94 



FROM HOOKHOOM TO AVA. 



The largest village contains about 70 houses ; at least seven or eight 

 occur, between the points above noted. 



The Kioukdweng is a remarkable and an awful object. The greatest 

 breadth of the river while confined within this defile does not exceed 

 250 yards, and in all the bad places it is contracted to within 100, 

 occasionally 50. From the enormous rise of the river, which, last 

 night alone amounted to an increase of ten feet, the passage is one 

 continued scene of anxiety. In the places above referred to the 

 river rushes by with great velocity, while the return waters caused 

 on either side by the surrounding rocks, occasion violent eddies and 

 whirlpools, so as to render the boat unmanageable, and if upset the 

 best swimmer could not live in these places. The rocks are serpen- 

 tine and grey limestone, presenting angular masses which project 

 into the stream ; the former in all places within high- water mark is 

 of a dark-brown colour. Micaceous slate ? likewise occurs, although 

 rarely. The depth is of course enormous, in the low state of the 

 river, when Bayfield passed up, in many places no bottom was found, 

 at 25 or even 40 fathoms, and at this season the water had no doubt 

 risen 40 feet higher. Some idea of the rise that has taken place 

 may be formed from the fact, that in places where, when Bayfield 

 passed up, the stream did not exceed 70 yards in width, it was now 

 200 ; and of course a rise of 20 feet in the open river, would deter- 

 mine one of at least 40 within the K. dweng. After passing the 

 Elephant and Cow, which have the usual resemblance implied by 

 their fanciful names, the river widens and becomes tranquil. The 

 whole of this Kioukdweng is truly remarkable, and in many places 

 very picturesque. 



The vegetation is, I imagine, similar to that of the low hills 

 about Mogoung ; but so dangerous was the passage, that I had but 

 few opportunities of going ashore. The hills are thinly wooded, 

 and all bear many impressions of former clearings; but the spots 

 now under cultivation are certainly few. Besides, we must bear 

 in mind, that the spots cultivated generally throughout thinly 

 populated parts of India are deserted after the first crop, so that a 

 very limited population may clear a great extent of ground. Bayfield 

 tells me, and I consider his authority as excellent, that the popula- 

 tion is almost entirely limited to the villages seen during the passage. 

 These do not exceed twelve, and they are all small. None of the hills 

 exceed 500 feet in height (apparently,) they do not present any very 

 peculiar features. 



