121 DACCA. 



his hind-legs with a ball. The wounded beast then clambered into the' wheel, 

 but just as Captain II. was about to finish him he fell into the water, and 

 was seen no more ; the rapid current carried him under, and out of reach 

 in a few moments. Somewhat similar instances have been known of tigers 

 getting into native boats. I imagine such must have happened much as in 

 this case, through the tigers seeking a rest during a long swim. 



The approach to Dacca by water is striking. Some of the buildings of 

 Mohammedan type which line the river in the native part of the town 

 appear to be of considerable antiquity. At the ends of the streets which 

 debouch on to the river clusters of boats are anchored, and an active trade 

 goes on in fish, vegetables, grass for cattle, &c, all brought from the villages 

 up or down the river. In the stream are anchored two or three Govern- 

 ment steamers, belonging to the European officials for use on their tours of 

 duty. At the southern end of the town are the Europeans' residences. 

 They stand in green compounds, well back from the river, which is here 

 bordered by a wide esplanade, the usual lounge of the evening. Here is 

 situated the palatial residence of the Nawab Abdool Gunni, C.S.I., whose 

 liberality and benevolence are widely known around Dacca. The Europeans 

 in Dacca are beholden to him for warm support in all their amusements — 

 hunting, racing, balls, music, croquet-parties, &c. 



Though Dacca is about a hundred miles from the sea, the country is so 

 low-lying that the tides run up the river far above it. Its height above 

 sea-level is only about ten feet." 1 '' For this reason the Europeans' houses are 

 generally two-storeyed, which is unusual in India, and the upper one is mostly 

 used, as the lower is frequently damp. Still Dacca is one of the most 

 healthy stations in Bengal. This is somewhat strange, as the exhalations 

 from the river about October and November cannot but be injurious to 

 health. The stagnant water which has up to this time inundated the 

 country adjacent to the river for a great distance above Dacca, finds its way 

 into the main stream when it shrinks, and brings with it enormous quan- 

 tities of decayed vegetable matter, floating islands of grass, drift-wood, &c. 

 One day I saw a dead panther, floating so high out of the water that it was 

 evident its decease had taken place some days before, pass my bungalow. 

 I sent a boat after it, but the skin was useless, the hair coming off when 

 handled. The animal had perhaps been drowned, as it bore no marks of 

 having been shot. The stench from the river was sometimes so great as to 

 awaken me during the night, and as the weather was too hot to admit of 



* It was in the country lying between Dacca and the sea that the great cyclone wave occasioned 

 such terrible loss of life on November 1, 1876. It is only its distance from the sea that renders 

 Dacca safe from being similarly overtaken. 



