BENGAL. 



455 



Bengal. 



Inland 

 commerce 



one horn, abounds in the isles of the Ganges. But 

 the royal tyger of Bengal, is most of all worthy of 

 particular notice ; it seems to have been known to 

 the Romans, and is distinguished by Seneca the poet 

 by the appellation of Gangetica tigris. This animal 

 is sometimes five or six feet in height, of such enor- 

 mous strength as to carry off a large bullock, and able 

 to clear a hundred feet at one spring. The horses, 

 chiefly used in Bengal by the Grandees and Euro- 

 peans, are of the Persian or Arabian breed, and are 

 procured at an immense value. The native horses 

 are thin, ugly, and ill shaped animals, tolerably ac- 

 tive ; but, in their best state, not equal to the Welsh 

 and Highland ponies. Bengal is more defective in 

 its breed of cattle, than most other parts of India. 

 The pastures are overstocked ; and the black cattle 

 and hogs are barely kept alive : herds of the former 

 may often be seen in such a starved state, that not 

 one of them would weigh against a good English 

 sheep. The goats and sheep thrive better ; but the 

 latter are very small, of a lank figure, black or dark 

 grey colour, with coarse, thin, and hairy wool. 



Game, poultry, and water fowl of all descriptions, 

 are found in the greatest abundance in Bengal. 

 Ducks, particularly, are here in great variety and ex- 

 cellence ; and the common domestic fowl of Europe, 

 run wild in the woods, and are called therefore the 

 jungle fowl. In consequence of the humanity of the 

 natives towards the lower animals, the crow, kite, 

 mino, and sparrow, hop about the dwellings of the 

 Bengalese with entire familiarity ; and even in the 

 houses of the English, pilfer from the dishes of meat, 

 as they are carried from the cook-room to the hall. 

 A large species of stork, ludicrously termed the 

 adjutant, from his erect posture and military strut, 

 stalks at his ease at the side of the natives, and de- 

 vours abundance of toads, lizards, 6erpents, and in- 

 sects. Among the feathered tribes, may be particu- 

 larly mentioned, the argill or hurgill, a species of 

 ardea, which is very large and ravenous, and which is 

 held in great veneration by the Brahmins. 



The inland commerce of Bengal is carried on 

 chiefly with Thibet, Agra, and Delhi. The prin- 

 cipal articles are silks, calicoes, muslins, salt-petre, 

 opium, sugar, indigo, gum lac, with a variety of 

 piece goods, which pass almost entirely through the 

 agents of the company. The exportation of grain 

 from the corn countries, and the importation of salt, 

 constitute the greater part of this trade in the hands 

 of the natives. The importation of cotton from the 

 western provinces, and the exchange of tobacco and 

 betel nut, form almost the whole supply of internal 

 consumption. Some part of this merchandize is trans- 

 ported by land carriage, which is commonly perform- 

 ed by oxen, sometimes by the small horses of the 

 country, and rarely by buffaloes ; because though 

 those animals are both stronger and more docile than 

 oxen, they are less easily maintained. The magnifi- 

 cent causeways, formerly constructed by the native 

 princes, are now fallen into decay. The country af- 

 fords no substantial materials fur the formation of 

 highways ; and, except in the neighbourhood of mi- 

 litary stations, there are no roads sufficient to admit 

 the use of wheel carriages. These disadvantages, 

 however, are abundantly compensated bv the facili- 



ty with which internal navigation is conducted. So Bengal, 

 completely are the various branches of the Ganges ' 



and the Barrampoo'er diffused over the flat country, 

 that scarcely any part of this large province is above 

 twenty-five miles distant from a navigable river. The 

 wood, salt, and provisions of many millions of people, 

 are conveyed along these channels by 30,000 boat- 

 men, who are the most laborious and hardy race in 

 India. " These rivers are in a state of tranquillity, 

 from the time of the change of the monsoon in Oc- 

 tober to the middle of March, when the north-voesters 

 begin in the eastern parts of Bengal, and may be ex- 

 pected once in three or four days, until the com- 

 mencement of the rainy season. Thes: north -tvesters 

 are the most formidable enemies tliat : >-e met with 

 in the inland navigation, being sudden and violent 

 squalls of wind and rain, and though of no long 

 duration, are often attended with fatal effects if not 

 carefully guarded against ; whole fleets of trading 

 boats having been sunk by them almost instantane- 

 ously. They are more frequent in the eastern, than 

 in the western part of Bengal ; and happen oftener 

 towards the close of the day, than at any other time. 

 As they are indicated some hours before they arrive, 

 by the rising and very singular appearance of the 

 clouds, the traveller has commonly time enough to 

 seek a place of shelter. It is in the great rivers alone, 

 that they are so truly formidable ; and that about 

 the latter end of May and beginning of June, when 

 the rivers are much increased in width. " During 

 the long interval between the end of the rainy season 

 and the beginning of the north- westers, one proceeds 

 in security with respect to weather ; and has only to 

 observe a common degree of attention to the piloting 

 the boat clear of shallows and stumps of trees." 

 " From the beginning of November to the latter end 

 of May, the usual rate of going xvilh the stream is 

 tO miles in a day of 12 hours ; and during the rest 

 of the year from. 50 to 70 miles : The current is! 

 strongest, while the waters of the inundation are 

 draining off ; which happens in part of August and 

 September." " Seventeen or twenty miles a day, 

 according to the ground, and the number of impedi- 

 ments, is the greatest distance that a large budgeroio 

 can be towed against the stream during the fair sea- 

 son ; and to accomplish this, the boat must be drawn 

 at the rate of 4| miles per hour, through the water, 

 for twelve hours." (Rennel's Memoir, Sfc.) The 

 vessels, employed in this navigation, are variously- 

 constructed, according to the nature of the rivers on 

 which they are employed ; and are of various sizes, 

 from eight to twenty-four oars. Some have cabins 

 It feet wide, and proportionably long; and draw 

 from 4 to 5 feet water : the larger boats upon the 

 Ganges carry from 300 to 600 mauns. 



The maritime trade of Bengal, as far a3 it is ma- Maritime- 

 naged by the natives, was never so extensive as the trade, 

 inland. The principal part of it is conveyed by the 

 way of Calcutta, a district of considerable extent, 

 situated upon a navigable river, a little below the 

 most western mouth of the Ganges. From Balasore, 

 which is its principal port, a traffic in rice, cottons, 

 and silks is carried on with the Maldives in exchange 

 for cowries ; and with the country of Asam by sup- 

 plying it with great quantities of salt, receiving in. 



