OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN ASIA. 203 



Bramapoutra,) the Satadru, and the Ladauk, which is evident- 

 ly the largest' branch of the Indus. Mr Arrowsmith has ex- 

 tended it along the western bank of the Ladauk ', but Dr Bu- 

 chanan has every reason to believe, that it stretches along the 

 opposite side, and unites itself to the Mooz Taugh, forming a 

 complete barrier between Great and Little Thibet. Whether 

 or how far it extends northward, in the direction indicated by 

 Ptolemy, modern geography does not afford the means of as- 

 certaining. Dr Buchanan is disposed to view it as a prolon- 

 gation of the Mooz Taugh, turning southwards, and uniting 

 with the Himalaya. This is evidently little more than a no- 

 minal distinction from the opposite view of Ptolemy, in ma- 

 king it a continuation of the Imaus northward. 



Under Dr Buchanan's direction, I have ventured to lay 

 down the chain of mountains in question according to his idea 

 of their course ; also the sources of the Bramapoutra, Ladauk, 

 Satadru and Gogra. 



Dr Buchanan is of opinion, that the representation of Chi- 

 na as a country of mountains would not be so wholly incorrect 

 as I have supposed. He conceives, that the lofty chain sepa- 

 rating Canton from the northern provinces, and which was 

 crossed by Sir George Staunton, is a prolongation of the Hi- 

 malaya. This would make Ptolemy correct, in extending 

 that chain, under the name of Ottorocoras, to the extremity of 

 the known world. The western provinces of the empire are 

 also in general mountainous. 



Dr Buchanan attaches no importance to the name of Seri- 

 nagur, (properly Sreenagur, the Holy City,) as he knows its 

 foundation to be entirely modern, and not to reach back above 

 two or three centuries. 



The ancient Map is copied from those usually appended to 

 Ptolemy's Geography, unless in a few instances, where these 

 appeared to differ from the text, which is universally allowed 

 to be of higher authority. 



C c 2 XL 



