98 



FROM HOOKHOOM TO A VA. 



because a straight line cannot be preserved ; and large torches are 

 placed out on levers for illuminating the enemy, and loop-holes are 

 cut through the timbers ; watch-houses are likewise placed at certain 

 points. There are two rows of pangahs or fences outside, but not the 

 Singpho pangahs. Notwithstanding all this the river face is quite 

 defenceless. 



The soil is dry and sandy, and cultivation is carried on principally 

 on the churs. Pumpkins and Gourds are abundant ; Yams, (Dios- 

 corea,) not very good. Rice is sold at the usual price, a basket full 

 for a rupee. The town is dirty, and not kept in any order. 



May 6th. — We left Bamoo, and in three hours reached Koung- 

 laun, a rather large village on the left bank, containing 100 houses, 

 many of which are respectable, better indeed than any in Bamoo. 

 It contains many small ruined pagodas. A gigantic tree grows with- 

 in the stockade, which is a very poor one. Punica Granatum, and 

 Beloe, were the only plants of interest observed in the neighbour- 

 hood. 



We passed several (six or seven) villages, none except one with 

 more than thirty houses ; the one alluded to had sixty. All the houses 

 continue small. The river is here much subdivided, and in many 

 places shallow; sandbanks are common. Vegetation of banks is 

 almost entirely Graminese, and coarse strong-smelling Composite. 

 The grasses are different from those previously met with, except the 

 Arundo. Rosa continues ; Salix is common. Between Koungloung 

 and Tsenkan, which is on the same bank, and close to the entrance 

 to the Kioukdweng, three villages are met with ; but none of any size. 

 Tsenkan is prettily situated on a high bank, or rather low hill. The 

 houses are about 100 in number, all poor and small. The stockade 

 is a miserable affair. There are some good Poonghie houses, and a 

 very pretty group of pagodas on a small rock. The country is 

 jungly ; just above the town a nullah enters the Irrawaddi : it is 

 down this that large quantities of teak is brought, from hills two 

 days' journey to the eastward ; some large rafts were seen, but 

 although some of the timbers were stout, none were of any great 

 size. I gathered a pretty Hippocrateaceous plant in the jungles, as 

 well as a Combretum ; a Vitex, an Amyridea, etc. Phrynium dichoto- 

 mum occurs here ; Rosa continues ; Jatrophais cultivated. 



May 7 th. — Started at 5 a.m., and entered the Kioukdweng al- 

 most immediately. We halted about 7, at Tsenbo. Noticed ^Esculus, 

 Sisymbrium, Campanula, Adelia neriefolia, Dillenia speciosa, the 



