344 LA TOUCHE : GEOLOGY OP NORTHERN SHAN STATES. 



joins the Namma at right angles, as if the former river were the 

 tributary stream. Immediately above the conflux a fine series of 

 travertine dams in the Namma is visible from the railway bridge, 

 ending off abruptly at the pool where the rivers unite (Plate 17). 

 Above this point these dams are rarely absent from the views of 

 the river that we obtain as the train proceeds, and add much to 

 the beauty of the scenery. A perfect example spans the river close 

 to the platform at Se-in (Se-Eng) station, and may be inspected 

 while the train halts. Near this station also collections may be 

 made from one of the limestone bands in the Namyau series, 

 outcrops of which will be found on the line about a mile to the 

 west, and again about two miles to the north-east of the station, 

 probably belonging to the same band. The latter outcrop is the 

 more fossiliferous, and good specimens of Terebratula and Rhyncho- 

 nclla, as well as oysters in profusion, may be collected (Loc. 8, Gr 2). 

 About 5 miles above Se-in the line begins to mount the hills 

 Se ' to M h ' 011 ^ 6 r *§kt bank, at a point where the river 



makes a right-angled bend and after a short 

 course resumes its former direction. On the ascent, after rounding 

 M S. Falls ^ e ^ ower bend, a magnificent series of falls, 



extending like a giant salmon-ladder for more 

 than a mile up the river, comes into view, flanked on either side 

 by precipitous slopes of limestone (Frontispiece). The sudden bend in 

 the river marks the line of a cross fault, bringing down the red beds 

 against the Plateau Limestone, and the falls are due to the compar- 

 ative rapidity with which the softer red sandstones and shales below 

 the scarp have been eroded, while at the same time the river has 

 cut back a narrow gorge through the limestone. The intense 

 crushing that the red beds have been subjected to near the fault 

 is a constant source of anxiety to the railway engineers, for the 

 deep cuttings through these rocks are very unstable after rain, 

 and this has no doubt aided the excavation of the deep bay below 

 the falls. Rounding a sharp curve at the head of a narrow ravine 

 to the west of the falls, the line passes at once on to the Plateau 

 Limestone, which extends from this point to and beyond Manhpwi 

 station ; the boundary with the red beds running parallel and close 

 to the railway, at the base of the hills on the west. 



At Manhpwi the steam tramway from the Bawd win silver-lead 



mines joins in. These are situated about 30 

 Bawdwin mines tram- mileg to the nor th-west, and the tram line 



way. 



runs for the greater part of the distance, 



