1837.] 



from Ava to the Frontier of Assam. 



413 



ble result of some endemic disease which induced the survivors to de- 

 sert the spot. The finest lemon and citron trees, Captain Hannay had 

 ever seen, were found here, and the tea plant was also very plentiful — 

 the leaf is large, and resembles that sold in Ava as pickled tea ; the 

 soil in which it grew most luxuriantly is described as of a " reddish-co- 

 lored clay." Thus far, a considerable portion of the route had passed 

 either directly over the bed of the Mogaung river or along its banks »" 

 but at Tsadozout, they crossed it for the las t time, and at this spot it 

 is described as a mere hill stream with a " bed composed of rolled 

 pieces of sienite and serpentine, with scales of mica in it." The navi- 

 gation of the river even for small canoes ceases below this spot, and 

 those which had accompanied the party with supplies were left, from 

 inability, to convey them further. 



About four miles north of Tsadozout " the road ascends about 100 

 feet, and passes over a hilly tract, which seems to run across from 

 the hills on the east to those on the west, and is called by the natives 

 Tsambu-toung (the Mount Samu of the maps). This transverse ridge 

 evidently forms the southern limit of the Hukong valley, and streams 

 flow from it both to the north and south ; the former making their way 

 to the Khyendzven, and the latter to the Mogaung river. 



" Tsambu-toung" says Captain Hannay, " is covered with noble 

 trees, many of which, I think, are sal, and are of immense height and 

 circumference. The tea-plant is also plentiful, besides a great variety 

 of shrubs which are quite new to me. The rays of the sun seem never 

 to penetrate to the soil of Tsambu-toung ; it may therefore be easily 

 imagined how damp and disagreeable it is, more particularly as there 

 is a peculiar and offensive smell from a poisonous plant which grows 

 in. great abundance in this jungle, and the natives tell me that cattle die 

 almost immediately after eating it." 



On the 30th the party descended from the encampment on the 

 northern face of this ridge, to the Singpho village of Waloblium, and 

 finally encamped on the left bank of the Edikhi/oung, about three 

 furlongs distant from Melnkhwon or Mungklium, the capital of the 

 Hukong valley, " where," says Captain Hannay, " our journey 

 must end for the present; as, besides having no provisions, the men 

 composing the force are so completely worn out with fatigue, that I 

 am certain they could not proceed further without a halt of some day:." 

 This interval Captain Hannay assiduously employed in collecting in- 

 formation regarding the valley, which had from a very early period 

 been an object of great, geographical interest, as the site of the Pay* 

 mdwen or amber mines, and at no very remote era probably formed 



