cxcv 



monsoon, this river commences to rise, owing to its Alpine origin, and 

 due to the melting- of the snow in the mountains, from which it takes its 

 source. Thus, although the yearly rain-fall in Rangoon is probably about 

 110 inches or more, the amount decreases as the north is approached — at 

 Meanoung being above 50, at Prome below 50, at Thyetmyo, our frontier 

 station, only 20, whilst at Pachan, in Upper Burma, I was informed 

 that it was only about 2 inches. Thus, the south-west monsoon does 

 not fill this river in Upper Burma, which would be a serious drawback 

 to fish-breeding, especially for the shad which ascend from the sea for 

 this purpose; but fortunately this period is concomitant with that of the 

 greatest heat at its snowy source, which keeps the river in full flood 

 above where the south-west monsoon reaches, and thus renders it suit- 

 able for the ascent and spawning of marine and other fishes in its 

 higher reaches. The Sittoung or Pouugloung River rises in the hills 25 

 miles north of Yemetheu and about 130 from Tounghoo. It mostly 

 flows in a southerly direction through the middle of the district, but its 

 tortuous course has been not inaptly compared to the writhings of a 

 wounded snake ; it frequently deviates to almost every point of the com- 

 pass within a distance of a few miles. The Salween arises somewhere in the 

 Province of Yunam in China ; receiving- many affluents as it passes through 

 the Shan States, it passes in a southerly direction towards Moulmein; it 

 is divided from the last-named river by a range of hills, and receives near 

 its termination the Gynne, from a north-easterly or easterly direction. 

 This river is connected by creeks with the Sittoung, and that again with 

 the Pegu River, which is an affluent of the Irrawaddi through its Hieing 

 or Maimakhat branch, which is given off near Prome, and runs direct 

 through that district to the town of Rangoon and so on to the sea. It 

 does not again join the main stream directly, with which, however, it 

 has several connecting creeks and channels. 



365. The tanks or " eengs" are principally due to the yearly inunda- 



t, , „ tions of these rivers, which increase the 



Tanks or " eengs." . . . ' „ 



size of those existing, or form vast ex- 

 panses of water in large tracts of the country, and these, or small 

 water-courses and tanks or channels in paddy-fields, are great places for 

 fish to breed in, (see para. 46 — dhunds in Sind). These watery tracts 

 are mainly of two sorts, those which are perennial, and those which yearly 

 dry up ; the latter, provided free ingress to, and egress from, them is per- 

 mitted to breeding and young fish, will scarcely require any measures 

 being adopted for their care after all communication with the running 

 water is naturally cut off, as I shall subsequently allude to. More especially 

 in the Pegu District are many plains, which become vast sheets of water in 

 the rainy season, but which it is unnecessary to enumerate. At Rangoon 

 are the so-called Royal Lakes, originally a marsh, deepened and bunded 

 by a native governor some 40 years since. There are many marshes 

 useful for fishing stations during the rains. Certain lakes termed " Bayme" 

 are deemed to possess a sacred character, so are not fished ; also, as a 

 rule, all waters within the enclosure of a " Kyoung," or Buddist monastery. 



366. The races of British Burma may be referred, according 

 „ . „ _ . , to the late Chief Commissioner, to four great 



Races of Burma fish-eaters. r, ... ., m V ■ at ,. n 



families — the lalaing or Mon, the Burman, 

 the Karen, and the Shan or Tais. As Buddists they profess a horror 



