Book I 



Travels 171 India. 



and thence to Ogouli by Land ; for when the River is low, there is no going by 

 Water, by reafon of a great Bank of Sand that lies before a City call'd San- 

 tiqxi. 



I lay that night at Toutipour, diftant from Rage-mehale, coftes iz 

 I faw there at Sun-rifing a great number of Crocodiles lying upon the Sand. 

 The feventh, I came to Acer at, coftes 2 y 

 From Acer at to Daca, it is counted by Land forty-five Leagues. All that 

 day I law fuch a vaft number of Crocodiles, that I had a great defire to (hoot 

 at one, to try whether the vulgar report were true, that a Musket-mot would 

 not pierce their skin. The bullet hit him in the jaw, and made the blood gufli 

 out ; however he would not ftay in the place, but plung'd into the River. 



The eighth, I faw again a great number lying upon the bank of the River, and 

 made two Ihot at two with three bullets at a time. As foon as they were woun- 

 ded, they turn d themfelves upon their backs, opening their throats, and di'd upon 

 the fpot. 



That day I came to lie at Douloudia, coftes 17 

 The Crows were here the caufe that we found a very fair Fifh, which the Fifher- 

 men had hid among theOflers by the fide of the River ; for when our Water-men 

 faw the Crows in great numbers hovering, and making an hideous noife about the 

 Ofiers, they prefently conjeftur'd that there was fomething more than ordinary : 

 and they made fo diligent a fearch, that at length they found an excellent difh of 

 meat. 



The ninth, two hours after noon, we met with a River call'd Chativor, that runs 

 from the North, and we lay at Dampour, coftes iô 



The tenth, we lay by the River-fide in a place remote from Houfes, and we 

 travell'd that day, coftes iy 



The eleventh, toward evening, being come to that part where Ganges divides it 

 fèlf into three Arms, whereof one runs to Daca ; we lay at a large Town, upon 

 the entry of the great Channel, which Town is call'd fatrapour, coftes 20 



They that have no luggage, may make a Ihort-cut from fatrapour to Daca, and 

 fave much ground, by reafon of the many windings of the River. 



The twelf, about noon, we paft by a large Village call'd Bagamara, and came to 

 lie at Kafiata, another great Town, coftes 1 1 



The thirteenth, about noon we met with a River, two leagues from Daca, 

 call'd Laqttia, which runs from the North-Eaft. Iuft againft the Point where the 

 two Rivers join, there ftands a Fortrefs of each fide, with lèverai pieces of Can- 

 non. Half a league lower, appears another River call'd f again, upon which there 

 is a fair Bridg of Brick, which Mirz*a-Mola caus'd to be built. This River comes 

 from the North-Eaft ; and half a league upward appears another River call'd Ca~ 

 damtali, that runs from the North, over which there is another Bridg of Brick. 

 On both fides of the River are lèverai Towers, as it were enchas'd with lèverai 

 heads of men, executed for robbing upon the high-way. 



About evening we came to Daca, having travell'd by water that day, coftes 9 



Daca is a great Town, that extends it fèlf only in length ; every one coveting to 

 have an Houfe by the'fi ange s-tide. The length of this Town is above two leagues. 

 And indeed from the laft Brick-Bridg which I mention d, to Daca, there is but one 

 continued row of Houfes feparated one from the other ; inhabited for the molt 

 part by Carpenters, that build Galleys and other fmall Veflels. Thefe Houfes are 

 properly no more than paltry Huts built up with Bambou? s, and daub'd over with 

 fat Earth. Thofeof Daca are not much better built: The Governor's Palace is 

 a place enclos'd with high Walls, in the midft whereof is a pittiful Houfe, built 

 only of Wood. He generally lodges in Tents, which he caùlès to be fet up in a 

 great Court of that Enclofure. The Hollanders finding that their Goods were not 

 fafe in the ordinary Houlès of Daca, have built them a very fair Houfe j and the 

 EngUJk have another, which is reafonably handfom. The Church of the Anfiin- 

 Friers is all of Brick, and is a very comely Pile. j 



When I travell'd laft to Daca, the Nahab cha-Eft-Kan, who was then Gover- 

 nor of Bengala,^s at War with the King of Arakan, whole Naval-Force confifts 

 generally of 200 Galeafles, attended by feveral other ffnaller Veflels. Thele 

 Galeafles run through' the Gulf of Bengala, and enter intcf the mouth of Qànges^ 



the 



