Travels in India (Tavernier) 21.1.3

21.1.3

About two leagues on this side of Alum Chand you meet the Ganges. Monsieur Bernier, Physician to the King, and a man named Rachepot, with whom I was, were surprised to see that this river, of which they make so much talk, is not larger than the Seine in front of the Louvre, it being perhaps thought that it equalled in width, at the least, the Danube below Belgrade. There is actually so little water from the month of March to the month of June or July, when the rains commence, that boats are not able to ascend it. On arrival at the Ganges, we each drank a glass of wine which we mixed with water — this caused some internal disturbance; but our attendants who drank it alone were much more tormented than we were. The Dutch, who have a house on the banks of the Ganges, never drink the water of the river, except after it has been boiled; as for the native inhabitants, they have been accustomed to it from their youth; the King even and all his court drink no other. You see every day a large number of camels which do nothing else but fetch water from the Ganges. The 7th [Dec.] we came to Halabas (Allahabad), 8 coss. Allahabad is a large town built on a point of land where the Ganges and the Jumna meet one another. It has a fine castle built of cut stone, with a double ditch, and it is the dwelling of the Governor. He is one of the greatest nobles in India, and as he is troubled with bad health he employs some Persian Physicians, and he then also had in his service M.