The navigation through the Sunderbunds is chiefly by means of the tides, there bring two distinct passages ; the one the Southern or Sunderbund passage, the other the Balliaghaut. The first is the longest, leading through the widest and deepest rivers, and opening into the Hoogly or Calcutta river, about 65 miles below the town. The Bal liaghaut passage opens into a lake on the east side of Cal cutta. The navigation of these passages extends above 200 miles through a thick forest, broken into numberless islands by a variety of channels, differing so much in width, that a vessel is at one time entangled among the trees, and at another sails on a broad expanse of water, beautifully skirted with wood. The water is every where salt ; and the forest is abandoned to wild beasts, with the exception here and there of the solitary habitation of a fakeer. Dur ing the dry season, the salt-makers who visit these rivers exercise their trade at the imminent hazard of their lives ; enormous tigers not only making their appearance on their borders, but swimming off to the boats that lie at anchor. In addition to these, the rivers swarm with alligators. These passages are open throughout the year, and during the season when the stream of the Ganges is low, all the trade of Bengal (the western districts excepted) passes either by Channel Creek or by 13alliaghaut, but chiefly by the former.
It is neither practicable nor desirable to reclaim these salt marshy lands, generally overflowed by the tide. This forest has always been considered of importance in a poli tical view, presenting a strong natural barrier along the southern frontier of Bengal. Excellent salt in abundance is here manufactured ; the woods also furnish an inexhaus tible supply of timber for fuel, boat-building, and other purposes.
The British nation, with their allies and tributaries, oc cupy the whole navigable course of the Ganges, from its entry on the plains to the sea ; which by its windings, is about 1500 British miles. The following circumstance at
tending the Ganges and Brahmapootra rivers is remarka ble. Though the sources of the latter have never been explored, they are in all probability only separated from those of the former by a narrow range of snow-clad moun tains, about the 32° of North Latitude, and the 82° of East Longitude. From thence directing their courses to oppo site quarters, they are more than 1200 miles apart ; but afterwards meet, and roll their mighty streams in conjunc tion to the sea.
There is a species of dolphin peculiar to the Ganges, which is particularly described by Dr Roxburgh in the seventh volume of the Asiatic Researches. We shall give merely a general outline of this animal. The body is long and slender, thickest obout the forepart, and from thence tapering to the tail. The skin is soft, smooth, and of a shining pearl-grey, or lead colour when dry ; diversified with lighter coloured spots, or clouds, particularly when old; but when the animal is alive, and as it appesrs in the water when rising to breathe, it looks much darker. The length of the one described (a young half grown male) was 62 feet, and 3 feet in circumference where thickest, rather behind the pectoral fins. It weighed 120 pounds. The head is remarkable, being about one-sixth part of the length of the whole animal, and the jaws are furnished with no less than 120 teeth. When in pursuit of fish, it moves with great velocity. Between the skin and flesh is a coat of yellowish-coloured fat, more or less thick accord ing to the state of the animal. This the Hindoos set a high value on, as an application for removing pains of various kinds. The flesh is like the lean of bee' in colour, of no disagreeable smell, yet, so far as was learnt, not eaten by the natives. See Colebrooke, Asiatic Researches; Ren nes Phil. Memoir ; \Vebbe's Survey, Asiatic Researches ; and Hamilton's East India Gazettecr. (w. r )