HINDOOSTAN. S3 



other twelve hours from the sea, which last proves a great refresh- 

 ment to the inhabitants of the coast. 



The soil of this country is in many parts so excellent as to consist 

 of black vegetable mould, to the depth of six feet- In Bengal the Gan- 

 ges annually overflows the country to the extent of more than 100 

 miles in width, which inundation greatly fertilizes the land ; and the 

 periodical rains and intense heat produce an extraordinary luxuriance 

 of vegetation, and render the arts of agriculture almost unnecessary* 

 Tne lands, however, are tilled with very simple instruments, and the 

 harvests gathered in by the ryots or peasants, who live in the utmost 

 penury and wretchedness, and are allowed for their sustenance no 

 other share of the rich produce of the soil, but some coarse rice, and 

 a few pepper pods. 



Vegetable productions. ...Large forests are found in various 

 parts of this extensive country, and on the coasts of Malabar they 

 consist of trees of a prodigious size. The teek-tree affords a strong 

 and durable timber, which might be advantageously employed in ship- 

 building ; as teek ships of forty years old are not uncommon in the 

 Indian seas, while a European built ship is ruined there in five years, 

 The cocoa-tree is remarkable for its extensive utility : of the body or 

 trunk the natives make boats and frames for their houses and rafters j 

 they thatch their houses with the leaves, and by slitting them length- 

 wise, make mats and baskets. The nut affords food, drink, and a 

 valuable oil. From the branches, when cut, exudes a liquor called 

 toddy, from which fermented is distilled an excellent arrack. The 

 Indian fig, likewise called the banyan, and the wonder-tree, is some- 

 times of an amazing size, as it is continually increasing : every branch 

 proceeding from the trunk throws out long fibres, which take root in 

 the earth, and shoot out new branches, which again throw out fibres 

 that take root, and continue in this state of progression as long as 

 they find soil to nourish them. Of fruit-bearing trees the number is 

 very great, and the fruits delicious, especially pomegranates, oranges, 

 lemons, citrons, dates, almonds, mangoes, pine-apples, musk-melons, 

 water-melons ; and, in the northern parts, pears and apples. 



Hindoostan produces almost every kind of grain, especially rice. 

 Among other vegetables are cucumbers, radishes, carrots, yams, and 

 sweet potatoes. The sugar-cane no where grows with greater vigour, 

 or is more productive of its juice, or more capable of being manu- 

 factured into finer sugar, than in Bengal. Tobacco, which was in- 

 troduced into this country about the year 1617, is now produced here 

 in great quantities. 



Animals. ...Of the wild animals of Hindoostan, the tyger, for his 

 size and strength, may claim the first place ; for lions, if there be any, 

 are extremely rare. The royal tyger, as he is called, of Bengal, grows, 

 it is said, to the height of five and six feet, with a proportionable lengthj 

 and has such strength, that he can carry off a bullock or a buffaloe with 

 ease. Elephants are very numerous and large. Here are also leopards,, 

 panthers, lynxes, hyenas, wolves, jackals, and foxes, with various spe- 

 cies of apes and monkies, and many beautiful antelopes, particularly 

 that large kind called the nil-ghau. Wild buffaloes are frequent 

 here, which are very fierce, and have vast horns, that are sometime* 

 known to grow to the length of ten feet. With respect to domestic 

 animals, the cattle are generally of a large size, and the sheep are 

 overed with hair instead of wool, except in the northern parts. 



Among the birds are peacocks and various species of parrots and 



