304- Capt. Lachlan's Observations on the 



go in with it, without retaining any copy of that document 

 at all. This I regret the more, as a single glance at that 

 map, and its appended notes, imperfect and conjectural as 

 were most of the materials, and rude as was its construction 

 would have given you at once a full insight into all the fea- 

 tures of what I call my " Theory;"" whereas your Sketch, be- 

 ing confined to the upper part of Assam, and, therefore, 

 showing none of the leading feeders of the Burrampooter 

 during its course through that country, can be of little assist- 

 ance, except in nearly exhibiting the real source of the river. 

 I say nearly, because I perceive that neither that map, nor 

 the printed extract, point out expressly the actual situation 

 of the Burrampooter's sources. This, however, it would ap- 

 pear, had subsequently been established beyond a doubt, as 

 I very lately observed in one of the London newspapers a pa- 

 ragraph, stating that Lieutenant Burlton had discovered the 

 Source of the Burrampooter river to be in a snowy range of 

 mountains in lat. 28° N. and Long. 96° 10 ; E.; 1000 miles 

 distant from [i. e. less remote than] the place where it was be- 

 fore supposed to have had its rise ! — 



As matters have turned out, I cannot help regretting that 

 my notes on the subject were not given to the public through 

 the medium of some other channel than the Asiatic Society 

 of London, as, independent of the chance of their never see- 

 ing the light, the delay which has already occurred has alto- 

 gether defeated the principal object I had in view, namely, 

 the hope of their speedily attracting the attention of some of 

 our countrymen on service in Assam, and giving an addition- 

 al spur to their investigations so near the very scene of the 

 disputed geographical question. But, unfortunately, not even 

 the slightest notice of the subject of the Memoir, has ever 

 found its way into any of the public prints, further than that 

 a Paper connected with the geography of the Burrampoo- 

 ter had been read at the Society's Rooms. This, however, 

 cannot now be helped. 



That you may have some general idea how far I have 

 been right in my investigations respecting the Burrampooter's 

 origin, I have much pleasure in stating, without attempting 

 to go into any of the lengthened details given in the Memoir, 



