208 
CHARACTER OF THE HILLS IN ARRACAN. 
is a very pure cotton, having a very fine 
silvery gloss upon it, and is fit for any pur- 
pose, the staple being remarkably strong, 
fine, and long. We have exceeded our space : 
we shall proceed with the subject in our 
next. 
Art. III. — Journal of a Tour through 
the island of Rambree, with a Geologi- 
cal Sketch of the Country, and Brief 
Account of the Customs, <^c., of its 
Inhabitants. By Lieut. Wm. Foley. 
With a map> Journal of the Asiatic So- 
ciety, 1835. 
(Continued from page 164.^ 
Our author having left Oogah passes a 
few sandstone rocks, and also an island 
resembling the “ knot in appearance and 
structure, and arrives at the foot of Jeeka.” 
The elevation of Jeeka is represented at 
3,000 feet ; it rises in an abrupt manner above 
the range with which it is connected, and has 
the appearance at a distance of an isolated 
hill. A dense forest with a little variety of 
shade covers the mountain from top to bot- 
tom. This is a singular feature in the 
character of the hills in Arracan. At 
Sandoway we have ascended immense 
heights where we have found splendid forest 
trees ; it shews how fertile the soil is, and 
that these mountains may be cultivated to 
their summits. The height, of which 
Lieut. Foley is speaking, is level and clear, 
but uncultivated; the inhabitants will not fix 
their habitation there on account of wild 
beasts with which it abounds. The deluded 
people are likewise possessed with the belief 
that fairies and evil spirits would be equally 
troublesome and frequent intruders. Our 
author observed the prints of elephants’ 
and tigers’ feet in several places. Herds of 
elephants may be frequently seen during 
the evening feeding upon the long grass 
and underwood at the foot of the mountain. 
The inhabitants do not attempt to catch or 
destroy them, although they are particularly 
troublesome in the months of October and 
November, (when the rice crops are ripe) when 
they descend into the plains committing much 
mischief. With respect to the geological 
feature of Jeeka, a brown ferruginous sand- 
stone regularly stratified, with an inclination 
to the south-west, was the only rock visible 
on the surface. Lieut Foley did not ascer- 
tain whether this sandstone appeared on the 
summit of the mountain or was succeeded by 
some other rock. Stratification is distinct at 
the foot of a small range bounded by the sea 
at a little distance beyond the mountain. 
The several layers rising from under each other 
for a considerable extent resemble a sandstone 
which covers the lignite coal of Phooringoo^, 
an island to the east of Combermere bay. 
Our author proceeds eastward ; the road was 
over hills intersected with ravines and cover- 
ed with jungle, the road leads to Ramhreeng- 
keh, Kyouk-nemo, and Singhunnethe. Our 
author saw the flying squirrel on this 
occasion. 
“ It is a very handsome creature, and larger 
than the squirrel of Europe. The head, 
back, and tail are covered with a rich coat 
of dark-brown fur the under part of the chin, 
neck, belly, and legs being of a bright yellow 
colour. The skin about the sides and forelegs 
is loose, and capable of being so much extend- 
ed, that in making its prodigious spring from 
tree to tree it appears rather to fly than leap. 
It is said to be very destructive to gardens ; 
if taken young it may be rendered perfectly 
tame." 
The village Ramhreengheh is large and re- 
markably neat, surrounded by hills and gar- 
dens of plantain trees, The soil is of a rich 
yellow clay, on which are seen indigo, tobacco 
and pepper plants. To the right and beyond 
this spot is the village Kyouk-nemo, accessi- 
ble to the sea and once infested withdacoits. 
Lieut. Foley reaches a creek which he 
crosses. The shore on the opposite side 
consists of deep clay. Our author proceeds 
to the village of Singhunnethe. 
“ Singhunnethe, as was the case with all 
the villages that 1 had seen on the sou- 
thern side of the island, is surrounded with 
plantain trees, which not only afford a 
wholesome and favourite article of food, 
but are in constant request for the pro- 
duction of a solution of potash^ used in 
the preparation of dyes, more especially in 
those derived from indigo. The mode in 
which the potash is obtained from the plantain 
trees is similar to that followed in other parts 
of the world in its extraction from the 
* During the time that Government held the 
monopoly of salt in Arracan, the plantain trees 
frequently afforded to the poor a substitute for 
the common sea salt. So strictly were the 
Government rights protected, that a poor 
woman was actually prosecuted in one of the 
courts for collecting a little sea salt oft' a rock 
on which it had been deposited on the evapo- 
ration of the water left by the tide ! 
