M A H I E. 1.751. 213 



or two, it withers and becomes unfit for pre- 

 fervation. I learnt this on my former vovage 

 by very irkfome experience : and therefore, 

 when I could not get feveral fpecimens of 

 the fame plant, it feemed beft to me to keep 

 fingle ones for our matter. I here faw the 

 thick bamboo in one place. Its height was 

 fcarce four fathoms, its flem, which is the 

 thicknefs of a hand's breadth, is naked, and 

 has only fome digitated leaves at the top. Its 

 numerous ears, which came out of their fpa- 

 thas on the middle of the Mem, were then in 

 bud. The other fpecies of bamboo, grow to 

 the height of fix or feven fathoms, but they 

 are not above an inch thick. They have 

 branches on the ftem, and thofe have again 

 pinnated leaves. 



I had here an opportunity of admiring an 

 elephant. Its mafter had let it for a certain 

 fum per day; its employment was to carry 

 timber for building, out of the river, which 

 bufmefs it difpatched very handily under the 

 command of a boy, and afterwards laid each 

 piece one upon another in fuch good order, 

 that no man could have done it better, 



3 



If 



