﻿THROUGH BENGAL. 5 



during the lives of moft of the new pofTefTors ; a-* 

 they are, in general, liable to deftruftion, only by 

 the fame gradual proccfs of underniijiing, and en- 

 croachment, to which the banks of the river are fub- 



jea. 



When an ifland becomes fo large, that it is not 

 found pratlicable to cultivate the whole, which hap- 

 pens in thofe parts of the country where the people 

 are either lefs numerous, or have no immediate in- 

 ducement to take polfeffion of the new land, it is foon 

 overrun with reeds, Jong grafs, joa', * and baubul,f 

 which form extenfive, and almoft impenetrable, 

 thickets, affording fhelter to tigers, buffaloes, deer, 

 and other wild animals. The reft of the lands, in 

 general, produce good pafturage; and many thou- 

 fands of oxen are bred and nourifiied upon them. 

 The tigers commit frequent depredations among the 

 herds, but are feldom known to carry off any of the 

 people. The fertility of the foil increafing with every 

 fubfequent inundation, to which the burning of the 

 reeds and grafs, in the dry feafon, greatly contributes, 

 induces the inhabitants, at length, to extend the limits 

 of their cultivation, and to fettle more permanently 

 upon them. 



The iflands of the Ganges are diftinguifhable from 

 the main land, by their having few or no trees, even 

 long after a communication has been formed by the 

 doling up of one of the channels, which, indeed, ge- 

 nerally happens in a few years. The illand called 

 Dera Khowafpour, which is one of the largeft, has 

 continued longer in an infulated (late than any other 

 I know; which may be attributed to its peculiar fitua- 

 tion, immediately below the confluence of the Ganges 

 and Coofa rivers; the channel of the former running 

 chiefly on the fouth fide; while the ftream that iffues 

 from the latter, has a tendency to keep open the 

 channel on the north fide. It is probable that thi.> 



A 3 ifland 



* Taraarix Indica. + Mrmofa Nilotiaa, 



