26 AFTER THE ADJUTANTS. 



Chittagoug boat, was engaged, and directed to row over night 

 to Nanteh, a village some eight miles up the Attaran, as by 

 our o-oing overland to Nanteh and starting from there on. the 

 morning we saved a bend of the river and a hard pull of four 

 hours. As I expected the tide to serve at Nanteh at 6 a.m. 

 I had hoped to have got off with Mr. K. by 4-30 a.m., but as it 

 happened, one delay after another detained us, and it was 7-30 

 before we were fairly off. Mr. K. and myself in one gharry, 

 and two gharries in front filled up to the windows with. Mr. K/s 

 tent, bedding, drying-presses, portmanteaus, &c. I myself only 

 took my bedding, guns, and ammunition, and a few stout 

 ropes to help me up the rocks. A native taxidermist accom- 

 panied me, who had in his charge skinning apparatus, arsenical 

 soap, paper, &c. 



Time works wonders, and by his good help even a Moulmein 

 gharry and pony accomplished the four miles by road to Nanteh 

 in something over an hour and a half. Arrived here, by good 

 luck, for nothing seems to be carried out punctually in Burmah, 

 we found the boat I had despatched over night awaiting us, 

 and so immediately proceeded to stow away our things, and 

 the three servants we were taking with us. While I was 

 attending to this seeing, that the bedding was spread comfor- 

 tably for us to recline on, it being an impossibility in these 

 boats to sit on a stool or chair, Mr. K. began teasing a hand- 

 some tame Peacock which was strutting about near the village ; 

 and ere I had finished my arrangements, had concluded the 

 fourth and last round of a single combat with it. As Mr. K. 

 was a very little man, it was an open question as to which would 

 win, and I looked up rather anxiously from the boat to see 

 whether the fight was going to be continued, as in case there 

 had been another round I should, I think, have backed the 

 Peacock. 



Poor K., he was one of the best fellows I have ever met, 

 and has since, I very much regret to say, fallen a martyr in 

 the cause of his beloved science. 



Everything being at last arranged and stowed away, we got 

 in and shoved off, carrying up with us the very last of a very 

 weak flood. The morning was bright and fresh, a gentle breeze 

 was blowing down the river, and all Nature was thoroughly 

 alive. Bright Kingfishers (Pelargopsis burmanica, Halcyon 

 smyrnensis, and pileatd) flashed among the mangroves lining 

 either bank, or flew across the river in front of our boat, with 

 harsh chattering screams. Tall Snow-white Egrets stood in re- 

 tired nooks on the muddy shore, while underneath the banks, 

 in the thick covers of the mangroves, skulked the solitary 

 Waterhen {Gallinula phcenicura) . High over head the large 



