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the most accurate of which makes the breadth of the hither India (or that included between the mouths of the Ganges and Indus) near two degrees and a quarter of longitude narrower than it appears in my map; at the fame time that it makes the lower part of the peninfula three quarters of a degree wider than mine does. I have been enabled by means of obfervations of longitude taken át Bombay, Cochin, Madras, Calcutta, Agra, &c. together with measured lines and furveys extended from the above places, to frame a very good ground work for my map: and, I flatter myself, that the general outline, and principal members of it, are determined with as much precifion, as those of moft European countries. The fea ́coafts in particular, are as correct as can be expected in a map of this scale.

In the divifion of HINDOOSTAN into foubahs, &c. I have followed the mode adopted by the Emperor AĊBAR, as it appears to me to be the most permanent one: for the ideas of the boundaries are not only impreffed on the minds of the natives by tradition, but are also ascertained in the AYENEH ACBAREE; a register of the highest authority. But for the lower parts of the DECCAN, and the peninfula in general, this ftandard being wanting, I had recourse to the best information I could get, which was not, indeed, of the moft perfect kind: and therefore

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my attention principally to the state of the modern divisions in thofe quarters, the impreffing a clear idea of which, is one principal aim of the work.

It must be observed, that fince the empire has been dismembered, a new divifion of its provinces has also taken place; by which means fome foubahs now form a part of the dominions of three or more Princes; and very few are preferved entire. These modern divifions are not only distinguished in the map by the names of the prefent poffeffors; but the colouring alfo is entirely employed in facilitating the diftinctions between them. that the modern divifions appear, as it were, in the fore ground; and the ancient ones in the back ground; one illuftrating and explaining the other.

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Confidering the vast extent of India, and how little its interior parts have been vifited by Europeans, till the latter part of the last century, it ought rather to surprize us that so much Geographical matter fhould be collected during so short a period; especially where fo little has been contributed towards it by the natives themselves, as in the prefent cafe. Indeed, we must not go much farther back than thirty years, for the matter that forms the bafis of this map. And it must not be forgotten, that the Eaft India Company have caused a mathematical furvey to be made, at their own expence, of a tract equal unsu vlynigildo oily,dusЯ notiquod „Mini

in extent to France and England taken together; befides tracing the outline of near 2000 miles of fea coaft, and a chain of iflands in extent 500 miles more.

Perhaps I cannot find a better mode of bespeaking from the public a favorable opinion of the map, than by particularizing the helps that have been afforded me during the conftruction of it. Mr. Dalrymple ftands foremoft on this lift. With a liberality, not always to be found amongst men who poffefs the means of information, he has furnished me from his valuable collection, with every material in it that could contribute towards perfecting my plan. And accordingly, the most valuable of all the new matter that respects the sea coafts (the surveys made by the direction of the Bengal Prefidency excepted) is taken from his collection; and also a very confiderable portion of what respects the inland parts of the peninfula, and the northern circars. It was by the help of one of his MSS. that I detected an error of about half a degree of longitude in the pofition of Cape Comorin. These materials, which I have thus been permitted to lay before the publick, as it were in the abstract, will afford the most extensive information, when published in detail under the direction of fo able a mafter; and I heartily congratulate the public on the prospect of it.

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The next Gentleman to whom I am principally indebted, is Mr. Boughton Roufe, who obligingly tranflated for me from

from the AYENEH ACBAREE, an account of the boundaries and divifions of the western soubahs, together with a variety of other Geographical matter, much of which is fo blended with other fubjects, as to require a tedious, and a patient investigation. This affiftance has enabled me not only to enrich the map generally with places, whose fituations have hitherto been undefcribed, but to new model all the western part. My obligations to this Gentleman are the greater, in that the affiftance afforded me, was at the expence of that fmall portion of leifure, which his public bufiness left him.

I owe my thanks to Mr. Davy for a tranflation of the names in the Perfian map of the PANJAB Country, which he undertook at the requeft of Sir Robert Barker, to whom the Persian map belongs, and to whom I confider myself as equally indebted. This valuable MS. furnishes us with a clear idea of the names and courfes of the five rivers, as well as the general Geography of a country that has hitherto been lefs known to us than any of the Indian provinces.

To Colonel Camac I am indebted for the Itinerary of Golam Mohamed, a Sepoy officer, whom he fent in 1774 to explore the roads and country between Bengal and the Deccan. I flatter myfelf with the hopes of receiving yet more information from him; as the opportunities which have lately offered, have been too favorable to his fpirit of enterprize and enquiry to be neglected.

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I also acknowledge my obligations to Governor Verelst, General Caillaud, General Jofeph Smith, and to Meffieurs Farmer, Ramfay, Cotsford, Price, and Townsend, for MS. maps, sketches, and various articles of information.

To the Reverend Mr. Smith's ingenuity and perfeverance I stand indebted for a complete route from the banks of the Jumna river, through the centre of Hindoostan, to Bombay. This route, by croffing a tract of country hitherto little known, and, of course, very imperfectly and erroneoufly described, contains much useful matter. It happened unluckily, that nothing more than a MS. Journal of General Goddard's march came to my hands, till the map was nearly compleated: but as Mr. Smith's obfervations had previously fixed the principal points in it, this is a matter not to be so much regretted; and efpecially as I have fince corrected most of the intermediate fituations by a map of the General's route.

I have borrowed largely from M. D'Apres' New. Neptune Orientale, for the fea coafts and iflands: and alfo, though in a smaller degree, from M. D'Anville's maps of Afia and India published in 1751 and 1752. When it is confidered that this excellent Geographer had scarcely any materials to work on for the inland parts of India, but fome vague Itineraries, and books of travels, one is really aftonished to find them fo well defcribed as they are. It is with regret that I find myself. obliged to differ in opinion from

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