( 200 ) 



and perhaps brought about disturbance. Water-fowl on this lake are 

 remarkably scarce ; indeed, nowhere are they to be seen except 

 hugging the banks, and even there I did not notice many. Reached 

 the Endaw choung by 8 p.m. 



333. Wednesday, 11th March 1874.— Thermometer, 61° at 6 a.m. 

 Slight rain overnight, and a little fog in the morning : I was now 

 on my way back to Kamine, and continued to collect Ficus elastica 

 seedlings as we went along. It was noticeable how these trees 

 towered above the others, their grand crowns and shining foliage 

 always rendering them conspicuous objects from great distances. 

 Nantain choung was reached by noon, and here were a party of 

 mountaineers spearing fish (Barbel). The harpoon was a simple 

 piece of bamboo cut to a point and barbed, with a long piece of 

 string fastened to the end and attached to the wrist. They use 

 this weapon with great skill. Further down we met two officials 

 from Mandalay on their way up stream, with instruction, from the 

 capital, to order the collection of caoutchouc. Shot some night 

 heron, which my people considered good eating. I met parties from 

 the serpentine mines coming overland to Lawsoon, and proceeding 

 thence, vid the Nantain and Endaw streams, to Mogoung. 



334. Thursday, 12th March 1874.— Thermometer, 59° at 6 a.m. 

 Passed a cliff on the left bank exposing a strata of pipe-clay. I took 

 specimens, and my boatmen collected a large quantity, which they 

 said was used in pottery. We had an anxious time of it to-day, for 

 the shallowness and rapidity of the stream, which was impeded by 

 blocks of serpentine, some feet above the water, imperilled our boats. 

 In places, it became necessary to tie long ropes to the stern, take a turn 

 round some tree, and let them glide slowly one by one through the 

 gates. The Burmese are naturally of an excitable temperament, 

 and under difficulties, seem to lose all control of themselves, and 

 the only wonder was, that any order was preserved : each man at 

 the top of his voice was either abusing, or countermanding his 

 neighbour's order; while one was shouting "holdfast," another 

 was swearing vengeance if the man with the rope did not " slack 

 away," and so on it went, until the danger was past, when they 

 all had a good laugh at the difficulties encountered. Not many 

 Ficus elastica seedlings were added to our number to-day. Made 

 fast at the Mahweine Weir, and found, the whole of the Kakhyens 

 had decamped. 



335. Friday, 13th March 1874.— Thermometer, 59° at 6 a.m. ; 

 heavy fog. Singularly the Kakhyens of Mahweine had heard of our 

 arrival, and came down with fifty-two young Ficus seedlings planted in 

 bamboos. I purchased these for Rs. 9-4-0 ; and presented the 

 Tswabwa and his five followers, with a goung-boung each. The 



