184 ON THE ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY 



dia, which here separate, and flow in opposite directions ; on 

 one side, the Indus, with its tributary the Ladauk ; on the 

 other, the Sanpoo, or Barrumpooter, both of which, at the 

 highest point to which they have been traced, are already large 

 streams, that have evidently flowed from a great distance. It 

 is well known to those who are accustomed to such researches, 

 that the point at which great rivers thus rise and separate, is 

 always the most elevated of any region. The proof from ana- 

 logy is therefore so strong, as to render perhaps any other ar- 

 gument superfluous. But if we collect the slender notices that 

 exist, this feature will not be found wholly destitute, even of 

 modern testimony. The little we know relative to Great Thi- 

 bet, is chiefly derived from Duhalde's report of the mission of 

 two Lamas from the court of China. Their object was, to 

 make a map of that region, and to ascertain the sources of the 

 Ganges. On their return they stated, that there zcas a great 

 chain of mountains separating Great from Little Thibet; that 

 from one side of this chain descended the Barrumpooter, and 

 from the other, which they did not visit, the Ganges, with the 

 Ladauk falling into it. It is now certain, that they were mis- 

 taken as to the Ganges j but I think it probable, that what 

 they supposed to be that river, was really the Indus ; be- 

 cause Mr Elphinstone's map exhibits the Indus holding the 

 same course along the table land of Thibet, and receiving the 

 Ladauk in the very same manner that they understood the 

 Ganges to do. We have therefore the testimony of these per- 

 sons, that there exists a great chain of mountains in the very 

 quarter, and running in the very direction, indicated by Ptolemy. 

 In 1725, the missionaries Desideri and Freyre made the 

 journey from Cashmire to Ladauk *. They describe it to be 



a 



* Lettres Edifiantes, vol. xi 



