1853.] and Seesee rivers in Upper Assam. 517 



rawaddy itself, in its higher course, abounds in rocks of beautiful work- 

 able serpentine of varied colours. There is every appearance of the 

 existence of copper interspersed amongst these rocks : and most of 

 the affluents of the Irrawaddy like the tributary rivers of the 

 Brahmapooter abound in gold: but the most prolific sources of 

 this metal appear to be well to the North, where the mountain 

 torrents have a short and turbulent course to the main river. 



In the Hookong valley, the tributaries of the Kyondwen are pro- 

 lific in gold, and two of the rivers, Kapdhoop and Nam Tibee, are 

 noted for the size of the scales (pepitas), which are described as 

 varying from the size of a pumpkin seed to a four-anna piece, and, 

 from what I have myself seen, I do not doubt it. Most, if not all of 

 this gold goes to China, where it is beaten into gold-leaf and subse- 

 quently finds its way to Burmah to be used in the gilding of the 

 Kyoungs (monasteries) and temples. 



In Assam, in the lower and central portion of the valley, the 

 rocks visible and in situ, are granite, gneiss, and a coarse sandstone 

 and quartz rock. In the line of the Brahmapooter river these dis- 

 appear on the North or right bank after leaving the high table-land 

 at Bishnath ; on the South bank the Dhunsiri river, which runs but 

 at some distance along the Eastern flank of the Bengma mountains, 

 may be said to be its limit here. The granite rocks which come 

 very close upon the Dhunsiri at the Nambar falls, are succeeded by 

 shell and other limestone of an uniform fawn colour, and in the 

 same vicinity are hot sulphureous springs, and numerous salzes, 

 containing sulphurates of iron and salt. Succeeding the Bengma 

 range also, we have a low hilly and undulating country with deep 

 dells and rice pathars, extending Eastward across the valley to the 

 great Naga range, and throughout this tract, there are extensive 

 hard ferruginous deposits, some of which crop out in the bed of the 

 Dhunsiri. In the banks of that river also, as well as throughout a 

 considerable tract of country to the East, including Basah Doyang, 

 the plastic clay at some depth under the surface contains an oxide 

 of iron in grains, which is extensively Smelted for its iron. 



The great Naga range in the interior, as far as I have seen it, 

 East of the Dikho, is clay slate, which in some of the hills imbeds 

 nodules of a compact clay iron ore ; in other parts also a coarse sand- 



