( 135 ) 



to the water's edge, and known as the Pah-tin range. Hopea and 

 Dipterocarpus preponderate. Shot Xettapus, Coromandelica, Herodias 

 gaizetta, Pophyrio ncglectus, and Pelargopsis amanropterus. Crabs 

 (Thelpkus) common. The river now spreads out to about 500 yards ; 

 the right bank maintains its undulating character, and is covered 

 with low scrub jungle, but to the west, the country is a continuous 

 flat, extending to the far distant hills, and traversed by two small 

 streams, the latter being known as the Nan-sha-choung. Came 

 on a group of twenty Paloung huts stockaded, and situated on the 

 right bank. The inhabitants were recent settlers from Bhamo, 

 though originally from a district south of that place. Their occu- 

 pation entirely consists in the manufacture of dahs, and curing fish by 

 a process of smoking — both thriving trades apparently ; they return 

 to their homes early in April. The fish we purchased frorn them 

 were two species of Cyprinus. My peon killed a snake, (Dipsas monti- 

 colaj one foot nine inches long. "What money could not secure, 

 empty pint hock bottles did ; for four of these I got eleven eggs, and 

 a brood of jungle-fowl chickens. 



236. The Paloungs can but be regarded as a section of the Shan 

 race, a dialect of whose tongue they speak. The two people inter- 

 marry, and their costumes assimilate, though physically, perhaps, 

 the bond fide Shan carries off the palm. They have the repute of 

 being good agriculturists, though the poppy was the only plant to 

 which they had turned their attention here, and of this they had 

 about two acres under cultivation. The plant is cultivated for the 

 seed (they say), which is used in the manufacture of sweetmeats, 

 and not for extraction of opium as I at first imagined. 



237. Assah is the next Shan-Burmese village we came on ; it 

 comprises twenty-seven houses surrounded by a strong bamboo 

 palisade ; the inhabitants were chiefly engaged in felling and export- 

 ing teak to Bhamo. Bearing north-east, towering above all the 

 other mountains appeared to-day, for the first time, a sugar-loaf- 

 shaped peak which will doubtless serve as a land-mark for some 

 days to come. Made fast for the night at an island with pebbly 

 beach ; the rocks here are a few feet above the water's surface, and 

 the rapids are heard for some distance. Much pestered by a Tipula 

 (daddy long legs) while writing up my journal. 



238. Monday, 19th January 1874. — Detained starting till 9 a.m. 

 by dense fog. Thermometer, 48° at 6 a.m. Bixa orellana common, 

 and cultivated for the dye the seed yields : also a Calamus lines the 

 banks. The low range of hills to the west continues to hug the 

 shore. Reached Ahyane-da-mahby noon : the river here is a shal- 

 low, placid stream of about three hundred yards wide, the navi- 



