Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/8

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2
The War of Bengal
Book VI

1756

the ancient definition, in the latitude of 25. 10. where its current on the right hand washes the foot of a mountain called Tacriagully, from whence it strikes to the S E, until it reacheth the sea. A hundred miles below Tacriagully it sends off an arm to the south, which is called the river of Cossimbuzar; and 50 miles lower, another, called the Felingeer, which, after flowing about 40 miles to the SW, unites with the other at a town called Nuddeah. The river formed by the junction of these two streams is sometimes called the little Ganges, but more commonly the river Hughley, which after flowing 120 miles of latitude in a course which does not verge more than one point to the westward of the south, gains the sea in the latitude of 21. 30. at the island of Sagore. The main body of the Ganges, which for distinction is called the great Ganges, continues from the commencement of the river of Cossimbuzar, receiving a multitude of streams from the left, until it reacheth the latitude of 22. 45. where its waters are met by those of another river even larger than itself, called the Baramputrah, which rises on the eastern side of the vast mountains that send forth the Ganges to the west. The conflux of these two mighty rivers is tumultuous, and has formed several large islands between their junction and the open sea, which their waters, through several extensive channels reach about 35 miles lower down, in the latitude of 22. 10. Tacriagully is the termination of a vast range of mountains, which accompanies the course of the Ganges from the west: and about 50 miles west of Tacriagully, where they begin to form the north boundary of Bengal on this side the river, another range strikes from them to the south, but in a curve swelling to the west ward, which terminates within sight of the sea, at the Nelligree hills, 30 miles inland from the town of Ballasore, in the latitude of 21. 30. Several districts belonging to Bengal lie interspersed within these mountains, but none beyond them; for to the westward they extend several degrees, and are in some parts impassable, as far as the province of Berar in the Decan; to the north they divide. Bengal from the southern division of BEHAR, and to the south, seem the natural separation of Bengal from ORIXA, which nevertheless hasacquired