FLORA OF THE SUNDRIBLJNS. 
m 
and their connecting water-channels and creeks. Along the northern 
border and particularly at the western end there is a certain amount 
of clearing and cultivation continuous with the cultivated ground 
of Central Bengal ; in the eastern section of the area, between the 
Madumati and the Megna, cultivation and clearings extend almost 
to the sea-face. The central and western portions, except for the 
gradually extending but still comparatively insignificant amount of 
cultivated ground along their northern fringe, are occupied by extensive 
forests; those of the central section, between the Madumati (known 
within the Sundribun area as the Baleswar) and the Raimangal, being 
Reserved Forests ; those of the western section, between the Rai- 
mangal and the Hughli are merely Protected Forests. These three 
very distinct sections form, from west to east, the southern portions 
of the districts of the 24-Perganahs, Khulna, and Backerganj, re- 
spectively. 
The courses and relative position of the Hughli and the Megna are 
well known to residents of Bengal or, if not familiar, are easily 
traceable on the map ; they need not therefore be described here. 
The intervening rivers are, however, less familiar; for this reason 
and also because it is only by forming some impression of the 
entangled nature of their courses and intercommunications that an 
adequate idea of the Sundribuns is to be obtained, a brief sketch of 
their ramifications is here given.* 
The Hughli, though it forms the western boundary of our area, 
is not really a member of the Sundribun river-system, and is only in- 
cidentally connected with it owing to its giving off at Mud Point an 
eastern branch known as the Muriganga or the Awatola river which 
flows southward on the east side of Saugor Island to reach the sea at 
Dhobelat Island. The first Sundribun river of importance, as we 
pass eastward from the Hughli, is the Sahtamukhi. This originates 
near Sultanpur and reaches the sea after a winding course of 50 miles. 
It is connected with the Muriganga branch of the Hughli by the 
Gagudanga Gang and by the Doagra Khal. 
The Thdkurdn^ which originates near Jainagar, has also a southerly 
but less tortuous course of 50 miles before reaching the sea. It 
increases rapidly in volume on the way and near its mouth is known 
as the Halura or Jamera river. Various khals connect it with the 
Sabtamukhi, the principal being the Maral Gang and the Kumaria. 
* The details of this sketch of the Sundribun river-system are taken from the 
fuller account of the topography of the region by Heinig, to which it will be 
necessary to make frequent references in the pages that follow. 
