GANGES, a celebrated river of Asia, whose waters are regarded by the ilincloo as an object of peculiar sanctity and In Eastern mythology, Gariga, the Ganges, is described as the eldest daughter of the great mountain Himavata, and called Ganga on account of flowing through gang, the earth. The Hindoo, tvilling to adopt what the Brahmin tells him as most congenial to his prejudices of the origin of the sacred river, believes that it issues from the root of the Boohjputre tree, through the semblance of a mouth in stone, and flows directly from heaven; nor does he seek to be undeceived of so agreeable an illusion.
Until lately, much obscurity existed with regard to the true source of the Ganges ; nor indeed to this clay has it been traced up to the fountain head. But on this point the field of conjecture and doubt is much narrowed. All the maps, till 1807, assigned a course to the Ganges many hun dred miles within the range of Himalaya mountains, the northern boundary of Hiudostan. But the late Lieutenant Colonel Colebroke, of Bengal, refused it so remote an origin, on the grounds, that if it pursued such a length of course, it must have swelled to a river of great magnitude long before it reached Gangoutri, from the sup ply of mountain-snows and tills. This gentleman was di rected by the Bengal government to explore the sources of the Ganges ; unfortunately, a premature death deprived the world of his services and professional abilities. Lieu tenant Webbe, surveyor, was instructed to follow up Colo nel Colebrooke's views, but he failed of success, being stopped by the extreme difficulties of the way, when, by all accounts, he was within a few days reach of the ultimate object of his mission. Geographers now agree m deducing the source of the Ganges from no considerable distance beyond Gangoutri, situated in N. Lat. 31° and E. Long. 78° 9', among the Himalaya mountains, in the province of Serinagur.
This opinion rests on the following grounds : that all the mountain streams, during. Lieutenant Webbe's journey, were found to be increased during a course of eight or ten miles, from the smallest rivulet, to a considerable and un fordable river, by the supply of springs and tributary rills. The course of the Ganges and Alacananda rivers having been followed, till the former became a shallow and stag nant pool, and the latter a small stream ; and both being affected by the dissolution of snows, in addition to springs and rills, it was concluded, from analogy, that the sources of these rivers could be at no great distance from the spot where the observations were made. As we have no reason
to suppose that the Bhagirathi branch of the Ganges is go verned by laws different from other mountain streams, we are warranted in fixing its source on the southern side of the Himalaya range of mountains, and likewise in conclud ing that all the tributary streams of the Ganges, with the Sarjew or Goggrah, and the Junma, whose chief fountain is not remote•front the Ganges, rise also on the same side of that chain of mountains. Every account agrees that the source of the Ganges extends beyond Gangoutri, which is merely the point whence it issues from Himalaya. It is said to be here fifteen or twenty yards broad, the current moderate, and waist deep. But the access beyond this place is much obstructed by snows. The pilgrims, and those who reside in the vicinity of Gangoutri, and who gain a livelihood by bringing water from the spot, say that the road is only passable for a few miles, when the current is entirely concealed under heaps of snow, which no travel ler ever has surmounted, or can surmount. This river assuming the name of the 13hagirathi, continues to flow from the north till it meets the waters of the Alacananda from the east. Their united streams at the town of Dcvapraya ga, in North Lat. 30° 6", farm the Ganges. Thus it ap pears that the Alacananda, which rises at a place called Bhadinath, in North Lat. 42' 28", and East Long. 80° 18' 22" divides with the Bhagirathi the honour of forming the sacred river. The contrast of these two rivers is re markable. The Bhagirathi rushes down a steep declivity, foaming over large stony s and fragments in its bed, while the placid Alacananda flows with a smooth and unruffled wave, till it unites its murmurs with the boisterous torrent of its sister stream. The breadth of the former is 112 feet, and it is said to rise 40 feet in the rains. It is crossed by a bridge of ropes, elevated 52 feet above the level of the water.