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Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 18, p. 94.

94 MUZAFFARFUR DISTRICT by the Ganges, which divides it from Patna; and on the west by Champaran and the river Gandak, which separates it from Saran. The District is an alluvial plain, intersected with streams and for the most part well watered. It is divided by the Baghmati and Burhi or Little Gandak rivers into three distinct tracts. The Physical country south of the latter is relatively high ; but aspects. there are slight depressions in places, especially towards the south-east, where there are some lakes, the largest of which is the Tal Baraila. The dodo between the Little Gandak and the Baghmati is the lowest portion of the District, and is liable to frequent inundations. Here too the continual shifting of the rivers has left a large number of semi-circular lakes. The area north of the Baghmati running up to the borders of Nepal is a low-lying marshy plain, traversed at intervals by ridges of higher ground. Of the two boundary streams, the GANGES requires no remark. The other, the Great GANDAK, which joins the Ganges opposite Patna, has no tributaries in this part of its course; in fact, the drainage sets away from it, and the country is protected from inundation by artificial embankments. The lowest discharge of water into the Ganges towards the end of March amounts to 10,391 cubic feet per second; the highest recorded flood volume is z66,ooo cubic feet per second. The river is nowhere fordable ; it is full of rapids and whirlpools, and is navigable with difficulty. The principal rivers which intersect the District are the Little Gandak, the Baghmati, the Lakhandai, and the Baya. The Little Gandak (also known as Harha, Sikrana, Burhi Gandak, or the Muzaffar- pur river) crosses the boundary from Champaran, 20 miles north-west of Muzaffarpur town, and flows in a south-easterly direction till it leaves the District near Pusa, 20 miles to the south-east; it ultimately falls into the Ganges opposite Monghyr. The Baghmati, which rises near Katmandu in Nepal, enters the District z miles north of Maniari Ghat, and after flowing in a more or less irregular southerly course for some 30 miles, strikes off in a south-easterly direction almost parallel to the Little Gandak, and crossing the District, leaves it near Hatha, 20 miles east of Muzaffarpur. Being a hill stream and flowing on a ridge, it rises very quickly after heavy rains and sometimes causes much damage by overflowing its banks. A portion of the country north of Muzaffar- pur town is protected by the Turki embankment. In the dry season the Baghmati is fordable and in some places is not more than knee deep. Its tributaries are numerous: the Adhwara or Little Baghmati, Lal Bakya, Bhurengi, Lakhandai, Dhaus, and Jhim. Both the Bagh mati and Little Gandak are very liable to change their courses. The Lakhandai enters the District from Nepal near Itharwa (18 miles north of Sitamarhi). It is a -small stream until it has been joined by the Sauran and Basiad. Flowing south it passes through Sitamarhi, where