BENGAL. 



BENGAL. 



jooa 



The soil most general throughout Bengal is a light sandy loam. 

 Except in the tracts annually inundated, the stratum of productive 

 earth is seldom more than a few inches deep. The inundations are 

 occasioned by the swelling of the rivers in the rainy season. As the 

 water drains away it leaves a deposit of decayed vegetable matter, 

 which renews the productive powers of the soil. 



Rivers. Bengal is intersected in every direction by navigable 

 streams, nearly all affluents of the Ganges, by which river the province 

 is watered from its north-western boundary at Purueah to the sea. 

 The Brahmaputra enters the province on the north-east, whence it 

 flows westward through the district of Rangamatty, then turns south- 

 ward, winding occasionally towards the east, and falls into the Bay 

 of Bengal at the spot where the Ganges has its principal embouchure. 

 [GANGES ; BRAHMAPUTRA.] The other principal rivers are the Cosi, 

 Conki, Duminudah, Jhinayi, Korotoya, Manas, and Tcesta. 



The Cosi rises in Nepaul, near Khatmandu, the capital, and enters 

 Bengal 20 miles noith of Nauthpore in Purreah ; it then flows nearly 

 due south, and joins the Ganges at the south-western corner of Pur- 

 neah, where it forms the boundary between Bengal and Bahar. The 

 Conki ii a considerable mountain stream, which has its source in 

 Tibet. It enters Bengal in Piftneah district, to the north of Ally- 

 gunge, eastward of the Cosi, and between it and the Teesta ; it then 

 flows with a winding course towards the south, and after being joined 

 by the Mahauanila, which receives its name, it joins the Ganges at 

 Nabobgunge about 17 miles above Bauleah. The Dummudah rises 

 among the hills in the district of Kamghur in Bahar. This river 

 receives many tributaries in its eastward course through Ramghur ; 

 it enters Bengal at the western extremity of Burdwan, passes the 

 town of Burdwan, and then turning abruptly to the south, joins the 

 Hoogly a few miles below Futtah. Above the influence of the tides, 

 the Dummudah is shallow, and except in the rainy season not 

 navigable. The influence of the tide reaches only to Omptha, 25 miles 

 in a direct line from the junction of the Dummudah with the Hoogly. 

 Above Burdwan the river has water enough to be used for the con- 

 veyance of goods. The Jhinayi River is a branch of the Brahmaputra, 

 which it quits at Shazadpore, about 10 miles below Dewangunge. 

 The Jhiuayi flows first to the south and then to the west, and dis- 

 charges itself into the lakes, or jeele, of Nattore. The Korotoya, which 

 rises in Tibet, enters the province of Bengal at its northern boundary, 

 dividing the districts of Rungpore and Dinajepore ; after a short 

 course to the south-west it falls into the Teesta. In the rainy season 

 the Korotoya is navigable for boats of small burden, but the principal 

 commercial use made of this river is to float down timber. The Manas 

 is a small stream which separates Bengal from the principality of 

 Bijnee. It flows to the south-west, and falls into the Brahmaputra at 

 Jughigopa in 26 12' N. lat., 90 35' E. long. The Teesta is said to 

 rise in Tibet, and after forcing a passage through the snowy mountains 

 which form the boundary of the Chinese empire, it enters the moun- 

 tainous country to the south, and thence flowing into the province of 

 Bengal, continues until it joins the great eastern trunk of the Ganges 

 near Nabobgunge, in 24 35' N. lat., 88 27' E. long. The Teesta is 

 navigable at all seasons for boats of small burden along the greater 

 part of its course. It is much swollen in the rainy season, and advan- 

 tage in taken of this circumstance to transmit goods by it in vessels of 

 considerable size. 



Besides the rivers here mentioned, Bengal contains many water- 

 courses that flow into the navigable rivers. During the rains these 

 also are navigable by boats, which convey the produce of the soil from 

 the doors of the ryots for shipment in larger vessels on the more 

 considerable streams. It is said that there is hardly any spot in the 

 province more than 20 miles from a river navigable in the driest seasons. 



The rivers of Bengal constantly change their courses, a phenome- 

 non attributed by Major Rennell to the loose materials of which the 

 soil is composed, which easily yields to the friction of the stream. 



There are many instances of a total change of course in some of the 

 Bengal rivers. Major Rennell says, " The Cosi river (equal to the Rhine) 

 once ran by Purneah (town), and joined the Ganges opposite Rajimal. 

 Ita junction is now 45 miles higher up. Gour, the ancient capital of 

 Bengal, stood on the old bank of the Ganges, although its ruins are 

 four or live miles from the present bank. During eleven years of my 

 residence in Bengal, the outlet or head of the Gelliughy River was 

 gradually removed three-quarters of a mile lower down ; and by two 

 surveys of a part of the adjacent bank of the Ganges, taken about the 

 distance of nine years from each other, it appeared that the breadth 

 of an English mile and a half had been taken away. This is however 

 the most rapid change that I have noticed, a mile in ten or twelve 



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rent strikes with the greatest force, namely, where two adjoining 

 reaches tpproach nearest to a right angle." 



The boats used on the rivers, of considerable size and in shape like 

 pleasure-barges, draw four or five feet water, and are called bujerows. 

 Tli'Mr downward course varies in the different seasons from 40 to 70 

 miles in 12 hours. In ascending the rivers boats are tracked by oxen 

 at the rate of from 30 to 40 miles a day. Steam has been success- 

 fully applied to the navigation of the Ganges. Iron steam-\< 

 IMIIK, flat, and very buoyant, have been placed on the river by the 

 government for the conveyance both of passengers and goods. They 

 ascend the stream about 800 miles from Calcutta to Allahabad : in 



the dry season the rate of progress is about 50 miles a day upwards 

 and about 80 miles a day downwards ; in the rainy season, when the 

 stream is stronger, 40 miles a day upwards and 100 miles downwards 

 is the usual rate ; but the more recently-built steamers considerably 

 exceed these rates. 



There are numerous roads in Bengal ; the more important of which 

 have been constructed and are maintained directly by the govern- 

 ment. Many of the cross-roads are under the charge of local 

 committees, who have at their disposal funds derived from ferries 

 and other sources for the purpose of maintaining the roads. A rail- 

 way from Calcutta to Delhi was projected in 18-14. The contract 

 between the East India Company and the Railway Company was 

 signed in August 1849. The section first undertaken is that from 

 Howrah opposite Calcutta to Raneegung, via Pundooa and Burdwau. 

 The electric telegraph is now being laid between Calcutta and Agra. 



Lakes, etc. There are a great number of extensive jeels (shallow 

 lakes) in Bengal. Most of these are nearly empty during the dry season, 

 but are so swollen by the rains as to be navigable by boats of large 

 dimensions. Some of them are navigable throughout the year. 

 It is supposed that they were originally parts of the channels of great 

 rivers, diverted from their courses by the process just described. 



The instability of the soil, which admits of these changes, is one 

 cause of the frail nature of the native buildings in the province. 

 The habitations of the poorer classes are so slightly erected that few 

 of them last beyond the second or third year, while the dwellings of 

 the wealthy are of a very poor description. Few persons care to 

 expend much in the erection of a building which by an ordinary 

 casualty may be damaged or destroyed in a few seasons. 



Climate. There is considerable regularity in the seasons in Bengal. 

 The four months preceding the setting in of the periodical rains, 

 which generally commence early in June, are dry, and the heat during 

 this time progressively increases, until it becomes almost insupportable 

 even to the natives. During April the heat is occasionally tempered 

 by thunder-storms, accompanied by rain and wind from the north- 

 west. In June and July the rain falls violently, with little or no inter- 

 mission. More than one or two days' fair weather is rare. The rain 

 that falls at this season has sometimes amounted to four or five inches 

 in 24 hours ; this however is far beyond the average, since the annual 

 fall of rain varies from 70 to 80 inches, but rarely exceeds the larger 

 quantity. From July to the beginning of September, the weather is 

 less rainy, the dry days recur more frequently, and occupy longer 

 intervals ; the rain too when it falls is less violent. Towards the close 

 of September the dry season again prevails, and the heat is intense. 

 This is considered, especially by Europeans, the most unhealthy part 

 of the year. 



In the dry and colder part of the year the dews are so heavy as to 

 compensate for the daily absorption by the sun, and to supply the 

 moisture necessary for the refreshment of the earth. 



The rivers begin to swell near their sources before the rains set in, 

 owing to the melting of the snows on the mountains of Tibet ; and 

 the waters gradually rise till after the rains have caused the rivers to 

 overflow their banks. The country presents one uniform surface of 

 water for an extent of more than 100 miles. To prevent danger froiu 

 the rushing of so great a body of water from the overcharged rivers, 

 dikes are constructed in various situations, and kept up at a great 

 cost. In some places the banks of the Ganges are artificially raised 

 on either side to confine the water, which thus flaws, during the rainy 

 season, at a higher level than the adjacent country. After the begin- 

 ning of October the water rapidly subsides, its disappearance being 

 hastened by the prodigious evaporation. 



Natural Productions. The produce of the soil in this province 

 includes almost every kind of grain and pulse cultivated in Kuropc, 

 with others peculiar to the climate of the country. Rice is grown in 

 almost every part of the province. In the management of the land 

 for this, the most important object of cultivation, embankments arc 

 formed for retaining the water on the plains, and for preserving it in 

 reservoirs on the higher grounds, whence it is conveyed to irrigate the 

 lauds below. Many tanks have been built for the same purpose. 

 Wheat and barley are sown at the commencement of the cold season, 

 and are reaped before the setting in of the rains. The winter is also 

 chosen for the raising of great varieties of peas and beans. Millet is 

 another article of importance in the rural economy of Bengal, and in 

 the western districts maize is very generally cultivated. 



Linseed, mustard-seed, palma christi, and sesamum, are grown for 

 the oil they yield t which is consumed in vast quantities throughout 

 the province. Oil is also made from the cocoa-nut. The cold season 

 is chosen for cultivating linseed and mustard ; the seeds of sesamum 

 ripen after the rains ; and cocoa-nuts are gathered at all seasons. 



Sugar, cotton, indigo, and tobacco are among the most important 

 productions of the country. Mulberry-trees, the leaves of which are 

 necessary for the sustenance of silk-worms, and poppies for the 

 supply of opium, are also objects of extensive cultivation. 



Orchards of mango-trees are seen in every part of Bengal ; date- 

 trees are equally common ; and in the central parts of the province 

 there are plantations of areca palms. Pine-apples, citrons, lemons, 

 oranges, pomegranates, grapes, almonds, tamarinds, plantains, ginger, 

 carrots, potatoes, onions, and garlic, are plentiful in most parts. 

 Apples and pears are found only in the northern districts. Bamboos, 



