TO THE COUET OF AYA. 
67 
general sketch may be offered of the Ataran 
Twenty miles above its debouchement, its banks 
are low, and covered with a narrow belt of rhizo - 
phoras , or mangroves. In the interior, on both 
sides, there are extensive grassy plains, without 
wood, apparently well fitted for the culture of 
rice. Farther up the river than the distance now 
mentioned, the banks rise considerably, the man¬ 
groves disappear, and the place is occupied by 
a narrow belt of arborescent willows: this is a 
new species of Salix. This tract is probably the 
most fertile: it abounds in plains, interrupted 
only here and there by the range of primitive 
limestone, which I have already mentioned. 
About fifty miles above the mouth of the river, 
the banks become very elevated. Another new 
species of willow now appears, and the teak 
begins to make its appearance. The soil here ap¬ 
peared to me to be a deep rich clay, and I should 
presume that it is well suited to the growth of 
the sugar-cane, cotton plant, indigo, and tobacco. 
Upon the whole, I am disposed to think that the 
country upon the banks of this river will be 
found fertile, and well suited to the growth of 
many articles of colonial produce. In the mean¬ 
while, this tract, apparently so fine, is nearly des¬ 
titute of inhabitants. We saw but four petty 
villages, all established within the last few months 
by emigrants from the Burmese territory. This 
place, in fact, was the chief seat of the great 
