SACRED ISLES IN THE WEST, &C. 295 



that this bed of sand was merely adventitious, and 

 had been broujyht down by the river from the 

 shores to the lower parts of its bed ; and that the 

 old bottom of the sea wv.s considerably below. The 

 same appearances, with human bones, have been 

 found lately at different places, in digging wells 

 near the Ganges, and generally at the same depth 

 nearly. 



To ascertain the quantity of the declivity, both 

 of the country and of the bed of the Gariges, would 

 be usefid and entertaining: but I have nothing 

 but conjectures to offer on rhis subject. When we 

 consider the numerous windings of this river, we 

 may safely conclude, that the declivity cannot be 

 considerable. It is p-reater from Hurdicctr to Alia- 

 habad, and through the country of Oifde, than any 

 where else. From Allahabad to Sacri-giilli/, it ap- 

 pe<ns to be trifling; but from the head of the Delta^ 

 where the banks are generally about thirty feet 

 ab.)ve the surface of the waters of the river, when 

 at their lowest period, the declivity is uniform down 

 to the sea (where the land is nearly on a level witli 

 it), for a spue of two hundred and thirty miles : I 

 have often oh^tx\t(\,htt\v ten A UahahaddiwaRojamdhl^ 

 that there was no sensible declivity in the surface 

 of the waters of the river, when at tlieir lowest 

 period, for ten miles, in some places fifteen, and 

 even twenty in others. For since there was no 

 sensible current in the river, when the winds were 

 silent, there could be no declivity. Besides, the 

 river Cosa, which fell into the Ganges formerly 

 opposite Raj a27id hi, has altered its course, and joins 

 this river twenty-five miles higher up, which is the 

 distance between Nabob-gunge and its present 

 mouth. If the declivity was very considerable, 

 this could not have happened. In the Western 

 parts of the Gangetic provinces there are two de- 



U 4 



