1836.] lying north of the Tenasserim Provinces. 699 



a fish, part of a grinder of an elephant, the fore-tooth of a rhinoceros, some 

 bone of a turtle, and two or three pieces of broken china. The rest of his collec- 

 tion consisted of little bits of sticks, and roots of all colors, to the number of 

 two hundred and eighty-one, (I had the curiosity to count them,) the names and 

 virtues of all which he professed to show. Not the least curious part of the 

 collection was his mortar or substitute for one ; it was a turned wooden bowl 

 ten inches in diameter, with a handle to it, and inside opposite the handle a piece 

 of coarse flinty sandstone fixed with lac about four inches square, and sloping 

 towards the bottom of the bowl : on this the various articles are ground down, 

 in sometimes a quart of water if the patient is very ill. 



" 26M. Direction S. 70 E. Distance, 16 miles. 



" The road to-day was very tortuous and in some parts steep and rocky. No 

 inhabitants or cultivation were to be seen. 



" 27th. Direction East. Distance, 15 miles. 



" Started at 7 a. m. March lay along a good road in the jungle till 8.30 

 when we passed a last year's clearing with buffaloes and other signs of inhabited 

 country. At 8. 45. crossed the Maytan il °, a considerable stream in the 

 rains, now not ancle-deep, and on the eastern bank at Ban-hang -sat ln , a 

 village of some size ; — found they had received orders to have breakfast ready 

 for the people, which was fortunate, as there was not rice for half of them at 

 starting. Here we halted fifty minutes under the tamarind trees, whence two 

 hours marching brought us to Boutue, 112 on the banks of a stream of the 

 same name about the size of the Mai/tan. The road has been good throughout 

 and the country level. The people of this village have orders to supply us with 

 every thing, and take us into the town to-morrow ; they brought out dinner for 

 the people soon after our arrival, — rice and vegetable stews, ready cooked, each 

 house furnishing a portion, as is the custom in Burmah. These were brought 

 out by the women of the village, young and old ; the former, as usual, uncovered 

 to the waist, and finer busts are not to be found in the world, and many of them 

 fair as Europeans. 



" 28M. Direction S. 70 E. Distance, 4 miles. 



" Reached Lagon at 8. 20 a. m. There are three towns close together, two 

 on the north and one on the south side of the river Moy-Wang, m in the 

 last of which most of the chiefs live. The river between the towns has a course 

 nearly east and west, and, dividing, forms a little sandy island nearer the south 

 side, on which sheds had been prepared for our reception. The whole breadth 

 of the river is about one hundred and forty-seven paces, but at this season there 

 are only two small streams near each bank about knee-deep. During the rains 

 even, it is seldom full, and consequently for the greater part of the year is not 

 navigable for boats of any size. Neither is it favorable for purposes of irriga- 

 tion, and as the rains are often insufficient, it is a far less favorable site for a 

 town than Laboung or Zimmay, though containing an equally numerous popula- 

 tion. As the trees in the town and neighbourhood are luxuriant, and the soil 

 generally appears productive, it is probably the fault of the people themselves 

 that provisions are scarce." 



The following are Extracts from Dr. R.'s Journal during his stay at 

 Lagon. 



