in stretches a vast
plain of fertile "paddy" land, where each year is grown that enormous
crop of rice which forms Burma's chief export.

From every landing-place cargo boats of many kinds, manned by crews of
different nationalities, drop downstream to Rangoon, heavily laden
with "paddy," as the unhusked rice is called, which, after treatment
at the mills, will be shipped abroad.

Though hardly beautiful, perhaps, these tidal waters are of great
interest to the new-comer, who probably for the first time sees the
feathery coco-nut and graceful areca-palm growing in their natural
state among the many other strange trees that flourish upon the banks.
At each stopping-place, also, is the picturesque native village, often
surrounded by banana-groves and gardens of sesamum. High on the banks
boats are being built or repaired, in readiness for next season's
flood, while on the water the continuous stream of traffic is of
never-failing interest.

Above Prome, however, where the river flows between the mountain
ranges which form the great backbone of Burma, every mile of the
journey is of great and varied beauty.

The banks are high, and cut into terraces by the varying levels of the
river, and are crowned by a belt of almost continuous forest-trees,
among which, half hidden in the foliage, are the towns and villages
which so frequently occur on both banks. Behind, the rising ground,
naturally rocky and broken, is entirely enveloped by a dense forest,
which stretches in leafy undulations to the lofty mountains which loom
in the far distance.

The Irrawaddy is rapid in its flow, and, like all flood rivers, is
constantly changing its course, as the scour of the water washes away
a portion of the bank from one spot, to form a sand-bank in the stream
lower down. Consequently, navigation for large steamers is difficult,
and the whole course has to be marked out by buoys of bamboo, which,
in some of the more difficult reaches, must be constantly changed.
Some of these steamers plying on the Irrawaddy are very large, being
over 300 feet long, and nearly 80 feet in width. Many of them carry
upwards of 2,000 passengers, mostly deck passengers, who, in the aft
part of the ship, conduct a travelling bazaar for the benefit of such
towns and villages on the banks as have no regular shops of their own.
At each landing-place crowds of people, again mostly women, are
awaiting the arrival of the steamer, carrying various goods for sale
or