﻿THROUGH BENGAL. 13 



per inlet unnavigable for the fmallcfl boats. The 

 main {Ircam had been diverted into the oppofite chan- 

 nel, on the N. W. fide of the ifland; fo that boats, 

 on their way up and down the river, did not, at this 

 time, pafs nearer to Colgong than 2^^ miles. The 

 whole length of the channel which had been thus ren- 

 dered in a great mcafure unnavigable, exceeded lo 

 miles; and I have little doubt but in a few )cars it will 

 be impaffable even in the rains. 



Thus the Ganges, which for many years had flowed 

 in. a full ilream by Colgong^ may be faid now to have 

 deferted that place. The new ifland, which has been 

 the principal caufe of this diverfion of the ftrcam, is 

 hitherto but partially inhabited and cultivated, the 

 greateft part of it being overrun with reeds and tama- 

 rifk. The old channel exhibited a flriking contrail to 

 the appearance it formerly had, as not a fingle boat was 

 to be feen ; and the flender dream which flowed in at 

 its upper inlet, not having power to communicate any 

 vifible motion to the vaft body of water which remained 

 in the lower part of the channel, it appeared, ofcourfe, 

 as (till as a lake, or a pond ; and a great part of the 

 main bank, which had formerly been in a crumbling 

 Itate, had now become Hoping * and iirm. 



Being enabled, on my return from Colgong^ to com- 

 plete the furvey of the river down to Horrifonker^ I 

 found it, throughout a courfe of 160 miles, to differ 

 widely from the old charts in almoft every part : but 

 having already mentioned the moft remarkable changes 

 which had occurred from Sooty upwards, it remains 

 only now to give an account of fuch as I obferved be- 

 low that place. 



The 



* Tbis is a ufual efFcB of the ftagnaiion of water in all rivers ; for as tlie 

 current which bears upon a bank has a tendency to fap and undermine it, 

 and to render' it fieep ; fo when this caufc no longer exifl>, the bank will 

 gradually recover that degree of inclination which is natural to the maigins 

 of lakes, or of flagnated pools. The upper part of the bank being moiftened 

 by the rains, crumbles ia, and if the current be not fufficientiy llrong to 

 bear it away, will gradually fubfidc at an angle of 45 degrees, and hll up a 

 part of the channel. 



