SUTLEJ, the most easterly of the five rivers of the Panjab. It rises among the Himalayas in Chinese territory, about lat. 30° 8' N., and long. 81° 63'E., on the slopes of the Kailas mountain, which has peaks esthriated at 22,000 feet high, and near the source also of the Brahinaputra. It is said to issue from the lake Manasarowar (Manasa-Sarovara), or front another and larger lake called Ravana-hrada or Rakas-tal, which lies close to Manztsarowar on the west.
Starting at azt elevation of 15,200 feet high, the Sutlej first passes across the alluvial plain of Goge, and it has scoured a passage across the plain in a channel said to be 4000 feet deeP, between precipitous banks of alluvial soil. Near Shipki, the Chinese frontier outpost, the Sutlej turns sharp to the south through the Himalayas. It pierces the southern chain of these great moun tains through a gorge with heights of 20,000 feet on either side. At Shipki, its elevation is Raid to be 10,000 feet above the level of the sea. At Rampur it has fallen to about 3000 feet, and at Bilaspur, to a little over 1000 feet. After enter ing British territory, for the first 200 miles it runs through a wild and almost unpeopled monntain Icountry ; receives the Li or river of Spiti near Dablang. Thenceforth the united stream runs in a south-westerly direction through Bashahir and the Simla llill States, and, on entering the British district of Hoshiarpnr, takes a sudden southward bend round the spurs of the Siwalik Hills. De bouchiug upon the plains near Kupar, it divides Umballa (Ambala) district from Hosliiarpur or the Jullundhur (Jalandhar) Doab front the Sirhind plateau. It next flows abnost due west between Jullundhur on the north, and MI-lb:ilia (Ainbala), Ludhiana, and Ferozpur on the south, till it receives the Betts (Bias) at the south-western corner of Kapurthala State (lat. 31" 11' N., and long. '75°4' E.). The united river thenceforward preserves an alinost uniform south-westerly direction till its junction with the Indus.
It is considered to be the Hesudrus or riaradrus of the Greeks and Romans, and the Hyphasis mentioned by Striibo. To its Sanskrit names,
Sitloda, Satadru, or Sutrudra, can be retraced Ilesudrus of Pliny, the Saranges of Arrian, and the Shetooder and Seteluj of the Ayin Akbari.
From its junctiou with the Bea.s to the con fluence of the Chenab, it is called Gliarra. It is navigable a.s far as Filur in all seasons for boats of 10 or 12 tons burdeu. Bilaspur, a town on the banks of the Sutlej, Wft13 swept away by a flood. The Upper Sutlej people are amiable and gentle, free of low cunning, having the appearance of a mixed race between the Tartar and the common hill men. They are fair, well made, and strong, but are filthy and indigent. The women have a toga fastened round the waist. The Bhatti of Bhattiana, west of the Sutlej, is a tribe of hand some people, whose origin is obscure. The Bagri tribe, inhabiting the district of Bagar, between the S.W. borders of Hariana and the Sutlej, are said to have been Rajputs, but also supposed to be Jat. There is a predatory race of this nation settled in Malwa. The Sutlej at the commence ment of the rains is an impetuous torrent, foam ing along its narrow stony bed, confined within rocky banks, generally bare and precipitous. It preserves the same character from Kotgarh up wards ; the valley in Bashahir being very narrow, the river is often not visible from the road, but the noise is always heard as it rushes over the massive boulders. Occasional recesses occur at the bends of the river, where much timber is stranded, and in the course of 120 miles there are several broad tranquil reaches, where banks of white sand and mud may be seen. The average fall has been computed by various observers (Gerard, Thomson, and Madden) at 50 feet per mile from Wangtu to Bilaspur, and 60 feet per mile from Kanain to Wangtu. In the plains. the Sutlej runs through a line of country 6 miles 'broad, and from 20 to 100 feet lower than the general surrounding level. This tract is called Khadir as the high adjoining lands are called Bangur. The length of the Sutlej bridge is about a mile and a quarter, being of 58 spans, each of 110 feet.