OF THE TENASSERIM PROVINCES. 396 
development of this source of wealth must for the present rest 
on tlie accidentally excited curiosity of the native trader, who 
in visiting the Islands may discover this deposit, or upon any 
other equally fortuitous circumstance of the kind. 
The plains of the Tenasserim Provinces, consisting of those 
slopes near the base of the hills, and the lower alluvial lands 
employed in the cultivation of paddy, may be stated as com¬ 
prising one half of the whole area of surface (about 32,000 
square miles) of the former. By far the larger portion is 
covered with dense jungle and possesses generally a rich soil 
formed by the accumulated vegetable deposit of ages past, 
in combination with the components derived from the dis¬ 
integration and decay of the adjacent hills. Those slopes 
however, which skirt the base cf the sandstone hills are com¬ 
paratively bare of forest vegetation and, from, the very large 
proportion of silicious matter they contain, are not adapted to 
general purposes of cultivation. The oxide ot iron is preva¬ 
lent throughout, giving an almost uniformly red color to the 
soil of those plains* situated above the paddy lands. 
It has been stated (Dr Helfet’s report) that the alluvial 
plains of these Provinces, owe their origin to marine deposits 
at a period when the sea skirted the base of the mountain 
limestone ranges, and from the action of the waves, were 
produced the caverns peculiar to that formation,—the proof 
of this submergence however is wanting, for had this exten¬ 
sive tract been covered by the ocean, both in the cavernous 
limestone as well as in the argillaceous soils which form the 
present grain lands, fossils of animals and other marine 
exuviae would be present, as in all formations of undoubted 
marine agency as far remote as the <c eocene’’ period of 
tertiary deposits, but with the exception of a deposit of shells 
of the genera “cytherea” and “venus’’ found near the sea 
coast at some distance south of the Tavoy river, which merits 
a further investigation-]-, neither in the limestone caves nor in 
the alluvium has any such “memento” of the past been found, 
to which may be added the fact, that analysis of the soil 
* Analysis of this soil gives : — 
Water of aosorblion. 89 \ 
Fine silicious Sand ...... ...... 190# 
Silica. 40>In 400 parts. 
Alumina......., ...... ...... 14 i 
Oxide of Iron. 12/ 
* Since this was written I have ascertained from the Revd Mr Mason who 
foi r» etly noticed this deposit of shell that on second examination ot them lie 
had good reason for stating that they were not fossils but a casual heap of 
shetls, simitar to others found in the vicinity of Butman villages, collected no 
doubt for the purpose of conversion into lime. 
