And, just as every maiden flower Enrapt the moth, and brought him near. And to the fields of flowers descended, All breathed so sweet, and look'd so fair, And all in one so brightly blendedThat he, with inexperienced soul, For all with equal passion burn'd; Each, as the vain young rover deem'd, Nor loath was he to hear the call, And aye from bed to bed to skip, But eager in the cup of all, Young rake! to wet his thirsty lip. Till, stretching once his am'rous flight Beyond the garden's narrow bound, A virgin lily caught his sight, Whose looks were resting on the ground. Enchanted with her modest mien, Her simple form and features fair, Her brow so white, her garb so green, The vagrant lover settled there. And ever since, the gaudy hues Of tulip, hyacinth, and rose, With all that drink the nightly dews, Survey this bower, and look on me, Then hie thee to yon chrystal lake, And in its quiet bosom see The flower that caught the flaunting rake! QUIVIS. EXCURSION Up the River OF MARTABAN. We have been favoured with a notice of an excursion up the San-leum, or Martaban-river, of which the following is the substance: The river is of considerable interest, not only from its rising very far to the north, in Tibet, or on the Chinese frontier, in that direction where it is known as the Nan-kiang; but for the richness and importance of the vegetable products along its course, in the province of Martaban. The party left Martaban on the 10th March, with the flood-tide and a S. W. breeze. The river has the peculiarity of being clear and fresh at a very short distance from the sea. In consequence, its banks, instead of being overrun with plants, usually found within the influence of salt water, are of a different description. The banks at first slope gradually to the water; but they soon rise considerably above it, and are sufficiently elevated to prevent inundation. Above Martaban, the river side is covered with high grass and Erythrinas, intermixed with betle palms and occasional clumps of plaintain trees. Behind, at a short distance, runs a range of hills sparingly covered with vegetation. The course of the river, at its mouth, is due north, and it continues in that direction almost to its source, with frequent bends to east and west. After advancing about fourteen miles, the wind and tide failing, the boats were anchored about 5 P. M. Both sides of the river, at this place, were studded with a number of small conical hills, nearly bare. The western bank was lofty, and consisted of a soft porous sand-stone, with much ferruginous admixture. The thermometer, at 3. P. M., stood at 95°. The 11th set in with a damp heavy fog, which lasted till eight o'clock. The hills were covered with mist for some time after. These fogs are common at this season, and contribute materially to promote vegetation. They also serve to cool the atmosphere, reducing the temperature, sometimes, twenty degrees. On this day's route the hills became numerous; and, although villages were not seen, yet columns of smoke, in all directions, indicated their presence. On the left bank lay Trugla, a large village, opposite to the upper end of a long flat island, which divides the river into two unequal branches. The adjacent hills are of lime-stone, of dark hue and rugged outline; they not unfrequently rise almost perpendicularly to the height of 5 or 6,000 feet, and are covered with shrubs and small trees. About two miles to the S. W. from the landing-place, opposite to Trugla, is the celebrated cave of Kogun. The path to it leads through groves of cocoa-nuts and palmiras, and palms of a more stately growth; which, instead of flowering annually, puts forth large panicles only in thirty or forty years, and then dies down to the root. The height, from the base to the top of the inflorescence, is sometimes nearly one hundred and forty feet. The Varnish tree also occurs on the path. It grows sometimes to the height of forty feet, with a stem of eleven feet in girth. The varnish is extracted by tapping the bark with short joints of a small kind of bamboo, cut at one end like a pen. These are thrust obliquely into the bark, and serve, at the same time, to collect the exudation; one hundred, or one hundred and fifty, of such bamboos are sometimes inserted at the same time. Each is about half filled in twenty-four hours, when it is withdrawn. Close to the cave stand two trees of a new genus, called by Dr. Wallich, Amherstia Nobilis. They grow to the height of about forty feet, and bear large pendulous panicles of vermilion blossoms, forming an object, the splendour of which is unrivalled in the Flora of this, or perhaps of any, country. The Burmese call the tree Thoka, and the flowers are offered to the images of their saints. The Jonesia Asoka grows in considerable numbers in the same spot, and is inferior in beauty only to the preceding. The hill consists of lime-stone, interspersed with veins of quartz on being struck with a hammer, it emits a smell not unlike that of ignited gunpowder. The lime-stone is burnt, and yields lime of excellent quality. The cave is spacious but not deep, and descends gently from the base of the hill. It was literally filled with gilt images of Buddha, in the usual sitting or reclining positions, some of marble and some of clay some were colossal, others small. The vault, except where stalactites were depending, was studded with the latter, about the size of the palm of the hand, made of clay, indurated by fire, and curiously carved. On the morning of the 12th, which was free from fog, a visit was paid to Trugla, on the opposite bank. It is a village of considerable extent, lying close to a hill projecting into the river, and covered on the river face with small white temples; similar edifices are observable on the loftier eminences in the distance, to which it might be imagined the foot of man had never ascended. A number of boats were lying off the village, and the loom and forge were busily plied. Cotton and Indigo are cultivated here, and a dye is rudely prepared from the latter. The mango tree grows in the vicinity to a considerable size, and the palas abounds in the jungle. The fields had been lately cleared for rice, by burning; and the ashes of the jungle covered the soil to the depth of some inches, serving, no doubt, as valuable manure. Above three miles from Trugla, amongst the hills, extends a thick forest, with many curious and valuable trees. A Karaanvaillage is situated at the entrance into the Oriental Herald, Vol. 18. 2 M forest, amidst cultivation of tobacco, mustard, and cotton, the latter very fine. The plantain and the betle vine also grow luxuriantly. Beyond Trugla, the banks of the river become more lofty, and the hills, on either hand, more elevated and frequent. A very fine kind of cotton grows in this tract, fully equal, if not superior, to the Barbadoes cotton, reared in India, the produce of which was pronounced at home, superior to any in the London market. Cocoanuts and palms are frequent. The river is beautifully clear, and the depth of water not less than from three to five fathoms. In the afternoon, the day's journey terminated at Phanoe. March 13.-Phanoe consists of a few huts, occupied by Karians. This was the first place on the Saluen, at which teak-trees were found. There were a few amongst the huts, and a grove a little way inland. They were, in general, of irregular growth and low stature, the best having been evidently removed some time ago; the average girth of those on the spot, at four feet above the ground, was above nine feet, and the length of the undivided stem nearly twelve and a half. In the same grove, was an Artocarpus, which had been stripped of its bark; and, on inquiry, it was found that the Natives use it to masticate with their paun, as a substitute for kuth, or catechu. There is some fine cotton cultivation in this neighbourhood-including the yellow kind. Rice is grown to a'small extent. At the time the place was visited, this article was selling at eighty rupees a hundred bags, a rate unusually high, and rather unaccountably so, as the harvest had been abundant. The Natives ascribed it to the great influx of people subsequent to the war; but this appeared scarcely adequate to account for the enhanced price. Soon after leaving Phanoe, the country becomes very beautiful, and the banks of the rivers very lofty. In one place they rise perpendicularly from the water's edge, at least four hundred feet. In attempting to pass to the east of a large island in the river, the stream became so shallow, that the boats grounded, and were obliged to return, and ascend by the other channel; two canoes were met going down to Martaban; but very few boats had been encountered. March 14.-The route continued along the western channel, which contained three and four fathoms of water. The banks were lofty, and covered with jungle. On the right bank, several Kioums, or Burman monasteries, were passed. At the upper end of an island lay the village of Koa-Theyn, occupied by Burmese and Taliens, engaged chiefly in the cultivation of cotton and tobacco: a float of several thousand small bamboos was lying off this place on her way from Mayng to Moal Mein. They cost, at the former place, one rupee a hundred, and sell for three rupees at the latter. March 15.-Two villages were passed on the left bank, the last called Payprouh. The people here mostly hid themselves on the appearance of the boats. It will be some time before they learn to feel confidence in any thing that wears the semblance of authority, to the abuse of which they have been so long accustomed under their former masters. The sides of the river, close to the water, are covered with large willow-trees, several specimens of which are to be met with in the Burman territory. It is termed Manooka, by the Natives, and grows to the height of forty feet. As the boats approached Mayng, a number of teak-trees were seen on the left of the bank. People had been engaged in felling some of the largest and most valuable, and some were lying on the ground. No persons, however, came in sight. Proceeding to the island of Kaw-lung Geum, the bed of the river became full of pebbles. The island is low, and extends for a considerable distance, running north and south. At the southern extremity was a solitary hut, serving as a chokey. In some places here, the banks of the river were of a porous sandstone; in others, low, shelving, and sandy. On the latter were found many turtles' eggs; alligators are numerous, solely of the snubnosed kind. The ghurial has never been seen in the Burman rivers, although there were numerous traces of it in the fossil remains collected on the banks of the Irawadi. The population on this island has received a great accession from the recent emigrations from the Burman side of the river. At the village of Kowlung, on the west side of the island, many boats were loading with cotton, and a large boat, with salt from Moal Mein, was lying at the ghat. Salt sells here for twenty rupees the vis. Abundance of wild poultry was caught in the woods adjacent, by snares of thin cord. Eggs were brought for sale in considerable numbers. The distance of the village from Moal Mein may be estimated at thirty-five miles. The old village of Meayn, on the opposite bank, has been burnt and deserted. March 16.-A forest of teak was visited on this day, about a mile inland from Meayn. The trees were choked with climbers and underwood, and varied in quality. The Thengan, or canoe-tree, was plentiful this is the next timber-tree to the teak. The Natives prefer it for boat-building. It is nearly allied to saul, and, like that tree, abounds in rosin, or dammer. A curious kind of bamboo was also met with, the stem of which was elegantly marked, longitudinally, with white stripes. The hills in the vicinity are of the same description as those previously seen-one of which was visited, had several caves at the base, containing sonorous stalactites. The rock is said to yield but a small per centage of pure lime, owing probably to the numerous veins of quartz by which it is traversed. |