﻿■THROUGH BENGAL. '3 



The unfettled (late of the rivers in Bengal may be 

 attributed alfo, in a great mcafure, to the loofeners 

 of the foil through which they flow; but the de- 

 ftruftive operation which Nature continually carries 

 on in this way, is in fome degree compenfated by her 

 bounty in forming new lands, either by alluvions on 

 the oppofite fhore, or by iflands, which rife up in the 

 middle of the ftream, and ultimately becomq con- 

 ne6led with the main land, by the clofing up of one 

 of the channels. If this happens on the fide where 

 the encroachment was made, the whole force of the 

 ftream is diverted into the oppofite channel, and the 

 further progrefs of the river on that fide is ftopped. 

 But if, on the contrary, the junction is formed on the 

 fhelving fide, a much greater encroachment will take 

 place, in confequence of the additional quantity of 

 water which is thrown into the larger channel; and 

 thus the river will continue to undermine and fweep 

 away the bank, until a fimilar accident, or fome other 

 caufe, obliges it to reaflume a more direct courfe : 

 but I have never known an inftance where the inflec- 

 tion in the courfe of the Ganges has been fo great as 

 it may commonly be obferved in the fmailer rivers, 

 nor do I think it poffible that in a ftream of fuch mag- 

 nitude it fliould ever be fo. 



As every current of water will quickly depofit the 

 particles of earth, or fand, which in its courfe it has 

 detached from the fides, or raked up from the bottom 

 of its bed; lb we find coniiderable flioals, and fand , 

 banks, in moft rivers; but particularly in fu<:h as flow 

 through a loofe and fandy foil : accordingly the 

 Ganges gives birth to numerous iflands, which are 

 moftly of an extent proportioned to its vaft bulk. 

 Having had opportunities of obferving thefe iflands, 

 in almoft every ftage of their growth, I have been 

 aftonifhed at the rapidity with which they have fome- 

 times been thrown up, and at the magnitude to which 

 they have ultimately fwelled. 



A 2 When' 



