TO THE COURT OF AVA. 
257 
of 15°, and disembogues itself in about 13° 30', 
running a course nearly due south, and parallel 
with the direction of the peninsula. It passes 
through a narrow valley between two ranges of 
hills. This is a broad but shallow stream, and 
the navigation is interrupted by many islands, 
shoals, and sand-banks. The town, situated on 
the left bank of the river, is about thirty-five 
miles from the sea. Vessels of one hundred and 
twenty tons burthen, but not larger, can reach it. 
The Tennaserim, or Mergui river, is said to 
have its source between the fifteenth and sixteenth 
degrees of latitude, and, like the Tavoy river, 
runs from north to south until it reaches opposite 
to Mergui, when it makes a sudden turn to the 
westward, and disembogues itself by two mouths, 
the most northerly of which is a safe channel for 
shipping, and lies in the latitude of 12 ° 12 ' north. 
It is said to be navigable for boats for one hun¬ 
dred miles, and European vessels of moderate bur¬ 
then may ascend it for thirty. 
The great range of mountains, which divides 
our provinces from Siam, is said to be generally 
from three to five thousand feet high, and chiefly 
composed of granite. The general character of 
the Martaban province is that of a champaign 
country, or at least, the plains greatly exceed in 
extent the hilly land. There are, however, here 
and there some low ranges of quartz rock, and a 
considerable number of insulated steep and pic- 
VOL. II. s 
