NOAKHIALI. 339 of Hill Tipperah; on the east by Hill Tipperah and the District of Chittagong, and by the eastern mouth of the Meghná, known as the Sandwip (Sundeep) Channel ; on the south by the Bay of Bengal; and on the west by the main stream of the Meghna. The administrative head-quarters are at the town of SUDUARAN or Noakhali. Physical Aspects.—Noakhali District consists of an alluvial tract of mainland, together with several islands at the mouth of the Meghná. The mainland portion is intersected by watercourses in all directions ; and during the rainy season, the whole country is submerged, with the exception of the villages, which are generally built on artificially raised sites. The tanks are usually embanked, in order to keep out the surface water. In general, each homestead is surrounded by a thick grove of areca and cocoa-nut palms. In the north-west of the District, dense forests of areca palms extend for miles. As in most deltaic tracts, the level of the land between the river channels is lower than that bordering on them. The District is very fertile; and, with the exception of some sandbanks and recent accretions, every part of it is under continuous cultivation. The only hill is part of Raghunandan Hill, locally called Baraiár Dála, in the extreme northeast of the District; it is said to be 600 feet above the level of the sea. The river MEGHNA enters the District from Tipperah, and, after flowing along its western boundary, falls into the sea by a number of mouths, the principal being the Shahbazpur, the Hátiá, the Bámní, and the Sandwip rivers-all of which are navigable throughout the vear. The principal tributaries of the Meghná are the Dákátiá and the Bará Pheni (Great Fenny), both navigable throughout the year. The banks of the Meghná are either sloping or abrupt and undermined, according as alluvion or diluvion is taking place. The sea-coast of the mainland and the island of Sandwip are now undergoing diluvion on their southern face, whilst the island of Hátiá is subject to the same influence on its eastern shore ; corresponding accretions are being formed on several of the islands, and on the mainland at the mouth of the Pheni river. Where the older formations abut on the river, the banks are cultivated; newly formed soil is commonly used as pasture ground. Principal islands formed by the river along the sea face-Sandwíp, Hátiá, Lawrence char, Sibnáth char(recently transferred to Bákarganj District), Túm char, Bikatshu char, and Káli char. The process of alluvion is proceeding at a rapid rate. Several new chars have recently formed. On the other hand, one considerable island, the Lakshmidiá char, has been eaten away, and has now completely disappeared. The Dákátiá river is said to be silting up owing to the Chándpur Canal having diverted its waters into a new channel. Dr. Hooker wrote in 1854: “The mainland of Noakhálí is gradually extending seawards, and has
