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5. Of the less hilly districts, may be mentioned those which 
occupy the east end of the island, and those which occupy the 
Jurong valley. 
(>, Of the numerous watercourses which have been dignified, 
by the term river, none are worthy of that name except, perhaps, 
the Kahtng River, which is about seven miles in length and 
lias its source on the highland which occupies the centre of the 
island ; the others are more properly speaking creeks, and often 
terminate suddenly, receiving only a scanty rivulet of fresh 
water: they are numerous alone the coast, the principal of them 
being the Jurong, Pandan, Singapore, Saranggong, Ponggol, 
SGetar, Sembawang, Kranji, and Brih Rivers. The more use- 
ful fresh water streams are those which have their sources on 
the central highland of the Settlement and flow seaward ; such 
streams are very numerous, but mostly run dry after a few 
days’ absence of rain. Few of them have obtained names, and 
many of then) are muddy and otherwise impure. 
7. The island contains some good roads metalled with 
common laterite — a substance which enters very abundantly 
into the composition of the soil of the island and is found in 
great plenty in the small hills and surrounding islands. This; 
substance, when properly applied, consolidates readily and 
makes a good durable road with a smooth surface. The chief 
highway stretches across the island from south to north, 
namely, from Singapore town t Kranji, which is only separat- 
ed from Johor by the Straits, long this road the greater bulk 
of the traffic from the maiir d of the peninsula is conducted. 
The other principal roads lead to Cliangi, Saranggong, Pa sir 
Panjang and Seletar. 
8. For the purpose of this report, it is only necessary 
to give a general and rapid sketch of the Geology of the , 
island; several districts in it, as well as the large island ofy 
Pulaii Ubin are composed, for the most part, of decomposed 
plutonkj rock ; these, consequently, contain the best soils with 
a greater depth than elsewhere, and are, therefore, better 
adapted for the growth of large timber. 
, . •*. 
0, Sandstone clays chiefly occupy the coast line districts. 
The shale tracts include Tanjong Gul, part of Lim Chu Kang, 
West. Bukit Tiniah, Jurong, and Tanglin, while the districts of 
Kalang, Saglap, and Pandan are almost wholly alluvial. 
10. Of the secondary minerals, the most abundant is 
felspar, which occurs largely throughout the plu tonic area asso- 
ciated with hornblende, quartz, mica, &c. In the ferruginous 
rocks red coloured lamina, chiefly iron ore, is much developed, 
associated iron ore and quartz are occasionally found in large 
quantity, and localities where the iron predominates over the 
quartz are very numerous, A good instance is the laterite 
portion of Government Hill. The iron rock is generally a 
hydrous peroxide and different forms of hematite, compact and 
ochry. In most localities the proportion of iron varies much 
and is generally too small to entitle the rock to be called an 
ore, but patches and masses of ore occur abundantly. 
11. The chocolate, violet and many- tinted clays of the sedi- 
mentary tract (a good example of which may be seen exposed 
on the side of Fort Canning hill in the town of Singapore) 
occupy a breadth of about one mile, and stretch from the town 
right accross the island in the direction of North West by 
West. The plutonic clays, on the other hand, form a compact 
tract, of about sixty square miles, occupying the main body of 
the island as already mentioned, and have a remarkable uni- 
# 
Geology 
