294 AN ESSAY ON THE 



surface of the adjacent level has been disturbed by 

 the incroacbments of rivers, and torrents from the 

 hills in the rains, or by the industry of man. This 

 I noticed particularly about Birbhoom, and to the 

 South-east of CA'M/zar. What we call the hills in 

 this country, and which appear such, from the im- 

 mense plains below, are, in reality, the table-land 

 of old India. In the Ga/^getic provinces no native 

 earth is to be found, and the soil consists of vari- 

 ous strata of different sorts of earths, in tlie great- 

 est confusion, the lightest being often found below 

 the heaviest. The deepest excavation, that ever 

 came to my knowledge, was made, some years ago, 

 near Benares, at a place called Comowl^, within a 

 furlong, I believe, of the Gauges, by some gen- 

 tlemen who were erecting some indigo works. 

 They pierced through an amazing thick stra- 

 tum of stiff earth, without obtaining ^vater. They 

 found then several beds of mould and sand, -re- 

 Tnarkably thin ; then at the depth of about ninety- 

 five feet, they arrived at an old bed of the Ganges, 

 which consisted of a deep stratum of river sand, 

 with bones of men and quadrupeds. They were 

 supposed to be petrefactions, from their extraordi- 

 nary weight, though they preserved their original 

 texture. The human bones were entire, but those 

 of quadrupeds were broken, and bore evident marks 

 of their having been cut with a sharp instrument. 

 This bed was exactly thirty feet below the present 

 bed of the G<7wo'e.y, Below \\\\?> stratum of sand 

 they found another of clay ; and below it, some 

 mould : then, at the depth of about one hundred and 

 five feet, they found a bed of fine white sand, such as 

 is found on the sea shore. Ihider this they found 

 a bed of the same clay and earth as there w^as above : 

 and they were relieved from their labours, by a co- 

 pious stream of fresh water. The sight of the sea 

 sand gave me some hope of fmding some marine 

 productions, but I was disappointed : which shews 



