gretting that the same masterly hand, which first pointed out why equality, and plenty, and community of goods were unattainable to beings constituted like mankind, had not also proceeded to show that they were no less undesirable; that the same powerful guide, who first checked, in her untried course, the frail bark of universal happiness, sailing as she was with youth at the prow and pleasure at the helm,' and pointed out the unforeseen bank on which she could not fail to split, had not also taken the pains to prove that the course human nature was forced to pursue is also the best it could pursue, when the object and end of the voyage are added to the consideration. ART. IV. 1. Narrative of a Survey for the purpose of discovering the Sources of the Ganges. 2. A Journey to Lake Manasawara in Undés, a Province in Little Thibet. By William Moorcroft, Esq. 3. On the Height of the Himalaya Mountains. By H. T. Colebrooke, Esq. Asiat. Res. vol. xii. 4to. Calcutta. 1817. THE 'HE sources of great rivers and the summits of high mountains have been, at all times, objects of anxious research, either from the impulse of superstition, or the more laudable motive of extending the limits of human knowledge. In the latter point of view, we are disposed to consider the three tracts placed at the head of this Article as the most important which have hitherto appeared in the Transactions of the Society' for inquiring into the history and antiquities, the arts, sciences and literature of Asia; because, imperfect as they are, they tend to elucidate the geography, and add somewhat to the natural history, of one of the most interesting portions of the globe-the upper and central regions of Asia. It had long been suspected that the course given to the Ganges of a western direction from the Manasarowar lake on the northern side of the Himalaya mountains as far as Ladack, and back again to the eastward, till it penetrated these vast snowy ranges, and gushed out at the Cow's-mouth, on the southern side, was founded on insufficient authority. At the suggestion, therefore, of Colonel Colebrooke, the sanction of the Bengal government was solicited, and obtained, for this officer to undertake an expedition to ascertain the fact; but he was prevented by an illness which terminated in death. The execution of the plan then devolved on his assistant, Lieutenant Webb, who, accompanied by the Captains Raper and Hearsay, set out in the spring of the year 1808, for Haridwar; whence they proposed to commence their arduous task, as soon as the fair, which is annually held at that place, should be ended. Mr. Mr. Webb was instructed to survey the Ganges from Haridwar to Gangoutri, or Gangowatri, where this river has been supposed to force its way by a subterraneous passage, through the Himalaya mountains, or to fall over their brow in the form of a cataract; he was directed to ascertain the dimensions of the latter, (if, in defiance of probability, it should be found to exist,) and, should it not prove to be the source of the Ganges, to trace, by survey, this branch of the river as far towards it as might be practicable: in particular, he was to endeavour to learn whether, as some Indian authorities stated, and as Major Rennell was inclined to think, this main branch of the Ganges had its source in the celebrated lake Mansaroer, or Manasarowar, situated on the northern side of the Snowy Mountains; and, if so, to obtain its bearing and distance. He was also instructed to fix the positions of Bhadri-nath and Cedara-nath, near to which, according to information obtained by Colonel Hardwicke, the two branches of the Ganges, called the Alacananda and the Cédár, took their rise. Haridwar (from Hari, Vishnu, and dwará, a door or passage) is the place where the united streams of the Ganges, after forcing their way through the mountainous regions which fence in, as it were, the base of the Himalaya on its southern side, first enter the plains of Hindostan; it is a place regarded by the Hindoos with peculiar veneration. To this hallowed spot, an annual pilgrimage is enjoined; and here also an annual fair is held called the Mela. For the double purpose of making their ablutions in the sacred stream, and trading, people of every rank, age and sex, from every part of India, from the Penjab, Caubul, Cashmere and the upper regions of Tartary assemble here in the month of March: every twelfth year is celebrated by greater festivities than ordinary, and by a greater concourse of people. The period at which Lieutenant Webb and his party arrived at Haridwar, happened to be one of these duodecennial meetings;-just twelve years after Colonel Hardwicke had visited the same spot: but the humanity of the Bengal government, which has so frequently and so effectually been displayed over every portion of its wide possessions, had stepped in, on the present occasion, to prevent the repetition of those scenes of outrage and murder, which were witnessed with such horror by Colonel Hardwicke,* and stationed a detachment of troops there for the preservation of the peace. An European can form but a very imperfect notion of the multitudes brought together on such an occasion. Colonel Hardwicke estimates the number at two millions and a half, which, from the information obtained from a Gosseyn, he thinks rather under than over the truth; and Captain Raper, who considers it impossible to This gentleman states that five hundred fakeers were killed, and a greater number wounded, the last day of the Mela, by the Seiks. As. Res. vol, vi. form form any accurate computation, ventures to rate those which he saw at more than two millions. Towards the end of the festival,' he says, every avenue is closed by the swarms which pour in from all quarters. Those who come merely for the purpose of bathing arrive in the morning, and, after performing their ablutions, depart in the evening, or on the following day; by which means a constant succession of strangers is kept up, occasioning one of the most busy scenes that can well be conceived.' These ephemeral visitors bring, in general, their own provisions with them; but thousands of carts are employed in conveying grain to the fair, chiefly from the Duab; and though the consumption occasioned by such hosts of people would lead one to apprehend a scarcity in the neighbourhood, the appearance of the crops was sufficient to quiet all uneasiness on that score; the whole country exhibiting to the surveying party' a perfect picture of affluence and plenty." It is highly gratifying to find that the mild but superstitious Hindoos are not insensible to the attention thus given to their conveniences and comfort by the British government; while, at the same time, all due respect is paid to their religious prejudices. The following account will be read with pleasure after the painful narrative of Col. Hardwicke. The tenth of April, being the Purbi, or last day of bathing, the crowds of people were immense, every avenue to the Ghút was completely choaked up; and the flight of steps, leading to the water, poured down from the top such a constant succession of fresh comers that the lower tiers were unable to resist the impetus, and were involuntarily hurried into the stream. The fair, however, concluded without any troubles or disturbance, to the great surprise and satisfaction of numbers, who were accustomed to consider bloodshed and murder inseparable from the Cumb'ha Méla, as, for many ages past, their duodecennial periods have been marked with some fatal catastrophe. A very salutary regulation was enforced by our police; prohibiting any weapons being worn or carried at the fair. Guards were posted at the different avenues, to receive the arms of the passengers; a ticket was placed on each, and a corresponding one given to the owner; the arms were returned on the ticket being produced. This arrangement had the desired effect, for the utmost tranquillity prevailed, and from the content and satisfaction that were expressed by all ranks of people, on this occasion, we may anticipate the praises that will be carried hence, to all parts of Hindostan, on the mild system of the British government.'-p. 461. Raper. The fair being ended, the surveying party proceeded to the northward in order to fall in with the Bhagirathi, or most western branch of the Ganges, (except the Yamuna,) whose source was imagined to be at or near Gangoutri. The authority on which the supposition rested was founded not merely on that of the native Hin doos, doos, but on the map of M. Anquetil du Perron, constructed from materials furnished by the Jesuit Tiefentaller, who was supposed to have visited the spot in person, though Mr. Colebrooke is induced to think that he describes the Cow's-mouth from the report of others. It is not our intention to follow the travellers through all the perils of this route--through beds of torrents; along narrow paths skirting the most frightful precipices; at one time clambering up steep ascents, at another time sliding down precipitous declivities:-we must content ourselves with noticing a few remarkable objects, and pointing out some of the most striking features of the country. In passing from Nagal to Mugra, a distance of about ten miles, our travellers crossed a mountain of about two thousand feet in height, being in certain places almost perpendicular, the foot path running in a zigzag direction, sometimes along a narrow ridge, not more than a foot in width, and having a precipice on the outer side of six or seven hundred feet in depth. The natural products hitherto observed, were white mulberries, figs, willows, and the pinus longifolia; they also noticed peacocks, and black partridges, (tetrao francolinus,) and a few fields of wheat and barley under cultivation. On the next mountain, to the northward, which was about twelve hundred feet high, they recognized, among its vegetable productions, the peach and the apricot, the walnut, strawberry and raspberry, the white rose, the dandelion and the butter flower, (we suppose the yellow ranunculus,) besides whole forests of the pitch pine, called by the natives the Deodar (pinus Doedwara of Roxburgh). At Lallari, a few miles farther, the land was observed to be well cultivated, and the sides of the hills cut into terraces, faced with stone, and watered by rills issuing from the heights, and conducted from the upper to the lower platforms in succession, precisely as in China. The higher grounds were covered with immense forests of a species of oak, and the Rhododendron Puniceum. In advancing to the northward they reached the summit of a table land, which overtopped all the mountains in the neighbourhood, and from which they were gratified with a sight which is described as the most sublime and awful that can be pictured by the imagination from the edge of its scarp, (the travellers say,) the eye extended over seven or eight distinct chains of hills, one rising above the other, till the view was terminated by the Himalaya, or Snowy Mountains. The intermediate ranges appeared to run nearly parallel; their general direction was about N.W. and S.E. which is also that of the Himalaya. The altitude and direction of the most distinguished of the snowy peaks, the Gangoutri, and Jamautri, out of which the Ganges and Yamun are supposed to rise, were observed from this place, those of the former being N. 46° 3' E. and the angle of elevation 3 1'; of the latter N. 18° 34′ E. and the angle 3° 17': the the horizontal distance, according to the best estimate which they were able to form, was about thirty miles; but this, short as it was, according to the computation of the natives, was a journey of twelve days. Descending by the Nagur Ghát, they had now, for the first time, a view of the Bhagirathi river, which was hailed by all the Hindoo attendants with loud acclamations, and with the accustomed terms of salutation and respect. In traversing the banks of this river, on one side naked mountains, with here and there a solitary fir, on the other rich and flourishing crops, exhibited a pleasing contrast: the sound of the rustic pipe attracted the attention of the travellers to the labours of the field, where both sexes were busily employed in the pursuits of agriculture; wheat, barley, and rice were the chief articles of produce. Both men and women appeared to be more civilized than in the lower countries; and the latter shewed less bashfulness and reserve than the females of Hindostan generally exhibit. A short petticoat and a loose jacket, with sleeves of coarse woollen cloth, constituted the dress of both sexes; but the ladies had, in addition, a piece of cloth twisted round the head in the form of a turban. We could not help remarking (say the travellers) that, even in those unfrequented regions, the female mountaineers exhibited the general failing of the sex, having their necks, ears and noses ornamented with rings and beads. When these are beyond their means, they substitute a wreath or bunch of flowers; for which purpose the white rose is chosen, both for its beauty and scent.' The Bhagirathi, and other mountain-streams, are crossed by different kinds of bridges, but the most common are the Sangha and the Jhula; the former consisting of one or two fir trees thrown from bank to bank, or from one rock to another; the other, of a rope ladder laid across, with ropes on each side of it to hold by: the depth below, the roaring of the torrent, and the swinging of the ladder, give to the novice a sensation of something more than giddiness. Near Báhárát was a trident of brass, whose shaft was twelve, and whose forks were six feet in length. It had an inscription not much injured by time, but no one could tell in what language the characters were written: they were thought to resemble the Chinese; and the natives have a tradition, that many centuries ago the Chinese or Tartars had possession of the country. The trident is in fact a common emblem of the Chinese river-deity. The inscription is regarded as a curiosity by the natives, and many fruitless attempts have been made to decypher it. The late rajah of Nepaul sent several learned pundits for this express purpose; but they failed, like the rest; and we cannot therefore but regret that, as a copy of it was taken by our travellers, it was not given to the public from the |