Ganges and Burrampooter Rivers . 1 1 1 
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 
north-eaft. I have not been able to learn the exa dc place where 
it changes its name ; but as the people of Afiam call it Bur- 
rampoot, it would appear, that it takes this name on its enter- 
ing Aliam* After its entry into Bengal, it makes a circuit 
round the weftern point of the G arrow 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 juftified by the 
information which his materials afforded him : for the Burram- 
pooter was reprefented to ht^n, as one of the inferior ftreams 
that contributed its waters the Ganges, and not as its equal 
or fuperior ; and this was sufficient to diredt his refear ches, after 
the mouth of the Sanpoo River, to feme other quarter. The 
Ava River, as well from its bulk, as the bent of its courfe for 
fome hundred miles above its mouth, appeared to him. to be a 
continuation of the river in queftion : and it was -^ccpr^ngly 
defcribed as fuch in his maps, the authority of which was 
juftly efteemed as decifive and, till the. year 1 7*6 5 the Bur- 
rampooter, as a capital river, was •uirknown ijx Europe 
On tracing this river in 17651 , 1 was 110 lefs furprizedj at. find- 
ing it rather larger than the Ganges, than at its courfe previous 
to its entering Bengal. This I found to be from the eaft;, 
although all the former accounts represented It ‘as 1 from the 
north n 
