138 Memorandum on the Ancient bed of [No. 158. 



joined the Ganges about 200 yards west from the Golah, and nearly 

 opposite the point where the Gunduck falls into the Ganges from the 

 north. I forwarded the sketch map, prepared by Lieutenant Maxwell, 

 to Mr. J. B. Elliott, late of the Civil service, the oldest European resi- 

 dent at Patna, who informed me in reply, that some years ago he had 

 been led, by the perusal of the Drama called " Mudra Rakshasha," 

 to make similar enquiries from the natives of the place. The follow- 

 ing is a translation of the result of his enquiries, which corresponds 

 very remarkably with the scientific survey : " Formerly the course 

 of the Sone turned eastward from near Sydabad, whence it proceeded 

 by Ghorhutta and Bikrum to Nowbutpoor, thence via Moorgheea 

 Chuch Mooradpoor, Danapoor, Ghosunda, Koorjee, and Khugwul to 

 Phoolwaree. From the latter town it flowed past Khwajapoora, 

 Sheikhpoora, and Dhukunpoora to Meethapoor ; whence in two 

 streams (Jurrah) it fell into the Ganges near Bakipoor at the Tukeea 

 of Shah Rookun Phulwan. From Phoolwaree a small stream (Sotah) 

 flowed to the eastward, and from opposite Meethapoor, proceeding 

 in a south-easterly direction, it finally united with the Ganges near 

 Futtooha, (Futwa). In the time of Mukhdoom Shah Shuruf Ooddeen 

 Ahmud Yaheea Muneree, (from which a period of upwards of 470 

 years reckoning to the end of 1251 Hijiree has elapsed,) the main 

 stream of the Sone, taking its course west of the town of Muneer, 

 united with the Ganges near that place, and the eastern course with 

 the Sota became dry." 



Lieutenant Maxwell in his first survey was unable to find any 

 trace of the river south of Patna, but the information contained in 

 the above statement regarding the branching off of a Sota, or small 

 stream, from Phoolwaree, enabled him to discover and to follow the 

 bed of the stream to the south of the city by Khemee Chuck and 

 Mirchee, and its exit into the Ganges through the arch of an old 

 bridge, about 3| miles above Futwa. 



The accompanying reduced map on a scale of four miles to the inch, 

 prepared by Lieutenant Maxwell, will I hope be thought satisfac- 

 tory as being the first ever published, which clearly defines the ancient 

 course of the Soane. After receiving this map I met with the follow- 

 ing passage in Buchanan (page 11, volume I, Mr. Martin's edition,) 

 which was written about twenty- three years after Rennell's remark 



