YENANGYAT. 



125 



The productive wells are all situated in the Yenaung-chaung 

 ravine, but quite recently some successful wells have been construct- 

 ed in the Ok-Khyaung-chaung ravine. 



The area occupied by these wells is very limited, and in no case 

 exceeds a few acres; this, however, by no means indicates the 

 real extension of the petroliferous sands, because the natives have 

 been prohibited by physical difficulties from extending the area ex- 

 ploited by pit wells. 



The country around Yenangyat is of the most rugged nature; a 

 hill range, beginning near opposite Singu and gradually risingto 1,184 

 feet above sea level in the Seikaywa pagoda, runs for about 25 miles 

 from its commencement quite close to the right bank of the Irawadi. 

 In fact its eastern slope forms the bank of the river itself. The 

 eastern slope is steep, very rugged, and is composed of a mass of low 

 hills, possessing a more or less inclined eastern and a steep western 

 slope, and forming a tract of about half to a quarter of a mile in 

 breadth along the river bank. No sooner is this tract crossed than the 

 slope rises quickly and uninterruptedly, frequently forming steep pre- 

 cipices to the crest of the range. The western sides slope more 

 gently, but here we notice also numerous more or less isolated 

 hills, which present a steep eastern and a more or less inclined 

 western face. We will presently see that these features are solely 

 due to stratigraphical conditions. 



It is owing to the nearness of the crest of the range to the river 

 bank that the ravines which drain the eastern side are very short, 

 generally very steep at their head, but slightly inclined towards 

 their mouth, and as the magnetic bearing of the range is almost due 

 north and south, all the ravines on the eastern side run due east, 

 affording thus generally very good cross sections. The slopes of the 

 ravines are always very steep, the ravines accordingly narrow, and 

 much twisted about. No more difficult land could be imagined for 

 any industrial undertaking, even small plots of level ground being 

 very rare. 



( I7i ) 



