28 AFTER THE ADJUTANTS. 



the large guano-soiled masses of sticks which composed their 

 nests. 



Mr. K. was eager to land and commence botanizing at once, 

 and I myself was anxious to essay the climb, but prudence 

 whispered the necessity of seeing to our encamping ground for 

 the night, and buying materials for our dinner, so we went on 

 for half a mile or so to the village of Needong, which consisted 

 of a score or so of bamboo-built houses, raised on posts after 

 the manner of the country, and stragglingly built for a mile 

 along the south bank. Landing, we walked to an inviting-look- 

 ing bamboo grove, underneath which, as there was perfect 

 shelter from the sun, orders were issued to pitch the tent, while 

 Moung Shway Hameyah, a Burman we had brought with 

 us as interpreter, was despatched to the nearest Karen house 

 for a couple of guides. Whilst waiting for these I examined 

 through my binoculars the nearest limestone hill, an isolated 

 peak about a mile and a half off, and I was pleased to see two 

 Adjutants standing on a conspicuous rock, with a whitish patch 

 near them, which I took to be their nest. A s Mr. K. was in- 

 different to what limestone hill we should go first, and this was 

 nearest, we determined to make our preliminary excursion 

 thitherwards. Haviug given orders to the cook about the pur- 

 chasing of fowls and our dinner, and Shway Hameyah having 

 returned with the two guides, I proceeded to explain to them 

 that we wished to get to the top of that hill, pointing at it. 

 At first they shook their heads and declared it was impossible ; 

 but seeing we were determined to attempt it, and being further 

 tempted by the promise of a liberal reward, one of them admit- 

 ted that he knew of a spot on the north side where it was just 

 possible to scramble up by help of roots and trees. 



This matter having been satisfactorily decided, one of the two 

 guides had a basket made over to him, and told that he must 

 keep close to Mr. K. To the other I gave my bird stick, car- 

 rying my gun myself. 



The road at first lay across wet paddy-fields, and the only 

 birds flushed were Tit Larks (C. ru/ula) and a Paddy Bird or two 

 (Ardeola grayi) ; but just as we got to the end of the fields, a 

 sudden rise and "scape" announced the departure of a Snipe — no 

 doubt the common Snipe of these parts, a Pintail {Gallinago 

 sthenura) ; he at as far away before I could get my gun to bear 

 on him, and dropped among some trees to the right. 



Having got clear of the paddy, we entered a gently undulat- 

 ing plain covered with dense evergreen bushes and a few small 

 bamboo clumps. Closer in to the hill we got into a denser and 

 more matted belt of evergreen that surrounded its base, from 

 which the rocks rose sheer and abrupt towering above and 



