198 
LIVES OF THE MOGHUL EMPERORS. 
having a deck supported on either side by the rigging, 
and in the centre by the angular roof of the cabin. 
The deck is a floor of bamboos, placed close together, 
and united by cords of coir, a description of rope ma- 
nufactured from the husk of the cocoa-nut. It is 
sometimes interlaced with strips of the same cane. 
The cabin beneath is roofed in a similar manner, and 
is a sufficient protection against the ardent rays of the 
sun, though it would form but a very insecure shelter 
from a severe storm of rain. These boats are of consi- 
derable size, frequently from twenty to thirty tons, and 
manned with about a dozen dandies or boatmen. They 
carry a large square sail of thin light canvass, upon a 
pliant bamboo yard, which is lowered with great fa- 
cility at the slightest indications of stormy weather : 
against tempests the craft on the Ganges are ill cal- 
culated to contend, from the loose structure of their 
upper works and the slight manner in which their 
hulls are put together. They are built chiefly for 
tracking against the stream, being almost entirely thus 
employed. The boats generally are broad rather 
than deep; they consequently do not hold much 
water, and are so constructed in order that they may 
offer less resistance to the current in tracking. Some 
of them hoist two square sails on the same yard ; the 
hull being a wide capacious shell, capable of contain- 
ing a great quantity of light merchandise. 
Near the margin of the print is a float of cudjree pots. 
These are large earthenware jars, tied together, filled 
with milk to be converted into ghee or clarified but- 
ter, and floated down the stream, a man swimming 
before and behind the float to direct and steady it. 
