THE GANGES. 123 



tea are the chief cargoes from the interior to Goalundo. The fiats are 

 lashed on each side of the steamer, and the trio bears a ridiculous resem- 

 blance to a small hen with two large chickens under her wings. This 

 arrangement of the fiats is necessary, as in rounding corners, and steer- 

 ing between sandbanks, they would get aground if towed astern, and when 

 going with the tide they would overrun the steamer when she slackened 

 speed. The steamers are paddle-boats — I believe of 180 horse-power each. 

 The current of the Ganges frequently runs at eight miles an hour, and none 

 but powerful boats could make head against it. The machinery of the 

 steamers is exposed, and seemed to be a never-ending source of wonder to 

 the coolie emigrants on board. 



Continuous rain had flooded the country contiguous to the river, and 

 boats were to be seen moving under full sail in what appeared to be verdant 

 meadows — in reality rice-fields, where the crop showed above water. Large 

 numbers of the Gangetic porpoise (Platanista gangetica), a fish between six 

 and seven feet long, disported themselves not far from the steamer. I tried 

 several shots at them with my express, but though they appeared to roll 

 in a deliberate manner, it was difficult to fire with accuracy, and quickly 

 enough, to kill them. I hit one or two crocodiles when we came within 

 reach of them. 



The captain of the boat, who had spent many years afloat on the Ganges, 

 told me of an instance of a tiger boarding his steamer when at anchor during 

 the night. She was lying half a mile from shore, and towards morning some 

 natives were engaged with a boat in laying out an anchor astern to prevent 

 her swinging round with the tide. "When they pulled back, a rope was 

 thrown to them by a man on deck, and they brought their boat in close to the 

 steamer's rudder. The deck of the river-steamers is only three feet above 

 the water, and the rudder projects several feet from the sternpost for power 

 in steering. A tiger, about two-thirds grown, that must, whilst swimming 

 the river, have mistaken the anchored boat for an island whereon to rest, 

 had taken up its position on the rudder. It was too dark for the men to 

 see it, and in its fright at their coming so near, the creature sprang at the 

 man in the bow of the boat, and from him at the lascar on board the 

 steamer. It did them little injury, and took refuge somewhere on deck. 

 The lascars awoke Captain H.; but as there were a great many coolies on 

 board, and it was impossible to shoot without risk of killing somebody, he 

 decided to wait till daylight. As soon as it was sufficiently light a search 

 was instituted, and the tiger was found in the coal-bunker. He knocked 

 over two or three inquisitive natives, ran along the deck, and jumped over- 

 board in front of the paddle-wheel. As he did so Captain H. broke one of 



