Such are the geographical divisions of Hindostan. There are, however, natural and political divisions, which it will be proper to notice.
Of the natural divisions, the Punjab is one of the most celebrated in history, as well as one of the most striking in its character. The Punjab is sometimes considered as consisting only of the flat portion of the province of La hore ; but, in its proper and most extensive meaning, it comprehends all that tract of country to the west of the Himalaya Mountains, through which the principal tribu tary streams of the Indus run. Its south-east boundary is formed by the Sutlege ; and, from this river to Altach on the Indus, its breadth is computed to be 259 geographi cal miles. Its length from north to south has not been ascertained. The Dooab is another natural division of the country, which frequently occurs in the history of Hindostan. The term Dooab properly means any tract of country included between two rivers : of course there are many Dooabs in Hindostau ; but the term is emphati cally applied to the country between the Jumnah and the Ganges, or, in its strictest sense, to the southern portion of that territory, for the most part comprehended in the province of Agra. The Deltas of the Ganges and the Indus are also natural divisions of II indostan. The former commences about 220 miles from the sea. The lower part of it is called the Sunderbunds, and extends along the hay of Bengal about 180 miles. The Sunderbunds are almoL; entirely formed of woods, interspersed with creeks, and numberless islands, and salt marshes. This tract is in extent equal to the principality of Wales. The Delta of the Indus is about 150 miles in length along the sea coast, and about 115 from the point of separation of the superior branches of the river to its most prominent mouth. The lower part of the Delta of the Indus resem bles the lower part of the Delta of the Ganges, in being intersected with rivers and creeks ; but there are no trees on it, the greatest part being sandy, or covered with swamps and stagnant lakes. The last natural division of the country which we shall mention is, the Table land in Central and Southern Hindostan. This is supported by the eastern and western Ghauts. It stretches not only through the Mahratta territories, but also through the peninsula to the southern extremity of Mysore. Properly
speaking, however, it is not table land, as the surface is considerably varied, being broken into hill and dale.
In the geographical description which has been given of the different provinces of Hindostan, mention has been made of the powers by whom they were possessed. It will be proper, however, to bring into one view the poli tical divisions of the country, by exhibiting a connected account of the possessions held by the British ; the prin ces tributary to the British ; the independent princes ; and the petty chiefs.
The British possessions are divided into three presi dencies, Bengal, Bombay, and Madras. Bengal is the su preme presidency, and in it are comprised the whole pro vinces of Bengal and Balla'. ; ihrec-fourths of the adjoin ing province of Orissa ; the districts of Benares, Allaha bad, and Bundelcund in the province of Allahabad ; a small part of Berar ; and a great portion of the territories of the Nabob of Oude, ceded by the treaties of November 1801 ; the eastern and north-eastern districts of Delhi, and that part of Agra which lies to the cast of the Jumnah, arc also under the Bengal presidency. The Bombay pre sidency extends its influence over the whole western coast of India ; but the possessions under its absolute and nn mediate jurisdiction are of trifling extent, compared with those subject to the presidencies of Bengal and Madras. They consist of the districts of Surat, Baroach, Cambay, Goslewarah, and in general the tract which lies along both sides of the Gulph of comprehending the most fertile and populous part of the province of Guzcrat. Un der the presidency of Madras, the whole of India south of the Kristhnah, and the northern Circars in the Decan, arc placed. The Rajahs of Mysore, Travancore, and Cochin, indeed, collect the revenues, and direct the internal policy of their respective states ; but they arc, in fact, vassals of the British in every thing relating to external politics. In the northern Circars, there are five districts; in the Car natic, six. Part of Mysore and the southern Carnatic form one district. 'Pinney city, in the southern Carnatic, constitutes another district ; and, in the rest of the Mysore, there arc eight districts : in all 21 districts, under the Al adras pr esidency.