hrough the district the river is
navigable by native boats of large tonnage, and by large sea-going ships as
high up as Morrellganj, in the neighbouring district of Jessore. Among its
many tributaries in Backergunje the most important is the Kacha, itself a
considerable stream and navigable by large boats all the year round, which
flows in a southerly direction for 20 m., when it falls into the Baleswar.
Other rivers of minor importance are the Barisal, Bishkhali, Nihalganj,
Khairabad, Ghagar, Kumar, &c. All the rivers in the district are subject to
tidal action from the Meghna on the north, and from the Bay of Bengal on
the south, and nearly all of them are navigable at high tide by country
boats of all sizes. The rise of the tide is very considerable in the
estuary of the Meghna, and many of the creeks and water-courses in the
island of Dakshin Shahbazpur, which are almost dry at ebb tide, contain 18
or 19 ft. of water at the flood. A very strong "bore" or tidal wave runs up
the estuary of the Meghna at spring tides, and a singular sound like
thunder, known as the "Barisal guns," is often heard far out at sea about
the time it is coming in. There are numerous marshes in the district, of
great size and depth, and abounding in fish.

The Mussulmans of Backergunje are among the worst of their creed, steeped
in ignorance and prejudice, easily excited to violence and murder, very
litigious and grossly immoral. On account of an epidemic of murders
disarmament had to be enforced in the district. The Faraizis or Puritan
sect of Mahommedans are exceedingly numerous in the district. The Buddhist
population consists of Maghs or the people of Arakan, who first settled in
Backergunje about 1800, and have made themselves very useful in the
clearing of the Sundarbans. A gipsy-like tribe called the Bebajias are
rather numerous in this district. They live principally in boats,
travelling from place to place, profess Mahommedanism, and gain their
subsistence by wood-cutting in the Sundarbans, fishing, fortune-telling and
trading in trinkets. In 1901 the population was 2,291,752, showing an
increase of 6% in the decade.

A number of small trading villages exist throughout the district, and each
locality has its periodical fairs for purposes of traffic. The material
condition of the people is good. Every inhabitant is a small landholder and
cultivates sufficient rice and other necessaries for the support of his
family. Owing to this reas