PATNA. 
217 
on one side of which were situated the cantonments of Dinapore, 
and the noble habitation erected for the General commanding the 
station. Beyond Dinapore is an excellent house in the European 
style, belonging to the Nawaub Vizier, where he resided frequently 
before his elevation to the musnud, and where he used to entertain 
the officers of the station in a most hospitable manner. He was 
continuing his improvements when he removed : several buildings 
remain unfinished. Though the wind came round to the eastward, 
we made Bankipore by seven o'clock, owing to the rapidity of the 
current. The banks were picturesque from the palm-trees, which 
covered them in considerable profusion, increasing as we descended, 
and forming a contrast with the European appearance of the mango 
and other forest trees in the upper provinces. We made this day 
twenty-seven coss. 
September l8. — The river did not rise within four feet of its 
usual height this last season, and consequently the current seems 
to have taken an unusual direction ; this gives hopes of saving 
the bank on which Bankipore is situated, from which it had 
formerly taken such considerable tracts as to oblige the gentlemen 
resident there to defend their houses with piles and matting. The 
European houses extend the whole way from Bankipore to Patna, 
which by no means makes a handsome figure from the water: 
although it has several large buildings of brick, they are chiefly 
old, without any rich ornaments ; and I observed but one small 
solitary pagoda, and one or two indifferent mosques. The Ganges 
here forms a reach, whose limits to the east could not be discerned. 
As the wind was fresh from that point, we experienced a consider- 
able swell. A boat came off from the Custom-house with an officer, 
