Page:Notes of a journey across the Isthmus of Krà.pdf/7

 To accomplish this with as little delay as possible, it was arranged, first, to make a preliminary examination of the country in the valleys of the Sawe and Langsuen rivers, and subsequently to make a careful study of the route between Muong Krà and Chumpon.

In pursuance of this decision, observations for the longitude of the first station, viz., the entrance of Chumpon river, were taken, and a few other measurements made, instruments examined, &c., and finally on the 17th instant, the survey party embarked in a number of boats, sent by His Excellency the Governor of Chumpon, and took their departure for that city, where they arrived the same day. At the mouth of the river there are generally scores of monkeys searching for food on the mud flats; one of these was shot and cooked French fashion-poor Jacko's flesh made an excellent meal-his bones alone left the table!

At Chumpon we remained the guests of the Governor for a few days, and here I had an opportunity of seeing a fresh joint of beef cooked to perfection, in a few minutes, by a French solar cooking apparatus. This is a simple, effective, and most useful article, and should form part of the kit of every jungle traveller.

Here twenty elephants were hired by Commandant Bellion; guides were supplied by the Governor, baggage, &c. not required on the journey was left behind, to be forwarded to Langsuen by sea, and everything being satisfactorily arranged, the Expedition set out on its maiden jungle trip on Sunday, the 21st of January, for Ooay Sie, the first halting place route to Langsuen, six hours' elephant ride from Chumpon.

I followed the Expedition next day, with four elephants and nine men, as a precautionary measure, to arrange any mishap that might occur; which is usually the case the first day's march when a large and promiscuous party set out together.

It may not be considered out of place here to describe the most convenient order of marching in the jungle for a survey party, which I have found in practice to answer very well.