194 Notes on the Military Stations and 



resort to the latter place for change of air, although they have 

 the advantage of a sanatorium bungalow built on a rocky point, 

 which runs out into the sea about two miles from Akyab. 



The same reasons which led to the abandonment of the 

 Aen town of Arracan, lead to the transference of 



the civil head quarters of Aeng to Khyouk 

 Phyoo, the nearest station to the south of Akyab. We believe 

 that three Assistants to the Commissioner died successively 

 at Aeng, in 34, 35, 36, before the transference took place. 

 It is situated on the Aehg river at no great distance from the 

 foot of the well known pass into Burmah of the same name, 

 and continues to maintain its reputation as a hot bed of 

 fever ; for on a very late occasion it proved fatal to a young 

 officer who had accompanied one of the senior Assistants on 

 a visit to it. 



The sandy plain on which Khyouk Phyoo is built, is separa- 



, _, ted from the rest of the island of Ramree, on 



Khyouk Phyoo. 



one side by a salt creek, on another by a low 

 range of sandstone hills, while on the other two sides it 

 is encircled by the sea : it is to a considerable extent embay- 

 ed, as a range of broken woody islands to its east shuts it out 

 from Combermere bay and the open sea. A few years ago 

 this plain was covered with the most dense jungle, but this 

 has been cleared away for more than a mile inland. The 

 process of clearing seems to have been carried to an unneces- 

 sary extent, as only a few Gurjun trees have been left stand- 

 ing, and there is no shade. It is a curious fact that the 

 health of the N. I. corps at this station does not seem to 

 have borne any distinct relation to the progress of clearing. 



The whole station may be considered nearly level, after 

 making allowance for one or two lines of drainage and small 

 salt j heels which intersect it. It is on the whole well drained, 

 and the soil is exceedingly dry during the hot and cold 

 seasons, though during the rains much water must accumulate 

 on the surface. 



