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 addition 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.

V. FROM MOGOUNG TO AVA.

THE WHOLE OF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TWO ABOVE PLACES WAS PERFORMED BY WATER.

The time occupied in descending the Mogoung river was three days.  This river is exceedingly tortuous, generally a good deal subdivided, and its channels are in many places shallow.  The chief obstacle it presents to navigation consists in rapids, which commence below Tapan, and continue for some distance; these rapids are not severe, but are rendered difficult by the presence of rocks, many of large size.  These rapids commence immediately the river in its course approaches some low ranges of hills.  Boats of considerable size however manage to reach Mogoung; they ascend the severer rapids in channels made along the sides of the river, by removing and piling up on either side the boulders which form great part of the bed of the river in these places.  The descent is managed in the same way, the speed of the boat being retarded by the crew exerting their united force in an opposite direction.  On leaving the proximity of the hills, the river resumes its natural and rather slow character, and towards its mouth there is scarcely any stream at all.  The channels are much impeded by stumps of trees.  The country through which the Mogoung river passes is very uninteresting, and almost exclusively jungle, either tree or high grass.