Cosmography and Geography in Early Indian Literature c6.s5.15

c6.s5.15

As regards the discovery of the sources of the Nile from its description in the Purāṇas, we know that Wilford compiled an account of the river Nile and its source and prepared a map on the basis of the Purāṇas,¹⁰⁸ while J. H. Speke states that, in planning his discovery of the sources of the Nile, he received great help from Wilford’s map based on Puranic information which is substantially correct.¹⁰⁹ We are sorry that we are not inclined to attach any importance to Wilford’s researches which are no better than the ‘wild speculation’ of an ‘injudicious writer.’¹¹⁰ Jayaswal’s own suggestions appear to be equally unconvincing.