€74 C^PT. Fn.iNicLiN's Memoir on Bundelhltund. 



The Betwanti or Befxi'd (Veiava) river belongs partly to Malwa and partly 

 to Bundelkhund. It rises uear B/idpd I ; and pursuing a north-east course, 

 pierces the Bmdhi/dchal mountains, about ten miles south of ChandH ; and 

 after receiving its tributary streams, the U'r, tlie Jdmn'i, the Dcsdn, and 

 Binnd rivers, it falls into the Jamuna near Amirpur, after a course of iJSO 

 miles. 



The Pdhdwaj, the Raiy, and Paisuni rivers, exclusively belonging to Bun- 

 delkhund, are minor streams. The latter is sacred amongst the Hindus ; 

 and its cataract near J6rai, as well as its romantic course to the plains below, 

 is exceedingly interesting, and particularly so to the Sanscrit student, who 

 may here fancy himself on classic ground. 



There is no cut or canal, nor are any of the rivers navigable, throughout 

 the whole of Bundelkhund : except that, in the rainy season, wlien tlie river 

 is swollen, boats lightly laden may proceed up the Ken river, as far as Bdndd; 

 but in the dry season the above remark is without any exception. 



LAKES, RESEnVOIUS. 



There are numerous reservoirs of water, wlvich have been artificially con- 

 structed : of these the principal, east of the Desdn river, are at Julpw; 

 Mahoba, and Ghurd. But the great field for these stupendous works is west 

 of that river. The former Rdjds of the Bundela dynasty expended vast 

 sums of money on works of this nature ; and the lakes of Beinxi-Sdgar, 

 Arjdl, Bir-Sdgar, Nandana-wdrd, Bomori, Jhatdrd, Giird, Bhdnd, and 

 many others, are striking proofs of tliis fact. It is difficult to convey an 

 adequate idea of the immense piles of masonry, which in some cases have 

 been heaped up to stay the current of the stream, and force its waters to 

 expand ; or of the extreme simplicity by which the same object has been 

 efi'ected in others : the lakes of Nandan-wdrd and of Arjdl are instances 

 illustrative of both these remarks. 



The great object of these reservoirs was irrigation ; and their waters in 

 some instances are diffused, by means of small drains, to lands which are 

 many miles distant. The general sterility of the soil required these aids ; 

 and without them, nearly the whole tract would have remained an unpro- 

 fitable waste. 



