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CHAPTER II. 
January 25. — The wind continuing completely contrary, we have 
been obliged to tide up the Hoogly, making only twenty miles a day. 
The navigation from Sorgur to Calcutta is excessively difficult from 
the intricacy of the passages between the sand banks, and the very 
sudden turns which the river makes. Vessels that draw more than 
seventeen feet water, cannot be taken higher than Diamond Harbour, 
except at spring tides ; and even then it is dangerous, if they draw 
more than eighteen ; yet upon this river are the settlements of the 
French, Dutch, and Danes, as well as the English. We are at anchor 
ojBPFultah, a mud village, similar to others which we have seen. The 
river itself is grand from its great body of water, but the quantity 
of mud which it rolls down considerably lessens its beauty. The 
banks are high, the country beyond is perfectly flat, and covered 
thickly with timber and brushwood, the haunt of innumerable 
tigers. To these Sunderbunds the Hindoos resort at this season 
in immense numbers, to perform their ablutions in the Ganges, 
and many, to sacrifice themselves to the alligators, which they 
effect by walking into the river, and waiting till the ferocious ani- 
mals approach and draw them under; others perish by the tigers 
every season ; yet the powerful influence of superstition still draws 
them to this spot. 
This evening a letter arrived from Mr. Graham, inviting me to his 
VOL. I. I 
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