April 20th.—­Reached Tapaw in the afternoon; our progress is, however, very slow the stream being slight, but the river is much improved; being less spread out, owing to its greater proximity to the low hills:  often very deep, generally clothed with jungle to the water’s edge.  On the hills near Tapaw are some Khukeens of the Thampraw tribe, and on these hills bitter tea is reported to be found.  This the Khukeens bring down for sale.

April 21st.—­Continued our course, performing about twelve miles between 7 and 5, inclusive of one hour’s halt.  At some distance from Tapaw and thence throughout the day, here and there occur rapids, which are much worse, from the stream being impeded by large rocks.  In some places it is divided, in others, compressed between hills, and here it is very deep.

April 23rd.—­Arrived at the Irrawaddi.  The Mogoung river is very uninteresting; the stream being generally slow, sandbanks very abundant, as well as stumps of sunken trees.  At its mouth it is deep, and about seventy yards across.  The banks are either overgrown with trees or else grassy; the grasses being Arundo and Saccharum.  On the steep banks of the hills where these descend into the river, ferns are common together with an Amaryllidea out of flower.  Cadaba is common, as well as a large Mimosea.  Rosa continues; as also AEsculus.  On the road by which the Chinese branch off from Tapaw to the Irrawaddi, I gathered an arborescent Apocynea foliis suboppositis, and a Homalineous tree, floribus tetrameris; Salix is common all down the river.  Teak only occurs occasionally.  In one place I gathered Lonicera heterophylla, a fragrant Valeriana? and Jonesia in abundance; this last being here apparently quite wild.  Adelia nereifolia, a Ficus, Ehretia arenarum, and the usual sandy plants occur on the banks.  Pistia, Salvinia and Azolla are common.

The Irrawaddi opposite the entrance of the Mogoung river, is 600 yards across.  It is a noble stream; has risen a good deal, and presents one unbroken sheet of water.  The banks are by no means high, and are grassed to the brink.  The water is cold and clouded; its temperature is 66.5 degrees, that of air in a boat 88.5.  We reached Tsenbo about 1 o’clock, having passed five or six villages, mostly small, and inhabited by Shans.  Tsenbo numbers about 30 houses, but these as throughout Burma, as far as we have seen, are small; it is situated on a low hill on the left bank.  Both banks are hilly, especially the right.  The river has risen enormously during a halt here—­many feet.  In one hour we found it to rise about 16 inches.  At this place I gathered a fine blue Vanda, and a curious tree habitu Thespiae:  stigmatibus 4.  Between this and the entrance to the narrow defile Kioukdweng, which is about 1.5 miles distant, three villages occur.  This entrance is well marked, the river becoming suddenly contracted from 300 to less than 100 yards.  We halted about 6.5 P.M. at Lemar.  Noticed four or five villages between Lemar and the village at the entrance of the defile.  All these villages are inhabited by Poans, a distinct hill tribe.  Passed through two fearful places, one in particular where the whole body of water rushes through a gate, formed by huge rocks not 50 yards wide.