1881.] Noi^gijaiuj Lake, on tlie Burmese Frontier. 11 



people. Mung drew some creditable maps on the sand, and seemed to 

 thoroughly understand the relative positions of the various countries, 

 routes, passes, rivers, and mountains, with their inhabitants. From all he 

 could learn, the Singphti track via Sitkha was difficult mainly on account 

 of the want of supplies en route, and at best not so easy as that over 

 Patkai. All agreed that the line over Dopha Bum to Manchi from the 

 Upper Dihing was reported both long and difficult, and people very seldom 

 traversed it. After a while, the moon sank, leaving the Jine of forest 

 opposite strongly marked against the sky. One by one we went to sleep, 

 and all was quiet. 



About 6 a. m. we were all astir, boxes packed, camp-chair folded and 

 stowed, tents rolled up, and for once we pushed on before breakfast. A 

 cup of hot coffee and milk with a biscuit was my cliota liazri. This same 

 prepared coffee and milk is a most useful item, and can be made aimost in 

 a moment and milk cannot be procured en route. Here and there we 

 occasionally saw some fine mahsir, 20- and 30-pounders, and I regretted 

 not having tackle. 



Fine views of the snow-capped hills to the east were seen ere the mists 

 rose, and Dopha Bum looked beautiful in the early light, the shadows sharp 

 and blue, while the snow was of that peculiar creamy white, so difficult to 

 get out of any colour-box, the sky colour behind all being a clean pale 

 grey. A good telescope, to one travelling eastward is a necessity ; without 

 it he misses half the " sights" of these parts. 



About 11 a. m. we passed the Mgauto Muk, one of the three old 

 channels of the Dihing, and saw there some huts of elephant-catchers and 

 rubber-cutters. After passing it, we again found the Namrup perceptibly 

 smaller, several long shallows so bad indeed that the men had all to carry 

 their loads ahead and return to drag the canoe over. My Rob Roy, 

 drawing only two inches of water, of course experienced no such difficulty. 

 Later in the day we passed the entrance to the Nmbai, or Lumbai as some 

 call it, for at times they seem careless which it is. This is not really a 

 river, but a loop from the Namrup which leaves it here and rejoins the 

 main stream above Kherim Pani. 



Still later we passed the third channel of the Dihing called the Kasan 

 on the same (right) bank, reaching Namtsik before sunset, and camping 

 on a sand below the huts of the elephant-catchers employed by # Mr. 

 Vanquelin. He was encamped close by, and paid me a visit, giving some 

 information in reference to routes, and kindly lent me a smaller boat to 

 assist me in getting up the river Namtsik. I was here induced to take 

 the Namtsik and Tkak route via Sonkap, instead of the one straight on via 

 the Namrup, or, as it is here called, Namhuk, the route by which Mr. 

 H. L. Jenkins and my brother travelled in 1S69. 



