TO THE COURT OF AVA. 
63 
bourhood of Ataran is praised by the Peguans for 
its fertility ; and from appearance it may be judged 
that the land is well suited for the growth of rice. 
We observed no marks of former industry, with 
the exception of some groves of well-grown cocoa- 
nut trees, which were in fruit. In returning to the 
vessel, we crossed the brook which leads from the 
hot springs, at the distance of about a quarter of a 
mile from them. The water was quite clear,— 
nearly of the temperature of the atmosphere, and 
full of small fish. We stopped for the night about 
eight miles above Ataran. 
Jan. 29.—We ascended as far as it was safe to 
take the vessel, being in all a distance of about 
sixty miles from the mouth of the river. The 
stream, which below was from one hundred to 
one hundred and fifty yards broad, with low banks, 
contracted above Ataran to the breadth of fifty 
yards, with banks fifteen and twenty feet high. In 
the lower part of the river, no bottom was often to 
be found with a line of nine fathoms, and up to 
Ataran there was never less than three fathoms. 
After this the river shoals, and at high-water 
spring-tides we had in some places but a fathom, 
or barely more than the steam-vessel’s draft. The 
spring-tides reach apparently about seventy miles 
from the mouth of the river, or nearly one hun¬ 
dred from the sea. For fifty miles up, the navi¬ 
gation of the Ataran, though the river be nar¬ 
row, is remarkably safe and easy. The banks are 
