1859.] Itinerary in the district of Amherst, Tenasserim. 425 



"February 1st. — Thick fog at 7 A. m. and Thermometer 68°. 

 Halted till noon. Took Observation at 8.30 a. m. for error of Chro- 

 nometer (assuming this spot to be 8' E. of Moulmein or 6h. 31m. 

 E. of Greenwich, which it is as nearly as possible). Took meridian 

 Observation G and made Latitude 16° 20' N. 



Started at 2 p. m. and reached Attaran at 5h. 20m. p. H., distance 

 fifteen miles. River as yesterday. Thick jungle on both banks 

 and elephant grass. On the way we passed a range of limestone 

 rocks similar to those of yesterday, and on the same (the east) side 

 of the river, but considerably higher, rising perhaps to 1500 feet. 

 The range is about one and a half mile in length, nearly parallel to 

 the river, but at last joining it at a very acute angle, and jutting into 

 the water, where the rocks form most fantastic caves, hollow domes, 

 and pendents like stalactytes hanging over the stream. At the 

 southerly end of the range, they are completely permeated by an oven 

 shaped cave, through which a small tributary falls into the Attaran. 

 "We pulled into and through this singular water vault, and from the 

 other side I made a sketch of the scene, looking back to the main 

 river. The limestone here was very hard and compact, in fact a 

 coarse marble, but the people told me it had never been worked. 

 The land at the back of the rocks was being cleared by a roving 

 band of Karens. Adjutants were numerous on the summit. 



Attaran, which is a tolerably large hamlet, is built in the elephant 

 grass, which absolutely overshadows the doors; and though this 

 species of vegetation fosters musquitoes to a degree quite unknown 

 in Hiudustan, and though the clearing the whole village of the 

 grass would not be a day's job, yet so lazy and apathetic are the 

 people that they will not take the trouble to cut down a blade ! 

 Their only resource is to sit in* the evening, and sleep in smoke that 

 would excite universal opthalmia in less callous beings. I need 

 scarcely say that from sunset till we got inside our curtains, I and 

 my companion were in a state of complete torment. 



February 2nd. — Procured a specimen of the little " black and red 

 Indian falcon," (Ilierax Futolmos) a beautiful little burlesque on the 

 large and savage falconida). The country in the interior (we are on the 

 left bank) is an immense extent of high grass, scattered sparsely 

 with timber, many of the trees dead. 



