lUMNA IND- EHA'GrRAT'HI' RIVERS;, ^9,' 



SwERGAROHiNi' is the Beared of the five peaks, and forms the 

 wjeftern point of the great fnowy hollow. Rucira Himdla forms the 

 eaftern point: but from it a great fhoulder runs .down to the fouth 

 weflwardv that as far as we could judge gives off, or ends^ in the moun« 

 tains we are furrounded with, and.forms agreaMutnbroken though un- 

 equal Inowy ridge, thatbounds and confines the glen of the Bkdgi'> 



Tns other peaks mentioned above form different poinfs in the back 

 of this immenfe hollow, and all together- cornpofe one of the mod ro=. , 

 mantic as well as, largefl; mountains, perhaps in the world. The 

 above difcufiion and explanation mi.y feem tedious and exceflivej 

 but when the objed is to throw every poffible light on even the re- 

 mote ft, and lead important part, of the courfe of .this, venerable river^ . 

 tedioufnefs may perhaps be.pardonedi,.. 



The old popular idea, that the Ganges ifTdes from a rock like a cow's 

 mouth, (Gae Muk'hJ did not fail to occur to me, and enquiries were 

 loiadc into the origin of this fable. . When it was mentioned, the pun-" ' 

 dit laughed and obferved,:that moft of ihofe pilgrims who came from 

 the plains put the fame queftion in feveral fhapes i one afking whether 

 it did not take its rife from the leaves of a facred. birch, (Bhojpatr ^) 

 others from . its roots : and others again fuppoiingj that the 

 Hream really and vifibly came down from heaven. But he gravely afo 

 fured U5 that no fuch thing happened, and that the river, in truth, 

 came from the fnow as above mentioned. He then gave the account 

 ^bove detailed,,adding, that it was the true one given in the SaJTras, ' 

 and that he was convinced of its corrednefs not only for that reafon,^ 

 but (fhewing the landfcape before us, and pointing to the five peaks, 

 as in evidence of what he advanced,) becaufe, as might be feen, it , 

 couid not well be other wife. 



