Page:Notes of a journey across the Isthmus of Krà.pdf/12

 very tortuous but picturesque river, we arrived at a shingle bank near the quiet little village of Ban Taa Ngow, where we secured our boats, lighted the camp fires, and set the cook to work; enjoyed a splendid cool bath in the clear running waters of this beautiful stream, and a pretty fair dinner, flanked with good coffee, brandy, and cigars. At 10 p.m. the whole members of the Expedition were sleeping like infants.

January 31st. The Expedition awoke right early, and after polishing off our regular draught of that never failing remedy against jungle fever, viz: Eno's fruit salt mixed with lime juice, sugar, and water; and partaking of tea and biscuit, we again started to behold the wonders of another day's journey up this highly wooded and interesting river. Aneroid readings were made at regular intervals, and bearings taken of the bends, as we went along; villages, and hills of all shapes and sizes, some sloping to the very verge of the banks, and others rising abruptly a short distance from them, were numerous on both sides along the whole distance. The rapids or falls in this day's travel were stronger and more numerous than those of yesterday, and extra effort on the part of the boatmen was needed to surmount these rocky obstructions, which they accomplished very skilfully.

At 3.50 p.m. after being cramped up for 8h. 40m. we rested for the night on a shingle island in a broad part of the river called Ooay Hok, and the next morning at seven we resumed our journey.

From this point the river bulged out wider, the rapids became more numerous and difficult to pass, and several small islands, formed of rock, shingle, and sand, were met with in the broad parts of the stream. This state of things continued the remainder of the distance to Ban Song, the highest point attainable by boats. On this day's journey the number and dimensions of the hills increased, as also did the villages on both banks, and finally after eleven hours hard toiling the boats reached Ban Song. Towards the close of evening, at a short distance below the village, a large black snake dashed into the current and with head erect made a savage attack on my