I860.] Notes of a trip up the Salween. 137 



hanging it by nearly half, is perched this wonderful boulder, which is 

 about 30 feet high, and is surmounted by a small Pagoda about 15 

 feet high. A rude bamboo ladder is leant against it on the inside, 

 which enables an adventurous person to ascend. Every native will do 

 this, but we, being both heavier and more awkward, preferred to 

 remain at the bottom. 



Viewed on one side, it is difficult to understand why this rock does 

 not slide off its shelving support into the valley below ! As one looks at it, 

 it appears as if, assisted with a little grease and a slight push, it must go ! 

 But there it hangs, as it had hung, and I suppose, will hang yet, — one 

 might indeed almost say, there it slides and will slide, — for many an age : 

 " Labitur et labetur in omne volubilis aevum;" unless some earth- 

 quake (and a very slight one surely would do it) should rudely shake 

 it froin its precarious foundation. This place is annually visited for the 

 purpose of worship by people from all parts of the country round ; 

 many, I am informed, going to it even from Moulmein. Many were 

 already there, and very many more shortly expected, as was shewn by 

 the temporary booths of grass which had been erected, and were 

 calculated to hold several thousand people. Altogether, this is a 

 remarkable place, very little known, and well worthy of the trouble of 

 visiting it from a long distance. 



I was disappointed, however, here, in a botanical point of view. 

 I expected great things from a high mountain in a totally new part of 

 the country ; but I gathered scarcely anything. There were no 

 Orchids at all. The Ferns, if any, were dried up ; one or two new 

 Acanthaceous plants alone rewarded my search. At this season the 

 mountain is arid, and vegetation on it scanty. On the top there is 

 little else besides long grass. 



"We passed the night on the top ; and descended on the opposite, or 

 north side the next morning. Our ponies had been sent round, and 

 were found waiting for us at the appointed place ; and a ride of 18 miles 

 brought us by evening into Sittoung. From Sittoung to Shway- 

 gyeen the distance is about 40 miles. After two or three days spent at 

 Shway-gyeen in making preparation, Capt. Harrison and I started 

 upon our walking trip to the Yoonzalin district. 



The Yoonzalin river is a tributary of the Salween and takes its rise 

 in (about) Lat. 18° 30' and flows in a very tortuous course, but in 

 19 



