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SIAM. 305
of the peninsula of Malacca. Many of the specimens
contain hornblende; and on the summit of the hill,
there is a red granite, which breaks into brick-like
fragments. The lower granite is uncommonly hard,
and breaks with much difficulty."*
At the head of the gulf, a mountainous country
divides the valley of Siam from Cambodia. This is
the province of Chantibond, which originally belonged
to the kingdom of Cambodia, but, on the partition of
that beautiful country, was seized upon by the Cochin
Chinese, and at length was annexed, by Pe-ya-tac, to
the empire of Siam, of which it is stated to constitute
one of the richest and most valuable provinces.
Finlayson
Mr.
describes it as " singularly beautiful and
picturesque, diversified by lofty mountains, extensive
forests, and fertile valleys and plains. The passage
thence to Cambodia is of short distance, a ridge of
mountains dividing the two countries. It possesses a
good and convenient harbour, well protected by numerous
beautiful islands in front. The river is ob-
structed in a great measure at its mouth, but affords
convenient and safe navigation to small vessels and
boats. It once possessed an extensive and profitable
* Mr. Finlayson supposes, that the base, both of the islands and
of the bay formed by them, is granite. " Extensive masses," he says,
of a coarse-grained granite, abounding with plates of gray and
black mica, in parallel laminae, are to be seen at low water at seve-
ral points on the shores of the islands. This rock presents a rough,
horizontal surface, never ascending into peaks, and rarely rising
above high-water mark. On this rock are superposed, collaterally
a d often alternating with each other, quartz rock and granular
limestone, both of them varying in appearance, and containing a
considerable proportion of calcareous matter. The direction of
the strata is from E. to W., dipping to the north. On the smaller
islands, the quartz is intersected by retiform veins of iron ore.
Caves of considerable extent occur in the slaty quartz." See FIN-
LAYSON'S Mitrion, pp. 90, 1 ; 2757-