II V 
Ganges and Burrampooter Rivers. 
of China. Here it appears,, as if undetermined whether to 
attempt a paffage to the fea by the Gulf of Siam, or by that of 
Bengal ; but feemingly determining on, the latter, it turns fud- 
denly to the weft through Affam, and enters Bengal on the 
northreaft. I have not been able to learn the exa Ct place where 
it changes its name ; but as the people of Aflamcall it Bur- 
rampoot, it would appear, that it takes this name on its enter- 
ing Affam. After its entry into Bengal, it makes a circuit 
round the weftern point of the Garrow Mountains;, and then, 
altering its courfe to fouth, it meets the Ganges about 40 miles 
from the fea. 
Father du halde expreffes his doubts concerning the courfe 
that the Sanpoo takes after leaving Thibet, and only fuppofes 
generally that it falls into the gulf of Bengal. M; d’anville, 
his geographer, with great reafon fuppofed the Sanpoo and 
Ava River to be the fame : and in this he was juftifted by the 
information which his materials afforded him : for the Burram- 
pooter was reprefented to hifi, as one of the inferior ftreams 
that contributed its waters the Ganges, and not as its equal 
or fuperior ; and!this was lufficient to direft his refearches, after 
the mouth of the Sanpoo River, to fome other quarter. The. 
Ava River, as well from its. bulk, as the bent of its courfe foi" 
fame hundred miles above its . mouth, appeared to him to be a 
continuation, of the river: in queftion : and it was accordingly 
defer! bed as filch in. his maps, , the authority of which was 
juftly efteemed' as decilive ; and, till the year 1765, the Bur— 
rampooter, as a capital river, was unknown in Europe. . 
On tracing this river in 1765,! was no lefs fu.rprized, at find- 
ing it rather larger than the Ganges, than at its courfe. previous 
to its entering Bengal. This F found to be from the eaft ; 
although all the former- accounts reprefented it as from the . 
north o . 
