The province of Bahar abounds in nitre; and every petty rivulet either takes its rise from some swamp strongly impregnated therewith, or passes through soils which yield it profusely. Those streams that originate in the Chittrah, Ramghur, Gyah, and Monghyr Hills, are often so very highly saturated with deleterious substances, as to betray their bad qualities even to the eye. The Mahana, the Mutwallah, and various mountain rivers in that quarter, which rush into the Ganges between Patna and Boglepore, are frequently tinged with copper, of which some small veins are to be found. An instance occurred, while the 12th battalion of native infantry was marching from Patna to the Ramghur station, where the whole corps were so extremely affected by the water, as scarcely to be able to ascend from the camp, then at Dungaie, to the summit of the Kanachitty Pass; such was the state to which it had, by its cupreous solution, reduced both men and beasts. Fortunately, it was very cold weather, and the use made of the waters had been very limitted.
Some officers from the same corps being on a shooting party, during the next year, happened to encamp at Dungaie. The kettle had been put on; the water, indeed, was ready for breakfast; but the gentlemen, on alighting from their horses, as usual, had water brought them to wash; when the contraction it occasioned in their mouths instantly reminded them of their former escape, and thereby set them on their guard: on enquiring, they found, that, either from want of memory, or through indolence, their servants had taken the water from the rivulet running at the foot of the pass, in lieu of drawing it from a well in the town, which was at no great distance.
Many such streams pour into the Ganges, either singly, or in conjunction with others. As to chalybeate influence, that cannot be wanting; for the whole range of hills, in the elevated parts of Ramghur, Rotas, Chittrah, Tomar, Pachete, Beerboom, Ragonautpore, Midnapore, &c., may be termed one mass of iron; lying in huge projections exposed to view, and giving the soil a strong rust color. The natives, in those parts, fuse immense quantities for sale.
The country from Benares to Patna is generally fertile in the extreme, abounding in rich plains, and affording far purer water than is to be found above that interval. At Gazypore and Buxar the waters receive no additional adulteration, except from the Caramnassa, which certainly is an impure stream. Such is the opinion held by the natives regarding this river, that, on account of its being necessary to cross it between Saseram and Benares, a road much frequented by pilgrims and devotees; particularly the immense hordes who repair from the Maharrattah country, to visit the holy Hindu city of _Kassi_, which is the name they give to Benares; that a rich man, residing so far off as Poonah, the capital of the Maharrattah empire, near Bombay, bequeathed a large sum of money for building a bridge, thereby to obviate the necessity pious travellers were under of being carried over on the backs of men; who gained a livelihood by transporting those who, from over-nice scruples, would not wade through the stream, as they must have done through hundreds of others, before they got so near their holy object. Unhappily for those delicate gentry, the bridge did not, when I last saw it, about twelve years ago, seem likely to perform its office: the soil being sandy, and the architect understanding but little of his profession, piers had repeatedly been raised to about seven or eight feet high, but always gave way; so that I fear the poor itinerants must still pay their pence, and ride across as before; unless the edifice may be entrusted to European architects.