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blocked up by a weir reaching from bank to bank. There was a small 

 colony of Kakhyens here, who leave their homes from February to 

 the end of March to catch fish, which they sruoke-dry and take down 

 to Mogoung for sale, whence they are imported to the capital by 

 itinerant traders. Our guide now told us it would be necessary to 

 send for the Tswabwa of this settlement, who resided at Mahmine, 

 seven miles to the east, and seek his protection. This would have 

 caused great delay, and I was much opposed to the move : fortunate- 

 ly, the Chief just then arrived, and after a long conversation, and the 

 receipt of few presents, he guaranteed us safety to the limit of his 

 district, which extended only a few miles from here : beyond that, 

 he said it would not be safe for us to venture, as the neighbouring 

 clan was lying in wait for any trader that passed, against whom 

 they had vowed vengeance, in consequence of some one having 

 recently taken away a piece of jade unpaid for ; however, I was 

 determined to run the gauntlet. The weir is formed by throwing a 

 wicker-work barricade across the river, with an opening of seven feet 

 in the centre, which then takes the form of a V. In this, the fish, 

 principally Opsarius gracelus and Barbels, are captured in hundreds, 

 simply by closing a gate when the trap is sufficiently full. The 

 curing process consists, first, in gutting the fish and then laying 

 them on a bamboo bench with bars six inches apart, beneath which 

 a fire of damp wood is kindled, which completes the operation. 

 Before we were allowed to pass, the usual black mail of two rupees 

 per boat was demanded and had to be paid. Here, for the first time, 

 I collected thirty young Ficus elastiea seedlings growing among the 

 rubbish, on the site occupied by these people last year : these were 

 claimed as private property, and I had to pay eight annas each for 

 them. For this I was not sorry, as it stimulated the people to 

 collect for me ; and I *vas promised a number more on my return. 

 Made fast for the night some way up the Endow choung. 



326. Wednesday, 4th March 1874.— Thermometer, 69° at 6 a.m. 

 Endow choung winds through low marshy land covered with tall 

 grasses, and a stray salix here and there ; during the monsoon, I was 

 informed the Endawgyee lake overflows its banks, and the whole of 

 this country is one sheet of water. I had plenty of shooting here, 

 consisting in Halcyon pileata, Ceryle rudis, LobiuaneUus atromichalis, 

 Porphyrio neglectus, Xettapus coromandelica , Dendrocygna arcuata, Plo- 

 tus melanogaster, and Spatula cli/penla. Made fast for the night along 

 side of the bank. 



327. Thursday, 5th March 1874.— Thermometer, 63° at 6 a.m. 

 Last night, I was awoke by the trumpeting of elephants ; they were 

 close by, and the echo through the hills had a most peculiar effect, 

 each animal having a distinct note. In my drowsy state, I was at 



