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ficiency in sculpture. The bells of their temples have generally inscribed on them some pious sentences, and the name and titles of the person who bestowed them.

The only inscription observed by me was that which Alongphra, or Alompra, caused to be engraved on a marble slab which stands under a shed at the great Shui Madu temple at Pegu. It records his valorous exploits and pious disposition. The alabaster of which the Burmans form their images is only procurable within the proper Ava territory. The Prapatha, or Prabát, is an engraving often found on granite slabs at temples, and is intended to represent an impression of a foot of Buddha. They contain many emblems, most of which are obscure, and only to be made out by the help of a Phúngí, or priest of Buddha. The Martaban Phúngis could not inform me when Buddhism was introduced into Martaban; but from several circumstances it should seem that the country was only settled about A.D. 1286. From an attentive examination of such Balí MSS. as have come into my possession, I am quite disposed to conclude that the Buddhist religion reached the Indo-Chinese nations progressively from Ceylon; and that the Balí language, as now used amongst them, however varied the alphabets may be in which it is written, is identically the same with that employed by the Cingalese priests of Ceylon. This last approaches so very closely to the Pracrit that it becomes doubtful which is the elder language of the two. A comparison betwixt them would show which is the direct derivative from the Sanscrit.

Above the rocks described the river flows through a rich alluvial country, thinly inhabited by tribes of Khyens, or Karians. These people carry on a bartering trade with the traders of Martaban. They treated me with as much hospitality as their situation admitted of. They are generally a fine race of people-athletic, and of much fairer complexions than the Peguers and Burmans. Their whole deportment favourably contrasts with that of these

two races.

They live independently, keep dogs for the chase, cultivate cotton, weave it into cloth, and dye it with indigo raised by themselves, and they are very comfortably housed. They change their ground every two or three years. I met a whole tribe in rapid progress down the river. They gave as a reason that the cholera (which seems from time immemorial to have prevailed in the jungly parts of these regions) had swept off so many persons that they had been obliged to abandon their village and seek a new abode. Opposite the small Khyen village of Míchantaung, which lies on an island, is a singular rocky hill; the base of which is washed by the river. It may be six hundred feet high, and it has a black and scorched appearance. It is almost bare of grass, and there are only a few trees on it. These grow in the hollows and

crevices. It might be taken for basalt or granite at a short distance, but on a close inspection is found to consist of a black limestone, breaking off into cubical fragments. The ascent is abrupt and difficult, and the tread of the feet is succeeded by a hollow sound as if the hill was but one vast catacomb. Several pits, having circular orifices and of about three feet in diameter, were observed in the ascent. They are of considerable depth, for stones thrown into them were heard for about twelve seconds rebounding in their descent to the bottom. Cn looking down these I noticed large fungus-shaped stalactitic masses hanging from the sides. Near the summit of the hill, the ridges of the rock are so angular and sharp that scarcely one of my people escaped being badly wounded in their feet.

From the top a most pleasing and extensive view was obtained of the surrounding country, and the bearings of remarkable objects were taken. On a bleak ridge, about two hundred yards from where we were, a wild sheep or goat was observed. This animal's colour is nearly black, and the hair shaggy. Several balls were fired at it without effect. The natives said that this species was only occasionally to be met with; but as they had never seen a sheep it could not be ascertained from their accounts whether the animal we saw was of the goat or sheep tribe. I may here observe generally that the wild animals and birds found in the countries we have just been going over are chiefly the following: elephants, which are very numerous; the rhinoceros, which Malays, Burmans, and Siamese dread more than they do the elephant, owing to its savage temper; the bison, which is found of a very large size in Thedda, the head being of a fawn colour; the wild ox, of the size of a large buffalo, and also a species resembling in every respect the domestic ox; the buffalo, the royal tiger, the leopard, bears (but very rarely seen), tiger-cats, about the size of a fox; leopard-cats, having very beautiful coats and being about the size of a common cat, but more slimly formed; the fox-cat, with tiger stripes, and which is destructive to poultry-this animal lives in dens, but it climbs trees in search of prey.

The elk and various kinds of deer are abundant. Baboons, asses, sloths, opossums, flying and other squirrels, chameleons and other varieties of the lizard tribe, various species of the tortoise, alligators, and guanas, are very numerous. In Tavoy the natives keep packs of large dogs, with which they run down deer. These dogs run by sight, and they are regularly kennelled. The breed seems peculiar. I observed a dog at a remote village in that province equal in size to a Newfoundland dog. Wolves, or wild dogs (for I had no opportunity of judging which), are found in the forests. No jackals or common foxes have yet been discovered, and it is believed that they do not exist below the latitude of 19° north. Many kinds of tortoises, as

before observed, and river turtle, were seen by me. The natives, especially the Karians, train dogs to search for them, as they form often a chief article of their food.

The birds are-white sea-eagles, white land-eagles, hawks of various species, vultures, and kites.

The peafowl here exhibits a brilliancy of plumage which far excels that of the Indian one. It is also a larger bird. There are at the least four elegant varieties of the pheasant tribe; also quails in abundance, and several kinds of partridges, of which the green, with a red tuft, and the blue, are most conspicuous. There is likewise a jungle cock, having a rich blue and reddish plumage, and nearly twice the size of the common jungle fowl. He is well armed with two long spurs on each leg. Pelicans and the usual tropical water-fowl abound. A perfect species of duck, having a blackish back and whitish breast, and the weight of which is nearly double that of the common duck, is very common.

Leaving the Míchan-táng and proceeding up the Sanlún river, the low rocks observed on the banks exhibit coarse black limestone. The high cliffs further removed show the more advanced stage of the lime formation. At Ka Kayet stockade, close to the hills, the granite again begins; and here were found scattered about smooth quartz and other pebbles of several pounds in weight, which had been used after their ammunition had failed by the Burman garrison when defending themselves from the attacks of the Siamese. Baskets full of these pebbles were arranged along the palisade inside. Several specimens of regularly crystallized quartz were here picked up.

The "Khyen Ñí," or "Red Karians," who inhabit the jungly hilly tract stretching from this place in a northerly direction are of a very savage and warlike disposition. They use thick buffalohide for armour, and fight with spears and poisoned arrows. The climate of this province is temperate. At Martaban during the rainy season, which is not the coldest, the following average was taken from a series of notes on the state of the thermometer :

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The geology of Ava is little known, nor has any one of the many who accompanied the troops up the Irawadi favoured the world with a connected sketch of the rocks observed on its banks. That the lime formation will be found to extend up to Asam there is every reason to believe from the accounts received, and since it is known that carbonate of lime in shape of the finest marble, and also alabaster in a pure state, are very common in the country, thus countenancing the position taken up in another part

of this paper, that the lime formation gradually becomes more compact and pure as it bends to the north. Dr. Hamilton observes that "at Prin he saw part of the chain of hills which forms the northern boundary of Pegu, and that there sandstone and limestone were observed in flags. In Thaumpe, a Shan district, they have lead, iron, tin-some silver it is said, and limestone.

From all that has been here stated it should seem that granite forms the basis of all the continuous ranges of hills on the coast I have described; that a bold and marked lime formation runs parallel to these ranges, but that this is occasionally interrupted, as far as can be judged of from an examination merely of the surface; that schist is of very frequent occurrence; and that tin, in shape of an oxide, and invariably associated with the granitic hills, or formed in their vicinity (and supposed to extend up to N. lat. 20°, if not beyond it), and iron in various states of combination, are the principal metals throughout this wide range.

I have only now, in conclusion, to express a hope that this rapid and very imperfect geological outline may at some future period be filled up by a more able hand than mine.

SHORT

XV.

SKETCH OF THE GEOLOGY OF PULO PINANG AND THE NEIGHBOURING ISLANDS.

By T. WARD, Esq., Assistant Surgeon, Madras Establishment. ["Asiatic Researches," vol. xviii. (1833), part 2, pp. 149-168.]

THE geographical situation, the extent and general appearance of Prince-Wales Island are well known, and it will not be necessary to dwell upon them here, more especially as they are included in the accompanying map.1

Pinang may be described as being formed of a group of hills occupying about two-thirds of its extent, running through its centre from north to south, and having a plain on its eastern and western sides. The hills, thickly covered with lofty forests on all sides, seem at first sight so irregularly grouped as to defy all

[As the map, together with the sections, has been reproduced in the first volume of Newbold's "British Settlements in the Straits of Malacca," a work generally accessible, it has not been thought necessary to give it here.]

arrangement; but on more accurate examination they may be divided into three principal chains, commencing at the north, gradually approaching towards the south, where they form one narrow barrier between the two sides of the island, branching off at last along its southern extremity at right angles east and west. The middle chain, including the western hill and Mount Elvira, is that of greatest elevation, being about two thousand five hundred feet above the level of the sea. They are all loftiest towards the north, decreasing gradually as they advance southward. Between the terminations of the chains towards the north are deep bays and sloping valleys filled with alluvial deposit. The greatest diameter of each hill is from north to south. The general outline is rather blunt and ridged, presenting no very bold peaks or points. Some of the lower hills are obtusely conical. Besides the principal groups above described, there runs a small chain parallel to the east coast of the island behind the nutmeg plantations at Glugor, of an elevation varying from six hundred to eight hundred feet, uniting with the great range near its southern extremity. There are also some isolated hills along the coast, the principal of which are Mount Erskine, Mount Olivia, and Mount Albina.

The valleys are not deep; few of them have very abrupt, and none precipitous sides. The whole group, or rather series of chains, is so closely covered with forest that not a bare spot is visible, except where the industry of man has been exerted. The height is not sufficiently great to produce much effect upon the nature of the vegetation; but small as it comparatively is towards the summits, the palms and ferns increase in number, and the forest in general becomes more stunted, though even on the highest point are to be seen some magnificent timber trees. An arborescent fern of great beauty, rising to the height of from fifteen to twenty feet, is met with only on the great hill at a considerable elevation.

The soil of the hills is a reddish light sandy clay from the decomposition of the granite composing them, the process of which may be seen going on wherever roads have been cut below the surface. It is seldom more than eight feet in depth, most frequently less, and the vegetable mould above it is from six to twelve inches. There is little gravel and no fragments, except occasionally of quartz, probably from exposed veins.

The whole of the group of hills, and indeed every rocky or elevated part of Pinang, is composed of granite. No other mountain rock occurs in immediate connection with it. It varies in grain, in colour, and occasionally in the proportion of its ingredients. It is everywhere traversed by veins of quartz and quartzrock, which are often of large size. Commencing at Fort Cornwallis and going round the island, first to the north, we find the

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