MALAY "SAMPAN" OR RIVER-BOAT.
Several times the "wash" or "back water" from the steamboat overturned the little row-boats that ventured too near. These boats were hewn from a single log, like the "dugouts" of the United States, and were very easy to upset when not skilfully managed. The occupants did not seem to care much for being spilled out, as they immediately turned their boats right side up, baled them out with their hands, and then sprung in and laughed, as though it was a good joke. When the boys called attention to the first of these overturns, the captain of the steamboat told them of a wholesale upsetting he witnessed at the time of the second Burmese war.
"It was in front of Rangoon," said he, "and before we had actually begun to fight. The Governor of Rangoon was sending hostile messages, and we were sending equally hostile ones back, but not a shot had been fired.
NATIVE HOUSE NEAR THE RIVER.
"One morning the governor thought he would astonish us with a show of his force, and sent out a flotilla of thirty war-boats: they had all the way from twenty to fifty rowers in each boat, and it was really a beautiful sight. On they came with flags flying, gongs beating, trumpets sounding, and swords and muskets flashing in the sun: they dashed through the water at a rapid rate, and if the governor was looking on from the shore, he must have been pleased at the display.
"Just as they were making their finest appearance, an English steamer with despatches from Calcutta came up the river at full speed against the strong current. The Burmese were not accustomed to this sort of thing, and evidently knew nothing about the heavy swell that a big paddle-steamer makes. It caught the flotilla broadside on, between the ship and shore, and capsized every boat in it; the men saved themselves by swimming, but the whole lot of flags, gongs, muskets, swords, and other paraphernalia of Burmese war went to the bottom of the river. We laughed heartily at the ludicrous incident, which should have taught the Burmese that their war-boats are no match for an English steamer, even before she fires a gun."
The scenery of the river was not much unlike that of the Yang-tse in China, except that it was more tropical, and the foliage and verdure generally were more luxuriant. Wherever there was a forest the trees were large, and overspread with climbing plants and orchids; then for long distances the banks were covered with tall grass that would conceal an elephant walking through it, and for this reason it was called "elephant grass" by the officers of the steamboat. Villages of bamboo were reasonably abundant, some of them large and compactly built, while others were small and straggling. There were plantations of bananas and other tropical fruits, and sometimes they were so large and luxurious as to make a ready explanation of the very low price of these products of the soil in Burmah. If a man does not become weary of the monotony, he can get along very cheaply in this country by living on bananas alone.
The steamer made short stoppages at several villages, and finally rested for an hour or more at a place called Myanaong. This gave Doctor Bronson and the boys an opportunity to go on shore to see what the town contained.