Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 151 



amongst the Chinese; but they are of inferior quality, probably 

 owing to their being permitted to remain on the rocks from season 

 to season. Rock-oysters are also very abundant, and a ?ew sea- 

 slugs, or beech-de-mer, are found, but not in sufficient quantity to 

 render them worth collecting. Stone ballast for the use of ships is 

 obtained with ease and without danger to the boats. 



The harbour which is formed by the two large islands is well 

 sheltered, and affords anchorage for almost any number of vessels, 

 and protection from the wind and sea in every direction, except to 

 the northward ; but from this quarter the sea cannot affect it much, 

 on account of its vicinity to the shoals at the head of the Gulf. 

 The best entrance is from this quarter, but there is also a passage 

 to the southward between the islands. The holding ground is to- 

 lerably good, but it will always be necessary for ships to ride with 

 chain cables, owing to the roughness of the bottom, which is in 

 many parts covered with stones. The rise and fall of water is con- 

 siderable, being about ten feet at spring tides, and the tide runs 

 strong through the harbour. On the S.W. end of the large island 

 there is a fine stream of fresh water at which a hundred casks may 

 be filled in one day. The stream issues from the hill, and escapes 

 to the sea in a small sandy bay, finding its way under the bank of 

 sand which lines the beach. The Cochin-Chinese temple already 

 mentioned is erected on the hill from which the stream flows. — Singa- 

 pore Chron. — Asiat. Journ. ■ 



KIVERS OF ASSAM. 



We learn from this quarter that a further attempt at geographical 

 investigation was latelymade to the north-east,but wasstopped short 

 by want of supplies. It has been ascertained, however, that for 

 100 miles from Suddeya, the Brahmaputra pursues an easterly 

 course. The Braham Kund is now said to be, not the source of 

 the Brahmaputra, but of a small stream which falls into it. There 

 is great reason to think that the Dihong will prove to be the San-po; 

 it is a large stream, three times the size of the Brahmaputra, 

 although, at the same time, its depth of water is scarcely sufficient 

 for a river that has passed through so lengthened a course; and 

 Buchanan's suggestion may not be altogether devoid of probability, 

 that the San-po falls into a lake, of which the Dihong is one of the 

 outlets. This would account for the tradition current amongst the 

 Assamese, that about ninety years ago the river came down with a 

 prodigious increase of its waters, and deluged the country. The 

 Dihong, in the cold season, discharges about 50,000 cubic feet of 

 water in a second. 



The next inquiries, we understand, are to be made in the direc- 

 tion of the Bor Kampti country, which lies about the sources of the 

 Irawadi, about latitude 27° 28'. 



The weather upon the Brahmaputra, before the junction of the 

 Dihong, was very cool, the thermometer being not unfrequently, 

 in the beginniug of last month, below 70°, and the temperature of 

 the river was Gl° in the morning. The river rises and falls very sud- 

 denly : there is nothing but jungle on both banks. — Cat. Gov. Gaz. 

 May. 15. — Asial. Journ. 



NE\y 



