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tance of the first from Golconda 17 Gos, of 4 French leagues each; and of the latter 13. Now, the diftance of Coloor from Golconda, is tolerably well known to be 84 G. miles: fo that a Gos, by this account, must be about 6 G. miles in horizontal distance (or nearer 3, than 4, French leagues) and 17 of them must be equal to 110 G. miles; and this will place Raölconda about 7 G. miles on the east of Ralicotte. And I think it more probable to be on the east, than on the weft of it; for Tavernier mentions the croffing a river, which formed the common boundary between Golconda and Vifiapour (or Bejapour) about 4 Gos or more before he came to Raölconda. This river, which can be no other than the Beemah, runs about 6 Gos on the east of Ralicotte, and forms, to this day, the boundary of Bejapour : and Raölconda, by this account, must be between the Beemah river and Ralicotte; that is, on the eaft of the latter.

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If we take the Gos at 4 French leagues, without regarding the proportion arising from the calculation on the Coloor road, it will bring Raölconda very near the fituation affigned it by Montrefor. But I have nevertheless adopted the former, thinking it, on the whole, the most confiftent.

The modern Univerfal Hiftory, vol. 6, fays that the mines (Raölconda) are fix days journey from Bifnagur: but this will apply equally to either of the above pofitions.

Again, Tavernier fays in another place, that Raölconda is five days journey from Golconda; and eight or nine from Bejapour. This account must be very erroneous; for Raölconda is at least nearer to Bejapour than to Golconda.

The Godavery river, or Gonga-Godowry, commonly called Ganga in European maps, and fometimes Gang in Indian hiftories; has generally been reprefented as the fame river with that of Cattack.

As we have no authority, that I can find, for fuppofing it, the opinion must have been taken up, on a fuppofition that there was

no

no opening between the mouths of the Kitna and Mahanada (or Cattack river) of magnitude fufficient for fuch a river as the Ganga. It could not be for the want of space fufficient for the Cattack river to accumulate in, independent of the Ganga; for the distance 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 juft account of thefe rivers, any more than of the Burrampooter, had then reached any European geographer. The Ayeneh Acbaree, fpeaking of the Godavery, fays, "it runs intoBerar from Amednagur; and continues its course into Tellingana". Here is a declaration that the Godavery is the river that runs thro' Amednagur: And that the Amednagur river (let its name be what it will) runs from Berar into Tellingana; that is, the country of which Warangole (or Arinkil) was the capital. Its fource is within 70 miles of Bombay. Mr. Farmer croffed it near Poonah, where it is named Gonga-Godowry; and is efteemed a facred river.

After all, a branch of the Godavery may poffibly communicate with the Mahanada, during the rainy feafon; but there is certainly no authority for fuppofing it. The Chilka Lake, which was once thought to be an inland lake of fresh water, and had a communication with both rivers, is now known to be a falt lake contiguous to the fea, near Ganjam.

The general course of the Kiftna river, as high up as Gutigui, or Catigui, in the road from Aurungabad to Sanore, is from the map of M. Buffy's marches. Above Gutigui, it is marked in two places, by the interfections of the roads from Bejapour to Goa, and Dabul. Its fource is not more than 42 miles from the Malabar coast near Dabul. General Jofeph Smith remarks, that the Kiftna was fordable both above and below the conflux of the Beemah river, in the month of March: and that a few miles below the mouth of the Beemah, its bed was 600 yards wide,

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and exhibited an uncommon appearance from the number and dierfity of the rocks in it.

The Beemah river is known to be a principal branch of the Kiftna, coming from the north, and joining it near Edghir. It rifes in the mountains on the north of Poonah, probably not many miles from the head of the Godavery, and paffes within 30 miles. of the east fide of Poonah, where it is named Bewrah, as well as Beemah, and is also esteemed a facred river. General Joseph Smith crossed this river, when accompanying the Nizam in 1766, about 10 miles above its junction with the Kiftna, where it was fordable.

The Mandouah, or Bejapour river, is a branch of the Beemah. There yet remains in the map, a void space between the known parts of Berar, Golconda, Oriffa, and the northern circars, of near 300 British 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. Our poffeffions in the northern circars, extend no where more than 70 British miles in land, and in fome places not more than 30: fo that they form a flip of more than 350 miles in length; bounded in general towards the continent, by a high ridge of mountains, which runs nearly parallel to the fea coaft, the exterior boundary.

Within these mountains, 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 suppose that to be a country void of the goods in general esteem amongst mankind, that does not tempt either their avarice, or ambition. Although furrounded by people who arc in a high degree of civilization, and who abound in ufeful manufactures, we are told that the few fpecimens of these miserable people who have appeared in the circars, use no covering but a wifp of straw. We know not, with any degree of certainty, how far this wild country extends within the outer ridge of mountains,

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tains between the parallels of 17° and 20°: but the first civilized
people that we hear of beyond them, are the Berar Mahrattas.
I think it probable that it extends 150 miles, or more. However,
of Berar Mahrattas found their way through this country,
party
and the Bobilee Hills in 1754 *, at an opening called Salloregaut,

a

in the Cicacole circar.

• Orme, Vol. 1f. 3736

SECT.

SECTION V.

The Countries contained in that Part of the Peninfula, lying South of the KISTNA, or KHRISHNA River.

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HIS tract, which in extent is not a feventh part larger than the Bengal provinces, has, by its political divifions, and by the talents and ambition of its Princes, of late years, furnished more matter for fpeculation and hiftory, than, perhaps, all the rest of the empire put together. But although it has been the theatre of repeated wars between the European powers and the natives, fo ample a supply of geographical matter has not been furnished, as by the wars and negociations in the north. The geography of some of the western parts of this peninsula, are as little known to us, as that of the central parts of Hindooftan.

The figure of this tract is a triangle, of which the course of the Kiftna river forms the bafe, and the coafts of Malabar and Coromandel the fides. Its extent from the Kiftna to Cape Comorin, which forms the apex of the triangle, is about 600 British miles ; and its breadth in the widest part, that is, from Mafulipatam to Gheriah, about 500.

The conftruction of the fea coafts, has been defcribed in the first fection, and that of the courfe of the Kiftna river in page 75.

I understand that the country from Madras to Oofcotta weftward; and from about Pondicherry and Tingrecota fouthward, to Chandeghere northward; or, in other words, between the parallels of 12 and 14 degrees of latitude, is defcribed from measured routes in Mr. Montrefor's MS. map at the Eaft India Houfe; and in the printed map inserted in the fecond volume of Mr. Orme's elegant

and

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