Page:McCosh, John - Advice to Officers in India (1856).djvu/69

 board, and takes command of the ship, and the captain, late the despot of the deck, is superseded. Tops of palm-trees soon begin to show themselves, pinnacles of light-houses and land-marks resting on the watery horizon. Onward sails the ship for hours, yet no land is seen; the channel narrows, the shore for the first time becomes visible, and he finds himself in one of the numerous mouths of the great Ganges—the Hoogly. On nearing Kedgeree, the post-boat comes alongside and distributes its welcome budget of letters, fishing boats and fruit boats, laden with cocoanuts, pine apples, bananas, and pummaloes, and pomegranates,attach themselves to the stern,and their grotesque crews, in nearly primitive nakedness, attract attention. A Sampson steamer ranges along side, an engagement is made, the two ropes are made fast, and swift the vessel glides into the interior on the flood tide, saluting the numerous homeward bound ships anchored in the stream. The channel now narrows till the natives can be distinctly seen on either side, groves of many sorts of palm trees fringe the shores. An alligator may be seen basking on the mud like the dry trunk of a tree, possibly a tiger sneaking about in the distance, and dead bodies excite his horror as they float by, forming rafts for the vultures that are devouring them. Native music, and noise of dance and revelry resound from a village bazar. The houses