Ghazepore--The Opium Trade--Marquis Cornwallis's Mausoleum--Sand-banks--Buxar--Cossim-Ali-Khan--Sir Hector Munro--Battle of Buxar--Nawab of Oude--Emperor of Delhi--Revelgunge--The Sonus--The Ganges and Jumna--The Indus--The Berhampooter--Arrian--Dr. Alexander Adam--Dinapore--Captain Strachan--Bankipore--H.M. 16th Lancers--Deegah--Grain Golah--Earl of Munster--Patna--Buildings of Patna--Population of Benares--Magistrates--E. I. Company's Charter--Products of Patna--Walter Reinhard--Snowy Mountains--Tirhoot--Juggernauth--Gyah Proper--Cave of Nugur-jenee--Sir Charles Wilkins--Futwa--Phoolbarea--Bar--Beggars. ON the 25th of May we left Benares for Ghazepore. After steaming rapidly along the low banks we came to Saidpore, which is distinguished for a temple crowded with sacred monkeys; and lower down, also on the left bank, passed Chochukpore, where there are two handsome temples. At seven o'clock in the evening, we anchored off Ghazepore, the "Rose Garden of India." It is a large and populous city, celebrated for its fragrant rose-water, the cultivation of the poppy, and the manufacture of opium. The commercial agent and his deputy reside here. At this season of the year the people were employed in collecting the juice which exudes from the poppy; it is kept in vessels, and when dry and solid, is cut into cakes, a process which requires great care. The Bahar or Patna opium sells at a higher price than that of Benares; the value of each chest being about 300 rupees or £30 sterling. The opium trade is an important monopoly in the hands of the government. It meets with a ready sale in China, although by the laws of the Empire it is a contraband article, and its importation stringently prohibited. In the autumn of 1836 it was generally, and confidently believed that the opium trade was about to be legalized in China; and advices to that effect reached Calcutta prior to the commencement of the sales for the season of 1837. This caused much higher prices to be paid by the usual purchasers than formerly, indeed, much above the sum which the capitalists, both of China and Calcutta, considered prudent, even had the legalization been certain. To the great dismay of the merchants, it was afterwards ascertained that so far from authorizing, the Chinese government had determined to put a total stop to the importation of opium; meanwhile the stock in Calcutta had been accumulating. What was to be done? The above report had been circulated and credited, and the opium growers had got rid of their stock. The sales of 1837 were expected to yield 25,851,386 rupees; but certain influential merchants represented that the higher prices could not be realized without great loss and distress. The mode of payment was a deposit, a certain sum in so many days, and the remainder in some given days after; but several buyers had not even paid their deposits. After considerable demur it was agreed that rather more than three lakhs should be taken off, so