102 



FROM IIOOKHOOM TO AVA. 



extent with a large Scirpus, Jussisea, Azolla, Salvinia, etc. Water- 

 fruits are abundant; round this paddy is cultivated, and they ap- 

 pear to cut it at this time. Lowground near the jeel is covered 

 with a low, handsome Stravadium or Barringtonia, as well as a 

 Xanthophyllum, resembling exceedingly in appearance a Legu- 

 minosa : the wood is hard. Calamus is also common. A hand- 

 some Nauclea occurs, and on the grassy margins of the plain a 

 small Euphrasia is common. 



During our stage I observed large quantities of Bombax, and 

 a tree apparently the Beloe of Assam ; the banks were either grassy 

 or wooded, especially on the right bank, which is skirted entirely 

 by hills of the same barren looking description. The grasses are 

 all small compared with those of Assam. 



May \0th. — Reached Tagoung late in the evening at 1\ : distance 

 thirty-two miles. The river continues the same ; the hills on the left 

 bank are much broken into ravines : all continue clothed with the 

 same stunted vegetation. 



May 1 ith. — Tagoung is a miserable village on the left bank; 

 it occupies a rocky eminence, and contains less than 100 houses. 

 It is the most inferior village I have yet seen, the streets being dread- 

 fully dirty and the houses very mean. We visited an old pagoda, about 

 a mile from the town, which is surrounded by an antique wall, 

 much obscured by jungle, and more resembling a bund. On 

 our route hither we landed at Thigan, a village containing about 

 forty houses, and prettily situated at the foot of a hill of micaceous 

 sandstone, on the right bank. At this place are the remains of 

 a fort built by the Chinese, of slabs of the rock forming the hill. 

 Similar remains exist at Myadoung, on the opposite bank, as I learn 

 from Mr. Bayfield. I gathered a Sida, Capparis, Prionitis, Gnap- 

 halium, and a Xanthoxylia petiolis alatis armata; an Adiantum 

 grows between the slabs composing the wall. At Tsenkan I ob- 

 served an Agave, a different Cactus, a fleshy Euphorbia; and an 

 Ananassa is common all about. 



About Tagoung the botany is varied, and interesting. I gathered 

 about fifteen plants that had not occurred before, two Pose, two An- 

 dropogons, a Zanthoxylum, and an Olax. The most interesting is 

 an Apocynea, floribus infundibulifor. lamina reflexa, fauce squamis 

 dentatis 10, serie duplici dispositis, interioribus petalis oppositis et 

 majoribus, antheris, in conum stigma omnino coadunatis. Cotton 



