ns! and bamboos as well as mangoes! The terraces here are fronted
with stones: Lemna occurred in water; Linaria on rocks; Conaria and a
fleshy Euphorbia, this last, about villages.

The occurrence of plantains and mangoes here is curious, and a sure sign
of mild climate, as Kalanchoe is of dryness; nothing could well exceed
the barrenness of the road, from crossing Dumria to Benka.

Benka is a straggling place, built on a ridge overhanging the Monass, and
on exceedingly rugged ground, the north face of the ridge being nearly
equally steep; the southern face, contains about fifty houses, all of
which are small and a few in ruins. The only large house is the Rajah's,
which is said to be of Chinese construction.

This day the Rajah paid us a visit; a tent was pitched for his reception
on the open ground before our house, consisting of a small silken pall,
with two high silken parti-coloured kunnauts. He arrived about eleven,
preceded and succeeded by followers amounting to less than a hundred. On
reaching the ground, he was carried or shuffled off his horse and
deposited in the tent amid most terrific screechings. He took an immense
time to arrange for our admission. We found him seated on a shabby
throne, with a head priest, a coarse looking man, on his right, on a less
elevated seat. Brass cups, etc. were arranged before him. Our chairs
occupied the left; a present of fruits, onions, etc., the floor. The
meeting was friendly, and he promised us coolies in two days. He is a
youngish man with a square face, and was well dressed.

After we had taken leave, he feasted his attendants and the spectators
with salt-fish and rice. He departed about 2 P.M. The procession was as
follows, both going and returning--

A large, black, shaggy dog led by a chain.

A drum and drummer; a gong with a melodious sound; a clarionet played by
an old and accomplished musician, rivalling in its strains that beautiful
instrument the bagpipe; a man bearing a wooden painted slab on a pole, on
this was an inscription; a banner looking like a composition of rags; a
white flaglet; fifteen matchlockmen; fifteen bowmen; the Dompa of
Roongdong; five horses and one mule led.

The household; Natchees; guitar; sundries. Personal attendants, looking
like yeomen of the guard in red cloth dresses, variegated with yellow;
the Rajah wearing a Chinese copper hat.

Lastly, the priests, of whom there were about six.

These were the best clothed