Dec. 1850. S1LHET, ESTABLISHMENT OF. . 337 



high, with feathery crowns of foliage, through which the 

 sun -beams trembled on the broad shining foliage of the 

 tropical herbage below. 



Silhet, though hot and damp, is remarkably healthy, and 

 does not differ materially in temperature from Silchar, though 

 it is more equable and humid.* It derives some interest 

 from having been first brought into notice by the en- 

 terprise of one of the Lindsays of Balcarres, at a time 

 when the pioneers of commerce in India encountered great 

 hardships and much personal danger. Mr. Lindsay, a 

 writer in the service of the East India Company, established 

 a factory at Silhet, and commenced the lime trade with 

 Calcutta,! reaping an enormous fortune himself, and laying 

 the foundation of that prosperity amongst the people which 

 has been much advanced by the exertions of the Inglis 

 family, and has steadily progressed under the protecting 

 rule of the Indian government. 



From Silhet we took large boats to navigate the Bur- 

 rampooter and Megna, to their embouchure in the Bay of 

 Bengal at Noacolly, a distance of 250 miles, whence we 

 were to proceed across the head of the bay to Chittagong, 

 about 100 miles further. We left on the 7th of December, 

 and arrived at Chattuc on the 9th, where we met our 

 Khasia collectors with large loads of plants, and paid 

 them off. The river was now low, and presented a busy 

 scene, from the numerous trading boats being confined to 

 its fewer and deeper channels. Long grasses and sedges 



During our stay of five days the mean maximum temperature was 74°, 

 minimum 64° 8 : that of thirty-two observations compared with Calcutta show 

 that Silhet is only 1 0, 7 cooler, though Mr. Stainforth's house is upwards of 2° 

 further north, and 150 feet more elevated. A thermometer sunk two feet seven 

 inches, stood at 73° 5. The relative saturation-points were, Calcutta -633, Silhet 

 •821. 



t For an account of the early settlement of Silhet, see " Lives of the Lindsays," 

 by Lord Lindsay. 



VOL. II. / 



