VOL. LXXI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 39 



IX. An Account of the Ganges and Burrampooter Rivers. By James Rennell, 



Esq., F.R.S. p. 87. 



The * Ganges and -f- Burrampooter rivers, with their numerous branches and 

 adjuncts, intersect the country of Bengal in such a variety of directions, as to 

 form the most complete and easy inland navigation that can be conceived. So 

 equally and admirably diffused are those natural canals, over a country that 

 approaches nearly to a perfect plane, that, after excepting the lands contiguous 

 to Burdwan, Birboom, &c. which altogether do not constitute a 6th part of 

 Bengal, we may fairly pronounce, that every other part of the country has, even 

 in the dry season, some navigable stream within 25 miles at farthest, and more 

 commonly within a 3d part of that distance. It is supposed, that this inland 

 navigation gives constant employment to 30,000 boatmen ; for all the salt, and 

 a large proportion of the food consumed by 10 millions of people, are conveyed 

 by water within the kingdom of Bengal and its dependencies. To these must 

 be added, the transport of the commercial exports and imports, probably to the 

 amount of 2 millions sterling per ann.; the interchange of manufactures and 

 products throughout the whole country; the fisheries; and the article of travelling 



These rivers exactly resemble each other in length of course; in bulk, till they ap- 

 proach the sea; in the smoothness and colour of their waters; in the appearance of 

 their borders and islands; and finally, in the height to which their floods rise with 

 the periodical rains. Of the two, the Burrampooter is the larger; but the difference 

 is not obvious to the eye. It is now well known that they derive their sources 

 from the vast mountains of Thibet*; whence they proceed in opposite directions; 

 the Ganges seeking the plains of Hindostan, by the west; and the Burrampooter by 

 the east; both pursuing the early part of their course through rugged vallies and 

 defiles. The Ganges, after wandering about 750 miles through these moun- 

 tainous regions, issues forth a deity to the superstitious, yet gladdened, inhabi- 

 tant of Hindostan. From riurdwar, or Hurdoar, in latitude 30°, where it 

 gushes through an opening in the mountains, it flows with a smooth navigable 

 stream through delightful plains during the remainder of its course to the sea, 

 which is about 1350 miles, diffusing plenty immediately by means of its living 



* The proper name of this river in the language of Hindostan, is Pudda or Padda. It is also 

 named Burra-Gonga, or the Great River; and Gonga, the river, by way of eminence; and from 

 this doubtless the European names of the river are derived. — Orig. 



+ The orthography of this word, as given here, is according to the common pronunciation in 

 Bengal ; but it is said to be written in the Sancrit language, Brahma-pootar, which signifies the son 

 of Brahma. — Orig. 



+ These are among the highest of the mountains of the old hemisphere. Their height may in 

 some measure be guessed, by the circumstance of their rising considerably above the horizon, when 

 viewed from the plains of Bengal, at the distance of 150 miles. — Orig. 



