R iv e r A v a *
L a k e o f
C h ia m a y .
T h e great river Ava takes its rife far beyond the province of
Yunan, in China, and, as is fuppofed, in Thibet. The Cbinefe call
it Hou-kian. I am uncertain where it becomes navigable, poffibly
at the laft cuftom-houfe in the Cbinefe dominions; at leaft we
find, that four people o f that nation, with fame others, embarked
there on a voyage made in the laft century down that
river. We have an account o f it in vol. vii. 123, of the Univerfal
Hi/lory. It is defcribed, even at the cuftom-houfe, a« a large and
rapid river. They were twenty days in failing to the city o f Ava,
and a month more from thence to Pegu. Below the capital o f
the kingdom, the vefiels which navigate this mighty river are
faid to be as large as our biggeft ihips, without fail, but the
planks have neither peg or nail to, faften them ; they feem to
be fewed, like the Arabian veffels, which will be defcribed’ in
vol. o f this work.
Mr. D a lr ym p le , in p. 112 o f his ufeful Repertory, fays, he
is allured, that the river palfes through a great lake, not far
above the city o f Ava. This lake, in the old maps, fuch as
Speed's, is called Chiamay, and it is fuppofqd that the rivers o f
Siam, and poffibly o f A r a c a n , Cbittigong, and fome others, flow
out of it. T h e river is defcribed as difficult o f navigation, by
reafon o f ripplings and overfalls ; and its. water, during the
inundations, very cold, occafioned by the fnowy mountains from
whence it flows.
T h e borders o f the Ava, after it enters Burmagb, are in fome
parts flat, in others hilly, but in none fo-low as to be overflowed.
The neighbouring grounds are replete with faltpetre,
and quantities o f common fait are procured by lixiviatic® from
a black
a black earth which abortnds in this dlftridh It is riOW balled thg
Irabathy. Muncbabno, the royal refidenéè of the king o f BUr-
magb, Hands about twelve miles frotn the weftern bank, in Lati
230 38', a walled tówn, Of a fquare form, containing font thou-
fand families.
Ava, the capital o f the kingdom o f the fame name, is feated
in Lat. 21° 48', on the eafterri bank of the fiVer, about 38 miles
beloW Munchaboo. It is a very large city, built of wood, thè
ftreets ftrait, and planted on each fide with trees. The king’s
palace alone is o f itone, but mean in its architeitute. It was iii
the fix-teénth century prodigioufly populous, but was laid wafte
by the king of Pegu in the moft faVage manner. Purchase gives
the horrible relation/ The jewellers Of Europe Vifited it in thè
fame century, for the fake o f its rich gems. At prefent Ava is
in a moft ruinous ftate, and does not contain above a thòufand
families. The kingdom produces- fapphires and rubies o f the
higheft quality. Mention is made o f its rich mines o f copper,
lead, and filver. Other provinces are rich in gold.
From the city the river afiumes the fame name o f Ava, takes
a fmall curvature from thence towards the weft, and the channel
becomes full o f ifles. Near Pegofigmew, a town feated in a Iterile
fandy country, and which, from the’ remains Of numerous pagodas,
féems formerly to have been a place of importance; the
Ava takes a more foutherly courfe. Between Lat. 20” and igr”
north, the weftern fide is filled with an immenfe foreft o f teek
trees, which is faid to produce the beft timber of any in India ; it
is floated down the river, and is a confiderable article of com-
* Vol. ii. 172$»
merce»
A v a C i t y ,
T e e k W ood»».