REACHES THE IRRAWADDI. 



93 



with trees or else grassy ; the grasses being Arundo and Saccharum. 

 On the steep banks of the hills where these descend into the river, ferns 

 are common together with an Amaryllidea out of flower. Cadaba is 

 common, as well as a large Mimosea. Rosa continues ; as also iEs- 

 culus. On the road by which the Chinese branch off from Tapaw to 

 the Irrawaddi, I gathered an arborescent Apocynea foliis suboppo- 

 sitis, and a Homalineous tree, floribus tetrameris ; Salix is common 

 all down the river. Teak only occurs occasionally. In one place 

 I gathered Lonicera heterophylla, a fragrant Valeriana ? and Jonesia 

 in abundance ; this last being here apparently quite wild. Adelia 

 nereifolia, a Ficus, Ehretia arenarum, and the usual sandy plants 

 occur on the banks. Pistia, Salvinia and Azolla are common. 



The Irrawaddi opposite the entrance of the Mogoung river, is 

 600 yards across. It is a noble stream ; has risen a good deal, 

 and presents one unbroken sheet of water. The banks are by no 

 means high, and are grassed to the brink. The water is cold and 

 clouded ; its temperature is 66^°, that of air in a boat 88^. We 

 reached Tsenbo about 1 o'clock, having passed five or six villages, 

 mostly small, and inhabited by Shans. Tsenbo numbers about 30 

 houses, but these as throughout Burma, as far as we have seen, are 

 small ; it is situated on a low hill on the left bank. Both banks are 

 hilly, especially the right. The river has risen enormously during a 

 halt here — many feet. In one hour we found it to rise about 16 

 inches. At this place I gathered a fine blue Vanda, and a curious tree 

 habitu Thespise : stigmatibus 4. Between this and the entrance to the 

 narrow defile Kioukdweng, which is about 1^ miles distant, three 

 villages occur. This entrance is well marked, the river becoming 

 suddenly contracted from 300 to less than 100 yards. We halted 

 about 6-J- p.m. at Lemar. Noticed four or five villages between 

 Lemar and the village at the entrance of the defile. All these 

 villages are inhabited by Poans, a distinct hill tribe. Passed through 

 two fearful places, one in particular where the whole body of water 

 rushes through a gate, formed by huge rocks not 50 yards wide. 



April 24th. — Continued our course, and arrived at Bamoo about 

 5£ p.m. ; the greater part of the journey extended through the 

 Kioukdweng, or defile, in which some terrific places occur, one in 

 particular known by two rocks which are called the Elephant and 

 Cow. Passed several small villages before we made our exit from 

 the K. dweng : all inhabited by Poans. Between this and Bamoo the 

 country along the river is truly magnificent, and is well inhabited. 



