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west. The physical characteristics of the country through which 

 this line passes is described as mountainous, intersected by valleys 

 cultivated with paddy and til, and peopled by a tribe of moun- 

 taineers known as the Kantee Kakhyens. I gave him a sketch 

 of my plans, and begged his assistance in procuring coolies and 

 a guarantee of a safe through route, both of which he promptly pro- 

 mised, adding that I will find no difficulty in accomplishing the 

 journey, as the road is practicable, the country in a settled state, and 

 nothing of importance to impede progress. Amber can be pro- 

 cured in abundance at Minenah, he gave me to understand, and 

 that the Kakhyens in the hills pay an annual tribute to the King, 

 consisting of slaves, amber, and ivory, but that the inhabitants of the 

 plains pay tax at twelve Eupees per house a year which is collected by 

 himself and subordinates without any trouble. In the evening took 

 a stroll along the pebbly beach and shot three floriken (Sypheotides 

 aurititus), which I found among the tamarisk bushes and wild roses. 

 On my return, I found an antelope had been brought for sale ; it was 

 shot in the hills to the east, where they are said to abound. The 

 horns are supposed to possess some medicinal property ; and ground 

 down with water, are used as a salve in cases of ophthalmia — a disease 

 prevalent in these parts. A single horn sells for five Rupees. As 

 a substitute for earthen water-pots, hollow bamboos are used, four 

 feet long ; in the bottom is fixed a small wheel of about four inches 

 diameter, which ingenious contrivance enables children of about 

 six years old to fetch water ; and it is amusing to see the little 

 things dragging these heavy weights, riding cock-horse fashion to 

 their homes, thus combining pleasure with labour. 



284. Sunday, 1st February 187J:. — A bleak, north-easterly wind 

 still continued, and the thermometer read <45° at 6 a.m. ; my 

 boatmen were too doubled up with cold to start before 8 a.m. The 

 character of the river and features of the country from here begin 

 perceptibly to change : the current increases in rapidity, and the 

 channel is blocked up here and there with white granite rocks over 

 which the water rushes with a loud roar. Low, alluvial banks 

 still continue, fronted by the dry, stony bed of the river, and the 

 mountains were fast closing in on either side of us : cultivation was 

 nowhere to be seen, and the stray hamlets met with were made up 

 of groups of two or three huts occupied by Kakhyen squatters. 

 Stopped at Mokelway for a few hours, and took a Kakhyen guide 

 to explore the interior. The country is undulating and the base of 

 the main mountain range at a rough guess I estimated to be twenty 

 miles, the spurs, however, thrown off by it were less distant. 

 The Shorea still continued to be the staple forest tree, but oaks 



