Manchurian Books

16th December. We had entered the Ganges yesterday. At a late hour
this evening we hove to near the little village of Commercolly. The
inhabitants brought provisions of every description on board, and we
had an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the prices of the
various articles. A fine wether cost four rupees (8s.); eighteen
fowls, a rupee (2s.); a fish, weighing several pounds, an anna
(1.5d.); eight eggs, an anna; twenty oranges, two annas (3d.); a
pound of fine bread, three beis (ld.); and yet, in spite of these
ludicrously cheap prices, the captain charged each passenger three
rupees (6s.) a-day for his board, which was not even passable! Many
of the passengers made purchases here of eggs, new bread, and
oranges, and the captain was actually not ashamed to let these
articles, which were paid for out of our own pockets, appear at his
table that we all paid so dearly for.
18th December. Bealeah, a place of considerable importance, noted
for the number of its prisons. It is a depot for criminals, {158a}
who are sent here from all parts.


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