524 On the Local and Relative Geology of Singapore, [June, 



fectly flat, and very little above the level of the sea, so that the winding 

 outlines of the bases of the hills are nearly as distinctly marked as if 

 they sunk into the level sheet of a lake. We have in fact regular 

 mountain ranges in miniature, and so symmetrical with all the apparent 

 irregularity, that if the highest or summit lines of the ranges and their 

 lateral members were correctly laid down on a map they would present 

 no remote resemblance to the section of a tree. Beyond the last men- 

 tioned range another long valley occurs.* The stream Balastier which 

 flows through it has its rise in Bukit Temah. The further or N. E. 

 side of this valley is formed by the Kallang range of hills, the upper ex- 

 tremity of which is also connected with Bukit Temah : its lower division 

 is penetrated by a long secondary valley. One of its summits rises con- 

 siderably above the general level of the hills. Beyond it the valley of 

 the Kallang river stretches inland. This valley has not been examined 

 up to the top, but it is believed the river rises to the north of Bukit 

 Temah in a continuation of that range. All the preceding ranges 

 terminate in the plain or to the west of it and the Kallang, Balestier, 

 Bukit Temah and Singapore rivers all cross the plain, converge towards 

 the town, the three former uniting their waters, and flow through it. 

 The next range beyond the Kallang valley is the central range or back- 

 bone of the eastern part of the Island. It does not terminate at the 

 line where those already described sink into the plain, but continues its 

 course to the eastward, sending out lateral ranges, the southern and 

 western extremities of which form the boundaries of the plain. This 

 range terminates at the Red cliffs. All the hills on the east and N. E. 

 sides of the Island appear to be expansions of it. The valleys between 

 the lateral ranges are bolder and deeper than those in the ranges first 

 described, owing to the hills being generally higher and steeper. This 

 range is connected with the Bukit Temah range. In its central parts it 

 displays broad undulating tracts on a larger scale than the other ranges. 

 Amongst the multitude of valleys which its branches include there is 

 one on the northern side of some size in which the Serangoon stream 

 rises. This valley seems to be a peaty swamp. It passes into a broad 

 tract of mangrove jungle where the stream is lost in a creek which opens 

 into the old straits of Singapore. Other streams fall into the straits 



* For much information respecting- these difficultly accessible valleys I am indebted to 

 Mr. Thomson, the able and indefatigable Surveyor to Government for the Straits, 



