144 Notes of a trip up the Salween. [No. 3, 



on our return the next morning ; but towards evening, some of our 

 party, who had been exploring, came and informed us that they had 

 discovered a way to get up the rocks on the opposite side, and that 

 having ascended that way they had come upon a waterfall. As we 

 wished not to leave the plaee without being able to speak positively 

 on the subject of the fall, and thinking that there might yet be one 

 higher up the stream but hid from our view, we resolved to stop 

 another day, and explore on the morrow. We did so, and climbed 

 the way pointed out to us ; and thus, taking the passage before 

 mentioned in the rear, we got a good view of the river for a mile or 

 so above it. As far as the eye could see, the course of the river lay 

 through an extremely narrow valley and was impeded the whole way 

 by huge granite boulders. The fall of level also was considerable ; 

 and near the spot where we stood, it took a sudden perpendicular leap 

 of some 30 feet, into a deep and very confined square hole, which at 

 once turned the water at a right angle, whence it rushed on, and after 

 2 or 3 similar sharp turns within the length of a hundred yards, dashed 

 through the beforementioned passage into the pool. We had now 

 seen all certainly and could positively assert that the greatest perpen- 

 dicular fall the Yoonzalin makes here, is not more than 30 feet. 

 Though disappointed of a grand sight, we yet considered ourselves 

 Avell repaid for our toil by the general beauty of the spot and by the 

 very remarkable character of that natural feature in the scenery which 

 I have attempted to describe ; the narrow street with perpendicular 

 Avails through which the whole river, as well when at its height in the 

 rainy season, as in dry weather, has to make its way. Several persons 

 have thought that Pine logs might, in the rains, be floated clown this 

 river to Moulmein : but no one who had visited the Yay-tagon would 

 allow it to be possible. No log could, I am convinced, pass this part 

 of the river's course without being broken to pieces. It is unfortunate 

 that all the Pine forests should be above the fall. 



There was one drawback to our full enjoyment at this place. There 

 is a pest here in the shape of a very small fly, met with happily no 

 where else, which attacks every exposed part of the body most viru- 

 lently. Its puncture immediately raises a blood pustule and causes 

 considerable irritation for several days afterwards. I could scarcely 

 sketch for these tormentors ; and when we bathed, especially, their 



