1849.] from Chikuldah to Baroach. 465 



Miles. 



through the winding channels — the current rushing on rocks on 

 all hands. 

 £ Pretty good. 



The Beytana Ghat barrier. Rapids and falls ; put to on the right 

 hank to examine them. Forbidding and fearful. The main 

 stream is on the left hand, very, very, very bad for 300 yards. 

 High waves. Almost a direct fall, carried my boat over with 4 of 

 the best boatmen to test it. The boat nearly filled. The 

 laden boats could not have been taken down by this channel ; 

 examined a narrow passage between rocks for 300 yards on the 

 right bank. This is bad too, but there is no other ; it is about 

 18 feet wide. 



All the Chikuldah boats were lightened of 12 maunds each, Rewa 

 Sunkur 13 maunds, and the double boat 24 maunds. The two 

 latter and two of the Chikuldah, largest and best boats, were 

 taken down the left or main channel, and four of the latter by 

 the narrow one. The latter were managed with bamboos, the 

 former with oars and paddles. Ropes cannot be used here. All 

 shipped in water, and the double boat, as usual, a good deal. 



The right hand channel is dangerous, from not being more than 18 

 feet wide, with pointed, projecting rocks on either hand. In 

 one place the waves, here too, were very high. Almost a direct 

 fall. The water several feet deep. The coal, which was landed, 

 was carried over the rocks for some 500 yards. 

 1 Put up on the rocks on the right bank a little below the village of 

 Bheetara and the rapids, the boatmen being knocked up and it 

 being late. 



Left from below Bheetara at 7 a. m. The river has fallen about 

 2 feet since yesterday evening. Leaving the rest of the boats 

 moored, I proceeded in my boat with Mudun, Bholoo, Bun- 

 nia and another, to examine the passage below, which appeared 

 to be full of rocks and rapids. 



At 300 yards there is a pointed rock in the middle of the passage, 

 badly situated, just above the surface, the current rushing on it 

 with great force ; deep water. 

 1 Rocks and rapids the whole way, channel not well defined. My 

 boat was put to and the boatmen sent back for the others. 



