Burnes, Alexander: Travels into Bokhara: containing the narrative of a voyage on the Indus from the sea to Lahore, ... and an account of a journey from India to Cabool, Tartary and Persia ; performed by order of the supreme government of India, in the years 1831, 32, and 33 (Band 1) (London, 1835)

CHAP. XI.

SOURCES OF THE INDUS.

271

Hydaspes, at Moozufferabad, as it leaves the valley.
This fact is mentioned in a note in Mr. Elphinstone's
book, on the authority of a journal of Meer Izzut
Oollah, which he received after his own account was
written. It may have been owing to this last cir-
cumstance that he overlooked the inconsistency of
Izzut Oollah's statement with the existence of Mr.
Macartney's eastern branch of the Indus. Mr. El-
phinstone, indeed, observes, that Izzut Oollah did
not see the junction of that branch with the river of
Ladak ; but he accounts for it by supposing the
confluence to lie to the south of the place called
Draus in Izzut Oollah's route. If that route be
protracted, however, it will show that the river of
Ladak could not well have passed to the south of
Draus without falling into the course of the Kishun
Gunga; and that, even if the junction had taken
place to the south of Draus, both rivers must still
have been crossed (either united or separately) by
Izzut Oollah before he reached Draus.

It is evident, therefore, that the rivers do not
meet at or to the south of Draus; and, as Izzut
Oollah went from Draus to the river of Ladak, and
accompanied that river to the town from which it
takes its name, without seeing the junction of any
other river from the east, his account may be re-
garded as a confirmation of the fact which I have
stated, that no such eastern branch exists. It is
worthy of observation, that Mr. Macartney's account
of the eastern branch of the Indus appears to have
been only communicated by one person.

That the river of Ladak has its source near the