354 MEMOIR OF A SURVEY OF 



allusion to the legend of Parasurama having opened a passage for the 

 Brahmaputra through the hills, with a blow of his kuthdr, or axe. 



Want of supplies prevented a stay at this point, and rendered a 

 prompt return to Sadiya indispensable, which was effected by the 11th of 

 April." 



The Asamese distinguish the Prabhu Kuthdr (the Kund now visited) 

 from the holy Kund, in which the river has its origin ; but they have no 

 clear idea of the situation of the latter, and they universally declare it to 

 be utterly inaccessible to man. 



It is much to be wished that some one adequate to the task would 

 follow up Colonel Wilford\s enquiry, now that we are possessed of much 

 more accurate information. At present there appear so many discrepan- 

 cies between the Hindu legends, and facts, that we are quite at a loss : 

 however, Colonel Wilford also recognises the famous chasm or pass of 

 Prabhu Kuthdr as totally different from the Kunda. The pass, he informs 

 us, is, according to the Kshetra Samdsa, sixteen yojans or sixty-four kos 

 to the eastward of Godagram, or Gorganh, (it is, in fact, about one hun- 

 dred and fifty miles distant,) and from the pass to the Kunda is a journey 

 of eight days. The continuation of Colonel W.'s discussion contains a 

 singular mixture of what closely resembles the truth, with other matter 

 which we cannot reconcile with what we know to be fact. 



* The Asamese have no notion that a pilgrimage was ever made beyond 

 the Prabhu Kuthdr; but if it ever were, I know, from the difficulties of 



* Asiatic Researches, XIV. p. 4>2i. " From the pass to the Canda, the journey is always per- 

 formed in eight days, because travellers must keep together, on account of the inhabitants, who are 

 savages, great thieves, and very cruel. There are fixed and regular stages, with several huts of the 



