«2 BIVEBSIDE VILLAGES 



near the banks in the river at this time of the year 

 that it seems to be almost a series of rapids. 



On April 7, the weather being bad, a start was not 

 made till 7 o'clock, and I fonnd three men missing, 

 they having gone across the river without my leave or 

 knowledge. The bad rapid I had heard of the night 

 before was soon reached, and the water was boiling ; 

 with fouT men at the helm, and the bow sweep in use, 

 it was almost impossible ^ to steer the boat, and had it 

 not been for a strong, fair wind I doubt if we should 

 have got through. The banks are precipitous, with 

 many sharp rocks and boulders, and altogether a dan- 

 gerous place. Cedars and pines grow sparingly about 

 among the rocks, and the scenery is fine, but dark and 

 gloomy. 



Near any r^pid of importance a village is always 

 to be found, the inhabitants making their living by 

 tracking, and also by manufacturing and selling bamboo 

 rope. They inhabit baniboorframed huts so constructed 

 as to be easily moved, and always live close to the 

 water. When the river is low the huts are moved 

 ■down as soon as the ground gets dry, and on its rising 

 they are shifted back again. 



On April 8 left at daylight with a fair wind, but 

 not much of it. The vegetation seems to change about 

 here, and I noticed a sort of banyan tree growing. 



