THE BORE. 115 



angles with the Tsien-tang, but at a safe distance. 

 My position was a terrace in front of the Tri- 

 wave Temple, which afforded a good view of the 

 entire scene. On a sudden all traffic on the 

 thronged mart was suspended; porters cleared 

 the front street of every description of merchan- 

 dise,, boatmen ceased loading and unloading their 

 vessels, and put out into the middle of the stream ; 

 so that a few moments sufficed to give a deserted 

 appearance to the busiest part of one of the 

 busiest cities of Asia. The centre of the stream 

 was crowded with craft, from small boats to huge 

 barges, including the gay " flower boats." Loud 

 shouting from the fleet announced the appearance 

 of the flood, which seemed like a glittering white 

 cable stretched athwart the river at its mouth 

 as far down as the eye could reach. Its noise, 

 compared by the Chinese poets to that of thunder, 

 speedily drowned that of the boatmen ; and as it 

 advanced with prodigious velocity, it assumed the 

 appearance of an alabaster wall, or rather of a 

 cataract four or five miles across, and about thirty 

 feet high, moving bodily onward. It soon reached 

 the immense assemblage of vessels waiting its 

 approach. Knowing that the bore of the Hoogly, 

 which scarce deserved mention in connection with 

 the one before me, invariably overturned boats 

 that were not skilfully managed, I could not 

 but feel apprehensive for the lives of the floating 

 multitude. As the foaming wall of water dashed 

 impetuously forward, threatening to submerge 

 everything afloat, they were all silenced, and 



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