ch. xui.] Koitng Green. 261 



■a 



the highest falls. Apparently we are quite near to the 

 mountain, and the waterfall is distinctly audible, which 

 does much to increase the delusion. As the sun's power 

 increased, however, the view lost its distinctness, and in 

 half an hour's time heavy white mist clouds had swept 

 around its summit, and all its beauty of tint and shadow 

 was lost to view. We ate a hurried breakfast, and 

 started for Koung, a large and prosperous village situated 

 a little to the south-east of Saduc-Saduc, the mountain 

 ascended by Mr. Thomas Lobb in 1856. Our way lay 

 diagonally down a hillside drain until we came to the 

 river, which we forded, and then bore to the left across 

 level rice-fields and patches of luxuriant kaladi (Caladlum 

 escidcntum) and Indian corn, both of which evidently 

 succeed best on these rich low lying alluvial plains. We 

 crossed the river four or five times ere we at last found 

 ourselves on the splendid village green of Koung. This 

 green is a mile or more in length, lying at the foot of a 

 range of sandstone hills which shelter it from the north, 

 while the river skirts its southern side, and another hill 

 rises from the river banks still further southward. It is, 

 in fact, a well watered grassy plain between two shelter- 

 ing parallel hill ranges, and affords the best pasturage for 

 cattle that I have seen anywhere in the East. Of this 

 the villagers take every advantage, for nowhere have I 

 seen finer kine and buffaloes than here. We reached the 

 headman's house at Koung about four o'clock in a 

 drenching downpour of rain. Some trees beside the 

 stream were draped with a glorious climber, having 

 scarlet flowers (Bauhinia Kochiana), and a glaucous climb- 

 ing plant, having lilac flowers, had completely overrun 

 some of the forest trees on the opposite bank. We took 

 up our quarters in the house of the headman, "La- 

 payaiig," to whom Mr. Veitch and myself had given a 



