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138 BIRMAH.
river, the meanderings of which are seen for many
miles, is an extensive plain, cleared for paddy-grounds,
and bounded by deep forests. The soil of the valleys
is a fine loam, covered with rich luxuriant pastures ;
the cattle are as large and in as good a condition as
are to be seen in any part of India. The soil of the
knolls or little hills appeared to be a red loam mixed
with sand, on a basis of red rock, that seems to have
undergone the action of fire ; it is friable and broken
on the surface into gravel, and contains, apparently, a
large portion of iron. The roads at present are very
indifferent, but might very easily be rendered good
and fit for carriages. In the vicinity of the town ,are
several orchards and many pleasant situations for
building. The air is pure and elastic ; and its general
salubrity is evinced by the appearance of the inhabitants,
who are a hale, robust race."* It has been
supposed that the inequalities in the soil are artificial.
Nothing, however, Captain Cox states, can be more
distant from the truth. Immediately to the northward
of the town, a gentle ridge commences, extending
from the river two miles and a half, north and
south: at its highest point, it is two hundred feet
at least above the level of the river at neap tides. In
its breadth, it varies from fifty to four hundred yards,
shelving away to the westward, and sending off bluff
spires to the eastward, f On the apex
or northern
* " The climate is good," says Mrs. Judson, " better than any
other part of the East."
t The soil of this ridge is, 1st. A thin stratum of vegetable
this
mould, mixed with silicious earth, which latter predominates ;
first stratum is of various depths, from twelve feet to a few inches ;
2d. Red, ferruginous, porous rock, with its stratum vertical or per-
3d. De-
pendicular to the horizontal strata of the other classes ;
composed red ferruginous rock, mixed with silicious earth, with a
large proportion of iron ore, red, yellow, and blue ;
4th. Argilla-