FAUNA AND FLORA, UATBUIU, FETOUABrni. 145 



pouring rain, the descent to the valle}' not beino' easy on the slippery 

 clay, and the flooded stream down which our path lay was barely 

 negotiable. On arrival at the big river, one of a very noisy flock of 

 "^ Tickell's Hornbill ( Anorrhhvm TiclceLli ) was obtained, tiie species 

 apparently having a much wider range than supposed by Gates, wlio 

 records this bird only from one valley near Mouhuein, about 200 miles 

 to the North of this point. 



On arrival at b^lephant's ']\isk depot. I was relieved to fiiul that 

 all other parties had completed and returned to hpa(l(|aartprs canij) 

 some time previously. The canoe men on rice transport told me that 

 50°/q of the bamboo rafts starting from Elephan'rs Tusk had smashed 

 up in the rapids, and I therefore decided to cut my way out, using the 

 canoes for the sick. The canoe men pielced up foui- starving and raft- 

 wrecked Chinese coolies on the way down, two of whom died after 

 arrival at headquarters camp. 



Of the 400 men engaged on the work in the IVtchaburi hinter- 

 land. 7 ^/o died of malaria in the district, and 3° „ from othei- causes, 

 cholera, small pox, suicide and drowning ; and looking back on the 

 awful difficulties experienced in that country during the monsoon, I 

 am surprised that the percentage was not greater. Of m}^ own coolies 

 none died of malaria, and this I attribute to their having plent}^ of pig 

 and monkey meat when the rice failed, and to a daily dose of 5 grains 

 of quinine. 



