ASAM AND THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. 325 



side of the same mountain, which gives the primeval rise to the Bur- 

 rampooter, the Khangtis state (as they had before stated to Lieutenant 

 Burlton,) " that the Irawaddy takes its source running south, intersect- 

 ing their country and flowing to the Ava empire. This theory of the sources 

 of the streams is thought by far the most probable ; and it agrees more 

 with the general accounts and the geographical features of the country." 

 A little to the northward of east the opening of the Brahmakund is 

 another less defined dip in the lofty line of the Meeshmee hills, through 

 which Lieutenant Neufville has received a route, accessible to the moun- 

 taineers, of twenty days to the country of the Lama* 



It would be unjust to omit in these details notice of a service 

 rendered to geography by Lieutenant Bedingfield, when communi- 

 cation was opened with the Burmas after the fall of Rangpur ; from 

 several compared accounts he compiled a map of the Kenduen river, 

 from the latitude of Amarapura to its sources, which is no doubt 

 very nearly correct in its general features and also in many particu 

 lars. Subsequent accounts derived from Singfos, have enabled us to 

 improve on the central part and add more topographical detail respect- 

 ing the time of route of the Burmas, nor ought I to omit an account 

 of a journey into Bhutan, performed by a Persian, under Mr. Scott's 

 orders, and from which we learn principally that a route from Gohati 

 to Mursing gaon, in a northerly direction, or a little inclining to east, crosses 

 the Bhuruli river, which falls into the Brahmaputra, opposite Kaliabar. 



* Given in the 16th vol. of Researches : the number of days I suppose nearly correct, but I can- 

 not recognise more than one of the names of the stages, i. e. Tidong for Tiding river, " which might 

 be reached in one day from the Kund by an active Meesmee" but the first cane bridge across the 

 river is, I think, above the confluence of the Tiding, and in that case the Tiding would not require 

 to be crossed in proceeding eastward. The route to the Lama country generally used is on the 

 banks of the river. 



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