18 Narrative of the Proceedings and Scientifc 



some of the necessaries and comforts of European life, in a de- 

 gree which under all circumstances is remarkable. Fowls are 

 to be had in abundance for five rupees per dozen ; a milch buf- 

 falo and calf for fifteen rupees ; fish is in abundance and of 

 excellent quality. The best kinds are the Calcop, the large 

 mullet, and the Mangoe-fish. It is curious that this last is 

 found in plenty both in the rivers of Rangoon and of Martaban, 

 with roes for nine months of the year, or from December to 

 August inclusive, whereas in the Hoogly three months is the 

 utmost limit of their season. 



On the 26th the mission proceeded to Maulamhyeng, and 

 on the 28th ascended the Ataran river in the steam vessel. 

 This stream, which is deep and free from danger, might be 

 navigated for fifty miles up by vessels of 3 to 400 tons burden. 

 It leads to Teak forests, distant about seventy-five miles, in- 

 exhaustible in quantity, and of the largest scantling. 



On the 8th of February the ship Bombay Merchant having 

 been taken up for the accommodation of the mission, the mem- 

 bers embarked that evening, and on the following morning 

 sailed for Calcutta. 



The following is a very brief sketch of what has been ob- 

 served by the mission in the department of science. In the 

 departments of mineralogy and geology it is to be regretted 

 that no scientific observer accompanied the mission. Our par- 

 ty, however, were assiduous collectors, and the collection 

 brought back is so extensive, that it would afford men of science 

 a very tolerable notion of the mineralogical and geological con- 

 stitution of the countries which were visited. From between 

 the latitude of 15° and 16^ to between that of 18° and 19°, is 

 a low alluvial country, forming the debouchement of the Ira- 

 wadi river. Here not a mountain or a stone is to be found, 

 except in a very few places, such as Rangoon and Syriam, 

 where a little cellular clay iron ore presents itself in low hills. 

 In about lat. 1 8° 30' we quit the Delta of the Irawadi, the na- 

 tive country of the Talain race, and enter at once into a hilly 

 region, which extends almost all the way to Ava, or to about the 

 latitude of 21° SO'. The Irawadi in all this course is skirted 

 by hills of from about 3 to 500 feet high. The lowest portion 

 of these is composed of breccia, calcareous sandstone, cellular 



