A country which abounds in mountains is seldom deficient in rivers; accordingly, no region is perhaps better watered. Java is singularly favoured in the number of its streams. The size of the island does not admit of the formation of large rivers, but there are probably fifty, that in the wet season, bear down rafts charged with timber and other rough produce of the country, and not less than five or six at all times navigable to the distance of some miles from the coast. It would be vain to attempt numbering those which are precious to the agriculturist; they are many hundreds, if not thousands. The largest, and most important river on the island, is that of _Sólo_, or as it is termed by the natives, _Beng'áwan_ (the great) _Sólo_, which takes its rise in the district of _Kadáwang_, and after collecting the waters of the surrounding hills, becomes a stream of considerable depth and breadth at _Súra-kérta_, where it is further increased by the waters collected from the adjacent districts. Its general course from the capital is in an east-north-easterly direction, till it discharges itself by two principal outlets into the sea, near _Grésik_ and _Sidáyu_. After leaving _Matárem_, it traverses the provinces of _Sukawáti_, _Jagarága_, _Mádion_, _Jípang_, _Blóra_, _Túban_, _Sidáyu_, and _Grésik_. At _Awi_, near the boundary of _Mádion_ and _Jagarága_, on the eastern side of the river, a large branch from the south-eastern provinces, commonly called the river of _Mádion_, unites itself with that of _Sólo_, and from hence its course, which in various places has been rapid, and in a few places impeded with rocks, is calm, regular, and steady to its discharge. It has been estimated, that the extent of the windings of this river is not less than three hundred and fifty-six English miles, from _Súra-kérta_ to _Grésik_, which in the chart only gives a straight line of one hundred and forty English miles, and during its whole course no serious impediment appears to its navigation.