X. — On the Valley of the SutlifJ River in the Himalaya Mountains. 



By H. T. COLEBROOKE, Esq. f.r.s. f.l.s. v.p.g.s. 



[ Read December 1, 1820.] 



X HE Satruda oi' Sutluj river, taking its source in the lake of Rawan, con- 

 tiguous to the celebrated Manasarover, within the Himalaya mountains, 

 descends through a long valley of that lofty range, in a w^esterly and south- 

 westerly direction towards Hindustan*. It issues from the Himalaya, at a di- 

 stance of fourteen miles from Rampur, the capital of Basahar : the moun- 

 tainous chain runs north-west towards Cashmir ; and the river cuts it at half 

 a right angle. The subsequent course of the stream traverses a hilly tract of 

 less elevation, comprising a part of Basahar with Handiir and Calur (of which 

 the capitals are Bilaspiir and Palasiya) ; until finally it emerges into the plain 

 of Hindustan. 



Within the snowy mountains the valley of the Sutluj bears the name of 

 Khanawer : which designates a tract of country extending eastward to Shipki, 

 the frontier town of the Chinese territory, — and northward to Shialcar, a fort 

 of Basahar, upon the borders of Latac, on the banks of the river Li, which 

 joins the Sutluj under the village of Namgia, the last of Basahar. 



The Li, nearly equal in size to the Sutluj, has its source south of Leh, the 

 capital of Latac. Its course is southerly to its confluence with the Sutluj. 



The district of Khanawer, or middle valley of the Sutluj, stretches twenty- 

 five miles along the banks of the Li to Change and Shialcar. 



The upper valley of the Sutluj, from its source in the Rawan-hrad to the 

 town of Shipki, lies within the Chinese territory. A considerable portion of 

 it was seen by Mr. Moorcroft in his journey to the Manasarover, a narrative 

 of which is published in the twelfth volume of Researches of the Asiatic 

 Society. 



* The map (Plate XXIII.) intended to illustrate this Paper was sketched by Mr. Webster, 

 under the direction of Mr. Colebrooke, from various documents. The connexion of the valley of 

 the Sutluj with the rest of India, is shown in Plate XXIV. — In the word Sutluj the last syllable is 

 to be pronounced as if written -ledge, or .hedge, — Sut.ludge. 



