Perched on the house-top are three vultures, and an _hargīla_, or adjutant, awaiting the time that they may pounce upon the remains of the corpse, when it is consigned to the holy river. These insatiate birds of prey perch upon the abutting walls, waiting their opportunity to descend; whilst others, repulsed by the attendants of the funeral fires, fly heavily across the river, passing across the native boats, through the tattered sails of which you might almost mark their flight. It is a sickening sight, rendered infinitely more sickening by the abominable effluvium which issues from the bank of death, in spite of the scented wood and other odoriferous substances, that are placed upon the funeral pile of a rich Hindū, and burnt with the body. This custom illustrates the text, “So shall they burn odours for thee.” (Jeremiah xxxiv. 5.) The Hindūs believe, that persons for whom funeral rites have not been performed, wander as ghosts, and find no rest. An English gentleman travelling _dāk_ is standing on the bank; he has just crossed over, and is watching the bearers who are getting his palanquin out of the boat. _Dāk_ journeys are usually performed, during the hot weather, by night, and the traveller rests at some house during the day. Of a moonlight night a _dāk_ trip is far from being disagreeable. THE PĪPAL TREE. A Bengali village now appears beneath a group of cocoa-nut trees, beyond which the _Pīpal_-tree (ficus religiosa) is seen, with its roots exposed, the earth having been washed from them during the rains by the rising of the river. This tree is particularly venerated by the Hindūs; they believe its sacred branches to be the residence of the gods, and will never cut a branch to the injury of the tree. In front, a Hindū is sitting at worship by the side of the river; a _charpāī_, on which probably a corpse has been brought to be burned, is near the spot, also a skull and some bones: skulls are continually seen on the banks of the river. PANHUTTĪ. The picturesque and singular group of Bengalī temples that now open on our view are at Panhuttī—a spot well known to the English as the Grove; it is about half way between Calcutta and Barrackpore. The Budjerow which is coming down the stream is apparently tenanted by a European gentleman; his _khidmutgar_ (a servant who waits at table) is in the forepart of the vessel, and the cook-boat is astern—the sails of the latter in the torn and worn-out state in which they are so continually seen. THE WELL, AND PALM TREES.