The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-07-15


prepared by National Geographic Society.
Washington. d. C)-WNU Service.
IN ENGAL province, India, fearing
X extinction of it's rhinoceroses,
~ due to wholesale shooting, has
made killing or injuring of these
animals illegal except in cases of self
defense.
Bengal, straddling the northern
most point of the Bay of Bengal, and
northward to the foothills
of the Himalayas, owes much of it's
fame to an animal-the Bengal tiger
which inhabits most large ZOOS.
The province is one of the most
thickly inhabited areas of the world.
1t is nearly equal in area to the
state of Kansas and as many people
live within it's borders as inhabit
New York state. Pennsylvania. nli-
nois, Ohio, Texas and Michigan.
More than eighty different languages
are spoken, not to mention the many
dialects.
The narrow northern extremity of
Bengal resembles that Of Idaho. Like
Idaho, the province spreads out as it
stretches southwark. But after leav-
ing that extremity, no one could
charge Idaho with having such de-
formity of shape, for the border line
of Bengal zigZags in all directions.
Bengal's gateway is its most home
ly feature. The water that surrounds
the coast is laden with silt, brought
down from the north by the Gauges
and labyrinth of rivers and creeks
that pierce the coast line. Water
logged jungles, infested with tigers
and other wild animals, lie between
these channels. These wilds and the
swampy lowlands Immediately north
Of them are called the Sundarbans.
When the Ganges goes on it's an
nual rampage and overfows it's banks
for 200 miles from it's mouth, the
Sundarbans are submerged. The less
flooded area is planted in rice and it
is an interesting sight to see ''row
boat farmers tending their subma-
rine crops. When the water SUBJ
sides, it leaves fertile layer of earth
that causes jute, rice and wheat, and
many other products to thrive in this
region.
Nearly all Bengal is fiat, fertile
plain from the Sundarbans to the
foot of the Himalayas which is
reached after a day and night of
rough train riding. A narrow gauge
railroad is then taken to reach Ben
gals roof, Darjeeling. The snake
like course of the railroad passes
thousands of acres of tea nlants that,
from a distance, resemble fields of
lockwood hedge. Some of the plants
grow six feet tall in Bengal, and are
stripped of their leaves five times a
year.
Calcutta, the capital of the prov
ince, is one of the most progressive
cities of the East, with all the mod
ern devices to handle it's tremendous
commerce and entertain it's native
and foreign population. In less than
$50 years it has become the largest
city in India and second only to Lon
don in the British empire.
To the traveller who approaches
Calcutta by water, its growth is
mystery. At the mouth of the Hoogh-
ly, the indigo blue water of the Bay
of Bengal turns to dirty brown.
For much Of the SO-mile trip mud flats
and water-logged forests form the riv-
er-side scenery with no evidence of
civilization save for the commercial
craft plying the river. Only the most
skilled pilot can steer a vessel up the
shifty channel.
When almost within sight of Calcut-
ia, the smoke stack of jute mill and
here and there groups of native
matched huts break the mOnOtony of
the journey and then, rounding bend,
the great Indian port appears.
Hindus at the Bath.
Bathing CHATS on both banks now
are filled with Hindus. One of the
popular CHATS is at the botanical gar
dens, where grows the famous Calcut-
ia banyan tree. 1t covers nearly two
acres and has about $50 trunks. A
short distance beyond, perspiring ma
tives loading and unloading ocean-go-
ing vessels solve the secret of Calcut-
ta's development-comm Small
boats resembling the Chinese sam
pans clustered about the wharves or
floating leisurely to and from Howrah,
Calcutta's manufacturing district on
the other side of the Hooghly, handle
much of the local small freight.
Like most large cities, Calcutta has
it's slums with squalid houses of mud
and thatch, and sometimes brick. bor-
dering narrow, dirty streets and in
habited by half-starved, unkempt ma
tives.
Dalhousie square, few blocks from
the Hooghly is an attractive parkway.
The post Office, which faces its lake
bears tablet designating the vicinity
of the famous Calcutta Black Hole
episode.
The Madam, Calcutta's "Mall," with
its race track, cricket fields and gar
dens, is the rendezvous for sport low
ers and promenaders. In the evening
the who's who" of Calcutta are there.
Colorful Indian rajahs with their serv-
ants in native costume. wealthy ma
tives and government officials, both
British and Indian, rub elbows on the