on, hired labour is very scarce. Rice is the
great crop of the district, and three harvests are obtained annually--the
_aman_, or winter rice; _aus_, or autumn crop; and _boro_, or spring rice.
The climate of Backergunje is one of the healthiest in Eastern Bengal,
owing to the strong south-west monsoon, which comes up directly from the
Bay of Bengal, and keeps the atmosphere cool; but the heavy rainfall and
consequent humidity of the atmosphere, combined with the use of bad water,
are fruitful sources of disease. The average annual temperature varies from
78deg to 85deg F. The thermometer ranges from 62deg to 98deg.

Barisal, the headquarters station, situated on the west bank of the Barisal
river, had a population in 1901 of 18,978. The next largest town is
Pirojpur (14,119).

BACKGAMMON, a game played with draughtsmen and a special board, depending
on the throw of dice. It is said to have been invented about the 10th
century (Strutt). A similar game (_Ludus duodecim scriptorum_, the
"twelve-line game") was known to the Romans, and Plato (_Republic_, bk. x.)
alludes to a game in which dice were thrown and men were placed after due
consideration. The etymology of the word "backgammon" is disputed; it is
probably Saxon--_baec_, back, _gamen_, game; _i.e._ a game in which the
players are liable to be sent back. Other derivations are, Dan. _bakke_,
tray, _gammen_, game (Wedgwood); and Welsh _bach_, little, _cammaun_,
battle (Henry). Chaucer alludes to a game of "tables," played with three
dice, in which "men" were moved from the opponent's "tables," the game
(_ludus Anglicorum_) being described in the Harleian MSS. (1527). The
French name for backgammon is _trictrac_, imitative of the rattle of the
dice.

Backgammon is played by two persons. The "board" (see diagram) is divided
into four "tables," each table being marked with six "points" coloured
differently. The inner and outer tables are separated from each other by a
projecting _bar_. The board (in the ordinary form of the game) is furnished
with fifteen white and fifteen black men, "set" or arranged as in the
diagram. It is usual to make the inner table the one nearest to the light.
Two dice-boxes are required, one for each player, and a pair of dice, which
are used by both players. The dice are marked with numbers on their six
sides, from one to six, number one being called, "ace"; two, "deuce":
three, "trey." Formerly the [v.03 p.0134] four was called "quatre"
(pr