国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

Dras or left branch. »It appears that from Leh to Rodack (Rudok), a place whence
wool is brought to Cashmere for making shawls, the road is along this branch 25
days' journey for the merchants who bring the wool.»

It is not surprising that the rather extraordinary and complicated Indus system
has bewildered Macartney. Elphinstone, however, says: »The source of this noble
river (Indus) is not yet exactly ascertained», from which he seems to have regarded
the whereabouts of the source as approximately known. But from the following
passages it is seen how little he really knew, — and of course he could not know
more at such an early date.

He regards the course of the Indus as traced with certainty only to the neigh-
bourhood of Dras, which Macartney placed in long. 76° 48', and lat. 35° 55'.¹
To this point the main river was said to come from the north or east, but higher
up its course was unknown. The smaller branch, joining at Dras, he says had been
traced from Rudok for 250 miles. This is the river they otherwise call the Ladak
or Leh branch.

Regarding Macartney's information that the Shayok should come from the
Sarikol lake, Elphinstone is not sure of its correctness, for he had been informed
by an Uzbek of Fergana, that a stream issued from a glacier in Mus-tagh, on the
road between Yarkand and Ladak, and that he followed it from the glacier to the
neighbourhood of Ladak, without noticing the junction of any considerable stream
from the westward. According to his account, therefore, the river should have its
source in this glacier. He will not compare this information with that of Macartney
but finds it necessary to call one's attention to the point on account of its obscurity.
Only a few years later it was to be proved that Elphinstone had been right and
Macartney wrong.

Elphinstone continues:

»It occasioned great regret to Mr. Macartney that he was not able to fix the sources of
the Indus; but if we consider the desolate character of the country through which that river
runs, before it enters Afghaunistaun, we shall find more reason to be susprised at the success
with which he has traced the early part of its course, than at his failure in discovering its
remotest spring.

His discovery regarding the course of the river of Ladauk is a point of great interest,
and the coincidence between his information and the survey of the Ganges made by Lieut.
Webbe (Webb) in 1808, serves to strengthen the authority of both.

It was formerly believed that the river of Ladauk was one of the principal streams of
the Ganges, and that opinion was supported by the high authority of Major Rennell; but that
eminent Geographer seems to have been led to this conclusion by the erroneous accounts of
the Lamas, and of P. Tiefentaller. Captain Raper and Mr. Webbe were sent on purpose to
ascertain the source of the Ganges, and found it to be in the SE side of Hemalleh; far to the
south of what was formerly supposed. It was now proved that the river of Ladauk did not
flow into the Ganges, but its real course remained unknown, till Mr. Macartney ascertained its
junction with the Indus near Draus.»