1839.] Mission to the Court of Siam. 1021 



halted here at 2h. 40m. The teak here appears to be confined to the 

 valley of the river, as not a tree was to be seen after entering the hills ; 

 the road we attempted to find in the morning would have taken us to 

 Jung-Jung-Khay in one day, whilst by the one we are now pursuing, 

 we shall be three or four in reaching the same place. We procured two 

 guides at the last halting place, who had come up to float down timber, 

 but finding the elephants and people they expected to have met here, 

 had returned to Maulmain, their engagement with Mr. Darwood being 

 cancelled, they also were about to return. Their occupations keeping 

 them about the banks of the river, they are acquainted with our 

 present route, and supposed from description they could have found 

 the eastern road, but unfortunately were mistaken, and being very 

 short of provisions; we could not lose time in looking for it. Our 

 party have feasted on elephant's flesh the last two days ; the people at 

 the halting place having shot a female the day before our arrival, the 

 flesh of which they were smoking for the Maulmain market. 



December 30/^.— Maitsalic Kyeung lh. 30m., three miles. Have 

 made wretched progress the last two days; did not get the elephants, 

 one of which had followed a herd of wild ones, till past one o'clock. 

 We started at lh. 20m., and after marching ten minutes, had to halt 

 twenty, till the guides went to look for the path, amongst many others, 

 nearly all equally trodden by the wild inhabitants of the forest. At 1 h. 

 50m. proceeded for another ten minutes, and had again to halt an hour 

 for the same purpose, when we a third time moved forward, and at 

 3h. 5m. reached the Zimee, running a clear stream in a stony bed, with 

 banks in a direction N. 20° W., waist-deep at the ford, and some 150 

 yards wide; crossed it N. 55° W., and marching along its western bank 

 through the teak forest (of Mr. Bentley) reach this ground on the 

 Maitsalic river, knee-deep, running N. 6° E. to join the Zimee. Here 

 we were obliged to halt for the elephants, as it is impossible to distinguish 

 the path even with help of the full moon ; we have only one more 

 day's rice, and shall certainly not get a supply for the next two days. 



December 3\st.~ Small stream, 4h. 20m., eleven miles. Started 

 at 7h. 35m. and crossing the Maitsalic twice, proceeded by a tolerable 

 path through high tree jungle, and enter a narrow valley with a small 

 stream, at 8h. 35m., which in twenty minutes becomes a ravine; along 

 this ravine the hills more or less high, and more or less receding. 

 Our route lay till lOh. 22m., when we recross the Zimee at Waat- 

 tan-ghe (where it has a northerly course) in direction N. 60° E., the 

 stream pretty rapid, and the water about three and a half feet 

 deep ; after crossing we waited for the elephants which we had left at 



6 p 



