IRRRAWADDY, a river of Asia, rising at the eastern extremity of the Himalaya range of mountains, in Lat. 28. 5., Long. 97. 58. It flows in a direction from N. to S., traversing the heart of the Burmese empire, which it separates into two nearly equal divisions. After a course of 790 miles, it reaches the southern frontier of Burmah, and, crossing over into the British province of Pegu, pursues its course for a further distance of 270 miles, reaching the Bay of Bengal by several mouths, which form the delta of the Irrawaddy. At the distance of 550 miles from its source, it flows past the city of Ava, the capital of the Burmese
Empire, 65 miles below which it receives its great con-
fluent the Khyendwen. Fifty miles below the southern frontier of Burmah, the Irrawaddy passes the British town of Prome, 90 miles below which it divaricates into two principal channels, each measuring about 130 miles in length. The more westerly of these branches is known as the River of Bassein, from the town of that name upon its banks, and discharges itself into the Bay of Bengal, in Lat. 15. 50., Long. 94. 26. The other main branch is designated the Rangoon River, and falls into the Gulf of Martaban, in Lat. 16. 28., Long. 96. 24.