Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-06-07

'C"i pei anu even ulIdIU NY.
Familiarity with the watery eloquent
seems to prevail in Burmah, wherever
there are streams. | have seen women
and children swimming with ease and con-
hdence, and several times little children
scarce Y able to walk alone, frightened al
the white foreigner, have plunged into
the water to swim TO their mothers in the
boats, and were rescued from drowning
only by some ones picking them up.
June II. For some days the river
scenery has been increasingly Interesting
The country seems generally under I'LL
laGe. Towns and cities line the shores,
the hills are covered with fine forests, and
Italy itself might justly be proud of the
scenery: The improvements and ropuIa-
ton appear to extend however, in some
places al least, but short distance from
the river.
Just before sunset June %, We came to
for the night at Yaynan-g oung, village
important only for its trade in petroleum.
The wells being but two miles from the
village, we walked out to them. The
way was well beaten by bullock carts,
often crossing the bed of the torrent (now
dry,) whence the village derives its name.
A more rugged and desolate region can
scarcely be imagined. The rocks are
sandstone, pudding stone, and petrifac-
tons. The soil, sand and blue clay
Hills on every side rise abruptly, like
waves in chopping sea. One plant only
seemed to find congenial soil. 1t resem-
bIed prickIy pear, growing to the height
Of thirty feet, with stem foot through.
The wells are very numerous, said TO
be more than a hundred, occupying a
space of about twelve square miles They
are from two hundred to three hundred
feet deep, of small ca!ibre, and sustained
by scantliug, The temperature Of the
! oil, when first raised to the top, is 80.
Men do not go down, but an earthern pot
is lowered in and drawn up over beam
across the mouth, by two men running off
with the rope The pot is emptied into
little pool, where the water with which it
is largely mixed, subsidies, and the oil is
drawn off pure. The price now, includ-
ing the pots, is about a teal for 81 viss, or
about fifty cents for ten pounds. The wells
yield about 400 or 500 viss per day, each
worked by three or four men. Sometimes
700 are obtained The amount depends
on the quantity of water drawn up with
the OIL A duty Of one twentieth is paid
10 Government
This most useful oil is very extensively
used for lamps and torches, and is export
ed to all parts of the empire whittier it
can be taken by water 1t is also used
for preserving wood, mat partitions, palm
leaf books, &c. from insects and from the
weather, and is an admirable article for
these purposes. Even the white ants will
not attack wood which has been brushed
with it.
For several days we have noticed on
the shore great quantities Of petrifed wood
and have gathered specimens which ex.
hibit the 6bres and cells perfectly. Some
trunks OF trees, ten or twelve feet long
lie in the edge Of the water, entirely petri
fed. Teeth, bones, &c. are found in the
same state. The inhabitants assure me
that they sometimes picked up petrifec
leaves.
Sa!-Iay or Sal-lc, a days sail from tn,
oil wells, though not large, is an impor
? tant city. 1t IS the metropolis of a fertile
. district, and drives considerable trade il
t ,oddY-tree sugar, Clutch, cotton, onions, &C
, Here, as at several places before, we foun
4 company of Shvans, comfortably bivou
acked on shore, and ready TO sell site
t lace, &c. for salt, and saIt-fsh Thei
|, commodities are brought in carts, and i
= pannior5 on the backs Of buIlocks. The
k seemed in no haste, were engaged in lii
Vt tie manufactures for sale, and would pro
Il badly remain Till the close of the rains
e They are instantly distinguished fror
O Burmans, by wearing a regular round
= about jacket and wide trowsers of blu
d nankcen, reaching to the knees. Tn
1t jackets are frequently quilted very neatIy
s, have seen various companies of them
r. different places, trading in the same maj
V ner. They always appear decidedly 81
e per'or to Burmans in intelligence al
n civilization. There is, however, gre
1t difference in this respect between the di
J. ferent tribes. The information l hay
ID obtained respecting this nation, from til
IF people themselves, with what may her
Il after collect, will appear in another plac
" The scenery since leaving the oil we'll
is wholly changed. The hills are make
re or but partially covered with shrubs, ar
of wear peculiar aspect of desoIation; vi
re lagos are few. and the population eviden
IN ly sparse. In some places the sho
ly rises abruptly to the height of an hundr'
h feet, of vel y soft sandstone Thousan
n. ofbirds have made perforations in the Sit
ey for :heir nests. Among these the col
In mon sparrow and the wild pigeon SEEM
nd most numerous
ed The remains of the once magni6ce
nd Pag-han stand in the midst of this regio
If. SO destitute apparently Of the means
NV supporting human life. Such a ocali'
H. ~ tho at