Indigo in Bengal. 75 



properly done, and must also see that no seed is 

 wilfully wasted or destroyed by being thrown into 

 the water, or on to deposit which is only sand un- 

 mixed or with but little mud, which, of course, will 

 never give a crop. 



If the deposits of the year from the overflow of 

 the Ganges are found to be very deep, the sowers 

 will sometimes employ a raft of three plantain-tree 

 stems fastened together, which they will pole over 

 the mud and slushy places, carrying the seed basket 

 with them. These seed baskets are woven of jungle 

 cane, stripped smooth and wound round and round in 

 a spiral form, and tightened together by strips of 

 cane ; they are then quite water-tight, and will float 

 like a wooden bowl, even when holding a considerable 

 quantity of indigo or other seed, and they are very 

 durable and useful, being handy for all manner of 

 purposes. 



The Assistant will, during these cheetanee sowings 

 (from the Bengali word cheet, signifying to scatter), 

 go about mostly in his bkowlea, or house-boat, an 

 illustration of one of which is given. These boats 

 are manned by four or six rowers and a steersman 

 or manjee ; they also have one or more large square 

 lug-sails, and some are fitted up, schooner fashion, 

 with jibs and fore and aft sails ; but as keels are most 

 dangerous to have on a boat, more especially a 



