FORESTERS’ LIFE IN BURMA 179 
a spacious upper deck with a tiny cabin; but this 
was seldom used, as the weather was so warm that 
an open-air life was no hardship ; in fact, it is one of 
the greatest charms of the country, outside the 
limited dry zone, that even the walls and windows 
are designed to admit all the cooling breezes of the 
monsoons. The launch had a draught of about 
30 inches, so that the danger of stranding on the 
numerous sand-banks was reduced to a minimum; 
but, on the other hand, she was extremely top-heavy, 
and, when the side-awnings were closed to keep out 
the rain, she sometimes heeled over considerably to 
the wind, and more than once the captain ran her 
alongside the banks for safety. The crew consisted 
of Chittagong Mohammedans, seafaring by caste and 
custom, men reliable in emergency and adepts at 
manceuvring a boat in narrow channels, where often 
swift currents were encountered. The river is 
buoyed out by the Indian Marine Department by 
means of long bamboos anchored to sand-bags, but 
the system has the disadvantage that at low-water 
these bamboos lie on the surface, and in high floods 
their painted tops are submerged, so that a local 
knowledge of the water is a most valuable asset at 
all times. 
The Irrawadi is a noble stream during the monsoon. 
Its length of more than a thousand miles no doubt 
satisfies the craving of those who take delight in 
statistics ; but what appeals to the imagination is its 
breadth, the volume of its waters, the beauties of 
the tropical forest, at this season dipping its foliage 
into the murky waves, and the relentless strength of 
its current. The winter tourist in Burma sees the 
