oblations to their deceased ancestors, and of obtaining absolution from all their fins.

The city of Benares was his next stage, and the limits of his excurfion. He had here an opportunity of feeing the profeffors of the Hindu religion, at the most celebrated and ancient university of India, and had only to regret, that his knowledge of their language was infufficient to enable him to converse with them without the affiftance of an interpreter. After a short residence, which his fense of duty would not allow him to protract unneceffarily, he returned by the Ganges to Bhagilpoor*, where, as he observes, he had

* From a note written by Sir William Jones, on Major Rennel's account of Butan and Tibet, I extract the following passage. It is endorsed, as having been intended for the Researches of the Asiatic Society, but is not published in them.

"Just after sun-set, on the 5th of October 1784, I "had a distinct view from Bhagilpoor of CHUMALURY "peak, and the adjoining mountains of TIBET, which

are very clearly seen from Perneia, and were perfectly "recollected by a learned member of our society, one of "the latest travellers to that interesting country, who had "obligingly communicated to me a correct note of the "bearings and courses observed in his journey from "Rengpur to Tassisudden, and thence through Parad

already found fo much health, pleasure, and inftruction for two months.

In his journey from this place to Calcutta, he vifited Gour, once the refidence of the fovereigns of Bengal. This place ftill exhibits architectural remains of royal mag

gong to Chumalury. The peak bore very nearly due "north to the room, from which it was seen, in the "house of Mr. Chapman; and from the most accurate "calculations that I could make, the horizontal distance "at which it was distinctly visible, must be at least 244 "British miles; there was a strong glare from the setting " sun on the snows of its more western side, and it might "assuredly have been discerned at a much greater di"stance. By an observation of Mr. Davis, at Rengpur, "and another at Tassisudden, the difference of latitude "between the place last mentioned and Bhagilpoor, is "163 geographical, or 188 and a fraction, British miles:

now although the road from Buxadewar in Butan, the "latitude of which was found to be 26° 53', consisted of "rough mountains and deep valleys, yet the way between "Paradgong and Chumalury, especially from Chesa"camba, the frontier of Tibet, was very level; and the accuracy of our travellers gives us reason to believe, "that their computed miles from Tassisudden were but "little above the standard; so that having measured the "northern sides of the two triangles, formed by their, courses WNW. and NNW. we could not be far from "the truth."

"The mountains of Chumalury, are the second or third "ridge described in the Memoir. The Major justly con"siders the mountains of Himola, for so they are named.

nificence, which the traveller is obliged to explore at fome personal risk amidst forests, the exclusive haunts of wild beasts; for nature has here refumed her dominion, and triumphs over the short-lived pride of man. In a letter to a friend *, written after his arrival in Calcutta, he has briefly described some parts of his journey. "The Mahanada was beau"tiful, and the banks of fome rivers in the "Sunderbunds were magnificent; we paffed " within two yards of a fine tiger, who gazed on us with indifference; but we took care "for feveral reafons to avoid the narrow paffes at night. As we approached Calcutta, we perceived the difference of climate, "and thought of Bhagilpoor with pleasure " and regret.

"I find Calcutta greatly changed; the lofs

"by the natives from a word signifying snow, as equal in "elevation to any in the old hemisphere; and an obser"vation of Mr. Saunders at Perneia, added to a remark "of Mr. Smith on the appearance of Chumalury from " Moreng, gives abundant reason to think, that we saw "from Bhagilpoor, the highest mountains in the world, "without excepting the ANDES."

* Charles Chapman, Esq.

"of Mr. Haftings and Shore*, I feel very "fenfibly, and cannot but fear that the plea"fure, which I derive from other friendships "formed in India, will be followed by the

pain of lofing my friends next season. "This was a great evil at the university, "and abates not a little the happiness I ex"pected in this country.

"Will you have the goodness to ask "Mahesa pundit, whether the university of "Tyrhoot is ftill fupported, and confers "degrees in Hindu law? One of our pundits " is dead, and we have thoughts of requesting "recommendations from the univerfities of "Hindustan, particularly from Benares, and

Tyrhoot, if it exifts; fo that the new pun"dit may be univerfally approved, and the "Hindus may be convinced, that we decide on their law from the best information we can procuret."

* Warren Hastings, Esq. and Mr. Shore embarked in February 1785, for England.

The pundits are the expounders of the Hindu law; in which capacity, two constantly attended the supreme court of judicature, at Fortwilliam.

"I am juft returned," (thus he writes to another correfpondent, Dr. P. Ruffel, March 2, 1785,) "as it were from the brink of an"other world, having been absent near seven "months, and reduced to a skeleton by fevers "of every denomination, with an obftinate "bilious flux at their heels. My health is "tolerably restored by a long ramble through "South Behar, and the district of Benares, of "which if I were to write an account, I muft "fill a volume."

દ

They who have perused the description of Joanna, by Sir William Jones, will regret that this volume was never written. The objects presented to his inspection during his journey, afforded ample scope for his obfervation, which was equally qualified to explore the beauties of nature, the works of art, the difcriminations of character, and the productions of learning and fcience. Many of the remarks and reflections which he made in this tour, are transfused through his various compofitions, two of which were actually written, during the course of his journey.