JOURNEY THROUGH LAOS FROM BANGKOK TO UBON. 115 
order to warn us to keep away. Small-pox was making great 
ravages in the village. Detained by astorm, we passed the 
night in an old pagoda of the village of Tamnon. 
Thursday, 20th.—There are still three or four more pro- 
vinces through which we have to pass and then we shall reach 
the end of our journey. The first thing in the morning we 
set off in the direction of Muang Songlé, under a pelting 
shower of rain, and reached the shelter prepared for the white 
elephant, where we breakfasted. An hour’s march brought 
us to Muang Songlé. As we left the forest, we could see the 
town on a slight eminence. The scene is a most charming 
one, the lofty stems of palms and betel-nut trees forming a 
perfect bouquet of verdure, while the houses are lost to view 
behind the leaves of bananas. We camped on the north 
side, occupying a building set apart for the use of travellers 
on the banks of a stream, whose waters fall into the Seimun, 
the river of Ubon. 
Friday, 21st.—We reached the village of Ban Nong Mek. 
In this part of the country, numerous pines are intermingled 
with the forest trees. We camped at the village of Sameron. 
Saturday, 22nd.—Our guide was to have taken us by Khan- 
tararum, but he missed the way, and we went by Ban Huai 
and Pi Nai. 
Sunday, 23rd.—We were taken to the site ofa village which 
had been plundered and abandoned. Ilere we established 
ourselves for a couple of days. 
Monday, 24th.—Went out shooting green pigeons and pea- 
cocks. 
Tuesday, 25th.—We reached Khu Khane a little before 
midday. Once more the building erected for accommodation 
of the white elephant and his attendants served as our place 
of shelter. Two days before, according to the inhabitants, two 
Europeans had halted at the same place, but from what they 
said I concluded that these must have been Cambodian half- 
castes. ‘They came to sell opium. We passed through the 
village of Ban Samié and at ten o’clock at night we reached 
Ban Xam Lom. 
