1830.] 
85 
to A eng, in Aracan. 
furnished us with five days' provisions. One mile behind the village the road passes 
over a succession of low ridges, and descends to a small valley, in which is situ- 
ated the village of Dob, inhabited by a few families of Kyanns, and is the best 
cultivated spot on the eastern side of the mountains : it is watered by a beautiful 
clear mountain torrent, which empties itself into the Main river. 
We left Doh on the 22d ; the road, for the first mile, passes over some low 
hills, and then enters the bed of the Main river, which is now confined in a nar- 
row valley, bounded on each side by high and precipitous mountains, which descend 
abruptly to its banks ; the waters are often confined in a narrow channel, and 
form numerous cascades and small falls. The whole appearance of this defile 
is at once romantic and grand ; in many places the summits of the mountains on 
each side seem to meet, and the lofty forest trees with which they are clothed, 
appear to entwine their branches across the chasm, and darken the depth beneath. 
The bed of the river through which the road runs, is composed of columns of basalt 
and blocks of trap, which have been washed down the mountain, and must conse- 
quently change their position every rainy season. We marched through these dif- 
ficulties about 8 miles, when the bed of the river became totally impassable. We 
were accordingly obliged to ascend the face of a mountain, by a road which had 
recently been made with some care ; it was however very steep and abrupt, but 
fortunately of no extent. We again entered the bed of the river, and after having 
crossed it thirty-one times since the morning, we determined to halt, judging 
that the baggage would be retarded, from the nature of the road we had passed 
over. We had no ground for encampment, and were obliged to pitch a few tents 
iu the bed of the river amongst the rocks. The distance was 10 miles. 
We started the next morning, the 23rd. The road to Aeng is the same as the 
day before. At this place, (which has been a small military post of the great range,) 
the Main river divides, one branch running in a northerly direction, the other 
southerly, collecting their tributes from the various mountain torrents which fall 
from the main range. We now began to ascend, and the mountains which rose 
in majestic grandeur before us, presented no very inviting appearance to the tra- 
veller. The first ascent to Dabroking being exceedingly abrupt; — the road, 
though well planned, has suffered much, being cut up by numerous mountain tor- 
rents and water courses now dry. At this spot water is procurable by descending 
about 200 yards on the north side ; the spring issues from a rocky ravine overhung 
by lofty trees, and surrounded with ferns, the first we had yet seen. One mile 
further, still ascending, is the small stockaded position of Kyupilafi : it com- 
mands the summit of a high precipitous ridge, along which the road runs for half 
a mile : its breadth, from brink to brink, varies from 12 to 15 feet, and was 
nearly covered the whole distance by an abatis. Continuing to ascend 4 miles by 
a road which must have been originally tolerably good, but now in many places 
washed away through a succession of rainy seasons, without undergoing any repair, 
we arrived at the summit of the Pokung.Roma range of mountains, now the 
boundary of our extensive Eastern empire. The mountain we had just ascended is 
the highest of the range, and is called Mareng-ma-teng Tung : it is covered to 
its very summit with a fine forest of lofty trees, amongst which, the walnut is 
particularly luxuriant. For three miles further the road winds along the crest of 
the mountain, and arrives at the strong stockaded position of Nari-jafa, which 
completely commands the road, and if properly defended, might throw great 
obstacles to the advance of an avmy from the westward. 
We experienced great privation here from the great scarcity and difficulty of 
procuring water — it was particularly distressing, as our cattle had come a long and 
harassing march. The only spring is about fiOO feet down a ravine on the northern 
angle, but the access to it is so steep and abrupt as to be totally impracticable for 
any kind of cattle, although every attempt and exertion was used to remove the dif- 
ficulty. From this elevated position we commanded a line view of the whole range 
of mountains, which, as far as the eye could reach, rose in majesty around us. 
Their features are well defined, and the summits being covered with thick wood, 
retain an unbroken outline. The main ridge runs N. 20° W., whilst the ridge 
that falls progressively towards the sea, bear S. 70° W. 
The descent to Korukri, 6 furlongs, is exceedingly abrupt and very precipi- 
tous, but the angles and windings of the road have been chosen with such judgment 
as to overcome these difficulties. At this place is a small stockade commanding a 
narrow ridge, along which the road runs like the stockade of Kyupilau; the posi- 
tion is good, and the road is completely covered with an abatis in the same man- 
ner. Here is likewise a small open spot, surrounded by a fine forest, and a spring of 
