INDOCHINA. 



55 



Seaboard — The Indo-Chinese seaboard develops a. far greater 

 diversity of outline than tiny other Asiatic region, in this respect also 

 rcHe tub ling 1 the corresponding Balkan Peninsula in south-east Europe* 

 Below Akyah the north-west coast is fringed with sworn I clusters of 

 islands* including the volcanic ftamri and Chcduha, and presenting; 

 an almost fjord-liko appearance. Further down the Irawaddy delta 

 projects far sea ward s t terminating at Cape Ncgrais in the aouth-we&t> 

 and enclosing op the east side the deep bight of the Gulf of Mar- 

 tahan. Below this point the coast is again broken into several little 

 headlands, and diversified with the extensive Mergiti Archipelago, 

 which stretches for nearly four degrees of latitude (10* — 14" N.) 

 from below Tavoi to the Isthmus uf Kra. On the east side Lower 

 Siani, with Camboja mid Lower Cochin-China, forms a secondary 

 peninsula, projecting between the vnsltiuLf of Sinm and tlie CJiina 

 Sea for over '250 miles in a south-easterly direction, Here alsu the 

 coastline is broken by several conspicuous headlands, while to the 

 Gulf of Siam on the south-west corresponds the Gulf of Tonkin in 

 the extreme north-east. Thus the seaboard, even excluding tlie 

 Malty Peninsula, has a total length of considerably over 2000 miles, 

 which is relatively far more than that of any other maritime region 

 in Asia. Distinct indications of upheaval have been noticed at 

 several points, and especially along the coast of Arftkim ami Lower 

 Burmah us far as the Irawaddy delta. The movement, centred 

 about Cheduha island, is continued seawards in tlie Nicobar group, 

 although the intervening Andaman Archipelago appears to be the 

 scene of the opposite phenomenon of subsidence. 



CHAPTER IT* 



CLl MATH — FLORA— FAUNA* 



Climate.— Lying almost entirely within the northern torrid 

 zone, Indo-China hats an essentially tropical cliumte, with two well- 

 defined seasons determined by the regular succession of the two 

 monsoons. That of the south-west, prevailing from May to 

 September, brings the moisture~bearii]g clouds and heavy storms 

 from the Indian Ocean, with a rainfall of 200 inches and upwards 

 on the Arakan coast and in the Irawaddy basin. From September 

 to Marc] i these winds are replaced by the north-east monsoon* which 



