e of one day's
journey from that place. Through the kindness of Mr. Bayfield, I was
enabled to procure specimens; the leaves were decidedly less coarse, as
well as smaller, than those of the Assamese plants, and they occurred
both serrated and entire. No use is made of the wild plants in this
direction, and the Chinese at Bamo, asserted that it was good for
nothing. It must be remembered, however, that none of them had seen the
plant cultivated in China. Indeed the only real Chinaman we saw, was one
at Kioukgyee, serving the Myoowoon as a carpenter: this man had been to
England twice, and talked a little English.

Cotton is, I was informed, extensively cultivated.

But the most valuable product is the Ruby, which is procured from hills
to the eastward of Tsenbo, and which are, I believe, visible from the
opposite town, Mala. From the same place and to the SE., low hills are
visible, from which all the marble in extensive use for the carving of
images, is obtained; this marble has been pronounced by competent
authority to be of first-rate quality.

_Population_.--This must be considered as scanty. From a list of towns
and villages, observed by Captain Hannay, between Ava and Mogoung
inclusive, I estimated the population at 100,000 souls, but from this one-
third at least must be deducted. In this estimate of the number of
houses, Captain Hannay was probably guided, either by the Burmese census,
or by the statement of the writer who accompanied him. From the numbers
given by this officer, in almost every case one-third, and occasionally
one-half, or even more, must be deducted: as instances, I may cite his
statement of the number of houses in Bamo and Katha.

In almost every case Mr. Bayfield counted all the houses, and in all
doubtful cases, I counted them also at his request, so that I am enabled
to speak with great confidence on this point.

As a collateral proof of the scanty population of this extensive portion
of the Burmese territory, I may allude to the fact that Bamo, the third
place in Burmah, and the emporium of great part of an extensive Chinese
trade, contains only even at the rate of seven souls to each house, which
is two too many, 4,250 inhabitants. The capital may be adduced as an
additional instance; for including the extensive suburbs, no one
estimated it as having a larger population than 100,000. It must be
remembered also, that there is no doubt, but that the banks of the
Irrawaddi are