'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1865 to December 1867. (Edited by the Honorary Secretary.) Volume XVIII.' [‎92] (119/268)

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< MY DEAR SIR-Having read the accompanying Translation made of the
depositions of Daood Bawa and Vittnldass Veerjee I believe it to be perfectly
correct from what I have heard and seen. When I came here in September 1858
I saw (to the best of mv recollection) the tamarind tree standing, and was sub-
secmently washed away by the violence of the sea waves. The surface of the
sea wall or quay has been repeatedly battered m, although it is so built as to
present to the sea waves an incline or oblique surface ; had it been perpendicular
the cost of keeping it in repair would have been great.
o The mound of earth projecting out from the town wall in the direction
of the fishermen’s quarters has been and still is gradually disappearing, indeed
there is very little of it left. I append copies of the reports made by myself and
the Karcoon of the Municipality requesting sanction for the repair of this port
tion of the wall, the first being dated so far back as the 11th July 1862, and the
Mussulman burying-ground to the south of the southern Kotha of the town
wall, is also being washed away, in proof which the skeletons of the bodies in
some of the graves are lying to some extent exposed, and others completely washed
away. The Hindoos, who burn their dead at the “ Musson” which adjoins this
burial-ground, declare, that a great portion of the ground or space lying before
the building where they sit to watch the cremation of the bodies committed to
the funeral pile, has been considerably washed away by the sea waves, thus
leaving them but 10 paces of ground between the mark of high spring tides, and
the buildings referred to. These are circumstances and truths which go clearly
to show that the sea is steadily and perceptibly encroaching.
3 . The Bunder of Gogo, since my coming here, has considerably diminished
in size, as to the north of Hutteesing’s quay stood the old “ Chowkee,” and a
little lower down the Bunder light, but both were obliged to be removed, as
stated in the deposition, from the advance of the sea. During the last high
spring tides of June the whole surface of the Bunder was submerged, a neem
tree near the new Chowkee washed down, and unless Col. Bell’s plan of carrying
the wooden shield right round the margin of the bunder to join the sea-wall is
carried out, the whole of the remaining portion of sand now on it will, I fear, he
washed away.
4. I also beg to append the deposition of Muthoo, Sub-Overseer in the Public
Works Department, who w r as formerly and for years the Mistree of the Gogo
Municipality. This statement of his goes to confirm to a considerable extent
all that has been said above on the subject of the encroachment of the sea on the
western coast of the Gulf of Cambay.
Yours very obediently,
C. Anding,
Secretary to the Gogo Municipality*
Gogo, 28th September 1866.
(True Copy).
John W. Watson.’