THE INDIAN OCEAN. 3-tl 



An effect, scarcely less sublimely magnificent, is 

 produced by the coming in of the periodical spring- 

 tide at the mouth of some of the large rivers of 

 India, which is called the Bore. The rising flood 

 confined by the narrowing coasts of a deep estuary, 

 takes the form of an innnense wave, which comes 

 majestically rolling along, like an advancing cataract, 

 bearing everything before it. So rapid is its march, 

 that its progress from Hooghly Point to Hooghly 

 Town, a distance of seventy miles, occupies but four 

 hours. At Calcutta the wave is five feet high ; but 

 in the channels formed by the numerous islands in 

 the Burhampooter, its height is twelve feet ; and so 

 terrific is it, that no boat dares to navigate the river 

 at the time of spring-tide. As the middle of the 

 river, however, is comparatively free from the in- 

 tiuence, and only one side, usually, is subject to its 

 greatest violence, the boats and larger craft hasten, on 

 its approach, into the open water of the current ; but 

 if unhappily overtaken, they are inevitably overturned 

 or swamped, while even large ships, that present 

 their broadsides to its advance, are rolled so violently, 

 that tlieir yard-arms are dipped in the wave. 



The multitudes of fishes, of brilliant hues and fan- 

 tastic shapes, that play in the tepid waters of these 

 regions of the sun, are incalculable. Numerous 

 bands of Parrot-fishes (Scartis) and Piock-wrasscs 

 {Labrus) sport about the reefs, whose bodies are 

 ornamented with crimson, yellow, and silvery tints, 

 often arranged in the form of bands or stripes ; Gur- 

 nards {Tri(/Ia), whose large fins resemble in their 

 foim and delicate peucillings the wings of a butter Hy, 



