OCTOBER 1765. 
JOURNAL, of the fourth Expedition for making a general Map of the Bengali 
Provinces, beginning with that of Bengali, & continuing the Survey of the 
Baramputrey & the Countries bordering on it. 
The ioth. of October whilst at Dacca I received Lord Clive’s Orders to set about 
forming a general Map of Bengali with all Expedition; & as it appeared to be a very 
tedious Work should all the Distances be exactly ascertained, his Lordship gave 
Directions that they should be taken in a cursory Manner only, correcting them by 
Latitudes or any other eligible Means. 1 2 3 * * 
As his Lordship was pleased to leave it to my Discretion where to begin my 
Surveys, I judged it most proper to proceed with the Survey of the River Baram- 
putrey, & the Countries that lie contiguous to it. 
Sunday 13th. set out from Dacca. The Rainy Season not broke up but ex- 2 
pected to break 1 at the new Moon which was to happen y e next day. Being to go 
by way of Naranda Creek ; I judged that no ill Consequences could happen to the 
Boats by the Monsoons breaking, whilst they continued in so narrow a Creek : the 
Weather also appeared to be settled. 
In the afternoon we had a slight Squall from the NINE, & at 5 perceiving that 
the Clouds began to rise very quick from that Quarter, we returned back to Diagunge 
& secured the Boats near the Bridged Very heavy Rain from 5 till Midnight, the 
Wind in moderate Gales from the Northward. 
The 14th. at \ an hour past Midnight the Wind increased, and at one blew a 
stiff Gale: from that Time till 6 in the Morning several heavy Squalls, with much 
Rain, the Wind veering gradually from N d . to ENE. At 9 the Wind came at East 
& blew much stronger than before, & from 9 to 5 PM it veered gradually to SWBW, 
its violence increasing till it had settled in that Quarter near two Hours. The Rain 
continued without Intermission. At 7 PM the Wind veered to West, & grew 3 
moderate, the remainder of the Night moderate Gales from WNW to West, with 
flying Showers. The Moon changed at 11 at this Night. 
The 15th. moderate Gales from WSW to NNW, the Weather cloudy & threat- 
ning, but before Night it cleared up. The Water of the River rose a Cubit & half 
during the Storm, but fell again this Day. 6 
1 The historian Ortne had written to Tord Clive (21 st Nov 1 '. 1764), imploring him to “make a vast map of 
Bengal, in which not only the outlines of the province, but also the different subdivisions of Burdwan, Beerboom etc. 
may be justly marked. ***** Take astronomical observations of longitude, if you have anybody capable of doing 
it * * * These instructions to Rennell were no doubt the outcome of this appeal (Malcolm, Rife of Clive, 
Vol. II, p. 253), On the 29 th Sept r 1765 Clive wrote to Orme promising tolet him have themaps (Ibid,., Vol. Ill, p. 132)- 
2 The expression “ break of the monsoon ’ ’ is now generally used to denote its beginning ; ante p. 27. 
3 The Dolai or Naranda creek is a branch of the Balu, a tributary of the Rakhinia (Ruckya) river, and intersects the 
city of Dacca. 
* The Narandia bridge, built (together with a mosque) in the year 1664 A.D. The creek is now crossed by an iron 
suspension bridge (Rankin). 
6 These cyclones often occur during October in the Bay of Bengal and the surrounding countries, and frequently 
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