JUNGEPORE. 77 
agreeable effect to the scene. The mango topes and palm-trees were 
observed as usual, but the cocoa-nut was scarce, and seemed to bear 
but little fruit. The villages were composed of miserable mud 
cottages, but they rapidly succeeded each other, and the number 
of inhabitants gave me a high idea of the general population of the 
country 
February's. — At half past eight in the morning I arrived at Mr. 
Atkinson's, at Jungepore, where I found breakfast prepared for me. 
I dressed, after a thorough ablution, and joined my host, who seemed 
heartily glad to see me. He is a pleasing intelligent man, but 
has some appearance of rustication, having for many years resid- 
ed on this spot, which, as he informs me, is completely solitary, 
having no neighbour nearer than Moorshedabad. The only people, 
therefore, whom he has seen since his residence, have been travel- 
lers by dawk, and on the river, during the time it is passable. He 
never heard of more than one tiger on the island, and now and 
then a leopard. The buffaloes are quite destroyed ; a few antelopes, 
hog-deer, and spotted deer remain. The birds he represents as vari- 
ous and beautiful. This place is the greatest station for silk in posses- 
sion of the India Company, although, nominally, Cossimbuzar takes 
the lead : the others are Maldah, Bauleah, Commercolly, Radna- 
gore, and Rungpore. The first attempt at establishing a silk manu- 
factory was at Budge-budge, which did not succeed. The buildings 
here were erected in the year 1 7 73. They employ about three 
thousand people; six hundred furnaces have each a man, who spins 
the silk from the coccoon, and a boy who turns the wheel ; the latter 
in time succeeds the former as vacancies occur. The wages are, 
for spinners, four rupees and a half per month, and three rupees for 
