DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20132#0131
AREA I. ASSAM, DELTA OF THE GANGES AND BRAHMAPUTRA, NAGA, KHASSIA, AND GARRO HILLS. 97
for the same district so carefully prepared from native sources by Lieutenant Wilcox1
(No. 138 of the Indian Atlas).
The sources of the Brahmaputra proper may be assigned to Lat. 1ST. 33°—32y2°,
and Long. E. Gr. 97° 30'. The first snow-covered mountains occur in Lat. N.
283A°. The Brahmaputra is called by the Tibetans Zayo chu, after the province Zayo,2
through which it flows,3 the Mishmis and Singphos give it the name of Talu Ka.
Its direction as far as Lat. 1ST. 27° 55' is nearly due south, from the entrance of the
Gralum river4 to the Du river north-west, and from this point to Sadia south-west.
Determinations of heights are not in existence for the course of the river above
Assam.
B. The Ndga, KMssia, and Gdrro Hills.
Along the whole length of the left shore of the Brahmaputra, and nearly parallel
to the broad valley through which it runs, we meet with a longitudinal range of
1 The discovery, that the Dihong enters the vale of Assam, and does not, as in Klaproth's map, discharge itself
into the Iravadi, seems to have been the cause of too low an estimate being assigned for the size and water volume
of the Brahmaputra. The Dihong was generally considered as properly the upper course of the Brahmaputra, although
the Brahmakund had been Tepe'atedly reached since 1826, by Bedford, Jones, Wilcox, Bedingfield, and Neuville.
Some of them had pushed forward even considerably beyond it. Wilcox penetrated 37 miles up the stream,
Griffith had been 10 miles north of the Brahmakund in the year 1837, and Captain Kowlatt proceeded along the
affluent Du as far as Tupang, Lat. N. 28° 23'.
The journey of the French travellers Krick and Boury was preceded by that of the two Indian fakeers, who
had pushed up the stream only a few miles farther than Wilcox, when they were murdered in the neighbourhood
of the entrance of the Galum river. Their intention was to reach, as the first, the actual sources of the Brahma-
putra, an object of worship for the Hindus, since the Brahmakund had ceased to be regarded as such; and previous
to their leaving Assam they communicated their intention to the authorities, so that some geographical communi-
cations at least, even if not very precise and well defined, might have been expected from them.
2 The section of the river also which was executed, and its volume of water ascertained, by my establishment
under Lieutenant Adams and Draughtsman Abdul, at Sadia, confirmed the fact, that the Brahmaputra issues from
the Zayo valley, and that in respect of volume of water, it is almost equal in size to the Dihong. In Europe there
are also many instances of the confluence of streams nearly equal in size and importance, where it would be very
difficult to decide upon the name to be retained, if the direction of the valley were not allowed to determine the
question.
3 The confines of 'Tibet on the Mishmi frontier are situated in Lat. N. 28° 2. Isolated villages and stations
of the Tibetans in charge of Lamas extend the whole way. These places are tributary to Lhassa, — a relation
apparently analogous to that existing along the commercial road, which runs through Bhutan over Narigun and
Tauong.
* It is characteristic of the course of mountain rivers, that important alterations in their direction very fre-
quently coincide with the* entrance of the larger affluents, and this because the same influences that affect the main
valleys have exercised an equal effect upon the lateral valleys.
II. 13
for the same district so carefully prepared from native sources by Lieutenant Wilcox1
(No. 138 of the Indian Atlas).
The sources of the Brahmaputra proper may be assigned to Lat. 1ST. 33°—32y2°,
and Long. E. Gr. 97° 30'. The first snow-covered mountains occur in Lat. N.
283A°. The Brahmaputra is called by the Tibetans Zayo chu, after the province Zayo,2
through which it flows,3 the Mishmis and Singphos give it the name of Talu Ka.
Its direction as far as Lat. 1ST. 27° 55' is nearly due south, from the entrance of the
Gralum river4 to the Du river north-west, and from this point to Sadia south-west.
Determinations of heights are not in existence for the course of the river above
Assam.
B. The Ndga, KMssia, and Gdrro Hills.
Along the whole length of the left shore of the Brahmaputra, and nearly parallel
to the broad valley through which it runs, we meet with a longitudinal range of
1 The discovery, that the Dihong enters the vale of Assam, and does not, as in Klaproth's map, discharge itself
into the Iravadi, seems to have been the cause of too low an estimate being assigned for the size and water volume
of the Brahmaputra. The Dihong was generally considered as properly the upper course of the Brahmaputra, although
the Brahmakund had been Tepe'atedly reached since 1826, by Bedford, Jones, Wilcox, Bedingfield, and Neuville.
Some of them had pushed forward even considerably beyond it. Wilcox penetrated 37 miles up the stream,
Griffith had been 10 miles north of the Brahmakund in the year 1837, and Captain Kowlatt proceeded along the
affluent Du as far as Tupang, Lat. N. 28° 23'.
The journey of the French travellers Krick and Boury was preceded by that of the two Indian fakeers, who
had pushed up the stream only a few miles farther than Wilcox, when they were murdered in the neighbourhood
of the entrance of the Galum river. Their intention was to reach, as the first, the actual sources of the Brahma-
putra, an object of worship for the Hindus, since the Brahmakund had ceased to be regarded as such; and previous
to their leaving Assam they communicated their intention to the authorities, so that some geographical communi-
cations at least, even if not very precise and well defined, might have been expected from them.
2 The section of the river also which was executed, and its volume of water ascertained, by my establishment
under Lieutenant Adams and Draughtsman Abdul, at Sadia, confirmed the fact, that the Brahmaputra issues from
the Zayo valley, and that in respect of volume of water, it is almost equal in size to the Dihong. In Europe there
are also many instances of the confluence of streams nearly equal in size and importance, where it would be very
difficult to decide upon the name to be retained, if the direction of the valley were not allowed to determine the
question.
3 The confines of 'Tibet on the Mishmi frontier are situated in Lat. N. 28° 2. Isolated villages and stations
of the Tibetans in charge of Lamas extend the whole way. These places are tributary to Lhassa, — a relation
apparently analogous to that existing along the commercial road, which runs through Bhutan over Narigun and
Tauong.
* It is characteristic of the course of mountain rivers, that important alterations in their direction very fre-
quently coincide with the* entrance of the larger affluents, and this because the same influences that affect the main
valleys have exercised an equal effect upon the lateral valleys.
II. 13