1022 Journal of an expedition from Moulmien to Ava. [Dec. 



I halted here one day to have an interview with him, and endeavoured 

 to procure his interest in favor of a free communication with the 

 provinces. My reception was civil, and he professed himself an 

 advocate for the freedom of intercourse now commenced. At his 

 earnest request I sold him one of the elephants. My visit lasted 

 about an hour, and at parting he gave me a Patsoe. On the 25th 

 we descended the Nat-tike pass, the longest and most laborious pass 

 in the Burman dominions, or that is known to exist in any of the 

 neighbouring countries. The foot of this pass opens into the valley 

 of the Irrawaddie, called the Lap-dau or royal fields, a dead level 

 which reaches, at this end where it is narrowest, to the Tset-kyne hills 

 at Ava. A little more to the southward it runs still further west to 

 the hills on the frontier between Ava andMonepoor. The descent raised 

 the themometer 12 or 14°. From this to the capital had been, and 

 still was at the time of our passing, one scene of pillage and robbery ; 

 and I had much difficulty in getting the Shans to start before day-light, 

 which was now necessary from the heat, though I believe our party 

 was numerically strong enough to frighten any of the bands of robbers; 

 however in point of fact it was almost defenceless from the order 

 or disorder of our march, and the difficulty of getting at any ammu- 

 nition beyond what the guard might have in their muskets. We how- 

 ever crossed the plain in four days and reached Ava on the 28th of 

 May without molestation. The nature of the country from Neaung- 

 eue to the top of the Nat-tike pass is a good deal of the same character 

 as from Monay to Neaung-eue. The road may be in some places a 

 little better and the population a little more numerous. From the 

 bottom of the pass to Ava though the soil is not rich it is well 

 watered by several large streams, and being nearly level it is favor- 

 able to irrigation, and is as well peopled as any part of the kingdom, 

 except the angle between the junction of the Kin-dween and Irrawad- 

 die. The road all the way from Monay to Ava, with the exception of 

 the pass, is very tolerable and well frequented. On the following day 

 I waited on the king with the resident and his assistant. As there 

 was no business transacted this day, he was affable and pleasant. He 

 bought my remaining elephants at prime cost, and presented each of 

 us with a small ruby ring, the first he had become possessed of since 

 his seizing the throne. I remained in Ava till the 17th of June when I 

 left with the resident, his assistant, and all the American missionaries 

 whom the king had prohibited from continuing their labours. From 

 the strength of the monsoon our passage down the river was tedious 

 and we did not reach Rangoon till the 6th of July. 



