Chap. XXI. 



THE SUNDERBUNDS. 



361 



Ganges by which that mighty river empties itself 

 into the bay of Bengal. 



I was much struck with the dense vegetation of 

 the Sunderbunds. The trees are low and shrubby in 

 appearance ; they grow close to the water's edge, and 

 many dip their branches into the stream. The 

 ground is so low in many places as to be nearly 

 covered at high water or during spring-tides. 



A great portion of the Sunderbunds is uninhabited 

 by man. Here the Bengal tiger roams unmolested 

 in his native wilds. I was told that the poor wood- 

 cutters who come here in boats to cut wood are 

 frequently carried off by this animal, notwithstanding 

 all the charms which are used to keep him away. 

 A priest is often brought in the boat, whose duty it is 

 to land on the spot where the wood is to be cut, and 

 to go through certain forms which are supposed to 

 act as a spell upon the tigers. This, however, is 

 frequently of little use, as the following anecdote will 

 show. A short time since a small river steamer, in 

 passing through the Sunderbunds, was in want of fuel. 

 Her chief officer boarded one of these wood-boats in 

 order to get some wood to enable her to proceed to 

 the nearest coaling station. The poor woodman begged 

 and prayed to be allowed to keep the wood which he 

 had been some weeks in procuring, and in obtaining 

 which he had lost six of his crew, who had been all 

 carried off by tigers. " How is that," said the officer ; 

 " had you no priest with you to charm the tigers ?" 

 "Alas ! that was of no use," replied the woodman, " for 

 the priest was the first man the tigers took away." 



