Remarks on the Geology of Tavoy. 361 



diction of the Mergui authorities. Here too are located all 

 the hot springs that are found in the eastern section of the 

 province ; and all, it is worthy of remark, are on a north and 

 south line, nearly or quite parallel with the slate strata ; and 

 those that have fallen under my observation have slate on 

 the west, and gneiss on the east, excepting one at Pai, which 

 gurgles up among the gneiss rocks themselves, with a heat 

 of 198° of Fahrenheit, only 14° below boiling water ; a degree 

 of heat not usual it is believed, for hot springs out of volcanic 

 countries. All that I have seen, seem to possess precisely 

 similar properties. They are wholly free from any sulphure- 

 ous smell, and although on the stones near the springs an 

 efflorescence resembling sulphate of magnesia is often found, 

 no one of the medical officers to whom I have furnished the 

 water, ever succeeded in detecting any mineral in solution ; 

 and as its specific gravity differs very little, I believe, from 

 pure water, there cannot be much to detect. There are how- 

 ever in the Tenasserim valley hot springs of a different cha- 

 racter 5 indicating by their odour, sulphuretted hydrogen gas. 



The region west of this last range is occupied by the 

 Deltas of rivers, and what Dr. Heifer denominates, " the 

 plains between Tavoy and Palow," and which he says, " be- 

 long to the tertiary formation." In some parts of the region, 

 as at the mouth of Tavoy river, the sea coast is bounded by 

 piles of granite, abounding in large rectangular masses of 

 feldspar. In this section, a few miles east of the old town of 

 Palow, is a large hill wholly composed of shells, with a cover- 

 ing of earth just sufficient to support a thick vegetation; and 

 which appear to belong to existing species, consisting princi- 

 pally of large oyster shells.* 



East of the great dividing ridge is the principal tin region. 

 " Tin," says Dr. Heifer, ce occurs on the foot of the great 

 range running from north to south, on its eastern side in 



* Specimens as perfect as possible of these shells would be highly in- 

 teresting. — Ed. 



