14 
F. A. Shillingford —On the Kusl River. 
[No. 1, 
would be extremely interesting to know when this was the case *** that 
this should have occurred within the very limited range of the traditions 
of Lower Bengal induces me to suppose that the beginning of the Chris¬ 
tian era is the highest antiquity that can be ascribed to such a state 
of things. It may be much later.” If the Bir Bandh, to be next 
described, is the limit of a former westward advance of the Kusl, then 
another limit has again been nearly reached, as we have only the rivers 
Parman and Talaba in Bhagalpur as possible future streams, the sources 
of the Dimraand Tiljuga being cut off from the Kusl by the Bir Bandh. 
It is, however, possible for this embankment to be cut away by erosion 
of the right bank of the Kusi, north of where the B. N. W. R. line 
passes through it, but the current would have to cut through several 
miles of forest country before accomplishing this. The Kusl floods 
already find their way into the lower reaches of the Parman. 
In North Bhagalpur there is an extensive embankment of earth in 
places some 20 to 30 feet high, called the 
Bir Bandh. Bir extending from the foot of the 
Belkar or outer range of hills in Nepal southwards into Bhagalpur 
District, about 50 miles in length, it runs nearly parallel with the 
present course of the Kusi which approaches it towards its southern 
end. Dr. Buchanan Hamilton and others considered it to be a fortifica¬ 
tion, a theory shown by Dr. Hunter to be highly improbable, but it 
may possibly be a dyke to prevent Kusi overflows from flooding the 
lower country to the west and carving out fresh channels. It shows 
signs of having been cut up and partly washed away in its lower course 
by river action, which may have been done by the Kusi during a former 
westward advance. Dr. Buchanan Hamilton conjectures that this 
earth-work was constructed by Laksmana II, about the close of the 12th 
century, the only reasons assigned for the supposition being that 
tradition stated it to have been built by a Laksmana and “ as the works 
were never completed and have the appearance of having been suddenly 
deserted, it is probable that they were erected by Laksmana the second, 
who in the year 1207, was subdued and expelled from Nadiya by the 
Moslems.” Probably he refers to the detached portions at its southern 
end, cut away by river action, when alluding to its incomplete and 
abandoned appearance. This extensive embankment cuts off the sources 
of the Dimra and Tiljuga rivers from the Kusi, and intercepts all 
flood-waters of the latter river from entering the channels. 
As to the manner in which the change will take place we have the 
Probable return of analogy of the behaviour of the Tista river, 
the Kusi ^ to its east- under apparently similar conditions, to be next 
described. From the general aspects of the 
ernmost alignment. 
