296 GANGETIC HINDOO STAN. 



vvithftanding a ftream pafles through its channel the whole 

 year. 



Ban-del. Baudely a fmall town on the \veftern fide of the river, is a 



factory belonging to the Portuguefe. I cannot learn how long 

 that nation had been fettled in Bengal, but believe it to have 

 been very early. Fitcbe, before mentioned, found the Portu- 

 guefe fettled at Hoogly, but it is agreed that they were totally ex- 

 pelled by Aurengzebe, in 1633, for their infolent and diflioneft 

 condudt. 



HooGLY. The fmall but antient city of HoogJy flands a few leagues 



lower on the weftern fide of the river. Abulfazel mentions it 

 as being in his days inhabited by Europeans. It is the firft 

 place that the Englijh ever vifited in Bengal, at left with com- 

 mercial views. The Dutch had the ftart of us, for they fettled 

 in that province in 1625. The medical art is not only favorable 

 to the profelTors themfelves, but has been the occafion of un- 

 fpeakable advantages even to their native country in general. 

 Boughton, a furgeon, was the firft which opened our trade with 

 Bengal, in 1636. He had been fent for from Sural to attend a 

 daughter of the Emperor Shah Jehan's at Agra. He cured the 

 lady, and was rewarded by her father with many favors, and 

 the important one of a patent to trade free of cuftoms through- 

 out his dominions. He proceeded to Bengal, meaning to pur- 

 chafe goods, and to return to Sural by Tea. His patent might 

 perhaps have been of little fervice, had not the Nabob of Ben- 

 gal wanted his afliftance to cure a favorite woman, which he 

 fucceeding in, the great man took him into his fervice, and gave 



him 



