THATON DISTRICT
329
District. The range starts in the extreme north, and runs in a general
south-easterly direction down the edge of Thaton and Amherst towards
the Malay Peninsula. Divided from this range by a plain stretching
for 50 to 6o miles across the valleys of the Salween and the Hlaingbwe
is a much smaller system of hills, which may be regarded as the upper
end of the well-defined Taungnyo range separating the Ataran valley
in Amherst District from the seaboard townships. In Thaton District
this upland is continued in the Martaban hills, starting opposite Moul-
mein on the farther side of the Salween and running, first north-west
and then north, into Salween District. From this range to the sea on
the west extends a rice plain, intersected by countless tidal creeks, and
stretching tip to the Sittang. In the north-west of the District, between
this second ridge and the Sittang estuary is a limestone range (part of
the Paunglaung system), which enters the District from the north and
branches into spurs ending at Kyaikto and Bilin. The western spur
is known as the Kelatha hills, and rises to an altitude of 3,650 feet
opposite the village of Sittang. It is practically isolated from the main
mass of the Paunglaung system.
Thaton is watered from end to end by numerous streams. The
easternmost is the Thaungyin river, which rises in Amherst District,
runs in a north-westerly direction, dividing Burma from Siam, and
finally, after a course of about 200 miles, meets the Salween river in
the north of the District. It is useful for floating down forest produce,
but its numerous rapids detract from its value. The Hlaingbwe rises
in the wedge of country between the Thaungyin and Salween rivers,
where the Dawna range takes off, and flows for 120 miles to meet the
Haungtharaw river in the south. Here the combined streams, under
the name of the Gyaing, form the south-eastern border of the District,
and run for 45 miles in a general westerly direction to join the
Salween just above Moulmein. The SALWEEN itself enters Thaton
in its northern corner, separating it for some distance from Salween
District. At about 17' 20' N. latitude it enters the Pa-an township,
and thence its channel divides the District roughly into two halves,
east and west. It pursues its southerly course down to Moulmein,
where its waters are divided by the Bilugyun island into the two main
mouths through which it flows into the sea. A few miles above Moul-
mein it is joined from the west by the Donthami (or Binhlaing) river,
which rises in the hills on the northern border of the District, and
winds down the eastern edge of the Martaban range. The area to the
west of the Martaban hills is intersected by a network of tidal creeks,
which give internal communication between Moulmein, Thaton, the
Bilin, Kyaikto, and the Sittang. This tract is watered by only one
large river, the Bilin, which rises in Salween District, and flowing
between the Martaban and Bilin hills, enters the Gulf of Martaban
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