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IV. Concerning the Position of SIRINAGUR, and the upper Part of the Course of the GANGES.

[Refers to page 227, et seq.]

I FIND that I was misled, by the map of the Ganges, made from the materials furnished by the late M. Tiefentaller; having, on the authority of that map, placed the town of Sirinagur (the capital of a district of the same name) on the north of Hurdwar: whereas, it appears by the observations of some English gentlemen, who visited Sirinagur in 1789, to lie nearly to the E NE of Hurdwar. It is a very extraordinary mistake; and ought to render us cautious in receiving other reports (of bearings, at least), from the same authority.

The position of Sirinagur is at present established, in the additional map (at page 65), on the authority of Capt. John Guthrie, who visited it in 1789: and who says, that " it is 85 miles from "Coadwar Gaut, through the hills: and 60 cosses from Hurd war, up the Ganges, to the ENE: ascertained by a compass and perambulator.” (Road miles are no doubt intended.) I am indebted to Col. Mark Wood, chief engineer of Fort William, Bengal, for this obliging communication.

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Mr. Daniel, with a party also visited Sirinagur, the same year: and he gives nearly the same idea of its geographical position. It is situated in an exceeding deep, and very narrow valley; formed by mount Sewalick,* the northern boundary of Hindoostan, on the one side; and the vast ridge of snowy mountains of HIMMALEH, or IMAUS, on the other: and from the report of the natives, it would appear, that the nearest part of the base of the latter (on which snow was actually falling, in the month of May), was not

Sewalick is the term, according to the common acceptation; but Capt. Kirkpatrick proves, from the evident etymology of it, that it should be Sewa-luck.

more than 14 or 15 G. miles in direct distance, to the N, or NE of Sirinagur town.

In crossing the mountains of Sewalick, they met with vegetable productions, proper to the temperate climates; and the thermometer stood at 58°: but in descending into the lower part of the valley of Sirinagur (although, as we have just said, the north side of it, is bordered by snowy mountains), the thermometer rose to 100°, in the shade: which was 2o higher than at the place where they first began to ascend, from the plains of Hindoostan.

Mr. Daniel was greatly struck with the magnificence of the scenery, during this short excursion; particularly in the valley of Sirinagur itself, on one side of which, the base of the snowy ridge may be said to commence: and the entire face of the mountain, from the base to the summit, meeting the eye at once, exhibits a boldness of front, and vastnefs of elevation, that is seldom equalled in one and the same point of view.

Some geographical information concerning the upper part of the course of the Ganges, and its principal branches, appears at the foot of a very characteristic, and beautiful sketch, of the two great chains of mountains; drawn by Mr. Daniel, and transmitted to this country; and communicated to me, by my friend Sir Joseph Banks. This information is contained in three geographical sketches, explained in some letters that accompany them. Two of these sketches are Mr. Daniel's original ones; and as far as they go, exhibit that firm attachment to truth, and honesty of discrimination, which I have observed in all the works of this ingenious artist : for he has made two distinct sketches, of what he saw, and of what he only heard of. The third sketch is called "Mr. Daniel's sketch "corrected:" and differs in one remarkable particular, from the original one; in that the Alucknundra river, which pafses under Sirinagur, is made perfectly distinct from the Baghyretty but Mr. Daniel's sketch describes the Alucknundra, as a branch of the Baghyretty, which separates from it, below the cow's mouth, and

rejoins it below Sirinagur. I know not to whom I am to attribute this "corrected sketch;" but some of the information written under it, differs from that contained in Mr. Daniel's letters.

Although the geographical information furnished by this tour, is not of a kind, perfect or circumstantial enough, to allow of its being inserted in the great map: yet, on the whole, afsisted by our previous, though very limited, knowledge of the subject, we may draw from it, the following conclusions:

1st. That the Baghyretty (which I take to be the true head of the Ganges) and Alucknundra rivers, the former from the N, and the latter from the NE; join their streams at Deuprag, or the middle Gangoutra,* at a few miles distance below Sirinagur; and then form the proper Ganges of Hindoostan; which afterwards issues through mount Sewalick, at Hurdwar, the lower Gangoutra.

2d. That Sirinagur is situated on the Alucknundra, reckoned the largest of the two streams: and being there confined within a channel of 100 yards wide, runs with astonishing rapidity, and is crofsed by means of rope bridges, of a peculiar construction.

3d. That the Alucknundra river (or at least the eastern branch of it) has its source in the snowy mountains of Thibet; and is traceable to Buddlenaut, or Badrenaut, nine journies above Sirinagur. The road being exceedingly difficult, great deductions must of course be made, in reducing the distance to a straight line. By the map, at page 200, it seems probable, that the Alucknundra is the same river that appears in Du Halde (Vol. IV.), under the name of Manchou; whose source is not far from that of the Ganges; and which it joins before that river issues from mount Sewalick.

4th. That the Baghyretty river, has a source far more remote than the Alucknundra: but through defect of information, the direction of its course above the upper Gangoutra, is unknown. The account in the corrected sketch, says, that one branch of it This is a compound term, signifying the fall or cascade of the Ganga, or Ganges.

comes from the lake Dhul above Cashmere: but this lake, as is well known, having no outlet on the east, from the valley of Cashmere; any branch of the Ganges that comes from the north-west, must of course, spring from the mountains that lie on the east of Cashmere. As to the head of the Ganges itself, we cannot forget the particulars, communicated by the Lamas, sent by CAMHI; whose report, although defective in geometrical exactness, has not fallen under any suspicions of error, or misrepresentation, in plain matters of fact: and their report was, that the Ganges issues from the lake Mapana, and runs westward; afterwards turning to the south, and south-east. The messenger sent by Tiefentaller, appears to have corroborated this report; though without intending it. [See pages 309 and 310 of the Memoir.]

The distance of the cavern, named the cow's mouth, is not written on Mr. Daniel's sketch; but may be inferred by the proportional spaces, to be somewhat nearer to Sirinagur, than Badrenaut is. It is described to be above the upper Gangoutra (though I had supposed it to be one and the same place), and this last, is about 150 G. miles from Sirinagur, by Tiefentaller's account: and as this gentleman's report of the distance between Hurdwar and Sirinagur agrees with the late accounts; that between Sirinagur and Gangoutra (as he also travelled it himself) may, I think, be ad mitted in the present case.

Upon the whole, we have made no advances, in the present instance, towards ascertaining the upper part of the course of the Ganges; or that between its source and the cow's mouth; which latter, we may conceive, from the accounts before us, to be situated in a north, or N by W, direction from Hurdwar. Between those points, the Ganges may be supposed to take a deep bend ; though perhaps not quite so deep as the Lamas' map describes it.

Mr. Daniel was informed (as we have before hinted), that the Baghyretty river, at a considerable distance below the cow's mouth, (that is, four journies) separates into two branches; the easternmost

of which is said to be the Alucknundra. It is however, so unusual a circumstance, in a rugged and mountainous country, for a river to separate into different branches; and these to unite again, at the distance of several days' journey, lower down; that it requires a more decisive kind of evidence, than the vague report of travellers; given perhaps, in a language not critically understood by the persons who received it. Concerning this, and other particulars, the very active and spirited inquiries, now pursued by our countrymen in India, may speedily furnish us with very satisfactory information.

My worthy friend, Col. Robert Kyd, of the Bengal establishment, whose active and philanthropic mind, directs every discovery, and every incident, towards the benefit of his fellow creatures; observes, on occasion of his communicating the narrative of Mr. Daniel's journey, to the Government of Bengal, "that the facility of "communication with this Alpine region, enables those, whose "ill health might otherwise compel them to revisit their native "country, subject to the annoyance of breathing the unwholesome "air of a ship, for several months; to effect a change of climate "from that of the burning plains of Hindoostan, to the cold of “Greenland (if required), in 48 hours; or to any of the inter"mediate temperatures, between those extremes: accompanied "also with the no lefs desirable change of vegetable diet. To those European constitutions that have been relaxed, by long residence, "in the lower regions of Bengal, the Rungpour frontier offers a "similar resource; and is still nearer at hand."

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END OF THE MEMOIR.

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