ur-and-twenty hours,
but during the year in which the sap is thus extracted, it bears no
fruit.

21st December. About 80 miles below Rajmahal, we passed three
rather steep rocks rising out of the Ganges. The largest is about
sixty feet high; the next in size, which is overgrown with bushes,
is the residence of a Fakir, whom the true believers supply with
provisions. We could not see the holy man, as it was beginning to
grow dark as we passed. This, however, did not cause us so much
regret, as that we were unable to visit the Botanical Garden at
Bogulpore, which is said to be the finest in all India; but as there
was no coal depot at Bogulpore, we did not stop.

On the 22nd of December, we passed the remarkable mountain scenery
of Junghera, which rises, like an island of rocks, from the majestic
Ganges. This spot was, in former times, looked on as the holiest in
the whole course of the river. Thousands of boats and larger
vessels were constantly to be seen there, as no Hindoo believed he
could die in peace without having visited the place. Numerous
Fakirs had established themselves here, strengthening the poor
pilgrims with unctuous exhortations, and taking in return their
pious gifts. The neighbourhood has, however, at present, lost its
reputation for sanctity, and the offerings received are scarcely
sufficient to maintain two or three Fakirs.

In the evening we stopped near Monghyr, {160a} a tolerably large
town, with some old fortifications. The most conspicuous object is
a cemetery, crowded with monuments. The monuments are so peculiar,
that had I not seen similar ones in the cemeteries of Calcutta, I
should never have imagined that they belonged to any sect of
Christians. There were temples, pyramids, immense catafalques,
kiosks, etc., all massively built of tiles. The extent of this
cemetery is quite disproportioned to the number of Europeans in
Monghyr; but the place is said to be the most unhealthy in India, so
that when a European is ordered there for any number of years, he
generally takes a last farewell of all his friends.

Six miles hence, there are some hot springs, which are looked upon
by the natives as sacred.

We had lost sight of the Rajmahal Hills at Bogulpore; on both sides
of the river, nothing was now to be seen but an uninterrupted
succession of flat plains.

24th December. Patna, {160b} one of the largest and most ancient
cities of Bengal, with a population of about 300,000