DELTA OF THE GANGES. 355 



America, carries the river-mud along with it as far 

 as Guiana, where, far from its parent river, it 

 forms deposits Avhich are quite analogous to those 

 of a delta. These deposits become gradually trans- 

 formed into dry land, and they may be considered as 

 the delta of the river, carried, bit by bit, to a point 

 westward of its proper destination. 



How does man himself proceed to work, when be 

 wishes to recover a few feet of land from the sea? 

 He deposits offshore rocks, stones, and wliatever else 

 can be used to fill up the deep. The river at its 

 mouth carries with it light sand and mud. At the 

 time of its rising, immense rafts or floating islands 

 of forest timbers encumber its bed, and, becoming 

 entangled in its numerous curves, stop and form true 

 dams. The river flows round them, and an island 

 is formed. Farther on, similar islands are built up 

 near the sea, where the deposits are continued in a 

 shelving form, the base of which gains daily ; every 

 hour, every minute, brings fresh materials. Nature's 

 work never comes to a standstill. 



It is evident that the more shallow a sea is, the 

 more rapidly will it fill up, and the more rapidly will 

 the delta be formed. The great depth of tlie Bay of 

 Bengal contributes to retain the formation of the 

 delta of the Ganges. It may be clearly seen on a 

 map of this delta, tliat the two principal exterior 



