Travels in India (Tavernier) 21.2.6

21.2.6

Rajmahal is a town on the right bank of the Ganges, and when you approach it by land you find that for one or two coss the roads are paved with brick up to the town. It was formerly the residence of the Governors of Bengal, because it is a splendid hunting country, and, moreover, the trade there was considerable. But the river having taken another course, and passing only at a distance of a full half league from the town, as much for this reason as for the purpose of restraining the King of Arakan, and many Portuguese bandits who have settled at the mouths of the Ganges, and by whom the inhabitants of Dacca, up to which place they made incursions, were molested, — the Governor and the merchants who dwelt at Rajmahal removed to Dacca, which is to-day a place of considerable trade. On the 6th, having arrived at a great town called Donapour, at 6 coss from Rajmahal, I left M. Bernier, who went to Kasimbazar, and from thence to Hugli by land, because when the river is low one is unable to pass on account of a great bank of sand which is before a town called Soutiqui. I lay this evening at Toutipour, distant from RAJMAHAL 12 coss. At sunrise I beheld a number of crocodiles asleep on the sand.