ON THE ROUTE FROM ASSAM TO AVA. 



135 



succeed in procuring specimens. Throughout both routes scarcely 

 any cultivation was seen. Between the Mogoung river and Mogoung 

 town considerable portions of some low hills to the East, presented 

 the appearance of clearings. It must however be observed, that the 

 appearance of clearings is a most fallacious ground on which to form 

 an estimate of the population; 1st, owing to the habits of a nomadic 

 population ; 2ndly, because a spot once cleared, keeps up the appear- 

 ance of a clearing for a long time ; and 3rdly, because some particular 

 spots are, from some local cause or other, exclusively inhabited by 

 grasses, the prevalence of which will at a little distance always give 

 one the idea of cultivation. 



Population. — This in the somewhat extensive tract of the Mogoung 

 district traversed, is very scanty. That of Mogoung and suburbs may 

 be estimated at about 1,600, and that of Kamein at 250. In addi- 

 tion to these places, I have to mention a small Singpho village of three 

 or four houses, seen on a range of hills during our first march towards 

 the mines, and bearing about WNW., and Kioukseik. This latter 

 place we visited on our return from the mines, it is a stockaded 

 village, containing 16 houses, and about 120 souls. It is situated * 

 about 100 yards from a small stream, the Nam Teen : it is inhabited 

 by Singphos : it is about a mile from the divergence of the road to 

 the mines, and bears from this spot nearly due south. During the 

 season of operations at the mines it is a place of some consequence, 

 as all the necessary supplies of grain are procured from it. At the 

 time of our visit, there was a good sized bazaar along the Nam Teen, 

 which was likewise a good deal crowded by boats. 



The neighbouring hills' are inhabited here and there by Kukkeens, 

 the most troublesome perhaps of all mountainous tribes ; but there 

 are some other villages about the lake, called the Endawgyee. We 

 had an opportunity of viewing from a distance the above lake on our 

 return from the mines. From an open spot on the eastern face of 

 Kuwa Bhoom, it bore nearly due south, and was estimated as being 

 15 miles distant. We could not distinguish its outline, but we 

 saw enough to satisfy us that it was a large body of water. It is 

 situated in an extensive plain near a range of hills, part of which 

 form portion of its banks. From the same spot we could see Shewe 

 Down Gyee, the large range from which the Namtunai takes its 

 course, bearing nearly due east, and at an estimated distance of 35 

 miles; the situation of the mines is therefore nearly due east from 

 Kamein. 



