to the age of 104, and his mother to the age of 108.

In a prifon in Flanders, one Peter Defaile, a most notorious villain. Before he died he turned Roman Catholic, expecting in confeffion to find pardon for the innumerable acts of wickedness which had towards his latter days begun to torment his confcience. He was the fecond son of a good family in the weft of England, bred an attorney, and as his father had 1500l a-year, he determined to have it, and forged a will which difinherited his brother, and which paffing through all forms fixed him in the estate. He came up to London, and without leaving that theatre of dissipation above once or twice, ran through the whole, to the amount of 45,000l. Afterwards, when his flagitious acts had driven him from England never to return, he made a common jeft of ruining his brother. He infinuated himself, as foon as he found poverty approaching, into the good graces of a beautiful young lady of great fortune, whom he married, and spent all her money; and in fucceffion, in the fpace of eleven or twelve years, married five more wives, all fortunes; all which money he alfo spent : and these ladies died fo very opportunely to make way for their fucceffors, that when Defaile's character was better known, no body made any doubt of his ha. ving poifoned them; very dark and fufpicious appearances coming into the recollec tion of various perfons. He then turned gambler, and hiring a large house, furnished it elegantly, but insured it for four times the value, and burnt it to cheat the infurers, by fufpending a burning fpeculum, fo as the fun fhould in its progrefs caft its rays through the focus on fome combustible matter.

He

did this in the evening, and went out of town with most of his fervants early in the morning. About one o'clock the house was on fire, and no fufpicion fell on the mafter. After this, and an accumulated heap of other villanies, cheating an old lady out of a great fum of money, and fighting a duel, in which he killed his man, he went to Flanders; but the gour and stone overtaking him put an end to his career, and he died in prifon for debt, one of the worst men that ever became the fcourge of private life.

Jan. 1. At Seven-oaks, in Kent, aged 103, Mr John Hamilton, formerly a timbermerchant in London.

2. At Ochtertyre, Mifs Anne Murray, daughter of the deceased Sir William Murray of Ochtertyre.

5. At Birmingham, Mrs Jarvis, of a cancer in her tongue, who had fome months before predicted that he would die on old Chrift mas day. The day preceding her death, the fent for her re ations, and diftributed moft of her cath and effects amongst them, in

forming them at the fame time, that she fhould die the next day. The next morning he gave the neceffary directions (having previously provided clean fheets, &c.) to the perfon who attended her, for laying her out. She first ordered her to put her pockets, that contained her keys, &c. under the lower part of her back; then placing her arms, &c. had the counterpane and blankets taken off, and the fheet pinned close at the bottom; bu the girl not stretching her arm to her liking, the feemed angry, calling her a little brimftone, and ordered her to pull it straight and in a few minutes after expired.

8. At Haddington, Mrs Helen Gourlay. in the 85th year of her age, fifter of the late William Gourlay of Kincraig, Efq;

10. At Pitlour, Fifeshire, Mrs Jane Doug las, relict of David Skene of Pitlour, Efq; 11 At Brechin, Mr James Gillies, minifter at Menmuir.

17. At Edinburgh, Lady Anne Stewart, relict of John Stewart of Blairhall, Efq; and daughter of the late Francis Earl of Moray.

19. At Aberdeen, Mr Thomas Forbes. one of the minifters of that city, in the 74th year of his age, and goth of his miniftry.

21. At Cranston, Mr William Smith, mis nifter of that parish.

21. At Edinburgh, Mrs Alice Clerk, daughter of Capt. Hugh Clerk.

21. At Godalmin, in Surry, John Winfhaw, a day-labourer, aged 107. He had been blind the last 14 years.

25. At Dumfries, Mrs Copland, relict of Alexander Copland of Colliefton, Efq;

PREFERMENTS.

From the London Gazette.

The King has been pleased,

Jan. 4. to appoint Mr Alexander Chalmers, to be Commiffary-Clerk of the com miffariot of Murray, vacant by the refigna tion of Mr William Dunbar.

8. to confer the honour of the Most Ho nourable Order of the Bath upon the Rt Hon. Gen. George Augustus Elliot, Gover nor of Gibraltar, and on Gen. Charles Grey.

11. to appoint Lt-Gen Sir Charles Grey, K. B. to be General and Commander in Chief in North America, in the room of Sir Guy Carleton, K. B.

War office, Jan. 4.

corps of infantry of which he is Major-commandant, vice James Stanley.

Earl Fauconberg's reg. foot: Capt. Timothy Mackarell to be Major, vice Robert Paul. To be Major-Generals in the Eaft-Indies only: Col Thomas Adams, of the 101ft foot, and Thomas Jones, of the road foot. To be Colonel in America only: Lt-Col. Francis Gabriel De Ruvijnes.

To be Majors in the army: Capt' George Charleton, Edward Whitmore, George Grove, of the artillery, and John Murray, of the 83d foot.

To be Major in the Weft Indies only: Capt. James Wood, of the artillery. War-office, Jan. 18.

aad dragoons: Maj. William Vifcount Fielding to be Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant, vice John Lord Sheffeld.

Robert Herbert, clerk, to be Chaplain so the garrison of Portsmouth, vice Thomas Morell.

General fate of the patients admitted into and difmiffed from the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgb in 1782. [vol. 44. p. 56.] In the hospital, Jan. 1. 1782 Admitted that year Of whom, Difmiffed cured relieved by defire

Died

as improper

for irregularities with advice

In the hofpital Jan. 1. 1783,

2023

1691192

2353

252 161

N. B. Befides the above, 59 patients were admitted and dismissed from the lying-in ward. Abstract of the number of patients received into and difmiffed from the Aberdeen Infirmary in 1782. [vol. 44. p. 56.] In the hospital Jan. 1. 1782. Admitted that year Of whom, Perfectly cured Recovered, fo as to follow their ordinary bufinefs Incurable after a long trial Improper, difmiffed at their own defire, or deferted

8871

178

61206

102

33

Dead
Remaining in the hospital Jan. 1. 1783, 83

Befides the above number admitted into

the hofpital, 995 have had the benefit of advice and medicines as out-patients.

The prefident and managers of the infirmary, having no other mode of conveying their acknowledgement of the late generous and feasonable donation of sol. Sterling, inclo fed in a card to the treasurer of the hofpital, of date, Jan. 9. do hereby request the donor's acceptance of the most fincere and grateful thanks of the managers, who are defirous to have an opportunity of inrolling the name of the humane and charitable donor, as a manager of the infirmary for life, agreeable to their charter of election. Aberd. Jour.

Burials in the Grayfriars church-yard in January.

Between

Males Females AGE.

Under 2 &

2 26 Aged

S 10 Afthma

s & 10

4 Bowelhive

to & 20 3 Confumption 20 & 30 4 Executed 30 & 40 3 Fever 40 & so 4 Smallpox 50 & 60 3 Stillborn 60 & 70s Suddenly 70 & 80 s Teething

80 & 90 3 90 & 100

18

boatmen. Nor will it be wondered at, when it is known, that all the falt, and a large proportion of the food confumed by ten millions of people, are conveyed by water, within the kingdom of Bengal and its dependencies. To thefe must be added, the tranfport of the commercial exports and imports, probably to the amount of two millions Sterling per annum; the interchange of mauufactures and products through the whole country; the fisheries; and the article of travelling *.

Thefe rivers, which a late ingenious gentleman aptly termed fifters and rivals, (he might have said twin fifters, from the contiguity of their fprings), exactly refemble each other in length of courfe; in bulk, until they approach the fea; in the fmoothnefs and colour of their waters; in the appearance of their borders and inlands; and, finally, in the height to which their floods rife with the periodical rains. Of the two, the Burrampooter is the largeft; but the difference is not obvious to the eye. They are well known to derive their fources from the vast mountains of Thibet +; from whence they proceed in oppofite directions; the Ganges feeking the plains of Hindooftan (or Indoftan) by the weft; and the Burrampooter by the eaft; both purfuing the early part of their courfe through rugged vallies and defiles, and feldom vifiting the habitations of men. The Gan ges, after wandering about 750 miles through thefe mountainous regions, if fues forth a deity to the fuperftitious, yet gladdened, inhabitant of Hindoostant.

The embarkations made ufe of vary in bulk from 180 tons down to the fize of a wherry. Thofe from 30 to 50 tons are reckoned the most eligible for tranfporting mer chandise.

+ These are amongst the highest of the mountains of the old hemifphere. I was not able to determine their height; but it may in fome measure be gueffed, by the circumftance of their rifing confiderably above the horizon, when viewed from the plains of Bengal, at the distance of 150 miles.

The fabulous account of the origin of the Ganges (as communicated by my learned and ingenious friend C. W. Boughton Roufe, Efq;) is, that it flows out of the foot of Be chan (Befchan is the fame with Vitnou, the preferving deity,) from whence, fay the Bramins, it has its name Padda ; that word fig. nifying foot in the Sanferit language; and that in its courfe to the plains of Hindooftan

From Hurdwar (or Hurdor) in latitude 30°, where it gufhes through an opening in the mountains, it flows with a fmooth navigable ftream through delightful plains during the remainder of its courfe to the fea, (which is about 1350 miles), diffufing plenty immediately by means of its living productions; and fecondarily by enriching the adjacent lands, and affording an eafy means of transport for the productions of its borders. In a military view, it opens a communication between the different pofts, and ferves in the capacity of a military way through the country; renders unneceffary the form ing of magazines; and infinitely furpaffes the celebrated inland navigation of North America, where the carrying places not only obftruct the progrefs of an army, but enable the adverfary to determine his place and mode of attack with certainty.

In its courfe through the plains, it receives eleven rivers, fome of which are equal to the Rhine, and none smaller than the Thames, befides as many others of leffer note. It is owing to this vaft influx of ftreams, that the Ganges exceeds the Nile fo greatly in point of magnitude, whilft the latter exceeds it in length of courfe by one third. Indeed, the Ganges is inferior in this laft refpect to many of the northern rivers of Afia; though I am inclined to think that it difcharges as much or more water than any of them, because thofe rivers do not lie within the limits of the periodical rains ||

The bed of the Ganges, as may be fuppofed, is very unequal in point of width, From its first arrival in the plains at Hurdwar, to the conflux of the Jumnah (the firft

it paffes through an immenfe rock shaped like a cow's head.

veneration which the Hindoos have for this The allegory is highly expreffive of the titude to the Author of Nature for bestowing famous ftream; and no lefs fo of their grait: for it defcribes the bleffing as flowing purely from his bounty and goodness.

The rock before mentioned has, I believe, never been visited by any European; and is even allowed by most of the natives to bear no refemblance to the object from whence it is denominated. However, as the effects of fuperftition do often long furvive the illufions that gave it birth, the rock or cavem ftill preferves the name of Gowmooky or Cow's head.

The proportional lengths of course of fome of the most noted rivers in the world

are

first river of note that joins it) its bed is generally from a mile to a mile and a quarter wide; and, compared with the latter part of its courfe, tolerably ftraight. From hence, downward, its courfe becomes more winding, and its bed confequently wider *, till, having alternately received the waters of the Gogra, Soane, and Gunduck, befides many fmaller ftreams, its bed has attained its full width; although, during the remaining 600 miles of its courfe, it receives many other principal ftreams. Within this fpace it is, in the narrowest parts of its bed, half a mile wide, and in the wideft, three miles; and that in places where no islands intervene. The ftream within this bed is always either increafing or decreafing, according to the season. When at its loweft (which happens in April) the principal channel varies from 400 yards to a mile and a quarter; but is commonly about three quarters of a mile. The Ganges is fordable in fome places above the conflux of the Jumnah, but the navigation is never interrupted. Be low that, the channel is of confiderable depth, for the additional ftreams bring a greater acceffion of depth than width At 500 miles from the fea, the channel is thirty feet deep when the river is at its loweft; and it continues at leaft this depth to the fea, where the fudden expanfion of the ftream deprives it of the force neceffary to fweep away the bars of fand and mud thrown acrofs it by the ftrong foutherly winds; fo that the prin cipal branch of the Ganges cannot be entered by large veffels.

About 220 miles from the fea (but 300 reckoning the windings of the river) commences the head of the Delta of the Ganges, which is confiderably more than twice the area of that of the Nile. The two weftermoft branches, named the Coffimbuzar and Jellinghy rivers, unite are fhewn nearly by the following numbers: European rivers.

Oby Amoor,

Hoanho (of Chi.

21

28

38

na),

Burrampooter,

Kian Keu (of dit

22

to),

Nou Kian, or Ava

river, Jennifea,

34 African river

38 Nile, 38 American rivers. Miffilippi, 38 Amazons,

40

42

44

46

54

62

so

32

63

This will be explained when the windiggs of the river are treated of,

and form what is afterwards named the Hoogly river, which is the port of Calcutta, and the only branch of the Ganges that is commonly navigated by fhips t. The Coffimbuzar river is almoft dry from October to May; and the Jellinghy river (although a ftream runs in it the whole year) is in fome years unnavigable during two or three of the dryeft months fo that the only fubordinate branch of the Ganges that is at all times navigable, is the Chundnah river, which feparates at Moddapour, and terminates in the Hooringotta.

The part of the Delta bordering on the fea, is compofed of a labyrinth of rivers and creeks, all of which are falt, except thofe that immediately communicate with the principal arm of the Ganges. This tract, known by the name of the woods, or funderbunds, is in extent equal to the principality of Wales; and is fo completely enveloped in woods, and infefted with tygers, that if any attempts have ever been made to clear it (as is reported) they have hitherto mifearried. Its numerous canals are fo difpofed as to form a complete inland navigation throughout and across the lower part of the Delta, without either the delay of going round the head of it, or the hazard of putting to fea. Here falt, in quantities equal to the whole confumption of Bengal and its dependencies, is made and tranfported with equal facility: and here alfo is found an inexhauftible store of timber for boat-building. The breadth of the lower part of this Delta is upwards of 180 miles; to which, if we add that of the two branches of the river that bound it, we fhall have about 200 miles for the distance to which the Ganges expands its branches at its junction with the sea.

It has been observed before, that the courfe of this river, from Hurdwar to

†The Hoogly river, or westernmost branch of the Ganges, has a much deeper outlet to the fea than the principal branch. Probably this may be owing to its precipitating a lefs quantity of mud than the other; the quantity of the Ganges water difcharged here being less than in the other in the proFrom the difficulties portion of one to fix that occur in navigating the entrance of the Hoogly River, many are led to fuppofe, that the channels are fhallow. The difficulties, however, arise from bringing the fhips acrofs fome of the fand banks, which project so far into the fea, that the channels between them cannot easily be traced from without. H 2

the