1862.] Account of a visit to Puppd downy. 221 



diminishing in size above. The dampness of the climate was shewn 

 by the presence of several ferns : I counted nine species in the lower 

 part of the hill alone.* About 2000 feet above the town, the path 

 emerged from the jungle upon the grass slopes of the crater. Just 

 beneath this, the trees evidently shewed the effect of elevation, they 

 were thin, with but few straggling branches, and covered with ferns, 

 mosses and lichens. So far the ascent was easy, except that the 

 jungle had, in places, somewhat overgrown the path, but there was a 

 sharp climb to the peak, which is on the South side of the mountain. 

 From this point the view is very fine, extending from the Arakan 

 Yoma mountains, which are seen stretching for at least 100 miles, 

 on the West, to a range of hills, apparently of nearly equal extent, on 

 the East. These, I was told, are called Llein-dha and Theyin-dzu 

 mountains, and are near the town of Penthele. They could scarcely 

 have been less than eighty miles distant. The whole of the country to 

 the East, so far as its features could be made out, appeared to resem- 

 ble that through which I had passed on my way from Pagan. All 

 must lie at a considerable elevation, and may be, on that account, 

 moister and less barren than in the neighbourhood of the Irawaddi. 

 All the small ranges of hills seen to the West resembled the Tay- 

 wandoung, but to the East and South, hills were rather more nume- 

 rous and irregular in form. One low range of somewhat indefinite 

 shape and direction stretches away for some distance towards the 

 S. E. from the base of Puppa, and I was led to speculate upon the 

 possibility of its having been a lava stream, but, from the descrip- 

 tion given to me by my guides of the rocks composing it, I am 

 doubtful if such is the case. The sandy beds of streams are seen 

 stretching away for miles, one winding away for an enormous dis- 

 tance to the South is said to be the large stream which flows into the 

 river a few miles above Yenankhyoung. 



The mountain itself is a very fine extinct volcano, the highest 

 peak being approximately 5000 feet above the sea.f A strong wind 

 was blowing, and the thermometer at midday stood at 79°, indeed it 

 was so cool that, while I was waiting for a few clouds, which were 



* I only know of five or six species which grow near Thayet Mio and above they 

 are I suspect almost unknown until the Shan hills are reached. 



t On the highest peak 28th Oct., aneroid at 11 A. M. 24.75, thermometer 79° 

 Ditto ditto at 3 p. M. 24.62, ditto 79°. 

 South peak ditto at 10 a. m. 25,05, ditto 76°. 



