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BIRMAH. 177
patently flooded during the rainy season, covered with
long grass, and infested with wild beasts.* The town
of Chitoung is situated on the east bank of the river ;
it is surrounded by a few straggling villages. The
river is about half a mile in breadth, and appears to
be deep and regular: it abounds with alligators.
Towards the N., it runs close up under the mountains,
and then strikes off to the S., till it falls into the sea.
Mr. Carey saw no mountains to the W. of the Chitoung
river, as described in Symes's Embassy. The eastern
mountains are totally uncultivated and uninhabited.
Around the borders are to be found a few houses of
Corians (Carayns) or mountaineers. The moun-
tains appear to be covered with large trees, with here
and there a vacancy; they are said to abound with
chatts, a large sort of deer, chines, a species of ante-
lope, and tigers ; and the valleys with elephants, wild
hogs, deer, &c.
" The passage of the viceroy took place the next
morning with great pomp : he crossed the river upon
four boats lashed together, and towed by two war-
boats. The troops lined the road where he landed,
sitting with their backs towards him, as a mark of very
great respect. Presents of rice, fish, and betel-nut
were made to him. On the ensuing morning, the
army, still directing its march to the S.E., entered the
thick forests which skirt the Chitoung mountains :
they were found almost impenetrable, consisting of
various kinds of timber trees, among which are the
yendak, red and black, a species of mahogany; the
moukkhou, a tall, smooth tree, of a hard grain; the
ketchee, yielding a useful gum, and the wood of which
* The Chitoung Sittong, or Zeet-taung river, formed the ancient
boundary between the kingdoms of Pegu and Siam.