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estimate of Dr. Heifer, who assigns to it an extent o 

 :fO.O()0 square miles, is not too great. 



The river Saluen or Salween from its confluence with the 

 rhoung Yin to its mouth divides Tenasserim from Binna 

 and theThoungYiu divides Tenasserim from the Shan States 

 (Laos) of Zimmay, Laboung, and Yaihang. A range o 

 mountains running from north to south through the whole 

 of the Malay peninsula constitutes the boundary between 

 Siara and Tenasserim as far south as the source. of the 

 river Pakcham, and from that point the course of the last- 

 mentioned river forms the boundary to its mouth. In 

 the Gulf of Bengal and opposite to Tenasserim are the 

 Andaman Islands. 



Coast and Island*. The coast of Tenasserim from the 

 mouth of the Salween river on the north (16 3CC N. lat.) 

 to that of the Pakcham (10 X. lat.), extends in a straight 

 line about 45<) miles, and as its bends are not large, nor its 

 inlets wide or deep, its length probably does not exceed 

 500 miles measured from point to point. A marked 

 difference exUts between this coast and that of the oppo- 

 site coast of Coromandel. The coast of Coromandal extends 

 in a continuous line without a single break, and does not 

 afford a place of refuge even for a small vessel ; that of 

 Tenasserim is frequently interrupted by short projecting 

 capes, by which several small harbours are formed, and a 

 few capable of receiving large vessels. The rivers of Coro- 

 mandel do not admit vessels of any size, on account of 

 the bars at their mouth, but in those of Tenasserim a con- 

 siderable depth of water covers the muddy bars which 

 lie across their embouchures. No soundings are found 

 along the coast of Coromandel at a distance of seven or 

 eight miles, whilst along that of Tenasserim there are 

 soundings to the distance of 60 or even 80 miles, and 

 though in some places considerable irregularities occur, 

 the changes may be generally said to be tolerably regu- 

 lar, the depth decreasing gradually to ten and even 

 eight fathoms as we approach the land. The coast from 

 Cape Kyckmi or Kiaykami, situated on the west of and 

 close to the town of Amherst, as far south as Tavoy, is 

 of moderate elevation. Between Tavoy and Mergui it is 

 generally low, and in this part it is lined by a rocky reef, 

 on whicn a great number of small islands rise to a moderate 

 elevation above the sea-level. These islands are known 

 by the collective name of Long Island, and the reef on 

 which they rest, having little water on it, renders the ap- 

 proach of this part of the coast dangerous, and in many 

 places impracticable even for small vessels. South of 

 Mergui the coast-line is broken by several deep inlets, 

 which form large promontories, and enclose some con- 

 siderable islands. The intricacies on this part of the coast 

 :ne so numerous, that even at present it has not been com- 

 pletely surveyed, and is laid down rather by guess, though 

 of late much has been done to clear up its position by 

 (-'apt. IJoyd. This indented coast extends from 12" 30* to 

 IT SO* N. lat. South of the last-mentioned parallel in- 

 dentations likewise occur, but though numerous, they do 

 not penetrate to a great distance inland. In these parts 

 the country close to the sea is more elevated than at any 

 place farther north, and probably may contain many har- 

 bours for small vessels. 



Numerous islands occur along the western coast of the 

 peninsula without the Ganges, between 14* 40 7 and 8* N. 

 lat. North of 12 they extend to the distance of 70 or 

 80 miles from the shore, but south of 12" N. lat. they 

 if-eupy a space of only 30 miles in width. These islands 

 are comprehended under the collective name of the Mergui 

 Arehipelago. All the sea between them and the coast 

 of Tenasserim has soundings, though near the islands they 

 are rather too deep for anchorage. These islands also 

 break the swell of the sea during the south-west monsoon, 

 and accordingly the channels which divide them from 

 the main offer great advantages to vessels coasting along 

 1hi> shore, which however have hitherto been little used, 

 because the Mergui Archipelago has only been surveyed 

 within a few years. The islands themselves are rather high, 

 and most of them are visible at the distance of 30 to 40 miles. 

 Without including the islands which occur between 12 30* 

 and 11" :t<)' N. lat., near the shores, and which are divided 

 by such long and narrow channels from the continent that 

 they led as parts of the mainland, the Mergui 



Archipelago comprehend* seven larger and many smaller 

 islands. The larger islands from north to south are Tavoy 

 Island, King's Island, Ross Island, Domel Island, Kisse- 



roing Island, Sullivan's or Lampee Island, and St. Matthew's 

 Island. These seven islands are more than 20 miles long, 

 but vary in width from three to eight or nine miles. 

 They are covered with timber-trees and well provided with 

 water, but all of them have a very rugged and uneven 

 surface, and do not appear to possess great fertility. No 

 part of them seems to be cultivated, and they are only 

 inhabited by a tribe of fishermen, the Seelongs. Two of 

 these islands require notice, on account of their excellent 

 harbours. The northern of these harbours is called King's 

 Island Bay, being formed by the island of this name and 

 Plantain Island, which lies east of it. This harbour is 

 opposite to that of the town of Mergui on the mainland. 

 It can only be entered from the north by large vessels, ag 

 the southern portion of the channel, which divides Plan- 

 tain Island from King's Island has so litfle depth as to be 

 only passable for country boats. The harbour is spacious 

 and safe, but the entrance has some difficulties, as a shoal 

 extends over a part of it, which has 19 feet of water on the 

 shoalest part at high-water, and only nine feet at low- 

 water. The second harbour is called Elephant Harbour, 

 and occurs at the northern part of the Island of St. Mat 

 thew : it is described as very spacious, and capable of con 

 tuining the largest navy in the world. The soundings 

 vary from 17 to 12, 11, and 10 fathoms nearly close to the 

 shore in some places, and the bottom is soft. It is pro- 

 tected from the sea by several small islands at the entrance, 

 and on the other sides it is sheltered from all winds by the 

 high hills which surround it, so as to be completely laml- 

 lorked. This harbour was discovered in 1825, by Lieut. 

 Low. The island of St. Matthew is the most elevated of 

 the group ; the highest part, situated in the middle, is 

 nearly 3000 feet above the level of the sea. 



Mountains. It is supposed that a continuous range of 

 mountains forms the watershed between the rivers flowing 

 on one side into the Gulf of Siam, and on the other into 

 that of Bengal, and that this range is the boundary-line be- 

 tween Siam and Tenasserim. It is also supposed that the 

 elevation of this range varies between 3000 and 5000 feet 

 above the sea-level, and that the most northern part, which 

 s known among the natives by the name of Thown-gee 

 Mountains, is the most elevated portion. It is stated that 

 'n this part it makes a great bend towards the east, form- 

 ng nearly a segment of a circle. But we have no account 

 if this part of the range : it has only been traversed at the 

 Three Pagodas, which stand near tne sources of the upper 

 tranches of the river Atta-yen (Attaran) ; and in reading 

 he account which Dr. Richardson gives of his travels, one 

 would suppose that at this place the summit of the range 

 :an hardly be less than 1500 feet above the sea-level : yet 

 le does not say that he traversed it by a mountain-pass. 

 The southern part of the range, when seen from the Gulf 

 of Siam, presents only a succession of peaked mountains, of 

 which some appear to rise to the elevation of 3000 feet. 

 The Siamese give to these mountains with some propriety 

 he name of Sam-roi-yot, which means in their language 

 the 300 peaks.' Two roads are said to have formerly been 

 ised in crossing this part of the chain ; and it is certain 

 hat the chain terminates, or rather has a great depression, 

 at the sources and upper course of the river Pakcham. 

 This river runs from north-east to south-west, and is navi- 

 gable for large boats to Karaa or Pakcham, about 40 miles 

 rom its source. To the east of this place runs another 

 river in an opposite direction, which falls into the Gulf of 

 Siam, and is called the river of Choomphon, from the 

 ilace where it reaches the sea, or Tehmfoung, as Dr. 

 leli'er heard it named by the natives. The interval be- 

 ween the navigable parts of these two rivers, occupying a 

 pace of about six hours' march, or 30 miles, is a level 

 ract. It is even stated that at high tides the rivers rise so 

 as to inundate this tract, and to mingle their waters ; but 

 ">r. Heifer, who visited the place, does not mention this 

 circumstance, and it seems to have been stated on very 

 slender authority. As far as it is .known, this chain is 

 chiefly composed of granite and gneiss. These moun- 

 aing are scarcely ever very precipitous, and are generally 

 rounded near the tops, which rise in gentle declivities. The 

 surface of the rocks is generally decomposed and covered 

 with vegetation ; a bare rock is rarely seen. Only a few 

 spots are occasionally cultivated by the Kareans, who arc 

 n exclusive possession of these wildernesses. 



Hurfwf, .Soil, and Jtirers. The general character of 

 the country is hilly, and in some places even mountainous, 



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