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258. We left Kowkar at half-past eleven a.m., and continued in 

 a E.S.E. direction, passing through a densely wooded mountain- 

 ous country, -where the toon forms a prominent feature in the 

 arborescent vegetation, and the wild rose and yellow raspberry 

 everywhere abound : parasitical air-plants were also common, 

 including Oridt.s, Obcronia, and Vanda. En route, a few minutes 

 were spent watching a party of Kakhyen men and girls winnowing 

 paddy. In an enclosure that had been cleared of all weeds, levelled 

 and coated with mud plaster, the grain previously trodden out by 

 buffaloes was formed into a series of small heaps each of about two 

 feet high ; round these, parties of men and girls armed with 

 circular fans (made froni the stalk and sheath of the bamboo) dance 

 to a merry song, and with each downward motion of the fan, a 

 peculiar sort of back kick is given, by which process the chaff is 

 thrown without the circle of dancers and the corn remains within. 

 Liquor is freely consumed at these gatherings, and towards even- 

 ing most of the party are drunk and riotous ; it is dming such festi- 

 vities, our guide told us, scenes of the most obscene nature are 

 committed, neither mothers, daughters, nor sisters being safe from 

 violation and insult. The expense of these gatherings is alwavs 

 borne by the party to whom the crop belongs. 



259. The ascent of the second step of the spur we crossed 

 was far more steep than the one just accomplished, and my people 

 begged for a halt of a few minutes at very short intervals, — thev 

 were so utterly blown. Half way up, a resting-place has been erected 

 by the Kakhyens, where they have built a few neatly-constructed 

 bamboo-seats, much after the pattern of our garden chairs. From 

 here we had a capital bird's-eye view of the low country and the 

 hills we had ascended. Looking west, the amphitheatre of hills 

 mantled throughout in one impenetrable dark forest, and dotted here 

 and there with a few Kakhyen hamlets, with their terraced system 

 of cultivation, was very grand. My barometer read 2.900* feet, 

 and there was a crisp bracing feeling in the atmosphere, not only 

 most exhilarating, but very favourable to views. The sky was bright 

 and sunny, but just sufficient haze to mellow the picture and pre- 

 serve the objects in true perspective. We were on the tramp again in 

 ten minutes ; but, with the exception of Yan Sing, who was plucky 

 to the last, all my people of the plains started with a heavy sigh, and 

 disconsolate glance at one another. The Kakhyens,* however, 

 shoulder their loads in a cheerful manner, and with the short elastic 

 step of a mountaineer, jogged merrily along. 



260. As we proceeded, our guide, continued to draw attention 

 to certain knolls and fells, which at one time or another had been 

 scenes of blood-shed, and in every instance he led us to believe his 



