TO THE COURT OE AVA. 
55 
imagined, too, that the people had an air of 
comfort superior to those of the lower coun¬ 
try ; but this impression may have arisen from 
the more elevated, and therefore commodious 
and cleanly, situation of the dwellings. From 
Shwe-taong to Prome there is nearly one con¬ 
tinuous line of villages, occupying the narrow 
plain, which lies between the river and a range 
of undulating hills, the highest of which do 
not appear to exceed two hundred and fifty 
feet. 
Opposite to Shwe-taong is Padaong (Pan- 
taong, flower-demanding); like it, having the 
rank of a Myo, or town. This was a large 
place before the war with the British ; but in 
November last, being in the occupation of one 
of our detachments, a night attack was made 
upon it by the Burmans, and it was nearly 
burnt to the ground. It now extends in a 
single scattered row of houses, as usual, appa¬ 
rently for about two miles and a half along 
the banks of the river. The teak forests in the 
neighbourhood of Padaong are more extensive 
and valuable than those on the eastern side of 
the river ; but still they were not visible to us. 
From Padaong there is a road, or rather a bad 
and intricate pathway, leading to Aracan. This 
was the route pursued by Lieutenant Brown, 
