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Nagpour is. It is pofsible, however, that the clouds which occasion a rainy season at the mouth of the Godavery, may come from the east of Cape Comorin: though I rather believe the contrary, as the Cape bears SSW from it, and the reigning winds are much more westerly. We may, I think, conclude then, that the region of the Gauts, shelters a particular tract only; beyond which, the light and elevated clouds that pafs over it, descend in rain. Madras is within the limits of the sheltered tract, though at least 300 miles to leeward of the Gauts: Rajamundry (near the mouth of the Godavery) and Nagpour, may be about 500. It would be curious to know the exact limit of wet and dry. If I mistake not, until lately it was a general opinion, that the Gauts extended from the northern (or Bootan) mountains to Cape Comorin; and occasioned a diversity of seasons, at one and the same time, throughout all India. But the truth is, that different seasons exist at the same moment, only in a part of the peninsula: for the cause ceases in the parallel of Surat; where the SW wind, no longer opposed by a wall of mountains, carries its supplies of moisture uninterruptedly, both far and near, over the whole face of the country. For some particulars respecting the northern extremity of the Gauts, see page 258.

As the peninsula, or tract discussed in this Section, contains more interesting matter than could well be comprized within the space furnished by such a scale, as could conveniently be applied to a general map, of so large a tract as India; it was judged necessary to form another map of the peninsula, on a larger scale. Those who may become possessed of it, will find the account of its construction in this Memoir: which is common to both maps, throughout this whole Section; and also in the first Section, as far as the map of the peninsula is concerned. The scale of this map, is just double that of the general one.

SECTION VI.

The Countries between HINDOOSTAN and CHINA.

T

It has been said before (page 48), that the first ridge of mountains towards Thibet and Bootan, forms the limits of the survey to the north: to which I may now add, that the surveys extend no farther eastward, than to the frontiers of Assam and Meckley.

The Jesuits' map of China, as given in Du Halde, places the western boundary of Yunan (the westernmost of the provinces of China) between the 97th and 98th degrees of east longitude, in the parallel of 24°: so that the eastern frontier of Bengal (Silhet) is within 350 British miles of the western part of China; or to speak comparatively, the same distance as Silhet is from Calcutta. Here one is apt to wonder, that, considering their proximity to each other, there should be no communication between the two countries. The reasons probably are, that Yunan does not produce such manufactures as are in request among foreigners; and that the courses of the great navigable rivers in those parts, are unfavourable to a communication by water. The space between Bengal and China, is occupied by the province of Meckley, and other districts, subject to the King of Burmah, or Ava.

The river Nou-Kian, little, if at all, inferior to the Ganges, runs to the south, through that angle of Yunan which approaches nearest to Bengal; where the Jesuits, who formed the map of China, left it, in its course to the south-west. This river, M. D'Anville conceived to be the same with that of Pegu; in like manner

as he supposed the Sanpoo to be the Ava river: but succeeding accounts have left no doubt remaining, that the Nou-Kian is the river of Ava. In the Modern Universal History (Vol. VI. p. 205) is an account of a voyage performed on this river, by four Chinese, about the middle of the last century. They went from Yunan to Yuntchian, and from thence to the frontiers of Ava; where they embarked, and went down the stream, to the city of Ava.

In my account of the construction of the sea coasts (page 39), my authorities for describing the delta of the Ava river, from the sea, to the parallel of 18°, are given. The Dutch MS. map there quoted, describes the whole course of the river, as high up as the city of Ava itself; which it places in latitude 21° 48′; and also says in a note " by observation:" and indeed, the whole scale of the map seems to be formed from the difference of latitude.

The difference of longitude, as inferred from this Dutch map, places Ava in 97°. But Capt. George Baker, of whose accuracy I entertain a high opinion, took the bearings, and estimated the distances, the whole way from Negrais to Ava; and the result, corrected by the observation at Ava, 21° 48′, gives the longitude 97° 45' and this longitude I have adopted. Capt. Baker's estimation of the courses and distances between Negrais and Ava, placed the latter in lon. 97° 54', lat. 22° 5'; or 17' to the north of the observation, recorded in the Dutch map. This error, on a distance of about 400 miles, is trifling; being lefs than a 20th part.* Ava

Lest the particulars from whence the river of Ava, &c. is constructed, should be lost, I have recorded them here.

From Negrais to Persaim NNE 45 G.miles. Camma to Meachagong N by E 20 G. miles.
Prygge
NNE 45
NNE 35

Head of Negrais river NE 60

Lundsey

Saladun

Prone

Camma

N 35

NNW 25

NE 18
N by E 15

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Mellone
Raynangong NNE 35
Sallumea
N 25
Youngeve NE by N 25
Ava
Monchaboo

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ENE 70

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N 45

The whole traverse gives a course of N 27° 30′ E, distance 408 G. miles. The distance corrected, is 389.

The Dutch map gives a bearing of N 35° 50' W, distance 80,3 miles, between Syrian river point (meaning the point of conflux of the Syrian and Dogon rivers), and the head of Negrais river; the upper point of the delta.

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stands in the old maps, in lat. 25° 20', lon. 96° 36'. The particulars of the course of its river, I have taken from the Dutch map; as Capt. Baker describes only the general direction of it.

Monchaboo, a city, and the residence of the King of Burmah, or Ava, in 1755, is by Capt. Baker's account, 384 G. miles north from Ava: and this was the extreme point of his travels that way.

The Nou-Kian is named Irabatty by the people of Ava; and is said by them, to be navigable from the city of Ava, into Yunan. Monchaboo being within 130 B. miles of the Chinese frontier, we want only so much, to complete the course of the river in the This break is there described by dotted lines.

map.

Capt. Baker describes the country bordering on the Ava river, from the sea to Lundsey, as being very flat, and the soil rich: and, I suppose, like that at the lower parts of the courses of the Ganges, Indus, and other capital rivers, formed out of the mud deposited by the inundations of the river. This low tract is named Pegu, and formed an independent kingdom in 1754, when it was reduced by the King of Burmah, to the state of a dependent province.

Burmah borders on Pegu to the north, and occupies both banks of the river, as far as the frontiers of China. On the north-west is Meckley, which we have before taken notice of: and on the west Aracan (or Reccan) and Roshaan. On the east, it has the kingdom or country of Upper Siam; which, Capt. Baker informs us, begins at a small distance eastward from the city of Ava: a ridge of mountains separating it from Burmah and Pegu.

The King of Burmah, whose reputed capital is Ava, and from whence the whole kingdom, though erroneously, is often denominated, is said to pofsefs not only the country of Meckley, in addition to those of Pegu and Burmah; but also the whole tract which lies on the north of it, between China, Thibet, and Assam. Du Halde's map speaks positively, as to this point; but with what

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truth I know not, as I have never been able to gain any information on the subject.

Capt. Baker informs us, that the country of Burmah, adjacent to the banks of the Irabatty, or Ava river, between Pegu and Monchaboo, is in some places hilly, and in others flat; but not so low as to suffer inundations. Its produce is, in most respects, nearly the same, as that of the countries contiguous to the Ganges; and, it is remarkable, that the lands which produce the greatest quantity of saltpetre, are much about the same distance from the sea, as those of the same nature near the Ganges, and Indus.

Mr. Verelst, who meditated an expedition into Meckley from Bengal, and actually advanced as far as Cospour on his way to it, in 1763; was informed by his Meckley guides, that after passing the first ridge of mountains beyond Cachar, he would find a fertile and well inhabited country all the way to Ava. He, however, went no farther than Cospour; but the particulars of the road between that place and Ava, are described from the intelligence furnished by the guides who attended him.

The country of Burmah produces some of the best teek timber in India. The forests which produce this most useful and valuable article, are situated between the western bank of the Ava river, and the country of Aracan; and are only 250 miles from the sea, by the course of the river.

The Sanpoo, or Thibet river, was supposed by M. D'Anville to be the same with that which is called, in the lower part of its course, the river of Ava: but we have not the least doubt at present, of its being the same with the Burrampooter, which enters Bengal on the north-east, and joins the Ganges near the sea. I traced it in 1765, to about 400 miles above the conflux; that is, as high as the latitude of 26°, longitude 91°; where the Bengal districts end, and those of Afsam begin: but I was not permitted to go any higher. However, some few Europeans, engaged in the

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