( 127 ) 



was presented with a number of hard-boiled eggs, and yams : the 

 former, I have been told, is a mark of sincerity with the Kakhyens ; 

 but whether it is intended as a similar token with these people, 

 I cannot say. Their hamlet consisted of seven houses ; but was 

 stockaded. This settlement had been established here by the Kak- 

 hyens, who levy a black-mail for the protection of the people. 

 They had small areas under toungya culture, but then- chief business 

 was in the teak and bamboo trade. When we first came on the 

 party, they were busy hanging little scraps of rags on the bushes 

 before visiting me — votive offerings no doubt for their safety. 



215. Vegetation noted : — Teak abundant, but of poor growth ; 

 Gmelia arborea, Dipterocarpus aJata, Calophi/Uum, Alhizzia, Conocarpus 

 acuminatus, Dillaiia (fruit eaten by the natives), Strycknos, Nux vomica, 

 XaucJea, Careya, Blackwettia tomentosa, Bhamnoides, Eosa, Phytianthus. 

 Rumex, Deymaria cordate, and Aspidocarya uviiira : also bamboos. 



216. Returning to my boats I found a large number of Kak- 

 hyens and Pwons awaiting my arrival ; my people seemed to have 

 had some little trouble in keeping them off the boats. They were 

 most disorderly, and inclined to be quarrelsome, one Kakhyen draw- 

 ing his dah when pushed off the boat by my peon. In return for 

 the presents they brought, consisting of grain and yams, they 

 begged opium and gunpowder, and were most importunate in their 

 requests ; but I declined to give either, saying I had none ; ulti- 

 mately they were satisfied with an addition of some beads and 

 red cloth. 



217. The river now becomes most tortuous in its course, and is 

 cut up into narrow channels — not exceeding fifty yards wide — by 

 enormous rocks, some of which stand thirty feet above water. The 

 rapidity of the cm-rent through these gorges is terrific in the extreme, 

 and required the combined strength of our three crews to tow the 

 boats, one by one, through the hazardous openings. The eddies 

 and whirlpools caused by the position of the rocks rendered the 

 boats at the time almost unmanageable, and it was with difficulty 

 they could be kept from dashing up against them. I contemplated an 

 awkward return voyage. The first two rocks are crowned with pago- 

 das ; the former is in a good state of repair, and surrounded by a 

 nibble parapet ; but the latter is all in ruins and overgrown with 

 jungle, which tends to add to its romantic appearance. The three 

 largest rocks are known as the elephant, cow, and granary ; but the 

 origin of these names I could never trace — certainly they bear no 

 resemblance to their namesakes. 



218. Eeached the hamlet of Lek-mot at 5 p.m. ; it numbers fifteen 

 Shan and Pwon houses, and is named after an adjacent rock, said to 



