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heard a good deal of firing, from the opposite bank of the Irrawaddy. 

 Shortly afterwards, I distinguished a European beckoning to us ; 

 this turned out to be the late Mr. Graham, who had been attacked 

 while poling along the opposite shore, by a strong party of Kakhy- 

 ens : he mentioned having shot three of the gang dead and wound- 

 ed some of the others. Their first action it appears was to send 

 a number of spears at the boat, when all but a Burman lad who he 

 had brought up from childhood jumped into the river and swam 

 away ; seeing, however, that the bandits had retreated, they returned 

 to the boats. This statement was corroborated by the deserters 

 themselves, and one out of the five spears that had been lodged 

 in the roof of the boat, was given to me. I suggested that Mr. 

 Graham had better return to Bhamo, but he declined; so we parted. 

 Beached Tsimbo by 4 p.m., where I remained for the night. The 

 river had risen many feet since I was last here, and the defile was 

 described as being very dangerous. I received here a packet of 

 letters and Bs. 600 from the Assistant Besident of Bhamo, which I 

 had written for from Mogoung, at a time I had hoped to have been 

 able to extend my researches. 



348. Thursday, 26th March 1 8 ^.—Thermometer, 69° at 6 a.m. 

 Left Tsimbo at 7-30 a.m., reaching Bhamo by 6 p.m. The danger of 

 the defile had in no way been exaggerated ; indeed, as we shot 

 down the impetuous stream, every moment seemed to be our last. 

 It was with difficulty, the helmsmen kept the boats from being 

 carried round, by the violent eddies and whirlpools, and the boat- 

 men rowed their strongest against stream, to reduce the terrific 

 pace at which we were being borne, by the fierce rapids. Our posi- 

 tion was too critical to admit of any accurate observation being 

 made ; still I noticed that since my northward journey, a new Kak- 

 hyen settlement had sprung up, on the left bank, and an exten- 

 sive towigya clearing been made. When we reached Bhamo, 

 I found the usual landing place so crowded with boats, that it was 

 some little time before we could land. 



