Page:Notes of a journey across the Isthmus of Krà.pdf/31

 Namoy, when the tide falls, a ridge of rocks appears, almost across the river, leaving a narrow channel, through which the river runs with considerable velocity. The Pakchan is, however, navigable by steamers from the junction of the Malliwan to Victoria Point. In the dry season, the tide is felt ten miles above Krà, where its rise and fall is eight feet. From Krà, eastward, the country is covered with forests of bamboos and trees, and is very rugged, till the water shed, a small grassy plain, is reached, some eight miles above Krà. The river Krà runs west from this place, and joins the Pakchan at Krà, while the Bankren, a quarter of a mile farther on, flows east-ward, joining the river Tsoompeou at Tasan, and then flows into the Gulf of Siam. At the twenty-second mile from Krà the hills end, and the country becomes a fine open campaign. At the thirtieth mile is the town of Tsoompeon, on the river of that name. The distance from this place to the sea is about twenty-one miles, the rise and fall of the tide being six feet.

.— The highest level of the pass is, as I have stated, ago feet above the level of the sea. The mean level, however, of the hilly district, which is twenty miles in length, is 130 feet. Increase this by thirty feet for the depth of the canal and we have 160 feet. Now, assuming a transverse section, tut feet at top, 77 feet at bottom, and 160 feet high, with only an angle of 20° slope from the perpendicular, and we shall have in and numbers eighty-four millions of cubic yards of mountain land, 75 or 80 per cent. of which is hard stone! When could such an enormous bulk of material be cut through, and where could it be deposited? Certainly not on either side of the excavation. A portion might be deposited at the Krà end, but the greater bulk of it would have to be run out into the paddy land to the east. ward. Considering that the dimensions of the section I have given are probably smaller than would be adopted if such an ill advised scheme were attempted. It appears to me from this, and from what I have seen, that there is as much chance of its over being accomplished as there is of reaching the moon in four days.