The country is mountainous, and on the south-east are the Carpathians (of which the Sigula is 4300 feet high), and on the north-west the Moravian-Silesian chain, a branch of the Sudetes. Near the Carpathians, and about the source of the Oppa and the Mohra, the climate is cold, and the mountains are partly covered with snow till the middle of June. The southern part of the circle of Teschen is not fruitful, the soil being stony; in other parts it is better. The principal rivers are the Oder, with its tributaries the Oelsa and the Oppa: the Vistula (in German, the Weichsel) rises on the north side of the Carpathians from three sources, called the Little, the White, and the Black Vistula; this last rises in the village of Weichsel, at the foot of the Tankowberg, which village gives its name (Weichsel) to the whole river.

The inhabitants have a very good breed of horses, and of oxen, and especially a very improved breed of sheep. They are very skilful and industrious farmers. The manufactures, especially those of linen and woollen cloth, are very important. The exports are linen, thread, woollen cloth, wire, paper, earthenware, cheese, flax, rosoglio, &c. The transit trade is very profitable: the chief articles are Hungarian and Austrian wines, Russia leather, tallow, linseed, and furs; Galician rock-salt, Moldavian oxen, Vienna fancygoods, &c. [MORAVIA; TESCHEN; TROPPAU.]

SILEX. [SILICIUM.]

SILHET, or SYLHET, is a district of Bengal, lying along its eastern border, on the east side of the Megna, as the lower course of the Brahmapootra is called. Up to the year 1830 it consisted only of what must now be called Silhet Proper, or a country situated between 24° and 25° N. lat., and 91 and 92° 30′ É. long., which, according to the most recent information, contained about 4500 square miles, and a population of 1,083,120, which gives 241 to the square mile. It is about 1300 square miles less than Yorkshire, but more populous, as Yorkshire, in 1831, did not contain more than 235 persons to the square mile. In 1830 the royal family of Kashar, a country east of Silhet, became extinct; and a few years later the raja or sovereign of Jyntea, a country north of Silhet, was obliged to give up his territory to the British, and both countries were annexed to Silhet. These two countries taken together are at least three times as large as Silhet Proper, and the district at present contains about 18,000 square miles, or two-thirds of the area of Ireland. Silhet, in this extent, lies between 24° 10′ and 26° 20' N. lat., and between 90° and 94° E. long. On the west it borders on Bengal, on the district of Mymansing, and on the mountain-region of the Garrows; on the north on Asam, on the east on Muneepoor, and on the south it is bounded by the unknown region called the Tiperah Mountains or Wilderness. It is only towards Muneepoor that it has a natural boundary, which is formed by the course of the river Barak, where it runs from south to north, east of 93° E. long., and by two of its confluents, the Jeeree, which joins it from the north, and the Tooyace, or Chikoo, which falls into it from the south.

small town situated somewhat to the south of their southern termination. But in proceeding farther east, the mountainmass rises gradually in elevation, and occupies a greater breadth. In 90° 20′ E. long, it has attained a general elevation of more than 2000 feet above the sea-level, and occupies a width of about 50 miles. We are only acquainted with the outer border of this mountain-mass, where it consists of ridges broken by numerous watercourses, and is entirely covered with trees and dense underwood. Some isolated peaks rise 2000 feet above the general level of the mass. According to information collected from the natives, the interior of this elevated region is nearly a level tableland, destitute of trees, and covered only with grass; and this is probable, as it corresponds to the characteristic features of the mountain region farther east. Only the lower portion of the Garrow Mountains is subject to the British, and united to the three divisions of Bengal, Rangpoor, Mymansing, and Silhet. The interior, called Gonaser, or Ganeswara, is occupied by the Garrows, a mountain-tribe which has never been subjected by the princes of Bengal, as the country is only accessible by long and winding mountainpasses, which are so narrow as to be impracticable for horses or other beasts of burden: they are properly only paths over rugged crags, and along steep precipices, and through extremely narrow gorges. From these fastnesses the Garrows inake incursions into the adjacent countries, and hence several tracts of some extent along the boundary of their country have been entirely abandoned. They cultivate rice, millet, and cotton, and use as food several plants which grow wild in the forests, as different kinds of arum, caladium, and dioscurias. They cultivate capsicum, onions, and garlic. They keep cows, goats, hogs, and eat cats, dogs, foxes, and snakes. Different kinds of deer are said to be common in Gonaser.

Adjacent to Gonaser on the east, and only separated from it by the river Patli, is the mountain region of the Kasias (Cossyas), which extends eastward to the river Kopili, an affluent of the Deyung, which falls into the Brahmapootra. This mountain region runs above 100 miles east and west, be tween 91° 10′ and 93° E. long. ; and in proceeding eastward it gradually enlarges in breadth from 50 miles to about 70 miles. This portion of the mountain region is much better known than Gonaser, being subject to the British, who have traversed it at two places in passing from Silhet to Asam, and who have erected on it several sanatory stations, among which that of Chirra Punji is very much frequented. The western road leads from Pondua in Silhet, through Chirra Punji, Moiplong, Lombray, and Nungklao, to the banks of the river Kailasi, an affluent of the Brahmapootra, and to the low land of Asam. The traveller, passing by a steep ascent over four ridges, arrives at Chirra Punji, which is 5000 feet above the sea-level. Here begins a table-land, the surface of which is often level, but generally exhibits very gentle slopes, which continues to Nungklao. The most elevated points are at Moiplong (5942 feet) and Lombray (5914 feet). At Nungklao it is only 4550 feet. North of the last-mentioned place it sinks by three wide terraces with steep descents to the plain of Asam. The table-land is entirely destitute of trees and bushes, especially in the southern parts. This sterility, as Fisher thinks, is closely connected with the character of the sandstone-rocks of which the mountain-mass is composed, and with the disturbance of the strata, but more especially the latter; for where the strata are horizontal, there is an absence of vegetation, and where the strata are inclined, The Mountain Region, of which Silhet now comprehends symptoms of fertility begin to show themselves. Throughnearly one-half, extends along the southern border of Asam, out the ascent from the plains of Silhet to Chirra Punji, and at its most eastern extremity, near 97° E. long, and the vegetation is only dense on the slopes; and where 28° 40′ N. lat., at the sources of the Lohit river, or Brah- ledges or steppes occur, it is comparatively barren. The mapootra, it is united to the high table-land of Central table-land itself is covered with a short turf, and there Asia. Its western extremity comes close to the Brahma- occur only a few bushes, as raspberries; stunted fir-trees pootra, where this river, after leaving Asam, forms its only occur in the glens which are formed by the rivergreat bend to the south (90° E. long.). The western courses-as, for instance, in that of the Bogapani. To the portion of this extensive mountain region is called the north of this river the aspect of the country changes graGarrow Mountains, which are considered to extend east-dually; and though the elevation is greater, the vegetation ward to the river Patli, which, traversing the mountain increases, and continues to increase, until in the vicinity of region in a southern direction, joins the Soorma near the Nungklao it becomes abundant, though it does not exhibit town of Laour (91° 10′ E. lat.). The most western offset that excess which prevails farther to the north, on the lower of the Garrow Mountains skirts the banks of the Brahma- descent of the table-land towards Asam. This change is attriprotra, between the mouth of the river Lalu and the village buted to the numerous large granite boulders which are scatof Mahendragandj, a distance of about twelve miles. Along tered in great abundance over the country. The disintegrathe banks of the river the mountains are merely rocks, from tion of these boulders has largely contributed to the forma. 150 to 200 feet above the level of the river, rising with a tion of the soil, especially where it has been favoured by the steep ascent. They are called the Caribari Rocks, from a configuration of the surface. But in those tracts where

Surface and Soil-Silhet is naturally divided into two regions. The northern part is a mountain region, which extends along the southern boundary of Asam, and divides that large vale from the valley of the Barak, which river, as far as it drains Silhet, runs through a wide valley that constitutes the low and level portion of Silhet. The mountain region comprehends about two-thirds of the country, or 12.000 square miles, and the plain about one-third.

sion presents great irregularities. It is crossed by several | windings through the upper plain in one channel for 40 ranges of alluvial formation, which run up into ridges miles, but having passed the northern extremity of the from one to three hundred feet high, and the valleys be- Banca ridge, it begins to divide at Banga. In these parts the tween rise gently towards each side. The banks of the name of Soorma begins to prevail. The northern arm, or Soorma and all the mountain rivers are also considerably the Soorma, flows along the southern base of the Kasia elevated above the general level; the tracts which lie near Mountains with numerous windings, sometimes approachthe swampy places, and are not much elevated above their ing the hills and sometimes receding from them, until it level, are under water for some weeks, and yield only one reaches the town of Sonamgunj after a course of 90 miles, crop. They are sown in January, and the short inundation when it turns southward, and in that direction traversing does not damage the grain. The crops are much more the lower plain, joins the southern arm after having run 70 abundant than in the Bhatta. The more elevated parts, miles. The southern arm of the river branching off at Banga which are never inundated, and especially the slopes of the bears different names, but in its upper course it is generally ridges, yield two crops of grain, which are generally good. known by that of Kusiara, and in the lower by that of Barak Some experiments which have been made show that wheat, or Brak. Its direction through the plain is west-south-west barley, oats, and potatoes might be raised. All the grains for about 100 miles, when it joins the Soorma, and the found in the plains of the Ganges are cultivated. Indigo is united river joins the Megna near Sunerampoor by a more not cultivated, but an excellent dye very similar to it is southern course of about 20 miles. These appear to be the obtained from a plant which grows wild on the hills. principal branches of the river, but both of them divide and Poppy, sugar-cane, safflower, sursoo and other plants yield- subdivide again so frequently, that the whole of the lower ing oil, and also hemp and flax are grown. Orange-trees plain is traversed by numerous watercourses, all of which and the areca are cultivated on the declivities of the Kasia join, either singly or united, the Megna between the town of Mountains, and large quantities of the produce are annually Caribari and that of Sunerampoor, which are more than 100 sent to Calcutta and other places in Bengal. Areca of in- miles from one another. Nearly all these watercourses are ferior quality is found all over Silhet, but it deteriorates in navigable for boats, and greatly facilitate the transport of quality towards the east, and in Kachar it wholly disappears. grain from the upper plain of Silhet to other districts of Among other fruits the plantain is particularly fine, the Bengal. It is observed that these rivers are subject to lemon grows wild in the Kasia Mountains, and the apricot change their beds in the districts which approach the Megna, and lichi in those of Kachar. It is thought that the tea which is the case with the Soorma itself below Azmeriplant would succeed in some of the alluvial soils of Kachar gunj. or Tiperah.

The Tiperah Mountains, which lie to the south of the plain hitherto noticed, belong to Silhet only so far as a portion of their lower declivities is included within the boundary of the district. We are not acquainted with the interior of this extensive mountain-system. The central parts, between 23° and 24° N. lat. and 91° and 94° E. long., probably attain a great elevation, which may be inferred from the great volume of water brought down by the rivers which fall from the south into the Soorma and Kusiara, as the Delaseri, the Sungai, the Munu, the Khwa-hi, and the Cognati; and from their rapid course. During the rains each of these rivers discharges on an average a volume of about 25,000 cubic feet per second, though none of them are more than 50 yards wide. It is certain that they have a long course, and descend from a very elevated country. The northern portion of this mountain-region, towards Silhet, as well as that which towards the south enters the district of Chittagong, consists of ranges running south and north, divided by wide valleys. Some of these ranges enter the northern plain, as the Banca Mountains, which extend along the western banks of the Delaseri, and the Bokman range in Kachar, which compels the river Barak to change its southern course into a northern one. Immense masses of lava occur even on the northern ranges of the Tiperah Mountains, and it is supposed that this is the termination of the long series of volcanoes which stretch from the island of Java northward through Sumatra, Barren Island, the island of Narcondam, and those of Cheduba and Ramri on the coast of Arracan, where the traces of volcanic agency are lost: they appear again in the Mountains of Tiperah. The southern declivities of the Tiperah Mountains are noted for immense forests of bamboo and large herds of elephants. The northern declivities are also covered with forests of trees and bamboos, from which the inhabitants of the plain derive great profit, but they resort also to these hills to cultivate cotton, which does not grow in the plain. The quantity of cotton which is raised is barely sufficient for domestic consumption. It is short in staple, but the cloths made from it combine warmth with lightness.

Of the rivers which join the Brahmapootra or Lohit, we shall only mention the Dooyung and the Deyung. The first-mentioned river, which falls into the Brahmapootra west of 94° E. long., probably rises north east of the source of the Barak, but its source has not been ascertained. Its course is nearly due north, and about 30 miles from its mouth it is joined on the left by the river Dhunsiri, which rises in the Bura Ail Mountains, and skirts their northern declivity for more than 30 miles. The Dooyung, as well as the Dhunsiri, is navigable. The Deyung rises in the Bura Ail Mountains near 93° E. long., and after having been joined by some small rivers it becomes navigable about 20 miles below its source at Aloogong (25° 25′ Ñ. lat.), and continues to be navigable to its mouth, with the exception of one place, where a ledge of rocks traverses the bed of the river. The Deyung is joined from the left by the Kopili, and from the east by the Soomoona river, of which the latter is navigable about 30 miles above its mouth. It is not known how far the Kopili is navigable, but this important point will soon be ascertained, as it is supposed that a good road, made between the places where the Kopili and the Jatinga, an affluent of the Barak, become navigable, will establish an easy communication between Asam and the plain of Silhet.

Climate.-The climate of the lower plain does not appear to differ in any respect from that of Bengal [BENGAL, vol. iv., p. 230]; but the upper plain has the advantage of earlier rains, which begin to fall in February, and become more abundant in the following months. Owing probably to these rains, the lower plain of Silhet is under water earlier than that of Lower Bengal.

Productions. In the forests of the Tiperah Mountains there are herds of elephants, many of which are annually sent to Calcutta, where however they are reckoned inferior in size and quality to those brought from Chittagong. Among the minerals the chunam, or lime, perhaps is still the most important, as large quantities of it are taken from the lime-hills which skirt the Garrow and Kasia Mountains at Pondua and farther west, whence it is conveyed by water to Calcutta and other places in Bengal. Many years ago coal was discovered in the Garrow and Kasia Mountains, but it was not turned to any profit until the introduction of steam-navigation. It is now known that coal is found on the table-land of the Kasia Mountains at Chirra

Rivers. The largest of the rivers of Silhet is called in the upper part of its course Barak, and in the lower part Soorma. The Barak originates in the mountain region north of the plain of Muneepoor [MUNEE POOR], near 25° 30' N. lat. and 94° 20' E. long, and traverses in a south-Punji and Serarim, and at the base of these mountains near west and south by west direction the mountain region which connects the Tiperah Mountains with the Bura Ail range. After a course exceeding a hundred miles, it meets with the Bokman ridge of the Tiperah Mountains, which compels the river to change its southern into a northern course. Flowing in that direction 30 miles, it turns round the northern extremity of the Bokman ridge westward, and thus enters the plain, where it begins to be navigable, a few miles above Lukipoor. It runs westward with numerous

Silhet and Laour. But none of these coal-deposits seem to be extensive. It is however stated that those which occur in the Caribari Hills and along the southern boundaries of Asam, both which localities are within the Garrow Mountains, are not inferior in extent to any in England. Iron-ore is abundant in the Kasia Mountains north of Chirra-Punji, where it is worked, and whence iron is sent to Bengal.

Inhabitants.-The inhabitants of Silhet Proper are Bengalis, and hardly distinguishable from that race in the dis