466 New Island in the Bay of Bengal. 



along the shores of the large rivers of the Indian continent. The 

 island is nothing at present but a sand-bank ; but it is continually 

 receiving such additions as will gradually render it a spacious 

 tract. It was not visible four or five years ago, and it was only 

 discovered, together with the canal, by vessels trading to Saugur, 

 about the latter end of 1816. The situation is 21 deg. 35 min. 

 of latitude, and 88 deg. 20 min. of longitude, east of Greenwich; 

 this position is precisely that which had been indicated in the 

 maps as the Bank of Saugur, nt the eastern extremity of the up- 

 per part of the island of that name. Its formation between the 

 mouths of the Houghly and the canal oifthe bay, may well enough 

 account for its origin. There being two considerable mouths of 

 rivers, with rapid currents running into the sea, both east and 

 west ; these must have long been a submarine agglomeration, 

 which has now risen above the surface of the ocean, and must in- 

 crease under the protection of the continental lands that lie be- 

 tween those two vast arms of the Ganges. 



It niav be about two miles in length from east to west, and 

 half a mile wide from north to south. — At the western extremity 

 are little elevations that command a view of the sea. The centre 

 of the island rises high enough to afford shelter, except during 

 the violence of a tempest. The south shore consists of a fine solid 

 sand, with a gentle declivity ; one of its bays lies very convenient 

 for such as had a wish for sea-bathing. 



In some parts the island is covered with the dung of birds, 

 which becomes a kind of manure for the soil. Myriads of small 

 crabs cover the northern coast, and their visits are productive of 

 some utility. The central part of the island looks at a distance 

 like a green lawn, dazzling to the view : herbage has taken root 

 here, and there are a number of tufts of long cais(5flc'c/zan/m spu7i- 

 taneum) that thrive very well. 



In short, the soil has every appearance of becoming well 

 adapted for all the purposes of vegetation ; and there can be 

 little doubt that what is now the sandy base of the isle, will here- 

 after contain produce like the neighbouring islands and conti- 

 nent ; and that this spot, where man now roves unrestrained, 

 will, at no very distant period, conceal the haunts of even the sa- 

 vage tvrant of the neighbouring forest. 



At present the island is only visited by wood-cutters and fisher- 

 •en, who have raised two huts on it in honour of Siva, an Indian 

 divinity. There is no vestige of any other haI)itation. The canal 

 that separates the island from Saugur is well stocked with fish of 

 different descriptions; and the southern shore is frequented by 

 tortoises. 



THE 



