or Burrampooter, the largest river in India, which rises on the opposite side of the same narrow range of snow-clad mountains from which the Ganges flows. Its source has never been exactly explored, but it is supposed to be about the 32d degree of north latitude and 82d of east longitude. After winding eastward with a rapid current through Thibet, to the south of the Himalaya Mountains, where it is called Sanpoo, it washes the border of the territory of Lassa, and passes within thirty miles to the south of this capital of the Tesboo Lama. Thence it flows in a widely extended bed, and through many channels, in which is formed a multitude of islands. It receives the Pamomtchieu, and many other lesser streams, before it passes Lassa, and penetrates the frontier mountains that divide Thibet from Assam. It then makes a vast sweep, and extending far to the east, until it approaches within 220 miles of Yuman, the most western province of China, it makes a sudden curve in east longitude 96, first to the south and afterwards to the west, where it enters the province of Assam. Here it receives numerous tributary streams; and in longitude 91° 18' it divides into two great branches, which inclose an island of 120 miles in length. Continuing its course westward, it enters the province of Bengal, near to the town of Goalpara; after which it makes a circuit round the Garrow Mountains; and then altering its course to the south, it is joined by the Megna in latitude 24° 10', in the district of Dacca; and finally unites with the Ganges, about 40 miles from the sea. This great river, including its windings, has a course of about 1650 miles in length. Until 1765, the Brahmapootra was unknown in Europe as a great river, and Major Rennell, on exploring it, was surprised to find it larger than the Ganges. A small portion of the Brahmapootra flows through territories known to Europeans, and its navigation is supposed to be obstructed by cataracts on its entrance into Assam. This great river, during a course of 400 miles through Bengal, in all respects resembles the Ganges, except in one particular, namely, that during the last 60 miles before its junction with the Ganges it forms a stream which is regularly from four to five miles wide, and, but for its freshness, might be considered an arm of the sea. The junction of the two mighty streams of the Brahmapootra and the Ganges produces an immense body of fresh water, such as is only exceeded by some of the great rivers in Africa, which lie entirely within the limits of the tropical rains, or the Amazons and Orinoco in South America. The bore, which is known to be occasioned by the sudden influence of the tide into a river or narrow strait, prevails in all the passages between the islands and sands situated in the gulf formed by the confluence of the Brahmapootra and the Ganges, in a greater degree than in other rivers.

(Brahmins, Bramins, Brahmans, or Brachmans, called Bhrigvans by the Greek writers, the name employed to designate that body or order of priests who have always been the sole guardians, preceptors, and ministers of the Hindu religion. It is formed, by a slight modification, from that of Brahma, which is itself a derivative from Brahm, the Supreme Being, indicating the first of the