276 Notes on the Geology, fyc. of Maulamyeng. [May, 



it to join its waters with the Attayen; with an average elevation of 

 15 feet above the surface of the water, and a diameter of nine feet, 

 the cavern continues to cover the stream to the distance of 80 yards 

 or more beyond its place of junction with the river. In the dry season, 

 the stream is comparatively tranquil ; but in the S. W. monsoon, 

 when it is greatly swelled, and becomes tremendously rapid, it rises to 

 the summit, and by its overwhelming force and tbe constant attrition 

 of its waters on the limestone rock adds considerably to the dimen- 

 sions of the cave. 



Beyond the Phabowng Thowng, and on the right bank of the 

 Attayen river, are the hot-ivells. They are three in number, and 

 about two miles distant from the old town of Attayen, of which 

 nothing now remains save a few bricks to point out the site of the 

 wall that surrounded it. A dense jungle of reeds and long grass 

 covers the ground, extending to the hot-springs and the limestone 

 rocks in their neighbourhood. Tbe largest of the wells is of a circu- 

 lar form, and apparently deep ; its diameter is probably as much as 

 60 feet. An efflorescence of the salt it contained was perceptible on 

 the brick wall by which it is enclosed ; the taste of the salt exceed- 

 ingly bitter, not unlike that of " sulphate of magnesia* ." The spring 

 was in a state of active ebullition, and much steam arose from its 

 surfacef ; on the immersion of a therm, bulb, the mercury rose to 

 137° Fahrenheit. The springs evidently contained much rain water 

 collected during the S. W. monsoon, and which, overflowing the 

 banks, is disengaged by means of small rivulets that discharge them- 

 selves into the Attayen. Within a short distance of the hot-springs, 

 I noticed water that had a dark colour, and a disagreeable foetid odour, 

 like tbat of " sulphuretted hydrogen;" this water was cold, although 

 contiguous to the hot- springs. Both cocoanut and palmyra trees 

 were numerous on the spot, and did not appear to suffer from their 

 vicinity to the hot- wells ; a fine young pipal tree grew luxuriantly 

 on the bank of the largest spring : on the contrary, the trees situated 

 near the water supposed to contain " sulphuretted hydrogen' were of 

 a diminutive size, and had a sickly appearance. 



Advancing beyond Mowmah, another or second range of sandstone 

 is seen to cross the Than-lweng river, and take a similar direction with 

 the limestone on which it reposes ; the rock is of the same compact 

 or siliceous nature as that of Mowtumma and Miulamyeng, but cover- 

 ed, for the greater part, by an upper stratum of red iron clay, accom- 



* A bottle of the water, taken from the hot spring, has been presented to the 

 Asiatic Society. 

 f When visited by me in Dec. 1835, at an early hour in the forenoon. 



