properly the Bhagirutty, a river of Bengal, formed by the junction of the two westernmost branches of the Ganges, the Cosimbazar, and the Jellinghy. This is the port of Calcutta, being the only branch of the Ganges that is navigated by large vessels; yet the entrance to the river is rendered extremely dangerous and difficult, by reason of numerous sand banks in it, which are frequently shifting. The shoals are very numerous where the Ganges is joined by the Roopmarain; and as this river directly faces the approach from the sea, whilst Hooghly turns to the right, it occasions the loss of many vessels, which are carried up the Roopmarain by the force of the tide. The spring-tides run up with great violence, advancing at the rate of fifteen miles an hour. This is what is called by the Europeans the Bore, which commences at Hooghly Point, where the river first contracts itself, and is perceptible above Hooghly town; and though the distance is above seventy miles, it traverses this space in about four hours, running along the opposite bank to the Calcutta side, whence it crosses at Chipoor, about four miles above Fort William, and rushes with great violence past Barnagore, Duddinsoone, &c., frequently oversetting boats and driving ships from their anchorage. At Calcutta it sometimes occasions an instantaneous rise of five feet. The tide does not rise more than thirty miles above Calcutta; and during the rainy season its influence is checked by the large body of water that comes down the river. The Hooghly contains several kinds of good fish, particularly the cockup, sable mangoe fish, and prawns; and it abounds also in crocodiles and sharks. It is about three quarters of a mile broad at Calcutta, and eight or ten miles wide at the mouth. It is only navigable for ships as high as the tide reaches, and the upper part of it is nearly dry during the hot season; yet there are few rivers that can boast of a more extensive commerce, all the towns belonging to European nations, and several others by the natives, standing on its banks. It is esteemed to be the most sacred branch of the Ganges by the Hindus, and it is on this account that those who cannot afford to bury their dead throw them into the Hooghly.