direct distance is not eafily afcertained, even by the most intelligent traveller. Between Taffafudon and Paridrong, is a chain of mountains still higher than the other. They are vifible from the plains of Bengal, at the distance of 150 miles, and are commonly covered with fnow. These are a continuation of the mountains Emodus and Paropamifus of the ancients; and are fometimes by the moderns erroneously called Caucafus. By the Thibetians, they are called Rimola. I take them to be in point of elevation equal to any of the mountains of the old hemifphere. Indeed, the country of Thibet is, altogether, one of the highest in Afia; it being a part of that elevated tract which gives rife not only to the rivers of India and China, but to those also of Siberia and Tartary: for if we examine the map of Afia, we fhall find that most of those capital rivers rife between the 31st and 47th degrees of latitude, and between the 70th and 97th degrees of longitude; from whence they run in every direction to the fea, as the Rhine, Rhone, Danube, and Loire, do from the Alps in Europe. Father Giorgi, whom I have mentioned before, has given us in his Alphabetum Thibetanum, an Itinerary between Calcutta and Laffa. The distances he estimates in miles, which he probably meant for Italian, although they agree nearly with English ones. For he reckons 284 between Coffimbuzar and Patna, which is the exact number of measured statute miles between the two places. And between Singhya and Maiffy, he reckons 40, for 37 measured We may therefore conclude that he was equally fortunate in proportioning the rest of his distances; although the roughness of the road will not always admit of forming any juft proportion between the distance by the road, and the horizontal distance. We are almost entirely in the dark as to the particular direction of ones. his course. Catmandu, the capital of Napaul, is placed according to the authority of fome MS. maps made by fome miffionaries who tra I velled velled from Bettyah to that place: and I found no material difagree-ment between their accounts and Giorgi's. I have therefore placed Catmandů 105 G. miles nearly north from Maiffy, and in latitude 28° 6'. From Catmandu to Laffa, Giorgi reckons 504 miles by the road ; but it must be observed that he omits to mention the distances of two ftages between Khanfa and Mefcinzungh: and as the preceding ones were of 14 and 16 miles, and the two fucceeding ones 16 each, I may venture to add 32 miles for the two omiffions; and then the whole distance will be 536 British miles, or 462 G.. ones. The horizontal distance between Catmandu and Laffa (the latter being placed as described in page 93) is 364 G. miles: so that according to Giorgi's diftance, one mile in five, will be taken up with the windings of the road: and this is not improbable, confidering the mountainous nature of the country; for in the flat countries of Hindooftan, the proportion is oftentimes 1 in 7. The territories of Napaul extend to the mountains of Rimola, as they are called in the Lamas' map. Giorgi does not give the mo-dern name of them; but justly concludes that the ancient one was Emodus.. These are a continuation of the chain between Taffafu-don and Paridrong. Between Catmandu and these mountains, he paffed by a famous place of worship, called by him Nogliocot, but by the Bengalefe, Nogarcot; and which gives name to a pafs that leads to it through the Bootan mountains, on the north of Purneah * He alfo croffed the upper part of the Kofs, or Cofa river, which takes its courfe through Purneah, to the Ganges. Tankia, or Tinkia-ling, is a fortrefs and town fituated at the hither foot of Mount Langur, a fecond ridge of ftupendous moun-tains, fituated about 50 miles beyond Mount Rimola; and faid to abound with fuffocating exhalations, which increase as you afcend; : * There is also a famous place of worship of nearly the fame name in the mountains of Lahore. but: but are weakest when the mountains are covered with fnow. Tankia is the first place in Giorgi's Itinerary, that can be recognised in the Lamas' map: for Nialma on the Nitchou river (probably the Nobotha of Giorgi) does not agree with any of Giorgi's names, although its fituation does with Catmandu; which, however, the Thibetians call Jangbu. About 25 miles beyond Mount Langur, is the beautiful valley of Tingri, faid to be 50 miles in length, though but narrow. It is described by Giorgi as an earthly Paradise, in every respect save the fharpness of the air. The next place of note is Zuenga, or Tzuenga, a castle or fortress on the river Bontfu (fuppofed by Giorgi to be the Bantifo of Ptolemy) and about 90 B. miles from Tankia. From hence two roads lead to Laffa: the northernmoft by Sgigatche (or Jiecfee as it is called in the Lamas' map) and Rimbu; the other, and which was travelled by Giorgi, is by Kiangfee, or Tchiantfe. He speaks of wild horses variously spotted, in great numbers on the banks of the Bontfu. These, I prefume, are of the kind that are annually brought for fale into Hindooftan, where they are known by the name of Tanyans; and are of a hardy breed. Kiangfe is reprefented as a fine city and fortrefs; with a convent near it, which is fo very extensive and magnificent, that it has the appearance of another city. About 50 miles beyond Kiangfe, and 3 days journey fhort of Laffa, is the famous Lake Palte, called by the natives Jamdro, or Jangfo. It is of fo great extent, that according to the report of the natives, it requires eighteen days to walk round it. In the Lamas' map, however, the circumference is only 150 British miles. In the middle of it, there are, according to Giorgi, a continued range of hillocks and islands, or, according to the Lamas' map, one vast island, incircled by a lake from 3 to 6 miles wide. On the weltern fhore of this island, or congeries of islands, is a monaftery, and and the feat of the Lamiffa* Turcepamo, or The Great Regenerate: in whom the Thibetians think that a divine spirit is regenerated, as in the great Lama. The road from Kiangfe to Laffa lies along the north fide of this lake, a day and half's journey. Between the lake and the river Sanpoo, which is about 12 miles, another very high ridge of mountains croffes the road. This is named Mount Kambala, and from the top of it may be feen towards the north, a range of still higher mountains covered with fnow. The river Sanpoo +, or, according to Giorgi, Tzangciu, or Tzanga, is 7 miles from the foot of Mount Kambala; and is croffed in the way to Laffa, about 12 miles farther on, either over a bridge, or in a boat. The bridge, as well as most others in this country, is compofed of iron chains ftretched from fide to fide, with planks or logs laid across them. Giorgi fays that the chains are compofed of 500 links, each a foot long . We may conclude that the bridge is laid over the narrowest part they could find, which, by this account, is 160 English yards in breadth; otherwife we might expect a larger body of water in a river that had ran at least 7 or 800 miles; and had received into its bed, fo great a number of streams. I compute that at this croffing place, the Sanpoo (which is afterwards called the Burrampooter) has as far to run to meet the fea, as the Ganges has at its first entry on the plains of Hindooftan; that is, about 1350 B. miles. The city of Laffa is, by the road, about 24 miles to the northeastward of the croffing place of the Sanpoo; and is fituated in a fpacious plain. It is not confidered as a large city; but the houses are of stone, and are spacious and lofty. The mountain of Putala, which contains on its fummit the palace of the grand Lama, the High Priest and Sovereign of Thibet, is about 7 miles on the east of the city. * Lama fignifies a Prieft, or Minister of Religion; and Lamiffa is the feminine of Lama. Sanpoo, in the language of Thibet, means The River. I take it for granted that he means Roman feet. Q Much Much confufion arifes from the application of fo many different names to this capital of Thibet. Giorgi tells us, that the proper name of it, in the language of Thibet is Baronthala, but that the Tartars call it Laffa, or Lahaffa. Other accounts call it Tonker and apply the names Laffa and Baronthala to the district which contains Tonker and Putala. And again others give the name of Putala instead of Laffa, to the capital of Thibet. But we ought to apply the name Laffa, or Lahaffa, to the capital; and to confider Putala as the castle and palace of the Lama, and his ordinary place of refidence. By Thibet, or more properly Great Thibet, we are to understand all that vast country extending from the fources of the Indus to the borders of China; and from Hindooftan, to the great defert of Cobi, northward; though we have but a faint idea of its extent towards that quarter. Its length from east to west cannot be less than 1600 British miles: its breadth is very unequal. We are informed generally that it is divided into three parts; that is, Upper, Middle, and Lower Thibet. The upper divifion feems to respect the countries towards the fources of the Ganges and Sanpoo rivers: the middle, that in which Laffa is fituated, and of which it forms the centre and the lower Thibet, that which borders on China. But the fubject is obfcure, and likely to remain fo. I am not informed, whether or not the country called Little Thibet is fubject to Laffa: This is fituated between Upper Thibet and Cashmere. Confidering the exceeding rough and sterile state of the country of Thibet, and the severity of its climate, from its wonderful elevation, we are astonished to find its inhabitants in a high state of civilization; their houfes lofty and built of stone: and the useful manufactures in fome degree of improvement. All these advantages they probably owe to their vicinity to the Chinese; to whom, indeed the Lama is tributary For an account of Thibet, See Aftley's Collection, Vol. IV.; Phil. Tranf. Vol. LXVIII.; and the Alphabetum Thibetanum. The |