over small plains and through jungle until we reached Kuwa Bhoom, which
we ascended in a WNW. direction, extreme altitude attained 2,799 feet.
The descent was steep, varied by one or two steep ascents of some hundred
feet in height. On nearing the base of the range we continued through
heavy and wet jungle, until we arrived at the mines.

These celebrated Serpentine {132} mines occupy a valley of somewhat semi-
circular form, and bounded on all sides by thickly wooded hills of no
great height. To the north the valley passes off into a ravine, down
which a small streamlet that drains the valley escapes, and along this,
at a distance of two or three miles, another spot of ground affording
Serpentine is said to occur. The valley is small: its greatest diameter,
which is from E. to W. being about three-quarters of a mile, and its
smallest breadth varying from 460 to 600 or 700 yards.

The whole of the valley, which appears formerly to have been occupied by
rounded hillocks, presents a confused appearance, being dug up in every
direction, and in the most indiscriminate way; no steps being taken to
remove the earth, etc. that have been thrown up in various places during
the excavations. Nothing in fact like a pit or a shaft exists, nor is
there any thing to repay one for the tediousness of the march from
Kamein.

The stone is found in the form of more or less rounded boulders mixed
with other boulders of various rocks and sizes imbedded in brick-coloured
yellow or nearly orange-coloured clay, which forms the soil of the
valley, and which is of considerable depth. The excavations vary much in
form, some resembling trenches; none exceed 20 feet in depth. The
workmen have no mark by which to distinguish at sight the Serpentine from
the other boulders; to effect this, fracture is resorted to, and this
they accomplish, I believe, by means of fire. I did not see the manner
in which they work, or the tools they employ, all the Shans having left
for Kamein, as the season had already been over for some days. No good
specimens were procurable. The workmen reside in the valley, drawing
their supplies from Kioukseik.

On our road to the mines we met daily, and especially on the last march,
parties of Shan-Chinese, Burmese, and a few Singphos on their return. Of
these in all Mr. Bayfield counted about 1,100, of whom about 700 were
Shan-Chinese: these were accompanied by ponies, which they ordinarily use
as beasts of burden.