace fufficient for the Cattack river to accumulate in, independent of the Gonga; for the diftance is as great from the mouth of the Cattack river to the Berar mountains ; as from the mouth of the Godavery to the Baglana mountains. The truth is, that no just account of these rivers, any more than of the Burrampooter, had then reached any European geographer. Succeeding enquiries and discoveries have made it certain, that the Godavery is the river that runs under Rajamundry, and falls into the fea between Coringa and Narfapour; and that the Cattack river rifes in the Ruttanpour country. But the recent difcovery (to Europeans) of the Bain Gonga, whofe courfe is directly across the fuppofed courfe of the Gonga, (the name given to this compound-river, whose head was the Godavery, and tail the Mahanuddy) clears up at once the ambiguity; if any there could be fuppofed to remain, after the difcuffion of the subject in the memoir of the map of 1782. The

Goda

Godavery has its fource about 90 miles to the NE of Bombay; and in the upper part of its courfe, at leaft, is eftcemed a facred river by the Hindoos: that is, ablutions performed in its stream, have a religious efficacy fuperior to thofe performed in ordinary ftreams. The Beemah is fuppofed to have fimilar virtues: nor are facred rivers by any means uncommon, in other parts of India. The Godavery, after traverfing the Dowlatabad foubah, and the country of Tellingana, from weft to eaft, turns to the fouth-eaft; and receiving the Bain Gonga, about 90 miles above the fea, befides many fmaller rivers, feparates into two principal channels at Rajamundry; and thofe fubdividing again, form altogether several tide harbours, for veffels of moderate burthen. Ingeram, Coringa, Yanam, Bandarmalanka, and Narfapour, are among the places fitu→ ated at the mouth of this river; which appears to be the most confiderable one, between the Ganges and Cape Comorin, Extenfive forefts of teek trees border on its banks, within the mountains; and supply ship timber for the use of the ports abovementioned: and the manner of launching the ships in those ports, being very fingular, I have fubjoined an account of it in a note *. The Godavery was traced about 70 miles above its mouth; the rest of its course is described only from report; fave only at the conflux of the Bain river, and in places where different roads cross it; un

The fhip or veffel is built with her keel parallel to the fhore; and, as it may happen, from 200 to 300 feet from low water mark. When compleated, the is placed on two trong pieces of timber, called dogs (in the nature of a fledge of enormous dimenfions) and on thefe, a fort of moveable cradle is conftructed, to keep the veflel upright. Two long Palmyra trees, as levers of the second kind, are then applied to the ends of the dogs, and by means of these powers, they, together with the veffel that refts on them, are gradually pufhed forwards over a platform of logs, until they arrive at the lowest pitch of low water; or as far beyond it, as the levers can be ufed. Tackles are applied to the ends of the levers, to increase the power: the fulcrums, are wreaths of rope, faftened to the logs on which the veffel flides: and are removed forwards as the advances. Two cables from the land fide, are faftened to the vefiel, to prevent her from fliding too rapidly; and thefe are gradually let out, as the advances.

It is commonly the work of two days to tranfport the veffel to the margin of low water. If the tide does not rife high enough to float her from thence (which it feldom does if the veffel be of any confiderable burthen) part of the cradle is taken away, and the fhip left chiefly to the fupport of the cables till high water, when they are fuddenly let go, and the veffel falls on her fide: and with the fall, difengages herself from the remains of the cradle, and at the fame time, plunges into deeper water. A fhip of 500 tons has been launched in this manner.

til we arrive at the part where M. Buffy's marches have described it, in common with other particulars.

The course of the Bain Gonga (or Bain river) as I have juft obferved, is quite a new acquifition to Geography; and we are indebted to the late Col. Camac, for it. This river, which has a course of near 400 miles, was not known to us, even by report, till very lately. It rifes near the fouthern bank of the Nerbudda, and runs fouthward through the heart of Berar; and afterwards mixes with the Godavery, within the hills that bound our northern circars. This circumstance confutes at once the idea of the Godavery being a continuation of the Cattack river. I cannot find how far Bain Gonga is navigable; but it is mentioned as a very large river, in the early part of its courfe; and is probably equal in bulk to the Godavery, when it joins it.

up the

There yet remains in the map, between the known parts of Berar, Golconda, Oriffa, and the circars, a void space of near 300 miles in length, and 250 in breadth; nor is it likely ever to be filled up, unless a very great change takes place in the state of European politics in India: for we appear not to have penetrated beyond the first ridge of mountains, till very lately; when the discovery of the black pepper plant was made, in the diftricts of Rampa.

Beyond the great ridge of mountains (which may be 60 or 70 miles inland) and towards Berar, is a very extenfive tract of woody and mountainous country, with which the adjacent countries appear to have but little, if any, communication. We may fairly fuppofe that to be a country void of the goods in general efteem among mankind, that does not tempt either their avarice, or ambition. Although furrounded by people who are in a high degree of civilization, and who abound in ufeful manufactures, we are told that the few fpecimens of these miferable people who have appeared in the circars, use no covering but a wisp of straw. We know not, with any degree of certainty, how far this wild country extends within the great ridge of mountains, between the parallels of 17°

and

and 20° but the first civilized people that we hear of beyond them, are the Berar Mahrattas. I think it probable that it may extend 150 miles, or more. However, a party of Berar Mahrattas found their way through this country, and the Bobilee hills, in 1754, (Orme vol. I. page 373) at an opening called Salloregaut, in the Cicacole circar. Our ignorance respecting this tract may well be accounted for, by its lying out of the line of communication between our fettlements; and by its never having been the feat of any war, in which the Europeans have taken part. I suspect, however, that the tract in queftion, is either too defert, or too favage to be easily or usefully explored.

Between the Godavery and Kiftna rivers, and on the north-eaft of Hydrabad, was the ancient country of Tellingana (or Tilling) of which Warangole (the Arinkill, of Ferifhta) was the capital. The fite of this capital is ftill evident, by means of the old ramparts; which is amazingly extenfive. A modern fortress is constructed within it; and is in the poffeffion of the Nizam. Côl. Peach marched by way of Ellore and Combamet, to this place, during the war of 1767; and the road was furveyed by Lieutenant, now Major Gardner. His horizontal distance from Ellore to Warangole was 134 G. miles: and the bearing, W 33 N*. A note accompanying Major Stevens's copy of this route, fays, that the latitude of Warangole is 17° 57′ and this bearing and distance accords with it. I am ignorant of the exact relative pofitions of Warangole and Hydrabad : Montrefor's map makes the distance between them 45 G. miles. My conftruction makes it 47, and the bearing of Warangole from Hydrabad NE by N. Montrefor's bearing of Warangole from Ellore, is very faulty; and it is remarkable, that though there are several plans of this road, moft of them differ widely, both in bearing and distance. Major Gardner's I apprehend, may be depended on.

* His bearing is corrected by the compafs of Col. Pearfe's map, from which it differed 2° 55'. The

Z

The places round Warangole, are taken from a MS. map of Mr. Dalrymple's. Byarem, Culloor, Damapetta, &c. are all from MSS. belonging to the fame gentleman.

The road from Hydrabad to Nagpour, was communicated by Mr. John Holland. The distance is ftated at 169 coffes; which agrees remarkably well with the interval on the map: and, as Nagpour is a fixed position, we may infer, that Hydrabad ought to be rather in 17° 12' than 17° 24′ (fee page 140). The two places bear nearly N and S from each other; and the whole distance, of courfe, is difference of latitude. A place named Indelavoy or Endelavoy (Indelvai, in Tavernier, and Thevenot) appears in this route, between the Godavery and Hydrabad: and Thevenot's route from Aurungabad to Hydrabad, falling in there, determines the direction of both roads; and alfo the pofitions of Indour, and Sitanagur; the latter being a famous pagoda in that part. Neermul, a city of note, belonging to the Nizam, alfo rifes in this route; and is about 10 G. miles from the north fide of the Godavery, and about 132 from Nagpour. Mr. Ewart alfo collected some routes between Nagpour, Neermul, and Hydrabad: and a route by way of Chanda, appears in Mr. Orme's historical fragments of the Mogul empire. As one of Mr. Ewart's routes gives the position of this Chanda, (a confiderable city belonging to Nagpour, and about 70 G. miles to the fouth of it) we are enabled to lay down this road; which was marched over, by M. Buffy. Another principal branch of the Godavery, is the Manzorah; a confiderable river which rifes in the country of Amednagur, and after a circuitous courfe by Beder, joins the main river below Nander.

Many interefting pofitions arife in the marches of M. Buffy, between Hydrabad and Aurungabad, by the two roads of Beder, and Nander; and no less in the march from Aurungabad to Sanore. Beder is a fortified city, about 80 road miles to the NW of Hydrabad; and was in former times the capital of a confiderable kingdom.

The