1028 The Mergui Coast-line and Islands. [Dec. 



of irregular outline, and consisting of several ranges, clothed to their 

 summits with large forest trees ; the greatest elevation reached may be 

 taken at about 3500 feet. 



Between the southern limit and i 1° 40' N. the high land approaches 

 in some parts very near to the sea, but from that latitude to the nor- 

 thern limit, it is fronted by a low delta of mangrove country, varying 

 in breadth from 5 to 15 miles. Through this several small rivers 

 have their course, and communicate with each other by creeks forming 

 an inland navigation for boats ; the outer portion of this country from 

 being so low, and tide-washed, is unfit for purposes of cultivation, in 

 its present state, and it is only in the inner part, where there begins 

 to be a susceptible rise in the level towards the high land, that there 

 are a few cultivated spots. 



Within this delta or Sunderbund there are several small elevated 

 ridges and isolated hammocks, covered with large trees growing upon 

 a soil covering a rocky basis, and which at some remote period, appear 

 to have been separate islands forming a portion of the archipelago, but 

 are now united to each other by the accumulation of deposit brought 

 down by the different streams from the higher grounds, and which seems 

 to be gradually encroaching seaward. In this manner an island called 

 " Sellore" has evidently become connected with the main by a narrow 

 neck of land covered with mangroves and having two or three creeks 

 intersecting it, and another one " Kesserain" appears to be approach- 

 in°- that state. These islands being large, and sheltering the inner 

 waters, the tides set round both ends and meet in the middle, facilitat- 

 ing the deposit of sediment, and assisting this operation of nature. 



Of the small streams above alluded to, the Tenasserim or " Tenan- 

 thari river" is the only one of any consequence, one branch of which 

 discharges its waters at Mergui, and forms the harbour of that place, 

 while the other disembogues about seven miles further to the southward : 

 these two branches unite nine miles above Mergui, opposite a small 

 village called Tedawon ; here the features of the country begin to 

 change from a low mangrove land to one of moderate elevation, and 

 the river opens out into a lake of small extent, apparently the original 

 mouth of it, in which are situated two or three small islands, and on 

 either side are several hill pagodas and small villages which have a 

 very pretty effect. At one of these " Mounglaw" on the left bank, there 

 are extensive plains for rice cultivation, and beyond this, the country 

 becomes mountainous to the very edge of the river, with a considerable 

 narrowing of its bed : here and there however, there are spots of level 

 ground which are occupied by small villages, whose occupants cultivate 

 grain and other produce, little exceeding what is required for their own 



