Page:Notes of a journey across the Isthmus of Krà.pdf/18

 Excellency Tam Kin Ching, his Siamese Majesty's Consul in Singapore, and has now many more houses and inhabitants than formerly.

The expedition had now arrived at that point from which the engineers had to make their studies and investigations. via., the survey and levelling of the Krà Route from this locality to Chumpon.

Subsequently a large tamneap was built, at the expense of the expedition, at Taa San (in Siamese means "eye of the jungle"), an oasis on that lonely route, and about one and a half miles east of Krà Pass. Provisions, instruments, &c., were in due time removed from Krà to this place, and here were the head quarters of the engineers, secretary, interpreter, servants, coolies, &c., during the time of Messrs. Bourgery's and Delaplanche's very laborious and skilful work. It was arranged beforehand that Commandant Bellion, Mr. Schlüssel, and myself should leave the Taa San party behind, and go on to Bangkok to re-rate our chronometers and get a further supply of provisions, which was much needed.

Accordingly on February 18th, the whole party left Krà at 8 a.m. At 11.35 a.m. I reached the highest point of elevation, stopped my elephant and made careful readings of my aneroid on Krà Pass, then descended cautiously and arrived at Taa San at 12.11 a.m. I may state here that I took careful readings of my instrument every quarter of an hour, and stopped my elephant each time to do so. This part of the route begins to rise and fall abruptly after leaving Krà, and continues to wind and rise through dense jungles of thornless bamboos, with large trees, to the top of the pass. From thence to Taa San it is steep, serpentine, and undulating, with fewer bamboos. Klong Hin Song, one of the sources of the Pakchan river, was lost near the west side of the pass, and one of the sources of the Tong Kaa river was first met with close on the east side of it. Stinging flies, called looups, and leeches were plentiful on the way. The former attack the eyes and nostrils, which they seem