250 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
both, for the most part, covered with thick woods, 
presenting the aspect of a country nearly in a 
state of nature. The coast is broken by shallow 
arms of the sea, and contains no good harbour 
conveniently situated for trade, while it is skirted 
throughout by shoals and dangers, rendering it 
inaccessible during one half of the year, and at 
all times precarious or dangerous. The great 
river of Arracan is said to have its origin about 
the twenty-third degree north. After passing 
through three degrees of latitude, it disembogues 
itself by several mouths, of which the channels 
are impeded by bars, numerous sand-banks and 
islands. To foreign commerce,^therefore, at least, 
it is never likely to be of much service, nor does 
the nature of the country, through which it 
passes, appear, in an agricultural view, to be of a 
very improveable character. 
The experience of all the invaders of Arracan, 
Mohammedan, Burman, and European, warrants 
the conclusion that it is, upon the whole, one of 
the most unhealthy places of any extent in the 
East. The periodical rains are extremely heavy, 
and continue from April to November, leaving 
scarcely five dry months in the year. This, with 
the extent of the woods and marshes, makes the 
climate decidedly wet and moist; but this will 
not account for its unhealthiness; for many parts 
of Pegu, which are equal in salubrity to any In¬ 
dian climate, are similarly circumstanced. It 
