sea to Moulmein up
the Salwen is far more difficult than the passage up to Rangoon. The
Salwen is one of the great rivers of Asia. Its upper waters have never
yet been reached by European travellers. About half-past four we
landed and drove up to Salwen Lodge, where we had tea with Colonel and
Mrs. Plant. Afterwards to church, which was very hot and full of
mosquitoes.

_Monday, March 21st._--Landed early, and went to see the jail and
another timber-yard where elephants are employed. At the jail a good
deal of wood-carving is done, in addition to basket-making and
carpentering. Returned to the yacht to breakfast, and received more
visitors, including Mr. Menhenaick, the English clergyman here.
Colonel and Mrs. Plant came to tea, and we afterwards landed and went
to a lawn-tennis party and to dinner at Salwen Lodge.

_Tuesday, March 22nd._--Started very early to see the caves, about
eight miles from Moulmein. The smaller of the two contains a large
number of sacred images, while the other is of vast dimensions. These
caves are situated in a sort of cliff, rising abruptly from the plain.
The lighting had been specially arranged for us by the kindness of
Captain Dodd.

A large portion of Burmah is still uninhabited. Much larger in area,
it has not one-fifth of the population of France. But the increase is
immensely rapid. Between 1871 and 1881 it was at the rate of 34 per
cent.

The inferiority of Burmah in respect of population, notwithstanding
the superior fertility of the soil, is to be traced to the physical
geography of the country. The great rivers of India flow east or west.
The great rivers of the Burmese peninsula flow from north to south.
The population of India could readily expand without material change
of climate. In Cochin China navigation down the valleys of the great
rivers involves changes of temperature and habit such as human nature
is not generally able to endure.

[Illustration: Entrance to Moulmein Caves]

At an early hour we found the deck, as usual when we are about to
leave a port, cumbered by an inconvenient crowd of unwelcome visitors,
consisting in the present instance of dhobis, gharry-wallahs, hotel
people, and loafers and idlers generally, all of whom we at once
proceeded to get rid of as soon as possible. Among the authorised
visitors were the servants of some of our friends on shore, who had
kindly sent us parting presents of fruit, jams, curries, curios, and
the most lovely orch