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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7fc535c --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #67758 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67758) diff --git a/old/67758-0.txt b/old/67758-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index e6b556e..0000000 --- a/old/67758-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,12866 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Mandalay to Momien, by John Anderson - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Mandalay to Momien - A narrative of the two expeditions to western China of 1868 and - 1875 under Colonel Edward B. Sladen and Colonel Horace Browne - -Author: John Anderson - -Release Date: April 2, 2022 [eBook #67758] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Brian Wilson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team - at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MANDALAY TO MOMIEN *** - - - - [Illustration: MANDALAY, THE CAPITAL OF INDEPENDENT BURMA; FROM MANDALÉ - HILL. _Frontispiece._] - - - - - MANDALAY TO MOMIEN: - - A NARRATIVE - - OF THE - - TWO EXPEDITIONS TO WESTERN CHINA - - OF 1868 and 1875 - - UNDER - - COLONEL EDWARD B. SLADEN - - AND - - COLONEL HORACE BROWNE. - - BY - - JOHN ANDERSON, M.D.EDIN., F.R.S.E., F.L.S., F.Z.S. - - FELLOW OF CALCUTTA UNIVERSITY; - CURATOR OF IMPERIAL MUSEUM AND PROFESSOR OF COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, - MEDICAL COLLEGE, CALCUTTA; - MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC OFFICER TO BOTH EXPEDITIONS. - - WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. - - London: - MACMILLAN AND CO. - 1876. - - - - - LONDON: - PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, - STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -Seven years have elapsed since the date of the expedition which -furnishes the subject of the larger portion of this work. Its results -have been recorded, but can hardly be said to have been published, in -the official reports of the several members, printed in India, and not -accessible to the general reader. - -The public interest in the subject of the overland route from Burma -to China, called forth by the repulse of the recent mission and the -tragedy which attended it, has suggested the present publication. It is -hoped that a compendious and popular account of the expedition of 1868 -will be acceptable, if only as an introduction to the simple narrative -of the mission of this year, commanded by Colonel Horace Browne. The -statement of the difficulties which beset our advance in 1868 will -prepare the reader to estimate the opposition which, under a changed -political condition of the country, compelled the mission under Colonel -Browne to return without accomplishing its object. - -The narrative of our experiences of the border country between Bhamô -and Yunnan, and its motley population, has been supplemented from -materials collected by Colonel Sladen, including a catalogue of Kakhyen -deities obtained by him, and which will be found in the Appendix, along -with a Panthay account of the origin of the Chinese Mahommedans. To -him, as well as to my fellow travellers, Captain Bowers and Mr. Gordon, -I gladly record my obligations for the information that has been -derived from them. - -For many details illustrating the condition of Yunnan and the -Mahommedan revolt in that province, I am indebted to the volumes, -issued by the French government, which contain the results of the -French expedition from Saigon to Yunnan, under Lagrée, Garnier, and -Carné, whose premature loss their country has to deplore, and to the -travels of that enterprising pioneer of commerce, Mr. T. T. Cooper. - -No one can treat of the border lands of Cathay without deriving -assistance from the stores of knowledge collected and arranged by the -erudite editor of ‘Marco Polo,’ Colonel Yule, to whom I tender my -tribute of admiration and indebtedness. - -My observations on the Kakhyens are confirmed by the learned Monsig. -Bigandet, the annotator of the ‘Life of Gaudama,’ who was the first -European to visit those hill tribes, and who communicated his -experiences to the columns of the leading Rangoon journal. The reader -will find among the appendices a valuable note by the same author, on -Burmese bells, especially those of Rangoon and Mengoon. - -The list of Chinese deities given in the Appendix has been translated -from the original by the well-known Chinese scholar, Professor Douglas, -of the British Museum, who has kindly added an explanatory note. The -appended vocabularies may prove interesting to philologists. - -The illustrations of the country and people as far as Ponsee have been -executed from photographs taken by Major Williams and myself, while the -views of the country to the east are reproductions of sketches which -fairly claim the merit of accurate delineation of its features. - -The map illustrating the topography of the district travelled has -been based upon surveys made during the expedition by Mr. Gordon and -a Burmese surveyor, and a second has been added to show the general -relations of our Indian empire to Western China, with the various -routes which have been explored or projected, including those followed -by the French expedition, and by Margary from the terminus of the boat -journey to Bhamô. - -The journal of our ill-fated companion, recently published in -China, and received in this country when this work was completed, -unfortunately does not carry him on to Tali-fu, but his impressions of -the country beyond this point have been briefly summarised in these -pages. - -The scientific reader will perhaps be inclined to complain that the -following pages do not contain more of the results of the proper work -of a naturalist. Of these, a full and illustrated report, unavoidably -delayed by absence from this country, is in active preparation. This -will be published by the aid of the Indian government, given at the -instance of the Chief Commissioner of British Burma, the Hon. Ashley -Eden, by whom the opening up of the overland route to China, as a -measure beneficial to the province administered by him, has ever been -strongly advocated. - - J. A. - - 6 ROYAL TERRACE, EDINBURGH, - _December 31, 1875_. - - - - - TABLE OF CONTENTS. - - - FIRST EXPEDITION:--CHAPTERS I. to XI. - - SECOND EXPEDITION:--CHAPTERS XII. to XVI. - - - PAGES - CHAPTER I. - - MANDALAY TO BHAMÔ. 1-36 - - Overland trade of Burma and China--Early notices--English - travellers--Burmese treaty of 1862--Dr. Williams--Objects of the - expedition--Its constitution--Arrival at Mandalay--Second coronation - of the king--The suburbs--The bazaars--Mengoon--Burmese - navigation--Shienpagah--Coal mines--The third defile--Sacred - fish--Tagoung and Old Pagan--Ngapé--Katha--Magnetic battery--The - first Kakhyens--The Shuaybaw pagodas--The second defile--View of - Bhamô - - - CHAPTER II. - - BHAMÔ. 37-66 - - Arrival at Bhamô--Our quarters--The town--The Woon’s house--The - Shan-Burmese--Kakhyen man-stealing--The environs--Old - Tsampenago--Legendary history--The Shuaykeenah pagodas--The Molay - river--The first defile--Delays and intrigues--Sala--The new Woon--Our - departure--Tsitkaw--Mountain muleteers--The Manloung lake--The - phoongyee’s farewell - - - CHAPTER III. - - KAKHYEN HILLS. 67-86 - - Departure from Tsitkaw--Our cavalcade--The hills--A false - alarm--Talone--First night in the hills--The tsawbwa-gadaw--Ponline - village--A death dance--The divination--A meetway--Nampoung gorge--A - dangerous road--Lakong bivouac--Arrival at Ponsee--A Kakhyen coquette - - - CHAPTER IV. - - PONSEE CAMP. 87-124 - - Desertion of the muleteers--Our encampment--Visit of hill - chiefs--Sala’s demands--A mountain excursion--Messengers from - Momien--Shans refuse presents--Stoppage of - supplies--Ill-feeling--Tsawbwa of Seray--St. Patrick’s Day--Retreat of - Sala--The pawmines of Ponsee--A burial-ground--Visit to the - Tapeng--The silver mines--Approach of the rains--Hostility of - Ponsee--Threatened attack--Reconciliation--A false start--Letters from - Momien--A hailstorm--Circular to the members of the mission--Beads and - belles--Friendly relations with Kakhyens--Their importance - - - CHAPTER V. - - THE KAKHYENS. 125-154 - - The Kakhyens or Kakoos--The clans--Their chiefs--Mountain - villages--Cultivation and crops--Personal appearance--Costume--Arms - and implements--Female dress and ornaments--Women’s - work--Sheroo--Morals--Marriage--Music--Births--Funerals--Religion-- - Language--Character--How to deal with them--Our party - - - CHAPTER VI. - - MANWYNE TO MOMIEN. 155-188 - - Departure from Ponsee--Valley of the Tapeng--A curious crowd--Our - khyoung--Matins--The town of Manwyne--Visit to the haw--The - tsawbwa-gadaw--An armed demonstration--Karahokah--Sanda--The chief and - his grandson--Muangla--Shan burial-grounds--The Tahô--A murdered - traveller--Mawphoo valley--Muangtee--Nantin--Valley of Nantin--The hot - springs--Attacked by Chinese--Hawshuenshan volcano--Valley of - Momien--Arrival at the city - - - CHAPTER VII. - - MOMIEN. 189-222 - - Momien--The town of Teng-yue-chow--Aspect and condition--An official - reception--Return visit--Government house--A Chinese tragedy--The - market--Jade manufacture--Minerals--Mines of Yunnan--Stone - celts--Cattle--Climate--Environs--The waterfall--Pagoda - hill--Shuayduay--Rock temples--Ruined suburbs--City - temples--Four-armed deities--Boys’ school--A grand feast--The - loving-cup--The tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee--Keenzas--The Chinese poor - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE MAHOMMEDANS OF YUNNAN. 223-247 - - Their origin--Derivation of the term “Panthay”--Early - history--Increase in numbers--Adoption of children--The - Toonganees--Physical characteristics--Outbreak of the - revolt--Tali-fu--Progress of revolt--The French expedition--Overtures - from Low-quang-fang--Resources of the Panthays--Capture of - Yunnan-fu--Prospects of their success--Our position--The governor’s - presents--Preparations for return - - - CHAPTER IX. - - THE SANDA VALLEY. 248-273 - - Departure from Momien--Robbers surprised--At Nantin--Our ponies - stolen--We slide to Muangla--A pleasant meeting--The Tapeng - ferrymen--A valley landscape--Negotiations at Sanda--The Leesaws--A - Shan cottage--Buddhist khyoungs--For fear of the nats--The limestone - hill--Hot springs of Sanda--The footprint of Buddha--A priestly - thief--The excommunication--The chief’s farewell--Floods and - landslips--Manwyne priests--A Shan dinner party--The - nunnery--Departure from Manwyne--The Slough of Despond - - - CHAPTER X. - - THE HOTHA VALLEY. 274-312 - - The mountain summit--A giant glen--Leesaw village--The wrong - road--Priestly inhospitality--Town of Hotha--A friendly chief--The - Namboke Kakhyens--The Hotha market--The Shan people--The - Koshanpyi--The Tai of Yunnan--Their personal - appearance--Costume--Equipment--The Chinese Shans--Silver hair - ornaments--Ear-rings--Torques, bracelets, and rings--Textile - fabrics--Agriculture--Social customs--Tenure of land--Old Hotha--A - Shan-Chinese temple--Shan Buddhism--The fire festival--Eclipse of the - sun--Horse worship--Ancient pagodas--Roads from Hotha - - - CHAPTER XI. - - FROM HOTHA TO BHAMÔ. 313-332 - - Adieu!--Latha--Namboke--The southern hills--Muangwye--Loaylone--The - Chinese frontier--Mattin--Hoetone--View of the Irawady plain--A - slippery descent--The Namthabet--The Sawady route--A solemn - sacrifice--A retrospective survey - - - CHAPTER XII. - - INTERMEDIATE EVENTS. 333-349 - - Appointment of a British Resident at Bhamô--Increase of native - trade--Action of the king of Burma--Burmese quarrel with the Seray - chief--British relations with the Panthays--Struggle in - Yunnan--Li-sieh-tai--Imperialist successes--European gunners--Siege of - Momien--Fall of Yung-chang--Prince Hassan visits England--Fall of - Tali-fu--Sultan Suleiman’s death--Massacre of Panthays--Capture of - Momien--Escape of Tah-sa-kon--Capture of Woosaw--Suppression of - rebellion--Imperial proclamation--Li-sieh-tai, commissioner of Shan - states--Re-opening of trade routes--Second British mission--Action of - Sir T. Wade--Appointment of Mr. Margary--Members of - mission--Acquiescence of China and Burma - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - SECOND EXPEDITION. 350-378 - - Start of mission--Arrival at Mandalay--The Burmese pooay--Posturing - girl--Reception by the meng-gyees--Audience by the king--Departure of - mission--Progress up the river--Reception at Bhamô--British - Residency--Mr. Margary--Account of his journey--The Woon of - Bhamô--Entertains Margary--Chinese puppets--Selection of route--Sawady - route--Bullock carriage--Woon of Shuaygoo--Chinese surmises--Letters - to Chinese officials--Burmese worship-day - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - SAWADY. 379-399 - - The _hun pooay_--Mission proceeds to Sawady--Visit from Woon--Rumoured - opposition--The Woon as a musician--Sawady village--Royal - orders--Baggage difficulties--Arrival of Mr. Clement Allan--Paloungto - chief--Kakhyen pilfering--Abandon route--Adopt Ponline route--Reasons - for change--Tsaleng Woon--Departure of mission to Tsitkaw--Elias and - Cooke proceed to Muangmow--Dolphins--Up the Tapeng--Tahmeylon--Arrive - at Tsitkaw - - - CHAPTER XV. - - THE ADVANCE. 400-427 - - Residence at Tsitkaw--View from our house--The Namthabet--Junction - of the rivers--Arrival of the Woon--Conference of - tsawbwas--Hostages--Kakhyen women--Rifle practice--A night alarm--A - curious talisman--We leave Tsitkaw--Camp at Tsihet--Burmese - guard-house--Lankon, Ponline--Camp on the Moonam--Hostile - rumours--Camp on the Nampoung--Departure of Margary for - Manwyne--Escape of hostages--Letter from Margary--We enter China--Camp - on Shitee Meru--Burmese vigilance--Visit to Seray--Conference with - Seray tsawbwa--Suspicious reception--Return to camp--Burmese - barricades - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - REPULSE OF MISSION. 428-454 - - Appearance of enemy--Murder of Margary--Friendly tsawbwas--Mission - attacked--Woonkah tsawbwa bought over--The jungle fired--Repulse of - attack--Incidents of the day--Our retreat--Shitee--Burmese - reinforcements--Halt at guard-house--Retreat on Tsitkaw via - Woonkah--Elias and Cooke’s visit to Muangmow--Li-sieh-tai--Return of - Captain Cooke--Elias at Muangmow--Father Lecomte and the Mattin - chief--A forged letter--The Saya of Kauntoung--Reports regarding - Margary--The commission of inquiry--Return of Elias--Visit to the - second defile--Mission’s return to Rangoon - - - APPENDICES. - - I. A Note by Bishop Bigandet, on Burmese Bells 455 - - II. Origin of Mahommedanism in China; from Chinese Document 456 - - III. Deities worshipped by Kakhyens 457-459 - - IV. Deities in a Hotha Shan Temple 460-463 - - V. VOCABULARIES:--Kakhyen, Shan, Leesaw, and Poloung 464-473 - - - INDEX 475-479 - - - - - LIST OF MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. - - - MAP OF COUNTRY TRAVERSED. - - GENERAL MAP, WITH ROUTES. - - PLAN OF MOMIEN; BY BURMESE SURVEYOR. - - - MANDALAY, THE CAPITAL OF INDEPENDENT BURMA; FROM - MANDALÉ HILL _Frontispiece._ - _From a photograph by_ COLONEL SLADEN. - - _To face page_ - THE DEVA-FACED CLIFF, SECOND DEFILE OF THE IRAWADY 34 - _From a photograph by the_ AUTHOR. - - ROCKY BARRIER ON THE FIRST OR UPPER DEFILE OF THE IRAWADY 55 - _From a photograph by_ MAJOR WILLIAMS. - - KAKHYEN WOMEN 74 - _From a photograph by_ MAJOR WILLIAMS. - - OUR CAMP AT PONSEE 89 - _From a photograph by_ MAJOR WILLIAMS. - - KAKHYEN MEN--KAKHYEN MATRONS 125 - _From photographs by_ MAJOR WILLIAMS. - - KAKHYEN AND SHAN PIPES, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, ETC. 134 - _From photographs._ - - NANTIN VALLEY, TOWN OF MUANGTEE TO THE LEFT 178 - _From a sketch by the_ AUTHOR. - - EXTINCT VOLCANO OF HAWSHUENSHAN; FROM SUMMIT OF MOMIEN HILL 186 - _From a sketch by the_ AUTHOR. - - WITHIN THE WALLS OF MOMIEN OR TENG-YUE-CHOW 192 - _From a sketch by the_ AUTHOR. - - WATERFALL OF THE TAHÔ; MOMIEN IN THE DISTANCE 208 - _From a sketch by the_ AUTHOR. - - VALLEY OF SANDA, LOOKING WESTWARD FROM THE HILL BEHIND THE TOWN 254 - _From a sketch by the_ AUTHOR. - - SHAN HEAD-DRESS, BRACELETS, AND EAR ORNAMENTS 296 - _From photographs._ - - POSTURING GIRL AT MANDALAY 354 - _From a photograph by the_ AUTHOR. - - VIEW IN BHAMÔ 364 - _From a photograph by_ MAJOR WILLIAMS. - - TSITKAW, ON THE TAPENG, LOOKING TOWARDS THE KAKHYEN HILLS 401 - _From a photograph by the_ AUTHOR. - - [Illustration: A MAP OF the ROUTES TRAVERSED BY THE EXPEDITIONS OF - 1868 AND 1875 - _Stanford’s Geographical Estabᵗ 55 Charing Cross._ - London; Macmillan & Cᵒ.] - - [Illustration: A MAP OF SOUTH-WESTERN CHINA Showing routes TRAVERSED & - PROPOSED. - _Stanford’s Geographical Estabᵗ. 55 Charing Cross._ - London; Macmillan & Cᵒ.] - - [Illustration: PLAN OF MOMIEN (TENG-YUE-CHOW) - _Stanford’s Geogˡ. Estabᵗ. 55 Charing Cross, London._ - London; Macmillan & Cᵒ.] - - - - - MANDALAY TO MOMIEN. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -MANDALAY TO BHAMÔ. - - Overland trade of Burma and China--Early notices--English - travellers--Burmese treaty of 1862--Dr. Williams--Objects of - the expedition--Its constitution--Arrival at Mandalay--Second - coronation of the king--The suburbs--The bazaars--Mengoon--Burmese - navigation--Shienpagah--Coal mines--The third defile--Sacred - fish--Tagoung and Old Pagan--Ngapé--Katha--Magnetic battery--The first - Kakhyens--The Shuaybaw pagodas--The second defile--View of Bhamô. - - -For some years previous to the date of the expedition of which the -progress is narrated in these pages, the attention of British merchants -at home and in India had been directed to the prospect of an overland -trade with Western China. Most especially did this interest the -commercial community of Rangoon, the capital of British Burma, and the -port of the great water highway of the Irawady, boasting a trade the -annual value of which had increased in fifteen years to £2,500,000. -The avoidance of the long and dangerous voyage by the Straits and -Indian Archipelago and a direct interchange of our manufactures for -the products of the rich provinces of Yunnan and Sz-chuen might well -seem to be advantages which would richly repay almost any efforts to -accomplish this purpose. - -One plan, then as now, zealously insisted upon by its promoter, Captain -Sprye, was the construction of a railway connecting British Burma and -China via Kiang-Hung, on the Cambodia river, and the frontier position -or reputed town of Esmok. - -But as it was, and still is, necessary to send a surveying expedition -over an unknown and alien country, as a preliminary, this project, -whether chimerical or not, could not compete with the immediate -possibility of opening a trade by way of the river Irawady and the -royal city of Mandalay. - -Although before 1867 but four English steamers with freight had -ascended the river to the capital, harbingers of the numerous flotilla -now plying on the Irawady, it was known that a regular traffic existed -between Mandalay and China, especially in the supply of cotton to the -interior, which was reserved as a royal monopoly. - -This trade was reported to be mainly carried on by caravans traversing -the overland route via Theinnee to Yunnan. According to the itineraries -of the Burmese embassy in 1787, the distance is six hundred and -twenty miles, and forty-six hills and mountains, five large rivers -and twenty-four smaller ones, had to be traversed in the tedious -journey of two months. But an unbroken chain of tradition and history -indicated the natural entrepot of the commerce between Burma and China -to be at or near Bhamô,[1] on the left bank of the upper Irawady, and -close to the frontier of Yunnan. - -The Burmese annals testified that during several centuries this had -been the passage from China to Burma either for invading armies or for -peaceful caravans. The most recent Burmo-Chinese war had arisen out -of the grievances of Bhamô Chinese merchants, and the treaty of peace -that was signed at Bhamô in 1769 stipulated that the “gold and silver -road” between the two countries should be reopened. Mutual embassies -had consequently journeyed between Pekin and Ava, and almost all had -proceeded by way of the Irawady and Bhamô. - -European travellers and traders had early discerned the importance of -this channel of intercourse, which seems to have been alluded to by the -great Venetian, Marco Polo, under the name of Zardandan. - -The old documents of Fort St. George record that the English and -Dutch had factories in the beginning of the seventeenth century at -Syriam, Prome, and Ava, and at a place on the borders of China, which -Dalrymple supposes to have been Bhamô. According to this authority, -some dispute arose between the Dutch and Burmese, and on the former -threatening to call in the aid of the Chinese, both the English and -Dutch were expelled from Burma. In 1680 the reputation of this field -for mercantile enterprise seems to have again attracted the attention -of the authorities at Fort St. George, and four years afterwards one -Dod, trading to Ava, was instructed to inquire into the commerce of -the country, and to request that a settlement might be sanctioned at -Prammoo, on the borders of China. This mission was unsuccessful, and -Prammoo cannot with certainty be identified, but the strong similarity -of the name seems to point to Pan-mho or Bhamô. - -Coming down to more recent and certain data, we find that Colonel -Symes, H.E.I.C.’s envoy to Ava in 1795 (and who was accompanied by -that able geographer, Dr. Buchanan), states that an extensive trade, -chiefly in cotton, existed between Ava and Yunnan. “This commodity was -transported up the Irawady to Bhamô, where it was sold to the Chinese -merchants, and conveyed partly by land and partly by water into the -Chinese dominions. Amber, ivory, precious stones, betel-nut, and the -edible birds’ nests from the Eastern Archipelago, were also articles -of commerce. In return, the Burmans procured raw and wrought silks, -velvets, gold-leaf, preserves, paper, and utensils of hardware.” Both -the researches of Wilcox and the journal of Crawford’s embassy to Ava -in 1826 referred to the trade and routes by Bhamô, and the Bengal -government in 1827 published a map containing the best procurable -information about the Burmo-Chinese frontier. - -Colonel Burney, who was Resident at the court of Ava in 1830, published -a large number of valuable contributions to the history, geography, -and resources of Upper Burma, and accurate itineraries of the Theinnee -and Bhamô routes to China. Our experience demonstrated the accuracy of -the latter as far as Momien, and it may be inferred that the remainder -will be found equally exact. Pemberton[2] seems to have been the -first to fully realise that--to use his own words--“the province of -Yunnan, to which the north-eastern borders of our Indian empire have -now so closely approximated, has become from this circumstance and -our existing amicable relations with the court of Ava an object of -peculiar interest to us.” In the same year Captain Hannay accompanied -a Burmese mission to Mogoung, and for the first time Bhamô was -accurately described by an eye-witness, and much valuable information -gained respecting the trade then carried on between Ava and China. His -description of the importance of the town, however, differed widely -from that of Drs. Griffiths and Bayfield, who visited it two years -later.[3] - -Hannay gives the reported number of houses as one thousand five -hundred, while the latter travellers estimated town and suburbs as -containing five hundred and ninety-eight houses, “neither good nor -large,” which latter description is more in keeping with the present -condition of the town. - -In 1848 Baron Otto des Granges published a short survey of the -countries between Bengal and China, showing the great commercial and -political importance of Bhamô, and the practicability of a direct trade -overland between Calcutta and China. - -In this paper the far-seeing author advocated the equipment of a small -expedition to ascertain the mercantile relations of the country about -Bhamô, to examine the mineral wealth of Yunnan, and to enter into -negotiations with the Chinese merchants. - -In 1862 the government of India, in the prospect of a treaty being -negotiated with the king of Burma, directed their Chief Commissioner, -Sir A. Phayre, to include in it, if possible, the reopening of the -caravan route from Western China by the town of Bhamô, and the -concession of facilities to British merchants to reside at that place, -or to travel to Yunnan, and for Chinese from Yunnan to have free access -to British territory, including Assam. The first of these objects was -to be effected by obtaining the king’s sanction to a joint Burmese and -British mission to China. A treaty was concluded whereby the British -and Burmese governments were declared friends, and trade in and through -Upper Burma was freely thrown open to British enterprise. It was -further stipulated that a direct trade with China might be carried -on through Upper Burma, subject to a transit duty of one per cent. -_ad valorem_ on Chinese exports, and _nil_ on imports. The proposal, -however, as to the joint mission was unsuccessful. - -In the following year, Dr. Williams, formerly resident at the court of -Mandalay, obtained the royal permission to proceed as far as Bhamô, -where he arrived in February, after a journey of twenty-two days. His -object was to test the practicability of a route through Burma to -Western China, and the results of his experience led him to strongly -advocate the Bhamô routes as politically, physically, and commercially -the most advantageous. - -His energetic advocacy led the mercantile community of Rangoon to -appreciate the importance of their own position, commanding, as it -does, the most ancient highway to Western China. His claim, however, -to have been the first to suggest this trade route must yield to -that of Otto des Granges; and the assertion that he was the first -Englishman who visited Bhamô could only have been made in ignorance or -forgetfulness of the labours of Hannay, Bayfield, and Griffiths. - -When the commercial acuteness of the merchants was thus directed to the -possibilities of the overland trade, it might seem at first sight that -the stream could be tapped at Mandalay without following it up to the -borders of Yunnan. - -But our growing intercourse with the capital of Burma made it known -that for twelve years the Burmo-Chinese trade via Bhamô, which in -1855 represented £500,000 per annum, had almost entirely ceased. -Whether this were owing to the effects of the Mahommedan rebellion -in Yunnan, or, as some alleged, to Burmese policy, was uncertain. It -was an additional problem, and the then Chief Commissioner, General -Fytche, anxiously pressed upon the government of India the importance -of solving it, and under the treaty of 1862 of thoroughly examining the -possibility and probable results of reopening the Bhamô trade route. - -This enterprise might be deemed one of hereditary interest to the -descendant of that enterprising merchant-traveller, Mr. Fitch, who has -left an account of his visit to Pegu in 1586. The proposed expedition -was sanctioned by the government of India in September 1867, and the -consent of the king of Burma having been duly obtained, arrangements -were forwarded for the departure of the mission from Mandalay in -January 1868. The chief objects of the expedition were, to use the -words of General Fytche, “to discover the cause of the cessation of the -trade formerly existing by these routes, the exact position held by -the Kakhyens, Shans, and Panthays, with reference to that traffic, and -their disposition, or otherwise, to resuscitate it, also to examine the -physical conditions of these routes.” - -Thus the duties to be discharged were multifarious, pertaining -to diplomacy, engineering, natural science, and commerce. These -accordingly were all represented among the members of the mission, -which consisted of Captain Williams, as engineer; Dr. Anderson, as -medical officer and naturalist; with Captain Bowers and Messrs. Stewart -and Burn as delegates from the commercial community of Rangoon.[4] A -guard of fifty armed police, with their inspector and native doctor, -formed an escort, while the command of the whole was entrusted to Major -Sladen, Political Resident at Mandalay. It is saying scarcely enough -to add that to the foresight, tact, and resolute patience displayed -by him as leader was due whatever measure of success was obtained. He -had already secured not only the consent but the co-operation of the -king. Written orders had been despatched to the _woon_, or governor, -of Bhamô, and to other places, to render all assistance. Besides these -verbal aids, the king placed at his disposal a royal steamer, named the -_Yaynan-Sekia_, better known as “The Honesty,” to convey the party to -Bhamô. On no former occasion had it been deemed prudent for steamers -to ascend save for a few miles above Mandalay; and great difference of -opinion existed as to the navigability of the upper Irawady in the dry -season by a steamer, though only drawing three feet of water. - -In the morning of January 6, 1868, the steamer _Nerbudda_, which had -conveyed the party from Rangoon, made fast alongside the landing-place -of the present capital of Burma, three miles from the city, of which -only the golden spires could be seen above the trees. As our stay was -not to exceed three or four days, all the party remained on board until -it should be time to embark on the _Yaynan-Sekia_. Beyond a jetty used -by the Burmese in the floods, lay the royal steamer undergoing thorough -painting and cleaning for our reception. She was moored in a creek, the -royal naval depot, where numerous war-boats of the past and the present -fleet of royal steamers are laid up in ordinary. For nearly three miles -the river banks presented a busy scene. Native boats were loading or -discharging cargo; houses extended the whole distance, those nearer the -river being tenanted by fishermen. A large suburb stretched inland from -the shore; each house was surrounded by a vegetable garden enclosed -in a bamboo fence eight to ten feet high, while all were embosomed in -magnificent tamarind, plantain, and palm trees. The women were busily -engaged weaving silk putzos and tameins in various patterns.[5] Beyond -this suburb lay a large flat of alluvial land, devoted to rice fields, -some in stubble, from which the grain had just been reaped; in others -men and women were irrigating the young crop, now about six inches -high, three crops yearly being raised from these lands, which formed, -as it were, an island of cultivation, surrounded by houses. - -The leader of the expedition, Major Sladen, came down to welcome us, -and we rode with him to the Residency, situated on the banks of a -canal, which runs parallel with the river, and halfway between it and -the city. The bank of the canal is lined with houses, and broad streets -lead to the city, over numerous strongly built timber bridges, the only -defect in which is that the alluvial banks of the canal frequently -give way, to the destruction of the bridges and interruption of the -traffic. Our road lay through a populous suburb of houses built of teak -and supported on piles. To the right lay a quarter occupied by the -_demi-monde_; to the left numerous khyoungs, or monasteries, reared -their graceful triple concave roofs. Phoongyees, or Buddhist monks, -abounded; so did pigs and dogs, both of which are fed daily by a dole -from the king, who, as a pious Buddhist, lays up a store of good works -by thus preserving animal life. These ubiquitous pigs have given rise -to a well-known saying, which tersely expresses the first impression -made on the European visitor by the precincts of the capital. Our stay -was too short to admit of more than a flying visit to Mandalay, its -palace and countless pagodas. - -The city properly so-called lies about three miles from the Irawady, -on a rising ground below the hill Mandalé. It was founded, on his -accession in 1853, by the present king; and one of his motives for -quitting Ava, and selecting the new site, was to remove his palace -from the sight and sound of British steamers. The city is built on -the same plan as the old capital, described by Yule, and consists -of two concentric fortified squares. The outer is defended by lofty -massive brick walls, with earthworks thrown up on the inside. There -are four gates, over each of which rises a tower with seven gilded -roofs. Similar smaller towers adorn the wall at intervals. A deep moat -fifty yards broad has been completed since the date of our visit, -and now surrounds the walls. During the night, guard-boats, with -gongs beating, patrol its waters. When the king, in compliance with a -prophecy, was crowned a second time in 1874, he made the circuit of the -city in a magnificent war-boat, the splendour of which eclipses the -traditionary glory of the Lord Mayor’s barge. The actual ceremony of -the re-coronation took place on the 4th of June, at 8 P.M., the hour -pronounced propitious by the court of Brahmins.[6] Captain Strover -describes the ceremony as being to a great extent private, only the -various ministers of state and about eighty Brahmins being present. -Incantations and sprinkling of holy water brought from the Ganges -formed the chief part of the ceremony, after which his majesty was -supposed to have become a new king, barring the difficulty of years. -Seven days afterwards, the king went through the ceremony of taking -charge of the royal city. At nine in the morning a gun announced that -he had left the palace, and at half past another was fired, intimating -that he had entered the royal barge. The procession round the city -moat commenced from the east gate, and was led by the two principal -magistrates of Mandalay in gilded war-boats; then followed all the -princes in line, a short way in front of the state barge, and behind -the king came the ministers and officials. Troops lined the walls all -round the city, and cannon were placed every here and there at the -corners of the streets. Bands of music played as the procession passed, -and, altogether; the sight was most effective and unique. Having gone -right round the city, he left the royal barge at the east gate, and a -salute announced that he had re-entered the palace, and the ceremony -was finished. According to his majesty’s own statement, the ceremony -was a purely religious act. - -The first square is inhabited by the officials, civil and military, -and the soldiers of the royal army. All the houses are in separate -enclosures, bordering broad, well kept streets; along the fronts -is carried the king’s fence, a latticed palisade, behind which the -subjects hide themselves when his majesty passes. During the day, -stalls are set up in the streets, and the various Burmese necessaries, -even to cloth, are sold, but at night all are cleared away and the -gates closed. The central or royal square is surrounded by an outer -stockade of teak timber twelve feet in height, and an inner wall. -Entrance is given by two gates opposite each other, opening into a -wide place, containing the government offices and the royal mint, -on one side; on the other, a wall runs across, and a large gateway, -opened only for the king, and a small postern give access to the palace -enclosure. All Burmese entering this take off their shoes. Within is a -wide open area, as large as a London square. On the opposite side rises -a building crowned by nine roofs richly gilded, and surmounted by a -golden _htee_, or umbrella, with its tinkling coronal of bells. This -marks the audience hall. All entering this are required to take off -their shoes, for the royal abode is sacred. The same rule applies to -all temples, and this unbooting is really a mark of religious respect, -due as much to the meanest khyoung as to the residence of the king. -This fact perhaps, if borne in mind, might soothe the ruffled feelings -of those who see in this unbooting a mark of degrading homage. To the -left is the abode of the white elephant, which, it may be said, is -scarcely distinguishable from any other elephant save by the paler hue -of the skin of the head. To the right is the royal arsenal, outside of -which the visitor would be now surprised by the sight of a completely -armed and equipped deck of a vessel, which serves as a school for naval -gunnery. - -We were not admitted to an audience, nor did we see the royal gardens, -which, with the other palace buildings, lie to the rear of the central -hall. Dr. Dawson, as quoted in Mason’s ‘Burmah,’ describes the gardens -in glowing language, as “truly beautiful, and as picturesque as they -are grand.” Outside the walls of the city the suburbs, or unwalled -town, stretch away southward in broad streets, which converge towards -the Arracan pagoda; and in the distance the spires of pagodas mark the -site of Amarapura. - -It is impossible to estimate the population, but it must exceed one -hundred thousand, to judge by the extent of ground covered by houses. -Between the city and Mandalay hill numerous khyoungs have been erected -by the queens and other members of the royal family, the teak pillars -and roof timbers of which are magnificently carved and richly gilt. - -In passing through the enclosures of these monasteries, it is necessary -for equestrians to dismount and walk slowly through the sacred -precincts. On this side also there is a large stockaded enclosure, to -which the Shan caravans always resort. Here their wares, principally -_hlepét_, a sort of salted tea--not, however, made from the true tea -plant[7]--are disposed of by means of brokers. At the foot of Mandalay -hill is a temple with a large seated statue of Buddha, carved from -the white marble of the Tsagain hills. The hill itself is crowned by -a gilded pagoda, and a statue of Buddha. The Golden King stands with -outstretched finger pointing down to the golden htee that marks the -royal abode, the centre of the city and of the Burman kingdom. - -On the hill is a vast colony of fowls, numbers of which are purchased -by the royal piety every morning, and maintained at the king’s expense. -The eastern side of the city is skirted by a long swamp, which forms a -lagoon in the rains. The Myit-ngé river, six miles to the south, may -be said to complete the insulation of the environs of the capital. Not -far from the Residency, but on the other side of the canal, there is -a large bazaar, enclosed with brick walls, which presents a most busy -scene. This may be said to be the principal enclosed market-place; but -there are other smaller cloth bazaars; and several quarters or streets -are occupied by special trades, a very noisy quarter being that of the -gold-beaters. The fondness for gilding which characterises the Burmese -causes an immense demand for gold-leaf, the gold used being principally -brought by the caravans from Yunnan. Another quarter is tenanted by -Chinese. By a curious coincidence, on the day of our arrival, a Chinese -caravan of two hundred mules arrived from Tali-fu. They had come by the -long overland Theinnee route, bringing hams, walnuts, pistachio-nuts, -honey, opium, iron pots, yellow orpiment, &c. We noticed many Suratees -among the inhabitants of the city. These acute and enterprising -traders come to Burma in great numbers, and are found everywhere busily -engaged in money-making. European adventurers of various nationalities -form an element in the population, small, but mischievous; it is hardly -to be wondered at if an ill impression of _kalas_[8] is formed by the -Burmese nobility and gentry, judging from the conduct of some of these -foreigners; while again they spread monstrous reports about the king, -his social and political habits and ideas, which find their way into -the Indian and English press. - -The transshipment of ourselves and followers and baggage was -duly effected, and in the afternoon of the 18th of January the -_Yaynan-Sekia_ left her moorings. We only proceeded as far as Mengoon, -on the right bank, a few miles from the capital. Thus far we had the -company of Mr. Manouk, an Armenian gentleman, who held the office -of _kala woon_, or foreign minister. We duly visited the huge ruin -of solid brickwork, which, as Colonel Yule says, represents the -extraordinary folly of King Mentaragyi, the founder of Amarapura in -1787. - -Intended for a gigantic pagoda, it was left unfinished, in consequence -of a prediction that its completion would be fatal to the royal -founder; the earthquake of 1839 split the huge cube of solid brickwork, -and it is now a fantastic ruin. - -Yule gives the dimensions of the lowest of the five encircling -terraces as four hundred feet square; if completed, the whole edifice -would have been five hundred feet high. Near this is the great bell, -twelve feet high, and sixteen across at the lips, and weighing ninety -tons.[9] - -The most interesting object is the Seebyo pagoda, built by the -grandson and successor of Mentaragyi in 1816, and named after his -wife. The substructure from which the pagoda rises is circular, and -consists of six successive concentric terraces. Each terrace is five -feet above the one below, and six feet in breadth, and is surrounded -by a stone parapet of a wavy design. In the niches of each terrace -are images, fabulous dragons, birds, and _beloos_, or monsters. By -a rough measurement the walled enclosure is four hundred yards in -circumference, but an open space of thirty-five yards deep intervenes -between the wall and the first terrace. The design of the pagoda is -intended to represent the mythical Myen Mhoo Doung, or Meru Mountain, -the central pillar of the universe, and the seven encircling ranges -of mountains, or the six continents, each of which is guarded by a -monster, the first by the dragon, the second by the bird Kalon. It -might be also suggested that those terraces may represent the six happy -abodes of nats which form successive Elysiums below the seat of Brahma. - -From the rising ground above Mengoon a magnificent panorama unfolds -itself: the valley from the dry and treeless Tsagain hills, a few -miles to the rear, spreads out for fifteen miles in width to the -eastern line of mountains, which, emerging from the north bank of the -Myit-ngé, stretch away as far as the eye can reach to the north-east. -The long flowing sweep of these summits singularly contrasts with the -irregularly peaked outline of the Myait-loung hills, south of the -Myit-ngé. Immediately beneath the spectator, the Irawady, curving under -the western hills, broadens, till opposite to the capital its main -banks are nearly three miles and a half apart. - -The river is broken up into channels by large islands, on one of -which the royal gardens are situated, and numerous sandbanks, exposed -in the dry season, and cultivated with tobacco and other crops. In -the foreground the various channels of the splendid river present an -animated spectacle of numerous canoes, timber rafts, and boats of -every form and size. In the middle distance, the golden roofs of the -city gates and of the many monasteries which cluster outside the red -city walls flash back the sunbeams. The fantastic forms of the many -roofed spires of the zayats and rest-houses, and the sparkling htees of -pagodas, everywhere perplex and please the eye, which looks from the -picturesque hill to the north, crowned by the gilded temple, to the -irregular outlines of the bazaar, stretching far down to the successive -line of the abandoned capitals. A glorious picture, especially when -the glowing orange tints of sunset are relieved by the rich purple of -the cloudlike distant hills! - -From Mengoon the steamer made its unaccustomed way under the right -bank, passing sandbanks covered with numerous flocks of whimbrel, -golden plover, and snake-birds. Although at the present time both royal -and private steamers ply regularly between Mandalay and Bhamô, at the -dry season frequent delays, caused by grounding on sandbanks, make -the upward voyage of very uncertain duration. We as the pioneers had -to feel our way most cautiously, the water being very low. Our crew, -from captain to firemen, were to a man Burmese, and great was our -admiration of the coolness and skill shown by the skipper in navigating -the narrow channels; he seemed to have an almost instinctive intuition -of the depth of the water. It was no work of love on his part, as he -took no pains to disguise his dislike of the _kalas_, or foreigners, -and was devoid of the jovial openheartedness generally characteristic -of Burmese. A rich illustration of the character of the Burmese crew -was afforded us by the leadsman, who quitted his post, unobserved by -the captain. He provided, however, for the navigation, by telling -one of his fellows to sing out for him in his absence, and imaginary -depths, varying several feet, were accordingly shouted at intervals to -the unconscious captain, who steered accordingly--fortunately without -mishap. A court official accompanied us to see that the orders for -provision of firewood were duly obeyed, and to purvey boats in case -of the river proving unnavigable; but as no difficulties arose, he -had nothing to do save that he once showed his zeal by inflicting an -unmerciful beating on a village headman who failed to supply milk. - -The banks of the river presented a succession of picturesque headlands, -fifty to sixty feet high, separated by luxuriant dells, each containing -a village. Between two such heights, covered with pagodas accessible -only by flights of steps, lay Shienpagah, a thriving town of some four -hundred houses. A brisk trade is here carried on in fish and firewood -for the capital, and salt procured from the swamps behind the sterile -Tsagain hills.[10] Above Shienpagah we changed our course to the other -side. The villages on the eastern bank seemed small and few, each -embowered among tall trees and groves of palmyra, mixed with a few -cocoa-nut palms, relieved by the bright, pale, tropical green of the -plantain. A broad alluvial flat extended to the low broken ranges of -the Sagyen and Thubyo-budo hills, from the former of which comes nearly -all the marble used in Mandalay. The distant Shan mountains rose beyond -another plain sparsely covered with lofty trees and richly cultivated. - -Our course lay up a channel, skirting the long island and town of -Alékyoung, till the rounded hill of Kethung, dotted with white pagodas, -rose over the dense greenery in which nestled the village so called. On -the opposite bank lay Hteezeh, the village of oil merchants. A belt of -bright yellow sand, and then a fine green sward, led up from the river -to the village, shaded by noble palmyras and gigantic bamboos, which -formed a background to a river scene of exquisite colouring and beauty. -A mile or two above Alékyoung, the river narrowed, flowing in a stream -unbroken by islands or sandbanks. Soon the short well wooded Nâttoung -hills abutted on the right bank, in a pagoda-crowned headland, with -Makouk village at its base. On the opposite side, the small town of -Tsingu, once fortified, and still showing fragments of the old walls, -occupied another headland, marking the entrance of the third defile of -the Irawady. - -From this point, for thirty miles, as far as Malé and Tsampenago, the -country on either bank is hilly, and covered to the water’s edge with -luxuriant forest. Winding in a succession of long reaches, the river -presents a series of lovely lake landscapes. The stream, one thousand -to fifteen hundred yards wide, flows placid and unbroken, save by the -gambols of round-headed dolphins. As, preceded by long lines of these -creatures, we steamed slowly along, each successive reach seemed barred -by wooded cliffs. Reminiscences of the lake scenery of the old country -were vividly awakened as we passed from one apparently land-locked -scene of beauty to another. The high irregular hills were clothed with -forest trees almost hidden by brilliant orchids and gigantic pendant -creepers. Palms of various kinds feathered the water’s edge. Here and -there fishing-villages peeped out, and everywhere graceful pagodas -and priests’ houses gleamed amid the foliage. Parroquets darted and -hornbills winged their heavy flight across the stream, while chattering -troops of long-tailed black monkeys escorted the unusual visitors along -the banks. - -The chief object of interest is the little rocky island of Theehadaw, -which boasts the only stone pagoda in Burma, and is resorted to by -numbers of pilgrims at the great Buddhist festival in March. The -pagoda is of no great size, but is substantially built of greyish -sandstone admirably cut and laid in mortar. The building rises from -a quadrangular base, with a chamber facing the east and closed with -massive doors. The three other faces have false doors, and the sides -of all, as well as the angles, are adorned with quasi-Doric pilasters. -Our attention, like that of most pilgrims, was chiefly given to the -famous tame fish. Having supplied ourselves with rice and plantains, -the boatmen, called “Tit-tit-tit.” Soon the fish appeared, about fifty -yards off, and after repeated cries, they were alongside, greedily -devouring the offering of food. In their eagerness they showed their -uncouth heads and great part of their backs, to which patches of gold -leaf, laid on by recent devotees, still adhered. So tame were they that -they suffered themselves to be stroked, and seemed to relish having -their long feelers pulled. One fellow to whom a plantain skin was -thrown indignantly rejected it, and dived in disgust. - -For three miles above and three below the island fishing is prohibited -by royal order, and the priests, who feed them daily, assured us that -the fish never stray beyond the boundaries of their sanctuary. An offer -of fifty rupees failed to secure a single specimen, but it may be -here told that on another occasion, under cover of night, and without -Burmese observation, one was hooked, and, though not easily, landed, -photographed, and duly preserved. Two miles above the island we stopped -at Thingadaw to coal. This is a depot for the produce of the coal -mines, which having been accidentally discovered by some hunters were -being worked by the king. - -We set out to visit a newly opened mine, said to be two miles distant, -but failed to find it after a walk of two hours over a broken -undulating country covered with dense tree and bamboo jungle. The -soil is poor and sandy, save in hollows, which afford good grazing -to ponies and cattle. Fossilised wood abounds all over the surface, -and soft white and reddish sandstones crop out, so soft that the cart -wheels cut them into deep ruts. In these places the surface presented a -remarkable appearance, being covered with symmetrical pillars of soft -reddish sand, two inches high, and capped by a hard ashen-grey top of -the consistence of stone, and as large as a penny piece. The little -pillars in many places had crumbled away, and the soil was strewed -with the little caps, giving it the appearance of an ash heap. In a -later visit to the coal district, made from Kabyuet, a little south of -Theehadaw, we had the assistance of the headman of the mines, who was -most anxious to show us everything and secure a good report to the king. - -At the first mine, called Lek-ope-bin, five miles from the river, the -coal-bed, six feet thick, crops out in a hollow, and dips south-west -at an angle of thirty-five degrees. A little to the north-east is the -Ket-zu-bin mine, said to yield the best coal. During our visit a few -men were quarrying the coal with common wood axes and wooden-handled -chisels, so that they could only win a small quantity of broken coal. -Under proper management these mines could give an abundant supply of -useful fuel. We learned that the sand of an adjacent stream is washed -for gold, and a single worker can make 303 _yuey_ = 3_s._ per diem. - -The black sand of the Pon-nah, a stream falling into the Irawady, is -also washed for gold, which it is said to yield in large quantities at -a place two days’ journey up the stream. - -On the 17th of January, we reached the northern entrance of the defile, -marked by two prominent headlands--the western one crowned by the -pagoda of Malé, or Man-lé, formerly Muang-lé, and the eastern by those -of the old Shan town of Tsampenago, above which none but Chinese could -formerly trade.[11] - -Malé contains about three hundred houses, and is the customs port -for clearing boats bound from Bhamô to Mandalay, and the centre of a -considerable trade in bamboo mats, sesamum oil, and jaggery. From it we -beheld rising to the eastward the fine peaked mountains of Shuay-toung, -about six thousand feet high, on which snow is said to lie in the -winter. - -Above Malé the river widens to a great breadth, with numerous islands, -as far as Khyan-Nhyat. Thence it contracts to an unbroken stream about -one hundred yards wide, flowing for twenty-two miles between high, well -wooded banks. - -Having halted at Tsinuhat, a little village to the south of a long -promontory, on which are the ruins of Tagoung and Old Pagan, we made -a short excursion to the sites of these ancient capitals. According -to the Burmese chronicles, Tagoung was founded by Abhi-rája--of the -Shakya kings of Kappilawot--who fled before the invasion of his -country by the king of Kauthala or Oudh. After the death of Abhi-rája -the succession was disputed by his two sons. They agreed that each -should endeavour to construct a large building in one night, and that -the crown should belong to him whose building should be found completed -by the morning. As usual in legends, the younger son outwitted the -elder. He artfully set up a framework of bamboos and planks, covered -with cloth and whitewashed over, so as to present the semblance of a -finished building. The elder brother, believing himself to have been -vanquished by the aid of nats or demons, migrated to Pegu, and finally -settled in the city of Arracan (Diniawadee). - -The younger son assumed the throne at Tagoung, and was succeeded by -thirty-three kings. An inroad of Tartars and Chinese, said to have -come from Kandahar,[12] destroyed the city and expelled the last of -the dynasty, who had married Nagazein, whose name indicates one of -the mythical serpent race. This event may be referred to the century -preceding the Christian era, and, according to the late Dr. Mason, must -have occurred after the Tartar conquest of Bactria.[13] - -After the death of the Tagoung king, one portion of his people migrated -eastwards and founded the Shan states. Another, under the widowed -queen Nagazein, settled on the river Malé. After the advent of Gaudama -and the second overthrow of the cities of the Shakya kings, one of -their race, named Daza-Yázá, migrated to Malé, and, having there found -and married Nagazein, founded Upper or Old Pagan. A dense forest of -magnificent timber and thousands of seedling eng trees surrounds and -covers the sites and ruins of the ancient cities, of which nothing -now remains but low lines and shapeless masses of brickwork. Near -them stand pagodas of later date, still in tolerable preservation. Of -the most ancient within the bounds of Old Pagan, only a single wall -remained, behind a seated Buddha eight feet high. From the former we -obtained small metal images of Buddha, and from the pagoda in Old Pagan -bricks bearing in relief an image of Gaudama as the preceding Buddha. -One of these was exactly the same as that described by Captain Hannay. -Each bears an inscription in the old Devanagari character, beginning, -“Ye Dhammá.” - -The ancient name of Tagoung is now borne by a little fishing-village -of forty houses. At the time of our passage the villagers were located -in temporary huts on a long sandbank, and busily engaged in preparing -ngapé or mashed salt-fish. The fishing stakes were fixed athwart a -deep narrow channel separating the sandbank from the village. Such -fishing-stations are numerous all along the river. Every morning -large quantities of fish are taken, and sold by weight to the makers -of ngapé. The fish, when cleaned, are packed between layers of salt -and trodden down by the feet in long baskets lined with the leaves of -the eng tree. While this narrative was being prepared for the press, -a suggestion was made in the columns of a most able weekly paper -that in the event of difficulties with Burma the Viceroy of India -should prohibit the exportation from British Burma of ngapé, “which -must be imported from the seaboard.” Undoubtedly there is a large -exportation from our territories, but the fish composing that curious -Burmese condiment, which, as Yule says, resembles “decayed shrimp -paste,” are caught in the Irawady. The upper river teems with fish; -fourteen species[14] were purchased by us at Tagoung, and the numerous -fishing-villages could probably render the capital independent of the -supply from British Burma. - -The Shuay-mein-toung hills, on the right or western bank, opposite -Tagoung, are very high, and wooded to their summits, with white pagodas -peeping out amidst the dense foliage. A few miles to the north they -recede from the river, where, on the eastern bank, the isolated range -of the Tagoung-toung-daw, about twenty miles long and one thousand -feet high, runs almost parallel to the river, in its intervening -valley six miles wide. The Irawady is here studded with large islands, -covered with long grass and forest trees; during the rains they are -submerged, and become very dangerous to descending boats. A serpentine -course, following a broad deep channel to the east of the large island -of Chowkyoung, brought us to the town of Thigyain on the right bank, -opposite to the village of Myadoung on the left. This latter gives its -name to the district south of Bhamô. Here we were startled by the news -that the Woon of Bhamô, to whom we were accredited, had been killed -during a riot at Momeit, about thirty-six miles south-east of Myadoung. -The Woon had proceeded thither with a force of three hundred men to -collect taxes, when the Shans and Kkahyens broke out into revolt and -surrounded the royal troops, many of whom, with their leader, had been -killed. It was impossible not to feel a presentiment that this untoward -event would prove a source of delay, by compelling us to deal with -subordinates who would be timid, even if well disposed to assist. We -passed, hidden by an island, the mouth of the Shuaylee, three miles -above Myadoung, and halted at Katha, on the right bank, the largest -place met with since Shienpagah. It is a long town, containing at -least two hundred well-built timber houses, disposed in two parallel -streets, and surrounded by bamboo palisades with three gates. It is -the head-quarters of the woon of a considerable district, inhabited -by Shan-Burmese. Long hollows of rich alluvium cultivated for rice, -and closed in by undulating land covered with valuable forest trees, -including teak, separate the town from the western hills. Some cotton -is grown and tobacco largely raised on the islands and sandbanks. At -the time of our visit, a number of Shan merchants had arrived with -salted tea-leaves and other commodities. A few Yunnan Chinese, who had -probably come down the Shuaylee, were also in the town. The people -seemed well-clad and well-to-do, and the women were busily employed -in weaving and preparing coloured cotton yarns for the manufacture of -putzos and tameins. - -A dense morning fog delayed our departure from Katha, and the whole -population of the town swarmed on board the steamer. After satisfying -their curiosity with the novelties of machinery, &c., we bethought -ourselves of amusing them with a magnetic battery. At first all held -back, but a few more venturous spirits leading the way, the operators -were speedily besieged by eager candidates for a shock. The grimaces -of each patient produced shouts of laughter. The good-humoured Shans -discovered or fancied that the shock was good for would-be parents; -some coaxed their timid wives to the front, while the matrons brought -up their pretty young daughters to obtain a share of the benefits -going. Above Katha the river is broken up by large islands into -tortuous, deep, and narrow channels. Large flocks of geese kept passing -us for nearly an hour, and the sandbanks and shores of the islands -were covered with varieties of wild ducks. As evening closed in, at -Shuaygoo-myo, immense flocks of _Herodias garzetta_, or the little -egret, were seen roosting in the tall grass and on the high trees, -which seemed illuminated by their white forms. - -In this neighbourhood we saw several villages deserted for fear of the -Kakhyens, who had occupied some of the abandoned houses. - -Two of our party set out to visit and make their first acquaintance -with those wild highlanders, who reminded them of the East Karens; they -were civil, but declined an invitation to the steamer, pleading that -they must rejoin their chief, but really fearing reprisals from the -Burmese. Of their kidnapping habits, several proofs were given, one -being in the person of a boy of Chinese extraction, who had been sold -by them to the village headman for twenty-five rupees. At our departure -in the morning, young women and boys raced along the river-side, -keeping up with us, to secure protection from the hillmen on the way -to their villages. We were also informed that the priests’ pupils who -collected food from village to village were obliged to creep along -under the high banks to escape the kidnappers. Subsequent experience -has shown that the villagers on the eastern shore, as far as Bhamô, are -in the habit of sleeping in boats moored in the river; only thus can -they be secure from the nocturnal raids of their dangerous neighbours. - -Leaving Shuaygoo-myo, we passed the large island of Shuaybaw, with its -thousand pagodas, their bright golden htees strikingly contrasting with -the rich green massive foliage, above which they rose. The great pagoda -is about sixty feet high, enclosed on two sides by a richly carved -zayat of teak with an elaborately decorated roof, and a cornice of -small niches, containing seated marble Buddhas. Two broad paved ways, -one known as the Shuaygoo-myo and the other as the Bhamô entrance, -approach the pagoda, which is three quarters of a mile distant from -the river. Numerous zayats cluster round the central shrine, piled to -the ceiling with Buddhistic figures in metal, wood, and white marble, -offered by the worshippers who yearly throng this holy place sanctified -by the footprint of Gaudama. - -Three miles above the island is the entrance to the second defile, -where the Irawady flows through a magnificent gorge piercing a range -of hills at right angles. For five miles the deep dark green current, -narrowed to three hundred yards, but deepening to one hundred and -eighty feet and more, is overhung by gigantic precipices. Their summits -are mostly covered with scanty stunted trees, but some rise bare, with -splintery peaks, and red, rocky escarpments; lower down their bold -sides are mantled in dark green forest, picked out here and there with -the fresher green of festooned clumps of bamboos, palms, and luxuriant -musæ. Little fishing-villages enclosed in bamboo palisades lie snugly -in the hollows. Entering the defile, we rounded a many-peaked hill on -the left bank, which rose precipitously four hundred feet, its outline -broken by huge black rocks standing out against the blue sky. The -little white pagoda of Yethaycoo, in front of a cave, and dominating -a grey limestone precipice one hundred and fifty feet in height, -looked across the gorge to a phoongyee’s house perched on high, and -accessible only by bamboo ladders. The most striking feature was the -great limestone precipice which rose like a gigantic wall eight hundred -feet from the water’s edge. This is the Deva-faced cliff celebrated in -the mythical history of Tsampenago. At its base the little pagoda of -Sessoungan was perched on a detached pyramid of limestone embowered -in fine trees. During the March festival many devotees scale the long -bamboo ladders which form the only access to the shrine. The Buddhist -love for preserving animal life is here manifested towards the large -monkeys (_Macacus assamensis_, M’Lelland), which, like the tame fish, -come when called, and devour the offerings of the devotees. Projecting -and depending from the precipice were huge masses of stalagmite -formation, seemingly liable to fall at any moment. Water was dripping -over them, and the natives say that during the rains the water pours -over the face of the precipice in a tremendous cascade, the roar of -which is deafening. It may well be so, for the echoes in the defile -are most wonderful, echoing and re-echoing in almost harmonious -reverberations. In the earliest morning the loud shouting of the -hoolock monkeys in the forest made the whole air resonant, as it was -taken up by another troop on the opposite bank, and echoed along the -hills and from cliff to cliff in a constant wave of sound, curiously -blended with which rang the shrill crowing of jungle cocks. As the -sun rose higher, a deep bass was supplied by the hum of innumerable -bees, whose pendant nests thickly studded the rocky projections of -the precipice. At the next turn of the river another pagoda, with a -handsome many-roofed zayat by its side, high on the western hills, -marked the northern entrance of the defile, and we soon passed the -ancient mart of Kaungtoung, celebrated for the repulse of the Chinese -invading army in 1769, and the treaty which thenceforward secured peace -and commerce between Burma and China. Subsequently it became a rival of -Bhamô as an emporium of Chinese trade by the valley of the Shuaylee and -the Muangmow route. The river now spread itself into a broad stream, -broken up by islands and sandbanks, but in some places not less than -a mile and half wide between the main banks. In front of the village -of Sawady a long stretch of sand was occupied by a large encampment of -Shan, Chinese, and other traders, a large fleet of boats lying ready to -convey the goods down the river. - -[Illustration: THE DEVA-FACED CLIFF, SECOND DEFILE OF THE IRAWADY.] - -Here we sighted Bhamô in the distance, situated on an elevated bank -overlooking the river, the htees of its few pagodas glistening brightly -in the setting sun. To the right the high range of the Kakhyen hills -was seen stretching away in an unbroken line to the east-north-east, -and on the left a low range of undulating tree-clad hills bent round to -join the western heights of the defile. - -The almost level sweep of country, about twenty-five miles broad -between these limits, was closed in, about ten miles to the north, by -another low range, marking the upper _khyoukdwen_, or first defile, of -the Irawady. - -[1] Pronounced “Bhamaw.” - -[2] ‘Report on Eastern Frontier of British India,’ 1835. - -[3] _Vide_ ‘Selection of Papers on the Hill Tracts between Assam and -Burmah,’ Calcutta, 1873. - -[4] The Chamber of Commerce, under the able president, Mr. M’Call, -had been most active in urging the despatch of the mission, and had -subscribed £3000 for all expenses of their representatives, and for the -purchase of specimens of manufactures. - -[5] The _putzo_ is a long narrow silken cloth of a chequered pattern, -which a Burman winds round him to form a suit of clothes. The _tamein_ -is the feminine equivalent, partly of cloth, partly of silk, with a -zigzag pattern, the silken portions forming the skirt, which, according -to ancient custom, exposes one leg almost completely in walking. - -[6] These Brahmins act as royal astrologers, who are consulted on all -great occasions. The Buddhist priests took no part in the ceremonial. - -[7] It appears to be made from the leaves of _Elæodendron persicum_, -Persoön. - -[8] _Kalas_, Burmese word for “foreigners.” - -[9] See Appendix I. - -[10] At this time about one million viss of salt were annually exported -up the river from Shienpagah, finding its way chiefly to Bhamô and to -Tsitkaw, for the supply of the Kakhyens and Shans. Lately, however, -English salt is beginning to take its place, and on my last voyage -up the Irawady, one flat from Mandalay carried nothing but salt. In -order to proceed to Tsitkaw, it is transshipped at Bhamô into small -boats, which carry only five thousand viss each, as the Tapeng is a -rapid river, and rather shallow during the dry weather. On salt from -Shienpagah, a duty is levied at Malé, Yuathét, and Bhamô, in addition -to a boat tax, and when it proceeds up the Tapeng, an additional impost -has to be paid at Tsitkaw, and a boat tax at Haylone and Tsitgna. (A -_viss_ = about 3 lbs.) - -[11] Hannay, ‘Selection of Papers,’ Calcutta, 1873. - -[12] In the ecclesiastical translation of the classical localities of -Indian Buddhism to Indo-China, which is current in Burma, Yunnan is -represented by Gandhara or Kandahár. Yule’s ‘Marco Polo,’ ii. p. 59, -edition of 1874. - -[13] Colonel Yule remarks that “Tartars on the Indian frontier in those -centuries are surely to be classed with the Frenchmen whom Brennus led -to Rome” (‘Marco Polo,’ i. p. 12). - -[14] _Wallago attu_, Bloch and Schn.; _Callichrous bimaculatus_, -M’Lelland; _Macrones cavasius_, H. B.; _Macrones corsula_, H. B.; -_Labeo calbasu_, H. B.; _Labeo churchius_, H. B.; _Cirrhina mrigala_, -H. B.; _Barbus sarana_, H. B.; _Barbus apogon_, C. and V.; _Carassius -auratus_, Linn.; _Catla buchanani_, C. and V.; _Rhotee cotio_, H. B.; -_Rhotee microlepis_, Blyth; _Notopterus kapirat_, Bonn. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -BHAMÔ. - - Arrival at Bhamô--Our quarters--The town--The Woon’s house--The - Shan-Burmese--Kakhyen man-stealing--The environs--Old - Tsampenago--Legendary history--The Shuaykeenah pagodas--The Molay - river--The first defile--Delays and intrigues--Sala--The new Woon--Our - departure--Tsitkaw--Mountain muleteers--The Manloung lake--The - phoongyee’s farewell. - - -We found some difficulty in steering the long steamer through the -channels, but anchored about 5 P.M. on the 22nd of January off the -river front of Bhamô, in a very deep and broad channel. Our arrival -attracted crowds, but the whistle and rush of steam drove many into a -precipitate retreat. We had now reached our true point of departure. -Whatever had been the uncertainties of the untried navigation of the -river, the real dangers and difficulties of the attempt to penetrate -Western China were now to begin. We bore the proclamation of the king -commanding all Burmese subjects to aid us. But there was no governor -of Bhamô to execute the royal orders, and the secret intentions or -inclinations of the Burmese were yet to be tested. The difficulties -of the unknown road over the Kakhyen mountains, the hostility or -friendship of the mountaineers, and of the Shan population between them -and Yunnan, were equally untried. Moreover, though it had scarcely -been realised in all its bearings by our own British officials, -Yunnan was no longer a well ordered province of the Chinese empire; -it was disorganised by the successful rebellion of the Mahommedan -Chinese, called Panthays by the Burmese, who had established a partial -sovereignty, extending from Momien to Tali-fu. The frontier trade had -been materially interrupted, partly by the desolation caused by the -internecine warfare, and partly by the depredations of imperial Chinese -partisans. Of these, the most dreaded leader was a Burman Chinese, -known as Li-sieh-tai, a faithful officer of the old _régime_, who had -established himself on the borders of Yunnan, and waged a guerilla -war against the Panthays and their friends. His name is Li, and his -so-called small name is Chun-kwo, while from his mother having been a -Burmese, he is also known as Li-haon-mien, or Li the Burman. As having -been raised to the rank of a Sieh-tai in the Chinese army, he was -called Li-sieh-tai or Brigadier Li.[15] - -In Bhamô itself there were a number of Chinese merchants, who were -unlikely to favour any project which threatened to admit the hated -barbarians to a share of their monopoly and profits. This may give -some idea of the state of things which we found on our arrival. Our -illusions as to a speedy or easy progress were soon dissipated, and -after a formal visit from the two tsitkays, or magistrates, ruling -the northern and southern divisions of the town, it became evident -that we must prepare for a long stay at Bhamô. The royal order to -provide transport had only been received by the Woon on the eve of -his departure on his fatal expedition to Momeit. Nothing, therefore, -had been done; nor could they venture to act until the new governor -arrived. The next best thing was to insist on their carrying into -effect the royal order to build a house for us, which had not been -done. This they reluctantly performed, and in a few days a bamboo -edifice was run up close to the Woon’s house, consisting of a central -hall, with three bedrooms on either side, and a verandah at each end of -the house. A small outhouse accommodated the servants and baggage, and -the guard was quartered in an adjacent zayat; a tent pitched in front -of the house served as a refectory. Till these quarters were prepared, -we remained on board the steamer, receiving crowds of visitors. In -the press a heavy log of timber fell on a little girl and fractured -her thigh; she was at once carried on board, and the broken limb duly -set. This incident speedily established the reputation of the foreign -doctor, and for the rest of our stay patients flocked in every day, -some coming from long distances, and blind and lame eagerly expecting -to be made young and whole. A great deal of blindness had resulted -from small-pox. Ophthalmia was also prevalent. A common affection was -a form of ulcerous inflammation, chiefly on the legs, amongst those -whose occupation led them into the jungles. This was so intractable -as to incline one to attribute it to poisonous thorns; but subsequent -personal experience proved that slight bruises and abrasions are most -apt in this country to become painful and tedious. During the whole -time no case of fever was treated, nor did any occur among our party -of one hundred men. This speaks volumes for the salubrity of the place -during the dry season. The highest temperature experienced was 80° -Fahrenheit, the average maximum being not more than 66° Fahrenheit, -while the nights were very pleasant, cooling down, if we may put it -so, to fifty or forty-five degrees. Fever is rather more prevalent -during the rains, when the Irawady rolls down a huge volume of water, a -mile and half broad, and the low lands are submerged twelve to fifteen -feet.[16] - -But this is a digression somewhat professional, and it is needful to -revert to the narrative and try to give the reader some notion of our -surroundings and proceedings until we got away fairly on the march. - -Bhamô, known by the Chinese as Tsing-gai, and in Pali called Tsin-ting, -is a narrow town about one mile long, occupying a high prominence on -the left bank of the Irawady. Instead of walls, there is a stockade -about nine feet high, consisting of split trees driven side by side -into the ground and strengthened with crossbeams above and below. -This paling is further defended on the outside by a forest of bamboo -stakes fixed in the ground and projecting at an acute angle. However -formidable to barefooted natives, the stockade does not always exclude -tigers, which pay occasional visits, and during our stay killed a woman -as she sat with her companions. There are four gates, one at either end -and two on the eastern side, which are closed immediately after sunset; -a guard is stationed at the northern and southern gates, while several -look-out huts perched at intervals on the stockade are manned when -an attack of the Kakhyens is expected. The population numbers about -two thousand five hundred souls, occupying about five hundred houses, -which form three principal streets. There are many thickly wooded -by-paths, and bridges over a swamp in the centre of the town, leading -to scattered houses, dilapidated pagodas, zayats, and monasteries. - -The street following the course of the bank, with high flights of steps -ascending from the river, has a row of houses on either side, with a -row of teak planks laid in the middle to afford dry footing during the -rains. The houses of the central portion are all small one-storied -cottages, built of sun-dried bricks, with tiled concave roofs with -deep projecting eaves. Through an open window the proprietor can be -seen calmly smoking behind a little counter, for this is the Chinese -quarter, and the colony of perhaps two hundred Celestials here offer -for sale Manchester goods, Chinese yarns, ball tea, opium, Yunnan -potatoes, lead, and vermilion, &c. They also regulate the cotton -market, and the traffic in this product, which is brought both from -the south and the north, is carried on even during the rains. The head -Chinaman, who is responsible for order amongst his compatriots, is a -man of great influence. He and his fellow merchants, professing great -friendship, invited us to a grand feast and theatrical entertainment -given in the Chinese temple, or rather in the theatre which formed a -portion thereof. We entered through what was to us a novelty in this -country, a circular doorway, into a paved court. The theatrical portion -of the building was over the entrance to a second court, facing the -sanctuary, which is on a higher level. A covered terrace surrounded -the holy place on three sides, with recesses containing seated figures -nearly life size, with rubicund faces and formidable black beards and -moustaches. Each of these was carefully protected from dust by being -enshrined in a square box closed in front with gauze netting. Besides -the theatrical entertainment, which was interminable, we were regaled -with preserved fruits and confectionery, with tea and _samshu_, or rice -spirit, followed by numerous courses of pork, fowls, &c. The staple -of conversation was the dangers and impossibilities of getting through -to Yunnan; every argument they could think of to induce us to abandon -the idea of progress was then and afterwards employed. It can readily -be imagined that the Bhamô Chinese traders viewed with utter dismay -the prospect of Europeans sharing their trade; to their schemes of -hindrance we shall again recur. - -The rest of the townspeople are exclusively Shan-Burmese, living in -small houses built of teak and bamboo, all detached and raised on -piles. The Woon’s house, on a low promontory running out into the swamp -behind the Chinese quarter, was a large tumbledown timber and bamboo -structure; but its double roof and high palisade covered with bamboo -mats marked the dignity of its occupier. A small garden overrun with -weeds contained the remains of a rockery and fish-pond, and a neglected -brass cannon, under a low thatched shed, guarded either side of the -gate; in a large adjacent space stood the court-house. All the public -buildings were then in a state of dilapidation and decay; this the -inhabitants attributed to Kakhyen raids, destructive fires, decay of -trade since the Panthay wars, and misrule. Evidence was not wanting in -the numerous neglected pagodas and timber bridges, and in the ruinous -and charred remains of what must have been handsome zayats, that Bhamô, -in palmier days, deserved the eulogiums passed on it by Hannay and -other travellers. - -The Shan-Burmese seemed a peaceful, industrious class. In each house a -loom is found in the verandah, and the girls are taught to weave from -an early age. The women are always busy weaving silk or cotton putzos -and tameins, preparing yarns, husking rice, or feeding and tending -the buffaloes, besides doing their household duties. The men till -the fields, but are not so industrious as the softer sex. A few are -employed in smelting lead, and others work in gold, or smelt the silver -used as currency. To six tickals[17] of pure silver purchased from the -Kakhyens, one tickal eight annas of copper wire are added, and melted -with alloy of as much lead as brings the whole to ten tickals’ weight. -The operation is conducted in saucers of sun-dried clay bedded in paddy -husk, and covered over with charcoal. The bellows are vigorously plied, -and as soon as the mass is at a red heat, the charcoal is removed, and -a round flat brick button previously covered with a layer of moist clay -is placed on the amalgam, which forms a thick ring round the edge, to -which lead is freely added to make up the weight. As it cools, there -results a white disc of silver encircled by a brownish ring. The silver -is cleaned and dotted with cutch, and is then weighed and ready to be -cut up. Another industry is confined to the women, who make capital -chatties from a tenacious yellow clay, which overlies this portion of -the river valley, in some places forty feet thick; the earthenware is -coloured red with a ferruginous substance found in nodules embedded in -the clay. - -From the same clay, a number of Shan-Chinese from Hotha and Latha make -sun-dried bricks outside the town, and a colony of the same people -sojourn every winter at Bhamô, making _dahs_, or long knives, which -are in great demand. A number of Kakhyens are often to be seen near -the town, bringing rice, opium, silver, and pigs for sale. Their chief -object is to procure salt, for which necessary they are dependent -on Burma. They are not allowed to encamp within the town, but are -compelled to shelter themselves outside the gates, in miserable -wigwams. The Burmese assigned as a reason for their exclusion their -dread of the Kakhyen propensity for kidnapping children and even men, -and also because a small party might be the precursors of a raid.[18] -A few days after our arrival, four children who had been stolen were -recovered. One of them was brought by her mother, to show the large -round holes bored in the back of the ears as a sign of servitude. The -other three were little fat Chinese children, and adopted by the head -tsitkay. A curious illustration of their habits of man-stealing was -also afforded us. - -The Burmese interpreter found among the Kakhyens outside the town a -man who privately told him that he was a _kala_, or foreigner, who -had been ten years in slavery; having heard of the arrival of the -kalas, he anxiously desired an interview. His features showed that he -was a native of India, and his history, given in a jumble of Burmese, -Kakhyen, and Hindostani, was as follows. Deen Mahomed, a petty trader -from Midnapore, had come to Burma with nine others ten years before. -They stayed a year at Tongoo, thence making their way up as far as -Bhamô. In this neighbourhood, during a halt for cooking, all had gone -to seek firewood save Deen Mahomed and another, who were in charge -of the goods. A party of Kakhyens suddenly rushed out of the bush, -and seized both men and goods. His comrade was taken away he knew not -where, and he was carried off as a slave. A log of wood was fastened to -one of his legs, and he was further secured by ropes fastened to this, -and braced over his shoulders. This he wore for two months, during -which time he was not made to work, but was guarded by a Kakhyen. He -was then released on his promise to remain. A few days after, the -village was plundered by a hostile tribe, but he and his master escaped -to another village, where he was bartered for a buffalo to another -man. His new master treated him well, but did not allow him to leave -the hills, and after two or three years gave him a Kakhyen wife. He -had almost forgotten his native language, but not his native country. -As soon as he heard of our arrival, he resolved to ask our aid in his -deliverance. We sent him among his fellow-countrymen of the guard, who -clothed him, and he was installed as a groom, and taken with us as -an interpreter. That his story was true, we had confirmation, as his -quondam master preferred a claim for compensation for his loss. - -The country behind Bhamô runs up to the base of the mountain wall in -undulations so long as to present the general aspect of a level slope, -covered with eng trees and tall grass. For about a mile outside the -stockade, the surface is cut up by numerous deep jheels, evidently old -backwaters of the Irawady, which once flowed in a long curve, marked -by an old river bank, south-east of the town. The soil, especially in -the hollows, is very rich, giving two crops of rice annually. Numerous -legumes, yams, and melons, and a little cotton are grown, and the sandy -river islands yield capital tobacco. - -The edible fruits procurable are jacks, tamarinds, lemons, citrons, -peaches, &c., and plantains are plentiful. - -About a mile north of the town, the Tapeng river debouches into the -Irawady, after flowing twenty miles through the plain as a quiet -navigable stream, hardly recognisable as the furious torrent which -rushes through the neighbouring gorge. During the dry season, it is -one hundred and fifty to two hundred yards wide, and navigable only by -boats, which convey a constant traffic between the Irawady and Tsitkaw, -where the merchandise is transferred to and from mules. During the -rains, the Tapeng is at least five hundred yards wide, and navigable -for small river steamers up to this place. - -Occupying the angle between the two rivers, the remains of an ancient -city are still discernible, though completely overgrown by magnificent -trees and thickets of bamboo and elephant grass. The broad wall, -composed of bricks and pebbles, can be traced from the river banks -at its northern and southern extremities, which are a mile apart. We -followed one section for three quarters of a mile, and found it in some -places thirty feet high from the bottom of the moat, which is still -traceable. The ruins, which, to judge from appearances, are coeval -with those of Tagoung, mark the site of the oldest Tsampenago. This -city, according to tradition, quoted by the old phoongyee at Bhamô, -flourished in the days of Gaudama. There is yet another ruined city of -the same name on the other side of the Tapeng, which does not present -the same appearance of great antiquity. Twelve miles to the east of -Bhamô are the ruins of another city named Kuttha, while Bhamô itself -has a predecessor in the village called Old Bhamô, near the foot of -the Kakhyen hills, the former importance of which is witnessed by its -ruined pagodas. Here too is that old brick building mentioned by Dr. -Bayfield as probably the remains of the old English factory erected in -the beginning of the seventeenth century. We have little but conjecture -to guide us as to the vicissitudes of these ancient cities of the -Shan kingdom of Pong. As elsewhere in Burma, each new founder of a -dynasty seems to have transferred the seat of power to a new site. But -the legend of the origin of Tsampenago, of which the history of Bhamô -is a continuation, may be more interesting than dryasdust details of -antiquity.[19] - -Tsampenago is the Burmese form of a Pali name, Champa-nagara, from -_nagam_, town, and Champa, the seat of a powerful kingdom, flourishing -in the era of Gaudama, the ruins of which are still visible near -Bhaugulpore, on the Ganges. Tsampenago, then, means the city of Champa. - -The founder and first king of Tsampenago was Tsitta, and his queen’s -name was Wattee. They were childless, which was a cause of great -grief, and the queen prayed earnestly for an heir. A son was promised -to her by a dream, in which the king of the Devas presented her with -a valuable gem. Soon after this, the king’s brother Kuttha rebelled, -and attacked the city with a great army. The king and queen fled for -their lives to Wela, a mountain three thousand feet high, a day’s -journey north of Tsampenago. They were pursued, but the queen escaped -and was preserved by the nats, on the mountain, where her son was -born and named Welatha. The king was taken prisoner and confined in -chains. When Welatha was six years old, he saw his mother in tears, -and by questioning her learned that he was a prince, and his father -a captive. When he was seven, his mother yielded to his importunity, -and sent him, with her royal ornaments, to visit his father. On -approaching Tsampenago, he met his father being led out to execution. -The brave boy stopped the procession, and revealed himself, offering -to die instead of his father. Kuttha ordered him to be thrown into -the Irawady. But the river rose in tremendous waves, the earth shook, -and the executioners could not, for terror, obey the royal order. -This being reported to Kuttha, he ordered that the prince should be -trodden to death by wild elephants, but the beasts could not be goaded -to attack him. A deep pit was dug and filled with burning fuel, into -which the prince was cast, but the flames came on him like cool water, -and the burning fagots became lilies. When Kuttha heard this, in his -fury he had the young prince taken down to the Deva-faced mountain -(second defile), and cast from the great precipice into the river, but -he was caught up by a naga, and carried away to the naga country. The -earth quaked, many thunderbolts fell, the Irawady rolled up its waves, -and broke down its banks. Kuttha was seized with terror, and as he -fled forth of the city gate, the earth opened and swallowed him up. -Thereupon, the nagas brought back the young prince and his father, and -they reigned jointly. Their first care was to seek for the queen, but -on approaching the mountain of Wela, the flowers were few, and their -fragrance gone, and the queen was found dead. History says nothing of -their after reign, but records that in the 218th year of the Buddhist -sacred era, in obedience to the command of the universal monarch, four -pagodas were built in the kingdom of Tsampenago--the Shuaykeenah, -the Bhamô Shuay-za-tee; Koung-ting, and two others. The next item of -history states that in the year 400 of the era (probably the vulgar -era of 638 A.D.) the succession of kings being destroyed, and the -glory of the former rulers having departed, the tsawbwa Tholyen did -not dare to live in the city; so he founded a new one at the village -of Manmau, and made it his capital. Now _man_ is Shan for village, and -_mau_ for a pot; thus Bhamô, or Manmau, signifies Potters’ Village, a -name still justified by the pottery there manufactured. How Tsampenago -was destroyed, is not historically certain, but a tradition exists -among the Shans, that it was overthrown by an army of Singphos from -the north-west. After Tholyen, twenty-three tsawbwas are said to have -ruled in succession at Bhamô over a district comprising one hundred and -thirty-six villages. The succession was then broken, and the country -was ruled by Shan deputies. After this, tsawbwas were obtained from -Momeit, who ruled over Bhamô till Oo-Myat-bung and his family were -made slaves by the great Alompra about 1760. Ever since, the district -has been governed by myo-woons appointed by the king of Burma. The -first, Thoonain, settled the boundaries of the district, including only -eighty-eight villages, the eastern and north-eastern boundaries being -given as China. - -The legend of Tsampenago records the erection of the Shuaykeenah -pagoda, the name of which at least is preserved to the present day -by the group of pagodas situated on an eminence north of Tsampenago. -These are still the holy places of the neighbourhood, and are thronged -with pilgrims at the March festival. The great gilded pagoda has been -re-edified by royal bounty and popular offerings, but others are from -time to time added by private votaries. Thus it was our good fortune to -witness the laying the foundation of a votive pagoda at Shuaykeenah. -A small square of ground, the exact size of the base of the intended -pagoda, was railed off by a fantastic bamboo fence, two feet high, -decorated with flowers and paper flags. A wooden pin, covered with -silver tinsel, and bearing a lighted yellow taper, was fixed in the -centre, and another about two feet from the south-eastern corner of the -level plot; round the first a quadrangular trench, and a deep hole by -the side of the other were dug and sprinkled with water. Eight bricks, -each the exact size of one side of the trench, were prepared. On four -the name of Gaudama was inscribed in black paint; on the others, a -leaf of gold was placed on the centre of one, silver on the second, a -square of green paint on the third, and red on the fourth, each having -a border of green. A round earthen vase containing gold, silver, and -precious stones, besides rice and sweetmeats, was closed with wax in -which a lighted taper was stuck, and deposited in the south-east hole, -by the builder of the pagoda, who repeated a long prayer, while the -earth was filled in and sprinkled with water. This was an offering to -the great earth serpent, in the direction of whose abode the south-east -corner pointed. It is an interesting relic of the snake worship once so -prevalent among the Shan race to the south, which, like nat worship, -has been incorporated in Buddhism. Another instance is afforded in -some of the Yunnan shrines, where the canopy over Buddha is supported -by many-headed snakes, as occurs in some Indian temples. In the next -part of the ceremony, the depositing of the bricks in the trench, the -Shan was assisted by his grandmother, wife, and daughter; he knelt -at the north, faced by his wife, his daughter on his right hand, and -the grandmother on the left. The silvered brick, with a lighted taper -on it, was handed to the old woman, who raised it over her head, -and, devoutly murmuring a long prayer, placed it in the trench; the -wife did the same with the red brick and its taper, and the daughter -followed with the green, while her father took the gold one. The -girl, in raising her brick, burst out laughing, amused, as we were -told, at having forgotten her prayers. The four bricks having been -properly deposited, the others were next laid in order, the sacred name -downwards, and a layer of cloth spread over all. Earth was then thrown -in and sprinkled with water, and the hole having been filled up, the -ceremony was over. - -Four miles above Shuaykeenah and the mouth of the Tapeng, the Irawady -receives the waters of the Molay. It is a narrow stream, rising in the -Kakhyen hills, with a course of ninety-six miles, for thirty of which -it is navigable during the rains, and a small boat traffic exists, -chiefly for the conveyance of salt. - -While our leader was engaged planning for our departure with the -officials, three of us made a hurried excursion to the first -_khyoukdwen_, or defile. This portion of the river commences a few -miles above Bhamô, and extends for twenty-five miles, nearly to Tsenbo. - -Between these two points the river flows under high wooded banks. -At the lower entrance, the channel is one thousand yards broad, but -gradually narrows to five hundred, two hundred, and even seventy yards, -as the parallel ranges approach each other. As we ascended, the hills -rose higher and closed in, rising abruptly from the stream and throwing -out a succession of grand rocky headlands. We moored for the night off -a Phwon village standing on a cliff eighty feet high, just above the -first so-called rapids. The next day, after we had proceeded about -seven miles, we came to a reach in which the river flowed sluggishly -between two high conical hills, which seemed to present no outlet. The -quiet motion and deep olive black hue of the water suggested great -depth.[20] - -[Illustration: ROCKY BARRIER ON THE FIRST OR UPPER DEFILE OF THE -IRAWADY.] - -This reach extended about one mile and a half, with a breadth of two -hundred and fifty yards, closing in at the upper end, where the channel -is broken up by rocks jutting out boldly, and approaching each other -within eighty yards. A pagoda, apparently of great age, perched on a -small isolated rock, rising about forty-five feet from the stream, -seemed to indicate the limit of the rising of the waters, as it could -not have withstood the flood. This rocky reach stretches a mile in a -north-north-westerly direction, and terminates abruptly in an elbow, -from which another clear reach, overhung by precipitous but grassy -hills, extends east-north-east. - -This bend of the river is one of the most dangerous parts, owing to -numerous insulated greenstone rocks which stretch across it, exposed -twenty feet and more in February. Owing to the sudden bend, the current -rushes between them with great violence, but we found no difficulty in -effecting a passage for our boats. Telling evidences were not wanting -in the high-water mark, twenty-five feet above the then level, and in -the shivered trunks of large trees and debris of branches heaped in -wild confusion among the rocks, that the body of water pouring through -the narrow gorge must in the rains be enormous and of terrific power. -The navigation, with the present obstructions unremoved, would be -impossible for river steamers, but engineering skill could speedily -render the water way practicable if desired for traffic. We had not -time to ascend to the northern entrance of the defile, where the river, -unconfined by the hills, is again a majestic stream half a mile in -width. We could only look, and long for an opportunity of exploring its -course upwards to the unknown regions whence it rolls down its mighty -flood. The problem of the Irawady’s source and course has yet to be -solved; but we had to return to Bhamô, expecting the solution of our -perplexities, as to how and when we should reach Yunnan. - -Four weeks had now been spent by our leader in a fruitless attempt -to get the tsitkays to assist in making the necessary arrangements. -What between the novelty of their first introduction to enterprising -Englishmen, their dread of acting till the Woon arrived, and last, -though not least, their fear of offending the influential Chinese, -they could do nothing, nor give any information. As the arrival of -large Shan caravans and companies of trading Kakhyens proved, all -routes were not closed. The magistrates admitted a small trade existed -by the Tapeng and Ponline route; by this route it was decided that -we should go. It soon became known to our leader that the Chinese -merchants, failing to deter us from proceeding, had taken more active -measures. They had written to the Kakhyen tsawbwas, desiring them to -withhold assistance, and they further intrigued with the imperialist -officer Li-sieh-tai, who at this time threatened the road to Momien -and Tali-fu, entreating him to cut off the expedition _en route_. The -turning-point of our fortunes had now arrived. We could gain no exact -information as to the political relations of the Shans, and only knew -that the Panthay government extended to Momien, which was believed to -be the residence of Mahommedan chiefs of importance. - -Major Sladen, with promptness and decision, resolved, unknown to all, -to outwit the Chinese. He despatched letters to the chiefs of Momien, -explaining the peaceful objects of the mission, and the approbation -given to it by the Burmese government under our treaty, and pointing -out the advantages of opening the direct trade. These letters, with -copies of the treaty and proclamation, were secretly sent off by three -Kakhyens from the southern hills, who had attached themselves to our -interest. - -The next character claiming our attention was Sala, the Kakhyen chief -of Ponline, who came to Bhamô at the request of Sladen, after refusing -to comply with the order of the tsitkays. He visited us attired as -a mandarin of the blue button, and attended by six or eight armed -followers. He carried a gold umbrella, which he had received from the -king of Burma, with the title of _papada raza_, or mountain king. There -was nothing regal in his aspect or bearing. He was a tall, thin man, -with a contracted chest, long neck, very small and retreating forehead, -while his oval and repulsive visage was adorned with high cheek-bones, -oblique eyes, and a depression instead of a nose. During the interview, -when all the Burmese officials were present, he sat ill at ease, -with his eyes bent on the floor. We received him as an independent -chief, with the escort drawn up under arms in his honour. But little -information was procured, as the interpreter, a village tamone, could -not be persuaded to give correct versions of the chief’s short and -almost monosyllabic answers. So Sladen brought the interview to a -pleasant close by offering a friendly cup of _eau de vie_. This seemed -to suit the chief, and he and his retinue finished a bottle of brandy, -and asked for more. His parting words were, “Remember the brandy, and -send it to me quickly.” - -The following day, at a private interview, the chief threw off his -former reserve, which he said had been forced on him, as he could not -afford to offend the Bhamô Chinese. It was his own wish to assist the -mission, but he stipulated for a small Burmese escort, to show that -we had the full support of the king. He engaged to assemble a hundred -mules at Tsitkaw, a village on the right bank of the Tapeng twenty-one -miles distant; thence he undertook to conduct us safely to Manwyne, the -first Chinese Shan town, and boasted himself as the greatest chief on -the route, and on good terms with all the tsawbwas. - -The new Woon arrived on the 20th of February, but declined to land for -three days, as they were _dies nefasti_. In the meantime he sent word -that we might have boats to take the baggage to Tsitkaw, but advised -us to wait until he had fired his guns, and brought in the various -Kakhyen chiefs. The day after his landing, Sladen, with Sala, visited -him, and the Ponline chief asked for a Burmese guard, alleging as a -precedent that a guard had been sent up with the king’s cotton. The -Woon, however, declared it to be quite unnecessary and uncalled for, -and told the chief that the cases were quite different. The tsawbwa -then consented to take us on without the guard, but told the Woon that -he had received threatening letters from the Chinese. The Woon admitted -his knowledge of the Chinese opposition, and promised to admonish -the head Chinaman at Bhamô that he would be held responsible for our -safety. The morning after the Woon arrived, he proceeded in state to -the court-house, escorted by two hundred men. He wore the fantastic -dress of a Burmese prince, a short tight richly coloured coat covered -with gold tinsel, with two enormous wing-like epaulettes, and a tall -gilt hat like a fireman’s helmet, surmounted by a pagoda-like spire. -His appointment was read, and the guns fired, after an hour had been -spent in driving home the powder and cartridge of green plantain -leaf. Our baggage was despatched the next day, but two difficulties -remained. We had no Kakhyen interpreters, and the rupees, which were -said to be useless in the Shan country, had not been changed, for no -country silver was to be found in Bhamô, a mysterious and suggestive -fact. But these were not held sufficient to delay our departure, -which took place on the morning of the 26th of February. Our want -of a guide was removed by an accidental meeting in the street with -the head jailor, a good-natured Shan, whom Sladen induced to guide -us to Tsitkaw, promising to screen him from any displeasure of the -authorities. Although the distance is only twenty-one miles, the loss -of time caused by ferrying our party of one hundred men over the Tapeng -compelled us to halt at the village of Tahmeylon, where we put up in a -small monastery. Early the next morning we started, skirting the Tapeng -through tall grass, with occasional rice clearings. At the junction of -the Manloung river with the Tapeng, a number of ruined pagodas marked -the site of the second town of Tsampenago, built at a much later date -than that near Bhamô. - -By noon we reached Tsitkaw, and were received inside the low stockade -by the Burmese officials and a miserable guard armed with rusty flint -muskets, who garrison this as a customs station. We were conducted -to a small barn-like zayat, which had been cleaned out for our use. -Inquisitive natives speedily sought to force their way in, and had -to be kept at bay by armed sentinels, though with caution. And we -were requested to have a guard under arms all night, to protect our -property against thieves, and perhaps ourselves against tigers, which -occasionally overleap the stockade. In the morning, the Kakhyen -_tsawbwas_, or chiefs, and _pawmines_, or headmen, of Ponline, Tahlone, -Ponsee, and Seray, through whose lands lay the route to Manwyne, -appeared to take charge of ourselves and baggage. As the Shan-Burmese -of Tsitkaw and other villages near the hills keep on good terms -with the highlanders, the chiefs showed no timidity of the Burmese -officials; they made themselves quite at home, and asked for brandy; -under its genial influence a formal assent was soon given to our -passage through their territories. - -The first process was to collect all our baggage, that it might be -passed in review, and divided into small loads. Outside Tsitkaw, we had -passed an enclosure in which were about a hundred men, chiefly Shans, -with a few Kakhyens. These fellows had jeered at us in passing, and it -was by no means reassuring to learn that this unmannerly mob consisted -of the mule owners, as restive and untractable as their beasts. Each -man owned from one to a dozen mules, and looked after his own interests -without regard either to his employer’s or the rest of the caravan. -The consequent shouting, disputing, and almost fighting that ensued -as each helped himself to the packages that seemed desirable baffled -description. At last all the baggage was distributed in little heaps, -and each man marked off the number of mules required on a primitive -tally, formed from a piece of bamboo, which he broke across into a -corresponding number of joints, and put up carefully against the day of -reckoning. - -The next morning witnessed another scene of confusion and quarrelling, -as the panniers or pack-saddles were brought in order to have the -loads adjusted. The packs are secured to cross-trees, which fit into -transverse pieces of wood, fixed in the saddles; and a band passed -in front of the mule’s shoulders keeps all firm in its place. When -the burdens had been arranged, it appeared that there were more mules -than loads, and the disappointed proprietors furiously disputed the -possession of their lots with their more fortunate competitors; hands -were repeatedly laid on the hilt of the dah, but all ended in bluster, -and finally the loads were arranged. When all seemed ready for the -morrow’s starting, the _choung-oke_, or bailiff of the river, appeared -on the scene, accompanied by several Kakhyens, and informed us that -March 1st, being the 9th of some Kakhyen month, was an altogether -ill-omened day to commence any undertaking. This Burmese official -further confidentially informed Sladen that there was a quarrel brewing -between the muleteers and the chiefs, which would break out before -long; but he was disconcerted by the prompt action of the leader, who -sent for the chiefs, and, assuring them of his confidence, said that -he would abide by their arrangements for the transport. To this they -replied that we were their brothers, and that they would be true to us -for ever. The enforced delay at this place enabled us to make a short -excursion to the Manloung lake, about one mile and a half distant. -I went all round it in a small canoe, which held three people with -difficulty. The western bank is high and wooded, but broken by two -channels, through which the Manloung stream issues, uniting below a -small island, on which stands a Shan village of the same name. Besides -this, there is another island, and a village named Moungpoo. The high -bank is continued on the north, beyond the lake, as a prominent ridge -covered with tall trees, extending in a bold sweep to the foot of the -hills; it appeared evidently to be an old river bank, and that the -lake marks what was once the course of the Tapeng. The Manloung stream -falls into a remarkable offshoot of the main river, which afterwards -rejoins the Tapeng by several channels. This stream is deep and rapid, -and supplies several irrigating water-wheels. The lake is two miles -long and a mile broad, and according to native accounts very deep. To -the east extended a succession of swamps, hidden under a luxuriant -growth of high grass; careful search discovered no springs or streams -as sources of supply, although doubtless the former exist, as there is -a constant outflowing of water. It is probably also a reservoir, filled -annually by the overflow of the Tapeng, which during the rainy season -frequently floods the level plain to a depth of two feet for some days -at a time, the flood suddenly rising and as suddenly subsiding. - -Manloung contained about eighty houses, and the women at this time were -all busily engaged in weaving cloth from cotton procured from the -Kakhyens, who grow it on the hills. The village boasted of a large and -flourishing monastery, far superior to any to be seen at Bhamô, and -with a large number of resident pupils. The dormitory was exhibited -with pride by the chief phoongyee; the beds were neatly arranged -along one side of the room, each possessing a nice clean mattress and -coverlet and superior mosquito curtains. - -Thence we returned to Tsitkaw, where the filthy disregard of decency -exhibited by the drunken highland chiefs, which we were obliged to -tolerate, made our enforced sojourn still more insupportable; and an -additional source of anxiety was furnished by the information, imparted -by Sala, that Moung Shuay Yah, our Chinese interpreter, was really in -collusion with the hostile Chinese. - -Daylight on the 2nd of March saw us all on the _qui vive_ in -expectation of an early start, but the mule-men, at nine o’clock, had -not eaten their rice, and then came a demand for an advance of mule -hire; a previous request for salt to be distributed to the people of -villages _en route_ had been complied with, but no sooner had the -baskets containing it been brought in front of the house than the -men helped themselves at discretion, and no more was heard of it. An -hour was now spent in the distribution of five hundred rupees, which -were laid out on a mat, while the eagerness with which the recipients -gathered round and handled the silver spoke volumes as to their greed -for coin. One of the tsawbwas had been seen eagerly watching Sladen’s -private cash-chest, and asked in the most pressing manner to be allowed -to take charge of it, while another dogged the footsteps of Captain -Bowers’ servant, endeavouring to coax him into entrusting his master’s -fowling-piece to his care. - -During the morning the phoongyee of an adjoining khyoung arrived to -say farewell. He had been a constant visitor, and the kind reception -given him, and the toleration of his curiosity, which showed itself by -wandering about and prying into everything, had quite won his heart. He -was far superior to the usual run of Shan phoongyees, who, according -to Burmese Buddhism, are lax and unorthodox in practice and doctrine. -He spent much of his time in missionary visits to the ruder villages, -whose inhabitants he hoped to convert to conformity with stricter -religious rules. By way of a parting gift he presented each of us with -some sweet scented powder and a few fragrant seeds or pellets, which he -declared to be a sovereign remedy for headache or fever, “contracted by -smelling culinary operations!” His advice to Sladen at parting was so -shrewd and characteristic as to deserve quoting. “We have met before in -a former existence, and it is by virtue of meritorious acts there done -that I am privileged to meet you again in the present life, and advise -you for your welfare. Wisdom and prudence are necessary in all worldly -undertakings; use then special care and circumspection in your present -expedition; your enemies are numerous and powerful. We shall all hail -the reopening of the overland trade with China. The prosperity of the -priesthood depends on the condition of the country and the people; what -is good for them is also good for religion.” - -[15] A distinguished continental Chinese scholar has informed me that -this title is a civil one, denoting commissioner. In the absence of the -Chinese characters, the exact title of this functionary cannot be given. - -[16] The meteorological registers kept at the British Residency show -the annual rainfall at Bhamô to be 65 inches. - -[17] One _tickal_ = rather more than half an ounce troy. - -[18] Since the date of this visit, rest-houses have been erected for -the Kakhyens by the Burmese authorities, and also by the British -Resident; and some of these natives are always to be found temporarily -occupying them. - -[19] For this the writer is indebted to the learning and industry of the -late Rev. Dr. Mason. - -[20] Bayfield found no bottom at twenty-five fathoms. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -KAKHYEN HILLS. - - Departure from Tsitkaw--Our cavalcade--The hills--A false - alarm--Talone--First night in the hills--The tsawbwa-gadaw--Ponline - village--A death dance--The divination--A meetway--Nampoung gorge--A - dangerous road--Lakong bivouac--Arrival at Ponsee--A Kakhyen coquette. - - -Almost at the last moment before setting out, while lists of the -muleteers were being taken, in order to ascertain their respective -chiefs, so as to know who should be held responsible, in case of -default or robbery, the tsawbwas of Ponsee and Talone discovered -that Sala, when at Bhamô, had received a musket as a present. Their -informant was the treacherous Moung Shuay Yah, who instigated them -to stand on their dignity and demand a similar gift. Compliance was -impossible, so they refused their services, and prowled about in -sneaking silence, ostentatiously taking lists of ourselves and of our -baggage. By two o’clock a start was fairly effected, although our -arrangements were by no means as complete as they might have been; -but as it was settled that we should only proceed as far as Ponline -village, about twelve miles distant, it was better to start than risk -further delay. There was something outrageously wild in the irregular -confusion of our exodus from Tsitkaw, which, though perhaps orderly -according to Kakhyen ideas, presented no trace of system to our -uninformed minds. The three Kakhyen chiefs led the way, followed by the -unwieldy cash-chest, borne by eight men, and guarded by four sepoys; -then came the long straggling caravan of a hundred and twenty mules, -travelling just as it suited the peculiarities of each beast and its -driver. Our police escort marched steadily on, headed by the jemadar, -at whose side appeared his wife, looking like a true _vivandière_, -her slim figure becomingly attired in a blue silk padded jacket, and -trousers tucked up to the knee, with a red silk handkerchief for -head-dress; with a Burmese dah and bag slung over her shoulders, and -her shoes tied behind her back, she was evidently prepared for all -dangers and fatigues. - -We mounted our ponies and rode forward over the level plain before -us; stretching north-east and south-west, rose the long undulating -outline of the Kakhyen mountains, broken here and there by huge domes -or pointed peaks, rising to five and six thousand feet. On our right -flowed the Tapeng, gradually calming its waters into a placid stream, -after having emerged as a foaming torrent from the mountain barrier. -At the village of Hentha the route diverged from the river, and half -a mile further we passed the long, straggling, but populous village -of Old Bhamô, embosomed in a dense grove of bamboos and forest trees. -Outside the village stood a solitary and almost ruined pagoda, the -advanced outpost, on this side the river, of Burmese Buddhism, for none -of these religious edifices are found among the Kakhyen hills. - -Four miles’ ride through a succession of level swampy patches of paddy -clearings, and grassy fields intersected by deep nullahs, brought us to -the village of Tsihet, on slightly undulating ground. At this point the -route turned almost at right angles, to ascend the hills, and here the -three tsawbwas were seated in deep and excited consultation, apparently -waiting for us. We had outstripped most of the convoy, and as Sladen -rode up, Sala exclaimed, pointing to the hill-path, “All right, go on, -and don’t be afraid.” His words were less intelligible than those of -the Talone tsawbwa, who asked in an injured tone, “When are you going -to give me that gun?” - -We ascended about five hundred feet, over a series of rounded hills, -distinct from the main range, but connected with it by spurs, up the -slope of one of which we were slowly climbing, when a shot was heard -in front. Sladen, the superior powers of whose pony had taken him -ahead, waited until the others joined him, and another shot and then -four reports together were heard, but no bullet whizzed near. A spear -was picked up in the path, which a Burmese syce alleged to have been -thrown from the jungle at the passing travellers; but his evidence was -doubtful. - -We all proceeded as if nothing had happened, but our Kakhyens, some -fifty of whom were ahead, gathered round, flourishing their dahs and -yelling like fiends, to assure us of their determination to protect us. -A little further on we came upon two Kakhyens of our party, standing -in an open by the roadside, one armed with a cross-bow and poisoned -arrows, and the other with a flint musket. By signs they tried to -convey to us that some evil-disposed mountaineers had hidden themselves -at this spot, and had fired on them, but that on their returning the -fire, the enemy had “bolted” down the hillside. We had our own opinion -that the supposed attack was an ingenious ruse to try our mettle, and -that most of the shots were fired by our half intoxicated muleteers, -who evinced no sort of fear or misgiving. One of them, mounted on a -mule, and armed with a long dah and matchlock, proved himself more -dangerous as a friend than all the supposed enemies. He kept rushing -backwards and forwards on a path scarcely wide enough in some places -for a single pony; now he flourished his long sword in a reckless -manner, and then fired his matchlock over the head of Sladen, who -was in front, reloading and firing over his shoulder with a rapidity -wonderful in a man so drunk as to be beyond reason. Judicious praises -of his dexterity and a promise to refill his powder-horn at the -next village were necessary to prevent him from becoming suddenly -quarrelsome and dangerous. - -From the summit of the spur fifteen hundred feet high, we descended -by a rough, slippery path, the bed of a dried-up watercourse, to a -level glen of rich alluvial land, and thence climbed another spur to a -height of two thousand feet, whence a slight descent brought us to a -long ridge, on which were situated the villages of Talone and Ponline. -Approaching the first-named, we were requested to dismount, as Kakhyen -etiquette does not admit of riding past a village. We led our ponies -through a grassy glade, surrounded by high trees, and sacred to the -nats. At one side stood a row of bamboo posts, varying in height from -six to twenty feet, split at the top into four pieces, supporting small -shelves to serve as altars for the offerings of cooked rice, fowls, -and sheroo, wherewith the demons are propitiated. Before each altar -were placed large bundles of grass, and a few old men were kneeling, -muttering a low chant. - -Leaving Talone on an eminence to our left, we remounted and descended -a little distance through deep ravines, in secondary spurs, and, after -a short ascent, traversed a tolerably level pathway, and another short -rise brought us to our halting-place, the village of Ponline, lying -two thousand three hundred feet above the sea. The rocks exposed were -all metamorphic, consisting chiefly of a grey gneiss or red granite, -and a hornblendic mica schist, huge rounded boulders of which latter -were strewn on the hillsides. The hills were covered with a dense tree -forest, largely intermixed with bamboos. It was already dusk when we -arrived, but the moon shone brightly, and a pawmine conducted us to a -house, swept and made ready for us. Like all Kakhyen houses, it was an -oblong bamboo structure, with closely matted sides, raised on piles -three feet from the ground. The roof thatched with grass sloped to -within four feet from the ground; the eaves, propped by bamboo posts, -formed a portico, used as a stable at night for ponies, pigs, and -fowls, and as a general lounge by day. Notched logs served as stairs -to ascend to the doorway in the gable end. On one side of the interior -was a common hall, running the whole length of the building. On the -other was a series of small rooms, divided from each other by bamboo -partitions; a second doorway or opening at the further end was, as we -afterwards learned, reserved for the use of members of the family, -or household, none others being allowed to enter thereby, on pain of -offence to the household nats. Chimneys and windows there were none, -and the walls and roofs were blackened with smoke. In the common hall -and in each room there was an open hearth sunk a little below the -flooring, the closely laid bamboo work being covered with a layer of -hard-pressed earth. - -Only a portion of the baggage mules had arrived, and the bedding of -several members of the party was among the missing property. Rumours -were also afloat that robbers had succeeded in driving off eight -mules, if not more, and altogether the first night in Kakhyen land -seemed to some of the party inauspicious; but we made the best of it, -and, having taken possession of our strange quarters, were presently -joined by Williams, who had been detained taking the altitudes. He -contributed the news that after leaving Talone a shot had been fired at -Sala, who was in front of him. We strolled out in the pleasant night -air, and admired an animated group of fair Kakhyens, busily pounding -rice by moonlight. The paddy was placed in a rude mortar, or rather a -cavity hollowed out in a log, and two girls stood opposite each other -wielding heavy poles, four feet long. These were plied alternately, the -heavy dull thud of the pestle forming a bass to the treble of a low -musical cry, emitted at each stroke by the fair operators, while their -bell girdles tinkled a pleasant accompaniment. These girdles marked -their rank, only the daughters of chiefs being allowed to wear these -musical ornaments. - -An old woman beckoned Sladen to follow her, and conducted him to -a house, which proved to be that of Sala, who received him most -hospitably, making him share his carpet, while his guide, the tsawbwa’s -wife, and her family brought successive relays of bamboo buckets, -filled with _sheroo_, or Kakhyen beer. - -At last, having divided what bedding there was, we settled ourselves -to sleep, leaving it for the morrow to confirm or dissipate the fears -excited by the non-arrival of guard, cash-chest, and baggage. - -Our slumbers were, however, disturbed by loud shouts, repeated from -height to height, which seemed to be the “All’s well!” of native -guards, posted round the village to watch over our safety. - -In the morning a large capon and a supply of beer arrived, as a present -from the chieftainess, and later on she herself with her daughters and -retinue came in state. She was a short matronly-looking woman, with -an intelligent expression of countenance and good features, but for -her high cheek-bones and slightly Chinese eyes. Her costume was of -course the perfection of highland full dress, and, though singular, by -no means unbecoming. The head-dress was the most striking part of it, -consisting of blue cloth, wound round and round in a sort of turban, so -as to form an inverted cone, towering at least eighteen inches above -her head. Her upper garment was a sleeveless black velvet jacket, -ornamented with a row of large embossed silver buttons running round -the neck and continued down the front; besides these, circular plates -of chased and enamelled silver, three inches in diameter, arranged -in rows down the front and back seams and around the skirt, made the -garment almost resemble a cuirass. The dress was completed by a single -kilt-like petticoat, composed of a dark blue cotton cloth, with a broad -red woollen border, wound round the hips, and reaching a little below -the knee. One end was tastefully worked with deep silken embroidery, -and carefully disposed, so as to hang gracefully on one side. A -profusion of fine ratan girdles round the waist supported the kilt and -filled up the void between it and the jacket; and, by way of stockings, -a close-fitting series of black ratan rings encircled her legs below -the knee. Her rank was marked by two large silver hoops round her -neck, and a necklace of short cylinders of some red clayey material, -intermixed with amber and ivory beads. These cumbrous ornaments are -permitted only to the wives and daughters of tsawbwas and pawmines. -Two silver bracelets on each arm, and long silver tubes worn in the -lobes of the ears, completed her splendour. Her little daughters, -besides the distinctive girdles of black beads, and silver bells, each -containing a small free pellet, which tinkled pleasantly to every -motion of the wearer, wore broad waist-belts ornamented with several -rows of cowrie shells. Our visitor brought us goose eggs and sheroo, -and apologised for not having more to offer, but promised to send us -every day something to eat. Her goodwill was rewarded by presents of -silk handkerchiefs and red cloth, and a gorgeous table-cloth, the -splendour of which and her joy, when Sladen presented it to her, left -her perfectly speechless. - -[Illustration: KAKHYEN WOMEN.] - -During the day the missing mules and baggage began to arrive, -the drivers having camped for the night at various places in the -neighbourhood, and early in the afternoon the guard marched in, but -without the cash-chest. The jemadar reported that he had remained -in charge of it at Talone, where he had been obliged to leave it, -together with the missing eight mules and their loads. The tsawbwa, who -with his people and the Chinese interpreter, Moung Shuay Yah, had spent -the night in drinking, refused to let either cash-chest or baggage -proceed. The guard had been unable to obtain any food till before -starting this morning, and one of the sepoys who had rashly indulged in -excessive draughts of water had been seized with sickness, and died in -two hours. - -On the receipt of this news of the unaccountable conduct of the -Talone chief and Moung Shuay Yah, Sala despatched his own son with -positive orders for the instant release of the porters and drivers, -and pending their arrival, we sallied forth to view the village and -its surroundings. The houses were situated at short distances from -each other in a deep hollow, thickly wooded with magnificent oaks and -a few palms (Corypha), and very fine screw-pines, or _pandani_, one -fallen stem of the former being fully sixty feet in length. Immediately -over the village towered a bold rounded summit of the main range two -thousand feet above us, halfway up the side of which a large conical -Khakyen grave formed a prominent object; in shape it so strongly -resembled a Burmese pagoda as to suggest an imitation. In the village -very fine plantains were cultivated, and the sides of the spurs below -were extensively cleared for rice and other crops. From the ground -behind the tsawbwa’s house, we obtained a splendid view of the lofty -hills on the southern side of the Tapeng valley, many of which -appeared to rise to a height of six thousand feet above the river, -cultivated and dotted with villages almost to the very summits. - -In the course of our ramble we were attracted to one house by the -sound of drumming; outside the portico, some men were sitting cooking -chickens, which had been merely stripped of their feathers, but not -otherwise cleaned. Having asked and obtained permission, we entered -the common hall, round which men, women, and children were dancing, -each carrying a small stick, with which they beat time, as they circled -round with measured steps, curiously combining a prance and a side -shuffle. The instrumentalists were a man and a girl, who vigorously -beat a pair of drums, while ever and anon the dancers burst out into -loud yells, and quickened the speed of their evolutions. We at first -sat gravely on the logs, brought by a smiling girl, but were presently -invited by signs to take our places in the dance; accordingly we stood -up and went round, but had scarcely taken two turns when the whole -party rushed, yelling loudly, out of the house, the leader flourishing -his stick wildly, as though clearing the way. Much puzzled, we returned -into the house, and found the corpse of a child, laid in a corner -carefully screened off, and the poor mother wailing bitterly by its -side. The festivity turned out to be the death dance, to drive away -the departed spirit from hovering near its late tenement, and our -exertions were believed to have mainly contributed to the speedy and -happy result; so at least we were made to understand by our hosts, -who hastened to refresh us with sheroo, served in cups ingeniously -improvised out of plantain leaves. We paid our footing in silver, and -departed with a feeling that even the _entente cordiale_ we desired to -establish with the Kakhyens hardly demanded an active participation in -death-dances. - -The next day Sala’s son arrived with the cash-chest and the missing -mules from Talone; but the boxes had been opened, Sladen and Bowers -had each lost a canteen, well stocked with knives and forks, and the -mule-men had further helped themselves to all eatables. They had, -however, shown a laudable consideration, for in one of Stewart’s cases -was a bottle of port wine, which they had opened by pushing in the -cork; not relishing the contents, they had carefully cut and fixed in a -wooden stopper to prevent waste! - -Sladen assembled Sala and the other chiefs, and distributed salt, -cloth, and some yellow silk handkerchiefs, which were highly prized. -Sala delivered a public exhortation, enjoining fidelity on all; in -private he communicated the necessity of propitiating the nats, and -requested our attendance at a ceremony which was to take place that -night, for the purpose of ascertaining the will of the demons, by the -medium of a _meetway_, or diviner. - -Accordingly after dinner we all adjourned to the hall of the tsawbwa’s -new house, and, reclining on mats brought by his wife, chatted for -some time with the chiefs and headmen assembled round the fire. - -The meetway now entered, and seated himself on a small stool, in one -corner, which had been freshly sprinkled with water; he then blew -through a small tube, and, throwing it from him with a deep groan, at -once fell into an extraordinary state of tremor, every limb quivered, -and his feet beat a literal “devil’s tattoo” on the bamboo flooring. He -groaned as if in pain, tore his hair, passed his hands with maniacal -gestures over his head and face, then broke into a short wild chant -interrupted with sighs and groans, his features appearing distorted -with madness or rage, while the tones of his voice changed to an -expression of anger and fury. During this extraordinary scene, which -realised all one had read of demoniacal possession, the tsawbwa and his -pawmines occasionally addressed him in low tones, as if soothing him or -deprecating the anger of the dominant spirit; and at last the tsawbwa -informed Sladen that the nats must be appeased with an offering. -Fifteen rupees and some cloth were produced. The silver, on a bamboo -sprinkled with water, and the cloth, on a platter of plantain leaves, -were humbly laid at the diviner’s feet; but with one convulsive jerk of -the legs, rupees and cloth were instantly kicked away, and the medium -by increased convulsions and groans intimated the dissatisfaction -of the nats with the offering. The tsawbwa in vain supplicated for -its acceptance, and then signified to Sladen that more rupees were -required, and that the nats mentioned sixty as the propitiatory sum. -Sladen tendered five more with an assurance that no more would be -given. The amended offering was again, but more gently, pushed away, -of which no notice was taken. After another quarter of an hour, during -which the convulsions and groans gradually grew less violent, a dried -leaf rolled into a cone, and filled with rice, was handed to the -meetway. He raised it to his forehead several times, and then threw it -on the floor; a dah, which had been carefully washed, was next handed -to him and treated the same way, and after a few gentle sighs he rose -from his seat, and, laughing, signed us to look at his legs and arms, -which were very tired. The oracle was in our favour, and predictions of -all manner of success were interpreted to us as the utterances of the -inspired diviner. - -It must not be supposed that this was a solemn farce, enacted to -conjure rupees out of European pockets; the Kakhyens never undertake -any business or journey without consulting the will of the nats as -revealed by a meetway, under the influence of temporary frenzy, or, -as they deem it, possession. The seer in ordinary life is nothing; -the medium on whose word hung the possibility of our advance was a -cooly, who carried one of our boxes on the march, but he was a duly -qualified meetway, belonging to Ponsee village. When a youth shows -signs of what spiritualists would call a “rapport” or connection with -the spirit world, he has to undergo a sufficiently trying ordeal to -test the reality of his powers. A ladder is prepared, the steps of -which consist of sword blades, with the sharp edges turned upwards, and -this is reared against a platform thickly set with sharp spikes. The -barefooted novice ascends this perilous path to fame, and seats himself -on the spikes without any apparent inconvenience; he then descends by -the same ladder, and if, after having been carefully examined, he is -pronounced free from any trace of injury, he is thenceforward accepted -as a true diviner. Sala improved the occasion by warning Sladen that a -powerful combination had been formed to oppose our advance, and that -many evil reports had been circulated, but concluded by saying that a -liberal expenditure of silver would remove many, if not all, obstacles. -The practical application of this was made next morning. When all was -ready for a start, the tsawbwa would not appear: Sladen paid him a -visit, and was informed that six hundred rupees must be paid nominally -as an advance for the mule-men, or else he had better go back. This -extortionate demand was reduced after some debate to three hundred, -which were paid, and then an additional sum of three hundred rupees was -demanded for the carriage of the troublesome and tempting cash-chest. -An offer of one rupee per diem each to twenty bearers was refused, and -we then decided to divide the cash into parcels of three hundred rupees -to be carried by the men of the escort. By this means the liability -to continual “squeezes” on the part of the chiefs, or robbery by the -porters, was avoided. At length we set out from Ponline, and, after -proceeding a mile over an easy road along the high ground, commenced -the descent to the gorge, down which, fifteen hundred feet below, the -Nampoung flowed into the Tapeng, dividing the hills into two parallel -ridges. The descent, at first easy, gradually became steeper, and at -length precipitous; the path was cut into zigzags, but as slightly -deviating from the straight line as the steepness of the declivity -allowed. The weathered and disintegrated surface of metamorphic rock -had been worn down by traffic and torrents, so that it often was a -deep =V= shaped groove with but nine or ten inches of footway, and the -loaded mules found it difficult to round the abrupt turns in these deep -cuttings; huge boulders, stones, and sharp-pointed masses of exposed -quartz, made the travelling still more hurtful and dangerous to man and -beast. The beds of the streams were filled with fine granite, and in -the largest watercourse crossed, a small section was observed, showing -a mass of greyish micaceous schist, with large veins of quartz; it was -tilted up vertically, and there were distinct indications of bedding -in a nearly north and south direction. The Nampoung, whose source lies -among the hills to the north-east, is the limit between the districts -of Ponline and Ponsee, and was formerly, and must be considered still, -the boundary between Burma and the Chinese province of Yunnan, the -ruined frontier fort being pointed out on a height commanding the ford. -We forded the Nampoung on our ponies, where the stream was a hundred -feet wide, and three feet deep. The beasts could scarcely stem the -rapid current, which in the event of a fall would have soon swept horse -and rider into the foaming Tapeng. The road wound up the face of a -precipice, below which the Tapeng rushed down a succession of rapids, -with a deafening roar, and a force which nothing could resist, save the -prodigious masses of granite which encumbered its bed, while others -leaned from the banks as if ready to topple into the raging torrent. - -The occasional glimpses of the distant landscape were glorious; on -either hand hills towered up into mountains, and range succeeded range, -till lost in the blue distance. Our enjoyment of the grandeur of the -mountain scenery was, however, somewhat marred by the difficulty of the -path, which compelled us frequently to dismount, and let the goat-like -ponies scramble as best they could up the deep narrow cuttings. The -road contoured the hillside, cut into the face of the rock for some -ten feet, presenting every now and again turnings at a sharp angle. -On the verge of a precipice of one thousand feet deep, the outer edge -gave way under the hind hoofs of Williams’ pony, and he was only saved -from destruction by the pony recovering itself with a vigorous effort. -Kakhyen roads seem to be purposely designed with a view to reaching -the highest points on the given route, and after leaving the river -banks, we thus ascended and descended over a succession of lofty -spurs abutting on the river from the main range; precipitous ridges, -connecting them at right angles, presented tolerably level ground, but -with a surface so confined that the traveller looked down into the deep -gorges on both sides. Patches of rich loamy soil in the valleys, and on -the slopes of the spurs, were cleared for paddy, and in each clearing -a small thatched hut raised on poles served as a watch-tower. Near -some of the villages perched on heights, limited efforts at terrace -cultivation were visible, and in one place a small stream had been -diverted for irrigation. Magnificent screw pines and large tree ferns -displayed their exquisite foliage, relieved by the blossoms of various -flowering trees. - -By two o’clock the baggage mules were so jaded that, although we had -not made more than eight or ten miles, it became necessary to halt in -the jungle. Behind our bivouac towered an enormous shoulder of the -mountains, rising four thousand feet above us, and called Lakong. The -air was genial and temperate, the thermometer marking sixty-three at -9 P.M., and, with our lamps strung up on bamboos, our followers and -servants surrounding the bivouac, we dined and slept comfortably and -securely _al fresco_, while the drivers picketed their mules above -and below. Close to our camp were some old Kakhyen burial-places on -a rounded hill. Each consisted of a circular trench, thirty-eight -feet in diameter, and about two feet deep, surrounding a low mound, -containing only one body. The high conical thatched roof which covered -newer graves, elsewhere observed, had disappeared, but some of the -bamboo supports were still standing. The trenches of some other graves -were built round with slabs of stone, the form of the grave and manner -of interment reminding one involuntarily of the megalithic burial -structures. - -Before resuming our march to Ponsee, Sala intimated that caution would -be required, as the Ponsee tsawbwa was very indignant at not having -received the desired musket. The nats also had signified through the -meetway that before starting the guard should fire a volley, and the -tsawbwa added a recommendation to use double charges of powder, so that -the nats might be doubly pleased. The road lay along tolerably easy -ground, as we were now almost on a level with the origin of the main -spurs, and by noon of March 6th we had reached the village of Ponsee, -three thousand one hundred and eighty-seven feet above the sea-level, -and forty-three miles from Bhamô. As the tsawbwa did not appear, and -had made no preparation to house our party, the camp was pitched under -a clump of bamboos, in a hollow below the village. Ponsee, with its -twenty scattered houses, and terraced slopes of cultivated ground, -occupied one side of a mountain clothed to its summit, two thousand -feet above, with dense jungle and forest, save where clearings -betokened the vicinity of other villages far above us. - -Our muleteers dispersed themselves and their mules on the upper -terrace of a tumulus-shaped knoll overlooking the road, and cultivated -on one side in a succession of regular and equidistant terraces. In -the afternoon we were visited by a pawmine, accompanied by his wife -and several female relatives, who brought presents of sheroo and -vegetables. One of the young ladies was inclined to be merry and -communicative, in order to attract attention and secure a present of -beads. Although she was a wife, her hair was cut straight across her -forehead, and hung down behind in dishevelled locks, uncovered by the -head-dress which Kakhyen wives wear. An offer of a puggery to supply -the defect was received with a peal of laughter, at which the pawmine -seemed startled and scandalised, and he reproved his fair cousin in a -way that caused her to shrink into abashed silence. During the evening -the dangerous temper of the Kakhyen was shown by an unprovoked attack -made by one of the Ponsee tsawbwa’s followers upon a Burmese servant, -but Sala promptly interfered to protect our man, and declared that he -would resent an insult offered to any of our people as if offered to -himself. Thus, as in other matters, he so far showed himself honest, -though his constant demands for money began to make the leader think -his friendship might be too dearly purchased. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -PONSEE CAMP. - - Desertion of the muleteers--Our encampment--Visit of hill - chiefs--Sala’s demands--A mountain excursion--Messengers - from Momien--Shans refuse presents--Stoppage of - supplies--Ill-feeling--Tsawbwa of Seray--St. Patrick’s Day--Retreat - of Sala--The pawmines of Ponsee--A burial-ground--Visit to the - Tapeng--The silver mines--Approach of the rains--Hostility of - Ponsee--Threatened attack--Reconciliation--A false start--Letters from - Momien--A hailstorm--Circular to the members of the mission--Beads and - belles--Friendly relations with Kakhyens--Their importance. - - -On the first night of our sojourn at Ponsee, we were roused from our -beds in the open air by a violent thunderstorm, which threatened a -drenching, but fortunately let us off with only a few heavy drops. One -of the party drew his bed under a small thatched shed close by, and -slept soundly, to awake in the morning and find that he had shared -his shelter with a deceased Kakhyen, on whose grave he had been -reposing. At an early hour, Sala came to inform Sladen that a small -army of Shans and Kakhyens had collected to oppose our progress, but -that two thousand rupees might purchase their goodwill. When informed -that the disposable funds would not admit of such costly travelling, -he significantly remarked that the Panthays were rich, and would be -glad to assist us. This obstacle might be imaginary, but a most real -difficulty left us no time to reflect on it, for instead of preparing -for a start, the muleteers, without a word of complaint, or indeed -any communication with us, proceeded to unpack their loads, flinging -all the baggage on the ground. I went to look after my boxes, but was -warned off by a Kakhyen, who flourished his dah, and worked himself up -into such a fury that retreat appeared the wisest course. In a short -time the mules and drivers marched away, taking the road to Manwyne, -leaving us and our baggage destitute of any means of transit. A few -beasts remained, belonging to Ponline, but too few to be taken into -account. Here was an unexpected dilemma, such as would have delighted -Sir Samuel Baker, who says he “finds pleasure in a downright fix.” -Sladen set off to find out, if possible, the meaning of it all from -Sala, who was seated comfortably drunk in the chief’s house. He -declared that the muleteers had been influenced by messages from the -Shan tsawbwas of Sanda and Muangla, threatening them with death if they -brought us on. He advised threats of exclusion of the Shans from the -Burmese fairs by way of reprisals, but Sladen indignantly told him that -he came to promote peace, and not dissension, and that he would write -conciliatory letters, explaining the object of the expedition to those -chiefs who had been misled. Thereupon Sala grew confidential, and -let out what certainly seemed the truth, _in vino veritas_, about our -missing interpreter Moung Shuay Yah, who had been last seen or heard of -at Ponline. It appeared that this half Chinese scoundrel had finally -endeavoured to persuade Sala, and on his refusal the Talone tsawbwa, to -murder Sladen and plunder the cash-chest. Thwarted in his villainous -projects, he had returned to Bhamô, of which latter fact confirmation -was afforded a few days later. Matters looked unpromising; it was -whispered that the muleteers had become aware that our detention at -Ponsee was certain, and were unwilling to hazard a delay, the profits -of which would go into the greedy pockets of the Ponline chief. Besides -the dark aspect of affairs, the natural atmosphere was overcast, heavy -clouds presaging storm, and to be prepared against all consequences, -we removed our quarters to the plateau vacated by the muleteers, where -the three sepoy palls, or small tents, accommodated the Europeans, -while the sepoys and followers set to work to construct bamboo tents, -thatched with leaves and grass for their protection, and speedily a -regular camp was established in a favourable position. Sala showed -himself in a new light, later on in the day, when he came down very -drunk, and dressed in a yellow silk cloth which he had stolen from -Sladen’s servant. He was at first inconveniently affectionate, and, -seizing Sladen by both hands, vowed eternal friendship; he then grew -inquisitive about our rifles and revolvers, and required Sladen to -show his marksmanship by splitting a bamboo forty yards off. A refusal -to gratify him changed him at once into a violent savage, pouring out -a flood of the foulest abuse in Burmese. With tact and patience, he -was restrained from violence, but the real treacherous nature of the -animal had shown itself unmistakably. He finally assured Sladen that -he might make up his mind not to quit Ponsee until he had paid two -bushels of rupees. More agreeable visitors arrived, in the persons -of the Kakhyen chiefs of Nyoungen, Wacheoon, and Ponwah, small hill -districts on the road to Manwyne. These tsawbwas all brought presents -of fowls and rice, for which they received cloth as a return. The chief -of Ponwah was a wiry little highlander, with oblique eyes, and strongly -marked features of a Tartar type, adorned with two scanty tufts by way -of moustache, and a sparse beard carefully restricted to the front of -his chin. His dress was different from that of the other tsawbwas, and -argued a higher social condition. It consisted of a blue turban, blue -padded woollen jacket, a kilt of the same material and colour, with a -red and blue border, finished off with richly embroidered leggings, -and short blue woollen hose with thick soles. A leopard’s fang adorned -his dah, and a cloth bag contained his metal pipe and bamboo flask of -samshu, which frequently found its way to his thirsty lips; before each -draught he dipped his finger into the liquor, and poured a few drops on -the ground as a libation to the earth nats. The mother of the young -Ponsee tsawbwa also came down, attended by a number of girls, bringing -_sheroo_, or beer, cooked rice, eggs, and vegetables. Beads were -distributed, but they begged for rupees; and a few four-anna pieces -hardly contented them. One of us gallantly presented an importunate -damsel with a pretty little bottle of perfume, and to make her -appreciate it, poured a little on her hand, and signed to her to rub it -on her face, but having done so, she evinced her disgust by wry faces, -spitting at and abusing the donor, as though he had insulted her, to -his extreme confusion. - -[Illustration: OUR CAMP AT PONSEE.] - -The day of anxiety was followed by a night of rain and storm. Heavy -gusts of wind, sweeping down the lofty shoulder of the mountain, -threatened to carry away the light tents, and it required all our -efforts to prevent this catastrophe by holding stoutly on to the -tent poles. The interior was of course inundated, and beds and -bedding saturated with water, but some of the followers were worse -off, having no shelter of any sort. Our troubles, however, were only -beginning. The Nanlyaw tamone,[21] who had been ordered to accompany -us as interpreter, and had failed to do so, arrived with orders from -the Woon of Bhamô to the tsawbwas of Ponsee and Ponline to repair at -once to Bhamô, and assist in an inquiry about reopening the silver -mines. The message and the messenger were both suspicious, and some -obstructive influence speedily showed itself. A demand was set up for -three hundred rupees, compensation for five houses said to have been -destroyed by a jungle fire, originating in the embers of our camp-fire -at Lakong. Sala evidently thought that any demands would be complied -with to prevent his deserting us, and talked much about the imperative -orders of the governor. By way of relief from the discussion, we made -an excursion up the mountain to a height about six hundred feet above -our camp, whence a splendid panorama unrolled itself of the Burmese -plain as far as Bhamô, and the junction of the Tapeng with the majestic -Irawady. We passed numerous oaks, and a grove of trees bearing nuts -exactly like our own hazels. At the highest point reached, a Kakhyen -village was found, snugly nestled in a beautifully cool hollow, with a -small stream flowing down the hillside. - -Our appearance startled three women, proceeding to fill the bamboos, -which serve as water pitchers, carried in a wicker basket at the back; -they darted into a hollow below the road, and, turning their backs to -us, waited till we had passed by. A thousand feet below us, a deep -ravine resounded with the cry of hoolock monkeys, howling at the full -pitch of their voices. Shooting, either for sport or purposes of -science, was rendered extremely difficult by the dense jungle and the -steep sides of the deep gorges, where the birds are mostly found, for -a bird, when shot, dropped down a steep declivity, into long grass or -tangled shrub, where search was useless. - -On our return, a cock and hen partridge, of a new species, belonging -to the genus Bambusicola, were shot in the cleared ground, and in -the woods the cry of an oriole was often heard, but the birds were -invisible. Descending by another route, passing the rice clearings, -where wild strawberries carpeted the ground with flowers and fruit, -and two sorts of violets and various brambles were also in flower, we -reached the camp, and were soon plunged again into debate with Sala. -The fellow was sulky and angry, demanding six hundred rupees blackmail, -and three hundred as compensation for the village fire, threatening -as an alternative to leave us to “be lost in the hills and never more -heard of.” Sladen temperately refused to submit to such extortionate -demands, but, to prove his friendly intentions, offered to compensate -for any actual damage, and to send presents to the chiefs _en route_. -His arguments had such an effect on Sala that he was content to ask for -one hundred rupees to settle the “fire.” - -At this stage of the interview all were surprised by the sudden -appearance on the scene of three strangers, dressed in gorgeous Chinese -costume, and attended by half a dozen others; two of their faces were -familiar, and they saluted Sladen with an air of recognition, but Sala -and he were at first equally puzzled as to their identity. The two -foremost were arrayed in blue satin skull-caps embroidered with gold, -padded and embroidered jackets of fine blue cloth, and wide trousers -of yellow silk. They wore new broad cane hats and gold embroidered -Chinese shoes. The hilts of their dahs were each enriched with half -the lower jaw of a leopard, and suspended from their button-holes was -a decoration consisting of a pink and blue square of cloth, with a -cipher embroidered in the corner. This was full dress Panthay uniform, -which one of them proceeded to divest himself of, and exhibited his -ragged Kakhyen garb underneath, and then Sladen recognised Lawloo, -the scout despatched by him from Bhamô to the governor of Momien. -He produced, carefully rolled up, a packet addressed in Arabic on a -strip of red paper, which contained an envelope stamped with Chinese -hieroglyphics in red, and a letter written in Arabic, and stamped with -Chinese devices in red and blue; attached to this was another letter in -Chinese. The latter no one could read, and a combined attempt made by -the native doctor and the jemadar to decipher the former also failed, -but Lawloo assured us that the governor of Momien was most friendly. -He had received the messengers with all respect, and had equipped them -in the gorgeous dresses which had disguised them from our recognition. -He had also sent with them Shatoodoo, an officer in the Mahommedan -service, a tall, fair-skinned, well-built man, dressed in blue -uniform, with a fine intelligent face and the quiet self-possession -of a well-bred gentleman. Our couriers, men belonging to the Cowlie -tribe, bore their new honours with great composure; they completely -ignored the presence of the Ponline tsawbwa, while they told of -their kindly reception, and explained the purport of the letters. The -governor had expected us by the “ambassadors’” route, which leads from -Bhamô into Hotha, where he had arranged to meet us. They said we were -not to advance at present via Manwyne, unless we were strong enough -to fight our way past Mawphoo fort, the stronghold of Li-sieh-tai. -The messengers, on their return, though conspicuous by their Panthay -uniform, had travelled openly and unmolested through the Shan states, -which had been declared to be hostile to our advance. The immediate -effect was to cause Sala and the pawmines to withdraw from our tents, -which was a great relief, as they had infested them, squatting on the -beds for hours together, smoking, and chewing tobacco and betel, while -any remonstrance was at once replied to with an angry scowl and a -flourish of the naked dah. But the peace did not last long. The tsawbwa -soon recommenced his demands, and day after day the fire question was -discussed, and terms of settlement agreed upon, only to be insolently -repudiated on the first occasion. - -The next day more practical preparations for opening the route were -made by the despatch of letters and presents to the Kakhyen chief of -Seray, and to the Shan chiefs or headmen of Manwyne and Manhleo. Two -of the Ponline pawmines and the interpreter Moung Mo, the tamone of -Hentha village, whose services and goodwill we had secured, went in -charge of the presents, and Sladen’s Burmese writer was also sent, -by way of check on the pawmines. They returned in a few days with the -presents, which the chiefs had declined to accept, as the tsawbwa of -Sanda had refused his consent to our passage, and the Manwyne people, -though favourably disposed, were afraid of the _poogain_, or headman, -of Manhleo, a town situated on the south bank of the Tapeng, opposite -Manwyne. This official was an inveterate enemy of the Panthays, -and a few years before had massacred a Panthay caravan of peaceful -merchants. The character and intentions of the expedition had been so -misrepresented by the Chinese traders at Bhamô that the Shans were -naturally indisposed to run any risks from our presence among them. - -The refusal of the presents caused Sala to raise his demands; “all -the people, Burmese, Chinese, and Shans,” he declared, were leagued -against us, and if we did not secure his protection, we should have our -heads cut off. This was his usual argument, illustrated by holding an -imaginary head with his left hand, and making the motion of sawing at -the supposed neck with his right. - -A more practical result of the secret opposition was the stoppage of -supplies. Soon after our arrival the Shans from the Manwyne district -had discovered that there was a sure market for their provisions, and -a regular bazaar had been established in our lines. Kakhyen villagers -as well as Shans brought in fowls, rice, salt, vegetables, &c., and -competition had kept prices down; empty beer bottles were found to be -highly prized, and one bottle was worth twelve measures of rice. Among -other things, the Manwyne Shans brought in sugar candy, and preserved -milk in the form of thin cakes of paste like a film of coagulated -cream, which placed in a cup of water over night supplied a cup of -excellent milk in the morning. The method of preparation we could not -learn, but the result was undeniably successful. The attendance of -Shans, however, fell off, owing to the ill-usage received by many of -them from the Kakhyens, who helped themselves to their goods, and paid -them with abuse and blows. Hence supplies fell short, and prices rose -accordingly, and it became unsafe moreover to wander for any distance -from the camp. On one occasion one of us was tempted to indulge in a -bath in the small stream which flowed immediately below. There was -a most perfect douche, where the water leapt over a huge boulder, -embowered in gigantic bamboos and splendid ferns, as though contrived -for the secret bath of a Kakhyen sylvan nymph: but the unhappy European -invader was scarcely in full enjoyment of the refreshing douche than -he was saluted with a shower of stones and broken branches from some -villagers who had watched him. This was a ludicrous side of popular -hostility, but as the “fire” question continued to be discussed, almost -daily warnings were brought to us that ill-disposed Kakhyens were -collected on the heights above, intending to attack the camp under -cover of night. - -A slight change in affairs was effected by the arrival of the tsawbwa -of Seray, a village four miles distant, who made his appearance on the -13th, attended by his pawmines and a numerous retinue. He was a rather -short stout man of about forty-five, dressed in blue from turban to -shoes; his manner was serious and respectful, and his remarks sensible, -but evincing great curiosity about all the novelties that presented -themselves. When he found leisure to discuss business matters, he -asked us the particulars of the fire question, saying that if it were -settled, he would undertake to guide us by a hill route to Momien, so -as to avoid the necessity of passing through Sanda. Sladen explained -to him that though the fire question had been settled three times, -he would now submit it finally to his arbitration, and the demand, -which had risen to five hundred rupees, was by his award satisfied by -a promise of two hundred and sixty. Notwithstanding this settlement, -that evening both the tsawbwas came down to request us to keep fires -burning, and maintain a careful watch all night, as over a hundred -men had collected on the hillside commanding the camp, intending to -try their chance in a night attack, according to their usual tactics. -Sala had endeavoured, he said, to dissuade them, and had finally told -them he would look on while they were shot down by our men. The night, -however, passed off more quietly than the days, which were occupied -in ceaseless discussions; the question of mule hire being again in -debate. Sala brought forward the preposterous demand of twenty rupees -a piece for one hundred and sixty mules, those, namely, whose owners -had deserted at this place. This demand was supported by fictitious -tallies, and his disgust at finding we had kept an accurate account -was great, while his fury at the laughter with which his attempts at -extortion were met found vent in the usual pantomimic prophecy of our -decapitation. The party of tsawbwas was increased by the arrival of the -chief of Wacheoon, who brought a present of rice and sheroo; the object -of his visit being to make the pertinent inquiry as to what still -detained us at Ponsee. - -On St. Patrick’s Day, matters came to a crisis. All the morning the -tsawbwas and pawmines were assembled in our tent, arguing about the -mule hire; even the respectable chief of Seray had caught the infection -of covetousness, and demanded twenty rupees a mule for a journey of -a few hours. The Seray chief was attended by a Chinaman who had been -in his employment from his youth, and now acted as his chief trader. -He had interpreted the Momien letters, and seemed to desire to be -useful, but it was plain that he regarded the expedition as a military -one, designed to assist the Panthays. He declared that the Sanda -people were willing to receive us, but were restrained by fear of -Li-sieh-tai. Sladen offered five hundred rupees, in addition to the -money already paid, for sufficient carriage to Manwyne, where he would -await the answer to his letters despatched the day before by the former -messengers to Momien and to the tsawbwa of Sanda, as he was determined -not to advance without the full consent of all the Shan chiefs. He -then, by a happy thought, recounted to the assembled tsawbwas the sums -of money and presents that the arch robber Sala had received from him -for distribution. At this startling revelation, the chief of Ponsee was -evidently exasperated, and a storm was brewing, when suddenly a shot -was fired from a house on the hill above us, and a bullet, or slug, -whizzed over the tent in which we were sitting, and presently another -struck the head of a camp cot inside. All were naturally startled, but -no one believed the first shot to have been intentionally aimed until -the second was fired after the lapse of a few minutes. Sala and the -pawmines sprang out, and vociferated frantically to the people in the -village above. The chief of Seray sat silent, and presently announced -that he should return to his own home, and the meeting was forthwith -dissolved. - -True to his word, the Seray chief departed the next day, leaving the -message that he would return as soon as we were rid of Ponline; and the -next news was that the Ponsee chief had threatened Sala with instant -vengeance, and that our friend and protector had decamped to his own -village, taking with him all the presents entrusted to him for the -officials of Manwyne, &c., and forcibly carrying off our Burmese -interpreter Moung Mo. - -The tsawbwa and pawmines of Ponsee, who now came to the front, as -self-appointed arbiters of our destinies, so far as progress was -concerned, have not yet been introduced. - -The tsawbwa was a youth of eighteen, who possessed no influence. What -natural intelligence he might possess was obscured by his habits of -continual intoxication and debauchery, in company with a number of -“fast” young Kakhyens. He had hitherto preserved a sort of sullen -neutrality, occasionally, however, conveying to us useful warnings, -but acting neither for nor against us. The real power seemed to be -exercised by his pawmines, four brothers who had generally shown -themselves friendly. The eldest was a good-for-nothing merry-andrew, -in a chronic state of intoxication. The next in age was a quiet, -sensible man, who seemed fully to appreciate the advantages that would -accrue to his people from the reopening of the trade between Yunnan -and Burma, and he frequently declared that he was ready to give us all -the help in his power. He was nicknamed by us the “Red Pawmine;” and -his next brother and constant companion, a little spare man, with high -cheek-bones, deeply sunken eyes, and features sharpened and worn by -bad health, was appropriately styled “Death’s Head.” He was by far the -ablest, but his quick, nervous temperament and violent temper rendered -him a difficult man to deal with. The youngest, as excitable, but far -less intelligent, was regarded with jealous eyes by his three elder -brothers. - -The young tsawbwa for about a week subsequent to Sala’s departure -professed himself our friend, and a few days of tranquil and almost -patient expectation ensued, during which we endeavoured to extend our -acquaintance with the hill country about us, of which we had as yet -been able to see no more than the outskirts of our camp or rather -prison. - -Accordingly, Stewart and I started on our ponies to ascend the -mountain, taking Deen Mahomed as interpreter and a native boy to act -as guide. No sooner had the party passed the tsawbwa’s house than a -hue and cry was raised by one of the pawmines, who shouted orders to -the lad to return at once. Disregarding the outcry, we pushed on along -a narrow bridle-path, but were delayed by the obstinacy of a pony who -declined to face a difficult bit of road, and the villagers overtaking -us, the guide was dragged away by the pawmine. The tsawbwa was appealed -to, but he declared that it was not safe to go up, as there was a -village of “bad Kakhyens” on the mountain, and Deen Mahomed was warned -with gesture symbolical of throat-cutting of what would happen to him -if he got another guide. We consoled ourselves for this failure by a -visit to a burial-ground, on the top of a thickly wooded height, which -lay to the east of the camp. The path leading to it was sprinkled at -intervals with ground rice, as an offering to the nats, and on two of -the graves, which were quite recent, lay a little tobacco and a small -cylindrical box containing chillies, while outside the surrounding -trench the skull of a pig, with some more tobacco, had been placed. The -conical roof of bamboos and grass was decorated with a finial of wood -cut into two flag-like arms, painted with rosettes in black and red, -which ridiculously resembled guide-posts. - -The tsawbwa proved more obliging a day or two afterwards, when a -request was sent to him for a guide to conduct us to the Tapeng -river. The path led along the saddle of the long spurs running down -to the valley, and the climate as we descended changed from temperate -to tropical; the upper forest consisted of oaks, cherry, apple, and -peach trees, especially in a magnificently wooded glen, while a large -mountain stream made its way over a rocky channel, forming at one -place a splendid waterfall over a perpendicular cliff of gneiss. Along -the tops of the fruit trees a large troop of monkeys _(Presbytis -albocinereus_) were leisurely wandering. - -In descending we could only keep our footing by clutching at the -overhanging branches, as our feet slipped on the fallen leaves and -bamboo spathes which lay heaped in the steep and narrow path. The -roots which projected every now and then were another and even worse -impediment. Where, as often happened, the path turned a sharp angle on -the crests of the precipitous spurs, great caution was needful, for if -one had lost his equilibrium in such a place, he would have certainly -sent all in front of him down the almost perpendicular declivity. As -the lower level was reached, the trees became essentially tropical, -intermixed with musæ, bamboos, ratans, and splendid ferns, while huge -cable-like creepers intertwined their leafy cordage, and orchids of -various and novel species displayed their fantastic beauties, and -loaded the air with perfume. - -After a long scramble down, we climbed over a secondary spur, and at -its foot reached a sandy strand shaded by a magnificent banyan covered -with the fragrant blossoms of a large yellow orchid (_Dendrobium -andersoni_, Scott). Before us the roaring Tapeng rushed in a torrent -forty yards wide, over a rocky bed, in a succession of foaming rapids -and deep smooth reaches. At this point its bed was about thirteen -to fourteen hundred feet above the plains at Tsitkaw, twenty miles -distant, so that its descent is nearly seventy feet in the mile, the -water mark indicating the highest rise of the flood to be twelve feet -above its present level. - -The only birds visible were two water wagtails flitting from boulder -to boulder in the middle of the torrent. The rocks in position were -gneiss, with veins and large embedded oblong pieces of quartzite; the -quartz often standing out in bold relief where the gneiss surface had -been worn away by the action of the water. Huge boulders of the same -rock and pure white crystalline marble were strewn along the river -bed. Along the bank a footpath led to a spot where a raft lay ready, -in the deep smooth water above a rapid, to ferry over passengers to -the silver mines. The raft was attached by a loop to a bark rope, -stretched across the river. Our guide expressed his readiness “for a -consideration” to conduct us across, but not “that day;” so we made -our way back again, and if the descent had been difficult, it may be -imagined how much more so was the return journey, which, however, was -safely accomplished. - -A few days after this trip, we started, accompanied by two of the -Ponsee pawmines, for a visit to the silver mines. We reached the river -by the next spur, to the west of the path followed on the former -excursion, and, leaving the servants to prepare breakfast under the -banyan tree, made for the raft. The guide rope was fastened to a fallen -tree, six feet above the river on the opposite bank, while on our side -it was carried over forked branches, firmly fixed in the ground and -secured to a huge boulder. The raft proved to be on the other side, -and one of the Burmese followers caught hold of the rope, and hand -over hand succeeded in making his way across the strong current. He -was followed by one of the pawmines, who evinced a careful dexterity -which argued him to be well accustomed to what seemed a dangerous task. -The raft was then brought across, one man in front running the loop -along the rope, and the other sitting behind with a paddle to keep it -stemming the stream. It was a simple wedge-shaped platform of bamboos -lashed together, presenting a sort of prow which is kept against the -rush of the stream. Bamboos at each side supported seats of split -bamboo, and when the raft, which carried six persons, was loaded, the -“deck” was a couple of inches under water. - -Arrived at the other side, we were struck by the prevalence of white -marble, and the extraordinary contorted folds of an abrupt cliff of -blue crystalline quartzite rock, about fifty feet high, overlooking -the ferry. A narrow footpath to the north-east of this cliff led to a -ridge of pure white crystalline marble, of the same structure as the -marble of the Tsagain hills. The ridge, which was destitute of trees, -was about six hundred feet above the level of the river, running almost -parallel with its course for about a mile. A small watercourse dividing -the ridge from a rounded hill covered with waterworn boulders of the -quartzite rock marked the limits of the marble, which terminated so -abruptly as to be at once noticeable, and the pawmine said there was no -silver beyond this limit. We walked along the almost level top of the -treeless ridge, and found at the eastern side a pleasant valley, where -the cultivated terraces showed signs of the neighbourhood of a village, -and a Bauhinia in full bloom of white flowers with violet centre -occurred in great profusion. - -The mines consisted of a series of galleries about four feet in -diameter, run horizontally into the slope of the ridge facing the -river. Our conductors led us along the steep hillside, strewn with -large masses of iron pyrites, and overgrown with grass and low jungle, -so thick that each man had to cut his way with a dah. We passed about -thirty of these adits, which penetrated the hillside for two or three -hundred feet, sloping slightly downwards, and with passages opening at -right angles. I crawled into one of them, preceded by a guide with a -lantern, and made my way for a considerable distance along the tunnel, -the sides of which showed red earth mixed with masses of marble and -quartzite, but my progress was stopped by finding the passage blocked -by the fallen roof, the bamboo props used when the mine was worked -having given way. No detailed information regarding the productiveness -of these mines could be obtained, and since the outbreak of the civil -war in Yunnan they had not been worked, save to a very small and -intermittent extent by the Kakhyens. The heaps of slag in the glen -near the small watercourses, where all smelting operations had been -conducted, showed that a very considerable quantity of ore used to be -raised. Specimens of the ore assayed by Professor Oldham have been -found to contain 0·191 per cent. of silver in the galena. The mines are -of easy access, and from their close proximity to the borders of China, -little or no difficulty would be experienced in finding labourers to -work them. Silver is also said to be found on the right bank of the -river, at a great elevation on the hillsides to the west of Ponsee; -and gold is asserted to occur near the same locality, and specimens -were shown to me at Bhamô in grains some of which were as large as -small peas. - -From the mines we returned across the river, and breakfasted on the -bank of the Tapeng, treating our Kakhyen companions to some of the -eatables, their approval of which was indicated by jerking their fists -with the thumb extended, which emphatically signifies that anything is -very good. The forefinger is held straight to indicate that a man is -good, and crooked to denote one who is not to be trusted. - -So we returned to Ponsee, where we must again take up the tangled -thread of events bearing on our progress. A month had passed since our -arrival, and the advance of the season was marked by the call of the -cuckoo, which was often heard in the eastern woods. The jungle had -all been felled in the new clearings, and nightly fires illuminated -the opposite hills, caused by the burning of the jungle over acres of -ground. Heavy thunder showers almost every night did not add to our -comfort, and heralded the speedy setting in of the south-west monsoon. - -But we were apparently as far off from any extrication from our -detention as ever. - -The Seray tsawbwa had on March 22nd returned with news that a Panthay -official had arrived at Sanda, and that the country so far was open. He -also produced a letter addressed to himself by the governor of Momien, -requesting him to give us all the help in his power, and promising to -reimburse any expense he might be put to in our service. The chief -seemed fully disposed to help, and started for his own village to -procure mules, with which he promised to return in two days, leaving -his Chinese clerk to help us as an interpreter. - -This was pleasant, and the improved temper of the people was shown -by the arrival of messengers from the widow of a tsawbwa ruling a -district on the road to Manwyne, with a present of fowls, eggs, and an -uninviting compound of flour and chillies; accompanied by a message -that she and her people would come and escort us to Manwyne. The -dowager of the late chief of that town also sent Sladen the gift of -two Kakhyen bags, and a curious implement forming a toothbrush and -tongue-scraper combined. - -The Seray chief, however, did not show according to promise, and a week -after his departure news came that two Chinamen had arrived from Bhamô, -with a party of fifty armed Burmese. These men gave out that they had -been sent to recommence mining operations at the silver mines. The -immediate result was that the Seray chief, first by a messenger, and -then in person, repudiated his engagement to procure mules, alleging -that the Ponsee chief had threatened to kill him if he assisted us to -quit the Ponsee territory. Argument and expostulation were useless, -and he nodded assent when Sladen attributed his change of purpose to -private instructions received from Bhamô. He departed, after warning -us to be on our guard against the Ponsee chief, who had resolved to -attack the camp. - -The hostility of the Ponsee chief was soon shown, for the day after -the arrival of the Burmese his Kakhyens drove off all the Shans from -our little bazaar; the chief himself came down with his dah drawn, and -cut down one of the traders, which act of violence made him liable to -pay an indemnity to the Manwyne people. His pawmines came next with -the intelligence that he had summoned two neighbouring tsawbwas to -his assistance, that two buffaloes had been slaughtered, and a grand -sacrificial feast was to be held that night, after which the nats -would be consulted as to our fate, when, if the oracle commended it, -the Kakhyens, drunk with sheroo and samshu, would attack the camp. One -of the buffaloes had been supplied by the Burmese, and the symbolic -present of a pound of flesh, the acceptance of which signified consent, -had been offered to and accepted by the _tsare-daw-gyee_, or Burmese -royal secretary, in charge of the party. The pound of flesh had been -also sent to the pawmines, but rejected by them, and they loudly -denounced their chief as an uncontrollable madman. - -A wholesome fear of the European strangers had gradually grown up; they -were believed to possess supernatural powers. Breech-loading rifles -and revolvers, and “Bryant and May’s matches,” which ignited only on -the box, and defied wind and rain, argued a close alliance with the -nats of the elements; while the photographic apparatus appeared in -Kakhyen eyes to be the instruments of conjurers, who could control the -sun himself. Hence but few of the Kakhyens would join the chief, whom -they considered bent on his own destruction. While the conspirators -were revelling and consulting, our police escort was drawn out and -exercised, and the ominous sound of three volleys from fifty guns, -which to their universal astonishment and awe all went off at once, -terrified them, and gave a significant hint that assailants would meet -a warm reception. The pawmines prayed that they and their houses might -be spared in the general destruction that must overtake our enemies, -and the news soon reached us that the meetway, who was secretly in our -pay, had announced that the nats disapproved of the conspiracy. - -The pawmines then requested permission to introduce the two hostile -tsawbwas, who accordingly arrived; their naturally villainous faces -were not improved by an expression of sheepish fear, but they lightened -up when Sladen received them kindly, and without upbraiding them -explained the advantages that would arise to all if our plans should -be carried out. A present of an empty biscuit tin and a beer bottle -quite won their hearts, and converted them into fast friends. The -pawmines then represented that the young chief, with whom, on his -repentance, they had made friends, desired to be forgiven and received -into favour. It was argued that he felt very sore at Ponline having -defrauded him of his rightful gains, and it was agreed that by way -of making up for all neglect he should receive one hundred rupees! -He swore eternal friendship, and vowed that henceforth we were his -relations. Sladen asked him why he had omitted his relations in the -late distribution of beef, at which he grinned, and went off awkwardly -enough, but still in good humour. - -During the first few days of April, the situation was hopeful -and exciting, but the tsawbwa and his pawmines, though outwardly -reconciled, soon made it evident that their respective interests -clashed too much for united action. The chief volunteered to go and -procure mules, the pawmines offered to supply any number of coolies. -The amount to be paid on our arrival at Manwyne was fixed at five -hundred rupees, and this was eagerly coveted by the rivals; each -in turn denounced the other as entertaining designs of looting the -baggage, and the pawmines declared that the chief dared not show his -face in Manwyne on account of a private feud. - -Sladen refused to accept the separate services of either the chief or -his subordinates, and this straightforward policy compelled a seeming -reconciliation. The Seray tsawbwa sent his pawmines with sixty men and -six mules, far too few for the baggage of the party; his men, however, -declared they could carry it all, and facetiously advised us to build -houses for permanent residence at Ponsee, as the latter chief would -never be able to procure mules. - -An amusing interlude was afforded by the arrival of a half-caste, -professing to be one of the chief men of the _tsawbwa-gadaw_, or -dowager chieftainess, of Manwyne. He came in a breathless state of -excitement, and announced that he had succeeded in hiring two hundred -mules, but that the caravan had been detained by the Kakhyen chiefs -on the road, who had sent him to say that they would allow them to -pass for one hundred rupees, and as a pledge of their sincerity had -entrusted him with an amber chain worth that sum. The fellow must have -had a high opinion of our credulity, for the chain, when produced, was -valued at about eight annas, and he was summarily dismissed. - -At last, terms were arranged; the pawmines were to supply coolies, -while the tsawbwa was to find carriage for forty mule-loads, and the -7th of April was appointed for the start. We were up with daylight, -tents were speedily struck, and baggage packed for the march. The -coolies soon assembled, and the area of our little camp was covered -with wild-looking Kakhyens armed to the teeth with matchlocks, spears, -and dahs, looking much more like a horde of banditti than peaceful -porters. Their demeanour was in keeping with their appearance, and -their dishonest purpose was evidenced by the bare-faced rivalry -displayed by the different parties in seizing upon the packages which -seemed most valuable, irrespective of size or weight. The precaution -had been taken of telling off the escort into parties, with strict -orders to prevent the exit of any baggage until all were in readiness -for a start. The crisis was brought on by Sladen’s japanned tin cases. -The youngest pawmine, who was first on the field, had appropriated -them for his coolies, but when his brother, “Death’s Head,” appeared, -very much excited, early as it was, with drink, he claimed them for -his men. On his brother’s refusal to give them up, he lost all command -over himself. After a violent outburst of passion, he made a dash at -the gold sword which the king had presented to Sladen, and snatched -it from the Burmese servant in charge. This attempt was frustrated by -Williams, who with a vigorous wrench rescued the sword from “Death’s -Head’s” grasp. Thus foiled, he attacked the Burmese clerk, who was -taking down the names of the coolies, and threatened to cut him down. A -general hubbub ensued, during which he rushed off to a camp fire, lit -his slow-match, and advanced priming his matchlock, till he was close -to Sladen, when he fired off his piece in the air. The consternation -which ensued reached its climax when an assistant surveyor in a foolish -panic fired his revolver. The Kakhyens showed that they had no relish -for a fight, and, throwing down their loads, bolted in all directions. -We of course remained quiet, while the tsawbwa showed more sense than -could have been expected, calling upon the Kakhyens not to fly, and -after a time order was restored. One of us followed “Death’s Head,” -who had sat down at the end of the camp to reload his gun, and by a -little persuasion got him to send his gun up to the village, and return -to his duties. The loads were all arranged, and the escort had been -so distributed that each set of coolies could be under surveillance, -with a chain of communication between the van and rear-guard, while -the coolies carrying the japanned tin cases were placed under the -immediate supervision of armed followers, so that they could not “bolt” -without creating an alarm. It was high noon before all was ready, and -then the tsawbwa and pawmines, perhaps disgusted with these salutary -precautions, announced that, as Manwyne could not be reached that day, -our departure must be postponed till the morrow. This was pleasant -after toiling six hours under a broiling sun, but we had nothing -to oppose to native caprice save patience, strongly tempered with -misgivings, which proved to be correct. The next morning no coolies -appeared, and the pawmines came down to say that they could not fulfil -their promise, as the tsawbwa had refused his co-operation. The chief -himself soon afterwards arrived to lay the onus of the failure on the -pawmines. A probable instigator of the whole scheme was the Nanlyaw -tamone, who, after a long absence, suddenly presented himself in our -camp, and whom Sladen, having had repeated proofs of his machinations, -at once arrested as a spy; but at the urgent intercession of his -friends, the pawmines, he was dismissed with a strong caution not to -show himself again in our vicinity. - -At this juncture, when all hope of extrication from our Ponsee prison -seemed to have vanished, letters arrived from the governor of Momien, -informing Sladen that he was about to take the field in person, with a -strong force, to attack Li-sieh-tai, and drive him from his stronghold -of Mawphoo. The letters further recommended us not to attempt to -advance beyond Manwyne until advices should reach us of the defeat -of the Chinese partisan. A second letter was a circular addressed to -the Kakhyen chiefs, exhorting them to give all possible aid to the -expedition. This at once gave a vantage ground, from which to deal -with our highland friends, and it was improved by Sladen. Kakhyens, -Burmese, and Shans had alike conceived extravagant ideas of the value -of our baggage, and showed beyond doubt that the hope of getting -possession of all, or a part of it, was a strong motive of their action -or inaction. The leader therefore began to proclaim on all sides that -though we had cheerfully endured privations and delays, in the hope -of thoroughly conciliating the natives, they were not to imagine our -patience to be inexhaustible. If we should be compelled to abandon all -or any part of our baggage, it would be piled up and burned before -our departure; thus they would lose their expected plunder, and incur -the risk of future reprisals, or demands for compensation, and, above -all, certainly alienate those who sought to be their friends. To this -the chiefs replied in substance as follows: “Do not blame us for your -misfortunes; we have been always in doubt how to act, on account of the -many warnings we have received against aiding your progress. _Now_ we -know you. You have always been kind to us, and are a powerful people.” - -Vexatious and harassing as had been our detention at Ponsee, it is -certain that it would have been before this period quite impossible -to proceed beyond Manwyne, and our residence among these semi-savage -tribes served to convert their first suspicions into confidence, and -to impress them with the value of our friendship. The uniform kindness -with which all just services were requited, as contrasted with the -treatment to which they had hitherto been subjected in their dealings -with other races, especially with the Burmese, gradually worked its -effect. - -At this time letters were received through Burmese agency, from no less -a person than Moung Shuay Yah, who since his treacherous desertion -had never been heard of. Now all of a sudden his name was mentioned -_ad nauseam_ by the Burmese followers, and two Kakhyens arrived with -letters purporting to have been written at some halting-place in the -Shan country; but the bearers contradicted each other, and could not -tell when, or from whom, they had received the letters. Next day, -another letter was brought by one of the silver mining party, which, he -said, Moung Shuay Yah had given him fourteen days before, but which he -had _forgotten_ to deliver. The fact was the interpreter had started -for Momien, having heard of the change of our prospects, and our -probable advance to that city. As it was needful, if possible, to save -appearances, Moung Shuay Yah in his letter declared that he had been -obliged to fly to save his life from the anger of Sala. Fortunately -his place was by this time well supplied by Moung Mo, whom, it may be -remembered, Sala had carried off with him, but who had returned and -placed himself at Sladen’s disposal. He amply corroborated all that had -been before told us of the efforts of the Bhamô people to obstruct our -progress. Orders had been received from Mandalay, conveying the king’s -displeasure at our detention at Ponsee, and authorising Sala to take us -to Manwyne, but he had replied that after being induced by the Burmese -of Bhamô to compromise himself with us, he would have nothing further -to do with it. - -It was supposed by our leader that the express object of stationing the -armed miners at Ponsee was to deter the Kakhyens from helping us. Moung -Mo, in addition, assured us that he had ascertained that Li-sieh-tai -had sworn to oppose any attempt on our part to penetrate the Shan -states, and he advised us on no account to proceed to Manwyne without -an intimation from the Panthays that the road was open. An important -circumstance occurred at this time in the arrival of messengers and a -Chinese interpreter from Momien. They brought no letters, but were -charged by the Tah-sa-kon[22] to make personal inquiries into the real -objects of the mission and our circumstances at Ponsee. It transpired -that letters from Bhamô had informed the governor that we represented -a powerful nation in alliance with the Chinese, and foes to the -Mahommedans all over the world, and that our real object was to destroy -the Panthay dominion in Yunnan. - -Sladen thoroughly dispelled these suspicions, and sent away the envoys -completely satisfied as to the genuineness of our pacific intentions. -The probabilities of an advance were, however, still remote and -uncertain, and the wet season had fairly set in, marked by a constant -succession of thunder and heavy rains. Dense masses of mist rolled -up the valley like vast advancing curtains, shrouding the mountains -in their gigantic folds, and producing an artificial twilight, and -torrents of rain descended for three or four hours incessantly, soaking -the tents; our waterproof blankets alone saving the inmates from -complete saturation, but not from the utter discomfort of living in a -puddle. - -One storm deserves accurate description. Up to 4 P.M. of April 12th, -the wind had been blowing in fitful cool gusts from the south-west, -but at that hour there was a sudden lull; distant thunder was heard -echoing among the mountains, and heavy black clouds came rolling up; -a few drops of rain gave, as it were, the signal for a discharge of -hailstones, or rather flakes of ice. The wind blew in violent gusts, -and thunder rumbled over head, but the flashes of lightning were very -faint. The hailstones were circular discs about the size of a shilling, -flat on one side, and convex on the other. A white nucleus two-eighths -of an inch in diameter, and in many cases with a prominent boss of -clear ice on the convex side, formed the centre of a pellucid zone -surrounded by an opaque one, in its turn encased in clear ice; the -inner margin of this external zone was filled with a dark substance, -resembling mud combined with delicate ice crystals; the whole disc -strongly resembling a glass eye; when fractured, the nucleus separated -itself as a small short column, flat at one end, and convex at the -other. - -During the storm, which lasted for twenty minutes, the aneroid rose -from 26·62 to 26·65, and the attached thermometer registered 67°, the -maximum heat during the day having been 84°. - -It was evident that the season was closed for purposes of engineering -survey and exploration, and this, combined with the reduced state -of the exchequer, induced the leader of the expedition to address a -circular to the members of the party, placing before them the facts, -and suggesting that it would be for the interests of the public service -that the numbers should be reduced in order to curtail the future -expense of transport. It was necessary in fact to lighten the ship, and -each was invited to consider how far he could assist in this needful -work. Sladen had determined to remain, _if necessary_, for some months, -until the opportunity should arrive to visit Momien, and at all hazards -personally communicate with the Panthays; but he felt that he ought to -place it in the power of the other members of the expedition to return, -especially as the work which some of them had been despatched to effect -could not be performed. This circular was sent round on the 17th, and -the news of the fall of Mawphoo and the utter defeat of Li-sieh-tai -reached us on the 18th of April, and was afterwards fully confirmed by -despatches from the Tah-sa-kon, announcing his victory and writing to -us to advance under the protection of all the chiefs _en route_. Our -friends the tsawbwa and his pawmines, who had been day by day “making -believe,” as children say, to discuss plans for procuring mules, were -evidently much influenced by this; but they could not help showing -their greed for rupees, and their continual demand was that three -hundred should be paid before starting. - -It was only later on that we learned that all these Kakhyens, -especially Sala, had always been steady adherents of Li-sieh-tai, and -that his utter defeat made them thoroughly anxious to conciliate the -victorious Panthays. - -The tsawbwa presented himself in a very penitent mood, and, confessing -all his past misconduct, averred his determination to give up drink and -debauchery and do his duty as a chief. Linking his fingers together -with an expressive shake, he vowed leal service to his English friends, -and then started off in company with his head pawmine on the road to -Manwyne, where he expected to meet the Seray chief, and arrange means -for our transport. - -As if a new order of things had set in, our camp now was daily crowded -by Kakhyens, all in the highest good humour. The women of the village -came down _en masse_, bringing presents of fowls, eggs, sheroo, and -rice, but the fair ones had an eye to business; beads, looking-glasses, -bright new silver coins, and what they seemed most to prize, red -cloth, were in great demand. A brisk trade was driven in the various -ornaments, and they stripped off their bead necklaces and ratan girdles -and leggings with great glee, and even a bell-girdle, the distinctive -ornament of Kakhyen aristocracy, which hitherto even rupees had failed -to secure, was now acquired in return for red cloth; indeed, it seemed -quite possible to purchase a Kakhyen _belle_, ornaments, and all, -for a few yards of the much prized material; and they returned home -with great glee, shorn of their decorations, but rich in beads and -cloth. Some came to solicit medical aid; cases of severe ulcerations, -caused probably by their labour in the jungle, and aggravated by -dirt, being common. The gratitude evinced for the relief given was -touchingly shown by the presents, deposited with a fearful humility -that showed the donor’s belief in the intimate connection between -the doctor and the nats. Every day both chiefs and people from the -more distant villages flocked in, and none came empty-handed. Gifts -of rice, vegetables, tobacco, and sheroo, were brought not merely in -the hope of return presents, but evidently as signs of amity. There -could be no mistaking their feeling, that strangers who behaved with -kindness and justice were welcome. These poor hill people had hardly -ever known what it was to be treated with confidence; on either side, -Burmese and Chinese had wronged and oppressed them. Monsig. Bigandet -states that they had formerly been characterised by a genial kindliness -and ready hospitality to strangers, but that the cruel treatment they -experienced in Burmese towns, and the fraudulent evasion of payment for -their services, had rendered them suspicious, greedy, and treacherous. -It is not to be wondered at if the presence among them of strangers -of an unknown race, escorted by an armed force, should at first have -been regarded by them with fear and dislike, and it is with a modest -pride that we recall the kindly confidence in the strangers which had -sprung up towards the end of our long detention at Ponsee. The people -from the distant villages continually asked, “Why did you not come our -way? we should have then had some of the good things that you have -brought for the Ponsee people.” The camp was perpetually full; the men, -after curiously inspecting the many wonders that presented themselves, -chatted and smoked with our followers; and the women, old and young, -eagerly petitioned for small hand glasses, and black or green beads, -the latter being most valued, and straightway converted their prizes -into personal decorations. The young women formed in lines, each -clasping her neighbour in a coquettish embrace, their shyness had -vanished, they chatted and flirted freely, and did not even flinch from -being photographed. - -The friendly intercourse with these visitors gave us most welcome -opportunities of inquiry into their customs, their national and social -life. There was no backwardness in answering any questions, and the -record of delays and difficulties may be well interrupted by a few -pages devoted to these mountaineers. Those of whom we saw the most were -all dwellers to the north of the Tapeng, but some of the visitors came -from the southern hills, and the general characteristics distinguish -both these and the clans visited by us on the return journey, who seem -to be more civilised than their northern congeners. It is right here -to acknowledge that the following account of this people has been -rendered fuller and more accurate by the use of some notes furnished -by Major Sladen from accounts given by natives, and by the use of -a valuable memoir on the territories written by the learned and -indefatigable missionary, Bishop Bigandet, whose warmest sympathies -have been called out for these poor mountaineers, of whom he said, “It -is of the utmost importance to know them, their character and habits, -and to be prepared to secure their good will, whenever the thought of -opening communications with Western China shall have been seriously -entertained.” - -[Illustration: KAKHYEN MEN.] - -[Illustration: KAKHYEN MATRONS.] - -[21] _Tamone_, a Burmese headman of a village. - -[22] _Tah-sa-kon_, a civil title equivalent to Commissioner or -Administrator. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -THE KAKHYENS. - - The Kakhyens or Kakoos--The clans--Their chiefs--Mountain - villages--Cultivation and crops--Personal appearance--Costume--Arms - and implements--Female dress and ornaments--Women’s work--Sheroo-- - Morals--Marriage--Music--Births--Funerals--Religion--Language-- - Character--How to deal with them--Our party. - - -From the summit of the lofty hill, fully two thousand feet above our -camp, called Shitee-doung, which it became possible to ascend during -the latter part of our stay, an extensive view was obtained. From it to -the north a sea of hills extended as far as the eye could reach; to the -south stretched ranges of hills covered with forest, save where little -clearings showed the presence of villages; to the north-east lofty -parallel ranges closed in a narrow valley with a river winding down -it. These hills are the country of the Kakhyens. These mountaineers -belong to the widely spread race that under the name of Singphos, -Kakoos, &c. occupy the hills defining the Irawady basin, up to the wall -of the Khamti plain, and are probably cognate with the hill tribes of -the Mishmees and Nagas. The name Kakhyen is a Burmese appellation; -they invariably designating themselves as Chingpaw, or “men.”[23] By -their own account the hills to the north of the Tapeng, for a month’s -journey, are occupied by kindred tribes. South of the Tapeng, they -occupy the hills as far as the latitude of Tagoung, and, as mentioned, -were met with on our voyage near the second defile. To the east, they -are found occupying the hills, and, intermixed with the Shans and -Chinese, almost to Momien. Here they, as it were, run into the Leesaws, -who may be a cognate, but are not an identical, race. The two chief -tribes in the hills of the Tapeng valley are the Lakone and Kowrie or -Kowlie, but numerous subdivisions of clans occur. All are said to have -originally come from the Kakoos’ country, north-east of Mogoung; and -Shans informed us that two hundred years ago Kakhyens were unknown in -Sanda and Hotha valleys. To give one instance of their migrations. The -Lakone tribe have at a very recent period driven the Kowlies from the -northern to the southern banks of the Tapeng. A Lakone chief, having -married the daughter of a Kowlie, asked permission to cultivate land -belonging to his father-in-law; receiving a refusal, he took forcible -possession, and drove the Kowlies across the river to the hills where -they now dwell. - -Among these hill tribes the patriarchal system of government has -hitherto universally prevailed, although a certain, or rather -uncertain, obedience is nominally due to Burmese or Chinese -authorities. Thus the Ponsee and Ponline chiefs had each received a -gold umbrella and the title of papada raza from the king of Burma. -Each clan is ruled by an hereditary chief or tsawbwa, assisted by -lieutenants or pawmines, who adjudicate all disputes among the -villagers. Their office is also hereditary, and properly limited to the -eldest son, whereas the chieftainship descends to the youngest son, or, -failing sons, to the youngest surviving brother. The land also follows -this law of inheritance, the younger sons in all cases inheriting, -while the elder go forth and clear wild land for themselves. Between -Tsitkaw and Manwyne seven clans under separate chiefs are met with, -each chief considering himself entitled to exact a toll of four annas -per mule-load from travellers through his district. The chieftain’s -goodwill being secured by payment of his toll or blackmail, that of -the people follows as a matter of course. When the traveller quits the -lands of one chief, he is handed over by his guide to the next headman, -and is as safe with him as with the former. The tsawbwa is the nominal -owner of the land, but a suggestion to a villager that the chief might -evict him from his holding was replied to by a significant sawing -motion of the hand across the throat. As a general rule, the chief -owns the slaves found everywhere among these people. Most have been -stolen as children, but adults are also kidnapped. The women become -concubines, the men are well treated if industrious and willing. The -children of slaves belong to the owner, but really are as well treated -as the members of his family. When a tsawbwa marries, he is expected to -present a slave to his father-in-law, among the other gifts. The market -value of a boy or girl is about forty rupees, but that of a man not -more than twenty to thirty rupees, or a buffalo. - -Every house pays the chief an annual tribute of a basket of rice. -Whenever a buffalo is killed, a quarter is presented to him. He is -usually a trader, and, besides the receipt of tolls, derives a profit -from the hire of mules or coolies for transport. Save in this respect, -it was impossible to help being reminded of Scottish highland clans of -the olden time, so many were the points of resemblance that occurred -in the customs and indeed character of these mountaineers, though, to -avert all possible indignation, I hasten to add that no parallel is -intended to be drawn, especially as regards their morals or social life. - -The Kakhyen villages are always situated near a perennial mountain -stream, generally in a sheltered glen, or straggling with their -enclosures up a gentle slope, covering a mile of ground. The houses, -which usually face eastwards, are all built on the same plan as that -tenanted by us at Ponline. The most usual dimensions are about one -hundred and fifty to two hundred feet in length, and forty to fifty -feet in breadth. These large bamboo structures are veritable barracks. -The first room is hospitably reserved for strangers; the others form -the apartments of several families, connected by blood or marriage, -which compose the household community. The back entrance is reserved -for the use of the members of these families. A serious demand for -compensation arose out of the inadvertence of one of our servants who -entered by the family door, and thus provoked the domestic nat. The -projecting eaves, supported by posts which are adorned with the skulls -of buffaloes and pigs, form a portico, where men and women lounge or -work by day, and at night the live stock--buffaloes, mules, ponies, -pigs, and poultry--are housed, while a bamboo fence guards them from -possible thief or leopard. - -Near the houses are small enclosures, where white-flowered poppies, -plantains, and indigo are cultivated; paddy and maize are grown -together on the adjacent slopes and knolls, which are carefully scarped -in terraces, presenting often the appearance of an amphitheatre. The -stream is dammed near the highest point, and directed so as to overflow -the terraces and rejoin the channel at the base. Bamboo conduits are -sometimes used to convey the water to paddy fields or distant houses. -Fresh clearings are also made every year by felling and burning the -forest on the hillsides. Near every village disused paths may be seen, -which have been cut to former clearings, and along which a little canal -has been carried. The cleared ground is broken up with a rude hoe, but -in the cultivated terraces wooden ploughs are used. Excessive rain, -which makes the paddy weak and the yield scanty, is most dreaded. -Generally, the natural fertility of the soil more than repays the rude -husbandry with beautiful crops of rice, maize, cotton, and tobacco, of -excellent quality. Near the villages, peaches, pomegranates, and guavas -are grown; and the forests abound with chestnuts, plums, cherries, and -various wild brambleberries. On the higher slopes, oaks and birches -grow in abundance, and large areas are covered with _Cinnamomum -caudatum_ and _C. cassia_, the oil of which is commonly sold as oil -of cinnamon. Thousands of these trees are annually felled to clear -new ground for cultivation and burned where they lie. Another natural -production is the tea plant (_Camellia thea_), which grows freely on -the eastern side of the hills, and suggested dreams of future tea -plantations, cultivated by improved Kakhyens or imported Shans and -Paloungs. - -Among the inhabitants of the villages, both those who visited our camp -and the southern hillmen seen on the homeward route, the variety of -faces is striking. This may be probably owing to admixture of Shan -and Burmese blood, but two types may be said to predominate; the one -with a fine outline of features, which recalled the womanly faces of -the Cacharies and Lepchas of Sikkim. In it the oblique eye is very -strongly marked, and the face is a longish, rather compressed oval, -with pointed chin, aquiline nose, and prominent malars. One Kakhyen -belle met with at Bhamô, with large lustrous eyes and fair skin, might -almost have passed for a European. The other and by far the most -prevalent type is probably the true Chingpaw, presenting a short, round -face, with low forehead and very prominent malars. The ugliness of -the slightly oblique eyes, separated by a wide space, the broad nose, -thick protruding lips, and broad square chin, is only redeemed by the -good-humoured expression. The hair and eyes are usually a dark shade -of brown, and the complexion is a dirty buff. The average height for -men is from five feet to five feet six inches, and four feet six inches -to five feet for women. The limbs are slight, though well formed, one -peculiarity being the disproportionate shortness of the legs. This is -also observable among the Karens, to whom the Kakhyens bear a general -resemblance, suggesting a common origin, which is further indicated -by their language. Though not muscular, they are very agile, and the -young girls bound like deer along the hill-paths, their loose dark -locks streaming behind them. They bring down from the hills loads of -firewood and deal planks which we found as much as we could lift. -However interesting and picturesque their appearance may be, closer -inspection dissolves the enchantment lent by distance. Both persons -and clothes appear never to have been washed, and the dress, once put -on, is never changed till it is worn to pieces. Neither men nor women -use combs, and the state of the thick matted felt of hair can better -be imagined than described. Although they never seemed to wash except -faces, hands, and feet, some of the men were good swimmers and divers, -and proudly exhibited their skill, disclosing thereby the fact that -their bodies were tattooed with blue dots, chiefly on the chest and -back. The dress of the men usually consists of a Shan jacket and short -breeches of blue cotton cloth, supported by a cotton girdle. The hair -is coiled in a blue or sometimes a red turban; the moustache and beard -are very scanty, but their custom of eradicating the natural growth -renders it hard to judge. They insert in the lobe of the ear a piece -of bamboo, or a lappet of embroidered red cloth, a leaf or flower, or -a piece of paper, our old newspapers being in great request; and a -number of fine ratan rings encircle the leg below the knee. It seemed -to us that the Kakhyen men were ready to adopt any dress; some even -wore their hair in the Chinese pigtail. The “Red Pawmine,” on grand -occasions, turned out in a bright red turban, rose-checked breeches, -and a red blanket over his shoulders. The chiefs usually wear Chinese -padded jackets, leggings made of rolls of blue cloth, and Shan shoes. -They are distinguished, especially in the case of those who rigidly -adhere to the ancient Kakhyen costume, by neck-hoops of silver, -resembling Celtic torques, and the necklace of beads or cylinders of -an ochreous earth. These are found in the Mogoung district, and are -highly valued, being reputed to be the authentic handiwork of the -earth nats. Some Kakoos met with at Sanda wore a broad piece of blue -cotton cloth, with a red embroidered border of woollen stuff, like a -kilt, reaching to the knee. This seems to be the true Kakhyen dress; -and they also wore their hair uncovered, and cut straight across the -forehead, like the Kakhyen maidens. No hillman is ever seen without -his _dah_, or knife; it is half sheathed in wood, and suspended to a -ratan hoop covered with embroidered cloth and adorned by a leopard’s -tooth. This is slung over the right shoulder, so as to bring the hilt -in front ready to the grasp of the right hand. Two sorts of dahs are in -use: one the long sword, such as the Thibetans use, two feet and a half -in length, with a long cylindrical wooden hilt, bound with cord and -finished with a red tassel. The other is shorter and broader, widening -from the hilt to the truncated tip. This knife the Burmese call “the -Kakhyen’s chief”; it is wielded with great dexterity either to cut -down trees or men, or to execute the fine lineal tracery with which -their bamboo opium pipes and fan cases are decorated. It is appealed to -in every argument, and drawn on visible foes and invisible nats with -equal readiness. On one occasion we espied a woman on the hillside -writhing on the ground in evident pain. A passing villager came to her -assistance, and at once out flashed his dah, with which he executed -several cuts in the air over the prostrate woman. This was to drive -away the nat who had taken possession; he then threw earth over her -head, and ran off to the village to procure help to carry her home. -During the latter part of our stay, one of the police escort, during a -chaffing argument with a Kakhyen visitor, was without warning felled -by a blow of the dah. The savage decamped to the jungle, leaving the -sepoy bleeding from a gash on his head, and another on the arm, with -which he had warded off the blow and so saved his skull from being -split. These dahs are made by the Shans of the Hotha valley, who are -the itinerant smiths of the country. Other arms are a long matchlock, -and a cross-bow, with arrows poisoned with the juice of an aconitum. -They are much used in hunting; the flesh round the wound being cut out, -the rest of the animal is eaten without danger. An invariable article -of equipment is an embroidered bag worn over the right shoulder, -containing pipe, tobacco, lime and betel box, money, and a bamboo flask -of sheroo. A most ingenious apparatus supplies a light for the constant -pipe. It resembles a child’s popgun, and consists of a small cylinder -four inches long, open at one end, into which is very tightly fitted -a piston, with a cup-shaped cavity at the lower end. In it, a small -pellet of tinder is placed, the piston is driven down smartly, and as -quickly withdrawn, when the tinder is found to be ignited. - -[Illustration: KAKHYEN AND SHAN PIPES, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, ETC. - - Fig. 1. Kakhyen ladle for preparing opium. - - 2. Kakhyen opium forceps. - - 3. 4. Kakhyen cylinder and piston for striking fire. - - 5. Shan flute with gourd mouthpiece. - - 6. Kakhyen double flute. - - 7. Kakhyen opium hookah (bamboo). - - 8. Kakhyen opium pipe. - - 9. Kakhyen opium hookah, the mouthpiece made of the underground stem - and the water receptacle of the segment of a remarkable bamboo with - swollen internodes. - - 10. Chinese bamboo lamp. - - 11. Shan powder flask. - - 12. Shan violin. - - 13. Bow for ditto. - - 14. Shan guitar.] - -It is worth recording that the men invariably smoke opium, but not -to excess; rarely, if ever, did we see them use tobacco for smoking, -though they were addicted to chewing it. The juice of the poppy, -exuding from incisions made in the green capsules, is collected on -plantain leaves, which are dried, and in this form the opium is smoked -either in hookahs made of the segment of a peculiarly shaped bamboo -or in brass pipes of Chinese manufacture. Whether the cultivation and -use of opium have spread from Assam or from Yunnan is uncertain, but -we found it universal from the Burmese plain to Momien, although the -method of smoking it among the Kakhyens differs altogether from that -of the Chinese. Dr. Bayfield, in 1837, observed of the Singphos, on -the western side of the Irawady valley, that, “from whatever source -derived, the cultivation of the poppy is now universal;” and he -describes the methods of collection and use as the same, save that -coarse cloth was used instead of leaves. - -The men rarely employ themselves in manual labour; a few of the more -industrious assist the women to fell the jungle and set it on fire, -but most of this labour is left to the women. In general, the men till -the land; but between the seasons, they wander from house to house, -and village to village, gossiping, drinking, or smoking. Journeys to -dispose of produce, or carry goods, hunting excursions, and occasional -fights or forays, are not reckoned labour. They do not work in metals, -but are very skilful in adorning bamboos or wooden implements with -carving. The designs of their tracery are the simplest combinations of -straight lines, and rude figures of birds and animals, characteristic -of the most primitive art. - -The Kakhyen women have adopted the short loose Shan jacket of blue -cotton, slashed with red cloth, variously ornamented, according to the -means of the wearer, with cowries and silver. This covers the arms and -breast, but leaves the waist exposed, save for a profusion of ratan -girdles, adorned with lines of white seeds. These also support the -kirtle or kilt, which reaches from the hips to the knee, the border -of the skirt being chequered in red, blue, and yellow. Cowries form a -favourite ornamentation of every part of the dress, and the daughters -of chiefs wear broad belts of these shells. Besides the distinctive -bell-girdle, fine ratan rings encircle the leg below the knee, but no -shoes are worn. Most of the matrons coil their hair in the folds of -the Shan turban, but the original Chingpaw head-dress is a puggery -of embroidered cloth, twisted round the head, while the end, fringed -with beads, falls gracefully on the shoulder. Unmarried women wear no -head-dress, and cut their hair square across the forehead in a fashion -not unknown in England, while their back hair, unrestrained by any -fastening, streams down behind. The ears are pierced both through the -lobes and upper cartilage. In the latter orifice is inserted a lappet -of embroidered cloth tasselled with small green and black beads; -silver tubes, reaching to the shoulder, are also worn by the wealthier -_belles_, while the poorer display fresh flowers or leaves. Anything -seems convertible into an ear-ring: thus a cheroot, or, as seen by -us, a freshly plucked leek, is stuck into the ear. All who can, wear -necklaces of beads, but silver hoops called _gerees_, and the komoung -of red ochreous beads, are peculiar to the necks of high-born damsels. - -It has been remarked that the men are averse to labour, but the lot of -all women irrespective of rank is one of drudgery. They are not allowed -to eat with the men, and are looked on as mere beasts of burden, valued -only for their usefulness; but they seem contented with their lot, and -are always cheerful and light-hearted. Their brisk activity forms a -pleasing contrast to the lounging idleness of their lords. Much, if not -most, of the field-work falls to their share, and their daily routine -is one of incessant and hard labour. Their first duty in the morning -is to clean and crush the rice for the daily consumption, and late at -night the dull thud of the heavy pestle, with the accompaniments of -their regular wild cry and the jingling of the bell-girdles, was to be -heard. They fetch water from the stream, and firewood from the jungle. -This latter is a most laborious task, as the girls have to search for -dry wood, cut it into faggots, and bring it home on their backs. Their -bare legs are often lacerated in the jungle, and the wounds, aggravated -by dirt and neglect, form intractable ulcers. Many such cases were -brought to our camp for treatment. Another effect of the hard work and -exposure is to be observed in the frequency of grey hair among the -young women, the matted locks of even girls of ten and twelve years -being abundantly silvered as if by premature old age. - -Their ordinary house labours include the preparation of _sheroo_, -or Kakhyen beer, a beverage always in demand. This is regarded as a -serious, almost sacred task, the women, while engaged in it, having to -live in almost vestal seclusion. Certain herbs and roots dried in the -sun are mixed with chillies and ginger, to avert the interference of -malignant nats; the mixture is pulverised with some rice in a mortar, -and reduced to a paste which is carefully preserved in the form of -cakes, wrapped in mats. Crushed rice mixed with fresh plantains is -steeped for half a day, and allowed to dry. It is next boiled, or -“mashed,” with a due proportion of the “medicine” or powdered cake in -a _paungyaung_, or wooden tub, placed within a copper caldron, from -which it is, after cooling and fermenting for a week in a leaf-covered -basket, transferred to a closely covered earthen jar. After twenty days -the sheroo is fit to drink, but is better if left for six months. This -forms the stock, to which water is added, and the beverage is offered -in a bamboo, closed with a fresh plantain leaf. This liquor resembles -very small beer, but is pleasant and refreshing. A similar beverage is -found among the Lepchas of Darjeeling, who imbibe it through a reed, -the Looshais and Nagas. The Khyens and Karens also prepare a rice-beer -like the _congee_ of the Burmese; the Nagas also prepare “moad” from -rice, and the Khamtis and Singphos of the Hoo-kong valley distil a -spirit which the latter call _sahoo_; but the Kakhyens procure all -their supplies of _samshu_, or rice-spirit, from the Shan-Chinese. - -It is naturally the business of the women to spin, dye, and weave the -home-grown cotton. Their loom is of a primitive form, the same as -that used among the Khyens, the Munipoories, and other tribes on the -north-east of Assam. One end of the warp is held in position by pegs -driven into the ground, and the other is kept on the stretch by a -broad leather strap fastened round the back of the woman as she sits -on the ground with her legs straight before her. A long piece of wood -keeps the threads of the warp open, so that the shuttle, which is -thirty inches long, and worked by both hands, can pass easily. With -this they produce a strong thick cloth, and weave fanciful patterns -of red, green, and yellow. They are also adepts at embroidery in silk -and cotton, which is only applied to the decoration of the bags or -havresacks worn by the men. - -The code of morality of the Kakhyens has been variously represented. -Unchastity before marriage is certainly not regarded as a disgrace. If -possible, the parents of the girl endeavour to get the lovers married, -but it is not an imperative duty. Should, however, an unmarried -girl die _enceinte_, the father of the child is bound to compensate -her parents by the present of a slave, a buffalo, a dah, and other -articles, and to give a feast to the inmates of the house. Failing -this, he is liable to be sold as a slave. This arises from the value -set upon a marriageable daughter, both as regards her present working -power and her future price as a wife, which is not lessened by an -indiscretion. - -Infidelity after marriage is a crime which the husband may punish on -the spot by the death of both the offenders. In case of elopement of -a wife, the husband is entitled to recover damages, fixed at double -the amount expended by him at his marriage. For this the relatives and -clansmen of the lover are held liable on pain of a feud. - -The ceremony of marriage, besides the religious rites, combines the -idea of purchase from the parents with that of abduction, so frequently -found to underlie the nuptial rites of widely separated races. An -essential preliminary is to get the diviner to predict the general -fortune of the intended bride. Some article of her dress or ornaments -is procured, and handed to the seer, who, we may suppose, being thereby -brought _en rapport_ with her, proceeds to consult omens and predict -her _bedeen_ or destiny. If auspicious, messengers bearing presents -are sent to make proposals to the girl’s parents, who specify the -dowry required and agreed to by the envoys. All being adjusted, two -messengers are sent from the bridegroom to inform the bride’s friends -that such a day is appointed for the marriage. They are liberally -feasted, and escorted home by two of her relatives, who promise to be -duly prepared. When the day comes, five young men and girls set out -from the bridegroom’s village to that of the bride, where they wait -till nightfall in a neighbouring house. At dusk the bride is brought -thither by one of the stranger girls, as it were, without the knowledge -of her parents, and told that these men have come to claim her. They -all set out at once for the bridegroom’s village. In the morning the -bride is placed under a closed canopy, outside the bridegroom’s house. -Presently there arrives a party of young men from her village, to -search, as they say, for one of their girls who has been stolen. They -are invited to look under the canopy, and bidden, if they will, to take -the girl away; but they reply, “It is well; let her remain where she -is.” - -While a buffalo, &c. are being killed as a sacrifice, the bridegroom -hands over the dowry, and exhibits the trousseau provided for his -bride. A wealthy Kakhyen pays for his wife a female slave, ten -buffaloes, ten spears, ten dahs, ten pieces of silver, a gong, two -suits of clothes, a matchlock, and an iron cooking pot. He also -presents clothes and silver to the bridesmaids, and defrays the -expense of the feast. Meanwhile the _toomsa_, or officiating priest, -has arranged bunches of fresh grass, pressed down with bamboos at -regular intervals, so as to form a carpet between the canopy and the -bridegroom’s house. The household nats are then invoked, and a libation -of sheroo and water poured out. Fowls, &c. are then killed, and -their blood is sprinkled on the grass path, over which the bride and -her attendants pass to the house, and offer boiled eggs, ginger, and -dried fish to the household deities. This concludes the ceremony, in -which the bridegroom takes no part. A grand feast follows. Besides the -ordinary fare of rice, plantains, and dried fish and pork, the beef of -the sacrificed buffalo and the venison of the barking deer, all cooked -in large iron pots, imported from Yunnan, are the viands. Abundant -supplies of sheroo and Chinese samshu prepare the guests for the dance. - -The orchestra consists of a drum formed of a hollowed tree stem, -covered at both ends with the skin of the barking deer, a sort of -jews-harp of bamboo, which gives a very clear, almost metallic, tone, -and a single or double flute, with a piece of metal inside a long -slit, which the performer covers with his mouth. He also accompanies -the strain with a peculiar whirring noise, produced in his throat. The -marriage feast ends, like all their festivities, in great drunkenness, -disorder, and often in a fight. - -Breach of promise is made a cause of feud, the friends of the aggrieved -fair one making it a point of honour to attack the village of the -offender. The curious custom obtains that a widow becomes the wife of -the senior brother-in-law, even though he be already married. The day -after the birth of a child, the household’s nats are propitiated by -offerings of sheroo and the sacrifice of a hog. The flesh is divided -into three portions, one for the toomsa, another for the slayer and -cook, and the third for the head of the household. The entrails, with -eggs, fish, and ginger, are placed on the altars, all the villagers are -bidden to a feast, and sheroo is handed round in order of seniority. -After all have drunk, the oldest man rises and, pointing to the infant, -says, “That boy, or girl, is named so and so.” When a Kakhyen dies, the -news is announced by the discharge of matchlocks. This is a signal for -all to repair to the house of death. Some cut bamboos and timber for -the coffin, others prepare for the funeral rites. A circle of bamboos -is driven into the ground, slanting outwards, so that the upper circle -is much wider than the base. To each a small flag is fastened, grass -is placed between this circle and the house, and the toomsa scatters -grass over the bamboos, and pours a libation of sheroo. A hog is then -slaughtered, and the flesh cooked and distributed, the skull being -fixed on one of the bamboos. The coffin is made of the hollowed trunk -of a large tree, which the men fell with their dahs. Just before it -falls, a fowl is killed by being dashed against the tottering stem. -The place where the head is to rest is blackened with charcoal, and a -lid constructed. The body is washed by men or matrons, according to -sex, and dressed in new clothes. Some of the pork, boiled rice, and -sheroo, are placed before it, and a piece of silver is inserted in the -mouth to pay ferry dues over the streams the spirit may have to cross. -It is then coffined and borne to the grave amidst the discharge of -fire-arms. The grave is about three feet deep, and three pieces of -wood are laid to support the coffin, which is covered with branches of -trees before the earth is filled in. The old clothes of the deceased -are laid on the mound, and sheroo is poured on it, the rest being drunk -by the friends around it. In returning, the mourners strew ground rice -along the path, and when near the village, they cleanse their legs -and arms with fresh leaves. Before re-entering the house, all are -lustrated with water by the toomsa with an asperge of grass, and pass -over a bundle of grass sprinkled with the blood of a fowl sacrificed -during their absence to the spirit of the dead. Eating and drinking -wind up the day. Next morning an offering of a hog and sheroo is made -to the spirit of the dead man, and a feast and dance are held till late -at night, and resumed in the morning. A final sacrifice of a buffalo -in honour of the household nats then takes place, and the toomsa -breaks down the bamboo fence, after which the final death dance[24] -successfully drives forth the spirit, which is believed to have been -still lingering round its former dwelling. In the afternoon a trench -is dug round the grave, and the conical cover already described is -erected, the skulls of the hog and buffalo being affixed to the posts. - -The bodies of those who have been killed by shot or steel are wrapped -in a mat and buried in the jungle without any rites. A small open hut -is erected over the spot for the use of the spirits, for whom also a -dah, bag, and basket are placed. These spirits are believed to haunt -the forests as _munla_, like the Burman _tuhsais_, or ghosts, and to -have the power of entering into men and imparting a second sight of -deeds of violence. Funeral rites are also denied to those who die of -small-pox and to women dying in child-birth. In the latter case, the -mother and her unborn child are believed to become a fearful compound -vampyre. All the young people fly in terror from the house, and -divination is resorted to, to discover what animal the evil spirit -will devour, and another with which it will transmigrate. The first is -sacrificed, and some of the flesh placed before the corpse; the second -is hanged, and a grave dug in the direction to which the animal’s head -pointed when dead. Here the corpse is buried with all the clothes and -ornaments worn in life, and a wisp of straw is burned on its face, -before the leaves and earth are filled in. All property of the deceased -is burned on the grave, and a hut erected over it. The death dance -takes place, to drive the spirit from the house, in all cases. The -former custom appears to have been to burn the body itself, with the -house and all the clothes and ornaments used by the deceased. This also -took place if the mother died during the month succeeding child-birth, -and, according to one native statement, the infant also was thrown into -the fire, with the address, “Take away your child;” but if previously -any one claimed the child, saying, “Give me your child,” it was -spared, and belonged to the adopting parent, the real father being -unable at any time to reclaim it. - -These ceremonies show the character of the religion of the people. -Hemmed in as they are by Buddhist populations, they adhere to -the ancient form of worship of good and evil spirits. The French -missionaries have been unable to produce any effect upon them. A vague -idea of a Supreme Being exists among them, as they speak of a nat in -the form of a man named Shingrawah, who created everything. They do -not worship, but reverence him, “because he is very big.” As their -funeral rites show, they believe in a future existence. Tsojah is the -abode of good men; and those who die violent deaths, and bad characters -generally, go to Marai. To questions as to the place and conditions of -these, an intelligent Kakhyen answered, “How can I tell? no one knows -anything.” - -The objects of worship are the nats benign or malignant; the first -such as Sinlah, the sky spirit, who gives rain and good crops; Chan -and Shitah, who cause the sun and moon to rise. These they worship, -“because their fathers did so, and told their children that they were -good.” Cringwan is the beneficent patron of agriculture, but the -malignant nats must be bribed not to ruin the crops. When the ground is -cleared for sowing, Masoo is appeased with pork and fowls, buried at -the foot of the village altars; when the paddy is eared, buffaloes and -pigs are sacrificed to Cajat. A man about to travel is placed under -the care of Muron, the toomsa, after due sacrifices, requesting him to -“tell the other nats not to harm that man.” - -Neglect of Mowlain will result in the want of _compraw_, or silver, the -great object of a Kakhyen’s desire, and if hunters forbear offerings -to Chitong, some one will be killed by stag or tiger. Chitong and -Muron are two of ten brothers, who have an especial interest in -Kakhyen affairs, and another named Phee is the guardian of the night. -Every hill, forest, and stream, has its own nat of greater or less -power; every accident or illness is the work of some malignant or -vindictive one of “these viewless ministers.” To discover who may be -the particular nat, or how he is to be appeased, is the business of -the toomsa. He prescribes and assists in all sacrifices, and calls the -nats to receive their share, which with economical piety generally -consists of the offal. The extraordinary method of consulting the will -of the nats by a possessed medium has been already described. The -meetway is distinct from a toomsa, or regular priest, but there is no -sacerdotal caste, the succession being kept up by a natural selection -and apprenticeship. The village toomsa practises augury from fowl -bones, omens, and the fracture of burned nul grass, besides holding -communication with the spirit world. Besides the occasional sacrifices, -at seed-time a solemn sacrifice is offered to Ngka, the earth spirit. -In this the whole community participates, and the next four days are -observed as a strict sabbath, no work or journey being undertaken. - -At harvest-time Sharoowa and his wife are worshipped in a similar -manner by the chief and villagers. All animals sacrificed must be -males, but a woman’s dress and ornaments are offered to the female -nat. The _namsyang_, or tutelary nats of the village, are also husband -and wife; he ruling the western and she the eastern portion; they are -venerated twice a year with other nats by the tsawbwa. All the people -repair to the head village, and the chief offers buffaloes, &c., and a -grand feast is held. The skulls of the animals offered and eaten are -affixed to the tsawbwa’s house, where they remain as memorials of his -piety and hospitality. - -These recurring seasons of seed-time in May and June and harvest-time -in December seemed to us to be the only divisions of time known -to these mountaineers, but they were said to have a succession of -months.[25] - -The language of the Kakhyens is monosyllabic, and is spoken in an -ascending tone, every sentence ending in a long-drawn “ee,” in a -higher key, thus--“Chingpaw poong-doon tan-key-ing _eee_?” “Do the -Kakhyens dance?” Monsig. Bigandet says: “It is the same as used by -all the Singpho tribes, and bears a great resemblance to that of the -Abors and Mishmees, and other tribes of the south-western spurs of the -Himalayas. The pronunciation is soft and easy, and the construction of -sentences simple and direct as in English. It is totally different from -the Burmese, and belongs to a completely different group.” We found -very few that could speak Burmese, except the Ponline and other chiefs -bordering the plain; but almost all the chiefs both north and south of -the Tapeng, and many of their clansmen, could speak Chinese, and a few, -such as the chiefs of Mattin, Seray, &c., could write Chinese; but the -Kakhyens possess no written characters of their own. - -As warriors the Kakhyens cannot be ranked high. Quarrelsome and -revengeful as they are, prone to exact atonement for a wrong or feud -to the last, their attacks are always made stealthily, and generally -at night--they may be said to crouch and spring like the tiger. As -hunters, so far as we could learn, they are not very daring, but our -opportunities of observation were limited, and the hills about Ponsee -did not seem to contain much animal life. Their chief quarry is the -barking deer, but leopards and porcupines are said to be sometimes -found, and wild elephants were reported as occasional visitors. The -fierce and pugnacious bamboo rat is esteemed a dainty and valuable -prize. The young lads set ingenious traps for jungle fowl and -pheasants. A miniature fence of the stems of tall jungle grass is -constructed down the hillside for two hundred feet, through which -little runs are opened. At each a pliable bamboo is firmly fixed at -one end, while the other is lightly fastened to the ground. A noose -fixed to this end snares the birds, which are hoisted in the air like -moles in the familiar trap. We also observed boys liming small birds -in an ingenious manner, with a bird-lime obtained from the root of -some plant. This was smeared on the prongs of a wooden trident fixed -in a bamboo handle, which was hidden in the jungle bordering a path. -On a cord across the trident, a number of ants were so fixed that they -could move their wings; the constant flutter allured the birds to perch -on the trident and be caught. The small boys were stimulated in the -pursuit of “small deer” and all sorts of birds by the rewards given for -any specimens. The collection and preservation of all manner of living -things was a constant source of wonder to the Kakhyens, as well as of -gain. Even the young tsawbwa caught the infection, and, moved either by -greed or gratitude for medical help, brought in a young example of a -red-faced monkey, closely allied to _Macacus tibetanus_ (Milne-Edwards). - -It will be evident that they are a perfectly wild race of mountaineers, -supplying themselves with most of the necessaries of life by rude -cultivation. They are altogether dependent on their neighbours for -salt and dried fish; and as their own scanty crops furnish little -superfluity, their great object is to obtain _compraw_, wherewith -to purchase what they need. They rear no animals but pigs; and the -buffaloes they own have been stolen from the plains. This habit of -“cattle-lifting” causes them to be regarded as natural outlaws by the -Burmese; hence the constant state of hostility and reprisals on both -sides. Since the time of our visit the mountaineers have been better -treated at Bhamô, and a zayat has been erected for their use outside -the stockade, besides one built for them near the British Residency; -but no Kakhyen can enter or leave the town without a pass, for which he -has to pay toll, this licence-duty being farmed by residents in Bhamô. -It must be owned that, whether their character has been deteriorated -by knavish injustice on the part of Chinese traders, or high-handed -extortion and wrong on the part of Burmese, they are at the present -time lazy, thievish, and untrustworthy. Their savage curiosity leads -them to pry into every package entrusted to them. During the return -journey all the collecting-boxes were opened, and every specimen -unrolled and examined, with what results of utter confusion may be -imagined. They consider themselves entitled to levy blackmail on -all passing through their districts, and each petty chief tries to -represent himself as an independent tsawbwa, with a full control of the -portion of route near his village. - -As any mission or trade-convoy must, however, pass through their -hills, and strong and impartial justice should characterise all our -relations with them, it will not be thought presumption to suggest -what appears to be the best and fairest method of dealing with them. -It is thoroughly well established that the Kakhyens themselves -possess no mules, or at least so few as to be insufficient for the -carriage of any large amount of baggage or goods. When the chiefs -have been employed to procure mules, they hire them from the Shans, -acting thus as middle-men, and in our case making an exorbitant -profit. Their incurable habits of pilfering and meddling curiosity -render them unfit to be employed as porters. All beasts of burden, -and coolies, if required, should be procured either in Burma or by -direct agents, hiring them in the Shan districts subject to China; -in the latter case no payments in advance should be made. The chiefs -of the Kakhyens occupying the portion of the route lying within the -Burmese frontier line should be summoned to Bhamô by the Burmese -authorities at the instance of the British Resident, and, a proper -sum, in recognition of their territorial dues, being fixed, should be -informed that this will be paid at the Residency on the safe passage -through their territory being accomplished and certified. A similar -course can be pursued by communication with the Chinese authorities -with regard to those who live within the Chinese frontier. The duties -to be performed by the chiefs should be limited to guaranteeing an -undisturbed passage, and providing such accommodation or supplies as -may be required. With regard to provision for an open trade route, a -fair tariff should be fixed upon: this has been done by the Chinese, -and could be accomplished by the Burmese also. The mountain chiefs may -then be required to keep the roads open and in repair, and to suppress -any attempt at brigandage, on pain of being fined, and otherwise -punished. It must be remarked, however, with all deference to the -political branch of our service, that one cannot help thinking that -it will be needful in all cases that our Residents should not issue -independent summonses and orders to the hill chiefs. The ill-feeling -of the Burmese has not unnaturally been excited by British officers -dealing, independently of the Woon, with the chiefs, nominally at -least, subordinate to him as the officer of the king of Burma. It is -surely incumbent on the British Resident in the town of an independent -foreign power to co-operate with and recognise the local authorities, -and cultivate an _entente cordiale_ with them. If this policy be -systematically observed, the Burmese will be most fairly and properly -held responsible for the conduct of the chiefs whom they claim to be -dependent on their authority, and who have accepted titles and insignia -from the king of Burma. It may seem fanciful to suggest ways and means -of removing the difficulties of the route for a future trade; but -the passage of a mission, or of future explorers of the interesting -country beyond the Kakhyen hills, will be only thus made possible. -The arrangements must be made with the Burmese and the Chinese; the -Kakhyens, being only regarded as outlying people, paid their dues, not -from fear, but from generous justice; while they are sternly repressed, -and taught their own insignificance and almost inutility. These remarks -may seem an example of shutting the door after the steed is stolen; -but if the plan proposed widely differs from that pursued by our -expedition, let it be remembered that we were pioneers in an unknown -country, feeling our way through tribes and populations, the political -relations of which were at that time as little known as were the -physical difficulties of the route we had been commissioned to explore -through their midst. - -These observations are the result of the experience gained in the -course of this first attempt, and the opinions then formed have been -confirmed on a more recent occasion, when it was not in my power to -make any practical application of the knowledge of the ways and habits -of the mountaineers which had been formerly gained. - -If the reader is somewhat tired of the Kakhyens, he can better -understand the wearisome and anxious time passed by us at Ponsee, as -all through April we alternately hoped and despaired of escaping from -our open-air prison. At the end of that time our party was reduced in -numbers by the departure of Williams and Stewart, who acted upon the -circular already mentioned as issued by the leader of the mission. They -started, under the guidance of Moung Mo, on April 29th, and reached -Bhamô without delay or difficulty. - -[23] “En langue Mou-tse et Kong un homme se dit _Ho-ka_, en langue Kho -il se dit _Ka-sya_.”--‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. p. 378. - -[24] See _supra_, page 77. - -[25] At a later visit the tsawbwa of Mattin declared the year 1874 to -be the Kakhyen year 1320; and the following list of months was given to -Père Lecomte:--(February) Ra, Wot, Shila, Cheetung, Shenan, Shimerray, -Kopes-hay, Kopetang, Kala, Majea, Mahah, Hro (January). - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -MANWYNE TO MOMIEN. - - Departure from Ponsee--Valley of the Tapeng--A curious crowd--Our - khyoung--Matins--The town of Manwyne--Visit to the haw--The - tsawbwa-gadaw--An armed demonstration--Karahokah--Sanda--The chief - and his grandson--Muangla--Shan burial-grounds--The Tahô--A murdered - traveller--Mawphoo valley--Muangtee--Nantin--Valley of Nantin--The - hot springs--Attacked by Chinese--Hawshuenshan volcano--Valley of - Momien--Arrival at the city. - - -After various reports and interchange of letters between ourselves -and the Panthays, tending to the removal of any doubts in the minds -of the latter, we learned that the representatives of the Shan states -had come to Manwyne. A slight hint of the unchanged ill-feeling of the -Bhamô people was given in the imprisonment of Moung Mo, who had acted -as guide to Williams and Stewart; a vigorous remonstrance, however, -forwarded to the Woon, was followed by his liberation and return to the -camp. - -On the 8th of May, the Shan representatives arrived. The appearance -of these fair, civilised, intelligent men, dressed in dark blue from -shoe to turban, was a great relief. They assured us that we might go -forward, and disowned having entertained any hostile feeling. Men were -sent to Manwyne to bring mules, and our departure for that town on the -next day but one was resolved on. - -It was amusing to see the pawmine acting as cicerone, and exhibiting -the wonders of our camp furniture to the inquiring Shans. They -complained bitterly of the unsettled state of the country, and declared -that our presence had already contributed to restore order. One of -their complaints was that they could not trade with Bhamô on account of -the extortion and plunder practised by the Woon and his people on the -traders resorting thither. - -The Ponsee pawmines were on their best behaviour, and even the vexed -question of the mule hire was at last settled. The tsawbwa declared -that every man, woman, and child, was the better for our stay, and -entreated us to favour him by choosing this as the return route, and to -make what use we liked of him. - -The Shans came down very early on the morning of May 11th to announce -that sufficient mules had arrived. We packed up with right good will, -and at eight o’clock the mules actually appeared. At the last moment, -“Death’s Head” pawmine attempted to create a disturbance about a -photograph taken of his house. He declared his wife and son had been -sick ever since, and that the photographer had bewitched them, in -revenge for his having stolen our cow. Another pawmine demanded a toll -of two rupees per mule, and threatened an embargo. This was too much. -A short and sharp refusal, emphasized by a revolver, acted like magic, -and the pawmines sneaked off, thoroughly crestfallen. - -At half past eleven we started from the scene of our long detention. -Scarcity of mules compelled us to leave our tents behind, and trust for -future shelter to the hospitality of the townspeople _en route_. - -The road was tolerably level for a mile or so, as far as Kingdoung, -whence a steep descent led to a comparatively flat glen, closed in by -hills on all sides but one, covered with flooded rice terraces, while -here and there the ground was being broken up by men and boys with -large hoes. - -The steep descent to this alluvial hollow could be easily avoided by -a road skirting a spur to the east, sloping down to the Tapeng. Here -numerous small streams drain into the Tapeng, from both south and -north, the largest of which is called the Thamô. From the north-eastern -watershed, we obtained a fine view of the Tapeng valley, stretching -away to the east-north-east, and then descended to the level of the -river by a gradual slope, over rounded grassy hills and dried-up -watercourses. On the way we were met by the tsawbwa-gadaw of Muang-gan, -accompanied by a bevy of damsels offering cooked rice, fresh sheroo, -and flowers. After a short halt for refreshment and friendly talk -with the old lady, whose hospitality was duly rewarded with beads, -we proceeded over a fair road six feet broad. From an eminence we -viewed the Tapeng entering the hills through a narrow gloomy gorge, -which swallowed up the broad placid stream, descending from the -north-east between low white sandy banks. Looking up the river, the -level valley stretched away, till in the far distance the border -ranges, three or four miles apart in the foreground, seemed almost to -meet. These defining mountains rose three thousand feet, and others -of still greater height towered in the background, while a loftier -range, running almost at right angles to them, crowned the far horizon. -The level ground on either side of the river was parcelled out into -innumerable rice fields, which, with the numerous villages situated on -the higher undulations amid clumps of bamboo and fruit trees, attested -the presence of a numerous and industrious population. The exposed -reaches of sand within the river banks suggested heavy floods during -the wet season; but at this period the water was drawn off by many -canals, and glistened in little lakes, from which the green blades of -the young rice crop were just raising their heads. The gentle slopes -running up to the base of the hills and the lower hillsides afforded -rich pasture to large herds of cattle and buffaloes. At the various -villages large crowds of Shans and Chinese were gathered, awaiting the -strangers. At one of some importance, mats were laid out for us under -the trees, and we were challenged by the officials of Manwyne, who -addressed our leader somewhat to this effect: “You say you are a man -of authority, therefore we allow you to pass.” It was not etiquette -to take any notice of them, and mounting their ponies, they fell into -the rear of the cavalcade, with a crowd of boys behind them. Outside -Manwyne itself a dense crowd of men, women, and children surrounded our -baggage, which had been unloaded pell-mell on a stretch of sand where -we were expected to encamp. No sooner had we dismounted than the crowd -pressed around. They appeared by no means friendly, and the Chinese -especially jeered and hooted, and one fellow had the impudence to -feel the texture of the beard of one of our party. A more inquisitive -set of sightseers it is impossible to conceive, and for some time -they regularly blockaded us, almost to suffocation. While impatiently -waiting for the officials in the full blaze of the afternoon sun, both -parties found ample interest in surveying each other. To us the first -sight of the peculiar but picturesque dress of the good-looking Shan -women was probably as attractive as our physiognomies and attire seemed -to be to the natives. The head-dress was a long blue turban, curled -in crescent-shaped folds with neat precision, towering nearly a foot -above the head, and inclined backwards in an inverted cone, displaying -the back of the head adorned with large silver discs. Add to this, -neat little white or blue jackets slashed with red, fastened with -enamelled silver brooches, and exposing plump little arms adorned with -heavy silver bracelets, blue petticoats with deeply embroidered silken -borders, fanciful gaiters, and blue shoes, and the reader can imagine -that the curious crowd of Manwyne was picturesque. - -There was a good sprinkling of Chinese women with dwarfed feet, but -they were much more poorly clad than the prosperous-looking Shans. - -The men, Shan and Chinese, were all dressed in dark blue jackets and -trousers, the Shans being distinguished by blue turbans with the -pigtail wound into their coils, while the Chinese wore skull-caps. -Almost all carried long-stemmed pipes. After some delay and -expostulation with the headmen, we were inducted into a Buddhist -khyoung or temple, standing in a separate courtyard just within the -town, but entered through a gate of its own in the town wall. It was -a low square building, facing the river, built partly of bricks and -partly of wood, on a rubble foundation, and roofed with fired tiles. - -It had two roofs, the upper in itself somewhat like a smaller khyoung -perched on the top of the larger, with two latticed windows in each -of its curved sides, and borne up by strong teak pillars. At either -end two wooden partitions shut off the cells of the priests and their -pupils. A kitchen in one corner completed the domestic arrangements, -unless we may include two or three new coffins, and materials for -more, piled ready in one corner of the verandah. A long table was -covered with models of pagodas, enclosing seated figures of Gaudama, -one principal Buddha occupying the centre, with an umbrella suspended -over his head. This seemed to serve as an altar, on which two large -candles were placed during the evening prayers, intoned with bell -accompaniments, strongly reminding us of the Catholic mass. In the -verandah three square niches faced this altar, one containing the image -of a horse. - -As soon as we had taken up our quarters, the temple was thronged inside -and out by a curious crowd, who favoured us with their presence till -we retired for the night. The ill-feeling of certain of the Chinese -inhabitants was so dreaded by the headmen that an armed Shan guard was -stationed round the khyoung, in addition to our own police sentries, -who were requested by the authorities to be on the alert against an -attack. - -In the early morning the matin bell and chanting awoke us to find the -apartment filled with precise old matrons and buxom Shan girls busy at -their devotions. Each carried a little basket filled with rice, and a -few brought offerings of flowers. As they entered, they first knelt -in front of the principal Buddha, but did not venture on the raised -platform. After a short prayer, they turned to the niche containing -the horse, before which they repeated a prayer standing, and then -deposited an offering of cooked rice in front of the quadruped. We next -became the objects of their attention, but they were too timid to give -us much of it on the first occasion. After the priests had finished -their prayers, all the women arranged themselves in a row outside the -khyoung. Presently the burly chief priest, draped in yellow, appeared. -With downcast eyes and grave face he walked slowly down the line, -holding a large bowl, in which each placed an offering of cooked rice. -This done, the congregation dispersed to their homes. - -This practice of the phoongyees gathering their daily food from the -worshippers, instead of begging it from house to house, _patta_, or -alms-bowl, in hand, is an instance of the unorthodox laxity prevailing -among the Shan Buddhists. - -A delay of two days was made necessary by consultations as to the -route to be followed. The choice lay between crossing the river into -the Muangla territory, or continuing along the right bank, through the -Sanda state, to the town of that name. The latter was finally decided -on, despite the opposition of a Muangla deputy named Kingain. - -The town of Manwyne, or Manyen, was itself formerly a dependency of -Sanda, but had been ceded to one of the Muangla family as the dowry of -a Sanda princess. It is surrounded by a low wall of sun-dried bricks, -raised on a lower course of rough stones. The population of Shans and -Chinese might be reckoned at seven hundred, and the district contains -about five thousand. At this time numerous fugitives from the more -disturbed districts had taken refuge there, the war not having extended -so far down the valley. The people, though prosperous, were lawless -and independent, the nominal authority of the dowager tsawbwa-gadaw, -or princess, being little regarded, and the Chinese power being in -abeyance. We visited the bazaar held every morning outside the wall. -The vendors were mostly girls, each sitting in front of a small basket, -supporting a tray on which her stock was laid out. The eatables -comprised a curious curd-like paste made from peas and beans, and in -great request; peas which had sprouted, beans, onions, and various -wild plums, cherries, and berries, while maize, rice, and barley, and -several sorts of tobacco, were also on sale. One end of the bazaar was -devoted to unbleached home-made cotton cloth, with a small stock of -English piece goods, and red and green broadcloth. - -Many Kakhyens, chiefly young women, were present, with firewood and -short deal planks for sale, and we were struck by the perfect freedom -enjoyed by these people as contrasted with their treatment in Burmese -territory. The town gate led into a filthy narrow street, or rather -lane, about nine feet wide. It was paved with boulders, and bordered -on either side by a deep open gutter close under the windows, and -alive with swine. The one-storied houses were built of bricks, with -one room opening on the street, the sill of the open window serving as -a counter, mainly for the sale of pork. This was the Chinese quarter; -beyond it lay the clean Shan division, every house detached and -surrounded by a neat little courtyard, with ponies, buffaloes, and -implements, housed under substantial sheds. A few villages formed, as -it were, suburbs of the so-called town, each enclosed in its bamboo -fence, and intersected by narrow railed paths. None of the houses were -raised on piles, as in Burma; the better sort were built of bricks -and tiled, and the smaller ones were mere mud hovels. In one village -we saw a man cutting tobacco for the use of the ladies, and were -politely invited to be seated while we were instructed in the art of -the tobacconist. The fresh leaves rolled firmly together were pushed -through a circular hole in a wooden upright, and thin slices rapidly -cut off; these are only partially dried and smoked while still green. -Some was brought to fill the visitors’ pipes, and for half an hour we -sat chatting to these homely Shans. Returning to the khyoung, we found -it crowded with numerous patients, all entreating medical aid. The -poor people were intensely grateful, though some of the old and infirm -seemed to expect miracles, and went away evidently doubting the will, -rather than the power, of the physician. - -During this time our leader had been busily engaged adjusting the -division of three hundred rupees among the Kakhyen pawmines; they were -most demonstrative in their expressions of friendship, and urgently -pressed us to confide ourselves to their escort on the return route. -Presents were also distributed to the headmen of the town, and those -of Sanda and Muangla, and the officials escorted us on a visit of -ceremony to the tsawbwa-gadaw. Her _haw_, or palace, built in the -Chinese style of telescopic courtyards, formed an enclosure in the -centre of the town. We passed through two courtyards, the sides of -the outer one forming the stables, and those of the inner one the -kitchen and servants’ rooms, with the residence filling up the end. -The entrance from the first to the second court formed a waiting-room, -where a bench covered with silken draperies had been placed. After a -few minutes we were invited to proceed through the second court to the -house, which was raised about three feet from the ground, with an open -reception hall, apparently off a third court, containing the private -apartments. The reception court was laid out with flowers, dwarf yews, -and a vine trained over a trellis. High-backed chairs with red cushions -were set out, and presently the dowager appeared from her apartment, -accompanied by some white-robed Buddhist nuns, or _rahanees_, and -attended by three maids. One of the nuns was her daughter; the others -had visited Rangoon, as pilgrims to the great pagoda, and brought back -strong impressions of the excellence of British rule; both in Manwyne -and elsewhere these pious ladies subsequently did good service by -spreading favourable reports of the English visitors. - -But we are forgetting the tsawbwa-gadaw. She was a stout little woman -of fifty summers, of quiet self-possessed carriage. Above her round -fair face towered a huge blue turban eighteen inches in height. Her -costume consisted of a white jacket fastened with large square -enamelled silver clasps, and a blue petticoat with richly embroidered -silken border and broad silken stripes; her leggings and shoes were -also covered with exquisite embroidery. She entered smoking a long -silver-stemmed pipe, and received us with pleasant affability. Sladen -held a long conversation with her concerning the mission, and she -greatly rejoiced in the prospect of reopening Burmese trade, and -promised her hearty support. Small cups of bitter tea, and saucers -furnished with all requisites for betel-chewing, were handed round, the -style of everything being thoroughly Chinese, and we took our leave, -having evidently won her esteem. - -The next morning, May 13th, the entire population of the neighbourhood -assembled to see the visitors depart. The fair ones were in their -holiday attire, their head-dresses decorated with sweet-smelling -flowers. Many parting presents of these, accompanied with good-natured -nods and smiles and kind wishes, were bestowed on the travellers. -Several Shan officials accompanied us, perched high on huge red-cloth -saddles and padded coverlids heaped on their small ponies. The route -lay along the undulating right bank of the river, over a tolerable -but narrow track, which crossed the mountain streams flowing into the -Tapeng by substantial granite bridges, built of long slabs laid side by -side, so as to form an exact semicircular arch. - -About four miles from Manwyne, our attention was called to a number of -men who rushed out of a village on the opposite bank of the river. -Although they were all armed, and indulged in threatening shouts and -gesticulations, we did not suspect any really hostile intentions. -Presently, however, we found ourselves exactly opposite to them, when, -whiz! came a bullet, passing close to Sladen’s pony, which plunged -violently. At this they yelled, and fired some more shots, accompanied -by furious brandishing of dahs. We took no notice, and this apparent -indifference cooled their ardour, and the road, diverging from the -river, soon took us out of sight. The fact that small but well-armed -parties of Shans were posted at intervals suggested that the officials -had expected an attack. - -Beyond this the march to Sanda was an ovation, the people lining the -road, and waving us on with shouts of _Kara! kara!_ “Welcome! welcome!” -Most striking was the panorama of the fertile and populous valley, -with the broad Tapeng winding through it, and the magnificent wall of -mountains towering on either hand. Village succeeded village, and every -available acre was cultivated, the young rice now rising about two -inches above the water, and tobacco plantations on the higher ground -displaying their delicate verdure. - -Halfway between Manwyne and Sanda, the road passes through Karahokah, -the chief Chinese market-town of the valley. The village consists -of two long parallel lines of houses separated by a broadway, down -the centre of which the booths and stalls are placed on the weekly -market-day. It was full market when we passed, so by advice we went -round outside the village, but the curious crowd streamed out and -nearly closed the road. A striking feature was added to the landscape -by the bright red soil of the lower spurs jutting out from the higher -range. In contrast to the dense forests above, they were almost -destitute of trees, except at the extreme points, and clothed as -they were with rich short grass, their strongly marked red and green -colouring completed the unique beauty of the Sanda valley. At five -o’clock P.M. we reached Sanda or Tsandah, seventy-five miles from -Bhamô, and were conducted to a small temporary Buddhist khyoung built -on the site of one wrecked by the Panthays. - -It was little better than a thatched hut, with the ground for a floor. -Here, as in other Shan towns, a striking difference was observed -between the phoongyees and those seen in Burma. Their huge yellow -turbans, coiled round yellow skull-caps, stood out each like a solid -nimbus or glory. They wore white jackets and yellow trousers, girdles, -and leggings, and shoes contrary to the precepts of their religion. -Each carried on his back a broad-brimmed straw hat covered with green -oiled silk. Their profusion of silver ornaments, buttons, rings, and -pipes, was utterly at variance with the vows of poverty taken by Rahans. - -The town of Sanda, marked on maps as Santa-fu, occupies the end of a -ridge in a northerly bend or bay of the valley, a mile and a half from -the Tapeng. The remains of a thick loopholed wall enclose an irregular -area about six hundred yards square, over which are scattered eight -hundred to one thousand houses, with a population of four to five -thousand. We saw neither towers, pagodas, nor public buildings, save in -ruins, excepting the tsawbwa’s house. The Panthays stormed the town in -1863, and the ruined defences and buildings had not yet been restored. -Indeed the dejected and poverty-stricken inhabitants had only partially -repaired their own brick-built dwellings. - -Four hundred yards from the north-east gate was the bazaar, a village -in itself, inhabited solely by Chinese, consisting, like Karahokah, of -two lines of houses, the broadway between being closed at either end -by a wall. A Chinese joss house, the ruins of which showed its former -importance, stood near the entrance. In our wanderings through the -bazaar, we met two women from the hills to the north of Sanda, of an -entirely different race from Shans, Chinese, or Kakhyens, who called -themselves Leesaws. - -The next day was devoted to a ceremonious visit to the old tsawbwa. -We entered his haw, a handsome structure of blue gneiss, through a -triple archway, and passed through the courtyards, the whole building -being arranged on the same plan as the Manwyne palace, but on a much -larger and handsomer scale. High-backed Chinese chairs were duly set -out in the vestibule of a building leading directly to the private -apartments, and the courtyard in front was crowded with the leading -townsmen. The tsawbwa, a frail old man with an intelligent face and -polished manners, was dressed in a long coat of sombre Shan blue -and a black satin skull-cap. He was nervous and silent, nearly all -the talking being done by his officials, who seemed to be gentlemen -of education and considerable intelligence. They were unanimous in -expressing their hopes that our mission would result in settling the -country and restoring the trade. - -The little grandson and heir of the tsawbwa was brought to be -introduced. The old chief evidently doated on the boy, and made a most -urgent request, that Sladen would consider him as his son. When he -learned that he already possessed a little boy, the chief exclaimed, -“Then let them be brothers.” It appeared that the astrologers, in -forecasting the event of our mission, had divined that this adoption by -our leader was essential to the future welfare of the heir of Sanda. -The interview closed with the circulation of tea and betel, and after -we had requested the chief’s acceptance of a handsome table-cloth and -other presents, we took our leave, but were followed to our quarters -by servants of the tsawbwa bearing supplies of rice, ducks, fowls, and -salted wild geese. The next morning the tsawbwa made his appearance, -accompanied by his grandson, and bringing presents of a silken quilt -and handsome embroidered Shan pillows. A richly enamelled silver pipe -stem was given to Sladen in the name of his newly adopted son, for -whom the grandfather earnestly besought his affection and care. At -his request it was arranged that in leaving the town we should pass -in front of the tsawbwa’s house. As the cavalcade neared the gates of -the enclosure, two trumpeters stationed there blew a lusty flourish on -their long brass trumpets. The chief himself stood on the steps, shaded -by two large umbrellas, one a gold _chatta_ and the other red, with -heavy fringes. His chief men surrounded him, and the little grandson -was held in the arms of an attendant. We dismounted to shake hands, -which rather puzzled the chief. After a cordial parting, a salute of -three guns was fired, and the trumpeters preceded us, blowing sonorous -blasts till we passed through the south-eastern gate. - -The road followed the embankments of the paddy fields, across the -entrance to the high steep glen down which flows the Nam-Sanda stream, -which was forded. A low red spur from the north-west range, nearly -meeting another from the opposite range, here confines the Tapeng -to a narrow deep channel, and divides the valley into two basins, -one of Sanda and the other of Muangla. Having crossed this spur, we -forded a small stream, which was quite warm, from its being fed by -the hot springs of Sanda. The Muangla valley is a repetition of that -of Sanda, with the same direction, and flanked by similar parallel -heights, until the head of the basin is reached. There the valley, -as it were, bifurcates: down the northerly division, the main stream -of the Tapeng flows from the north-east through a fine valley, shut -off from the Muangla basin by an intervening range of grassy hills. A -large affluent, called the Tahô, or by the Chinese Sen-cha-ho, comes -down from the east-north-east, between the high hills which appeared to -bound the valley before us, but, opening farther on, enclose the valley -of Nantin. - -Numerous villages were passed, the inhabitants of which gave us a most -hearty welcome. Near the head, or fork, of the valley, the Tapeng, even -now a hundred yards wide, runs nearly across it, from one side to the -other. We forded it at a village called Tamon, where a large bazaar was -being held. Having crossed a slightly elevated flat peninsula on the -left bank, and above the junction of the rivers, covered with charming -villages embowered in high trees and splendid bamboo topes, we came -to the Tahô flowing in broken streams in an old channel, a mile wide, -between lofty banks. A great portion of the level ground is covered -with rice fields, for the irrigation of which the streams are diverted. - -A very neat bamboo pavilion had been erected for us on the high bank -overlooking the Tahô, and after a rest, we crossed the channel to -Muangla, which was visible on the opposite side, below a range of low -red hills. We ascended the old river bank, and passed through the -southern gateway, screened by a brick traverse, into a short broad -street closed by a stone wall. Here we were conducted to a ruined -Chinese temple, which had been hastily repaired for our occupancy, and -were speedily invested by a crowd of curious folk, who seemed never -satiated with staring. - -Muangla, or Mynela, nearly ninety miles from Bhamô, stands on a high -slope on the left bank of the Tapeng, enclosed by a brick wall nine -feet high, with numerous loopholes and occasional guard-houses. The -wall, with its six strong gateways, protected by traverses, appeared -to be in much better condition than that of Sanda. With the exception -of the broad bazaar street, the various roadways were mere lanes paved -with boulders. The population within the walls could not exceed two -thousand, which might be doubled by the addition of the large suburban -villages close to the town. One of these contained the remains of some -handsome Chinese temples, destroyed by the iconoclastic Panthays. One -temple, built in a picturesque series of terraces, still retained -evidence of its former grandeur in elaborate carving and colouring, -a number of life-sized figures, and a large sweet-toned bell on the -highest terrace. In still another, one of the courts contained a -symbolic representation of the passage of souls into the future life. -A miniature bridge with many passengers was depicted, guarded by two -human forms, and spanning a miry hollow. In the latter, human beings -were being tortured by monstrous dogs and serpents. Some of the -passengers were represented being thrown from the bridge into this -abyss; others had passed to Elysium, or Neibban, on the further bank. -In another recess stood a low square hollow pillar with an opening on -one side, facing a structure resembling a small brick stove with a -chimney-like orifice, over which, as issuing from it, were depicted men -and animals. This seemed intended to figure the transmigrations of the -soul in the whirlpool of existences, from which every good Buddhist -desires to escape into Neibban. - -Close to the town, but out of sight of the buildings, we came upon the -burial-ground of the tsawbwas, overlooking a desolate sea of hills. -Over handsome horseshoe tombs with broad terraces and lofty portals of -well-hewn gneiss, a few scattered pines stood sentinels. In the common -graveyard, between the town and the junction of the river, as in many -others passed in the valley, the graves are all raised and rounded as -in old churchyards at home, lying to all points of the compass, with a -broad stone slab at the head, but little care is shown except for the -burial-places of the chiefs, in this particular the Shans differing -altogether from the Chinese. - -Viewed from Muangla, the western range of the valley culminates in -a bold precipitous mountain, frowning above the Tapeng, which comes -down through a narrow gorge between it and the hills which rise behind -the town, and wall the valley of the Tahô. Above this narrow gorge, -the Tapeng flows down a broad level valley, from its source reported -to be three days’ journey distant. At its exit from the gorge, it is -a quiet deep stream; at this spot a boat ferry was plying, and the -view reminded us forcibly of Scottish mountain scenery. A long deep -valley ran along the eastern face of the opposite hill, dotted on -both sides by Kakhyen and Poloung villages and dark green forest. Its -stream was conveyed across the Tapeng gorge by a wooden aqueduct, to -irrigate the fields on the further bank. We were warned not to venture -far from the town, so could not explore as much as we wished and had -leisure for. A ceremonial visit had been duly paid on our arrival to -the youthful tsawbwa, a lad of fifteen, who, under the regency of his -mother, governed the extensive district of Muangla, paying a tribute -of five thousand bushels of rice to the Panthays. The officials, who -evidently favoured the old Chinese imperialist regime, demurred to our -proceeding, for fear of the banditti infesting the road to Mawphoo. In -this they were supported by the tsawbwa of Hotha, who joined us here, -on his road to Momien, with a caravan of one hundred and fifty mules -laden with cotton. He was a man of energy and education, speaking and -writing both Shan and Chinese. As one of the largest traders between -Bhamô and Momien, he possessed the respect and confidence of both -Shans and Panthays. Sladen sent letters to the governors of Nantin -and Momien, to which replies were brought on May 21st by our missing -interpreter, Moung Shuay Yah, who was accompanied by three well-dressed -and fine-looking Panthay officers, also by a guard sent to escort us to -Momien. - -On the 23rd of May, we left Muangla, and crossed the muddy flat to the -Tahô, where the valley contracted to a breadth of scarcely two miles. -Here we were joined by the Hotha chief with his well-appointed caravan, -but a halt was called, as a report came in from the front that three -hundred Chinese were ahead ready to attack us. Advancing to Nahlow, -a little further on, a fresh report raised the numbers of the enemy -to five hundred, and we were pressed to order a volley, which would -frighten them away! At Nahlow the villagers pointed out a hill as the -post of the Chinese, who had killed two men, but careful examination -with field-glasses could detect no signs of the enemy. Some men were -now observed a thousand yards ahead, and the Panthay officers galloped -forward to reconnoitre. The mules were unloaded, and the villagers -brought buckets of pea curd and fried peas strung on bamboo spathes. -Our scouts having reported all clear, we proceeded over undulating -boggy ground, and descended about eighty-five feet to the bed of the -Tahô in a long oval basin, covered with gravel and boulders, and closed -in on three sides by grassy hills. We presently came upon a man lying -by the stream, with a frightful gash in his head, and a wound in his -chest. He was a poor trader, who had been attacked, robbed, and, as -it proved, murdered, for despite our help he died in a short time. At -the head of the valley, a slippery zigzag path led up the steep face -of a great spur of the Mawphoo mountain, the summit of which commanded -a splendid prospect of the rich valley of the Tapeng, mantled with -green paddy, and of the wild barren gorge below us. The sides of the -parallel ranges, here a few hundred yards apart, were marked by large -landslips, many of them white as snow. Our path lay along one which -formed a perpendicular precipice five hundred feet above the Tahô. A -high mountain facing Mawphoo was pointed out as the Shuemuelong, famous -in the wars between Burma and China. From the summit, a level path -turning north-east led us to Mawphoo, situated at the extremity of a -high level basin, marked by two terraces on the northern side, with the -Tahô flowing invisibly in a deep cleft, or ravine, at the base of the -southern hills. At first sight one is inclined to regard it as an old -lake basin, for it is so closed in by hills that the presence of the -river could not be even suspected by a spectator who had not previously -traced its course. - -Mawphoo, which was said to have been recently the stronghold of -Li-sieh-tai, was a wretched walled village in ruins, garrisoned by a -few Panthay soldiers. The crumbling walls and ruins were overgrown -with weeds and jungle, and it was hard to believe that this place -had been held by an enemy and stormed only a few weeks before. From -this the road skirted the level ground of the valley, but numerous -deep watercourses presented frequent difficulties, while the rain of -the last few days had rendered the path dangerously slippery. There -was evidence however in the paved roadway, the numerous substantial -stone bridges, and the frequent ruins of villages, that this must have -been a considerable highway in peaceful times; now the whole country -seemed to be a desolate waste. For some miles the heights along the -road were manned by strong Panthay and Kakhyen guards, who carried a -profusion of yellow and white flags, striped with various colours. All -were armed with matchlocks, as well as spears and tridents mounted on -shafts twelve feet long. Each picquet, as we passed, discharged their -pieces, and then followed in our rear beating their gongs. At the end -of this remarkable valley, we made a rapid descent to the treeless -valley of Nantin, which now opened to view curving to the north-east or -rather almost north. At the foot of the descent, the Tahô, which leaves -the valley through a deep rocky gorge, is spanned by an iron chain -suspension bridge, with massive stone buttresses, and an arched gateway -on either bank. The span is about one hundred feet, and planks laid -across the chains, covered with earth and straw, serve as a roadway, -while one of the chains sweeps down from the top of the gateway, to -serve as a railing. A small circular fort on an eminence was garrisoned -by a few men, who guarded the bridge. We continued along the right -bank through the Nantin valley, the sides of which presented three -distinctly marked river terraces, and, having forded the river, entered -the little Shan town of Muangtee, or Myne-tee, one hundred and eight -miles from Bhamô. The walls were crowded, and the short narrow street -through which we passed was thronged with women and children. Very -few men were visible, owing, as we were informed, to the incessant -fighting, which had killed off most of the male population. - -[Illustration: NANTIN VALLEY, TOWN OF MUANGTEE TO THE LEFT.] - -A mile beyond we reached the small walled Chinese town of Nantin, -now held by the Panthays. Two officers on ponies met and conducted -us through the gate to a ruined Chinese temple. This had once been a -handsome structure, but the walls were riddled with shot, the images -defaced, and broken open in search of plunder. Nantin itself showed all -the signs of having been once a thriving Chinese town. Now one-half -of it was in ruins, and the other tenanted by a scanty and miserably -poor population. By its position on a triangle of land between the Tahô -and a swift deep affluent, with the hills rising close behind it and -forming the base line, it completely commands the main road to Momien -and Yunnan. It was accordingly held by a strong Panthay force, under a -governor bearing the title of Tu-tu-du. - -The governor visited us, accompanied by a Chinese chief named -Thongwetshein, who had recently joined the Panthay cause. They -demanded either a list of the presents intended for Momien or -permission to search our baggage, both of which requests Sladen stoutly -refused, and referred them to Momien for instructions. In the course -of the day it came out that reports had been circulated that our boxes -contained live dragons and serpents and fearful explosives. The fears -of the Tu-tu-du were quieted by a peep at some bottled snakes and -frogs, and he begged us to pay him an official visit. This, he said, -would strengthen his influence over the townspeople, whom he described -as thieves and ruffians. - -A veritable Mahommedan Hadji was resident in the town. Knowing a little -Persian and Arabic, he led the devotions of the faithful, the Musjid -being held in his house. Our jemadar visited it, and described it as -miserably appointed, without water for ablutions, and the worship as -very lax. - -The next day, we set out in state with a guard of eight sepoys, and -preceded by two gold umbrellas. We passed through the bazaar, a narrow -dirty street, with a double row of stalls, displaying hoes and ploughs, -a little cloth, thread, paper, and eatables, including almost ripe -peaches. At the residence, we were received with a salute of three -guns; and the centre gates being thrown open for our admission, as a -mark of special honour, we rode forward to the second courtyard. In -the reception room the governor led us to a raised dais, he himself -occupying a low place on a bench at the side of the room. After a few -compliments, he suddenly vanished, only to reappear in a few minutes -in full mandarin costume. The explanation was that, seeing Sladen in -full staff uniform, he felt it incumbent on him to assume his official -robes. Tea in beautiful porcelain cups and betel-nut were served; and -Sladen having presented him with a musket and one hundred and fifty -rounds of ammunition, the governor escorted us to the outer court, and -dismissed us under a salute of three guns. - -Instructions having come from Momien that we were to proceed without -delay, we started the next morning. The Panthay garrison lined the -street, and at a neat stone bridge spanning a burn which runs through -the town the governor and Thongwetshein with their staff awaited us to -say farewell, while the band struck up a lively air on the gongs. A -guard preceded us, commanded by a nephew of the governor of Momien, and -a more indescribable lot of irregulars were never seen. The officers, -however, were fine intelligent men, well dressed in Panthay garb. So -little fear of danger seemed to exist that they were accompanied by -some female relatives in full Chinese costume, who rode in the advance -guard. The valley, or rather glen, as it is only a mile wide, which -stretched to the north before us, seemed to be a remarkable instance of -the changes effected by water. Throughout its length of about twenty -miles, its sides are marked by two well defined river terraces, and -indications of a third higher one corresponding to the highest of the -Mawphoo glen. These terraces close in at the head, while the entrance -into the deep ravine of the Mawphoo glen terminates it. This whole -length of area, lying one thousand feet above the level of Sanda, has -been denuded by the Tahô; the second terrace, which corresponds with -the lower one of the Mawphoo glen, is almost on the same elevation with -a level platform which extends from the head of the valley. From this -to the foot of the Mawphoo gorge seems to have been once a level flat, -perhaps a lake, like that of Yunnan, from which the Tahô precipitated -itself as a waterfall into the Sanda valley. The hills to the east, -at the base of which our route lay, instead of the bold precipitous -mountains of metamorphic rocks, were rounded trappean hills, occasional -glimpses of which reminded us of home scenery, as they swept up in -grassy curves, with dense clumps of trees on or near their summits. -Numerous watercourses seamed their sides, the channels strewn with -waterworn granite boulders, rounded lava-like masses of cellular -basalt, and large fragments of peat. - -The hills to the north-west rose much higher, in a lofty, well wooded -mountain wall, with grander peaks soaring beyond. Seven miles from -Nantin we halted to visit the famous hot springs. The steam rising from -them had been visible nearly a mile off; and the Nam-mine, a rather -large stream fed by them, was hot enough to startle both men and mules -while fording it. The rocks composing the side of the hill whence the -springs issue consisted of a cellular basalt and a hard quartzose rock, -the former being partially superficial, and the latter that through -which the springs issued. - -Seen from the west, the south-eastern side of the hill is marked by an -apparently deep, crater-like hollow, forcibly suggesting that it was -once a volcanic vent, the neighbouring rocks being almost scoriaceous, -and the internal heat being still evidenced by the boiling springs. -Besides those on the western face, others still larger occur on -its other side, some miles to the east. Of those visible, the most -important is an oval basin about three yards long, with a depth of -eight inches; about six yards from it are a number of funnels, six -inches in diameter, in the quartz rock, emitting steam. Higher up, and -fifty yards off, another strong jet of steam occurs, and on the other -side of a narrow gully are two other springs, which emit a considerable -body of boiling water through the earthy face of the hill. The water -in the principal spring comes up with great force through circular -apertures, about three inches in diameter, and the bottom of the basin -is covered with thick impalpable white mud. Owing to the heat and -volume of steam, it was only accessible on the leeward side, and the -ground was so hot that our barefooted followers could not approach by -some yards. It vibrated in a remarkable way, and the sensation was as -if one were standing over a gigantic boiler buried in the earth, which -was increased by the loud roar of the steam from the funnels, and the -indistinct rumbling noises in the hidden inferno. - -It is remarkable that, although the steam is at scalding heat, the -stones in it are covered with masses of green jelly, which thrive at -a temperature only ten degrees below boiling-point. The analysis of -a gallon of the water is as follows: 120 grains of solid matter; 112 -salts of alkalis, almost entirely chloride of sodium; 80 earthy salts, -silica, and oxide of iron. No nitric and but very little sulphuric -and carbonic acids were present, but traces of phosphoric acid were -detected. We were informed that the springs are much resorted to by -patients from all parts, who use the spring to cook their food, and -cure themselves in the vapour or the Nam-mine stream. After enjoying -our halt, which had been made with the full approval of the Panthay -officers and the Hotha chief, we started to overtake the cavalcade, -which had marched forward. Just as we rejoined the rear-guard, four -shots were fired in front, but as the road only admitted of single -file, and lay along a thickly wooded hillside, marked by the ruins of -many villages, no one could advance to reconnoitre. Word was presently -passed down that the mules had been attacked and two Panthay officers -wounded; but on proceeding onwards, we discovered that the affair -was more serious, and that the two officers and another man had been -killed. We soon came up to the bodies of the officers wrapped in their -large turbans and tied to bamboos, ready to be carried back to Nantin. -The poor fellows had both been great favourites with their comrades -and the governor of Momien; and a sad group surrounded the bodies, -including their female relatives, who had ridden out from Nantin only -to lament their murder, for so it was. As they were riding at the -head of the mules, at a corner in the narrow path, a lurking body of -Chinese rushed out from the trees, shot down the first, and the second, -hurrying to the rescue, was shot through the leg and cut down with a -dah. Eight mules had their loads thrown off and looted, and were then -driven up the hills. A little further on, the scene of the disaster was -marked by the ransacked packages lying on the roadside, and among them -two boxes containing my clothes and notebooks. One of these had escaped -unopened, and was left in charge of a Panthay officer, who promised -to see it brought on. At the head of the valley a halt was called, to -enable all the Panthays to come up, as a second ambuscade was suspected -in a thickly wooded hollow in the steep hillside above. - -At this point the river terraces sweep round to form the head of the -valley, but the Tahô has cut a deep gorge through them. The second -terrace could be seen continuing to the north in a long upward -slope, thrown into rounded mounds, the sites of small villages, and -terminating in a distant broad plain. The hillsides were covered with -pines, and the road ran through a belt of dense forest, over the -shoulder of a spur from the main range of hills. Here the attack -was expected to be made, so we advanced with vigilant attention to -the jungle on either hand, passing ruined villages, buried in dense -vegetation, consisting chiefly of fruit trees and garden plants run -wild. We were unmolested, and, after a short descent, came upon the -Tahô foaming along its rocky channel, spanned by a broad parapeted -bridge of gneiss and granite. The roadway exactly followed the curve -of the arch, and the ponies could scarcely keep their footing on the -smooth slabs, worn almost to a polish by the constant traffic of bygone -centuries. On the right bank a small Panthay guard met us, and reported -that they had chased a body of Chinese, lurking in the dreaded hollow. -We soon gained the level of the plain, seen in the distance as the -upward termination of the Nantin valley. From its eastern side rose -a long conical hill, stretching nearly north and south, in a black -sterile mass of lava, with the exception of its rounded grassy summit. -This remarkable extinct volcano of Hawshuenshan, rising abruptly from -the plain, stands out in striking contrast to the tumulus-shaped grassy -hills which cluster round it on all sides. A few small plants rooted -in the interstices of the rocks do not, in the distance, impart even -a trace of verdure to its barren sides, which are thrown into long -rocky curves, evidently old lava streams. We rode over the eastern -extremity of this volcano, by a broad path paved with long slabs of -gneiss and granite, and again came upon the Tahô, as a narrow rapid -stream running between it and the abrupt sides of the grassy hills to -the east. We crossed the river over another handsome stone bridge, and -passed the ruins of a rather large village. The Tahô issues at this -point from between a high spur and the volcano, through a very narrow -gorge; and the road wound up the side of the spur, and was laid with a -double line of stone flags to facilitate the ascent. From the top we -gained a fine view of the small circular lake-like valley, from which -the Tahô issued below, and looked down on numerous villages encircling -the irrigated level in its centre, which was covered with young rice. -Continuing a slight ascent over the grassy hills, by a good broad road, -we turned the flank of a lofty hill crowned with a white pagoda; and -the valley of Momien lay before us, shut in on all sides by rounded -hills, treeless, but covered with pasture. - -[Illustration: EXTINCT VOLCANO OF HAWSHUENSHAN; FROM SUMMIT OF MOMIEN -HILL.] - -The hills seemed to slope almost to the walls of the city in the -centre, but the intervening area was sufficient for an almost unbroken -ring of large villages, either in ruins or deserted. To the right -rose the Deebay range, beyond which lay the road to Tali-fu, and in -the far distance the lofty Tayshan ranges, running north and south, -formed a noble background of black rugged mountains. A long narrow -valley stretched in a northerly direction, marking the course of the -Tahô, from its source in the Sin-hai or Pai-hai watershed, sixty miles -distant. Between the foot of the hill and the city wall, a long line -of flags of all shapes and colours, and glittering spears, marked -the presence of the Tah-sa-kon of Momien. An aide-de-camp presently -arrived with a request that we would dismount and greet the governor, -who had come out to meet us. We were a motley group, not improved in -appearance by twenty-one miles’ march over muddy flats and dusty hills, -but, preceded by the most presentable sepoys, with the jemadar carrying -a gold sword in front, the three Europeans advanced under the canopy -of two gold umbrellas, through a long line of officers and banner men, -to the Tah-sa-kon, who, dressed in full mandarin costume, occupied a -richly cushioned chair, with three huge red silk umbrellas, fringed -with gold lace, held over him. He rose to welcome us with handshaking -and courteous greeting, and then escorted us to a large, well-built -temple outside the town wall, but close beneath the angle where the -governor’s palace stood. Here we took up our quarters with a sense -of profound satisfaction at having at last, after so many delays and -difficulties, reached a city of Western Yunnan. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -MOMIEN. - - Momien--The town of Teng-yue-chow--Aspect and condition--An - official reception--Return visit--Government house--A Chinese - tragedy--The market--Jade manufacture--Minerals--Mines - of Yunnan--Stone celts--Cattle--Climate--Environs--The - waterfall--Pagoda hill--Shuayduay--Rock temples--Ruined suburbs--City - temples--Four-armed deities--Boys’ school--A grand feast--The - loving-cup--The tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee--Keenzas--The Chinese poor. - - -A retrospect of the journey thus far showed that since our departure -from the Burmese plain we had been steadily ascending. Although -the altitudes could not be taken with accuracy, owing to the -inefficiency of the instruments which had been supplied at Rangoon, -such observations as it was in our power to make were made; they were -subsequently reduced by the surveyor’s department at Calcutta, and the -results are approximately correct. Where it was necessary to depend on -speculation, care was taken to under-estimate the apparent altitudes. -The natives always speak of ascending to Momien and descending from -it, and, applied to the western approaches, this expression is -fully justified. From Bhamô, four hundred and fifty feet above the -sea-level, we had climbed over the Kakhyen hills to the Sanda valley, -which, at Manwyne, lies at least two thousand feet above Bhamô. -Throughout the forty-eight miles of its length, this valley rises so -gradually as to present the appearance of a long level avenue, divided -into three stages, till the head of the Muangla division is reached. -From this it is requisite to ascend by a detour over the Mawphoo -height, to attain the fourth stage, or the valley of Nantin, lying one -thousand feet above Manwyne. From the upper extremity of the Nantin -valley, the long steps, so to speak, of the Hawshuenshan glen rise -fourteen hundred feet to Momien. Thus, the latter city, one hundred and -thirty-five miles from Bhamô, occupies a site on a plateau elevated -more than five thousand feet above the level of the sea, which is -declared by native reports to be the highest inhabited position in the -mountainous region of Western Yunnan. - -The Chinese city of Teng-yue-chow, better known by its Shan name of -Momien, is said to have been built four hundred years ago by a governor -of Yung-chang, obeying the king of Mansi or Yunnan, which the Shans -call Muangsee. It was probably built as a frontier garrison, to hold -in check the recently conquered territories of the Shan kingdom of -Pong. It thus became, as it still is, the ruling head-quarters of the -tributary Koshanpyi or Nine Shan States, now represented by those of -the Sanda and Hotha valleys, with Muangtee, Muang-mo, and Muangmah. -We were able to procure a Chinese history of Momien as well as of -Tali, though both had become rare, as the rebels had destroyed the -woodblocks. These copies were brought by Major Sladen to England, in -order to be deposited in the British Museum. It is to be hoped that -some one of our Chinese scholars will find leisure to translate these -works, which would probably throw valuable light on the little known -history of these regions. - -The plan and construction of the city show that it was built as a -fortress. It occupies an area of five furlongs square, enclosed by a -strongly built stone wall, battlemented or crenellated, twenty-five -feet high. Twenty yards from the walls a deep moat surrounded the -once city; it was still perfect on the eastern and southern faces, -but had degenerated into a broad puddle, the favourite wallow for the -bazaar pigs, on the western. The masonry is admirable, the well hewn -slabs of lavaceous rock, two to four feet long, being laid in mortar, -hardened almost to the consistency of the stone, while the moat is -faced with stones laid together without mortar, so close and true that -a penknife can scarcely be inserted between them. Inside the wall, an -earthen rampart, about thirty feet wide and eighteen feet high, serves -as a battery, or parade ground, as well as a promenade. There are no -bastions, but at intervals turrets rise from the rampart, built of -blue burned bricks, the smooth surface and sharp edges of which are -uninjured by the wear and tear of centuries. The four gateways, to -each of which corresponds a substantial bridge spanning the moat, are -lofty and well built; but at the time of our visit, two of these gates -had been built up. The south-western or bazaar gate was especially -fortified by a semicircular traverse, an entrance in the side of which -led into a tunnel-like archway, over which rose a lofty watch-tower, -with concave roof, supported by strong pillars. The inner doorway was -closed by heavy ironclad wooden valves, which were carefully shut at -nightfall. Viewed from a distance, the walls and turrets, with a lofty -pagoda and the roof of the watch-tower, seemed to indicate a populous -and thriving town; but within the walls was almost emptiness. The -broad rectangular streets were comparatively deserted, save by a few -Panthay soldiers, who with their families formed the sole intramural -population. But few houses remained uninjured, the best of these being -the dwellings of the governor and his officers. The numerous temples -had been gutted and half demolished. The images and huge stone incense -vases had been overthrown and broken, while the ruined walls pitted -with bullets showed the fierceness of the struggle which had taken -place. The absence of all the wonted bustle and noise of a crowded -city was made more striking by the evidence on all sides of the former -prosperity and population. - -Our stay at Momien extended over six weeks; but the state of the -country, combined with the weather, reduced us almost to inaction. -The depressing monotony of life under these circumstances was, however, -relieved by the unvarying kindness of the hospitable Panthays. Our -first day was devoted to arrangement of ourselves and baggage, in which -a crowd of curious visitors assisted by uttering astonished “Iyaws!” at -everything possessed by the foreigners, whose persons and goods each -was anxious to inspect. - -[Illustration: WITHIN THE WALLS OF MOMIEN OR TENG-YUE-CHOW.] - -The following day having been appointed by the governor for our -reception, we entered the town in state, preceded by twenty Mahommedan -sepoys of the escort, carrying the presents. These consisted of -green and yellow broadcloths, muslins, gaudy rugs and table covers, -double-barrelled guns and revolvers, with all appliances, powder -and shot, penknives, scissors, a binocular glass, telescope, and -musical-box, and a quantity of Bryant and May’s matches. - -A large but well-behaved crowd of poverty-stricken Chinese had -assembled, who matched well with the ruinous houses of the suburb. We -entered by the south-western gate into a narrow dirty street, from -which a lane led to the governor’s house, surrounded by a low wall. The -gateway, about fifteen feet high, was formed of plain squared stone -pillars, with others laid horizontally across them, like the cross -beams of a doorway. This led into the usual Chinese succession of -quadrangular courts. In a small circular pavilion were stationed some -ragged musicians, who struck up a lively air on gongs and cymbals. -As we crossed the court to the house, a salute was fired from three -small cannon that were stuck into the ground, with muzzles upwards. A -rabble followed into the doorway leading to the inner court, at the end -of which, in the reception hall, sat the governor. He rose to receive -us, and motioned us to sit on his left hand, at a long table, on which -the presents were laid before him. Behind his seat there was a raised -recess, covered with red cloth, in which stood a small chair of state. -The sides of the room were hung with long narrow strips of blue and -red cloth, covered with Chinese characters in gold-leaf. The superior -officers occupied chairs along each side of the room, and a crowd of -underlings blocked up the entrance. The governor was a powerful man, -fully six feet three inches high, with prominent cheek-bones, heavy -protuberant lips, slightly hooked nose, and faintly oblique eyes. His -face was bronzed by exposure, and a deep indentation between the eyes, -with other scars, told of campaigns, in which he was said to be ever -foremost in the fight. He wore a grey felt hat, resembling a helmet -placed sideways, the front half of the rim being turned up, and the -back part downwards. A gold rosette, set with large precious stones, -formed a handsome ornament in front, and a long blue silk topknot hung -down behind. A pale blue silk coat, richly figured, exactly resembling -a dressing-gown, completed his costume. Sladen expressed our deep -regret at the death of the two officers, and promised to suggest to -our government to compensate their families. The governor replied that -we were not to distress ourselves, as they considered it an honour to -die as those men had done. As to the opening of trade, he declared -that any number of English merchants might visit Momien in the ensuing -November; that he had arranged with the Shan tsawbwas, and could manage -the Kakhyens, so that caravans should pass safely; but he hinted that -there were too many people then present to admit of this question -being discussed. He expressed great pleasure at the presents, and the -musical-box being set agoing excited universal admiration; the matches -astonished the company; but the sincerest satisfaction was called -forth by the guns and powder. Tea, preserved oranges, jujubes, and -sugar-candy were served round. In the course of general conversation -the governor stated that the Sultan had been pleased to hear of our -intended visit to Momien; but he feared that the road to Tali-fu was -too infested with Chinese bands to allow of our proceeding further. - -The governor, attended by an armed retinue, paid his return visit of -ceremony the next day, carried in a gorgeous chair, and dressed in -full mandarin robes, while his officers were gaily attired in white -cotton jackets, braided, and adorned with silver buttons. They made -a gallant show of gold swords, silver spears, banners, and other -insignia. Presents were brought in, consisting of a bullock, sheep, -trays of confectionery, and forty thousand cash. The latter were at -first declined, but the courteous Tah-sa-kon would take no refusal, and -the cash furnished an acceptable largess to the escort and followers, -giving each about one rupee. The mission funds were, in truth, rather -low about this time, which, it may be noted, operated against the -acquisition of specimens of the local manufactures, save to a very -limited amount. Among the confectionery sent was a quantity of fine -white granulated honey, and a strong warning was given against the use -of onions, as the combination of onions and honey in the system would -be a certain poison. - -When taking leave, the governor suggested that now the claims of -etiquette had been satisfied, we should consider ourselves free of -government house, as well as the town in general, and come and go as we -liked, and promised that he would visit us _sans cérémonie_. Our guard -and the Panthays fraternised completely, their common faith uniting -them, and the Chinese Mahommedans treated the true believers from India -with great respect. The jemadar was indeed in constant request to -officiate at the mosque, till he lost his voice by over-exertion. - -True to his promise, the governor appeared bent on carrying us off -to an entertainment at his house. We were received in the same room -as before, but were invited to sit with our host on the dais at the -further end; constant relays of tea-cakes and sweetmeats were brought -in, to all of which each man was expected to do his duty. Shouts of -laughter reached our ears from time to time, as the ladies, our -host’s four wives and their maids, amused themselves in the adjacent -zenana with the magnetic battery. Our circle was presently joined by -the tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee, who was on a visit to the governor. She -was attended by several well-dressed Shan ladies, and they chatted and -laughed with that charming good humour which seems characteristic of -the Shans. - -We were then shown over the private apartments by the governor himself, -who led us first to his bedroom, a snug little windowless room, lighted -by two doors facing each other, containing a large four-post bed, with -blue silk curtains looped up by silver chains, and a comfortable couch, -while the walls were decorated with an English eight-day clock, and -Chinese pictures and old armour. Passing through the room, we entered -a small court, where a number of tailors sat busily at work in a -verandah. This led to the zenana, or women’s apartments, a pretty range -of buildings, surrounding a small garden, ornamented with large vases, -containing dwarfed fruit and pine trees, and stone tanks filled with -goldfish. The trees included peach, plum, orange, box, &c., about two -to four feet in height, which had been dwarfed by tying knots in the -stem of the sapling. On our way back, we passed through a room hung -round with war hats gorgeously decorated with the tail feathers of the -Lady Amherst and golden pheasants, and with the handsome fox-like -brush of the _wah_ (_Ailurus fulgens_, F. Cuv.). After this inspection, -we were conducted to an open hall, in which a theatrical entertainment -was to take place. More tea and cakes were produced, while large copper -vases of incense burned close to us, and the heavy fumes produced -a drowsy feeling. The stage was a pavilion about twenty feet long, -closed on three sides, with two doors behind it, one for the entrance -and the other for the exit of the players. The orchestra of violins, -gongs, and cymbals, occupied the back of the stage, and discoursed most -monotonous music, like the clatter of crockery, with occasional bangs -and screeches. A small panelled picture of birds and flowers served -as scenery, and the properties were a table like an inverted pyramid, -with a chair on either side of it. The characters were all sustained by -male performers, who, on this occasion, presented a tragedy, turning -on the Chinese virtue of filial obedience. This required the hero to -obey his mother by rebelling against his father-in-law and killing the -princess, his wife; but the latter solved the difficulty by suicide, -and mother and son joined in lamentation over her. The hero had his -face painted red, and adorned with a long black beard and moustache; -he was accoutred in a gorgeous coat, richly embroidered with dragons -and flowers, a hat with a fine bushy tail of _Ailurus fulgens_, red -trousers, and black satin boots. He bellowed and blustered, and strode -about the stage as if practising the goose-step; the close of every -speech being emphasized by a bound in the air. While the play was going -on, we were expected to consume the contents of eight bowls containing -fowl chopped up with salted goose, dried prawns, mushrooms, vegetables, -&c., each dish being evidently a choice specimen of Chinese cuisine. -_Ahyek_, or samshoo, was then served round, but the governor, as a good -Mussulman, abstained from the forbidden liquor; small saucers of rice -and condiments came next, but after three hours of eating we beat a -retreat from the still interminable feast and drama. - -The hospitable governor renewed his invitation the next afternoon, when -a farcical comedy was played, which was very broad, but fortunately -brief. As this was the market-day, two officers were detached to -escort us through the bazaar, the principal street of which extended -half a mile straight from the south-western city gates. Each side was -occupied by permanent shops, and a double row of stalls, protected by -huge umbrellas, lined the whole length of the street. A dense crowd of -Chinese, Shans, and Panthays, with a small sprinkling of Leesaws and -Kakhyens, thronged every avenue; the people were quite good-humoured, -but their curiosity would have been very troublesome but for the -presence of the officers. This, however, was only at first; during our -stay we roamed at will through the streets of the bazaar suburb, as -well as within the walls. The shops were small, one-storied cottages, -each devoted to a particular trade. Drapers, booksellers, druggists, -dealers in tobacco and nuts, provision merchants, displayed their -several wares, but, except on the market-day, with little custom. -Numerous eating-houses were crowded by the better class of customers, -while the poorer villagers were supplied by lads hawking comestibles. -The stalls made a rich display of vegetables and fruit; among the -former were peas, green and dried beans, potatoes, celery, carrots, -onions, garlic, yams, bamboo shoots, cabbage and spinach, and ginger; -the fruit comprised apples like golden pippins, pears, peaches, -walnuts, chestnuts, brambleberries, rose-hips, and three sorts of -unknown fruit. Mushrooms were in great demand, as well as a dried, -almost black lichen; black pepper, betel-nut, and poppy capsules -were seen on almost every stall, and salt sold in compressed balls, -marked with a government stamp. Other departments contained coloured -Chinese cloths and yarns, and buttons, English long and broad cloth, -needles, and brass buttons, Mahommedan skull-caps, embroidered in gold -thread, rings, mouth-pieces and brooches of amber and jade, opium -pipes, and Chinese hookahs. Running at right angles to the principal -street is another devoted to tailors and ready-made clothes stores, -and coppersmiths, who supply all kitchen appliances, and manufacture -the copper discs used in cutting jade. Along this street we came to -the store of the principal Chinese merchant, who invited us in, and -was very hospitable. His laments over the decay of the former trade -with Burma, caused by the civil war, showed clearly to which side his -sympathies inclined; and it was evident that he, as well as all the -non-Mahommedan Chinese, were only kept to their present allegiance by -the strong hand. The whole bazaar suburb was surrounded by a low brick -wall with several gates, each guarded by a sentinel at night, and the -Chinese resided here, being evidently excluded from the city. Although -the manufactures seemed to be in a very depressed state, the quarters -of the various artificers were still traceable; in a by-street we -had an opportunity of viewing the manufacture of jade ornaments. The -copper discs employed, a foot and a half in diameter, are very thin -and bend easily; the centre is beaten out into a cup, which receives -the end of the revolving cylinder. We watched two men at work, one -using the cutter, and the other a borer tipped with a composition of -quartz and little particles resembling ruby dust. Both were driven by -treadles; the stone is held below the disc, under which is a basin of -water and fine, silicious mud, into which the stone is occasionally -dipped, the operator taking handfuls of the mud. The stones are cut -into discs one-eighth of an inch thick, when intended for ear-rings, -and handed over to the borer to be perforated. The most valuable jade -is of an intensely bright green, something like emerald; but red and -pale pink qualities are highly prized. In the extensive ruins outside -the bazaar there was ample evidence, in the rejected fragments of -jade, that the manufacture must have been formerly carried on on a -much more extensive scale. The jade is obtained from the mines in the -Mogoung district, where large masses in the form of rounded boulders -are dug out of the pits; in former times a large quantity was yearly -imported to Momien. One hundred rupees was the price asked for a pair -of bracelets of the finest jade, and at Bhamô four rupees purchased -rings worth £2 at Canton. - -Of amber-workers, who manufactured rosaries, rings, mouth-pieces, -&c., from the amber brought from the mines in the Hukong valley, near -Mogoung, but few remained at the time of our visit. The amber most -prized is perfectly clear, and the colour of very dark sherry. A -triangular specimen, one inch long, and one across, cost ten shillings. - -At the bazaar there was a plentiful display of the mineral wealth of -Western Yunnan, which is rich in gold, silver, lead, iron, copper, tin, -mercury, arsenic, and gypsum; and we obtained small specimens of most -of these minerals, including a yellow orpiment, exported in quantities -from Tali to Mandalay, whither a large amount of tin also is annually -sent. The copper is brought from a range of hills near Khyto, three -days’ march to the north-east. It is smelted on the spot, and brought -in flattish pigs. The same hills are said to yield all the iron and -salt used in Western Yunnan; but the most precious product of the -Khyto mines is galena. Of this, a small specimen has been assayed by -Dr. Oldham, who has pronounced it to be among the richest that he has -ever seen; it yields 0·278 per cent., or 104 oz. of silver to the ton -of lead. Flints and large quantities of lime are brought from Tali-fu, -where large quarries of fine white marble exist. Sulphur is procured -in the neighbourhood, but we could not learn the locality. Li-sieh-tai -was subsequently reported to be raising sulphur to the south-west, and -an Old Resident[26] in Western China mentions a rich mine of sulphur -belonging to the northern frontier town of Atenze, behind a little mine -of saltpetre. The Chinese report on the mines of Yunnan, appended to -the records of the French expedition, states that in 1850 the copper -mines of Yunnan, of which Tali-fu is the principal depot, produced -over eleven thousand tons, and the silver amounted to two millions -of francs. The Old Resident, however, says that before the outbreak -of the rebellion there were one hundred and thirty-two copper mines, -government knowing only of thirty-seven; and as the above account was -calculated on the returns made to the government, who exact from thirty -to fifty per cent. of the produce, it is plain that the mineral wealth -of Yunnan is even greater than it is set forth in that report. Gold is -brought to Momien from Yonephin and Sherg-wan villages, fifteen days’ -march to the north-east; but no information could be obtained as to the -quantity found. It is also brought in leaf, which is sent to Burma, -where it is in extensive demand. - -In the drug-shops a powder was vended as a nervous restorative, made -of the horn of an antelope ground down, and sold at one rupee per -tickal;[27] and the pharmacopœia also included the powdered shells of -a tortoise (_Testudo platynotus_, Blyth), imported from Upper Burma, -and snuff made of sambur horn, used as a styptic for bleeding from the -nose. We were much surprised to find stone celts openly offered for -sale. When it was known that we would purchase, numbers were brought -in, and we acquired a collection of one hundred and fifty specimens, -at prices varying from two shillings to sixpence. Their poverty and -not their will constrained the owners to part with them, for they are -believed to confer good luck on the owner, and to possess curative -properties if dipped in medicine, and are exhibited to procure easy -parturition. They are usually turned up by the plough; and the popular -belief is that they fall from the sky as thunderbolts, and take nine -years to work up to the surface. The high estimation in which they are -held suggests that a Chinese Flint Jack made a profitable business -of imitating the real implements, or manufacturing amulets of the -same type. A large number of those purchased are small, beautifully -cut forms, with few or no signs of use, and made of some variety of -jade; but there is no reason to doubt the authenticity of the larger -forms which were brought to us. Bronze celts are also found, but are -valued at their weight in gold; we managed, however, to purchase one at -Manwyne on the return journey. It belongs to the socketed type of celts -without wings. The composition of the bronze is the same as that of the -celts found in Northern Europe--tin 10, copper 90. - -In consequence of a long period of drought preceding our arrival, -the slaughter of animals had been forbidden, as it was feared that -the rain would be withheld as a punishment, a curious instance of -Buddhist superstition affecting the Panthays and Chinese; but in two -days the rains set in, and the prohibition was removed. The markets -were thenceforward well supplied with bullocks, buffaloes, sheep, -goats, and pigs. The buffaloes are chiefly used for agriculture; -the beeves have no hump, and are small but well made, generally of -reddish-brown colour, deepening to black. The numerous sheep belong to -a large blackfaced breed, with convex profiles. Two kinds of goats are -common; one with long shaggy white hair nearly sweeping the ground, and -flattened spiral horns, directed backwards and outwards; the other kind -has very short dark brown hair, short shoulder list, and full beard, -with similar flattened spiral horns, but not so procumbent. The pigs -seemed to be all black. Remarkably fine ponies were common; but the -mules, which were much more numerous, are more prized. Fowls, ducks, -and geese are abundant and large; and last, though not least, cats, all -of a uniform grey, with faint darkish spots, made themselves at home -everywhere. But we noticed very few dogs, those seen being black with -shaggy coats, resembling the shepherd dogs of the south of Scotland. - -It has been mentioned that the rains set in soon after our arrival. -From June 1st the south-west monsoon prevailed, with very few fair -intervals. The sky was obscured by thick, misty clouds, that wrapped -the hills in dense folds. As a rule, the rain fell very heavily; but -there were days together when it was little more than a thick Scotch -mist in a dead calm. Occasional thunderstorms of terrific grandeur -burst over the valley, accompanied by strong gusts from the south-west; -but the most characteristic feature of the weather was the generally -perfect stillness of the atmosphere, while low leaden clouds poured -down incessant rain, generally heavy, but sometimes only a gentle -drizzle, all which combined had a sufficiently depressing effect on -us. The temperature was by no means oppressive, the mean maximum in -June being seventy-four degrees, and the minimum sixty-two degrees. The -natives strongly assert that the climate is unhealthy for strangers, -and we all suffered more or less from intractable diarrhœa. Smallpox, -too, was prevalent; and one of our collectors and a Kakhyen sub-chief, -who had accompanied us, died from it. We were strongly cautioned -against the use of the river water, to which the natives attribute the -prevalence of goitre, which is most unpleasantly remarkable among men -and women and children, some goitres being so large as to require -special support; even young infants were observed affected by it, and -in their case it must have been congenital. Otherwise the children -seemed very healthy, notwithstanding their rags and dirt, and not -a single case of fever was observed, though about sixty or seventy -patients were treated for other diseases. - -The fact that by far the greater part of the valley is under water for -six or seven months, during three of which it is little better than a -huge morass, would not seem to recommend it as salubrious; but it must -be remembered that it lies more than five thousand feet above the level -of the sea, in the twenty-fourth parallel of north latitude, and is a -comparatively dry and temperate country, singularly destitute of trees, -which conditions would combine to place it beyond the range of miasma. - -The worthy governor showed great anxiety about our health. He refused, -on the score of security against prowling robbers, to let us shift our -quarters, but sent guards to accompany us in an occasional ramble round -the precincts of the city. So great was the insecurity that we dared -not venture more than a few hundred yards from the walls unattended. -A favourite walk was to a place less than a mile to the north-west of -the town. Here the Tahô, after flowing through the valley, precipitates -itself, in an all but unbroken sheet of water, over a cliff one hundred -feet high; thence it foams down a steep glen to the little valley -of Hawshuenshan. Immediately above the fall the stream is spanned by -a substantial stone bridge of three arches with roofed approaches. -Below this the thick bed of basaltic trap, over which the river leaps, -is worn into a miniature horseshoe; and the overhanging luxuriant -vegetation of ferns and brambles, and wild roses with double flowers, -formed a strikingly beautiful scene. In the rains the body of water was -so great that a column of spray ascended which was visible two miles -off. From this point the crenellated walls of Momien, with the distant -background of lofty ranges, completed a striking picture. Above the -bridge the Tahô flows down in a tortuous stream twenty yards broad, -well stocked with large gold carp (_Cavassius auratus_, Lin.), between -banks ten feet high; and the rice fields on either side are irrigated -by large wheels raising the water in long bamboo buckets, which -discharge themselves into wooden pipes leading to the fields. These -wheels are numerous in the valley. - -[Illustration: WATERFALL OF THE TAHÔ; MOMIEN IN THE DISTANCE.] - -After visiting the waterfall, we ascended the pagoda hill, about one -thousand feet above the town. The path led through potato-fields now -in full bloom, the plants grown in ridges, and earthed up with a -home-like effect. The leaf is smaller than that of the home plant, -and the tubers in the market had a thin red skin; but they were very -good, and in great demand at fourpence for three pounds and a half. -Nothing could be learned of the introduction of this plant, nor of -the celery, which is also largely cultivated, and seemed quite as -out of place. The potato, however, is called _yan-gee_, evidently the -same as _yang-yu_, foreign root, which, according to Mr. Cooper,[28] -is its name in Sz-chuen, where it is said to have been introduced by -the foreign teachers, i.e. the French missionaries, long ago. The -lower slope of the hill was covered with stone tumulus-shaped tombs, -the arched head of each containing a tablet with an epitaph. Ruder -graves were simple earthen tumuli, each with its arched opening blocked -by a large stone. The slopes of the hills surrounding the valley are -dotted with similar graveyards--mute records of the population that -once thronged the ruined villages lying below. Near the summit stood -a pagoda, a whitewashed round brick tower on a stone base with six -projecting rings. The hill itself, like all the eminences around, was -covered with fine grass, and a number of mules were grazing under -the protection of a Panthay guard. A pleasant illustration of the -prevailing insecurity was given a few days later, when this guard was -attacked and forty mules driven off by imperialist Chinese. We were -unmolested, and climbed to the summit, flushing from the bracken beds -a magnificent cock pheasant (_Phasianus sladeni_, And.), with long -tail feathers, resembling some noticed in a Panthay head-dress. Sladen -afterwards bagged the hen; and we also obtained a young fox with a -golden-yellow coat and white-tipped brush, apparently of the Himalayan -race. Returning, we observed a large arched cavern, which proved to be -an old quarry of trachytic rock, which had probably furnished the city -walls. On one occasion we were permitted to make a longer excursion -to the valley of Hawshuenshan. Our party must have consisted of -thirty-five men, all armed, the Panthay guard, equipped with spears and -muskets, being commanded by the governor’s nephew, with several other -officers: all this being necessary for safety during a mere suburban -stroll. Turning southerly from Momien, we soon came in sight of the -town of Yay-law, the deserted ruins of which stretched for more than a -mile along the foot of the Deebay range. We skirted the pagoda hill, -remarking a curious isolated heap of lava; no other rock was visible -for miles around, and it had all the appearance of a small volcanic -vent, and the rock was identical with that of the extinct volcano. - -Rounding the hills two miles from Momien, a slight westerly descent -led to a short narrow gorge, at the south-eastern angle of the little -circular valley of Hawshuenshan. The once wealthy village of Shuayduay -occupies an abrupt slope at the head of the gorge, rising in a series -of terraces faced with mortarless walls of very porous lava, laid as -closely as the facing of the Momien ditch, and protected by parapets -of sun-dried brick. A small stream runs down the ravine, which is -not more than a quarter of a mile long and fifty yards broad, to a -substantial tank crossed by a broad stone platform, arched on one -side to allow the overflow to escape. Facing Hawshuenshan valley, the -platform expands into a handsome, crescent-shaped terrace, enclosed by -an elegant stone balustrade, which forms the entrance to a temple built -on the southern slope, opposite to Shuayduay. This temple, rising in -terraces on the steep hillside, standing out beautifully against the -background of green hills, was the only one spared by the Mahommedans, -whose stern bigotry could not resist its beauty. The approach to the -temple buildings lay through two curved courtyards with handsome arched -gateways. The first enclosure was an open square with three sides built -on the same level, the nearest one of which contained the priests’ -apartments; to the right and left lay a neat garden of dwarfed fruit -trees, the centre of which was occupied by a few stunted trees covered -with a profusion of yellow orchids in full flower, and a magnificent -hydrangea in a colossal vase; the furthest side next the hill was -raised on a stone terrace four feet above the level of the rest. On -this higher platform stood life-sized gilded figures of deities, with -incense always burning in small black stone vases, and on a table -in front of the images lay a large drum and grotesque hollow wooden -fishes, which the priests and worshippers beat with short sticks. -A passage led through each side of the court to stone staircases -proceeding to the terrace above, and converging in its centre in -an hexagonal tower, supported on stone pillars seven feet high; -these formed an archway from which ascended a short flight of steps, -dividing to the right and left to reach the highest terrace, nearly -on a level with which was a chapel forming the upper chamber of the -hexagonal tower. The upper temple occupied the whole of its terrace, -built entirely of wood, except the back and end walls. The front was -panelled with richly gilt lattice work, while the eaves and ceilings -were coloured in imitation of porcelain. Behind a screen, adorned with -richly coloured carvings of birds and flowers, sat three life-sized -gilded figures on altars, apparently of porcelain. The central figure, -of marble, represented a woman seated on a lotus, with a flower of -the lily beneath her feet; she held forth a naked male child, seated -on one hand, and supported by the other in front, the child’s sex -being strongly marked. This was the goddess Kwan-yin, goddess of mercy -and conception, and her presence would seem to mark the shrine as a -Taouist temple. These terraced rock temples resembled those described -by Mr. Cooper as visited by him at Chung Ching. The stone walls of -the shrine were not carried to the roof, but finished with wooden -panelling, pierced with circular windows of elegant tracery. These were -so arranged that the light fell full on the seated figures. From the -centre of this terrace a narrow stair led down to the chapel on the top -of the hexagonal tower, within which sat a fine Buddhistic figure, with -the head in white marble tinted brown. - -Following a well-paved track along the hill to the east of the valley, -a ride of a quarter of a mile brought us to the walled Chinese town of -Hawshuenshan, built on the slope of the hill. The valley is abruptly -closed in on three sides by rounded grassy hills rising suddenly round -the dead level of the centre, then inundated for the rice crop. The -south-west side is closed by the long low range of the extinct volcano, -with a white pagoda standing out in strong relief from its black and -barren side. - -Hawshuenshan had evidently been a place of great importance, being a -much larger town than Shuayduay, and must have contained at least three -thousand inhabitants. At this time a considerable number of refugees -had here found an asylum, who had fled from the deserted villages of -Shangnan, Tahinshan, &c. We were shown an open grassy plot on the -southern outskirts of the town which had, only a few months previously, -been strewn with the corpses of imperialist Chinese. The people of -Hawshuenshan had declared against the Panthays, and joined the Chinese -partisan Low-quang-fang; on this plot they had been attacked and -defeated. As usual, no quarter was given, and all who failed to fly -were massacred, and afterwards buried where they fell. A fine temple -overlooked a small stream running down from Shuayduay, and which now -formed a small lake just outside the town. This water was crossed by a -handsome stone bridge, with picturesque archways. From this we followed -a raised causeway to the head of the valley, and, passing the Tahô -waterfall on the left, ascended gradually four hundred feet to Momien. -This vale of Hawshuenshan, though not more than two miles long by one -broad, had been once encircled by large villages, the ruins of which -still attested that before the war they must have been places of no -little wealth. - -With the exception of the walled bazaar, the once populous _faubourgs_ -of Momien had been laid in ruins; the heaps of bricks, the stone -sides of the ancient wells deeply grooved by rope marks, and the long -rows of detached mounds, with little grass-grown squares, defined the -position of the southern and north-eastern suburbs. The houses of the -north occupying a smaller area, surrounded by fine gardens, and shut in -between the river and the city wall, seemed to have escaped demolition. - -Amidst the general desolation within the city walls, two remarkable -objects of art and nature stood, as it were, memorials of the past. One -was a tall whitewashed pagoda seven stories in height, of the usual -and familiar Chinese form. The other was a magnificent fir tree, which -towered fully one hundred feet, although its top had been broken by a -storm; at the height of four feet from the ground, the trunk measured -fifteen feet in circumference. - -In default of other resources, we spent a good deal of time strolling -among the ruined temples and monasteries, which were numerous both in -the city and suburbs; by far the greater majority were in ruins, but a -few only partially destroyed were still tenanted by a few poor priests -who, in spite of the Mahommedans, kept the incense burning before the -gods of their forefathers. The massive stone gateways, richly carved -roofs, and the elaborate decorations of the altars and images, afforded -proofs of a high proficiency in art. Combinations of plants and birds -furnished many of the designs of the decorations, executed either in -well chiselled carvings or richly coloured paintings. In the carvings, -dragons and monsters are frequent; all are generally coloured, the -standard tints being red, blue, green, and yellow. The outsides of the -principal walls are frequently decorated with medallion pictures of -small animals and birds in black, grey, and white, alternating with -squares or circles of complex geometrical figures. As far as could be -judged from the images of the various deities, these temples appeared -to be shrines of a compound of Buddhism, Taouism, and Confucianism, -though no Buddhist priests were to be seen--or at least their yellow -religious garb was nowhere visible--the priests having no distinctive -costume, and living generally in their own houses in the suburbs. -The images of the deities are nearly all life-sized, the place of -honour being occupied sometimes by one, sometimes by three, seated on -a pedestal in the centre of the principal hall. Around the central -figures are disposed the statues of lesser deities, sages and scholars. -In one temple where the central images were undoubtedly Buddhistic, -the walls of the outer court were surrounded by fifty life-sized male -and female figures, all seated, which seemed to represent the army -of the Thagyameng. In another the chief deity was a colossal seated -image, with a dragon at each knee, and the body of a snakelike dragon -passing up under the double girdle, and breaking on the breast into a -number of heads, recalling the seven-headed cobras of Hindoo mythology; -the head and neck of a serpent-formed dragon issued, too, from under -each armpit. Some of the female figures are seated on lions, other -forms have the heads of bulls and birds, while four-armed figures also -occur. In the khyoung, which formed our residence, there was a figure -of Puang-ku, the creator, seated on a bed of leaves resembling those -of the sacred _padma_ or lotus. This remarkable four-armed figure was -life size, and naked, save for garlands of leaves around the neck and -loins. He was seated cross-legged like Buddha, the two uppermost arms -stretched out, forming each a right angle. The right hand held a white -disc and the left a red one. The two lower arms were in the attitude -of carving, the right hand holding a mallet and the left a chisel. -Except the Shuayduay images, which were of stone, almost all were -constructed in the following manner: a frame of wood, making a sort -of lay figure, is roughly put together, and afterwards padded to the -proper proportions with layers of straw wound tightly over it; a layer -of clay is plastered over the whole, and when dry, the flesh tints are -laid on with marked realistic truth, and the garments duly coloured. -The fact that the breast of every image of importance had been broken -open seemed to show that a jewel or gold had been deposited therein, as -is the custom in Burma. - -During our stay the festival of the Goddess of Agriculture occurred. -The stem of an iris and a branch of wild indigo were hung up over every -door, and a general holiday observed; but nothing else marked the -occasion, save that the priests insisted on kindling the incense in our -khyoung, which act of devotion had been on other days pretermitted for -the sake of our lungs. In one of the few khyoungs still inhabited by -priests--all of which were situated in out-of-the-way places outside -the town--I found a boys’ school conducted by an intelligent priest. A -heavy shower of rain drove me in for refuge, and the master, who was -seated at a low black desk, politely invited me to a seat. The pupils -at once left their desks and crowded round us. A sign directing them -to resume their desks and tasks was only so far obeyed that all began -shouting their lessons at the full pitch of their voices; a word from -the master, however, quickly dispersed them. I produced cheroots, and -the priest sent for tea, and we chatted for an hour. Lying on the desk -was a flat piece of wood like a gigantic paper-cutter. To explain its -use, he called up a small boy, and, taking one of his hands, rubbed the -palm with the instrument in a mysterious way. Suddenly, however, the -paper-cutter rose and descended rapidly, tears started to the boy’s -eyes, but were dried by a kindly word from the master, explaining -that it was only an exhibition, not a punishment. The boys, whose -ages varied from six to fifteen, seemed to enjoy their lessons there. -The school hours lasted from nine to five o’clock, with an hour and -a half’s interval, during which each boy purchased his dinner from a -hawker of small bowls of Chinese dainties. Every boy has his own books, -and, seated at a table, shouts his lesson aloud till he thinks he knows -it, and then proceeds to attempt to recite it to the master, on whom -he turns his back during the repetition. They learn to write at the -same time as to read, for each boy first copies his lesson, getting -the exact pronunciation of each letter and word from the master--thus -whole books are committed to memory; but the babel of voices during -the process is deafening, and the plan is not recommended for adoption -to our school boards, although the punishment of the paper-knife might -offer them a good model for imitation. - -One bright little Momien boy was a great favourite; he was the pet -son of the chief military officer, who brought him, as being deaf and -dumb, in order to see what could be done. As the child attempted to -imitate sounds, he was not deaf, and careful examination discovered -that he was tongue-tied. A successful operation removed the impediment, -much to the astonishment and delight of his father. The latter, whose -title was Tah-zung-gyee, was a fine young Panthay soldier, of rather -a jovial temperament. He invited us to a grand feast at his house, -which was one of the few remaining uninjured within the walls. The -invitation was duly conveyed to each on a piece of pink paper; and at -the hour appointed--about 1 P.M.--a messenger arrived to inform us that -the feast was ready. The house was approached through an outer court -containing the stables. It formed a large square enclosing a central -court. The principal building, facing the entrance, was raised on a -terrace about four feet high, with a flight of steps at either end, -each leading into an open hall. From this two doors led to the women’s -apartments. The buildings on the other three sides of the square -suggested Swiss cottages by their deep eaves and the large latticed -windows of the second floor. A kitchen and store-rooms occupied the -ground floor, and on one side was a dovecot. The eaves of the house -were richly decorated with carvings representing landscapes with -running water, bridges, and trees. A court outside contained a very -choice garden filled with dwarf trees in vases; besides which, there -were tall crimson hollyhocks and passion flowers. Two small stone -tanks contained gold fish with remarkable doubly divided tails; and in -one corner there was a model roughly carved in stone of a hillside, -with caves and a pagoda. The walls of the rooms were decorated with -Chinese landscapes and pictures of birds, in sepia and colours, -which were mounted on rollers, like maps on a school-room wall. The -entertainment, as usual, commenced with tea and cakes, followed by -delicious nectarines and plums; after which came the more solid items -of the repast. A decoction of samshoo seasoned with aromatic herbs was -handed round like a loving-cup, our host first taking a vigorous pull, -and passing it round till the jug was emptied. The liquid was warm and -rather agreeable; but it fell to my lot to finish the contents, and, -much to my disgust, I observed unmistakable pieces of pork fat among -the herbs and spices. Our Mahommedan host not only drank samshoo, but -allowed his drink to be thus flavoured with pork! He was most genial, -and declared he would most willingly bestow his sisters on us as wives; -and, in token of friendship, presented each with a jade ring and -camellias. The women were curiously watching the strangers from the -curtained doors; and towards the close of the evening the host asked -for remedies for barrenness, with which some females of his household -were affected. After some hesitation, the three patients mustered -courage to show themselves, and were fine, young buxom women, with -dwarfed feet. Some disappointment was evidently experienced at the -refusal to prescribe for such patients as these. - -The jealous reserve of the Chinese ladies was always pleasantly -contrasted by the Shan manners, which united perfect modesty with -a frank and pleasant demeanour. Thus the tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee -visited us with her retinue of ladies. The old lady was splendidly -attired, her towering turban being ornamented in front with the Panthay -rosette of green, blue, and pink stones set in gold, and at the sides -with little silver triangles set with small enamelled flowers. Her -skirt was richly embroidered in silk and gold thread, and her light -blue silk jacket was trimmed with black satin, which contrasted well -with her massive gold bracelets. She wore amber and jade finger-rings, -and a handsome silver chatelaine and richly embroidered fan-case -hanging by her side. One of her maidens carried a small Chinese hookah, -and another her embossed silver boxes of betel-nut, &c. She was greatly -pleased with a present of a handsome carpet, needles, scissors, &c.; -and her maids were charmed with small circular mirrors, which they at -once fastened to their jackets as ornaments. These _keenzas_, as they -called them, were immensely prized; and a few days after, as I was -engaged in searching for land shells below the city wall, one of the -Shan ladies hailed me from the battlements. The owner of the pretty -face peering over the wall was evidently begging for something, which -at first I thought was cheroots, and bade her by signs lower down -her long head-dress, in the corner of which I tied a few cheroots, -but these proved unsatisfactory; and the word _keenza, keenza_, at -last made it plain that the young Shan lady wanted a mirror, and one -had to be brought and sent up to her; and her glee was most amusing -when she pulled up the cloth and found the keenza and a packet of -needles. Compared to the pretty faces and picturesque attire of these -Shan maidens, the dress and appearance of the Chinese women was very -miserable. All the women who appeared in the streets were ugly and -ill-clad, though the children had chubby, red cheeks. The majority -wore pork-pie hats. All except the slaves had their feet dwarfed, and -wore Dutch-like clogs in the rainy weather. The costume consisted of -trousers, drawn tight round the ankle, a long loose blue garment, and a -large blue double apron in front. Notwithstanding the dwarfed feet, the -women walked to market three or four miles, carrying heavy loads, and -seemed to think nothing of shouldering two buckets of water, slung to a -bamboo. Every day our khyoung was besieged by crowds of beggars of all -ages, from little ragged urchins to old men and women bent with age. -Their rags and filth defied description, and sordid poverty in various -degrees characterised all the wretched inhabitants of the ruined -suburbs that surrounded the almost empty city. It must seem wearisome -to harp upon the utter desolation and ruin that had resulted from the -long continuous warfare, and the reader may prefer to gather some -information as to the rebellious Mahommedan Chinese and their doings. - -[26] ‘Pioneer of Commerce,’ appendix v. pp. 464 and 466. - -[27] A _tickal_ is rather more than half an ounce troy. - -[28] ‘Pioneer of Commerce,’ p. 186. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -THE MAHOMMEDANS OF YUNNAN. - - Their origin--Derivation of the term “Panthay”--Early - history--Increase in numbers--Adoption of children--The - Toonganees--Physical characteristics--Outbreak of the - revolt--Tali-fu--Progress of revolt--The French expedition--Overtures - from Low-quang-fang--Resources of the Panthays--Capture of - Yunnan-fu--Prospects of their success--Our position--The governor’s - presents--Preparations for return. - - -The Mahommedans of Yunnan have a tradition of their origin, which is -curious, but mythical. The governor and the hadji at Momien stated, -in substance, that their forefathers came from Arabia to China one -thousand years ago, in the reign of the emperor Tung-huon-tsong, who -had sent his chief minister, Khazee, to Tseeyoog(?) to implore help -against the rebel Oung-loshan. Three thousand men were accordingly -sent, and the rebellion was crushed by their assistance. Their former -compatriots refused to receive them back, as having been defiled by a -residence among pork-eating infidels, so they settled in China, and -became the progenitors of the Chinese Mahommedans. This information -was furnished in the form of answer to questions put by me carefully -written, and translated into Chinese, and Sladen also procured a -Chinese document, giving substantially the same account.[29] It will -be seen that the variations of this from the account furnished to -General Fytche are important;[30] but as the name of the emperor -Tung-huon-tsong differs but slightly from that of Hiun-tsong of the -Tung dynasty, against whom Ngan-Loshan[31] rebelled, it seems possible -to connect this account with Chinese history. His son Sutsung, A.D. -757, was rescued from his difficulties by the arrival of an embassy -from the khalif Abu Jafar al Mansur, the founder of Bagdad, accompanied -by auxiliary troops, who were joined by Ouigoors and other forces -from the West. It must be added that my informants, while claiming -Arab descent, stated clearly that their more immediate ancestors had -migrated from Shensi and Kansu to Yunnan about one hundred and fifty -years ago. History, however, shows the early growth and rapid increase -in China of a large Mahommedan population, whom the Chinese term -Hwait-ze; the name Panthay or Pansee being of Burmese origin. - -As to the derivation of this term, several theories have been -suggested. Major Sladen gives Puthee as a Burmese term for Mahommedans -generally. Garnier says that the word Pha-si, which the Burmese have -corrupted into Pan-thé, according to Colonel Phayre, is the same as -Parsi or Farsi, which in India is applied to the Mahommedans, and that -this denomination is very ancient, as Colonel Yule pointed out that in -a description of the kingdom of Cambodia, translated by A. Remusat, a -religious sect is described, called Pâssi, who were distinguished by -wearing white or red turbans, and by refusing to drink intoxicating -liquors, or to eat in company with the other sects; but that -distinguished Chinese scholar, Sir T. Wade, derives the term Panthay -from a Chinese word Pun-tai, signifying the aboriginal or oldest -inhabitants of a country; and Garnier mentions that a people called -Penti are found on the eastern side of the Tali Lake, and in the plain -of Tang-tchouen, to the north of Tali. They are a mixed race, descended -from the first colonists sent into Yunnan by the Mongols, after the -conquest of the country by the generals of Kublai Khan. - -Mr. Cooper tells us that the term Pa-chee, or white flag party, as -distinguished from the Hung-chee, or red flag, or imperialists, -was also used to designate the rebels in the north of Yunnan, and -Garnier frequently applies these terms to the contending parties. The -termination _-ze_ in the name Hwait-ze, as in Mant-ze, Thibetans, -Miaout-ze, hill tribes, and Khwait-ze, foreigners, seems always to -imply political and tribal separation from Chinese proper. These -names occur in the curious prophecy of the Four -Ze Wars, quoted by -Cooper.[32] - -From the account of China compiled in the middle of the ninth century -by Abu Zaid, from the reports of Arab traders, it is evident that his -countrymen had long resorted to China. Even then the Arab community of -Hang-chew-fu (Khanfu) was of great importance: it possessed a separate -judge, appointed by the emperor of China, and we are told that the -Mahommedan, Christian, Jewish, and Parsee population massacred in -A.D. 878 numbered one hundred and twenty thousand. Mahommedanism was -little known among the Tartars before the time of Chengis-khan, but -his conquests were the means of bringing a considerable population of -Uigurs into Shensi and Kansu; and the faith of the Prophet had spread -amongst this tribe long before the Tartar conquest of China. - -The vigorous trading and political intercourse subsisting between China -and their mother country kept alive the religious life and social -individuality of these immigrants. This large addition of population -to their co-religionists already derived from the contingents of the -khalifs, and the Arab traders, accounts for the number of Mahommedans -which Marco Polo noted during his residence in China (1271-1295). In -his description of the people on the western border of Shensi, where -the celebrated mart of Singui was situated, and his account of Singan, -and Carajan, a part of Yunnan, he describes the Mahommedans as forming -a considerable part of the foreign population. - -How strong a position this sect had obtained under the reign of Kublai -appears from Marco Polo’s statement that the provincial governments -were entrusted to Tartars, Christians, and Mahommedans. The invasion -of Burma and the sieges of Singan and Fun-ching were entrusted to -Mahommedan generals. The story of Bailo Achmed, the great minister of -finance, is the most striking illustration of the Mahommedan influence, -although the discovery of his crimes brought the khan’s anger upon -the Saracens, and led to their being prohibited the practices as to -marriage and slaughter of animals, enjoined by their religion. This -check could only have been temporary, and as we find Mahommedans -filling high places of trust, both civil and military, it can be fairly -conjectured that after the conquest of Yunnan these enterprising -soldiers and traders established themselves in the colonies planted in -the new province. - -In the early part of the fourteenth century, Rashid-ood-deen, Vizier -of Persia, mentions Karajang or Yunnan province, and states that the -inhabitants were all Mahommedans. Ibn Batuta, who visited China in the -middle of the same century, found in every large town Mahommedans, -who were mostly rich merchants. In all the provinces there was a town -belonging to them, each of which usually possessed a mosque, market, -a cell for the poor, and a kadi and sheikh ul Islam, while in some -districts they were exceedingly numerous. - -The Jesuit fathers, in the seventeenth century, make frequent mention -of the Chinese Mahommedans. Le Compte, writing to Cardinal de Bouillon -in 1680, says, “that they had been six hundred years in the country -undisturbed, because they quietly enjoyed their liberty without seeking -to propagate their religion, even by marriages, out of their own -kindred, even in places where they were most numerous, and longest -settled, as in the provinces north of the Hoang Ho, and in towns along -the canal, where they had built mosques, differing altogether from -Chinese architecture. They were regarded as foreigners, and frequently -insulted by the Chinese.” - -The oppression to which they were subjected after the second Tartar -conquest began to show itself as early as the beginning of the -eighteenth century, when their mosques were destroyed by the populace -of Hang-chow in Hu-quang province, notwithstanding the efforts of the -magistrates to protect them. At an earlier period, however, about -1651, they had been deprived by the Tartar emperor, Chunchi, of the -honours enjoyed by some of their number in connection with the Board -of Mathematics. This change of policy, thus begun, caused a rebellion, -which broke out in the reign of Kien-hung, 1765-71, on the western -frontier, and spread to the province of Kansu. The rebels resisted -the imperial forces with great valour, but were ultimately subdued. -The Abbé Grosier, writing subsequently to this event, says, “that for -some time past the Mahommedans seem to have been more particularly -attentive to the care of extending their sect.”[33] - -The method they resorted to was the free use of their wealth in -purchasing children to bring up as Mahommedans. During the terrible -famine which devastated the province of Quangtong in 1790, they -purchased ten thousand children from poor parents; these were educated, -and, when grown up, provided with wives and houses, whole villages -being formed of these converts. This system has been followed by them -to the present day, so that large numbers of the faithful are of -Chinese origin; and we found instances of it at Momien. According to -Garnier, the sultan of Tali was a Chinese orphan, adopted and educated -by a wealthy Mahommedan. Yunnan appears, from the _Pekin Gazette_, -to have been the scene of almost incessant insurrections from 1817 -to 1834, attributable, in all probability, to the Mahommedan element -in the population. During one rebellion, in 1828, the leader had an -imperial seal engraved, and issued manifestoes summoning the people -to join his standard. At the same time, the mixed populations of this -province appear to have been always distinguished by an independent and -insubordinate spirit, which often defied the central authority. Some -towns were even governed by elective municipal councils, only nominally -ruled by the mandarins. - -Grutzlaff mentions that during his residence in China, in 1825-1832, -they had several mosques in Chekiang, Pechili, Shensi, and Shansu; -but as they had occasionally joined the rebels of Turkistan, the -government viewed them with a jealous eye. Nevertheless, some of -their number filled offices of high trust. He also states that many -of them performed the pilgrimage to Mecca, and brought back Arabian -MSS. of the Koran, which a few could read imperfectly, that they -were by no means bigoted nor proselytising, and that they venerated -Confucius. These Mahommedans of Northern China and Turkistan include -the people called Toonganees, who are said to trace their origin to -a large body of Uigurs, who were transplanted to the vicinity of the -North Wall, under the rule of the Thang dynasty, between the seventh -and tenth centuries. These settlers were encouraged to intermarry -with the Chinese women, and after this, when, following the example -of their fellow tribesmen, they embraced Islam, they still retained -this practice, although careful to bring up all their children in the -Faith. Though a mixed race, they are distinguished from both Manchoos -and Chinese by their intelligent countenances and superior strength. -They have always evinced special aptitude for mercantile speculations, -like their southern brethren. They have also shown themselves to be -excellent warriors in the successful rebellion of Turkistan, and that -which broke out in 1861 in Kansu, and under Abdul Jaffier threatened to -be as successful as the revolt of Yunnan. - -In the course of the present century, the Faithful appear to have -multiplied in Yunnan more rapidly than in the northern provinces. -Colonel Burney tells us that in 1831 almost the whole of the Chinese -traders who visited the Burmese capital were Mahommedans, except a few -who imported hams. Some of them could speak a little Arabic, and one -read to him passages from the Koran; but none of them could tell him -whence they derived their origin. - -As far as appearance goes, there are strong traces of descent from a -non-Chinese and, we may say, Turkish stock visible among the present -Mahommedans of Western China. Garnier remarks that “the Mussulmans of -Arab origin are tolerably numerous, and many are to be met with who -manifest very markedly the principal traits of Arabs, some preserving -the ancestral type in great purity. But the majority cannot be readily -distinguished from Chinese, except by their superior stature, greater -physical strength, and more energetic physiognomies. Although they only -contract matrimonial alliances with those of their own creed, they -commonly take Chinese women as concubines. Hence a large infusion of -Chinese blood, notwithstanding which they have preserved almost all the -warlike qualities of their ancestors.” Mr. Cooper describes a merchant -who called upon him as “a splendid specimen of the Yunnan Mahommedan, -standing over six feet; his countenance was singularly haughty and -noble, and his manner peculiarly gentle and dignified.” His long black -moustache and hair, hanging in a huge tail almost to the ground, are -also particularly noticed. - -The leading men met with by us at Momien were well-made, athletic, -and of a goodly height, the governor standing six feet three inches. -They were fair-skinned, with high cheek-bones, and slightly oblique -eyes, their cast of countenance being quite distinct from the Chinese. -In fact, the general type of face recalled that of the traders who -come down to Calcutta from Bokhara and Herat. They generally wore -moustaches, but depilated the rest of the face, while their long -hair was coiled in the folds of huge white turbans. The only other -distinctive article of dress was a bright orange-coloured waistband, -which usually supported a silver-mounted dagger. As a rule they -abstained from intoxicating drink, and smoking opium or tobacco; but -some were lax in these particulars. Our strict Mussulmans rather -despised them for laxity in worship as well, and the native doctor, -who was a fanatic, declared that they were not true believers at -all. On the whole, the conclusion which may be fairly arrived at as -to their origin is, that to the descendants of a possible Arab stock -have been added a considerable number of Turkish emigrants, who, in -truth, constitute the main origin of the Mahommedan population in -Yunnan. A number of Chinese proper have from time to time been added -to this community, which, in all places, seems to have included the -wealthiest and best class of the population. The rebellion in Yunnan -seems to have been brought about solely by the oppression to which the -Mahommedans were subjected by the mandarins. Their proud independent -spirit would not brook the tyranny and extortion universally practised -by the official class, from which they were excluded. The mandarins, -according to their wont, secretly hounded the mob on to their rich -and respectable enemies, riots were provoked, and their mosques were -destroyed, as at Momien, where a handsome building, constructed after -plans brought home from Mecca, had existed before the war. Thus their -religious hatred was aroused, as the ruined temples and Buddhist -monasteries testified, and both interest and revenge for insults -to their religion led to a universal and well-planned rising. As -the insurrection which broke out in 1855 spread, the Chinese towns -and villages which resisted were pillaged, and the male population -massacred; while the women were spared to minister to the passions of -the undisciplined soldiery, and children were captured to be brought up -as Mussulmans; but all the places which yielded were spared. - -That the country suffered terribly in the struggle was proved to us -by the mute evidence of the deserted towns and villages, and from the -most southern border of the province to the farthest north we have the -reports of eye-witnesses of the fearful devastation. The contending -parties invoked the aid of the hill tribes, such as the Lolos, Lou-tse, -and Kakhyens, and these had to be rewarded for their services by -licensed pillage. Thus it happened that places on the debatable borders -were pillaged three times over, by the Red Flag, by the White Flag, and -by the marauders. In this way the towns of Sanda and Muangla had been -plundered by the Kakhyens after the Panthay invasion. The officers at -Momien told many stories of the conduct of their soldiers, which spoke -volumes of the misery brought on the peaceful inhabitants; but the -Chinese soldier is, by all accounts, as dangerous in peace to the towns -on which he is billeted as any enemy could be, and scenes of violence -and outrage accompany the march of the undisciplined ruffians under the -imperial banners wherever they go. - -The exact order of events which led to the establishment of the -Mahommedan kingdom is somewhat uncertain; we could not, for want -of interpreters, gain trustworthy information. In the account of -the French expedition,[34] M. Garnier refers the commencement of -the rebellion to an outbreak of the Mahommedans, the cause of which -is not stated, and describes them as having instigated a riot in -1856, and pillaged the city of Yunnan-fu. The imperial authorities -thereupon determined to rid themselves of these intractable subjects -by a general massacre, which was ordered to take place on a given -day. This commenced at Hoching, a town between Li-kiang-fu and -Tali-fu, when upwards of a thousand Mahommedans were murdered; while -similar treacherous massacres followed in different places. A simple -bachelor or literatus of Moung-ho, named Tu-win-tsen or Dowinsheow, -a Chinese orphan who had been adopted by Mahommedans, rallied his -co-religionists. His followers at first numbered only forty, but their -ranks were speedily joined by fugitives from Hoching, Yung-pe, and -other places, till with six hundred men he attacked the ancient and -holy city of Tali-fu, which surrendered in 1857. Although Tali-fu is -a small town, the population of which did not at that time exceed -thirty-five thousand, the rich plain walled in by mountains, and -with a lake teeming with fish, stretching forty miles in length and -ten in breadth, maintained a population estimated before the war at -four hundred thousand. Garnier states that there were one hundred -and fifty villages, but the Old Resident numbers them at two hundred -and fifty-three. The mountains to the north and south close in upon -the lake, and the plain and city are accessible only by two strongly -fortified passes, Hiang-kwang and Hia-kwang, or, as the Burmese call -them, Shangwan and Shagwan. Thus Tali has been from the earliest -times a strong city; it was the capital of a kingdom at the invasion -of Kublai Khan, and is still regarded by the Thibetans, who make -pilgrimages to its vicinity, as the ancient home of their forefathers. -The Mahommedans made it their head-quarters, and it seemed likely -again to become the capital of an independent kingdom. Their success -was facilitated by the jealousy which existed between the pure Chinese, -mainly descended from immigrants from Sz-chuen, and the Minkia and -Penti mixed races, descended from the early colonists planted by the -Mongols, and probably by the later Tartar dynasty in 1679. These -tribes, inhabiting the eastern plains of Tali and other adjacent -districts, were despised, as being sprung from intermarriage with the -Shan and barbarous races, by the Chinese, as the true Creoles looked -down upon any in whose veins ran negro blood.[35] Hence they stood -aloof in the struggle between the Chinese and the Mahommedans; the -latter even succeeded in occupying Yunnan-fu for a short time, but were -speedily expelled. A local revolt, however, was organised there by a -Mahommedan hadji of great repute, called Lao-papa, who assassinated -the viceroy Pang, and was proclaimed emperor or sultan, but enjoyed -his dignity a very short time. Another Mahommedan, named Ma-kien, who, -before the war, had been a seller of barley-sugar, but had become a -soldier, and took the imperialist side, subdued Lao-papa in 1861, -and established the authority of another Lao, who had been appointed -viceroy. Ma-kien was named _ti-tai_, or commander of the forces, but an -officer called Leang, in the south of the province, refused to obey -his orders, and a little civil war ensued between their respective -partisans. The Mahommedans took advantage of this division in the camp -of the enemy to consolidate their power under their elected chief, -Tu-win-tsen, who was proclaimed sultan, or imam, in the year 1867. -Momien had been captured three years before our visit, and the Shan -states on the Tapeng brought under the Mahommedan king, whose authority -extended over a considerable portion of the province. In the beginning -of 1868, the French found the government at Yunnan-fu administered _ad -interim_ by a mandarin of the blue button, named Song, the viceroy Lao -having recently died, and his successor, though appointed, not having -ventured to assume the perilous post. The office of commander-in-chief -was filled by Ma-kien, supported by a staff of Mahommedan officers, -whose costume and physiognomy marked them as different from the -Chinese. Lao-papa also resided in Yunnan, invested with rank and -honours, as the religious head of all the Mahommedans.[36] It does not -appear how this could be reconciled with the religious authority of -Sultan Suleiman, and it is plain that the Mahommedans were themselves -divided into two parties. - -It is interesting to compare this account with that derived by Mr. -Cooper from information furnished him in the north of the province as -to the rebellious attitude assumed by the imperial viceroy, himself a -Mahommedan proselyte, who had actually concluded a treaty of partition -with the sultan of Tali, and corrupted the imperial troops sent to -quell the revolt with funds furnished by the sultan. We do not, -however, possess such information as will enable us to reconcile the -two accounts which present so many points of agreement and difference. -By a curious coincidence, that most enterprising traveller, having been -turned back by the impossibility of penetrating to Tali, was detained -at Weisee-fu, one hundred and twenty miles distant, at the very time -of our stay at Momien. The utter want of communication kept us in -perfect ignorance of his being comparatively so near at hand, and he -was equally unaware of our presence in Western Yunnan. Our information -as to the passage of the French mission was, if anything, worse, as -an obstructive falsehood is perhaps more aggravating than complete -ignorance. During the first week of July the governor communicated -the information that some six or eight months previously the French -expedition had come into collision with hostile tribes in the vicinity -of Kiang-hung, and had suffered severe losses; some of their number had -perished, and the remainder had arrived in a state of exhaustion and -want at a place called Thela, where they had been kindly received. This -information he declared to be authentic, and furnished by a relative -of his own, resident at Thela, who had purchased some of the arms and -other property taken from the French. As at that time the last news -received some time before our departure from Burma had stated the -party to be at Kiang-tong or Xiang-tong, a Laotian state tributary to -Burma, we could not help fearing that some disaster must have befallen -them. The statement may have been a distorted account of the detention -experienced by the French before reaching Kiang-hung, and the fact -that they were obliged to reduce their baggage, some of the articles -referred to as proof positive by the Panthays having perhaps come -from the superfluous stores, given or bartered away to the Laotians. -It does, as M. Gamier remarks, appear improbable that the governor, -who was a trusted officer of the sultan, should have received no -information as to the visit to Tali-fu of the party in the month of -March preceding.[37] On the other hand, it is difficult to imagine any -reason for his suppression of his knowledge of it, unless he feared -that we should be thereby inclined to mistrust the letters from the -sultan. As regards Garnier’s theory that the apparent welcome given -to us was intended to do away with any unfavourable impression which -might have been produced in the minds of foreigners by the sultan’s -refusal to see the French party, and ordering their instant departure, -it is much more probable that the French were regarded with strong -suspicion, and taken for spies. The fact that they had travelled under -Pekin passports, and had been guests of the viceroy _ad interim_ at -Yunnan-fu, was not in their favour; but worse than that was their -connection with the French missionaries, who were everywhere most -hostile to the Mahommedan cause. One of their number had been engaged -in the sacerdotal task of manufacturing gunpowder for the viceroy, and -had been blown up by his own petard; others had forwarded a memorial by -the medium of the French minister to the emperor in favour of Ma-kien, -as the only man capable of saving the province from the rebels. An -imperial reply to this, promising to aid him with troops and supplies, -was received before Garnier left Yunnan. It is more than probable that -this was known to the authorities at Tali, and, even independently of -the circumstance narrated by Mr. Cooper, would have operated against a -cordial reception of the French visitors. - -At our first entrance into the country, without any passports whatever, -we, as commercial explorers, had appealed to the existing authorities, -and had refused to advance until their safe-conduct had been received. -Our neutrality between the two contending parties had been most -carefully sifted by letters and envoys before we were made welcome at -Momien, and little more than a week after our arrival it was tested, -if not by the contrivance, certainly with the knowledge, of the -governor. One evening Moung Shuay Yah, in a mysterious manner, made -known the presence of an important visitor, namely, an officer sent -by Low-quang-fang, the officer who, in conjunction with Li-sieh-tai, -supported the imperial cause. He had brought a pony as a gift, and -desired to make our friendship, and provide us with a safe escort -on the return route, always provided we were unaccompanied by the -Panthays. Our leader declined an interview, and refused the pony, -stating that we were guests of the governor, and as such could not -confer with his enemies, except with his consent. We soon learned -that the governor was aware of the mission of this envoy, and that in -course of time a treaty was signed by which Low-quang-fang undertook -not to attack the Panthay possessions, or molest us on our return, -and was to be left undisturbed in the possession of a small customs -post; whether this was a ruse on the part of the Chinese partisans to -win our support, or of the Panthays to sound our real opinions, it is -impossible to say. At all events, it confirmed the conviction of the -governor in our good faith. The terms of the agreement, if true, were -another proof of the anxiety of the Panthays to re-open the western -trade routes, to which we doubtless mainly owed our friendly reception. - -Gamier remarks that they had all along found it essential to keep open -the trade with Sz-chuen, and Mr. Cooper found Mahommedan merchants -unmolested in Chinese Yunnan. The king of Burma, not only as an ally, -but as a tributary of China, could not recognise the rebel sultan, nor -enter into political or commercial relations with him. The sultan, who -had visited Rangoon and Calcutta as a pilgrim to Mecca, may well have -been disposed to court the favour of those Feringhees whose power and -wealth he had witnessed in the City of Palaces. It is possible that -the hospitable governor of Momien was only amusing his guests with -complimentary mockeries, and that there was no intention of suffering -us to proceed to Tali, and see the real state of things in the -interior, the desolation of the province, and the scanty forces at the -disposal of the new power. Subsequent events have shown the instability -of the Panthay kingdom as soon as a regular and determined attack -was made on it by the imperial government; but as regards their then -condition, with the utmost respect for the memory of that distinguished -explorer, Lieutenant Gamier, it is impossible to overlook the fact that -he was strongly prejudiced against the Panthays, by their treatment -of him, as well as by the French missionaries, one of whom speaks of -the “detested yoke of the Mahommedans.” Garnier even attributes the -closing of the western traffic to the robberies of the Kakhyens and -the arbitrary oppression of the Panthays; who were, as our observation -showed, doing all they could to encourage the Burmese and Shans to -carry on the former traffic. It is possible that we were prejudiced by -kindness, and misled by outward appearances of strength; but whatever -the cause of the origin and progress of this rebellion, it is certain -that from the outset the rebels met with little direct resistance -from the imperial authorities, and the officials, with their few -adherents, were gradually driven from the fertile valleys of Western -Yunnan to more inaccessible fastnesses; thence they still maintained a -guerilla warfare, neither side ever bringing anything like a large or -well-appointed army into the field. The imperialist commanders, such -as Li-sieh-tai and Low-quang-fang, who were designated robber chiefs -by the Panthays, although really officials of the Pekin government, -could only harass their enemies by desultory attacks. Their followers, -if captured, were speedily tried and executed as robbers. We witnessed -more than sixteen executions of these poor wretches. The criminal was -led to the outskirts of the bazaar by a small escort, with music and -banners flying, and, with his hands tied behind his back, was made to -kneel by the side of the road. The executioner chopped off the head -usually at one blow; the body was buried on the spot, and the ghastly -head hung up by the gate of the town. - -The superior prowess of the Panthays and the unanimity of their -councils, directed by the sultan of Tali-fu, were apparently carrying -all before them. During our stay at Momien, news was brought, -apparently authentic, of the capture by his army of the great city -of Yunnan-fu. The condition of Central Yunnan may be imagined from -the statements made in the proclamation announcing the fall of the -capital. In it are enumerated forty towns and one hundred villages as -having been taken and destroyed, and upwards of three hundred persons -being burned to death; while the losses of the Chinese, in various -fights, amounted to over twenty thousand men. The communications were, -however, interrupted by constant fighting on the road between Momien -and Yung-chang, two out of three messengers, with despatches from Tali, -being killed, while the Mahommedan convoys of specie, and presents sent -from the sultan to us, were stopped at Sheedin, near Yung-chang. During -our stay, a force of some hundreds of so-called soldiers, commanded by -our friend, the chief military officer, or _tah-zung-gyee_, marched -to repel an attack on the town and mines of Khyto; and as proofs of a -victory gained by them within a few days, two hundred ears were sent -into Momien, while they owned to a loss of forty men. - -Although the Panthays were merciless in warfare--only those inhabitants -of the towns and villages who at once tendered their submission -being spared--they were desirous of establishing a firm and orderly -government: in all cases their officers protected the passage of -merchants, and dealt much more justly by them than the mandarins had -been accustomed to do; this was admitted by the Chinese and Shans, -who, though outwardly submissive, were at heart thoroughly opposed to -the new _régime_. Similar testimony is borne by the two travellers -already quoted, as regards the caravans trading with Sz-chuen and -Thibet. It seemed at this period almost certain that Yunnan would -become an independent kingdom, if indeed Sz-chuen and the northern -provinces were not also formed into a great Mahommedan empire, and the -same idea is recorded by Mr. Cooper, as having been the result of his -observations of the state of the country to the north. - -For us, however, to attempt to advance was impossible; even if progress -had been safe, it would have been impolitic. Whether our presence at -Momien was an infraction of the Chinese treaty or no, it was made -necessary if any information as to the real state of the country was to -be obtained, and this had been the principal object of the expedition -set forth in the instructions. - -The reader is earnestly requested to bear in mind that politically, -socially, and almost geographically, this border land of China had been -almost a _terra incognita_ before our arrival at Momien. We realised -the fact that we were in China indeed, but in a province which the -rebellion had almost converted into an independent kingdom; and from -which it seemed almost certain that the lingering remains of obedience -to the emperor at Pekin would be soon thoroughly erased. Our leader -was, therefore, very soon desirous of effecting a return, but the -governor, on various pretexts of securing our safety and communicating -with Tali, postponed our departure; and this although he insisted on -supplying the whole party with all necessaries during the whole time -of our stay. The kindly Tah-sakon was really busy preparing as good a -display of presents to his English friends as he could. As _de facto_ -ruler of the country, we arranged with him the duties which should -be levied on future caravans, and received letters expressive of the -desire of the Panthay sultan’s government to enter into friendly -relations with our government, and to foster mutual trade. The governor -asked for and obtained two seals, wherewith to authenticate his future -letters, and gave in exchange an official seal and a vase of red ink, -the use of which would, he said, ensure the safe delivery of any -letters forwarded to him. - -Our farewell visits were exchanged on the 11th of July, and the -good-natured governor, who was most sincerely sorry to part with his -guests, brought his presents. These consisted of seventy white jackets -and bamboo hats for our men, a mandarin’s full dress suit, figured -silk jackets, three fine straw hats covered with oilcloth for our -wear in the rain, silver-mounted daggers and spears, a gold and jade -chatelaine, and amber rosaries. The mandarin’s suit was his own, and he -had previously insisted on taking off the rings from his fingers, and -placing them in the same order on the fingers of his “English friend,” -whom he begged always to wear them for his sake. - -Our departure was fixed for the 12th of July, the last advice of the -governor being that we should not loiter _en route_, and only pass one -night at each stage. A body of troops were to precede and another to -follow in our rear; as a further precaution it had been decided not to -employ mules but coolies to carry the baggage, as the engagement of -mules would have given some days’ warning to the hostile Chinese; for -the same reason the porters had not been engaged till the last--so that -our anticipated start was delayed by the insufficiency of porters, and -the need of cutting up old rafters to make poles for the few who did -appear. The governor was very wroth with his officers, and one of them, -an old Chinese, not a Panthay, pleaded in excuse that we were carrying -away a number of boxes filled with mud, and worthless weeds and -skins--the pursuit of natural history was by no means appreciated by -the people, except by the Kakhyens, who were ready enough to bring any -sort of animal or reptile they could catch. The same Chinese official -tried to represent that we were carrying back a number of boxes of -powder. As his object was evidently to make delays and mischief, other -officials were appointed to superintend our departure, and Sladen -thought it right to remove any possible ill-feeling from the kindly -governor’s mind by showing him that the stock of ammunition was only as -much as was needful for the escort; and we parted on the best terms. - -[29] Vide Appendix II. - -[30] ‘As. Soc. Proceedings,’ 1867, p. 176. - -[31] Du Halde, i. p. 199. - -[32] ‘Pioneer of Commerce,’ p. 352. - -[33] Grosier’s ‘China,’ vol. iv. p. 270. - -[34] ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. p. 455, &c. - -[35] ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. p. 518. - -[36] ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. p. 455. - -[37] ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. p. 514, note. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -THE SANDA VALLEY. - - Departure from Momien--Robbers surprised--At Nantin--Our ponies - stolen--We slide to Muangla--A pleasant meeting--The Tapeng - ferrymen--A valley landscape--Negotiations at Sanda--The Leesaws--A - Shan cottage--Buddhist khyoungs--For fear of the nats--The - limestone hill--Hot springs of Sanda--The footprint of Buddha--A - priestly thief--The excommunication--The chief’s farewell--Floods - and landslips--Manwyne priests--A Shan dinner party--The - nunnery--Departure from Manwyne--The Slough of Despond. - - -At the last our departure from Momien seemed doubtful, owing to the -difficulty of finding porters, and men were forcibly impressed into the -service. Any demur as to a particular box or complaint of the weight of -their loads was silenced by a torrent of abuse from the Panthays, who, -to these persuasives, sometimes added severe blows. About 8 A.M. on -July 13th we started, waving our adieus to the governor, who had come -out on the town wall to bid us farewell. The guard gave him a feeble -cheer in Hindustani, which they again repeated as we marched out of the -bazaar gate and set our faces westwards. Two Panthay officers, who had -been our constant visitors, accompanied us for nearly a mile, and at -parting they burst into tears. After we had gone a long way, and turned -back to take a last look at Momien, we saw the two figures, standing on -the same spot, gazing wistfully after us. - -In a short time it began to rain in torrents, and the roads became very -slippery, especially for men carrying heavy loads, so that we soon went -ahead of the porters. At the descent into the Nantin valley, the road -was as if it had been well oiled. Ponies and pedestrians slid down the -steep hill-path in wild confusion, many of the party coming to serious -grief. A little Chinese girl, who had been presented to the jemadar -and his wife, as a return for his exertions in the mosque services, -accompanied us, tied in a small bamboo chair on a pony. As the beast -was quite at liberty to choose his own course, the terror and screams -of the small neophyte were most piteous. At the scene of the attack -made on the upward journey--marked still by some of our empty boxes--we -passed the bodies of two men who had been recently killed and cast on -the roadside. Halting at the hot spring to wait for the porters, we -learned that these were the corpses of Chinese robbers, who had been -caught, by the Panthay vanguard, crouching in the jungle with long -spears, ready to stick the first mule passing, and had been summarily -disposed of by them. Near Nantin all were requested to wait and allow -the rear-guard to close up, as we were about to pass a favourite -lurking-place for robbers. - -We formed a long line, with Panthay soldiers before and behind, -and, with gongs beating ahead, marched unscathed into Nantin, which -was reached by six o’clock. Our former residence, the khyoung, was -found to be already tenanted by a Panthay guard and a Kakhyen tsawbwa -groaning with fever. A dose of sulphate of magnesia, followed up -with quinine, secured to him sleep and to ourselves quiet, as far as -he was concerned; but we were kept on the look-out, as the baggage -arrived in detachments, much of it, including bedding, not turning up -till the next day, and some articles, such as a portable bedstead, -and a magazine box, not appearing at all. The governor came to greet -us in the evening, attended by a guard, one of whom carried a huge -gauze lantern swung from a tripod. He was full of regrets that he had -not been apprised of our coming, so as to have prepared comfortable -quarters, and met us on the way. The Hotha tsawbwa did not appear, -according to his promise, and was reported to be still in his own -valley, and his absence prevented us from adopting the embassy route -across Shuemuelong into Hotha valley. As it afterwards appeared that -the irrepressible Li-sieh-tai and his troops had taken up their -quarters in a strong post on the Shuemuelong mountain, it was just as -well that this route was not attempted. We found ourselves accordingly -obliged to retrace the former road to Muangla, Sanda, and Manwyne. - -The pleasing news reached us that a party of one hundred Burmese had -arrived in Muangla, sent from Bhamô in charge of a remittance of -five thousand rupees, and to escort us back to that place; so that, -notwithstanding all the discomforts of our quarters, all turned in well -pleased and prepared to make an early start for Muangla. - -Our morning slumbers were rudely broken by one of the police, who -reported concisely, “Of the three ponies, not one is left.” During the -night thieves had made a hole in the wall of the courtyard just large -enough to admit the passage of a pony, and through this the animals -had been carried off unperceived by the sentries posted within twenty -yards. Examination showed that the animals had been supplied with -corn, and a trail of grain led to another opening in the town wall. On -the previous visit we had been cautioned to watch carefully against -any attempt to steal the ponies; but the warning had unfortunately -been forgotten. A robbery had been attempted in the same way when the -tah-sa-kon was residing in the khyoung. The thieves purloined a gun -and sword, but an alarm was raised, and the latter was dropped in -their flight. We borrowed ponies to carry us to Muangla, and started -at half past ten. As before, considerable difficulty was caused by -the absence of porters, nearly all the coolies from Momien having run -away. Mules had to be found to supply their place, and the proverbial -character of these beasts was fully verified by those of Nantin, which -for an hour stubbornly refused to be loaded. During this interlude the -Panthays were doing their best to impress men for the lighter loads. -The recusants were dragged up by soldiers with drawn swords, and each, -when loaded, was followed by a spearman, ready to egg him on with his -spear if he attempted to lag behind. As we passed through Muangtee, the -townspeople had all turned out, and our old friend, the tsawbwa-gadaw, -and her retainers, male and female, stood outside her haw, and waved -salutes and adieus. Outside the town a strong Shan guard of honour was -drawn up, and escorted us to the chain bridge across the Tahô, three -miles from the town. - -During the rains the river is unfordable, and the road follows the -left bank along the embankments of the paddy fields as far as the -bridge. From the right bank the ascent to the lofty Mawphoo glen -proved most arduous, the road being so slippery that men and beasts -were continually falling, and many of the pedestrians were severely -bruised. It rained incessantly, and it was a great relief to all when -Mawphoo was reached, and an hour’s rest was enjoyed previous to the -descent into the head of the Muangla valley. The road first led down -a declivity, where the only mode of progress for the ponies was by -sliding; and then followed a series of zigzags, some of them over -frightful precipices, where a slip of the pony’s foot would be certain -destruction. At this season the Tahô issues as a tremendous torrent -from the deep gorge in the Mawphoo hills, and the distant Tapeng -appeared almost as large as the Irawady in dry weather. We reached -Muangla at dusk, and were astonished, on entering the town, to meet -an Englishman, accompanied by some Shans. He rushed up to our leader, -and introduced himself as Mr. Gordon, a civil engineer from Prome, who -had been sent by the Chief Commissioner with additional funds, and -to fill the post of engineer to the expedition. He had received his -instructions by telegraph on May 9th, to follow the party as quickly as -possible, and had obeyed them with laudable energy. He had travelled -from Bhamô with a guard of fifty Burmans, and found no difficulty _en -route_. At Manwyne he had met with the Hotha tsawbwa, who wished him -to remain for a day or two; but pushing on, and passing Sanda without -halting, he had reached Muangla the day of our arrival. The guard -of one hundred Burmese which had been despatched in charge of the -first supply of rupees had arrived there ten days previously; but the -tsare-daw-gyee in charge had been afraid to advance further. - -From this place our Panthay guards were to return, and the Burmese -officer expected that his escort would take their place. He seemed -indeed most eager to be of service, and was much chagrined when he -learned our leader’s intention of exploring the route on the southern -banks of the Tapeng. It was a most pleasant surprise to meet Mr. -Gordon, whose goodwill and energy were inexhaustible. The supply of -funds also came just in time to enable us to make complete collections -of Shan products, and it also marvellously smoothed the difficulties of -the return journey. So we set out from Muangla in excellent spirits, -notwithstanding the incessant rain. Messages had come, from parties -unknown, offering to restore the stolen ponies for three hundred and -twenty rupees, but as the local authorities did not seem inclined to -move in the matter, the thieves were left in possession of their booty. -Our Mahommedan escort bade us farewell with evident reluctance, and one -officer expressed a strong desire to accompany us to Rangoon, saying -that if he was once there, he would never return to Yunnan. - -On July 20th we started for Sanda, the usual difficulty as to porters -having compelled me to leave behind the collecting boxes for specimens, -with two of my collectors in charge, until carriage could be procured. -We crossed the Tapeng above its junction with the Tahô in ferry-boats, -the boatmen at first refusing to convey us unless paid five thousand -cash beforehand. This attempt at extortion was resisted, and the -dispute was ended by our taking forcible possession of the boats, when -the boatmen at once gave in, and worked with perfect goodwill and -activity till all the party were safely over. We then set out in a body -for Sanda, the road at first leading along the top of some old river -terraces deeply channelled by mountain streams, which were crossed by -two narrow planks laid side by side. Our ponies, however, crossed them -with ease, except the one which Gordon had brought from the plains, and -which was unused to such acrobatic exploits; so it grew nervous on -a bridge over which it was being led, and disappeared head-over-heels -in the deep gully beneath. Wonderful to relate, the animal broke no -limbs, and shortly reappeared a little further down, trembling, but -unhurt, on the river terrace below. Two miles beyond the place where -the Tapeng had been forded on the upward journey we descended towards -the level centre of the valley, at this season under water, the road -being carried along a substantial embankment built to keep back the -floods. The whole extent of the valley was clothed in exquisitely fresh -verdure, in beautiful contrast to the dark mountains which towered like -a protecting wall on either side, while alternate cloud and sunshine -fully displayed the beauty of the landscape. Now deep shadows of giant -clouds flitted down the mountains and over the sunny plains, while -occasional fleecy mists wrapt the highest peaks, and again black storms -obscured the hills as with a curtain, - - “Lashed at the base with slanting storm,” - -the rest of the valley basking in the sunlight. Near Sanda a stream -had to be crossed so swollen that the ponies could scarcely stem the -current, which was over the saddles. By 6 P.M. we were safely housed in -our old quarters at Sanda, and the tsawbwa’s headman speedily arrived -with a supply of fowls, rice, and firewood sufficient for all our wants. - -[Illustration: VALLEY OF SANDA, LOOKING WESTWARD FROM THE HILL BEHIND -THE TOWN.] - -On awaking in the morning, we made the unpleasant discovery that two -packages had been stolen from our bedsides. One was only a fishing-rod -and bamboo pipe and stems, but the other contained the solid silver -pipe-stem given by the tsawbwa to Sladen, and some other presents. -The theft was duly reported to the tsawbwa, who at once offered two -hundred rupees’ reward for the recovery of the stolen articles. During -the day, many people crowded the khyoung, having clothes and ornaments -to sell. The priests were much scandalised to see women’s clothes sold -and exhibited in the sacred precincts, and at last procured an order -from the tsawbwa, forbidding the women to come for the purpose of such -traffic. - -We remained at Sanda till July 8th, being detained partly by the rain, -and partly by negotiations with the people of the Muangla district, -lying on the other side of the Tapeng, relative to our homeward route. -The chief persons, a village headman named Kingain, and the poogain -of Manhleo, a place opposite to Manwyne, through whose jurisdiction -the route lay, had both been hostile to us on the upward journey. The -Hotha tsawbwa himself proved to have had some dispute with the Sanda -people, which prevented his coming to meet us, while the Sanda headmen -were averse to our crossing over to Hotha, for fear any future trade -should be diverted from their town. In the course of the negotiations, -two Shan headmen of villages informed Sladen that they could conduct us -safely by a good and easy hill road to the Molay river, which could -be reached in two days, at a point whence it was navigable during the -floods, for large salt boats, down to the Irawady. - -The skilful patience of our leader was at last rewarded by converting -Kingain and the Manhleo poogain into firm friends, and it was settled -that we should proceed to Manwyne, and cross the river at that place, -whence they would secure our safety. The son of the poogain arrived to -act as our conductor, and a letter was received from the Hotha tsawbwa, -promising to meet us at Manwyne. - -During our stay we had unrestricted opportunities of viewing Shan -manners. Every fifth day the regular market was held, and the broad -street was crowded by the country folk. Stalls lined both sides of the -roadway, which seemed paved with umbrella-like straw hats. Besides -Kakhyens from the hills, Leesaws were numerous, bringing oil, bamboos, -and firewood for sale. Both men and women shave a circle round the -head, leaving only a large patch on the upper and back parts, from -which the hair is gathered into a short pigtail. Both sexes dress so -much alike that the boys and girls were almost indistinguishable from -each other. Some of them were induced to pay us a visit, and give words -and phrases of their language, which seemed to be quite distinct from -the Kakhyen tongue, and somewhat akin to the Burmese. - -Seeing our interest in these people, a respectable old Shan, who had -already done some trade with us, invited us to his house, where he -professed to have some Leesaw clothing to dispose of. It turned out -that he proposed to pass off his own old clothes on the gullible -strangers; so our visit became one of politeness only. We were duly -seated, and his daughters served us with sliced mangoes and plums, -which were eaten with salt. Our host’s two wives were present, and -other matrons flocked in from the neighbouring cottages, their hands -blue with indigo. We asked if it was usual for Shans to have more than -one wife, and were told that it was not, but that every man pleased -himself. We also learned that the usual age for marriage is between -eighteen and twenty, and the consent of the parents alone is required -to make the contract binding, as there is no religious ceremony, and -the priests have no voice whatever in the matter. - -The house, like all the Shan cottages, was enclosed in a courtyard, and -consisted of three rooms--a central living-room, with a sleeping-room -on either side. Against the wall of the “keeping-room,” facing the -door, stood the family altar, a small table having on it an incense -vase and an ancestral tablet. A broad verandah ran along the front of -the cottage, at one end of which stood a large indigo vat, hollowed -out of a solid block. From this house we visited the Shan and Chinese -khyoungs. Both were plain bamboo structures, built on the sites of -the former buildings, described as having been rich and splendid -structures, destroyed by the Panthays some years previously. The Shan -temple contained only one figure of Gaudama, and as the phoongyees were -seated at their rice, round a small bamboo table, we went on to that of -the Chinese, next door. Here there was one principal Buddha, clothed in -a yellow robe, and crowned with a nimbus resembling ostrich plumes. On -the altar were a few small Buddhas freshly gilded, and a number of old -pictures. On a small table was a wooden fish, such as was of frequent -occurrence in the Momien khyoungs. Tradition says that in one of his -former existences Gaudama was shipwrecked, but brought to land by a -large fish, which he afterwards fed during its life. A strange mixture -of Arion and Jonah pervades this legend; but the fish is probably a -mystic legacy from the more ancient religions to which Kwan-yin and -other deities belong. The chief phoongyee was very courteous, and had -seats brought covered with red rugs, while his waiting-man served -the guests with tea and fruit. He exhibited a number of pictures -representing the judgment and punishment of sinners. One figure, -evidently the judge, was seated at a table, with a book before him, -and pens and ink-horn at his side, while two figures stood on either -hand--one a hideous-looking monster, the other of more human and gentle -aspect. The latter was the good, the former the bad recording angel. -In front of the judge, the pious and wicked were depicted, in fleshly -forms, departing to their several destinations. Of the latter, some -were being dragged away by devils; while others in the foreground were -being subjected to torments appropriate to their failings in life. The -possessor of a false tongue was having it torn out by the roots, while -the slayer of animals was being hacked in two, with his head downwards -and his legs wide apart. - -There was a grotesque humour about these horrible pictures, which made -even the priest smile, as he exhibited and described them; but he waxed -very grave as he told of the former splendour of the ruined religious -edifices of Sanda. - -There was little to be done in the way of collecting zoological -specimens, and nothing in the way of sport. A thick grove of fir-trees, -marking the burial-place of the tsawbwa’s family, was the only covert, -but firing there was looked upon as certain to bring disease and death -upon the chief and his household. After one attempt, a formal request -was made that we would not shoot on the hills behind the town. A nat -is said to dwell in a cutting, which marks the entrenchments made by -the Chinese army in 1767, and the Shans believe that if a gun were -fired, the insulted demon would come down as a tiger and carry off -children. The chief himself came one day complaining of cough and -headache, and asking for medicine to dislodge the nat who had seized -him, but sulphate of magnesia proved too much for the demon. A Burman -assistant surveyor, who had been sent to make a survey of the river, -was prevented by the villagers, who pleaded a dread of the nats’ -anger, and the tsawbwa, when appealed to, not only supported this view, -but privately asked the interpreter if we had not a secret object in -examining the country, and did not mean to return next year with a -strong force to take possession. We were perfectly free to stroll about -the environs, and one of the chief men undertook to guide us to visit -the hill whence the lime sold in the market was procured. The road lay -along the paddy fields, and was either knee-deep in mud or up to the -saddle-girths in water. We crossed the Nam-Sanda, a deep strong stream -flowing from the north through a short narrow glen, on the other side -of which the limestone hill rose in a gentle declivity. As we rode -through the fields of cotton, now in flower, and kept so clean that -not a weed was visible, Shan girls, dressed in dark blue, with short -trousers and petticoats with little aprons over them, looked up from -their field-work with mute astonishment depicted on their round chubby -faces. About four hundred feet up the grassy hill, on which not a tree -was to be seen, the bluish-grey masses of hard crystalline limestone -occur, lying in irregular heaps overgrown with long grass, as they have -fallen down from the rocky heights above. Some superstitious ideas are -attached to the occurrence of the limestone in this place, and it was -shown to us as a supernatural curiosity. The masses are dug out of the -ground, and carried to the villages, where they are calcined, grass -being used as fuel in preference to wood. An old kiln was shown us, -which had been formerly erected by some Chinese lime-burners, who had -come from Tali-fu. On our return, the tsawbwa was anxious to know if -the hill contained silver, the Shans having the impression that our -field-glasses enable us to see into the very heart of the mountains -and detect the precious metals therein concealed. In the bed of a -small stream running down the little valley, the hot springs occur, -consisting of two separate groups, separated by about a quarter of -a mile. In the most easterly, we found only one spring, in a basin -about six inches deep and a yard in diameter; the water bubbles up -through a gravelly bottom, over which a fine black micaceous mud has -been deposited. We found the temperature to be 204°, two degrees below -the boiling-point of Sanda, viz. 206°; but in the cold weather, when -undisturbed by floods, the temperature is higher. As a proof of this, -we saw the feathers of fowls and hair of kids, which had been cooked -in the spring, lying all about the banks of the rivulet. The natives -deepen the basin by piling stones round its margin, and use the spring -as a medicinal bath, and sometimes drink the waters. The other group -had five openings, through which the water bubbled up in the bed of -the stream, which had been diverted to expose them. All the basins -but one had been obliterated by the floods, and the temperature of -the water much reduced; but by inserting the bulb into the holes, the -temperature was found to be the same as that of the first spring. The -atmosphere round the springs was sensibly warm, and the ground so hot -in some places that our barefooted companions could not stand on it. -A peculiar heavy smell was perceptible, which was also perceived, -after boiling, in the water brought away by us. This is probably due -to the presence of some empyreumatic matter.[38] Our guide informed -us with a serious face that hell was in the immediate vicinity, and -that when Gaudama walked over this spot, the flames burst forth, and -endeavoured to devour him, but the springs issued forth and quenched -them, becoming heated in the contest. He also told us that a footprint -of Gaudama was visible close at hand, in a romantic glen, down which -flowed a mountain torrent called the Chalktaw. The stream was crossed -by a double-spanned bamboo bridge, supported in the middle of the -stream by a large boulder, and hung at either end to two bamboos -driven into the ground, so that the bridge is partly arched and partly -suspended. Many Kakhyen and Leesaw men and women were coming down the -hill on their way to Sanda market, bringing great loads of vegetables, -firewood, and planks of wood three feet long, fifteen inches broad, -and one inch and a half thick. A basket of vegetables and a plank so -heavy that one of us could scarcely lift it formed a mountain-girl’s -load down the steep hillside. About a quarter of a mile up the wild -glen, strewn with enormous waterworn granite boulders, we were shown -the giant footprint in a spot surrounded by some fine old banyan trees. -The print was on the end of a boulder looking up the glen, and it was -evident that the hollow representing the heel had been formed by the -friction of a superincumbent boulder. In time the river changed its -course, and the boulder was exposed to the view of some devout and -imaginative Buddhist. He, struck with the resemblance of the cavity to -a huge heel-mark, carved the outline of a human foot, and proclaimed -the wondrous discovery. Its great antiquity is shown by the existence -of two tablets on the other face of the rock; the carved outlines are -still traceable, but the inscriptions are so worn that it is impossible -to decipher the form of the characters. On our way back we passed a -Leesaw girl with a great display of beads, and succeeded in coaxing her -to part with four strings, and six hoops from her neck, for a rupee. A -little further on we met some more of her tribe resting under a tree, -who rose and offered us rice-spirit out of their bamboo flasks; in -exchange we gave them some watered whisky, which they seemed highly to -relish. These Leesaw women wore a peculiar turban with a pendant end, -of coarse white cloth patched with blue squares, and trimmed with -cowries. Their close-fitting leggings were made of squares of blue and -white cloth, and their ornaments consisted of large brass ear-rings, -necklaces of large blue beads and seeds, and a profusion of ratan, -bamboo, and straw hoops round the loins and neck. These resemble the -dress of the Moso women described by Cooper, and similar dresses and -ornaments are shown in Mons. Garnier’s illustrations of the Leisus in -North Yunnan. - -At three o’clock in the morning of August 29th, we were all startled -from sleep by a loud outcry and a pistol shot. It turned out that a -thief had opened the door and stolen one of the handsome silver Panthay -spears, but the jingle of the ornaments had awoke Sladen, who fired -a shot in the dark after the retreating robber, and raised an alarm, -in vain. Suspicion at once fell on a phoongyee who slept in a room -close to the door; the sentinel on duty had heard the priest stirring -just before, and while he walked a few yards to consult a watch hung -up on a post, the robbery was effected. The tsawbwa and his headmen -showed great concern, and all agreed in suspecting the priest, whose -character, it appeared, was already bad. They taxed him with the theft, -and told him that it was a most disgraceful act, to steal a gift made -by one official to another; they also threatened, if the spear was not -restored, to degrade him from the priesthood, theft, even to the value -of six annas, being one of the crimes which, at his ordination, the -rahan is specially warned against, as depriving him _ipso facto_ of his -sacred character. - -The tsawbwa was extremely incensed, and requested us to delay our -journey to enable him, if possible, to discover and restore the spear, -as well as punish the criminal. Early the next morning an old woman -came crying to the khyoung, and, as she entered, threw down her pipe, -and rushed up to Sladen with her hands clasped, and the tears streaming -down her wrinkled cheeks. The interpreter explained that she was the -mother of the suspected priest, and had come to intercede for him. -Another of her sons presently joined her, but they were advised to go -to the tsawbwa, in whose hands the matter rested. While she was being -shown the door through which the thief had entered, the phoongyee -himself came in, and the old woman, with a violent outburst of abuse, -struck him several blows with her clenched fist, and fairly beat him -out of the khyoung. - -The ceremony of excommunication took place in due course, and was -brief enough, lasting only five minutes. He was brought in by all the -headmen, and attended by his mother and brother, the latter carrying -the clothes of an ordinary Shan, which the culprit, when degraded, -was to assume. All sat down, and the poor old woman made an affecting -appeal to her son to confess if he were guilty; but he preserved a -dogged silence, and commenced to take off his turban in front of the -altar. She then retired, departing with her hands clasped above her -head, and ejaculating prayers. The priest, having removed his turban, -took a water lily from an offering of flowers in front of the image -of Gaudama, and, placing it on a tripod, again deposited it before -the image. The chief priest now appeared on the daïs, and the culprit -knelt behind his lily muttering a few sentences, occasionally rising -from his knees, and bending in worship before the figure, and gradually -retreated after each prostration, until he was beyond the verge of the -daïs peculiar to the priests. He then knelt before the chief phoongyee, -and repeated some formula after him, after which he retired to his -room, and soon emerged dressed as a layman. He was then taken away -by the headmen, and some hours after was brought back led by a chain -secured to an iron collar round his neck. In the evening he was again -led by the chain, down to the khyoung, escorted by the headmen, who -stated that they had failed to find any clue to the missing spear, or -to establish the guilt of the prisoner. He was, however, during the -ensuing conference as to our departure, kept chained to a pillar and -guarded by two men. After another day of delay and barter with the -people, who crowded the khyoung, the only noticeable purchase being -some capital tobacco at the price of a rupee for three pounds and a -half, we took our departure on August 4th. The old tsawbwa and his -grandchild came with a parting present of cloth, and a request that -we would not mount until we had passed his house; and a silver watch -presented by Sladen to his adopted son gave immense pleasure to both -the chief and his heir. As we approached the haw, three trumpeters -blew a lusty blast, and the three saluting guns were fired as we -ascended the steps leading to the gateway, where the chief and his -grandson awaited us. After a hearty handshaking, and formal adieus, we -mounted under a second salute, and rode out of the town preceded by the -trumpeters in full bray. - -The road at this season was carried along the embankments of the -paddy fields nearer to the base of the hills. The courses of the many -mountain streams showed the traces of the devastation caused by the -unprecedented floods of the past week; whole rice fields had been swept -away, and in others the crop had been hopelessly buried in silt. Roots -and stems of large trees everywhere blocked the channels, and the sides -of the mountains showed red patches, like wounds, where landslips had -occurred. These had been most destructive; nine villages were said to -have been overwhelmed in the Sanda valley, one, a village of forty -houses, being completely destroyed with all its inhabitants, save nine -who were absent. The nineteen miles to Manwyne were accomplished by 5 -P.M., and we took up our quarters in the same khyoung as on the former -visit; some trouble and a little gentle violence being requisite to -exclude the pertinacious and curious Chinese, who went so far as to -hustle a sentry. These Manwyne people (not including the Shans), though -not so hostile as on our first visit, were evidently ill-disposed, and -can be only classed as “rowdies.” At sundown a bell was rung and a -huge candle lit in front of the altar, while the priests, kneeling on -the upper daïs, supported by choristers on the lower one, chanted their -vespers. - -Bell-ringing and matins woke us up early in the morning, and, as -before, the devout women trooped in with their offerings of rice and -flowers. The phoongyees and some others were very much interested -in hearing about railways, telegraphs, and other wonders of Western -civilisation. One of the Sanda headmen remarked that they were much -privileged to hear of such things, and that we must all have met before -in a previous existence, and would doubtless meet again. They were awed -by viewing the moon through a good telescope; and a prediction of the -coming eclipse of the sun evidently impressed them with a deep sense -of our astrological powers, the chief phoongyee, with bated breath, -inquiring whether it presaged war or famine. - -Our first visitor was the “Death’s Head” pawmine of Ponsee, who -came with the idea that we should entrust ourselves to his friendly -guidance, and was chagrined at the information that we should return by -Hotha. The Hotha tsawbwa had been delayed by the difficulty of crossing -the mud left by the floods, and, when he at length appeared, was at -first inclined to magnify the difficulties, physical and otherwise, -of reaching his valley. When he found us resolute, he made light of -the difficulties, and arranged that the Manhleo poogain should take -charge of the baggage, while he himself preceded us to prepare for -our reception. In the meantime we were entertained at a dinner by the -tsawbwa-gadaw, the honours being done by the Hotha chief. We were -welcomed by the two Buddhist nuns, one a daughter of our hostess, -and the other a sister of Hotha, attended by a crowd of maids and -retainers, and were at once requested to take our seats at the table. -Tea was then served, followed by the dinner, consisting of well-cooked -fowls, roast and boiled, pork, &c., with small plates of onions, peas, -and sliced mangoes; then came rice and sauce, followed by another -service of tea. All the dishes were served on Chinese porcelain, and -the samshu was poured from a Birmingham teapot into tiny cups of jade. -We were waited on by men; but just as the dinner was placed on the -table, the hostess came in for a few minutes, and made a speech of -welcome, and apologies for having nothing better to offer; and when -it was over, she rejoined the party. The two rahanees and their maids -favoured us with their company all the time. Being struck with the -red-dyed nails of the ladies, I asked one rosy-cheeked damsel to show -me the dye. She volunteered to give a practical illustration, and at -once brought from an inner room a pulpy mass of the petals and leaves -of a red balsam beaten up with cutch. Having first begged for a small -ring as a memento of our visit, she proceeded to envelop the tip of my -little finger in a portion of the pulp, and covered it with a green -leaf neatly tied on with thread. - -After dinner the Hotha chief entertained us with a performance on the -Shan guitar or banjo, for the instrument had only three strings, and -the sounding-board was made of a stretched snake skin. The chief was -evidently regarded, and justly, as a skilled performer, and under his -fingers the instrument discoursed sweet, pleasant tinkling, while the -airs, though simple, were melodious. After our return to the khyoung, -the two nuns and their maids arrived with some presents from the -tsawbwa-gadaw, and remained for two hours, asking intelligent questions -about our country and religion, and on leaving made us promise to -visit them at their own khyoung. The next afternoon a messenger came -to remind us of our promise, and two of the party went to the nunnery. -It consisted of two bamboo houses, side by side, enclosed by a fence. -One, used as a residence, was an ordinary Shan house of three rooms; -the other, used as a chapel, was a pavilion, twenty-four feet square, -raised on piles four feet above the ground, and closed in with mats on -all sides save that fronting the dwelling-house. The only decorations -were a few small images of Gaudama, and strips of white paper cut into -ornamental figures and suspended like banners from the roofs. The Hotha -nun was engaged in weaving, which was a breach of the Buddhist canons, -forbidding the religious to employ themselves in any useful labour. -We were invited into the dwelling-house, and served with mangoes and -women’s tobacco, and bidden to light our pipes. A long and interesting -conversation ensued, mainly on religious subjects. The nuns, especially -the young lady of Manwyne, evinced great interest in the subject of -Christianity, concluding by begging us to consider her as a sister. -Then we all adjourned to afternoon tea at the haw of her mother. The -old lady expressed a great desire to possess a portrait of our gracious -Queen, which we promised to send her from Rangoon. In the meantime, we -offered a temporary substitute in the shape of four brand new rupees, -with which she was greatly pleased. - -August 9th found us ready for an early start from Manwyne, but the want -of porters delayed us till 8.30, when we set out for the Tapeng. A -farewell dish of rice and spirit, “to strengthen us for the journey,” -arrived from the tsawbwa-gadaw, while the chief phoongyee presented -some cloth to each of us, heartily expressing his good wishes for our -welfare. The townspeople waved their adieus, some calling out _Kara! -kara!_ and others the Shan equivalent for _Au revoir!_ It was noon -before the ponies were safely across the river, now six hundred yards -in breadth, on the other side of which a mud flat extended for two -miles. The smooth surface had been caked hard by the sun, but with -many a fissure, through which the legs of the ponies slipped into the -tenacious quagmire beneath. At last a veritable Slough of Despond -was reached, and the party was fairly bogged; the ponies floundered -and stumbled so much that it became necessary to dismount. The next -half-hour will not be easily forgotten, when, the reins in one hand -and my dog held fast in the other, I plunged and struggled through the -slimy ooze, which seemed to grasp the legs firmly at each step. At -one place the pony made a sudden stumble, and disappeared in the mud, -whilst the strain sent me rolling forwards until dragged to my feet -by two unincumbered natives. The stoutest of our party was literally -hauled through by men stimulated by rupees, while his pony had to -be dug out of the mud by some Shans. A blunder of our guide had led -us into this tract of mud, which had been recently deposited by the -overflow of the river; and the amount of alluvium brought down can be -imagined from the fact that the tract covered about six square miles, -with an average depth of four feet. Following the embankments of the -paddy fields for about two miles, we halted for breakfast on a grassy -slope at the foot of the hills, under the shade of wide-spreading -banyan and mangoe trees, amidst eager crowds of villagers staring at -the strangers. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -THE HOTHA VALLEY. - - The mountain summit--A giant glen--Leesaw village--The wrong - road--Priestly inhospitality--Town of Hotha--A friendly - chief--The Namboke Kakhyens--The Hotha market--The Shan - people--The Koshanpyi--The Tai of Yunnan--Their personal - appearance--Costume--Equipment--The Chinese Shans--Silver hair - ornaments--Ear-rings--Torques, bracelets, and rings--Textile - fabrics--Agriculture--Social customs--Tenure of land--Old Hotha--A - Shan-Chinese temple--Shan Buddhism--The fire festival--Eclipse of the - sun--Horse worship--Ancient pagodas--Roads from Hotha. - - -At 2 P.M. we commenced to ascend the hills, which from Manwyne had not -appeared to be more than one thousand feet high, but proved to be three -times that altitude above the river. The rough bridle-path led straight -up the steep declivity, and in the blazing heat of an unclouded sun -the ascent was most trying to man and beast, already wearied by their -exertions in the quagmire. The mules were ahead, but our men soon -began to lag, although we went as slowly as was compatible with the -prospect of reaching Manloi, on the other side, before nightfall. A -short way up the mountain, bold cliffs stood out, of white crystalline -marble, weathering to a dull brown. This was succeeded by quartzose -rock; and, still higher, a blueish gneissose rock formed the upper -mass of the range. We passed through several Kakhyen villages, paying -a few rupees by way of toll to the headmen, who were sitting by the -roadside waiting for us. Near the summit, we had a splendid view of the -course of the Tapeng to the Burmese plain. A high curtain of clouds -to the westward hung over the entrance of the river into the gorge of -the hills, while below and beyond it the immense plain of the Irawady -was clearly discerned backed by high hills, and with the great river -winding through it like a broad silver band. To the right extended a -magnificent panorama of the valley as far as the spur above Sanda, -and we took a long farewell gaze at the lovely vale, walled in by its -guardian mountains, and rich in every variety of effect produced by the -grouping in sunset lights and shadows, of flood and fell, and verdant -fields. Having crossed the summit more than five thousand feet above -the sea, we looked down on the narrow Hotha valley, not a thousand feet -below, stretched out at our feet for twenty-five miles, the opposite or -southern range trending round to the north-east to join the mountain -wall of the Sanda valley, by a connecting ridge, much lower than the -height from which we looked across, and saw to the south successive -distant heights cradling valleys whose waters flow to the Shuaylee. - -It is somewhat difficult to find an appropriate term for this lofty -mountain-cradled district. It is a giant glen, scarcely above two miles -wide, presenting no level ground, but a succession of broken surface -diversified by tossed grassy knolls of red soil, dotted here and there -with villages, each with its plantation of fruit trees. A narrow -stream, the Namsa, winds down on the southern side, till, through a -cluster of higher grassy hills covered with bracken, it forces its -downward way to the Tapeng. Such is the valley of Hotha as it lay -smiling before us in the fast fading light, with its hundred villages, -tenanted by forty thousand peaceful and industrious Chinese-Shans, -which compose the two states of Hotha and Latha, or Muangtha and Hansa. - -Having commenced to descend the ridge, we met with some Leesaws -carrying a freshly killed deer, which an offer of ten rupees failed to -induce them to part with. Many tracts of temperate forest trees, such -as oaks and beeches, were seen, and below them extensive tracts of a -novel short and thin stemmed bamboo. We presently passed through the -village of our Leesaw friends, picturesquely perched on the face of a -steep spur among magnificent trees and enormous grey boulders, some of -which were as large as the houses, which latter differed altogether -from the Kakhyen habitations, being small square structures, with no -floor save the ground, which was kept dry by means of a trench cut -round the mud walls. We entered the village street by a wooden gateway, -and passed out under a long covered passage embowered in luxuriant -creepers. - -The sun had set almost as we commenced the descent, and darkness -overtook us halfway down. At a division of the path, a stubborn -muleteer insisted on choosing what proved to be the wrong road, and -half our party, including the Manhleo headman, were thus misled. We -blundered along a rough bridle-track covered with loose stones and -cut up by watercourses. In vain we shouted to attract the attention, -and learn the whereabouts, of the rest; no answer was returned save -the echoes from the hills, now shrouded in darkness. At last we -met some Shans, and learned that we were close to a village called -Mentone, in the Latha or western division, and some miles from Hotha. -A consultation was held as to which alternative was the worst, to -proceed in the dark to Hotha, or go dinnerless and supperless to bed. -The latter seemed the least evil; so we made for the village khyoung, -which was reached at 8.50 P.M. We could get nothing to eat; and, -thoroughly tired, we unsaddled the hungry and worn-out ponies, and, -taking their saddles for pillows, fell asleep on the floor in front of -the altar. Our slumbers, however, were soon disturbed by the phoongyees -squatting down close to our heads, and shouting out their evening -prayers. The chief phoongyee, a shrivelled old man, sat cross-legged, -with his prayer-book on a small stool before him, and a little acolyte -sat by his side, running a wooden pointer along the lines to keep the -priest’s eyes from wandering. Before him sat six choristers yelling -in different keys at the pitch of their voices. The devotions of the -phoongyee were interrupted by our Shan interpreter, who shouted to him -that he wanted to buy four annas worth of rice. The priest at once -stopped the service to bargain as to the quantity of rice to be given -for the coin, which was new to him; this being settled, he resumed his -office, but was again interrupted, as he had not sent any one to serve -out the rice. - -Prayers being ended, we requested something to eat, and were told that -there were some pears on a tree outside, to which we were at liberty -to help ourselves, a generous offer which was politely declined. The -priest, however, gave us quilts to lie on; and being thus made at all -events warmer, though still hungry, we fell asleep, and, waking before -dawn, were well on the way to Hotha by sunrise. - -The inhospitality of these phoongyees was in singular contrast to the -tenets and practice of the Burmese Buddhist priests, who hold it a -pious duty to receive and refresh the stranger. There was, however, an -ill feeling at work against us, which found vent in the question asked -by some of the villagers, “Why had we come to their valley to bring -flying dragons and other evils on them?” This was due to the malicious -reports that the Muangla people had spread. The unexampled inundations -were attributed to our presence, and it was declared that our stay had -been followed by death in each place. Even the Hotha chief was not free -from the superstitious dread thus produced; and his father-in-law, the -old Latha tsawbwa, though he accepted the presents sent him, utterly -declined a visit, as he feared the strangers would bewitch him and his -household. His dutiful son-in-law declined to press him, as he was “an -old buffalo,” which always went in the contrary direction to that in -which it was driven. - -Turning our backs on the inhospitable village, we proceeded by an -excellent paved road carried along the end of the spurs, and in many -places cut out along the slopes. The mountain streams were crossed -by means of granite bridges, some of them adorned with dragons. -Numerous villages embowered among fine trees were passed; and a novel -feature was introduced by the occurrence, at intervals, of roadside -drinking-fountains, the wells being built over and cased in stone -ornamented with a white marble frieze. A gilded pagoda surmounting a -hillock opposite Manloi brought our thoughts back to Burma, as it was -the first pagoda of the Burmese type seen since our departure from the -plains. - -At 8 A.M., August 10th, we arrived at the town of Hotha, consisting of -about one hundred and fifty houses, surrounded by a low wall, somewhat -ruined and dilapidated, the result, not of Panthay invasion, but of a -rebellion by the tsawbwa’s subjects, who a year before, exasperated by -the imposition of a new tax, rose and attacked his town. The tsawbwa -and his son, in state dresses, the former attired as a mandarin of the -blue button, received us at their residence, and a salute was fired -from four mortar-shaped guns embedded in the ground. Quarters were -assigned to us in the haw, close to the chief’s private apartments; -and all our people were assembled in the course of the day. The whole -of the baggage was brought in safely, although the party had been -divided in the descent of the mountain, and some of the followers had -been obliged to remain in the Leesaw village, the unsophisticated -mountaineers charging them two rupees a head for their night’s lodging! -The Manhleo poogain and Kingain, the Muangla headman to whom the convoy -of the baggage had been entrusted, were very proud of the encomiums -passed on their successful performance of their task, and requested a -certificate to that effect, and further promised to assist all future -travellers who might desire to cross from Manwyne to Hotha. - -We remained until the 27th as guests of the courteous and accomplished -chief Li-lot-fa, or, to give him his Chinese appellation, -Li-yin-khyeen; and the recollection of our sojourn with him, and of his -pleasant valley, is the most agreeable of all the reminiscences of the -country beyond the Kakhyen hills. Not only did our host evince the most -hospitable desire to purvey all creature comforts, but he made us feel -thoroughly at home. We lived on terms of intimacy with his family, -and his two wives and two daughters manifested a charming freedom of -manners, combined with the most refined propriety, that would have done -credit to a drawing-room at home. The chief delighted to converse about -the various modern inventions of which he had heard reports from the -Chinese who had visited Rangoon. Their accounts, however, _more suo_, -had been full of marvellous exaggerations, including flying-machines, -telescopes that enabled the sight to penetrate mountains, and others -that divested people of their clothes! The chief had some vague ideas -about railways, steamships, and gas, and was most eager for fuller and -more accurate information. - -We urged him to visit Rangoon and Calcutta, but he seemed to think -the disturbed state of the country an insuperable obstacle; but he -discussed, instead, the plan of sending his son, a lad of thirteen, to -Rangoon. Li-lot-fa could read and write Shan and Chinese, and he now -commenced to learn Burmese, and it was a curious sight to see him at -work with his note-book, which he had obtained from us, taking down -words and sentences as busily as if he had been a competition wallah -preparing for an examination. - -The fact that this tsawbwa had succeeded in maintaining friendly -relations with both the Panthays and imperialist Chinese chiefs, with -whom his real sympathies lay, so that his valley had escaped the evils -of war, spoke well for his diplomatic tact. His conversation showed -that he had been from the first well informed about our progress and -difficulties, which he unhesitatingly attributed to the machinations -of the Bhamô Chinese. He asserted that the advance to Ponsee, and the -desertion of the muleteers at that place, had been part of a well -concerted scheme on the part of the Kakhyen chiefs to attack and -plunder our baggage. Our escape from this danger was attributed by the -chief to “a supernatural power against evil, given as a reward for good -deeds in former existences.” - -As an energetic trader, he was most anxious to co-operate heartily in -reopening all the trade routes, his especial object, as was natural, -being the restoration of the central or embassy route, which had been -closed for some years by feuds between the Kakhyens of the hills on the -southern side of the Tapeng and the Burmese officials. The cause of -quarrel was stated to have been an unprovoked attack, on the part of -the Burmese, on a few Kakhyens. - -The tsawbwa possessed great influence over the Kakhyen chiefs through -whose territory this route passes, an instance of which was speedily -given by the arrival of the chief of Namboke, accompanied by his -pawmines, and a strong armed guard, the chief and his officers being -mounted on ponies. As soon as he saw Sladen, he went down on one knee, -in the most respectful manner of greeting, and recalled himself to his -recollection as having visited us at Bhamô and received a present of -a head-dress. This chief scarcely resembled a Kakhyen, his naturally -Tartar-like cast of countenance being heightened by his Chinese -skull-cap and dress. After remaining one night and expatiating on the -advantages of the embassy route, he set out for home, bearing a letter -from Li-lot-fa to all the Kakhyen chiefs, which the pawmines were -to carry forward, inviting them to come in and arrange for our safe -progress to Bhamô. - -The bazaar or market, which is held every fifth day, took place on -the 12th. There are no shops or shopkeepers, except where the Chinese -reside, among the Shans, and all sale or barter is necessarily -conducted at these regular markets or fairs, which are thronged by the -people of the valley and adjacent hills. The Hotha fair was held on a -grassy slope, about half a mile distant from the town. There were no -permanent or temporary stalls, the vendors simply sitting down in long -lines with their goods before them. One section was devoted to the -sale of sword blades, the manufacture of which is a speciality of this -valley, and another to the wooden scabbards and handles. After buying -two fine blades for four shillings each, I was assured that the vendor -had charged one-third over the value. - -Another quarter was devoted to the sale of samshu, and close by it were -the _restaurants_, where the hungry customers refreshed themselves -with hot pork, vermicelli, or an article exactly like it, various -vegetables, and peas, all hot and nicely served in little white bowls. -The butchers’ quarter was amply supplied with pork and beef, and fowls -and ducks were plentiful. Long lines of Kakhyen women from the hills -offered for sale joss-sticks, pears, apples, plums, peaches, mustard -leaves, and a variety of hill vegetables, along with basketfuls of -nettles, as food for the swine, which are an invariable adjunct of a -Shan household. - -In the centre of the market, on a double row of stalls, were displayed -various kinds of Shan cloth, Shan caps, Chinese paper, rice cutch, -flint, and lime, which are brought from Tali-fu, white arsenic, yellow -orpiment, &c. In another quarter, English green and blue broadcloth was -selling at twenty shillings per yard, along with red flannel, for which -the Kakhyens have an especial affection. It seemed to us, however, -that, although the price was high, a very few pieces would “glut the -market.” - -Indigo, the universal dye of the dark blue-clad Shans, Kakhyens, and -Chinese of Western Yunnan, also had its own quarter. The fair was -thronged with people, the elder busy chaffering over their few wares, -and the younger strolling about and gossiping. Almost all were clean -and well-dressed, and there was an absence of the poverty-stricken -class, which had been so numerous in the various towns of the Sanda -valley, all appearing to be well-to-do, to judge from their appearance. -The women, as a rule, were little and rather squat, with round, flat, -high-cheek-boned faces, and slightly oblique eyes. Some of the younger -women, with fair skins and rosy cheeks, might have been accounted -good-looking, but were disfigured by the strange custom of dyeing the -teeth black, which is the fashion among Shans of the better class. The -dye is probably a preparation of cutch, and, according to the tsawbwa, -the custom originated in a desire to preserve the teeth from decay. - -For the first time we noticed the peculiar and picturesque dress of the -Chinese Shan women. The men, with the exception of an occasional red -turban, were dressed in the universal dark blue. The costume of the -Hotha Shan women only differed from that remarked in the Sanda valley -in the prevalence of dark green jackets and the number of large silver -hoops worn round the neck. - -It will be well here to summarise, even at the risk of repetition, -our observations on the Shan inhabitants of these valleys, who belong -to the Tayshan or Great Shans of the Tai race, the branches of which, -under different names, are found extending to the eleventh parallel, -their various states being tributary to Siam, Burma, or China. The -Shan population where it has been absorbed into the Burmese kingdom -has become assimilated in language and customs with the dominant race, -from which they can scarcely be distinguished. Throughout the valley of -the upper Irawady above Bhamô, but with the Kakhyen hills interposing -their stratum of hill tribes between them and their brethren of the -Chinese states, the Shan element predominates, though contending with -the wilder Singphos to the west of the valley. The inhabitants, though -speaking Burmese, still preserve the Shan language, and retain the -physical and other characteristics of their race. - -The little states of Manwyne and Sanda, Muangla, Muangtee, Muangtha, -or Hotha and Latha, and Muangwan and Muangmow, which lie on the right -bank of the Shuaylee, are the remains of the Koshanpyi or Nine Shan -States, forming the chief component parts of the Shan kingdom of Pong, -conquered by the Chinese in the fourteenth century. Bhamô or Tsing-gai, -with the country extending to Katha, or perhaps to Tsampenago, and the -upper part of the valley of the Irawady, with Mogoung as its chief -town, were the last remaining independent remnants of this state, and -have been included in Burma since the annexation by Alompra in 1752 of -the semi-independent state of Mogoung. - -It seems most probable that the walled Chinese town of Muanglon -represents Muang Maorong, the ancient capital of the Pong kingdom, -and the Chinese Shan states of Sehfan and Muangkwan, and possibly the -state of Kaingmah, which is reckoned among the Koshanpyi, are under -the jurisdiction of its Chinese governor, as the states we visited are -dependent on Momien. Throughout Yunnan, and, according to Garnier, as -far as the confines of Tong-king, the Tai race is widely diffused. -The names of towns and districts seem to indicate that this region -of lofty hills and great valleys was formerly the seat of the Shan -kingdom, and still--though intermixed with the wild hill tribes, and -the descendants of the Chinese colonists, who were settled in the -newly acquired conquests--the Shans, under the name of Pa-y, hold their -ancient ground. Mons. Garnier mentions that at Muang-Pong he found -villages peopled with Tai-ya settlers, who had fled from the Mahommedan -ravages, and settled beyond the borders of Yunnan. His description of -their characteristic dress and silver ornaments would almost exactly -apply to the Chinese-Shans of the Hotha valley. He describes some -Tai-neua[39] refugees met with at Kiang-hung or Xien-hong itself, and -remarks on the resemblance between these two divisions of the Shans. -As soon as he had passed into the country where the Laotian language -ceased to be understood, on the confines of Yunnan, near Se-mao, “The -inhabitants presented an intermediary type between the Chinese and the -Tai race. This mixed type faithfully represents that of the ancient -population of Yunnan, or that of the Tai, who were conquered by the -Chinese.” And at Yuen-kiang he remarks: “The Tai, whom the Chinese call -Pa-y, are the ancient inhabitants of the country of Muong-Choung, which -is now called Yuen-kiang. They are more numerous and more independent -as the frontier of Tong-king is approached.” Thus the Chinese province -of Yunnan on the one side and the upper portion of the valley of the -Irawady on the other contain a largely preponderating element of -Shan population, their national characteristics, however, gradually -becoming obliterated by the influence of the ruling races respectively. -Owing to their local position, which has preserved their subordinate -independence, the little nest of valleys, cradled in the parallel -secondary ranges which lie between the Salween and the Irawady, has -preserved, almost unmixed, the relics of the ancient Shan kingdom, and -it is with their inhabitants, so far as our observations extended, that -we have to do. It is with some uncertainty that the terms Shans proper -and Chinese Shans are used; not so much as indicating a theory of race -as to serve as a practical distinction between the two divisions, -which, though claiming to be one in race as in language, will be seen -to present curious differences; while the Chinese-Shans, or Sino-Shans, -as some have called them, may, according to the evidence of the French -explorers, really represent the original Tai race more directly than -the Shans of the Tapeng valley and the Irawady valley. - -The Shans proper of these valleys are a fair race, somewhat sallow -like the Chinese, but of a very faintly darker hue than Europeans, the -peasantry, as a rule, being much browned by exposure; they have red -cheeks, dark brown eyes, and black hair. In young people and children, -the waxen appearance of the Chinese is slightly observable. The Shan -face is usually short, broad, and flat, with prominent malars, a faint -obliquity and contraction of the outer angle of the eye, which is much -more marked in the true Chinese. The nose is well formed, the bridge -being prominent, almost aquiline, without that breadth and depression -characteristic of the Burman feature. The lower jaw is broad and well -developed; but pointed chins below heavy, protruding lips are not -infrequent. Oval faces laterally compressed, with retreating foreheads, -high cheek-bones, and sharp retreating chins, are not infrequent; and -the majority of the higher classes seemed to be distinguished from the -common people by more elongated oval faces and a decidedly Tartar type -of countenance. The features of the women are proportionately broader -and rounder than those of the men, but they are more finely chiselled, -and wear a good-natured expression, while their large brown eyes are -very scantily adorned with eyebrows and eyelashes. They become much -wrinkled by age, and, judging from the numbers of old people, appear to -be a long-lived race. They are by no means a tall people, the average -height for men scarcely reaching five feet eight, while the women are -shorter and more squat in figure. The only difference between the -Shans and Poloungs, so far as my limited observation went, seems to -be that the latter are darker and smaller; but the Chinese Shans, or -Sino-Shans, of the Muangtha valley differ widely from their congeners. -They are a much smaller race, their little, squat figures and broad, -short flat faces reminding one of Laplanders. The cheek-bones are very -prominent, and their faces are much flatter and shorter than those -of the other Shans. The breadth between the eyes, which are markedly -oblique, is considerable, and the mouths are heavy, with protruding -lips. In the women these characters are more pronounced, and their -complexion strongly resembles that of the Chinese. - -In the ordinary attire the Shans, except the Chinese Shans, are almost -uniformly dressed in sombre dark blue, the dye being obtained from the -wild indigo. In full dress, however, the women display an appreciation -of colour which would delight an artist. The peculiar head-dress, -like an inverted cone, has been already alluded to. It consists of a -series of long blue scarves, a foot broad, and of a total length of -forty to fifty feet, wound round and round the head in a huge turban, -towering upwards with a backward slope, like that of the Parsee -head-dress. The folds are arranged in a crescent over the forehead -with most exact precision; the free end, embroidered in gold and silk, -and sometimes adorned with silver pendants, hangs gracefully down the -neck. The hair, left uncovered in the hollow of this structure, is -adorned with silver hairpins, the heads of which are richly enamelled -to represent flowers and insects. The jacket, of blue or green, and -sometimes pink, is short and loose, with a narrow and erect collar. -Thin square plaques of enamelled silver fasten it at and below the -neck, to which are sometimes superadded three rows of large round -silver bosses, enriched with birds and flowers enamelled in various -colours. The loose sleeves are folded back from the elbow, displaying -massive silver or silver-gilt bracelets. A tight thick skirt of cotton -cloth, deeply bordered with squares of embroidered silk or satin, -close-fitting leggings, and embroidered shoes, complete the toilette, a -richly variegated cloth being sometimes worn as a girdle. A Shan lady -thus attired is incomplete without a silver flask-shaped scent-bottle -about three inches across, adorned with silver studs and pendants -terminating in round silver bells, which jingle as the wearer moves. -Silver chatelaines are also worn, and a needlecase formed of a silver -tube, enamelled and studded, enclosing a cushion, which is attached -to the waist. Silver neck-hoops, ear-rings, and rings, which deserve -particular description, complete the adornments of the Shan _belle_, -who, moreover, is seldom seen without her long-stemmed pipe, with its -small bowl of glazed clay. - -The male peasants wear a long double-breasted jacket of blue cotton, -buttoned down the right side, often with jade, amber, or silver -buttons. Of the same material are their short wide trousers and thick -turbans, with a long fringe at the free end, which is usually coiled -up with the pigtail on the outside. Long strips of blue cloth wound -round the shins serve as leggings, and their shoes are made of cloth -resembling felt, embroidered with narrow braid and soled with leather. -A very broad straw hat covered with oiled silk serves as an umbrella -against rain or a scorching sun. - -The better classes, such as the headmen of the towns, wear long blue -Chinese coats reaching to the ankles, and black satin skull caps -ornamented with Chinese figures worked in gold braid. The little boys -don blue cotton caps, braided, with a red topknot, and garnished with -a row of silver figures of guardian nats. A silver chatelaine, with -a number of little instruments, such as tweezers to depilate the -face, ear and tooth picks, is frequently worn by the men. It hangs -from the button-hole by a long silver chain, ornamented with beads of -jade, amber, or glass, or with grotesque figures of animals carved in -jade or amber. Two essentials in a Shan’s equipment are his dah and -tobacco-pipe. The dah has a blade two feet and a half to three feet in -length, expanding from the hilt to the almost square point, which is -nearly three inches broad. The wooden handle is bound with cord covered -with silver foil, and ornamented with a tassel of goat hair. The wooden -half-scabbard is attached to a ratan hoop worn over the right shoulder. -These dahs are chiefly manufactured by the Muangtha Shans from iron -imported from Yunnan. They use charcoal as a fuel, and a bellows made -of the segment of a large bamboo, with a piston and valve at each end. -They supply all the hill tribes with weapons, and, as before remarked, -resort to Bhamô and elsewhere to work during the winter months. These -weapons exactly resemble those made by the Khampti Shans, and, like -them, are keen and well tempered. The tobacco-pipes are remarkable -on account of their elaborate silver stems, which are frequently a -yard in length, and enriched with enamelled flowers and silver twist. -Sometimes the stem swells at intervals into elongated silver spheres. A -long bamboo stem intervenes between the silver and the bowl of glazed -earthenware. The wealthier Shans frequently use the Chinese hookah, and -the poorer the Chinese brass or iron pipes with small bowls. Tobacco, -home-grown and of very excellent quality, is carried in small round -boxes made of buffalo hide covered with red varnish. They are made in -two halves, the upper overlapping the under, the hide being moistened -and stretched over a wooden mould. - -The costume of the Chinese Shan women of Hotha and Latha differs in a -marked manner from that already described. They wear the Shan jacket -and loose trousers like the men, and usually are barefooted. The back -part of the jacket is prolonged to the knees in a half skirt, and -a double Chinese apron in front overlaps it, so as to complete the -dress. Besides the large silver plaques, epaulets are worn, of small -semi-spherical discs, connected by a line of silver buttons from -shoulder to shoulder. The broad waistband of the apron expands behind -into a richly embroidered piece, which is a peculiar characteristic -of this people. A still more distinctive mark is the head-dress, from -which the high turban is absent. The hair is divided and gathered up -on the crown of the head, when it is plaited into the ends of a flat -chignon encircled by a ratan hoop covered with red cloth. This is kept -in position by means of twenty-five to thirty silver pins headed with -thin plates of silver embossed or engraved with leaves and flowers, and -so disposed as to form a silver coronal. Outside this is wound a slight -blue turban, to the pendant fringes of which are suspended a number of -silver rings. In full dress four much larger hairpins, with elaborate -heads eight inches in length and three inches across, are worn. They -are overlaid with silver wire cunningly wrought to represent the stems -and leaves of plants, which are enamelled green, brown, and yellow, -and enriched with flowers in the same material, the petals formed -of red and blue stones, and little silver spheres representing the -unopened buds. Sometimes yet another inner circle of smaller pins, each -headed with a cluster of four small caps, is added; and an elaborate -head-dress forms a circle or an aureole of silver flowers fully a foot -in diameter. The various patterns of hairpins are of the most intricate -construction. The simplest are made chiefly of silver wire and flat -pieces of silver cut into fantastic figures or forms of trailing plants -in full flower, the colours being enamelled in green, blue, purple, and -yellow. Some are wrought in the finest filigree, one beautiful specimen -representing a swan-like bird resting on its outstretched wings among -a bed of flowers. The feathers of the wings are most effectively -wrought in silver wire, and among the leaflets stand up little coils of -silver wire, each terminating in two square cusped discs of silver. -These strongly resemble the capsuled stems of mosses; and the general -appearance of these pin-heads suggests that the artist has derived his -inspiration from the study of a grassy sward covered with flowers and -moss; indeed, the most fashionable form of this ornament consists of -two tiers of leaf-work, the uppermost supported on fine wire, while -through its interstices the capsuled stems rise from the lower tier, as -flowers rise above the grass. - -This distinctive head-dress of the Chinese Shans seems to characterise -the Pa-y or Tai women in the south of Yunnan. M. Garnier describes -those of Yuen-hiang as wearing long silver hairpins, from the ends of -which hung a profusion of pendants. Their costume consists of a showy -corset with a little jacket over it, a petticoat with a broad coloured -border, and apron; and he particularly describes a high collar made -of red and black stuff, on which little silver studs are arranged in -patterns reminding him of the armed collar of a “bouledogue.” The front -of the vest is also thickly studded with similar ornaments. The Pa-y -ear-rings are of very delicate workmanship, the usual pattern being a -large ring supporting a small square plate with numerous pendants, much -resembling those of the Chinese Shans. The married women of the latter -especially invariably wear a silver or silver-gilt ring, overlaid -with studs or filigree work, to which is attached a jade or enamelled -silver disc. The Chinese Shan girls wear a tube of silver, from which -is suspended an inverted rosette set with a circle of club-shaped -pendants. From the centre of this flower-like ornament hangs a filigree -ball and rosette set with a garnet. The ear ornaments of the Shans -proper are of two kinds, only one of which, worn by the young girls, -can be called an ear-ring--the large circle of silver wire suspending a -flat spiral ornament resembling a favourite pattern of the Roman period -in Europe. There are three forms of the second or of the cylindrical -type, necessitating a large opening in the lobe of the ear, but by no -means so large as the ear ornaments of the Burmese beauties, which are -sometimes an inch and a half in diameter. The first are made of a piece -of bamboo, which is covered with silverfoil, one end being finished -by a piece of cloth, which is effectively embroidered with the green -wing-cases of a beetle, red seeds, and Chinese devices in gold thread. -The second form is a short cylinder of silver, with a cross piece -engraved with Chinese figures. The third is nearly two inches long, -widening into a disc fully an inch in diameter, and terminating in a -silver knob. The front is composed of open silver filigree. - -[Illustration: SHAN HEAD-DRESS, BRACELETS, AND EAR ORNAMENTS. - - Fig. 1. Chinese Shan chignon encircled with silver hairpins. - 2. Shan silver bracelet. - 3. ” ” ” in filigree. - 4. ” ” ” enamelled. - 5. Chinese Shan girl’s ear-drop. - 6. 7. Shan woman’s tubular ear ornaments. - 8. Shan finger ring. - 9. Silver tube for enclosing a needle cushion.] - -These silver ornaments will be seen to be thoroughly characteristic of -the Shans, who, it need not be said, are expert silversmiths, their -simple tools consisting of small cylindrical bellows, a crucible, -punch, graver, hammer, and little anvil. In the Sanda valley the -phoongyees are the chief artificers; but in Hotha the trade is still -confined to the laymen. Their enamels, of which we could not -discover the materials, are very brilliant, and employed with beautiful -effect in the floral patterns, which form the principal stock of -designs. The only other forms of ornamentation, the rope-shaped fillets -and rounded studs or bosses, singularly resemble those found on the -diadems and armlets of the early historical periods of Scandinavian -art. The plain torques or neck rings in use, especially among the -Hotha Shans, only differ from the ancient Irish type by their more -rounded form, and by the pointed ends being bent outwards, in lieu of -being expanded into cymbal-shaped faces. Another kind of torque is of -the same shape, but covered with leaf ornaments and cones in filigree -and enamel alternating with red and blue stones or pieces of glass. -Torque-like hollow rings, covered with floral enrichments, are worn as -bracelets; sometimes they are gilt with very red gold and enamelled, a -jewel being usually set in the centre. Another form is a silver hoop, -nearly two inches in breadth, with rounded edges and filigree borders, -most elaborately set with floral rosettes of three circles, rows of -leaves, brown, green, and dark purple, centred by a large silver stud. - -The finger-rings are generally made of rope wire, either with conical -or flat spiral coils; but one curious type is formed of an oblong -ornamented silver plate an inch long, and as broad as the finger. A -half-circle from either side enables it to be worn on a finger of any -size. Many of the rings are jewelled with garnets, moonstones, and -pieces of dark green jade, but no valuable gems were observed. The men -commonly wear ordinary Chinese rings of jade or amber. - -The women are constantly engaged in weaving and dyeing, for the yarn -from home-grown cotton is spun, dyed, and woven by their industrious -fingers. They are adepts at needlework and silken embroidery; and -all the clothes worn are made and ornamented by the women of each -household. Straw-plaiting is another of their industries, and the -broad-brimmed straw hats made in the valley would compete with the -finest Leghorn fabrics. Another art in which they excel, apparently -borrowed from the Chinese, is the manufacture of elaborate ornaments -for the hair from the sapphire blue feathers of the roller bird -(_Coracias affinis_). These are fastened on paper cut to imitate -wreaths and flowers; and with copper wire, gold thread, and feathers, -laid on with the greatest nicety, very pretty simple ornaments are -produced, which are often brightened by the addition of a ruby or some -other gem. - -The stuffs woven in a loom similar to that in use by the Kakhyens are -of all degrees of texture, the finer kinds, used for jackets, being -very soft, and usually figured with large lozenge-shaped patterns -of the same colour. A marked feature of the textile fabrics and -embroideries of the Shans, and indeed of their ornamentation generally, -is the reproduction of conventional patterns, handed down from their -forefathers without any attempt to improve or vary them. The Shan -designs of the nineteenth century probably are identical with those of -the fourteenth, and are simple modifications of the lozenge, square, -and stripe; these modifications may be, and are, almost endless, and -the combinations of the elementary forms most intricate, while the -ground of the fabrics in which the patterns are wrought is usually -covered with numerous small truncated almond-rounded lozenges, -interspersed with figures of the sacred Henza, or Brahminical goose. -The chief beauty of their textile fabrics consists in the wonderful -grouping and harmony of the colouring; and in the employment of their -vivid full and half tints of blue, orange, green, and red, they are all -but unrivalled artists. - -The great body of the Shan population is engaged in agriculture; and -as cultivators they may take rank even with the Belgians. Every inch -of ground is utilised; the principal crops being rice, which is grown -in small square fields, shut in by low embankments, with passages and -floodgates for irrigation. During the dry weather, the nearest stream -has its water led off, and conducted in innumerable channels, so that -each block, or little square, can be irrigated at will. In the valley -of the Tapeng, advantage is taken of the slope of the ground to lead -canals to fields several miles away from the point of divergence. At -our arrival in the beginning of May, the valley from one end to the -other appeared to be an immense watery tract of rice plantations -glistening in the sunshine, while the bed of the river was left half -dry by the subtraction of the water. Tobacco, cotton, and opium are -grown on the well-drained slopes of the hills, the two former for -home use; but the white-flowered poppy is cultivated to supply the -requirements of Chinese, Kakhyens, and Leesaws. A considerable quantity -of Shan opium finds its way to Bhamô, and thence to Mandalay, and also -to Mogoung, whence it is distributed among the Singphos. - -The land is tilled by a wooden plough with an iron share, drawn by a -single buffalo. Men and women work together, but the heavy tillage is -done by the former, the weaker sex being only employed in weeding and -thinning. Vegetables are grown round every house, and form an important -article of diet. Numbers of fine cattle and pigs are reared and killed -for eating, their flesh, with all kinds of poultry, being largely -used, and sold freely in the markets, for the Shans have no Buddhist -prejudices. The milk, however, is not used. The entrails of animals, as -among the Burmese, are much used in Shan _cuisine_; a very fair soup, -made of the intestines of fowls, being a favourite dish of the Hotha -tsawbwa, who insisted, when dining with us, on substituting it for our -soup, which he did not approve. The large larvæ of a giant wasp, and -stewed centipedes, are Shan dainties which we could not appreciate. - -Their principal stimulant is _samshu_, or rice-spirit; but during our -stay amongst them, we observed scarcely an instance of intoxication. -The vice of drunkenness and the licentiousness common amongst all their -neighbours seem almost unknown among this industrious self-supporting -race. They are social and good-humoured, but by no means as jovial as -the Burmese, compared with whom they are a quiet, rather sedate people. - -As a rule, each man is content with one wife, but polygamy is allowable -to those who are wealthy enough; thus the Hotha chief had several -wives at various villages. All that is required to contribute a valid -union is the sanction of the parents, mutual consent, and interchange -of presents between the contracting parties, but no religious rite -whatever is observed on the occasion of the wedding. - -They are a musical race, and possess many simple wild airs, which -they play on stringed and wind instruments. Of the former, which are -played like a guitar, one is about three feet in length, with three -strings and a broad sounding-board; another is only half the size, the -sounding-board being a short drum-like cylinder, with a snake skin -stretched across it. This instrument was also a great favourite with -the Momien people, and is probably of Chinese origin. The most usual -wind instrument is a sort of flute, made of bamboo, with a flask-shaped -gourd as mouthpiece, and the sound is full, soft, and pleasing. The -long brazen trumpets, which are a sort of state appendage of the -tsawbwa, are only blown to announce his arrival, or to do honour to his -guests. - -The chiefs, although paying an annual tribute to the authorities at -Momien, exercise full patriarchal authority in their states; assisted -by a council of headmen, they adjudicate all cases, civil and criminal. -The tsawbwa is the nominal owner of all land, but each family holds a -certain extent, which they cultivate, paying a tithe of the produce to -the chief. These settlements are seldom disturbed, and the land passes -in succession, the youngest son inheriting, while the elder brothers, -if the farm is too small, look out for another plot, or turn traders; -hence the Shans are willing to emigrate and settle on fertile lands, -as in British Burma. The chiefs naturally do not approve of this, -and it is to be feared that the recent emigration of these Shans to -our provinces has in the last few years excited the ill-will of the -tsawbwas against the British officials, whom they accuse of inducing -their people to desert them. In ordinary times of peace and prosperity, -the inhabitants of these valleys must have been very thriving, and the -chiefs very wealthy, tokens of which appeared in their haws, though -most of them had been much injured before our visit; but at this -time they were certainly impoverished, and, without doubt, many of -the valuable articles of dress and jewellery offered to us for sale -belonged to the chiefs and their families. The great anxiety of the -peaceable Shans was for the restoration of order, and though they all -earnestly longed for the re-establishment of the imperial Chinese -_régime_, they were, in the meantime, most ready to befriend those -whose mission was to establish a route for commerce, necessitating -peace and order as the conditions of its maintenance. - -We found it impossible to obtain a guide to the southern side of the -valley of Hotha beyond the Namsa, which is a very small mountain -stream. The tsawbwa declared that the bridge had been washed away, and -that the road was deep in mud; but he himself planned an excursion for -us to visit another house belonging to him at Tsaycow, some miles to -the east of Hotha. The chief set off early in the morning to prepare -for our reception, and we followed at midday. The road, paved with -boulders, and near the villages with long dressed slabs of granite, -wound over the grassy spurs, the slopes of which were cultivated -with tobacco and cotton. The mountain streams, running over rocky -channels encumbered by large boulders particoloured with green moss -and lichens, were spanned by bridges of gneiss or granite, those -over the larger streams being handsome arched structures, twenty to -twenty-five feet in span, with a rest-house at either end, and the -parapets often guarded by stone dragons. Each village was approached by -a long narrow lane arched by trees and feathery bamboos, terminating -in a picturesque gateway, and bordered by stone drinking fountains. -The houses were embowered in trees, pear, apple, chestnut, peach, and -sweet lime, forming orchards round the villages, and the triple roofs -of substantial khyoungs and occasional pagodas crowning the knolls, -completed the rural picture, with a background of green slopes of -grazing land running up to the rearward wall of mist-clad mountains. -One small pagoda, called Comootonay, differed altogether from the -ordinary Burmese type, in its peculiar shape and attenuated long spire, -which rose to a height of fifty feet. Five miles of pleasant riding -past a succession of thriving and picturesque villages, orchards, and -khyoungs, brought us to Tsaycow, or Old Hotha, a much larger place than -the present town of that name, embowered in trees, and delightfully -situated on a spur at the opening of a little dale, down which flowed -a fine mountain stream. The chief’s house, formerly his head-quarters, -which was built in the Chinese fashion, though smaller than our -residence, had the advantage of a better site and superior condition, -the private apartments especially being richly decorated with elaborate -carvings. In the inner reception hall we were welcomed by the tsawbwa, -and, after being refreshed with tea, were conducted by him to see two -khyoungs, one Shan and the other Chinese, built, after his own designs, -one above the other, on the hillside behind the village. The Chinese -temple, which occupied the highest site, was enclosed by a high wall, -with a gate leading into a courtyard bordered by cloisters on either -side, while a raised pavilion occupied the end, opposite to which, -and above all the other buildings, towered the shrine, crowning the -highest of two terraces faced with granite. Covered staircases led -from the cloisters to the higher level, each terminating in a little -rounded tower containing a large bell. The temple occupied the whole of -the terrace, with verandahs, paved with stone, to the front and rear. -A little stream bubbled up into a small basin in the front, and then -formed a cascade from terrace to terrace into the court below. Two -entrances led from the verandah into the temple, between which a large -window exactly faced the altar-piece. On a table in front of the window -stood vases with incense and flowers, and a number of boxes containing -the library. The altar-piece, an admirable example of open woodcarving, -about twenty feet high, resembled a huge triptych, containing three -recesses about ten feet from the ground. It was enclosed by a simple -wooden railing four feet high, and before it stood a small table, -whereon incense is burned, and at either end two others, with a wooden -fish and drumstick on each. The three recesses contained life-sized -figures, each with a gauze curtain in front. A beam projecting to the -front wall from either side supported two life-sized figures, and along -each side wall eighteen small figures were ranged on a platform, with -a vase and joss-sticks before each. The tsawbwa acted as cicerone, -and explained that the central figure was Chowlaing-lon, the king of -all nats, who had existed before Gaudama. The figures on either side -are called Coonsang, and act as his pawmines or agents, to execute -his orders; and the four standing figures are the rulers of the four -great islands or quarters of the globe, who keep a record of all the -actions of their subjects. After death each man is brought before -Chowlaing-lon, and by him consigned to the Coonsang, who, according -to the report given by the rulers, make them over to one or other of -the thirty-six nats representing the army of the Thagyameng, ranged in -order along the sides. One of these nats was represented with six arms, -armed respectively with a belt, bow, arrow, club, and dagger, while one -hand was empty as though ready to seize a victim. All the others were -in different attitudes, each holding some kind of weapon, and having -a long scarf-like band round his neck and shoulders, reaching to the -ground, to serve as wings, recalling to our minds the flying people -visited by Peter Wilkins. - -The lower or Shan khyoung consisted of two oblong buildings on -different levels. A grim-looking nat or Beloo guarded the door leading -into the temple, where sat three colossal Buddhas, the Past, Present, -and Future. On either side were two guardian figures, one mounted on -a pigmy elephant, and the other on a mongrel monster, half lion and -half tiger. At the feet of the Buddhas was a well executed figure of a -tortoise; while vases of incense and sweet-smelling flowers placed on -a table sent up their sweet odours to the calm impassive faces above -them. At each side of the building, sat a row of life-sized figures, -cleverly executed, and one especially, representing a shrivelled old -man, with his chin resting on his knees, and the flesh tints admirably -given, displayed real artistic power. In the lower temple, which -was open in front, the middle of the central wall was occupied by a -figure of Kwan-yin holding the child, and surrounded by a number of -small adoring figures sculptured in relief; above her head a parrot, -holding a rosary in its bill, was perched on a twig. On the other side -of the wall, so as to be back to back with the Chinese goddess, sat a -colossal Buddha flanked by two gigantic figures, one of which held a -rat. The tsawbwa declared that all these temples had been erected in -honour of Buddha; and he narrated the history of Kwan-yin, who was the -daughter of an ancient emperor of China, but, assuming the white robe -of a rahanee, spent her days in a forest, devoted to pious meditation. -The mixture of ancient polytheism and Buddhism in the story was an -apt illustration of the confused form of religion represented in the -shrines. - -Our visit was concluded by a sumptuous dinner at the tsawbwa’s house, -the great point of etiquette apparently being to leave no part of -the table unoccupied by dishes, save a margin for the guests to use -their chopsticks. After dinner the tsawbwa introduced the subject of -religion, and was much surprised at our not believing the doctrine of -successive existences. Speaking of Gaudama, he distinguished him from -Buddha, and was anxious to learn from us in what country he, Gaudama, -was at present living. - -The Buddhism of the Shans is, as has been already noticed, marked -by great laxity among the phoongyees, and the most active religious -feelings among the people belong to the belief in and worship of nats. -During our stay, on the 13th of August, the fire festival of the Shans -was celebrated, and about twenty bullocks and cows were slaughtered -in the market-place; the meat was all speedily sold, part of it being -cooked and eaten, while the remainder was fired out of guns at sundown, -the pieces which happened to fall on the land being supposed to become -mosquitoes, and those in the water leeches. Immediately after sunset -the tsawbwa’s retainers began to beat gongs and blow long brass -trumpets; after dark, torches were lit, and a party, preceded by the -musicians, searched the central court for the fire nat, who is supposed -to lurk about at this season with evil intent. They then prosecuted -their search in all the apartments and the garden, throwing the light -of the torches into every nook and corner where the evil spirit might -find a hiding-place. Three other festivals are annually devoted to the -nats of rain, wind, and cold. - -The eclipse of the sun which happened on the 18th of August, commencing -at 9.5 A.M., had been predicted by us at various places, and here also. -The diminution of light was, as the Shans admitted, not sufficient -to have called their attention to it, unless forewarned. The tsawbwa -showed his usual intelligence by being able to use the telescope. As -soon as he had satisfied himself that the eclipse had really commenced, -he ordered his saluting guns to be fired, and the long trumpets to be -blown, while, at his earnest request, we were obliged to order out the -police guard to fire two volleys; all this was to terrify some monster -that was threatening to devour the sun. The chief, however, listened -attentively to our endeavour to explain the natural causes of the -phenomenon, and even imparted them to the excited crowd which flocked -eagerly about us. - -Some of the khyoungs in the valley were altogether sacred to the -Chinese deities Kwan-yin and Showfoo, the Prah, or god of the Yunnan -Chinese, with various evil nats and famous teachers, such as Tamo, to -the utter exclusion of any trace of the Buddhistic creed. - -At a dilapidated little temple close to Hotha, dedicated to certain -nats, the entrance was guarded by two horses, each with a horseman -standing at its head. Similar figures of horses, tended by a man in -Tartar costume, occurred in the khyoung at Muangla, and the reader may -remember that the Manwyne women paid daily offerings of rice to the -horse’s image in the khyoung at that town. The fact that the Shans are -a race of horse-breeders and horsemen may account for the preservation -of this curious relic of their pristine religion, along with the -primæval propitiation of the dangerous nats, or powers of earth, air, -and water. - -The principal Buddhist khyoung of the valley, situated in the pretty -walled village of Tsendong, is perfectly free from any admixture of -their older superstitions. The tsawbwa, who acted as our cicerone, -seemed very proud of the temple, which was declared to be very old. -It is built on a low stone platform, surrounded by a narrow terraced -verandah, the whole of the outside being roughly but skilfully -carved. It contained richly gilt book cabinets, and elaborately -carved altar-pieces, and might have been transported entire from the -Burmese plains. The remains of an old and venerated phoongyee, who -had died two months previously, lay in state under a double-roofed -temporary pavilion, close to the khyoung. The sarcophagus, supported -on two dragons, was a handsome structure, surmounted by a richly -carved miniature pagoda. The ground had been levelled, and was kept -scrupulously clean, and the whole enclosure carefully railed off. -On a neighbouring terrace stood an octagonal zayat, enclosing a -small pagoda. It was built almost entirely of wood, with five roofs, -diminishing in size upwards, and capped by a golden htee. A series of -open windows of carved wood-work ran round the building, and over each -were two beautifully carved panels, representing a single object, as -a bird, deer, plant, or bat. Each roof was raised on three projecting -bearers, terminating in grotesquely carved heads. The enclosed pagoda -was a square structure, with a delicately tapered spire reaching to -the interior of the highest roof. - -The presence of these purely Burmese buildings in the Hotha valley, -while pagodas are altogether wanting in the valley of the Tapeng, is -probably due to the vicinity of the ancient embassy route, but in 1769 -the Burmese appealed to the existence of pagodas in this valley as a -proof of their ancient right to include it within their boundaries. - -The heavy rains which continued during our stay at Hotha delayed our -progress, and at the same time prevented more complete explorations of -the neighbourhood. - -As already mentioned, we were to proceed over the Kakhyen hills, at -the western end of the valley, the plan of crossing into Muangwan -being impracticable, so far as we were concerned, although a Burmese -surveyor was detached to examine the route. As before stated, we were -debarred from even visiting the southern heights, but Mr. Gordon and I -made an excursion to the eastern head of the valley, where it is closed -in by a transverse ridge connecting the two ranges. A good road led -to the ridge, which was crossed by a narrow track, the highest point -not being more than four hundred feet above Hotha. A steep declivity -led down into another valley, probably branching off from Muangwan. -To the east-north-east, another valley could be descried, leading in -the direction of Nantin, which lies one thousand one hundred feet -lower. Through the mist and heavy rain, glimpses of high hills were -dimly seen on every side, and we concluded that the Hotha valley, as a -thoroughfare to Momien via Nantin, would present more difficult heights -to be surmounted than the valley of the Tapeng. - -We learned that from Old Hotha a road led to Muangla, reaching the -Sanda valley by a gorge of lower elevation and more gradual descent -on the northern slope than the route by which we had climbed up and -scrambled down in our passage from Manwyne. Even an excursion, however, -beyond the limits of the Hotha valley was rendered impossible by the -presence of Li-sieh-tai and his force in Shuemuelong. We accordingly -addressed ourselves to quit the pleasant quarters at Hotha, and recross -the Kakhyen hills to the Burmese plain, all the chiefs of the hill -tribes along the route having attended in person or by deputy at a -meeting on August 22nd, when satisfactory arrangements had been made -for our transit. - -[38] _Analysis by Dr. Macnamara._ - -One gallon contains:-- - - 49·7 grains of solid matter; - 3·6 ” salts of alkalies, chloride of sodium; - 19·7 ” silica, earthy salts, and oxide of iron; - Traces of sulphuric, carbonic, and phosphoric acids; - No nitric acid. - -[39] _Thaï-neua_ is applied to the northern Shans. ‘Voyage -d’Exploration,’ p. 409. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -FROM HOTHA TO BHAMÔ. - - Adieu!--Latha--Namboke--The southern hills--Muangwye--Loaylone--The - Chinese frontier--Mattin--Hoetone--View of the Irawady plain--A - slippery descent--The Namthabet--The Sawady route--A solemn - sacrifice--A retrospective survey. - - -On the 27th of August we bade adieu to our friends at Hotha, the wife -and daughters of the chief coming out to “see us off”; while their -tears, and reiterated requests that we would soon come again, might -have been called forth by the departure of some near relatives or very -dear friends. We offered to shake hands, “English fashion,” which the -eldest daughter declined, as it was contrary to Shan etiquette, but the -young wife of the chief mustered up courage to defy public opinion. -The saluting guns were fired, and we started amidst the good wishes -of a large crowd. The tsawbwa rode with us as far as the boundary of -his domains; and all along the route his people turned out with many -demonstrations of goodwill to the departing strangers. On the borders -of Latha, our friend took leave of us with evident regret, and handed -us over to the care of the Kakhyen chief of Namboke. - -The Latha district is naturally even more picturesque than that of -Hotha. The hills are nearer, and the glen, as it might be called, is -more thickly wooded. The town of Latha, which we passed near at hand, -though separated from the road by the Namsa river, appeared to be the -largest and most populous in the whole valley. We were precluded from -visiting it by the unwillingness of the old chieftain to receive the -foreigners. A present and polite messages were, however, sent by our -leader _en passant_, and a return present and complimentary message, -personally dictated by the chief, were brought back by our messengers. -The message attributed his inability to receive us to the prejudices -of some of his subjects. He promised that, whenever we should come -again, he and his people would be prepared to welcome our presence. His -subjects seemed to be no less thriving than those in the other section. -All along the route, many-roofed khyoungs, rising above the rich -greenery, marked the whereabouts of villages, and pagodas of a very -striking type covered the rounded hills and thickly wooded knolls. - -We crossed the Namsa by a long wooden bridge, and soon found ourselves -involved in a perfect maze of little conical grassy hills, which -blocked up the western end of the valley. The road turned to the left -from the narrow glen of the Namsa, and gradually ascended, following -the course of the Namboke stream, and, crossing a number of small -hills, attained the summit of the first spur of the easterly barrier -of the valley. From this point to Namboke, the road wound over a -succession of spurs, till the village was reached, lying among a group -of little wooded hills formed by the junction of spurs of the secondary -Hotha range with the great southern barrier of the Tapeng valley, which -here unite. After a march of fourteen miles, performed in five hours, -we arrived at 5 P.M. in a downpour of rain, which did not make the -roofless shed provided as quarters at all inviting. The tsawbwa then -conducted us to his house, where we alighted under a salute of three -guns, and were accommodated partly in the strangers’ hall and partly in -the portico, which latter proved populous with enemies to sleep. The -urgent hospitality of the Namboke chief compelled us to gratify him by -a day’s halt; and it was only by dogged determination that our leader -succeeded in effecting a start at midday on the 29th. - -From Namboke we descended into a deep hollow, and thence gradually -ascended to the ridge of the main range bordering the Tapeng gorge, -along which we travelled to Ashan, eight miles distant, where we put up -for the night in Kakhyen houses. The footpath which did duty for road -had been recently cleared of jungle by the Kakhyens, the fresh marks of -whose dahs were visible on either side, as we wound through magnificent -virgin forest. From occasional points of vantage on open hill brows, -we looked down on a sea of foliage, unbroken by any clearing or sign of -human habitation. From the summit level of the ridge, we looked to the -right across the valley of the Tapeng, and saw Ponsee lying, a little -speck, on the opposite slope, halfway between the Tapeng and the summit -of the lofty Shitee-doung, also called Shitee Meru, as if after the -Sacred Hill. The territory of Ponsee extends from this summit to that -of Kad-doung, which rose behind us, so that Ashan with its dozen houses -lies within the Ponsee borders. Below us, to the left, two narrow deep -valleys ran east and west, separated by a low ridge, the termination -of the southern boundary of Hotha, which speedily lost itself in the -bewildering maze which results from the division and commingling of -the great spurs of the main lines of upheaval of these mountains. In -every direction, as far as the eye could reach, extended a sea of -hills, some rising in great dome-shaped masses six thousand feet above -the sea, clothed to their summits with dense forest, unbroken by any -cultivation. The greater number of the lesser hills had been evidently -cleared, and their abrupt slopes seemed, as it were, fashioned into -huge flights of broad steps, the terraces for the rice and maize crops, -while by the aid of a good field-glass little Kakhyen villages could be -detected dotting the slopes. - -We left Ashan in heavy rain, and commenced to descend in a southerly -direction. The path led along the crest of a spur running down to a -village. The ponies and mules could not keep their feet on the wet, -slippery paths, and kept sliding down on their hindquarters. As steep -declivities bordered the path, the descent was not without risk, and -a pedestrian could only keep his footing by catching hold of the long -grass, and so lowering himself down. - -Having crossed the Namkhong, swollen by the rains into a tempestuous -stream, which taxed the uttermost strength of the ponies, the path -lay over a wet and muddy alluvial flat into another valley and across -another torrent. We then made a very steep ascent up the mountain side, -passing the village of Lasee, perched on a lofty rounded peak. From the -height we gained a full view of the ranges to the southwards, running -nearly parallel to each other, east-north-east and west-south-west, -with intervening valleys, much broken up by spurs. A descent of a few -hundred feet brought us to the village of Muangwye, on the southern -slope of a hill covered with trees and enormous granite boulders. - -Our halt here was a device of the local tsawbwa, who was anxious to -have the honour of entertaining us. The other chiefs had gone on to -Loaylone with the baggage and commissariat, expecting us to proceed -to that village as our resting-place for the night. The chief did his -best to reconcile us to his hospitable _ruse_ by a hearty welcome and -liberal supplies of sheroo and samshu. - -The usual and direct route from Ashan to Hoetone, the last Kakhyen -village before descending to the plain, only occupies one good day’s -march; but the anxiety of the respective chiefs to entertain us caused -them to lead us from village to village, and make three marches instead -of one; and as the rain was almost incessant, and the path up and down -the hillsides slippery in the extreme, we found Kakhyen regard almost -as embarrassing as the former hostility. - -The next day we crossed the Muangkah stream, about fifteen feet across, -and flowing in a deep nullah, which is the boundary line between the -Lakhone and Cowlee Kakhyens, into whose borders we now entered. The -glen was very narrow, but the rich black soil very fertile, judging -from the appearance of the small rice fields. The only bridge was a -felled tree, less than a foot broad, with a ricketty bamboo tied on as -a handrail, along which we scrambled, almost envying the animals, which -swam across. Ascending another ridge, we passed the remains of the old -Chinese frontier fort, commanding this route, as a custom-house, as -that above the Nampoung commands the Ponsee road. A hundred feet below, -the village of Loaylone occupied a steep slope, stretching out in an -amphitheatre. This was the largest and most thriving Kakhyen village -we had yet seen, and the chief’s house presented the unusual feature -of a high bamboo fence enclosing it. The chief was bountiful in his -supplies of fowls and sheroo; and in the evening his younger brother, -the tsawbwa of Mattin, paid us a visit, and proved to be the most -polished and intelligent Kakhyen we had met, his manners and style -being fully equal to those of any Burmese or Shan gentleman. His dress -was a mixture of Shan and Chinese, but his hair was arranged in Burmese -fashion. He proved to be perfectly acquainted with Burmese and Chinese, -and held a long conversation on the advantages of re-establishing -trade, in which he professed the utmost readiness to co-operate. He was -very anxious that we should become his guests at Mattin for several -days; and, after exhausting the pleas of the ill-health of some of the -party, the rains, &c., we were obliged to urge that delays on the way -would prejudice the minds of our rulers against the embassy route. It -was necessary to remain a day at Loaylone, as, according to custom, -the mules and porters had to be paid off here, and replaced by others -belonging to the Cowlee Kakhyens. The ordinary central route to Momien -is said to be from this place to Muangwan, a view of which valley can -be gained from the Chinese fort of Loaylone, whence the road leads to -Nantin, avoiding the Hotha valley. There was, of course, some trouble -with the muleteers, who invariably put forth extortionate demands, only -to be met by firm refusal. At the very moment of our departure, two of -the Namboke pawmines laid an embargo on a mule-load of luggage as a -pawn for payment for some rice, which they had already received. - -The direct road to Hoetone is only six miles by a comparatively level -route along the paddy fields, but the necessity of accepting Mattin’s -invitation lengthened our march to fifteen miles, involving the ascent -of one of the highest ranges. In a glen below Loaylone we met a caravan -of mules from Bhamô laden with cotton and salt. From this point steep -ascents over a succession of spurs, and descents into shallow valleys, -brought us to the summit of the main ridge at an elevation of five -thousand feet. Close to our left, and five or six hundred feet higher, -rose the high dome-shaped hill which we had sighted from Ashan. To the -south-east and south rose a few still higher peaks, but none apparently -exceeding an elevation of six thousand feet. The summit of this ridge -was covered with fine turf and a few trees, and strewn with enormous -granite boulders, under the shelter of which were built the houses of a -small village named Loayline. - -From this point we began to descend the main mass of the Kakhyen hills, -and soon arrived at the village of Mattin, situated on the ridge of a -spur. A salute of three guns and a musical clash of gongs and cymbals -announced our arrival, and we were ushered up a broad flight of stone -steps leading to a Chinese gateway in a substantial brick and stone -wall. Within this stood the chief’s house, of Kakhyen design, but, by -its construction and rich ornaments of carving, deserving the name of -a Kakhyen palace. After being duly presented to the chief’s family, -and admired by an enthusiastic crowd of his subjects, who, be it said, -were vastly superior both in their appearance and dress to their -compatriots of the northern hills, we were conducted into a small -external pavilion, and refreshed ourselves in privacy. - -From Mattin a descent of two miles brought us to Hoetone, situated on -a flattened depression of the same spur, strewn with huge gneiss and -granite boulders. In front of the tsawbwa’s house three flat blocks of -stone, about three feet high, were fixed in the ground in line, which -were described as the altar whereon buffaloes were offered to the -nats. We had observed similar stones in a grove outside the village, -which the numerous skulls strewn about showed to have been the scene -of numerous offerings. In this place there was also a circular wall, -three feet high, with one of the standing stones built into it, and -the ground covered with the decaying skulls of sacrificed buffaloes. -The next morning we were visited first by the aged tsawbwa of Hoetone, -accompanied by his wives, children, and grandchildren, all in their -best attire, and laden with the usual presents of fowls, vegetables, -cooked rice, and sheroo. The next to appear were the tsawbwas of -Kadaw and Sakhiy, dressed in ancient black satin jackets, with their -womankind attired _à la_ Kakhyen, but decorated with a profusion of -Shan silver ornaments. The sub-chief who had followed us to Momien, and -died there of small-pox, was a son of Kadaw, and although he had come -to Momien of his own accord, Sladen considered it just to promise to -the old father that, when at Bhamô, he would consult with the other -chiefs as to compensation for his son’s death. With this assurance the -father departed well pleased; but a younger brother of the deceased -thought fit to bully and demand instant payment, and enlisted a few -of the muleteers on his side. The usual Kakhyen wrangle and bluster -ensued, but being met with firm expostulation, according to custom, -ended in nothing; but our departure had been thereby delayed till -midday, when we gladly recommenced our descent to the plains. - -In dry weather it is usual to travel from Hoetone to Bhamô by Momouk, -across the plain, on the left bank of the Tapeng; but the low grounds -being now under water, it was necessary to proceed to the Tapeng below -its exit from the hills, and descend it in boats to Bhamô. A short -distance below Hoetone, we came to a division in the road, and a -discussion ensued with the Mantai tsawbwa, who was acting as guide to -the advance party of the cavalcade, as to the proper path to follow. -One road, along the spur which we had descended, appeared evidently -to be the direct route, as the other turned off to the left down a -deep hollow, towards another spur to the southward. This, the tsawbwa -insisted, was as good and as short as the other, and we perforce -followed him. From the brow of the spur a noble panorama of the -extensive plain of the Irawady burst upon our view. - -The great river, now swollen to its fullest width, wound like a broad -band of silver through the plain, and our followers literally jumped -and shouted with joy at the prospect, realising the speedy termination -of their six months’ wanderings. Those of our party whose dignity -forbade such demonstrations rejoiced no less in spirit; for even this -grand hill scenery becomes wearisome when one has to scramble up the -steep mountain paths and slide down the counter slope in torrents -of rain. We could not grumble at the slight detour which the Mantai -chief had imposed upon us, for the whole population of his village was -eagerly awaiting our arrival, and saluted us with five guns. In his -house, which was enclosed with a bamboo palisade, mats were spread for -us, and his wife and daughters, two almost handsome maidens, vied with -each other in demonstrations of welcome and proffers of very excellent -sheroo. Leaving them highly delighted with a few bright silver coins -and compliments, we remounted, and began a slippery descent through -bamboo jungle, in which there was a fair chance of being impaled on the -fallen stems, as the ponies slid down on their haunches, utterly unable -to change their course. Having at least reached four thousand feet -below Hoetone, we had to cross at the bottom a roaring mountain torrent -by a newly constructed bridge. A large boulder lay in midstream, and -two large bamboos were placed from it to the banks on either side, with -smaller cross pieces to keep all secure; this primitive and rickety -bridge, about eighteen inches wide, sloped down to the stone, and -then rose up at a steep incline to the other bank. It was a perilous -path for man and beast, for to lose one’s balance meant being swept -down by the resistless current into the Tapeng. The level ground on -either side of the stream was closed in by high hills, which echoed -with the roar of the latter river; but the high grass which covered -the alluvial flat hid it from us, until, having crossed a low spur, we -came upon the banks of the foaming yellow flood, rushing down to the -plains in a magnificent torrent. About two miles further, we left the -Tapeng, and turned to the south-west, and, crossing a low spur, came -upon the right bank of a moderate-sized, deep-flowing stream, with a -very strong current, called Namthabet, which flows into the Tapeng, at -its exit from the hills. This stream had to be crossed by a raft, which -two Kakhyens had been sent from Hoetone to construct, but they had only -completed half their task when we arrived. We were therefore compelled -to bivouac, and all hands set to work to construct the small bamboo -huts thatched with grass, which the Burmese call _tai_. The night was -fine, but the sandflies proved utter foes to sleep, defying mosquito -curtains; and the morning brought a tremendous thunderstorm, followed -by torrents of rain, as if the hill nats wished to give us a farewell -benefit. - -As soon as the raft was completed, the jemadar and a number of -Burmans embarked, furnished with long bamboos to pole it across; but -the current swept it down stream, and it was only saved by the men -jumping into the water and pushing it to bank, where all held on by the -overhanging branches. The Kakhyen method of stretching a rope across -the stream was next resorted to, and under the experienced direction -of Captain Bowers a strong rope of the outer layer of the bamboo was -speedily improvised. This attempt also failed, for the rope broke in -two when the raft was in midstream, but the men kept firm hold, and -hauled themselves to the opposite bank. At last we succeeded, by means -of two ropes, in ferrying all the party across, drenched to the skin by -the rain and river water. On the left bank we were met by the choung-sa -of Tsitgna with an escort, sent to accompany us to Nampoung, on the -Tapeng. Before us lay a line of low hills, running nearly north and -south, dividing the valley of the Namthabet from the Burmese plain, -into which they fade gradually by long undulations. Their eastern face -is covered almost exclusively with bamboos, but the western slope is -thickly wooded with numerous species of forest trees, until the plain -is reached, when eng trees and tall elephant grass take their place. On -arriving at the Tapeng, after a march of five miles, we found two large -boats in readiness, one of them nicely carpeted, and carrying a band -of musicians beating gongs and tomtoms. All our party, including the -Kakhyen chiefs who had accompanied us, being embarked, we were towed by -two war-boats, each manned by thirty men, across the broad and quickly -flowing Tapeng, to the village of Tsitgna, where we were conducted -by the Woon’s private secretary to a small pavilion, comfortably -arranged for our reception. The Burmese officials were most attentive; -gratuitous supplies of eatables were brought in abundance, and even the -Kakhyen chiefs and their followers were supplied with all they needed. - -On the 5th of September we settled the hire of the mules and porters -without the slightest disagreement, all the baggage having been safely -delivered, without the loss of a single article between Hotha and -Tsitgna. Even the load of the mule detained at Loaylone, which had been -divided into bundles for two porters, arrived safe, and, to the honour -of the Kakhyens be it said, without so much as even an opened bottle of -brandy being tampered with. - -The next morning we embarked on boats constructed of two canoes, -carrying a platform and a canopy or roof of leaves overhead, and -glided down the broad deep Tapeng, which this season is one thousand -five hundred feet wide, and deep enough for an ordinary river steamer, -as far as the hills. On the way down, we looked back for a parting -glance at the Kakhyen hills. On either side of the river rose the two -lofty peaks, the Shitee-doung on the north and the Kad-doung on the -south, seeming to stand like sentinels, to guard the routes to China, -and in a very literal sense, for the old Chinese forts and frontier -custom-houses occupied strong positions on either mountain, and the -boundary line of the Flowery Kingdom is almost defined by these -heights. Near the mouth of the river we were met by the tsare-daw-gyee -with two war-boats, which towed us to Bhamô, where we landed at 2.30 in -the afternoon of September 5th, having left it on the 26th of February. - -The Burmese surveyor who had been despatched from Hotha to examine the -route to Sawady had arrived at Bhamô on the 26th of August, having -accomplished his journey in ten days. He had travelled in the disguise -of a Shan, accompanied by a guide recommended by the Hotha chief, and -our own Kakhyen interpreter. Carrying no instruments except an aneroid -for measuring the heights, he had performed his task of observations -very satisfactorily. From Hotha he had crossed the intervening ridge, -seven hundred feet above the Muangtha valley, into the much larger -valley of Muangwan, lying at about the same level as that of Nantin. -This Chinese Shan state was governed by the grandmother of the youthful -tsawbwa, acting as regent during his minority. She and her headmen -agreed in promising safe conduct to all English traders adopting that -route. A constant stream of mules and pack bullocks was described as -passing from Sawady to Muangwan, whence they proceeded either to Nantin -or to Muangkun. The route was clear of all obstructions, and smooth -and even throughout. Two Kakhyen districts were passed through, named -Bhagon and Phonkan, in the latter of which the highest elevation -occurs. Both agreed to maintain the old Chinese tariff of one rupee for -mules and eight annas for bullocks, and the Phonkan chief expressed his -wish that English traders would adopt this route, and guaranteed their -safety. - -Our old quarters in the town of Bhamô had been thoroughly repaired, -and were ready to receive us, while the tsawbwas, who had accompanied -us, to the number of thirty-one, all of whom ruled districts adjacent -to the central route, were housed by the Burmese in zayats outside the -stockade. The object of their attendance was to take part in a solemn -sacrifice according to their custom, and to enter into an engagement -ratified by the most binding oath, that they would afford safe conduct -and protection to all traders and travellers who might hereafter cross -their hills between Bhamô and the Shan states. The ceremony took place -on the 13th, after sundry open objections and hidden obstacles raised -by the Burmese, who, no doubt, were at first rather puzzled by the -transaction, but, after clear explanations by Major Sladen, raised -no further difficulty. A species of scaffold was erected, consisting -of strong posts sunk into the ground, with cross pieces, to which -the victim, a buffalo, was bound. An altar was reared twenty feet in -height, with a square platform of bamboos, on which the offering was -placed. Before the sacrifice, and again before the offering was made, -the nats or deities were duly invoked in a solemnly chanted prayer. -The buffalo was firmly bound by its horns to the scaffold, and then -thrown on one side, so that the whole weight of the body bore on the -partially twisted neck. A Kakhyen rushed forward, in one hand holding a -plantain leaf cup full of water, and brandishing his dah in the other. -Simultaneously the water was thrown over the victim, and the fatal blow -delivered in the neck with a force and effect as fatal as the stab of -the matador. The carcase was at once cut up, the blood being received -in a large vessel, while the entrails were laid as offerings to the -nats on the elevated altar. With the blood a quantity of samshu was -mixed, and stirred up with the points of dahs and spears, and each -chief in turn drank from the bowl, and uttered his vow of fidelity to -the common cause. Such was the rite that the three chiefs had joined in -at Ponsee when leagued for our destruction, and now thirty-one chiefs -bound themselves solemnly to maintain peace and give protection to -future travellers through their borders. This was the concluding act -which terminated our expedition, and it may be permitted to us to look -back with satisfaction to the fact, that of the whole party which set -out of Bhamô, with the exception of one sepoy and a native collector, -who succumbed to disease, all returned in safety. The natives of the -Kakhyen hills and of the Shan valleys had learned to regard their -at first suspected or dreaded visitors as friends and benefactors; -and if the advance had been slow, and in the opinion of some costly, -the return had been easily accomplished, and not without a wealth of -“golden opinions” won from the various chiefs with whom Englishmen for -the first time had been brought in successive relations. - - * * * * * - -It is scarcely within the scope of this volume to review the political -aspect of the work performed, but it is impossible to refrain from some -comments. The term failure has been freely applied to the outcome of -this expedition, and the conduct of the leader has been, only recently, -most harshly criticised. Considering that his instructions, as received -from the Chief Commissioner of British Burma, were to investigate -thoroughly the causes of the cessation of trade, to discover the exact -political position of the Kakhyens, the Shans, and the Panthays, and to -influence these communities in favour of the restoration of commerce, -it can hardly be alleged that the prescribed objects were not fully -attained. While it had been considered by the superior authorities -desirable to advance to Yung-chang, or, if possible, to Tali-fu, the -leader had been strictly enjoined not to risk the safety of the members -of the mission. From Bhamô he had to feel his way, contending against -intrigues on the part of the Kakhyens and misunderstanding on the part -of the Shans, fomented by the misrepresentations of the jealous Chinese -merchants at Bhamô. The country to be traversed was unknown, and in an -abnormal state of confusion. Where Burma ended, and China commenced, -was a problem, for the ancient frontier lines had been temporarily -obliterated, the authority of the mandarins had receded into the -interior of Yunnan, and that of the usurping Mahommedan rulers was -only partially felt to the westward of Momien. Not till that town was -reached could the desired information be obtained, or the true relation -of the intervening valley states to Burma or China be discerned. Not a -step forwards had been taken without securing beforehand the consent, -and, as it proved, the welcome, of the various rulers, subordinate -or supreme; and care was especially taken to disown any political -partisanship, and to proclaim to all that our object was to explore in -the interests of commerce. - -When, after a short stay at Momien, it became evident that further -progress was at once dangerous and in the existing state of things -liable to embroil us with Chinese constituted authorities, a return was -resolved on, and only retarded by uncontrollable circumstances. To have -obeyed orders, and in various and trying positions to have manifested -a patient endurance in order to reach the farthest possible goal, and -return thence with the wished for information, and thus prepare the -way for future travellers, may not be accounted brilliant exploits; -but these are the arduous duties of a careful scout and a successful -pioneer. The reader can form his own opinion as to whether these were -not worthily performed by Major Sladen. - -Those who shared his journeyings, though not his responsibilities, and -witnessed his cautious and resolute bearing under novel and perplexing -conditions, cannot but record their opinion that he deserves a larger -meed of praise than has been as yet accorded to his conduct of the -first English expedition to Yunnan. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -INTERMEDIATE EVENTS. - - Appointment of a British Resident at Bhamô--Increase of native - trade--Action of the king of Burma--Burmese quarrel with the - Seray chief--British relations with the Panthays--Struggle in - Yunnan--Li-sieh-tai--Imperialist successes--European gunners--Siege - of Momien--Fall of Yung-chang--Prince Hassan visits England--Fall - of Tali-fu--Sultan Suleiman’s death--Massacre of Panthays--Capture - of Momien--Escape of Tah-sa-kon--Capture of Woosaw--Suppression - of rebellion--Imperial proclamation--Li-sieh-tai, commissioner - of Shan states--Re-opening of trade routes--Second British - mission--Action of Sir T. Wade--Appointment of Mr. Margary--Members of - mission--Acquiescence of China and Burma. - - -The first active step taken by the Chief Commissioner of British Burma, -as a result of the expedition of 1868, was to recommend the appointment -of a British Resident at Bhamô. The various Shan and Kakhyen chiefs, as -well as the governor of Momien, had concurred in the opinion that such -an appointment would be beneficial to the future trade. - -By the 6th article of the treaty of 1867 it had been provided that -British steamers should be allowed to navigate the Burmese waters, that -British merchants should be permitted to reside at Bhamô, and, lastly, -that British agents might be appointed at all customs stations, such -as Bhamô and Menhla. The government of India, however, while approving -of the appointment of a British Resident at Bhamô, declined to pass -final or definite orders until the king’s sentiments should have -been ascertained, and a distinct assent given by him. His Majesty -had already, when the matter was mooted, declared that he would take -care that his officer, the Woon, should co-operate with the Resident; -but, according to the instructions given, that the plan should be -laid before him as one “requiring a clear understanding, and a full -approval on the part of his Majesty,” it was made the subject of a -special audience. The king expressly declared that the appointment of -a Resident at Bhamô had his full consent and approval; but he hoped -that “obstinate or intractable officers, guided solely by their own -opinion, without regard to advice or reason,” would not be sent. He -further desired that the new official might be presented to himself, -when he would introduce him to the Woon of Bhamô, in order to arrange -their mutual relations. The spirit in which the king entertained and -acquiesced in the proposal may be taken as an illustration of the -manner in which the king of Burma has shown himself disposed to deal -with the formidable power which holds the seaboard of his kingdom. -Fully alive, as he must have been, to the possible embarrassments that -might arise from his relations to England on the one hand, and to his -suzerain, the emperor of China, on the other, it cannot be said that he -has failed to carry out his treaty obligations to our government; and -when the misrepresentation of which he has been the subject is taken -into account, it will appear that the king of Burma has some right to -complain of the treatment he has received at the hands of the British -public. - -In March 1869, Captain Strover was gazetted as the first British -Resident at Bhamô, and in due course the British flag was hoisted at -that ancient entrepot of Indo-Chinese trade. It is almost needless -to remark that, as regards direct British commerce, no considerable -results followed. In 1872 it was reported that not a single consignment -belonging to British firms had arrived at Bhamô during the three -previous years. The native trade increased considerably, and the -Chinese merchants of Rangoon and Mandalay had despatched large -quantities of cotton and salt, and other commodities, as well as a -moderate supply of piece goods. In the spring of 1870, the arrivals -at Tsitkaw averaged eight hundred mules a month. During the two -following years caravans of one thousand beasts of burden are recorded -as arriving from the Chinese territories. The river-borne trade -increased so much that the agents for the Irawady Flotilla Company -found that the monthly steamer service to Bhamô was insufficient, -and besides the extra steamers placed on the line by them, the India -General Steam Navigation Company despatched steamers and heavily laden -flats. To quote a correspondent of the _Times_, “in four years the -steam navigation developed itself into an almost regular fortnightly -service, which, during the year ending October 1874, carried cargo to -the value of about £200,000 to and from Bhamô.” - -The king of Burma showed his anxiety to restore the trade of the Bhamô -route by erecting and garrisoning a line of guard-houses through the -Kakhyen hills, from the plain to the Nampoung, beyond which river, as -being the boundary line of China, Li-sieh-tai would not permit their -erection. - -In 1872, no less than one hundred and fifty thousand viss of royal -cotton were stored at Manwyne under the charge of the king’s agents -there resident, and it is expressly noted that, so far as the Burmese -are concerned, British goods could have been forwarded with perfect -security. The Mandalay Chinese, however, were deterred (1871) from -buying cotton for the Yunnan market by the information that the -imperialist officers had laid an embargo on the caravans, to prevent -them from supplying the Panthays with provisions. The caravans were -not infrequently attacked by dacoits, especially near Nantin, and the -Kakhyen chief of Seray was accused by the Burmese of having intercepted -royal presents on their way to China. The tsare-daw-gyee of Bhamô, -by way of reprisal, seized thirty mules belonging to the Seray chief, -whence arose a feud, which was not forgotten at the period of the -second expedition. At this time, it resulted in the messengers sent by -the Resident to the governor of Momien being warned by the Seray chief -not to travel that road, as it was unsafe for any Burmese. - -It was a necessary, but regretable, consequence of the reception given -to the first expedition by the governor of Momien that he maintained -friendly relations with successive Residents. It appeared desirable, -with a view to maintain the security of the trade route, to keep on -friendly, though strictly neutral, terms with the holders of the -commanding position of Momien. It is, doubtless, easy to look back, and -be wise after the event; but, rightly or wrongly, the intercourse once -begun could not be well abandoned; at all events, it was judged prudent -to maintain it. It certainly created in the minds of the Chinese at -Bhamô a distinct impression that the interests of their possible -commercial rivals and of their actual political foes were identified. -The Kakhyen chiefs of the southern route even complained that since -they and the Shans had become friends of the English the Bhamô Chinese -were no longer amicably disposed towards them. The presents sent by -the Residents from time to time were, doubtless, magnified by the -popular imagination, and neither side found it easy to believe that the -sole object was the assurance of safe and commodious transit. Thus at -least it may be conjectured from the study of the course of subsequent -events, as well as from the manifestations of feeling on the part of -both Panthays and Chinese. - -The conflicting accounts and reports which were brought in, and -which enable us in some degree to trace the progress of events in -Yunnan, which led to the complete overthrow of the Mahommedan power, -all combined to show that, from the time of our visit to Momien, the -Chinese government would seem to have aroused itself to the necessity -of recovering the almost lost province. Whatever the real strength -of the Mahommedans may have been in 1868, it is certain that they -had gradually lost ground in 1869. The various reports furnished -were too contradictory, and, in truth, both the governor of Momien -and the Chinese were too much given to exaggeration to furnish any -trustworthy data. In 1870, as was well ascertained, Li-sieh-tai was the -acknowledged leader of the imperialist Chinese troops in the Momien -district, and had invested Momien, but had suffered a defeat, and -been obliged to retreat into the Shitee-doung range of hills. He soon -recruited his forces, and levied contributions from the Shans, and also -from the Chinese merchants both of Bhamô and Mandalay. The latter were -not moved by patriotism, but by the national feelings of affection for -their kindred, and respect for their ancestral graves in Yunnan. - -Towards the end of that year, Momien had been again invested by the -Chinese, but a Panthay force from the north had succeeded in throwing -reinforcements into the city, notwithstanding which, entrenchments -were subsequently thrown up by the Chinese troops, who, under Li and -Li-quang-fang and another officer, pressed the place hard, but to no -purpose. The imperialists seem to have poured troops into the province, -and a proclamation signed by Li was posted in Bhamô, announcing that -ten thousand troops had surrounded Yung-chang. In the beginning -of 1871, the northern districts, which had been the cradle of the -rebellion, were held firmly by the Mahommedans, and the city of Tali-fu -was reported by two natives of India, who came to Bhamô, to have been -free two months before from the presence of imperialist troops. The -Mahommedan troops then were in great force, and had been despatched to -the relief of the threatened cities of Yung-chang and Shin-tin. The -imperialist troops were then attacking Yeynan-sin, to the north-east -of Tali-fu, and as they had cannon directed by three European gunners, -the Mahommedans, though fighting with their usual bravery, suffered -great losses, and could scarcely make head against them. Thus there -were three lines of attack, one army assailing Yung-chang and the -neighbouring cities south of the line between Momien and Tali; the -main force advancing on the holy city itself, and Li-sieh-tai with -his troops pressing the siege of Momien, where the governor doggedly -held out, though reported to have been severely wounded, and kept up -constant communication with the Residency at Bhamô. By the end of -1871, Yung-chang had been taken by the Chinese, and Tali-fu was said -to be closely invested. Around Momien constant fighting continued -with varied success, one Chinese leader having been killed and his -troops defeated; but the Mahommedans were bravely fighting a hopeless -battle against overwhelming numbers, and the more faint-hearted among -them were advising surrender, or meditating treachery. The Sultan -Suleiman resolved on sending his son and heir, Hassan, to solicit the -aid or interference of the British government, in order to avert the -threatened overthrow of his power, or secure tolerable terms of peace. -The young prince, as he may be called, made his way in disguise, with -a few attendants, to Rangoon, and thence proceeded to London, where he -arrived in the spring of 1872. It is needless to say that his errand -was bootless; but he was treated as a private guest of the government, -and remained for some time in this country. On his return he was -accompanied by Mr. Cooper, who was appointed in England to conduct him -to the frontier of our territory. The prince had himself proposed that -thence this well-known traveller should proceed with him to Tali-fu, -and thus accomplish the object of his former venturous journey. _En -route_ they visited Constantinople, where the Sultan received the -prince as a distinguished guest, and finally arrived at Rangoon. Here -they received the intelligence of the capture of Tali-fu, the death -of Suleiman, and the utter destruction of the Mahommedan power. This -necessarily put a stop to their further journey, and the unhappy Hassan -set out on a pilgrimage to Mecca. - -During his absence in Europe, the Chinese generals had put forth all -their power to capture the head-quarters of the rebels. For some -months the natural strength of the position of Tali-fu, to which all -the Mahommedans of the surrounding country had retired before the -advancing Chinese armies, defied its assailants. Abundant provisions -were stored in the granaries; and the garrison, said to number thirty -or forty thousand Mahommedans, were determined to resist to the last. -The chief minister of the Sultan was entrusted with the command of -Shagwan, as the Burmese call the fort of Hia-kwang or Hsia-kwan, and -he was bribed to admit the Chinese forces and surrender to them the -granaries. The artillery of the Chinese, directed, as already stated, -by European gunners, rendered it impossible for the sultan to cope with -them in the field; but he held out within the walls of the city till -provisions failed, and approaching famine compelled him to enter into -negotiations. He was led to believe that, if he surrendered himself, -his people would be spared, and willingly agreed to sacrifice his own -life to save those of his followers. Knowing the fate which awaited -himself and his family, he administered poison to his three wives and -five children, and, having taken a fatal dose himself, proceeded in his -chair to the Chinese general’s quarters, but died on the road. His head -was cut off, and, preserved in honey, was forwarded to Pekin, and it is -said that his three youngest sons were sent as prisoners. The Chinese -general then demanded that the Mahommedans should surrender all their -arms and ammunition, which was done. The officers were then required -to repair to the Chinese head-quarters to pay their respects to the -general. Forty-one obeyed the summons, and on entering his presence -were at once seized and beheaded. Orders were then issued for a general -massacre of the disarmed and leaderless garrison, and an indiscriminate -slaughter of thousands of men, women, and children, completed the -conquest of Tali-fu. Thence the army marched to Chun-ning-fu and -Yin-chaw, which towns were successively captured, no quarter being -given to any of the Mahommedans. - -Another version of the fall of Tali-fu narrates that the Mahommedans -invited the Chinese to a conference at one of the gates, having -previously mined the ground. The Chinese came in force, but, struck -with a sudden suspicion of doubt, retreated just before the explosion -of the mine, which destroyed the gate and part of the wall. The -Chinese then returned and stormed the city, but the citadel was too -strong for them, and held out till surrendered as above described. The -Mahommedans claimed in their version to have been successful in their -stratagem, and to have destroyed great numbers of the enemy, of whom -many panic-stricken rushed into the lake, and perished there. The fort -or position of Hsia-kwan was stated by the Chinese to have been stormed -by a night attack, headed by the Tartar general in person, who led the -way over rocky heights supposed to be inaccessible. At all events, it -is certain that Tali-fu fell in August 1872, and on the New Year of -1873 the governor-general of Yunnan sent forward letters to the king -of Burma announcing the fact, and requesting the king to assist in the -reopening of trade, as the rebellion was at an end; but, to use the -words of Sir Thomas Wade, “the rebellion died hard,” for Momien and -Woosaw still held out. - -The governor of the former place had been visited by a high Panthay -official, who was secretly a traitor to the cause, and advised -surrender; whereupon the governor invited him into his Yamen, and -promptly beheaded him. In February three officers arrived from Momien -at Bhamô with letters addressed to the Chief Commissioner of Burma, -and were forwarded to Rangoon. The town was finally captured in May, -the strong south-western gate described in page 192 having been -successfully mined; but the victors found no one in the city. The -governor had succeeded in bribing the officer in command of the troops -to the north of the town, who had been a former adherent of his own, -and suffered his few remaining co-religionists to escape by night, -much to the disappointment of the Chinese, who could not consider the -country tranquillised while so brave and able a leader was at large. In -June a proclamation was posted throughout the Shan valleys, announcing -the marriage of the emperor and the fall of Momien, and inviting all -the people to return to their homes and cultivate their lands. - -The ex-governor was heard of from time to time as lurking in the -mountains with a few faithful followers, and orders were issued -from the king of Burma that he should be seized if found on Burmese -territory, and surrendered to the Chinese. This order was issued in -compliance with a request sent by an envoy from the viceroy of Yunnan -to the king; but he managed to elude both Chinese and Burmese, and -succeeded in entering Hoothaw or Woosaw, the last remaining stronghold -of his party. - -This place, three days’ march north-west of Momien, is described as -a town of one thousand houses, surrounded by a stone wall twenty -feet high, and defended on one side by a deep stream, and altogether -stronger and more flourishing than Momien. Its position must be at -a high elevation, as in winter the swamps are frozen hard enough to -bear men on the ice. Communication is carried on between this place -and Lay-myo, one hundred miles north of Bhamô, on the Namthabet, an -affluent of the Irawady, by which route the officers from Momien -reached Bhamô. - -Woosaw was captured at the end of May 1874, but the ex-tah-sa-kon and -the principal officers succeeded in escaping to Chang-see, a town -south-west of Woosaw, and eight days distant from Talo, on the Irawady, -while his sons were at Tseedai assisting the tsawbwa in a fight with -the Wacheoon chief. - -The Panthays, in their turn, had become dacoits, as they had formerly -termed Li-sieh-tai’s troops, and from their lurking-places on the hills -near Nantin attacked the caravans going to Momien; while the last news -of the ex-tah-sa-kon, who for a time was supposed to be dead, were -that he had joined the Shan rebel Tsan-hai, who was committing acts of -brigandage in the Burmese Shan state of Namkan, on the left bank of the -Shuaylee. - -Thus in the middle of 1874 the Chinese authority had been thoroughly -re-established. As early as August 1873, an imperial proclamation had -been issued in the _Pekin Gazette_, in which the emperor congratulated -himself on the termination of the war, which had lasted eighteen years, -and in which the half of the prefectural and district cities had been -taken by the rebels. All arrears of taxes due up to 1872 were remitted, -and the _le-kin_, or special war tax, was declared to be no longer -required. Li-sieh-tai was appointed commissioner of the Koshanpyi or -Shan states; and Sie-ta-lin, the newly invested Chinese governor of -Momien, and the officials of the other strong towns, set themselves -to restore trade and resettle the country, which had been deserted -and left desolate for years. It can be well imagined that no little -hatred of the Panthays, not unmixed with fear, animated all the border -Chinese, and the constant rumours that the rebels were collecting for a -new attack combined with the actual robberies committed to keep all the -Chinese officials on the _qui vive_. - -It has been already mentioned how the trade between Burma and China -increased from 1872, as soon as the head of the Mahommedan revolt was -crushed at Tali-fu. It is a significant fact that in 1873 the Chinese -governor of Muanglong, situated to the south-west of Momien, sent -orders to his feudatory, the tsawbwa of Sehfan, to open trade to Bhamô -at any risk; and the chief, in announcing the intended departure of a -large caravan, requested the Resident at Bhamô to send a deputy to meet -him at Hotha. - -The routes were regularly open, and large quantities of cotton, &c., -exported, both by Bhamô and Theinnee, although disorders still existed, -and straggling dacoits and lawless Kakhyens frequently attacked the -caravans. Under these circumstances, the Chief Commissioner of British -Burma, the Hon. Ashley Eden, conceived that the time had come for -renewing, under more favourable conditions, the opening of the overland -trade route to British commerce. In this he was strongly seconded by -the commercial community at Rangoon. The question of the establishment -of a British Consul at Tali-fu was also discussed. The first point to -be attained was to secure a safe transit from Burma into China. The -passage of a peaceful British expedition, which would on its journey -thoroughly examine the capabilities of the country beyond Momien, and -perhaps discover an easier and better route from Bhamô to Yunnan, was -still regarded as the direct method of preparing the way. - -In 1874, Lord Salisbury, the Secretary of State for India, decided -to send a second expedition to penetrate China from Burma, and -pass through, if practicable, to Shanghai. To avoid possible -misunderstandings, and to make it plain to the Western Chinese -mandarins that the foreign visitors were of the same nation as the -English who lived and traded in the treaty ports, her Majesty’s -Minister at Pekin was instructed to send a consular official, duly -furnished with imperial passports, to meet the mission on the frontiers -of China. Having secured the full permission of the Pekin government, -Sir T. Wade selected Mr. Margary, a young but most promising member -of the consular service, thoroughly versed in Chinese language and -etiquette, to proceed from Shanghai to Momien. A plan had been at first -proposed of despatching a party by way of the Theinnee route from -Mandalay, but had been negatived by the king of Burma, on the ground -of a rebellion then existing in a Burmese Shan state on the road. -Consequently there was no other alternative but to proceed by one or -other of the routes from Bhamô. The consent of the king was secured -to this measure, although at first his Majesty objected to an armed -escort, as he was quite willing to send a sufficient force to convoy -the mission to the Chinese frontier; but when he understood that the -armed escort would only consist of fifteen Sikhs, he withdrew his -objection, and promised his full support and assistance. A considerable -quantity of valuable presents were prepared for distribution among the -chiefs and officials _en route_. These included a supply of edible -birds’ nests, jewellery, binoculars, musical-boxes, and silver-mounted -revolvers. Two valuable horses, one a magnificent Australian or Waler, -and the other an Arab, were destined as presents to the viceroy of -Yunnan, and a pair of large Australian kangaroo dogs were added to the -convoy. - -The command of the expedition was entrusted to Colonel Horace Browne, -of the Burmese Commission; the post of geographer was filled by Mr. -Ney Elias, whose successful and intrepid journey through Mongolia and -survey of the Yellow River had won for him the Gold Medal of the Royal -Geographical Society of London; and the remaining scientific duties of -medical officer and naturalist were entrusted to myself. - -In November 1874, Mr. Elias, who was then Assistant Resident at -Mandalay, was commissioned to proceed to Bhamô, there to concert with -the Resident measures for providing carriage so as to avoid delay. He -accordingly visited the Kakhyens holding the route selected, and made a -contract with their chiefs for the conveyance and convoy of the mission. - -The expedition was appointed to leave Burma in January 1875, in order -to accomplish the passage of the hill country before the setting in -of the rainy season. As it was possible that Mr. Margary, who left -Shanghai on September 4th, might not be able to reach Momien in time, -Mr. Allan, of the Chinese consular service, was sent by sea to Rangoon -to accompany the mission, and facilitate our intercourse with the -Chinese authorities. The preparations for ensuring the success of the -mission were thus rendered as complete as foresight could make them. -The respective governments of Burma and China had been fully informed -of the nature and purposes of the expedition, and had both given to -our diplomatic representatives their full consent and promises of safe -conduct. The personal goodwill of the border chiefs and mandarins -was expected to be conciliated, in the same degree as their official -co-operation had been secured by the passports furnished from Pekin; -and although there was an element of uncertainty arising from the -possible jealousy of the border Chinese and the plundering habits of -lawless factions among the Kakhyens, the precautions taken might be -well considered as enough to ensure success. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -SECOND EXPEDITION. - - Start of mission--Arrival at Mandalay--The Burmese pooay--Posturing - girl--Reception by the meng-gyees--Audience by the king--Departure - of mission--Progress up the river--Reception at Bhamô--British - Residency--Mr. Margary--Account of his journey--The Woon of - Bhamô--Entertains Margary--Chinese puppets--Selection of route--Sawady - route--Bullock carriage--Woon of Shuaygoo--Chinese surmises--Letters - to Chinese officials--Burmese worship-day. - - -In November 1874, Colonel Browne and myself arrived at Calcutta, having -left England on receipt of telegraphic instructions in the preceding -month. A short time was devoted to the purchase and preparation of the -various articles intended as presents; while the necessary equipment -of scientific instruments was completed under the personal supervision -of Colonel Gastrell, of the Surveyor-General’s office, and nothing was -spared by this well-known officer to make the fullest provision for all -scientific purposes. Fifteen picked men were selected from a Calcutta -regiment of Sikhs to form the guard, and all being thus ready, we -proceeded to Rangoon, and thence, in the _Ashley Eden_ steamer, began -our journey up the Irawady on December 12th. - -At Prome we picked up a Chinese named Li-kan-shin, who proved to -be a nephew of Li-sieh-tai. He had been driven from his abode at -Hawshuenshan by the Panthays, and had lived at Prome, where he bore the -Burmese name of Moung Yoh. He now wished to return to Yunnan to visit -his mother; as he spoke Burmese fluently, in addition to writing and -speaking Chinese, he was taken into the service of the mission as an -interpreter. At first he hesitated, fearing to be punished for bringing -foreigners into Yunnan, but a sight of the imperial passport removed -all his scruples. - -We arrived at Mandalay in the evening of December 23rd, 1874, and -were received on landing by officials sent from the palace with -royal elephants to carry us up to the Residency. Very different -was the reception accorded to the members of this mission from the -apparent neglect which had seemed to ignore our existence when on the -expedition of 1868. All the marks of honour that are usually conferred -on distinguished visitors were duly paid. Silver dishes loaded with -dainties were sent from the palace, and we were declared to be the -king’s guests, not only at the capital, but until we should have passed -his frontiers, and have been safely handed over to the Chinese. For our -delectation, also, the royal _corps dramatique_ appeared to perform a -_pooay_, or play, the most favourite amusement of the Burmese, even -to the very youngest, who will sit for hours, and night after night, -listening to the adventures of the royal heroes and heroines, and -enjoying the jokes which are freely interspersed. The performance takes -place under an open pavilion of bamboos erected for the occasion. There -is no stage, but a circular space covered with mats is reserved for -the performers, and the audience squat around the edge of the matted -portion. The only indication of scenery is a tree set up in the centre -to do duty for the forest, in which the scene of all Burmese dramas is -laid. By this tree a huge faggot is placed and a large vessel of oil, -and the blazing flame, fed from time to time with oil poured over it, -illuminates the performance with a lurid light, which gives a fantastic -appearance to the figures. A portion of the circle is reserved for -the orchestra, the leader taking his place inside a hollow cylinder -hung round with drums and cymbals, while the lesser musicians group -themselves around the noisy centre. No permanent theatre exists even -in the capital, nor are the performers paid by the audience. It is -the custom for those who desire on any particular occasion to “give -a pooay” to engage one of the various troupes of players, for whom a -pavilion is extemporised opposite the house, while the public form -regular rows around, and enjoy the gratuitous spectacle. Such an -enclosure was set up in the Residency compound. The first intimation -of the coming pooay was the early arrival of the orchestra some hours -before the performance was to commence, making their presence known by -a noisy rehearsal of the music of the play, which soon drew together -an expectant crowd. As in pooays generally, the actors and actresses -then by degrees dropped in, each accompanied by a friend or servant to -assist in the toilettes, which were made in public; the men and women -taking their places on opposite sides of the orchestra. The actors -arrayed themselves in robes stiff with tinsel, over which they placed -an apron of curious work and cumbrous form, and crowned their heads -with a species of tiara shaped like a pagoda. Each actress brought -with her a small box containing cosmetics, flowers for adorning her -hair, and a little mirror. Seating herself on a mat, she substituted -for her ordinary jacket a bespangled gauze coat over her richly woven -silken _tamein_, or skirt, which was tucked so tightly round her limbs -that it gave her a shuffling gait. The decorating of her hair with -sweet-smelling flowers, the powdering of her face, and the painting of -her eyebrows, constituted however the _chef-d’œuvre_ of her toilette, -requiring constant appeals to the mirror to ensure its success. She -then as a finishing stroke threw around her neck numerous strings of -imitation pearl beads, which reached down to nearly the knee, and -in each lobe of her ears inserted a solid cylinder either of gold, -jade, or amber, called a _nodoung_. She then smoked a cheroot while -unconcernedly awaiting her call. This occupation, indeed, was never -pretermitted during the performance, except while the actor’s lips -were occupied in declamation or song. The royal prima donna, whose -professional reputation is very high, and who sang sweetly, would -at the end of a passionate outburst coolly relight her cheroot at -the blazing faggot by the tree, and smoke it till her next speech or -song. Besides the dramatic performers, the royal tumblers and jugglers -appeared every afternoon, and executed surprising feats, which were -witnessed by an enthusiastic crowd. The agility of the tumblers was -remarkable. One man would, as it were, fly rather than spring over a -row of nine boys arranged as if for leap-frog. He also leapt through a -square formed by keen-edged knives held by two men, and disposed with -the edges at right angles to his progress, and giving barely space for -the passage of his body. One remarkable exhibition was that of a girl -of sixteen, who possessed most singular elasticity of body. She laid -herself on the ground, and, without apparent effort or distress, bent -her body backwards till her toes rested on her head, as shown in the -illustration taken from a photograph. She also possessed the power of -moving the muscles of one side of her face and body, while those of -the other side remained in a perfect state of repose. The feats of the -jugglers were even more puzzling than those of the Indian performers, -and seemed to be very popular with the crowd. - -[Illustration: POSTURING GIRL AT MANDALAY.] - -The day after our arrival, the foreign minister, or _kengwoon -meng-gyee_, paid us a visit, and invited us to a breakfast, which -was served with great profusion, and was almost English in its style. -At a separate table tea was prepared of two sorts; one the ordinary -infusion of tea leaves, the other from hard black cakes stamped with -Chinese letters, and exactly resembling tablets of Indian ink. These -are prepared by the Shans from the Chinese leaf tea, and produce a -liquor as pale as sherry, but of excellent flavour. The visit and -breakfast of the foreign minister was followed in due succession -by similar civilities on the part of the other meng-gyees; and a -day was appointed for our presentation to the king, an honour which -had been vouchsafed to the mission of 1868 neither on its outward -nor homeward journey. Accompanied by the British Resident, Captain -Strover, we proceeded on royal elephants, sent for our use, to the -palace enclosure, where we found the meng-gyees seated on carpets in a -small _hlot_, or open hall, outside the palace gate. Having doffed our -shoes, we seated ourselves on the carpets with feet carefully hidden, -according to court etiquette, and conversed with the ministers, while -attendants served tea, fruits, and cakes. At last we were informed that -the king was ready to receive us; so, having resumed our boots, we -proceeded through a small postern in the inner palace stockade into the -large open space, on the far side of which rose the lofty temple-like -structure with its nine roofs, topped by the golden htee which marks -the centre of the capital and state of Burma. Boots were again removed, -and we ascended the short flight of steps into a spacious open hall -with rows of gilded pillars, and filled with a numerous guard, all -prostrated on their knees before the august presence of the meng-gyees -who escorted us. Two more halls were successively passed through, and -then through a side passage the audience hall was reached. This was -a large apartment painted white, with a gilded railing cutting off -two-thirds of its area. In the wall opposite to the railing were a pair -of gilded folding-doors, and on the right and left a row of pillars. -From amidst the ranks of the body-guard, all dressed in spotless white, -and squatted on the ground, we entered within the railing, and imitated -in our own way the uncomfortable position prescribed by etiquette, -carefully turning our feet to the rear. Behind either side of us, were -the ministers of state duly crouching. Before the folding-doors, and a -few yards removed from us, was spread a gorgeous velvet carpet of red -and gold pattern, on which stood a golden couch richly bejewelled. A -square pillow, an opera-glass, and two golden boxes were laid ready for -the absent occupant, and by the head of the couch stood a betel box in -the form of a golden _henza_, or sacred goose, inlaid with jewels. - -Presently the folding-doors were thrown open, disclosing a long vista -of golden portals, through which we saw his Majesty of Burma advancing, -accompanied by a little boy five or six years old. The Burmese -ministers, courtiers, and body-guard instantly bowed their faces to -the ground, and remained prone with hands held up in the attitude of -supplication. The Europeans bowed after their fashion, and the king, a -man of about sixty years, with a refined, intellectual face, quick eye, -and pleasing but dignified manners, reclined on the couch and saluted -us graciously. He then entered into a complimentary conversation, -looking at us through his opera-glass, though not twenty yards distant. -He expressed himself in the most friendly manner, and offered one of -his steamers to convey the party to Bhamô, which was politely declined -on the ground of all arrangements having been already made. All his -questions were duly repeated by one of the officials crouching at -our side, who rendered into courtly phraseology the somewhat laconic -replies of Colonel Browne. After the interview had lasted about fifteen -minutes, the king suddenly closed the conversation, the folding-doors -flew open, and he disappeared. The Burmese raised their heads, the -Englishmen stretched their legs, fruits and cakes were served on silver -salvers and cold water in golden cups, while the meng-gyees themselves -helped us and pressed us to eat. - -Thence we were conducted to view the so-called white elephant in his -small but richly adorned dwelling, which, with the concomitants of -golden umbrellas and attendants, he does not deserve by his rarity, as -he is not whiter, except about the head, than many elephants I have -seen in India. - -For the rest of the palace and the surrounding city, the short -description already given will still serve. The suburbs manifested a -decided increase in the number of buildings and population, and the -inhabitants seemed more busy and prosperous than ever, as a proof of -which we remarked a new bazaar, built two years ago, twelve hundred -feet long and five hundred broad. The beauty of the environs, as viewed -from the angle towers of the city wall, seemed as striking as when -first beheld, and was enhanced by the lake-like waters of the broad -moat which now surrounds the walls of the city. Besides this additional -defence, the king is engaged in the construction of a fort on the left -bank of the river between Ava and Amarapoora. When approaching the -capital, we had noticed the works, distant at this season more than a -mile from the channel, though in the rainy season the river must reach -almost to the walls. Immediately opposite, on the right bank, rise the -chimneys of an iron foundry erected to work the iron obtained from the -neighbouring Tsagain hills. Like other Burmese works, both are still -unfinished, and are likely never to reach completion. - -The steamer _Mandalay_ arrived on January 2nd, bringing the numerous -and cumbrous boxes of presents, the Australian and Arab horses, and -the kangaroo dogs, all under the charge of the Sikh guard and Mr. -Fforde, superintendent of police, who was to bring the guard back from -the frontiers of China. A list of the fire-arms on board had been -forwarded to the royal officials, and the Burmese customs officers -had examined those brought at the frontier station of Menhla to see -that they tallied with the list. On the following day we embarked, -accompanied by Captain Strover and his medical attendant, Dr. -Cullimore, who, with a tsare-daw-gyee deputed by the king to look after -our wants, were to accompany us as far as Bhamô. - -The cordial reception experienced at the capital, and the readiness -shown by all the officials to “comfort and assist” the mission, seemed -to prove from the first that the king of Burma was sincere in his -promise to secure us a safe passage through his dominions. Sinister -rumours of his real dislike to the mission were, it may be said, of -course, not wanting, some of which reached our ears in the capital -itself, and others at a later period. However, we felt more inclined -to regard actions than mere words, and there has been no reason -subsequently to doubt the king of Burma respecting the promises he -had made. A royal steamer, laden with cargo and passengers, left the -capital for Bhamô before we got our steamer and its flat under weigh. -The latter was a large barge, somewhat resembling a Thames shallop, the -hull loaded with three hundred tons of salt, and the main deck, over -which the upper deck, or rather story, was raised on iron uprights, -crowded with steerage passengers. Our party occupied the cabins in -the fore part of the flat, the forecastle of which served us as an -open-air saloon. The navigation of the Irawady in the dry season -is somewhat uncertain, and the voyage proved unusually long. We had -scarcely proceeded a few miles when it was discovered that the stores -for the guard had been unloaded at Mandalay, and it was necessary for -the steamer to cast off the flat, and return for the missing provender. -The next morning, soon after starting, some native boats, laden with -firewood, coming down the river, were swept by an eddy under the -paddle-wheels. The steamer had been stopped, but the crews, being -short-handed, were unable to pull their boats clear; they managed, -however, to save their lives, but boats and cargo were totally lost. -The next incident was the grounding of our too deeply laden flat on -a sandbank, where we were obliged to remain for four days, until the -steamer returned to Mandalay for a second flat, into which part of the -cargo was transhipped. Thus by the end of the first week, we had only -made twenty-five miles out of the two hundred and fifty to Bhamô. - -From this point, no further delays were experienced, save those due -to the usual morning fogs; and our upward voyage was, in all other -respects, agreeable. We were received with every demonstration of -respect by the officials of all the towns _en route_. On approaching -the places of most importance, we were met by war-boats sent to escort -us for a mile or more to the landing, where the local militia was -arrayed as a guard of honour. Reception halls had been erected, and the -young women were assembled singing and dancing, or rather posturing, -as the performers do not stir from one spot, but sway the body and arms -in measured and not ungraceful movements. Sometimes, when unable to -stop, we saw the dance proceeding on the river bank. At Myadoung, the -“army” drawn up in our honour consisted of three hundred men, ranged -along the bank, who executed a serpentine manœuvre, as they marched to -receive us at the landing-place, apparently to make their array seem -more imposing; they wore no uniforms, and, besides dahs and spears, -carried very old and well-worn flint muskets. At this place a handsome -shed had been erected, where no less than sixty-four fair performers -were assembled, and in the evening we patronised, by request, the -performance of a regular pooay. All these entertainments had been -commissioned by royal order, which the local officials obeyed to the -best of their ability. Thus the Shuaygoo Woon came on board, and most -earnestly invited us to halt for an hour, and honour his pooay by our -presence, a request which, if we had known his real sentiments towards -English visitors, would scarcely have been complied with. Above the -second defile, we met the steamer which had preceded us coming down on -her return trip, with a large flat laden with cargo and passengers. - -We did not complete our journey till January 15th, having spent -twelve days on the voyage, the last twelve miles of which, owing to -the difficulty of the channel, took ten hours to accomplish. As the -steamer neared the high river bank, the southern end of Bhamô, twelve -large war-boats, each manned by thirty men, and one of which contained -Captain Cooke, the British Resident, the Woon, and the other Burmese -officials, paddled out to meet us, with much beating of gongs, and, -passing in order, turned and followed in a long procession. The high -bank was crowded with the townspeople, Shan-Burmese and Chinese, with -an intermixture of Chinese Shans and Kakhyens. As soon as the steamer -and flats were moored, the Resident and the Woon, with his tsitkays, -came on board, and welcomed us to Bhamô. The Burmese had prepared a -house in the town for our accommodation, but the Resident pressed us to -take up our quarters in the Residency, whither we according proceeded. -This is a fine building of teak, which has been erected at a cost of -£1100, though a similar one at Rangoon would have cost at least £2000. -It occupies a commanding position on the site of an old Chinese fort -near the river bank, about a mile north of the town. This old fort, -at my first visit, was completely hidden in jungle; the moat is still -wonderfully perfect, and encloses a large area, of which the residency -compound, about two acres in extent, forms but a small portion. This is -surrounded by a fence or wooden framework, covered with mats. Outside -the gate a zayat has been erected, which at this period was occupied -by about fifty Kakhyens of the Mattin clan, whose chief had been -summoned to Bhamô in reference to the possible claims of the central -or embassy route. Living within the compound were a number of Shan -families from the Sanda valley, who were waiting for the arrival of the -_Mandalay_ to carry them down the river, on a pilgrimage to the shrines -of Rangoon. It was impossible to avoid regretting that the Residency -has been built so far from the town, and in a situation so exposed to -any sudden attack from Kakhyen or any other marauders. The jungle grows -to the very edge of the moat, affording complete cover for assailants, -while the interstices of the fence afford abundant opportunities for -intruding guns or spears. One would think that the selection of a -site within the town, and near the Woon’s house, would have seemed -to argue more confidence in the Burmese authorities, with whom the -Resident should be in constant and friendly intercourse, in order to -effectually look after the interests confided to him, without setting -up an _imperium in imperio_ over the Kakhyens of the hills. Recent -events have shown the insecurity of the present position, which, in the -case of any serious attack, could not be defended by the sepoys of the -Residency guard, who, at the time of our visit, could only muster eight -effective men. - -At the Residency we were welcomed by Mrs. Cooke, who shares with -her husband the risks and banishment of life in this far-off place, -giving a striking proof of the pluck and devotion to their lords which -characterises our countrywomen. Here, too, we made the acquaintance -with our future travelling companion, Mr. Ney Elias, and received the -information that Mr. Margary had arrived safely at Manwyne, and might -be daily expected to make his appearance at Bhamô. - -The day after our arrival, we decided that Colonel Browne, Mr. Fforde, -and myself, should reside in the town of Bhamô, for the greater -convenience of communication with the Burmese, and, as far as I was -concerned, with my staff of collectors. The Woon at once placed at -my disposal a small bamboo structure, built on the site of the house -tenanted by us in 1868. Opposite to it was the house, newly built, in -readiness for the present mission, in which Colonel Browne and Mr. -Fforde took up their quarters. The Woon was evidently much gratified by -this proceeding on the part of the officers of the mission, as showing -a friendly appreciation of his good offices. A temporary pavilion was -speedily erected over the street between the two houses, and on our -return from the Residency in the evening, a pooay was in full play -before an admiring audience. As soon as we had taken our seats in the -front of the verandah, trays of sweetmeats were set before us, and we -sat and viewed the performance till nearly midnight, as the jovial -laughter of the Burmese at the very broad jokes of the artists was not -conducive to sleep. - -[Illustration: VIEW IN BHAMÔ.] - -On the 17th, we were agreeably surprised by the arrival of Mr. Margary, -looking none the worse for his long overland journey from Hankow, -which he had left on the 4th of last September. But for a delay at -Loshan of six days, while waiting for new instructions, he would have -accomplished this tremendous journey in just four months. Starting -from Hankow, and passing the Tung-ting lake, on the Yang-tse, he had -ascended the Yuen river through Hoonan, and travelled by land through -Kweichow and Yunnan. - -The only real difficulty he experienced was at a town called Chen-yuen, -in Kweichow, where the boat journey ended on October 27th. Here the -populace endeavoured to prevent the removal of his luggage from the -boat, and it was only by means of an appeal to the mandarin, who at -first was uncivil but speedily yielded to the power of the passports, -and the interference of an armed guard sent by that official, that -he was enabled to proceed. It was necessary for him to sleep at the -Yamen, and leave the town in the early morning. When the mob learned -his departure, they wreaked their vengeance on the boatmen, and -destroyed their boat. On his land journey the people were everywhere -civil, though intensely curious, and the mandarins polite. He described -the scenery in Kweichow as splendid, but the roads rough and ragged, -carried almost always at a high level along pine-clad hills overlooking -valleys far beneath. The province appeared to have been sadly -devastated--the cities reduced to mere villages, and the villages to -collections of straw huts; everywhere ruins of good, substantial stone -houses abounded to show the former prosperity of the region before the -Miaou-tse came down from the hills and butchered the whole population. -Although twenty years have elapsed since this incursion, the cities -still remain like cities of the dead--their extensive walls surrounding -acres of ruins, with a few of the wild hillmen dwelling in them. - -His reception by the governor of the province at Kwei-yang-fu was very -cordial; and the latter promised to compensate the boatmen for their -loss in the destruction of their boat by the Chen-yuen mob. From this -city twenty days of steady travelling in a chair, twenty miles a day, -over fine mountains and through valleys almost deserted, brought him -to Yunnan-fu on November 27th. He met with civility everywhere; but -the acting governor-general of Yunnan, who was then _locum tenens_ -of the absent viceroy, proved himself a most friendly and indeed an -unexpected ally. Not content with loading the Englishman with honours -and courtesies, he sent two mandarins to escort him the rest of the -way, and despatched an _avant-courrier_ bearing a mandate to all the -local authorities, which secured marked respect for the traveller, and -also sent a quick courier with orders to the mandarins on the frontier -to take care of the expedition in case he should not have met us before -our entrance into China. From Yunnan to Tali a dreadfully rough road or -track of deep ruts and jagged stones led over high mountains and into -deep valleys. The ascents were so steep as to require a team of eight -or ten coolies harnessed with ropes to drag the chair up the dangerous -incline, often skirting the edge of a precipice; and in the narrow and -dangerous path strings of mules and ponies laden with salt were often -met with, to the great risk of the traveller. - -The state of the country is best described in his own words:--“It is -melancholy to see these fine valleys given up to rank grass, and the -ruined villages and plainly distinguishable fields lying in silent -attestation of former prosperity. Every day I come to what was a busy -city, but now only containing a few new houses inside walls which -surround a wide space of ruins. But the people are returning gradually, -and the blue smoke can be seen curling up here and there against the -background of pine-clad hills. It must take some few years to re-people -the country, rich as it is.” - -The last four days’ travelling before reaching the plain of Tali passed -through a mountainous district devoid of cities. The authorities of -Tali were at first averse to his entering the city, pleading their -fear of the turbulent and dangerous populace, against whom he had -been already warned by the viceroy; but by an adroit appeal to the -laws of etiquette, which constrained him to pay his respects to the -high authorities, he got over the difficulty. The much dreaded city -populace treated him not only with courtesy but with profound respect, -calling him _Ta-jen_, or Excellency. The several officials received him -well, and the Tartar general, an enormously large man, who had been -foremost in the storming of the city, placed him in the seat of honour -by himself, asked innumerable questions about England and Burma, and -promised to invite the mission to stay a few days at Tali-fu. - -Yung-chang was reached on December 27th, after passing through -“glorious scenery,” by a road leading over high mountain regions, but -with nothing so bad as “the horrid passes” previously encountered. -A daring robbery had been just committed on the highway, and a halt -was necessitated for the soldiers to scour the hills for fear of -lurking dacoits. The people were gradually returning to the villages, -and burning the jungle grass, which had overgrown the long abandoned -fields. The mandarins at Yung-chang were inclined to be obstructive; -but those at Teng-yue-chow, or Momien, which was reached in four days -from the former city, were “delightfully civil.” Here he received the -despatches informing him of the plans of the mission, and in accordance -with them he set out for Manwyne, arriving there after a journey of -five stages through the Shan country, which he described as a lovely -valley, and the people as sociable and amiable. At Manwyne he found -the Burmese guard of forty men, who had been sent forward from Tsitkaw -to escort him through the Kakhyen hills. Here also he met with the -redoubtable Li-sieh-tai, “now a Chinese general,” who was negotiating a -tariff of imposts on trade with the Kakhyen chiefs and Shan headmen. Li -received his first English visitor with the greatest honour, _kotouing_ -to him before all the assembled chiefs and notables. The Burmese -officers requested a delay to recruit their men, after the march over -the hills, and Margary, who was anxious to press on, endeavoured vainly -to induce Li to give him a guard, under whose protection he could -advance, leaving his followers and baggage to follow with the Burmese. -He recorded his opinion that there were intrigues going on in this -district adverse to the advance of the mission, but notwithstanding he -relied strongly on the express commands of the all-powerful governor of -Yunnan in its favour. - -His stay at Manwyne was marked by the most friendly intercourse with -the tsawbwa and his family, whose guest he was. He walked through the -town and shot over the banks of the river freely and unmolested; and, -as he writes, “I come and go without meeting the slightest rudeness -among this charming people, and they address me with the greatest -respect.” - -Under the escort of the Burmese guard he crossed the Kakhyen hills, -bivouacking one night in a clearing, as we had done on the former -journey, at Lakhon. He passed through eight or nine villages of the -Kakhyens, the savage appearance of these hill people striking him -forcibly after the civilised aspect of the Shans of the valleys, and -they treated him to a specimen of their bold impudence. His servant -Lin was menaced by one of these with a large stone, which he raised to -strike him with, and another drew his dah and made a daring attempt to -rob one of the men of his bag. After remaining a night at Tsitkaw, he -and his party descended the Tapeng by boat, and reached the Residency -early in the forenoon. It can easily be imagined with what feelings -we congratulated the first Englishman who had succeeded in traversing -“the trade route of the future,” as he called it, and with what -pleasant anticipations we heard of the accounts of his arduous but -successful journey, and the reception accorded all along the line of -route, crowned by the politeness shown by the dreaded Li-sieh-tai. The -astonishment and admiration of the Burmese was even greater. In their -own minds they had never realised the existence of English officials in -China, and now there appeared a veritable Englishman speaking Chinese -fluently, and versed in the use of chopsticks and all other points -of etiquette. This Petching _meng_, or Pekin mandarin, moreover, was -attended, besides the rest of his retinue, by a most imposing literate, -whose huge round spectacles gave him an aspect of wonderful wisdom, and -commanded the greatest respect from his countrymen at Bhamô. - -This worthy man, whose real name was Yu-tu-chien, and whose office was -that of writer or Chinese secretary, was a Christian from the province -of Hoopeh, one of the many sincere converts made by the Lazarist -missionaries. His intelligence and anxiety for knowledge, with his -amiable and faithful disposition, made him justly a favourite with all. -From the Woon downwards, every inhabitant who could speak Chinese was -anxious to interview and pay respects to the new-comers from Pekin, -and devoutly believed that the writer was a lesser mandarin sent in -attendance on the great man, and it must be confessed that Yu-tu -evidently increased in self-respect as he realised the estimation in -which he was held by the Chinese-speaking people, including the tsawbwa -of Mattin and his followers. - -The Woon, or governor of the town or district of Bhamô, was most -zealous in carrying out the royal orders, and was personally most -friendly. He was a short, elderly Burman, with prominent eyes and -good face, whose chief occupation seemed to be incessantly muttering -prayers, as he slid through his fingers the beads of the black amber -rosary which he invariably carried. His principal wife and his children -had been left in Mandalay as hostages for his good behaviour, according -to the usual Burmese policy; but his establishment was presided over -by a second or inferior wife, a stout elderly lady, whose acquaintance -I was privileged to make. This was on the occasion of an entertainment -given by him in honour of Margary, the day but one after his arrival. -We sat with him on carpets in his verandah, while about forty of the -prettiest and best dressed women of Bhamô, ranged in lines, postured -and sang in the covered courtyard below. The various officials formed -a background, and the crowd surrounded the performers. The infusion -of Shan blood is evident in the superior good looks and physique of -these daughters of the land. All were well dressed and adorned with -silver and some with gold bracelets and other jewellery; the older and -very much uglier women stood behind the last row of performers, and -led the singing. We squatted Burmese fashion, and smoked, while tea -and Huntley and Palmer’s biscuits were served with nuts and persimmons -dried in sugar, followed by the customary betel and pan. Fortunately, -etiquette did not oblige us to continue too long in the uncomfortable -posture, which Burmese adopt by habit, and we could come and go as -we liked during the two hours that the performance lasted. In the -evening we visited the Chinese temple, in which a ceremony or function -was proceeding on behalf of a Chinese townsman who had recently -become insane. One part of the ceremonial consisted of a theatrical -performance or puppet-show, viewed through a transparency, the actors -being represented by small figures cut out of leather, with talc heads; -they were moved by bamboos, one fixed at the back and another to one -of the arms. The figures were placed close behind the transparent -window, and a Chinaman in charge of each shouted the words of the part, -while he manipulated the figure with great skill. We were permitted -to go behind the scenes, and by a narrow wooden staircase ascended to -a lobby leading into a large room, which was full of Chinese, smoking -and drinking tea. Hundreds of the leather puppets were suspended round -the room from lines, as if they had been clothes hung up to dry. This -was at once the stage, green-room, and orchestra. The musicians were -seated along the walls on benches; the instruments were a flageolet and -a small violin, formed of a segment of bamboo, with a snake skin over -the opening, and two strings stretched to the end of the bamboo handle. -One man thumped two stones on a desk by way of drum; another played -the cymbals, and others small gongs. Behind the transparent windows, -at one end, stood a row of Chinese moving the puppets and shouting the -dialogue. All were amateurs engaged in a work of charity, though how -the patient was to be benefitted did not appear. - -During this exchange of civilities, the preparations for as early an -advance as was possible were not pretermitted. With regard to the -route to be traversed by the expedition, the Woon had fully expected -that the embassy or central road would be selected, and the Mattin -tsawbwa, through whose territory it passes, had come to Bhamô to make -arrangements for our transit. The Burmese preferred this route, as they -had more influence over those Kakhyens, and declared that they could -guarantee our safe passage more certainly by this route than any other. -The line to be followed would correspond with that travelled over on -our return journey in 1868. A Burmese embassy, carrying tribute to -China, had recently gone by this road, but was reported to have been -detained in the hills for more than a month, the mountaineers having -barricaded the road, in order to effectually extort black mail. This -embassy, or some of their members, had been heard of by Margary, as -he was passing near Momien. The fact that the tribute-bearing Burmese -embassies were accustomed to travel by this route did not recommend -it as advisable for the passage of our expedition, and the Political -Resident, with Mr. Elias, acting under orders, had, before our arrival, -made arrangements for us to proceed by the Sawady route. From thence -the road leads to Mansay, ten miles distant, a Shan village under -Burmese and Kakhyen protection, which is the regular rendezvous for -all Kakhyens coming down to Sawady or Kaungtoung to barter their goods -for salt and _ngapé_. From Mansay, four marches through the country of -the Lenna Kakhyens conduct to Kwotloon, in the Shan state of Muangmow, -on the right bank of the Shuaylee. Thence the proposed route goes by -way of Sehfan, a Chinese Shan state, dependent on the governor of the -walled town of Muanglong, up the valley of the Shuaylee, and crosses -the watershed to Momien. Such information as was possessed had been -obtained by Moung Mo, the Kakhyen interpreter, who had been despatched -by the Resident, in 1873, to Muangwan, and thence to Sehfan. He -described the country between this and Muangmow as a cultivated plain, -studded with villages, and the Shuaylee as a deep river a hundred yards -wide. Sehfan is a small town of three hundred houses, surrounded by -numerous large villages. Its chief had been brought up by the Chinese -governor of Muanglong, and was a firm friend of the Chinese; he had -recently married the eldest daughter of my old friend, the Hotha chief, -with whom we had spent such pleasant days in 1868. - -In 1873, great disturbances were caused by the aggressions of a Shan -rebel from Namkhan, a Burmese Shan state on the left bank of the -Shuaylee; and the Maran Kakhyens, who were at feud with the next clan -of the Atsees, frequently attacked caravans and looted Sehfan villages. -Beyond Sehfan lay the populous Chinese Shan states of Muangkwan, with -two large towns of one thousand houses, and Muangkah on the Salween. -The Chinese towns of Muanglong and Muanglem were both described as -containing four thousand to five thousand houses, which is probably an -exaggeration. - -Agreements had been entered into with the Paloungto Kakhyen chief, -who had undertaken to provide two hundred bullocks for carriage, -mules not being procurable, and to escort the mission safely into the -Muangmow district. The necessity of employing pack bullocks extended -the time likely to be required for the journey to Momien to thirty or -forty days; as, however, it was a principal object to explore this -partially known route, which was universally admitted to present the -fewest physical difficulties, the time so expended and the slow rate -of travelling appeared likely to afford the scientific members of the -mission more ample time for inquiry and observations. In this view of -the case, the leader did not wholly concur, and though deciding to -proceed to Muangmow, he contemplated striking off thence via Muangwan -and Nantin. - -It turned out to have been overlooked in the preliminary arrangements -that Sawady is not in the Bhamô district, but under the jurisdiction of -the Woon of Shuaygoo, to whom no orders had been sent from Mandalay. -The Woon of Bhamô was rather nonplussed by our decision to adopt the -Sawady route, but sent to request his colleague of Shuaygoo to come -and advise on the subject. This, however, the official, who, as it -afterwards appeared, is utterly hostile to Englishmen, altogether -refused to do; but the Bhamô Woon decided to send his own troops under -the command of a tsitkay, a veteran officer, to escort us as far as -Mansay; but he evidently considered the Kakhyens beyond that point as -refractory, though nominally in the Burmese territory. The Kakhyen -pawmines declared their willingness to be answerable for our safety -from Mansay if the Burmese would convoy us thus far, and then reviewed -our two hundred packages, at the size of which they shook their heads. -The boxes had all been carefully calculated to hold seventy-five pounds -each, half a load for a mule, which carries fifty viss, equal to one -hundred and fifty pounds, and had been constructed for package on the -cross-trees used in mule carriage. Bullocks, however, cannot carry so -much, and the goods are loaded on them in bamboo baskets, which, lined -with the bamboo spathes, are almost watertight. It became necessary, -therefore, to rearrange the cumbrous baggage, which was a work of some -days. - -Profiting by the experience of the former expedition, Colonel Browne -resolved not to be encumbered with a cash-chest. All the coined money -was exchanged for _sycee_, or lump, silver, at the rate of one hundred -rupees for seventy tickals of the finest quality, or seventy-three -tickals and a half of the more alloyed which passes among the Kakhyens, -and these ingots were distributed among the private boxes of the party. - -Our inquiries about the several routes brought out the fact that the -Chinese fully believed us to be intent on making a railway, one man -remarking that the Sawady route was much the longest, but, “of course, -the best for the railway.” - -It is hard to follow the workings of the Chinese mind, but it was plain -that the objects of our expedition were as far from being perfectly -understood by them as ever, and that they watched the movements of -the mission with a secret feeling that the objects contemplated were -somewhat beyond the peaceful pursuit of the interests of commerce and -scientific inquiry. - -During the delay consequent on the alteration of the packages, our -friend the Woon got up _pooays_, or dances, for our amusement, and for -three hours at a time relays of women from the different quarters of -the town danced and sang. - -Shan letters were sent to the tsawbwa of Muangmow, and Margary -despatched Chinese letters to the governor of Momien and to -Li-sieh-tai, who had sent Kakhyen messengers to Tsitkaw to carry them -forward. It subsequently appeared that the letter had not reached -Li, as he had left Nantin before the arrival of the messenger, and -proceeded to Muangmow to await our coming. - -The 21st was a day of heavy rain, which seriously interfered with -packing arrangements; and as it was full moon, all amusement was -interdicted by the observance of the Burmese worship-day, which was -ushered in by the tolling of the Woon’s gong at seven, and at eight -o’clock we found him presiding over a congregation which assembled in -his house, the prayers being led by several priests. Our _tai_ was -quite free from the motley group of Burmese, Shan, and Kakhyen visitors -who had daily thronged it. This strict observance of what may be called -the sabbath was due to a recent revival of piety, stimulated by royal -orders on the subject. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -SAWADY. - - The _hun pooay_--Mission proceeds to Sawady--Visit from Woon--Rumoured - opposition--The Woon as a musician--Sawady village--Royal - orders--Baggage difficulties--Arrival of Mr. Clement Allan--Paloungto - chief--Kakhyen pilfering--Abandon route--Adopt Ponline route--Reasons - for change--Tsaleng Woon--Departure of mission to Tsitkaw--Elias and - Cooke proceed to Muangmow--Dolphins--Up the Tapeng--Tahmeylon--Arrive - at Tsitkaw. - - -On the following day the greater part of the baggage was stowed in -boats ready for departure to Sawady, which was fixed for the 23rd. The -Woon made his appearance at an early hour, bent on inviting Margary -and his writer, and all of us, to spend this the last day with him. -In the forenoon the usual _ying pooay_, or dance, went on, but in the -evening a _hun pooay_, or pooay acted by marionettes, was given. This -was a much more artistic affair than that of the Chinese puppets, the -marionettes being well made, regularly dressed figures about three feet -high. The stage on which they are presented is removed to a distance, -the proscenium forming, as it were, a frame proportioned to the size -of the figures; and the movers of the puppets stand behind a screen at -the back, and manipulate the little heroes and heroines by means of -strings. To the spectators they have a most real appearance, being very -cleverly handled, and the speeches are made by the invisible actors -with such art as to really seem as if proceeding from the puppets, so -as to suggest ventriloquism. This performance was evidently the most -popular form of entertainment. The Woon sat eyeing the puppets intently -through his binocular, just as his royal master had eyed us at the -audience, and the townspeople, squatted in rows, remained till midnight -eagerly watching the mannikins. The Woon produced an alarum clock which -had been rendered incapable of going, and amused himself tinkling the -alarum; but he was quite ignorant of the value of the hours, and even -after several lessons illustrated by a watch, he utterly failed to fix -the hands. - -On the next day, most of our party rode to Sawady, to which place the -guard and all the baggage had preceded them. Mr. Elias and I, however, -remained behind until we should receive the _mot d’ordre_ from Browne, -as the operation of packing the bullocks was likely to occupy some -days. The Woon, whom I had not seen that day, came in the afternoon to -apologise for his apparent neglect, as he had been engaged in receiving -public subscriptions for the regilding of the Shuaykeenah pagoda. He -was delighted at my offering a small contribution, and waxed eloquent -on the _entente cordiale_ engendered by such conduct, and sent for -his wife to bring a large silver vase containing the collection, to -which my donation was duly added. We had a long talk on the archæology -of the district, the old cities of Tsampenago and Kuttha, and the -founder of the Shuaykeenah pagoda, whom he asserted to have been a -king of Ceylon, named Thee-yee-da-ma-thanka, a legend commonly current -regarding the more ancient pagodas of Burma. In the evening he sent -the tsare-daw-gyee and the two tsitkays to pay a visit, from whom I -learned that there existed ancient histories of the district in some -of the khyoungs, one of which they promised, if possible, to obtain. -When they were shown a photograph of the Soolay pagoda at Rangoon, -they expressed their regret that during the municipal improvements of -the town the site of the sacred building had become the junction of -cross-roads, which seemed in their minds a desecration. They were, -however, relieved by the assurance that this must have been done by the -British authorities in ignorance of the religious prejudices thereby -affected. - -Two or three days passed without any incident of consequence, save that -on the 25th a Chinaman came to the Residency to report that he had -overheard some Yunnan Chinese talking in the bazaar, and had gathered -that an armed force had been despatched from Momien and Tali-fu to -Muangmow, under the command of Li-sieh-tai, to oppose our entrance -into China. His account, however, was very confused, and he had not -succeeded in hearing any very distinct statements, as the men had -evidently been suspicious of him. It is probable that this was merely -a garbled version of the fact that Li-sieh-tai had crossed from the -Tapeng valley to Muangwan with a few men _en route_ to Muangmow. The -same day letters arrived from Sawady to say that the departure of -the mission was fixed for the following day, upon which we went at -once to the Woon to secure boats, who most readily placed them at our -disposal. He afterwards paid us a visit, bringing his Burmese harp -of twelve strings, on which he showed himself no mean performer. He -was accompanied by a boy who played a sort of harmonicon, or musical -glasses constructed of slips of hard wood, which vibrated with a sweet, -full tone. Another performer clashed a pair of cymbals, and clicked -split bamboos like castanets. The airs were sweet and plaintive. -After the music we had a long conversation about England, Prussia, -France, and Persia, with the general relations of which governments -he showed himself to be well acquainted. Railways and the mode of -transit to England were also discussed; my interpreter, however, -though an educated Burmese and son of a native official, proving very -incompetent, and putting absurd statements into my mouth. The Woon had -brought a present of a fruit, which he said was a great rarity from -Yunnan. It was the size of an apple, of a bright yellow colour, with -a delicate skin enclosing a jelly-like pulp, the coolness of which he -expressed by a pantomimic passing of his hand from the throat to the -epigastric region. He called it _tsay-thee_; but inquiries from Elias -and Margary identified it as a persimmon. Of this fruit, quantities -in a dried form are imported to Burma, where they are a favourite -sweetmeat; but the fresh fruit is unknown. - -On the 27th we were ready to take boat to Sawady, and I bade farewell -to my friend, the Woon, who charged me to write to him. Elias and -myself started from Bhamô about 11.30, and arrived at Sawady in a -little more than a couple of hours. - -Sawady is a miserable village of about forty houses, though formerly -containing five times that number; but continual inroads by the -Kakhyens have reduced it to its present scanty dimensions. It is under -the protection of the Phonkan tsawbwa, who also, for a yearly payment -of salt, protects the village of Yuathet, situated about three quarters -of a mile to the north on the high bank of a small creek called -Theng-leng, which flows into the Irawady between high alluvial banks. -The village of Sawady is defended by a double bamboo palisade, and a -similar palisade runs along the narrow path dividing the two rows of -houses. As a further protection, boats, corresponding to the number -of houses, are moored to the river bank, and nightly the inhabitants -retire to them for sleep, and thus secure themselves against the not -infrequent nocturnal attacks of the Kakhyens. Sawady and Yuathet are -both small emporiums for trade, whither the Kakhyens resort to procure -fish and salt, and they bring bamboos to be floated down the river; -they are also ports for the trade to the interior. Around stretches a -vast plain, bounded by the distant hills, profusely covered with forest -and jungle, sometimes of underwood, sometimes of thick grass fifteen -feet high, with frequent swamps, which in the wet season are covered -with water. Before our arrival, Margary and Fforde had made expeditions -into the forest in search of game. Peafowl abounded there, perched at -inaccessible heights, on the highest trees, and they found the tracks -of tigers and other large game, but the solitudes were still as death, -and they returned without having started any animal. We found the -convoy of bullocks, under the charge of some hundred Kakhyens, encamped -outside the village. The Paloungto tsawbwa, a respectable-looking -man, clean and well dressed, with a huge roll of gold-leaf by way of -ear-ring distending the lobe of his ear, along with his pawmines, was -ready to receive the baggage. The Burmese guard encamped in hastily -improvised _tais_, while the Englishmen were accommodated in a rickety -zayat screened with curtains. - -On the second day (January 24th), orders came from Mandalay that -the Burmese guard should escort the mission right up to the nominal -frontier of Burma and China or to Kwotloon, instead of Mansay, as -previously arranged and approved by the Kakhyens, whose opinion of the -change was not given. They continued to take over the packages, giving -receipts for each, and making panniers suitable for carriage on the -bullocks, into which the boxes were to be packed. - -On the 25th, objections began to be raised to the size of the packages, -which had been previously altered at Bhamô, and next the tsawbwa -appeared to say that he had brought three hundred and thirty-six -bullocks, although we only required two hundred. He explained this, -by stating that Elias had doubted their ability to provide two -hundred bullocks. The chief, therefore, had brought three hundred and -thirty-six, to prove the contrary, and expected to be paid for the lot, -although he admitted that the Resident had contracted for one hundred -and fifty bullocks and twenty ponies. This proposal being got rid of, -the next demand was for payment of the hire in advance, which Colonel -Browne also negatived, but promised to pay him one-half the amount, -provided all was ready for a start in two days. - -The next day was accordingly spent in transferring all the remaining -baggage, with the exception of the boxes containing the wardrobes of -the officers and the cash, which were placed under the immediate care -of the Sikhs. - -The 27th found the preparations for starting still backward, a state -of things which was not improved by heavy rain, against which the -Englishmen and their followers were but slightly protected, and the -baggage not at all. The chief and his pawmines appeared to receive the -promised advance of hire, but he declined to fix a time for starting, -as he required salt wherewith to load the extra bullocks. When met -by a refusal to delay for this purpose, he departed in a bad temper, -leaving his pawmines to continue the discussion. They finally settled -to start the day but one after, on condition of receiving one viss -of silver in advance, and one hundred and forty rupees as demurrage -expenses, being ten rupees for each of the fourteen villages whence the -bullocks had come. This was a fair charge, as the men and their beasts -had been awaiting our arrival for some days. Elias and I arrived while -the payment was being made in lumps of sycee silver, one of which was -declared by a pawmine to be bad, and, being bitten, proved to be hollow -and filled with sand. Soothed by the receipt of the _compraw_, the -Paloungto chief declared that we were brothers, and he would be ready -to start “the day after to-morrow.” - -The evening brought a pleasant surprise to our party by the arrival of -Mr. Clement Allan, who had come from Mandalay in ten days, in a royal -boat. While passing on the river, he heard one of the Sikhs talking to -a Chinaman on the bank, and, hailing them, discovered our whereabouts. -He was thus saved the journey to Bhamô, and all our party were now -assembled, and notwithstanding the heavy rain, we spent a pleasant -evening in anticipation of a speedy departure. - -While at breakfast, we were disturbed by hearing a number of gun shots, -and learned that the Kakhyens had endeavoured to remove our clothes -boxes in order to add them to the general baggage. The Sikhs on guard, -having received orders not to lose sight of them, declined to permit -their removal, whereupon the indignant Kakhyens fired their muskets -in the air. The Burmese tsitkay expressed uneasiness as to the temper -of the Kakhyens, and seemed to fear a collision with them, as they -numbered about four hundred men armed with muskets. There evidently -existed some ill-feeling between the Kakhyens and the Burmese, and -it unfortunately happened that all interviews with the chief were -conducted in presence of the Burmese officials. It came out in the -course of the day that the Paloungto chief had not entered into any -convention with the other tsawbwas of the route. The Resident had -been assured that a passage through their territories was certain on -payment of the ordinary dues. The chief had declared that most of -them would support his arrangements, but that it would be necessary -at Mansay to agree with the Phonkan tsawbwa, who would not come to -Sawady. The inveterate curiosity and pilfering habits of the hillmen -were exemplified by their boring holes in several provision tins in -order to ascertain the contents, the holes being afterwards carefully -stopped with cotton; our sugar, salt, and bags of rice were taken -toll of, and sundry bottles of brandy had mysteriously disappeared; -and it was subsequently discovered that the screws had been drawn -out of the boxes. Still, when it is remembered that a number of wild -hillmen had been detained in this place for a fortnight, with scanty -provisions, allowance must be made for petty thieving, without arguing -a deliberate intention of plunder. Our leader, however, began to be -seriously anxious about the prospects of safe transit through the hills -by this route. To the difficulty arising from the known antipathy of -the Burmese to the Lenna Kakhyens, there was now added the declaration -of some Shans of Muangmow, that the hillmen would not be permitted to -cross their borders, and this tended to make Colonel Browne suspicious -of the real intentions of the Paloungto chief. The climax was reached -when the old interpreter, Moung Mo, announced in the evening that our -expected start was postponed _sine die_, and that the chief, displeased -at being refused the charge of our clothes boxes, declined to accompany -us, devolving our escort on his pawmines. Upon this, Colonel Browne -resolved to return to Bhamô, and make arrangements for proceeding by -the old Ponline route, instead of that by Sawady and the Shuaylee. -But I think it doubtful that the Paloungto chief had any dishonest -intentions. He could not have divined the presence of the specie in -the boxes, and it was natural that he should require all the baggage -to be made over on the eve of starting, and should resent the obvious -imputation on his honesty, implied in the refusal to surrender these -boxes. - -We rode to Bhamô through jungle grass fifteen feet high, interrupted -occasionally by hollows studded with trees. The intersecting creeks -were difficult to cross, as the path, or rut, through the high -sandbanks was steep, and barely wide enough for a passage, so much so -that one of the ponies, with his rider, rolled back into the water, -which was only about three feet deep. Having arrived at Bhamô, and -decided to go by the Ponline route, if practicable for the led horses, -the Resident started for Tsitkaw, to summon the Kakhyen chiefs, and -provide mules. The Woon, fearing that the Paloungto chief would not -surrender the baggage, despatched a reinforcement of armed men on board -of four war-boats, mounted with gingals. We returned to Sawady by -water, bringing several large boats for the baggage, which were left -at Yuathet, by way of precaution against alarming the Kakhyens. On the -30th the tsawbwa and his pawmines came in from their camp, and Browne -recapitulated the delays and broken promises of the past week as well -as the want of arrangements with the other tsawbwas of the route. The -chief replied that his refusal to start had been caused by his anger at -being refused the care of the boxes; that he was willing to start “the -day after to-morrow;” but if we refused to go by his route, he should -expect to be paid the agreed hire for the bullocks brought down. The -reply to this was that, whatever the Resident and pawmines, who had -made the original contract, agreed to as justly due should be paid. -Browne, however, offered a douceur of a viss of silver as soon as the -baggage was restored. This was agreed to; and the men at once set to -work to bring back the boxes, which were transferred to the large -boats, and on January 31st the entire mission, escorted by the Burmese -war-boats, returned to Bhamô, having definitely abandoned the route by -Sawady, and elected to travel by the northern or Ponline road. - -Letters had been received from the Resident, written from Tsitkaw, to -the effect that plenty of mules were procurable, and that the Burmese -officials had summoned the Kakhyen chiefs. On our arrival at Bhamô, we -found a force of three hundred men in war-boats armed with gingals, -collected under the command of the Woon, who had been about to come in -person to Sawady to deliver us, if necessary, from the hands of the -Lenna Kakhyens. This was an additional proof, if any had been needed, -of the care of the Burmese for our welfare, and of the uncertainty -of their relations with the southern hill tribes. It was with great -reluctance that I for one turned my back on the Sawady route, the full -exploration and eventual establishment of which as the future trade -route had been proposed as a special object of our mission. It was -generally understood to be, though the longest, the one which presented -fewest physical difficulties; and of its actual employment we had -ocular demonstration in the trading parties, numbering many mules and -bullocks, which were continually coming and going during our stay at -its terminus. - -The northern route had been thoroughly explored six years before, -and full information collected concerning its physical and social -conditions, while the change in the political relations affected all -routes alike. As was afterwards ascertained, we were expected by the -Chinese at Muangmow, whither, it appears, Li-sieh-tai had gone to meet -the mission, and, as far as may be judged by his conduct, without -hostile intentions; and besides all this, Mr. Elias, cooperating with -the British Resident at Bhamô, had visited the Lenna Kakhyens a month -before, and had made arrangements with them, according to which they -had brought down their beasts of burden for the conveyance of the -mission. Among various reasons assigned for abandoning the route were -the suspicious bearing of the Paloungto chief, and the possible, if not -probable, risk of delay in the hills. This would have been aggravated -by the chance that the provisions of the Sikhs, who were only supplied -with flour for thirty-five days, might run short. Another danger was -conceived to lie in the want of arrangements with the Phonkan chief, -who might prove as obstructive as he of Ponsee had done, and either -stop or fleece the mission. With regard to the behaviour of the Lenna -chief of Paloungto, it might have been expected that any lurking -ill-will would have been aggravated by the disappointment experienced -at losing the fair profits of a convoy, for which he had brought down -carriage and waited so long. At the time, the presence of the large -Burmese force may be thought to have restrained him; but the subsequent -reception given by him and his brother of Wurrabone to Mr. Elias and -Captain Cooke showed him to be thoroughly well affected, and almost -anxious to prove the absence of any ill-feeling. It was a generally -wise and proper policy to thoroughly conciliate the goodwill of the -Burmese officials, and to carry them with us in all our proceedings. -This line of conduct was carefully and consistently adopted by our -leader, but, consequently, there was no opportunity afforded to the -Kakhyen chief of expressing his sentiments as to the Burmese guard. -His only intercourse with our party was by interview held in presence -of the tsitkay, at which he was expected to take the position of an -inferior, squatting on the ground before men to whom he acknowledged -no subordination; and it is to be regretted that he did not find an -opportunity for confidential communication which might probably have -led to a better understanding. It must also be remembered that Kakhyen -chiefs do not comprehend the value of time, or share our notions as -to procrastination, and are not above “trying it on” in order to gain -a little more silver. As regards the possible complications with the -Phonkan tsawbwa, who six years before had announced his wish for the -passage of British commerce through his country, although he could not -or would not come into Sawady, he might have been induced to have met -and conferred with us at Mansay, while, if supplies of flour were not -procurable at Bhamô, yet, according to the experience acquired in 1868, -they were available in the Shan valleys and at Momien. - -On February 1st, we were all assembled in our old quarters at Bhamô. -The Woon was rather nonplussed at the adoption of the Ponline route, -and anxious as to the dangers of attack to which the mission might be -exposed before reaching Manwyne, though no whit relaxing his efforts to -carry out our wishes. Another Woon, he of Tsaleng, arrived in the royal -steamer, and seemed to fill the post of counsellor to his colleague, -who was perplexed by the news which arrived from Cooke, that all the -tsawbwas were at Manwyne discussing the tariff, and could not return -for some days. The same steamer brought up from Mandalay two Kakhyen -chiefs of the central route, viz. Muangkha and Poonhya. In return for -services rendered to the recent Burmese embassy, these two chiefs had -been received with high honour, and presented with gold umbrellas and -gilded saddles. They rode through Bhamô on ponies decorated with the -gilded equipage, while each rider wore a golden head-band bearing his -titles, preceded by a man carrying the golden umbrella, and escorted by -others beating gongs and proclaiming his rank. - -On the 3rd, the heavy baggage and guard were embarked in boats to -proceed to Tsitkaw, accompanied by Fforde and myself, leaving Colonel -Browne and Margary to follow by land, while Elias had arranged to -attempt the passage by the Sawady route, and join the rendezvous at -Momien. The flotilla started from the river bank at Bhamô, and poled -up the Irawady to the mouth of the Tapeng, our progress against the -rapid stream being slow, and impeded by numerous projecting snags and -occasional sandbanks, where the water was so shallow that the crew -were obliged to jump overboard and push or drag the heavily laden -boats along. Immediately outside the mouth of the Tapeng extended a -bar of sandbanks, beyond which the great river suddenly deepened to -about eighty feet of water. In this deep reach numerous round-headed -dolphins were sporting. This being the pairing season, the males were -chasing the females. Some were swimming with their heads half out of -water, and _jerking from their mouths_ large quantities of water to -some distance. One or two were noticed apparently standing erect in the -water, with their heads elevated straight above its surface, so that -nearly the whole of the pectoral fins was plainly visible; others, in -pairs, were rolling about on their sides. One was fired at, but simply -responded by a splutter and a dive. The boatmen, seeing our interest in -them, declared that they would come if called, and proceeded to utter a -peculiar sound of _hrr, hrr_, and to drum on the side of the boat with -a stick. They informed us that the dolphins do not proceed higher up -the river than a rocky headland in the first defile, called Labein-hin, -or Dolphin Point, because the nats have established a customs station -there to collect an impost, which the dolphins are not willing to pay. -The dolphin of the Irawady (_Orcella fluminalis_, Andr.) is the only -round-headed form as yet known to be found in fresh water, individuals -having been rarely observed much below Prome, three hundred miles -from the sea, or nearly so. The colour of the body is a dusky slate, -and the under part of a dirty white; they attain a considerable size, -individuals ten feet in length being not uncommon. Besides the round -head, they are distinguished from the long-snouted dolphin of the -Ganges (_Platanista gangetica_, Lebeck), which also inhabits fresh -water exclusively, by the much larger, fully proportioned eye. The -latter, as a tenant of the muddy water of the Ganges, which must be -almost impervious to vision, has a very minute eye. In the Yang-tze and -in the great lake of the Cambodia, dolphins are also found, and will -probably prove to be closely allied to those of the Irawady; but as -yet we have no knowledge of their characters. In the estuaries of the -Bay of Bengal there is a small, round-headed dolphin closely allied to -this Irawady cetacean, but it never ascends to the fresh water of the -rivers. Apart from the scientific interest of these large fluviatile -mammals, they form a striking feature in the river scenery of the -Irawady as they roll and tumble in long lines up the deep reaches, and -seem to delight in keeping pace with or outracing the steamers. They do -not appear to migrate through the whole distance of the river’s course, -but to confine themselves within certain districts. The fishermen of -the river regard them with a superstitious respect, and each village -is believed to be under the protection of a particular dolphin, which -guards the fishery. An offer of one hundred rupees altogether failed to -induce the people to catch a specimen; and it was only by the fortunate -acquisition of a dead carcass thrown upon the bank, and secured by -Captain Bowers, that I was enabled to make a thorough comparison of -the structure of this remarkable inhabitant of the river. It should be -added that the great black-headed gull is so regular a companion of -the dolphin that it is called by the fishermen the _labein-nuet_, or -dolphin-bird. - -The progress of the flotilla of six laden boats against the rapid -stream of the Tapeng was necessarily slow. The right bank presented a -wide stretch of level country studded with tall cotton trees and oil -trees. The highest leafless branches of the former furnish eyries for -the ring-tailed eagle (_Haliaetus leucoryphus_, Pallas), a pair of -which birds were perched on a tree close to the bank commanding the -river. One bird was added to our collection. The left bank was clothed -to the water line with an impenetrable forest of magnificent trees, -rising from a jungle with ratans and luxuriant musæ. Numerous peacocks -displayed their splendid plumage on the high branches, most provokingly -out of shot. Hornbills, brown doves with violet necks abounded, and in -the jungle, barking deer, hog-deer, and sambur. The exposed sandbanks -were covered with snake-birds; terns, black-headed egrets, plovers, and -Brahminy ducks and wild geese also were frequent. We moored for the -night at the village of Queyloon, in time for a short excursion to some -abandoned rice plantings, in search of wild ducks; returning from which -we observed numerous small owls, the soft eccentric flight of which -resembled that of the goat-sucker. - -Soon after sunrise we were again _en route_, having waited some -time for a promised supply of buffalo milk, this being an almost -unattainable luxury in Burma; but the baby buffalo had anticipated our -demand, and disappointed our hopes. At the village of Tahmeylon, where -we had made a stoppage on the first ascent of the Tapeng in 1868, the -changes of the river channel were exemplified. At that time the water -ran deep under a high bank, but now a broad sandbank extended in front -of the village. We had landed on the other side of a neck of land which -caused a bend in the river, intending to strike the public path, which -we missed, and had to make our way by buffalo runs, which penetrated -the tall thick grass like tunnels. Along these we had to proceed nearly -doubled up, occasionally caught and almost choked by creepers, drenched -by the dank grass overhead, and knee-deep in miry clay. By dint of -keeping the sun before us, we succeeded in reaching Tahmeylon by noon. -Beyond this, the course of the river winds in a remarkable manner, -doubling successive long tongues of land, and enclosing a large island -overgrown with impenetrable jungle, until the village of Maloolah is -reached, on the left bank. The villagers warned us to moor our boats -for the night at some distance from the bank for fear of tigers, which -are numerous, and attack boats near the bank, and even the villages, at -night. In the neighbouring village of Tsitgna, ten of the inhabitants -had been killed by tigers in the preceding twelve months. We crossed -the stream in the morning in a dug-out, intending to shoot peafowl in -the forest which covered the rising ground on the right bank, but the -margin of the forest proved so swampy as to prevent all access. Jungle -fowl and squirrels were numerous, and our servants reported hog-deer. -We rejoined the boats at the outflow of the Manloung stream, having -breakfasted at the pagodas of Old Tsampenago. A labyrinth of streams -and swamps extends on the right bank to the place where a branch of -the Tapeng flows round and joins the Manloung stream. On the left -bank the forest is dense and high, and beyond it rises the irregular -outline of the Kakhyen hills, gradually becoming more distinct as -Tsitkaw is approached. At this village we found a khyoung outside the -stockade prepared for our accommodation, and the baggage was stored -in a large shed used for the storage of the royal cotton. A Burmese -guard, under the command of the tsare-daw-gyee, formed a cordon around -our residence, and by night had erected a number of huts, while their -fires formed a circle within which no robbers nor tigers were likely to -penetrate. - -At five in the afternoon of the next day, Browne, Margary, and Allan -arrived from Bhamô, which they had left at 10.30. The necessity of -avoiding the network of streams and swamps had obliged them to cross -the river three times in boats, while the two led horses and the ponies -swam across. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -THE ADVANCE. - - Residence at Tsitkaw--View from our house--The Namthabet--Junction - of the rivers--Arrival of the Woon--Conference of - tsawbwas--Hostages--Kakhyen women--Rifle practice--A night alarm--A - curious talisman--We leave Tsitkaw--Camp at Tsihet--Burmese - guard-houses--Lankon, Ponline--Camp on the Moonam--Hostile - rumours--Camp on the Nampoung--Departure of Margary for - Manwyne--Escape of hostages--Letter from Margary--We enter China--Camp - on Shitee Meru--Burmese vigilance--Visit to Seray--Conference - with Seray tsawbwa--Suspicious reception--Return to camp--Burmese - barricades. - - -The village of Tsitkaw, which seemed little changed as to its dirty -poverty since my recollections of 1868, consists of about eighty huts, -built on piles, enclosed within a bamboo stockade, which was being -repaired. The western half of the village is occupied by Chinese, and -for the first time the Chinese women are seen, for there are none -in Bhamô. At this time the Celestials were busy erecting a wooden -temple outside the stockade. Their principal men came to our khyoung -to greet Li-kan-shin, otherwise Moung Yoh, who was known to them, and -had been supposed to be dead. In the Buddhist khyoung, two French -missionaries, Father Lecomte and another, whom we had met at Bhamô, -had taken up their abode. They professed to be engaged in opening -communications between their mission in Burma and that in Yunnan, and -had made interest to accompany our party. It now appeared that they -proposed proceeding to Manwyne by themselves; but the Woon of Bhamô -interfered, and refused to allow them to enter the Kakhyen hills on the -north of the Tapeng. We were rather puzzled to understand their exact -object or account for their sudden change of plans. - -[Illustration: TSITKAW, ON THE TAPENG, LOOKING TOWARDS THE KAKHYEN -HILLS.] - -We had to remain at Tsitkaw some days, until the Kakhyen chiefs -assembled and the mules for carriage to Manwyne arrived. The air and -water are better than at Bhamô, and our sojourn, with its excursions, -was a pleasant time. Our residence consisted of two bamboo houses, as -it were, placed side by side, the drainage of the two roofs in the -centre being caught in a hollowed log of wood. A wooden ladder led up -to the first apartment, beyond which the sleeping room was shut off by -a _kalagah_, or curtain. To the rear a wide alluvial flat stretched -away to the dense jungles swarming with tigers, and beyond which lay -the Manloung lake and its adjoining swamps. From the front a charming -view presented itself. Below a grassy bank ran the swift, smooth -stream, one hundred and fifty yards broad, bordered on the other side -by yellow sandbanks, fringed by a high screen of rich verdure marking -the limit of the Tapeng in flood. Beyond this rose the wall of the -luxuriant forest, backed by the lofty, well wooded Kakhyen mountains. -Six miles distant, this wall appeared unbroken, for the gorge by which -this river debouches is masked by a low line of hills, round which -the Tapeng is deflected in a north-west direction, until it comes -round above Tsitkaw, to flow towards the Irawady. There were manifold -temptations for a sportsman or a naturalist; on the long alluvial flat, -in the morning, flocks of parrots, Sarus crane, and Brahminy ducks, -were seen feeding in numbers, and large snipe and glossy ibis abounded -in the paddy fields. On the sandbanks bordering the river, flocks of -wild geese were wont to settle, and afforded us some most literally -wild goose chases. In the great trees, as Margary said, the gorgeous -peacocks were as plentiful as magpies, and he was most anxious to -secure some of their feathered spoils, to send to General Chiang at -Momien, who wanted the plumage for his hat. We participated in most -enjoyable excursions, and, to quote his words again, led a regular -gipsy life. One was to Manloung lake, where our havildar shot a deer, -to the delight of the Sikhs, who expressed unqualified admiration of -the country, and a strong desire that we should annex it. - -One day was devoted to a long walk to the Namthabet river, beyond the -detached range of low hills. From the village of Tsitgna, we crossed -in a dug-out to the opposite village of Kambanee, where we observed -some Kakhyen women, who seemed almost too frightened to raise their -eyes from the ground. The road, at first broad and good, led through -a level tract, covered by forest of _eng_ tree and high grass, of the -same character as that which extends between Bhamô and the hills. As -the land rose in long undulations, the character of the forest changed, -a variety of timber succeeded the _eng_ trees, and dense groves of -bamboos filled the hollows. The slopes soon led up to a tolerably high -ridge, covered with dense forest, except where patches had been cleared -for the cultivation of maize. The summit commanded an extensive view -of the Tapeng plain, and of the Manloung lake, which was seen to cover -a large area. We descended by a steep path, winding through bamboo -thickets and clearings. In traversing this richly wooded tract, which -seemingly contained all the essentials of a sylvan paradise, we were -impressed with the paucity of bird life; only a few parrots screeched -their surprise at the intruders. On a high tree, three pigmy hawks were -seen, one of which fell a victim to the exigences of science. - -We presently came on the Namthabet, a clear, rapid stream, winding in -a rocky channel down a narrow valley, beyond which rose the mass of -the Kakhyen hills, clothed with dense forest. A Kakhyen woman was just -about to cross from the opposite side, but fled at our appearance, and -no persuasion on the part of our guide could induce her to return. We -descended the valley, passing a fire, on which rice was cooking in a -green bamboo, but the owner had hidden himself in the bush. We reached -the Tapeng at a place where a sort of slide had been cut in the banks, -down which the bamboos, when felled, are launched into the river, to -be floated into the Irawady, where they are made into rafts, and sent -down stream to the capital. A party of Kakhyens were seen busy at work -cutting bamboos, and we passed their temporary huts in a clearing; and -those of our party who were unacquainted with them seemed surprised -at their peaceful and friendly demeanour. A scramble over the rocky -left bank of the Tapeng brought us to the junction of the two rivers, -and the day’s march of fifteen miles was more than repaid by the -magnificent beauty of the gorge through which the Tapeng debouched from -the main range. The towering masses and walls of rock, clothed to their -summits with forest, at the base of which the river flowed deep and -slow, the exquisite foliage, and the rich colour of brilliant flowers, -made up an enchanting scene, very different from that which the same -river presented when last I viewed it, under lowering clouds and in -full flood, the height of which was now indicated by a faint brown line -on the rocks, thirty feet above its present level. The Namthabet flowed -out of a lesser gorge spanned by a ricketty bamboo bridge, which one of -us tried to walk over, but was speedily reduced to fall on hands and -knees and crawl across the vibrating structure. We made our way back -by a forest path through tangled vegetation, over the ups and downs -of the ridge, until the proper road was struck, by which Kambanee was -reached near sundown. - -An armed party, preceded by a sonorous gong, were descried making for -Tsitkaw, and at Tsitgna we learned that our old friend the Woon had -arrived in person from Bhamô to expedite the arrangements for our -progress to Manwyne. A conference had been held some days previously -with the tsawbwas of the northern hills; among whom were conspicuous -our old friend or enemy, Sala, the Ponline chief, and the pawmine of -Ponsee whom we had nicknamed “Death’s Head;” with them were others, -whose names were unknown to us. It had been agreed that the hire to be -paid per mule to Manwyne should be seven rupees eight annas, besides -a fee, by way of tax or toll, of five rupees for each animal. The -final arrangements had been postponed for five days, when a buffalo -sacrifice was to be held, at which all the chiefs interested could be -present. They had been convened at Manwyne not by mandarins but by -merchants, who wished to remonstrate with them about the robberies of -caravans, which constantly occurred on the Ponsee route. An instance -of this was reported during our stay, by some Chinese, who came in and -averred that they had been fired on by Kakhyens, near Ponsee, and had -been compelled to pay two hundred rupees blackmail. The day following -the Woon’s arrival, the Seray chief was alleged to have brought in a -drove of mules. Colonel Browne, on the Woon’s invitation, attended a -second conference, at which all the chiefs were present, and signed -an agreement, drawn up in Burmese. It was stipulated that they should -convey us safely to Manwyne, at which place the agreed upon presents -should be distributed to them, and that the sons of the Ponline, -Ponsee, and Seray tsawbwas should be detained as hostages for the -fulfilment of the contract. - -The son of the Seray chief was a young man whose demeanour and -countenance gave a most unfavourable impression; in fact, he appeared -to be a dissipated young ruffian, and decidedly unfriendly to the -strangers. Sala’s son was a lad of fourteen, much superior to his -father in appearance and manner; he was a frequent visitor to our -khyoung, and also a patient, as he suffered, like many of his -countrymen, from inflamed eyes, for the cure of which he seemed duly -grateful. He was rather a favourite of the old Woon, who took him to -Bhamô, and it is to be hoped that the better education and training -will fit him to be a better chief than his avaricious and treacherous -father. - -Consequent on the arrival of the tsawbwas, was a large influx of their -subjects, who flocked in in great numbers, both of men and women, -bringing presents of fowls and vegetables, and bamboo flasks of sheroo. -The members of our party who saw them in their native independence for -the first time were greatly interested in the “little scowling women” -and the half savage men. An unpublished letter, almost the last written -by Margary, graphically depicts them:--“We let them ascend to our ratan -floor, raised on stakes, and apart from the novelty, and indeed fun, of -trying to buy their various curiosities, it is by no means a savoury -infliction. The shocks of an electric machine produce a constant flow -of merriment, and we roar with laughter at the grimaces and contortions -of our savage guests. The women are getting bold by this time, and -come in considerable numbers, bringing us their simple offerings of -friendship. They are the queerest creatures imaginable, and dirty -beyond all description. Yet there is no small degree of coyness about -them, which makes them interesting, in spite of their red-stained lips -and unwashed legs. They wear the most marvellous girdles of loose rings -of ratan split to the thickness of a thread, and a belt covered with -cowries. The ears are pierced with big holes, in which they insert -silver tubes six inches long, adorned with tufts of red cloth. We have -been trying to-day to tempt them to sell these strange ornaments for -dazzling bead necklaces, but to no purpose. One creature permitted -me even to draw a tube out of her ear, but my attempts at bargaining -only produced good-humoured laughter from the men and giggles from the -women.” - -The curious crowds became at last so troublesome that we were obliged -to close the mat screen in front of our entrance hall, to secure -ourselves from the intruders who wished to watch us at our breakfast. -The excitability of their nature was exemplified when the Sikhs were -paraded at rifle and revolver practice at a target. The Kakhyen -eye-witnesses shouted and flourished their muskets, and some sprang to -the front blowing their matches, and indicating that they wished to try -their skill. The Burmese officers had to restrain them, and afterwards -the pawmines came forward, and formally asked the tsare-daw-gyee to -permit them to fire at the targets, at the same distance, three hundred -yards. This was refused, and the excitement gradually subsided. The -Burmese said that it all arose from the fact that a Kakhyen cannot even -hear a gun fired without instantly discharging his own piece, if only -in the air. - -On February 14th the Ponsee pawmine arrived to inquire when we would -start, and was informed that we were ready to set out at once. -Thereupon a conference of chiefs took place under a sort of cotton -tent or canopy, which had been erected by the Burmese, apparently -from mistrust of the ability of our floor to bear a crowd. It was -then decided that we should march on the 16th, as the Burmese wished -that a Chinese caravan should precede us. The tsare-daw-gyee remarked -that if the Kakhyens intended to attack either party, he would give -them the opportunity to do both, to avoid mistakes. He reported that -orders had been received at Manwyne, from the governor of Momien, -that the English mission was to be treated “according to custom,” of -which phrase no one could furnish any explanation. In the night we -were alarmed by what seemed to be an apparent stampede of mules, and -a prodigious shouting from the Burmese guard. It turned out that a -buffalo which the Kakhyens were slaughtering had broken loose, with its -throat gashed, and after a chase had been despatched just opposite our -khyoung, where in the morning they were cutting it up, having fixed -the head on a post of the zayat, probably in our honour as founders -of the feast. At noon, the tsare-daw-gyee appeared, accompanied by a -_tsitkay-nekandaw_, or deputy, from Bhamô, who had been sent by the -Woon to report progress. The official activity was stimulated by the -fact that the officer who had been sent up with us to Mandalay, and -had returned thither, had been condemned to banishment in chains to -Mogoung, because he had not waited to see us off. As the poor old man -had returned with our consent, and was in bad health, our leader wrote -to Mandalay to intercede for his pardon, which was subsequently granted -by the king. The tsitkay-nekandaw afforded a curious illustration of -a custom mentioned by Colonel Yule.[40] The upper part of his cheeks -was disfigured by large swellings, caused by the insertion under the -skin of lumps of gold, to act as charms to procure invulnerability. -Yule mentions the case of a Burmese convict executed at the Andaman -Islands, under whose skin gold and silver coins were found. The stones -referred to in the text of Marco Polo, as well as the substances -mentioned in the note by his learned editor, do not appear to have -been jewels. The custom prevails among Yunnan muleteers of concealing -precious stones under the skin of the chest and neck, a slit being -made, through which the jewel is forced. This, however, is not to -preserve the owners’ lives, but their portable wealth. While at -Mandalay, I examined some men just arrived from Yung-chang, and found -individuals with as many as fifteen coins and jewels thus concealed, -as a precaution against the robbers who might literally strip them to -their skin, without discovering the hidden treasure. But our Burmese -official regarded his disfiguring gold as a certain charm against -danger. - -During our interview with the Burmese, some of the pawmines came to -receive an advance of one-third of the mule hire, which was paid them; -and then Sala appeared to definitely agree on the amount of toll. One -of the other chiefs was asked to be present, but he preferred leaving -it to Sala’s decision. The latter agreed to receive five rupees per -mule, and was most careful to keep off any inquisitive hillmen while he -was debating, and afterwards receiving the whole amount. As all baggage -was ready, save such articles of bedding, &c., as were daily in use, -the next day was fixed for the actual departure. Browne, as a final -preparation, distributed red turbans to the Burmese guard, which gave -something of a uniform appearance to the otherwise motley horde. - -We rose at 6 A.M. on February 16th, and made all our personal baggage -over to the Kakhyens, who were slow in completing their preparations -for a start. The Ponsee pawmine first appeared, and the burden of -his complaint, conveyed in the strongest affirmatives, and with -most expressive pantomime, was that he had not received any of the -blackmail, all the payment having been appropriated by Sala. The -tsare-daw-gyee declared that the latter had been obliged to disgorge -his plunder, but as a precaution he should be kept as a hostage at -Tsitkaw. A difficulty then was occasioned by the size of the box of -edible birds’ nests, which no muleteer would take; settlement of this -was left by Colonel Browne to the Kakhyen chiefs. A sharp dispute -relative to the method of taking the tallies of the number of the mules -broke out between the “Death’s Head” pawmine of Ponsee and the Burmese -choung-oke. This ran so high that the pawmine threatened to shoot the -choung-oke, and the old Burman swore he would cut down the Kakhyen, but -the contest resolved itself into abuse, and the Burman prevailed by -strength of lungs. A discussion then arose between the Ponsee pawmine -and another, whose contingent of mules the former was desirous of -reckoning, wholly or in great measure, amongst his own. - -The muleteers, having been delayed by the squabble, unloaded their -animals and drove them off to graze; the regathering of them was a -work of time, but they at last filed off, preceded by Margary and Allan -with a division of the Burmese guard. The rest of the mission, however, -was retarded by the difficulty of finding porters for the rejected -box of birds’ nests, the medicine chest, and photographic apparatus, -all of which had been left out in the cold, and had to be carried by -Burmese. At four o’clock, we finally cleared out of Tsitkaw, watched by -Sala, who waved an adieu from the porch of the house where he was to -reside as a hostage for our safety. We observed by the roadside several -women sitting with _carafes_ of water, each containing a flower, from -which they poured libations as they muttered prayers for our safety. -As we passed the succeeding villages of Hantin, Hentha, and Myohoung, -the road was lined with women similarly occupied. An hour and a half -of slow progress brought us to the hamlet of Tsihet, at the foot of -the hills, outside of which men awaited us with welcome draughts of -pure and cool water. There are two small villages, each within its own -stockade, separated by a space of thirty yards. We took up our quarters -in a rickety zayat within the northernmost village. The camp outside -presented a most busy scene. Burmans were cooking their dinners, -while others were erecting temporary huts of freshly cut bamboos, or -thatching them with bamboo leaves and long grass. Groups of Kakhyen -muleteers, who had arrived first, were sitting in their huts, smoking -and chatting; others were collecting and marshalling the mules in -lines between the baggage, each animal having one of its feet fastened -to a wooden peg driven into the ground. The Burmese had encamped in a -cordon enclosing the Sikhs and Kakhyens, and of course all the baggage; -and outposts had been established at the north and south of the village. - -The locality of Tsihet, owing to the proximity of the hills, appeared -to be unhealthy, and the children looked very sickly. This is not to -be wondered at if the ordinary supply of water was to be judged by -that furnished to us in the evening, which seemed to have come from a -buffalo wallow. All the villagers assembled to watch the kalas at their -_al fresco_ dinner, and eagerly accepted our empty bottles, which were -regarded as precious prizes. - -At eight o’clock next morning we were in motion, and almost immediately -began to ascend, crossing a succession of ridges, till at 9.30 the -first Burmese _kengdat_, or guard-house, was reached, called Pahtama -Kengdat. It is situated in a hollow, and, like the rest, consists of a -small house built of teak and bamboo, raised on piles, and surrounded -by a double bamboo stockade, with two poles bearing white pennants -raised in front. The garrison consisted of some half-dozen Burmese -soldiers. Still ascending, we reached the district of Singnew and at -a place where the road diverged, several Kakhyen men and women had -collected to see us pass. The second Burmese guard-house, or Lamen -Kengdat, and soon afterwards the village of Pehtoo, or Payto, were -passed, and we entered the territory of Ponline. From the first village -and the third guard-house, Tap-gna-gyee, we ascended to the principal -village and residence of Sala, called Lankon, where we spent our first -night in Kakhyen land in 1868.[41] - -We halted at noon in front of the chiefs house, by which grew a fine -peach tree in full bloom. A few old Kakhyens were assembled, and among -them the tsawbwa-gadaw, who produced sheroo, and demanded payment, -receiving four annas, with which she seemed very dissatisfied. The -road, or rather track, no wise improved during the last seven years, -was marked on either hand by tufts of raw cotton which the lower -hanging branches had taken as toll from the frequent caravans. From -this village our route lay to the north of that formerly travelled -by us, and a descent of an hour brought us to a small stream called -Moonam, on the other side of which we found the camp formed on a slope -which had evidently been recently cleared for the site of the fourth -guard-house, named Tsadota Kengdat, surrounded by high hill spurs on -all sides. We put up in the guard-house, which occupies the highest -point of the slope, and the Burmese formed their usual line round the -Kakhyens. The tsare-daw-gyee made his appearance later, having followed -a different route, which brought him to the north-eastern end, where -he encamped his party. All around us during the evening we heard the -gongs answering each other, and the loud shouts, or “All’s well!” of -the Burmese outposts. - -After a refreshing bath, we took a stroll up the hill under the -guidance of a Kakhyen to look for pheasants, from which we brought back -nothing but a portion of an enormous fungus. Before bedtime, Browne -announced that a Kakhyen had come to him with the information that -four hundred evil-disposed Kakhyens had assembled themselves beyond -Ponsee to dispute our advance. More friendly visitors were promised in -the shape of the tsawbwa-gadaw of Woonkah and her followers, who were -expected to arrive in the morning from her husband’s village, situated -on the mountain to the north of Ponline. - -While waiting in the morning of February 18th for the arrival of our -expected visitors, the tsare-daw-gyee with his subordinate officers -appeared, and in a very serious tone repeated the information that -four hundred evil-disposed Kakhyens and Chinese hill dacoits had taken -obligations among themselves to attack us, probably for the sake of -plunder. The amount of credence to be given to the report was variously -estimated, both by Kakhyens and Burmese. Moung Mo and Moung Yoh -disbelieved it; but the former wretched old man became suddenly unwell, -to such an extent that he feared he would be unable to go forward. The -Ponsee pawmine scouted the story, and averred it to be an invention of -a worthless Kakhyen who met us yesterday. Our Sikh havildar promptly -volunteered to advance with his fifteen men, and clear the road of -any number of these mountaineers, whom his observations at Sawady and -elsewhere made him hold very cheaply. The tsare-daw-gyee declared -that he and his men were ready to fight, but that it was desirable to -advance peaceably if possible. It was finally decided that we should -proceed to the last Burmese guard-house on the banks of the Nampoung, -and the caravan set out about nine o’clock. - -After a short, steep ascent, within hearing of the roar of the distant -Tapeng, the road descended to the Nampoung. Passing over two short -ridges, whence a magnificent view of the glen running south-south-west -to north-north-east is obtained, and then traversing a steep path in a -succession of narrow zigzags to the banks of the stream, we arrived at -the fifth Burmese guard-house by 10.30 A.M. - -The valley of the Nampoung is a deep, narrow glen, bordered on either -side by high mountains, and in no place is it broader than two hundred -yards. The river is a rapid clear stream, flowing in a rocky channel -between rock-strewn flats edged by high grass on either side. The -banks rise abruptly, covered with lofty forest trees, tangled with -magnificent creepers and festooned with orchids. Some miles to the -north a rather treeless valley communicates with the glen, apparently -running in a direction behind Manwyne. The guard-house occupies a level -open space, covered with terraces of paddy cultivation. To the south -the glen terminates in a deep gorge, down which the river rushes to -the Tapeng. We found the encampment formed, and the people, as usual, -busily preparing their huts, as, notwithstanding the advice of the -Ponsee pawmine, that we should proceed to Shitee, it had been decided -that we should remain here. - -Another Burman had arrived from Manwyne, confirming the report of -danger ahead, but Margary discredited it, and expressed his readiness, -if necessary, to proceed to Manwyne to inquire into the truth of the -rumoured opposition. The tsare-daw-gyee approved of this step, and it -was decided to send Margary forward, as he was known to the Manwyne -people from his recent stay at that town, and to all the Chinese -officers in the district as being under the protection of the viceroy -of Yunnan. - -During the afternoon gongs and cymbals were heard beating high up the -hill on the Chinese or left side of the valley, and Kakhyens were -seen peering down at us from among the trees. These proved to be the -followers of the Shitee Meru tsawbwa, who, however, would not come -across into Burmese territory, and after some time distant shots -announced his return to his village. In the evening the encampment -presented a picturesque scene, the red turbans of the Burmese -combining with the rich greenery of the palm leaves which thatched the -numerous huts. The Ponsee pawmine had erected for himself a wigwam of -feathery palm fronds, and the gleam of the bright fire, round which a -group of men in blue were chatting and smoking, lit up a picture that -one longed to sketch. - -We had a farewell dinner in the evening, to which Margary’s Chinese -writer was invited. Our discussion of the prospects of the mission, -though clouded by no anticipations of the fearful fate to which our -gallant comrade was about to set out, lasted till a late hour, while -the gongs of the watchful Burmese sounded as usual from various points -all round our position. - -Margary started for Seray _en route_ for Manwyne early in the morning -of February the 19th. He was accompanied by his writer, Yu-tu-chien, -of whom I have already spoken, an intelligent Chinese Christian, who -during his stay with us had made himself both liked and respected. -The other attendants were his official messenger, or _ting-chai_, -Lu-ta-lin, from the consulate at Shanghai; his boy, Ch’ang-yong-chien, -known by the name of Bombazine; Li-ta-yu, a servant from Sz-chuen; and -his cook, Chow-yu-ting, a native of Hankow, all of whom had accompanied -their master in the journey across China. Besides his followers, -Moung Yoh, or Li-kan-shin, and a pawmine of Seray, of by no means -prepossessing appearance, and remarkable for a peculiar loud voice, -escorted him to Seray. - -The morning was devoted by myself to an attempt under the guidance of -a Kakhyen to explore the valley, which was rendered difficult by the -dense jungle, and the unwillingness of the native to proceed more than -two or three miles from the camp. - -The reports of threatened opposition were as rife as ever; but -some Chinese who arrived during the day professed ignorance of any -uneasiness among the hill tribes. A Kakhyen was brought in by the -Burmese to the guard-house, who had come from Manwyne on the previous -day on purpose to tell us, at some risk to himself, that a body of men -had been collected to attack us, by one Yang-ta-jen, in league with -the Seray tsawbwa. The messenger seemed half-witted, but was clear -in his story, which certainly agreed with the previous reports. News -arrived that all the hostages detained at Tsitkaw had escaped with the -exception of Sala. One of them was the son of the Ponsee pawmine, and -his father, who had been detailed to accompany Margary, was kept back -to be sent to Tsitkaw in place of his son. The tsawbwa-gadaw of Woonkah -duly arrived with her gift of fowls, eggs, and sheroo, and received -broadcloth and other presents, with which she speedily disappeared, not -without grumbling that she had not been paid in money for her fowls! - -Nothing further occurred till next morning, when messengers brought -a letter from Margary, dated from Seray, announcing that so far the -road was unmolested, and all the people met with were civil, and that -he should proceed to Manwyne. He noted that when in the Seray chief’s -house, the Seray pawmine evinced his contempt for the Burmese by -spitting on the ground. - -On the strength of this communication, although the tsare-daw-gyee -urged that no movement should be made until the news of Margary’s -reception at Manwyne reached us, Colonel Browne resolved to proceed -at once, and, if possible, reach that town in one march. The camp was -accordingly struck, and, crossing the Nampoung, we entered China. - -The road we were to pursue led straight up a steep spur of the main -range dividing the Tapeng from the Nampoung, the highest point of -which, Shitee Meru, rises immediately to the north of Ponsee, the -position of the long detention of the first expedition of 1868. -I set out in advance of the rest, accompanied by my men and the -Kakhyen scout who had brought the information from Manwyne. The -ascent commenced directly from the Nampoung valley, and three hours’ -climb of the hill-path brought us to the first Shitee village at -noon. The tsawbwaship has been divided among three brothers, each -having a village of his own, but the youngest, according to Kakhyen -rules, being the chief of Shitee Meru. At the first village we were -hospitably received and refreshed with sheroo, and the children were -delighted with beads and small coins. Here we found a native of India, -a slave, who had come from beyond Assam, and had forgotten most of -his language, but made himself known by calling out _pani_. On the -hillside I met the Shitee Meru tsawbwa coming down with two men, one -of whom escorted me some way; and next appeared the Wacheoon tsawbwa -with a party of forty armed followers, some of them mounted on ponies. -He was very friendly, and sent an escort back with us, one of whom -had brought a lizard for the Englishman. The road wound up and over -the spurs running down from the backbone of the Shitee-doung to the -Nampoung, which flows from the north-east along a valley lying below -the north-western slope of the main range that defines the right bank -of the Tapeng. The greatest height reached on Shitee Meru Doung was -about five thousand seven hundred feet above the sea, from which we -descended slightly to the site chosen for our encampment, the altitude -of which was found to be five thousand five hundred feet, where we -halted at 3.30, after a march of about eight miles. - -Between two rounded ridges running down to the Nampoung, one in our -rear covered with forest, and the other with grass, about five hundred -yards distant to the north-east, extended two flat clearings, where -the caravans were accustomed to bivouack, the first and smaller -clearing being close to the western spur. On the second and larger -space, divided from the first by a mountain stream, and lying at a -somewhat higher elevation, immediately along the grassy spur, the camp -was pitched. Around and above the encampments the forest had been -cleared, and the open space was covered with high grass interspersed -with boulders. Just below the encampments the ground sloped abruptly -into a grassy hollow between the ridges, which served as a grazing -ground for the mules. The main mountain ridge, which rose to a -height of six hundred feet above us, was clothed to its summit with -dense forest, which formed a continuous covert, extending along the -projecting ridge in the rear, and thus enclosing and commanding our -position on the south and east. Below the hollow, the hillside, clothed -with impenetrable jungle, sank abruptly to the Nampoung. The country -over which the road wound along the slope, in the direction of Seray, -consisted of old clearings covered with jungle grass and patches of -uncut forest. The immediate exit of the road led through a depression -in the ridge, and descended the intervening hollow, and, thence -reascending, crossed the next spur. - -We bivouacked in the open among the mules and baggage, and surrounded -by the fires, the smoke from which was at first most intolerable, but -no other annoyance or disturbance was experienced, and our Kakhyens -enjoyed themselves listening to the melodies of a musical-box, which -had become an especial favourite with them. The Burmese were as -vigilant as ever, and their sentinels seemed to be on the alert all -night. The tsawbwas of Wacheoon and Ponwah visited the camp, and they -had heard nothing of any suspicious movements of troops, and the other -Shans who brought fowls for sale confirmed this. Our interpreter, -Moung Yoh, returned to the camp in company with the Seray men, the -latter being remarkably well dressed and equipped, and evidently old -acquaintances of the Burmese. He reported that the Seray chief was -dissatisfied on account of the payment of the mule tax or dues to Sala, -which, however, had been done with the knowledge and approval of the -son of Seray. Moung Yoh then suggested that presents should be sent -to Seray, whom he had discovered to be a great friend of his uncle, -Li-sieh-tai, and to whose house he returned the same evening to await -our arrival. - -We were in readiness to start by seven o’clock in the morning of -the 21st, but the tsare-daw-gyee intimated that he did not think it -prudent to move until the tsawbwas of Shitee Meru, Woonkah, and others -arrived. His real intention, however, was to remain in this camp -until definite news came from Mr. Margary; but as the arrangement had -been made with the latter that we were to advance if we did not hear -from him warning us to the contrary, Colonel Browne resolved to push -forward to Seray with the Sikhs, leaving the Burmese guard and caravan -to follow. I started with my men in advance, but in a short time was -overtaken by Browne, Allan, and Fforde, followed by the Sikhs and their -servants, with the two led horses, the camp having thus been left to -the Kakhyens, under the charge of the Burmese. Their cavalcade soon -outstripped my party, as we were shooting, and collecting plants. The -road lies over numerous spurs and through deep wooded hollows, and -then crosses the watershed dividing the Nampoung valley from the gorge -of the Tapeng; on the southern or Manwyne side of the ridge lies the -district of Seray. Here a Shan Burman, wearing the red turban of our -escort, accompanied by a Kakhyen, overtook us, and by signs gave me -to understand that the tsare-daw-gyee wished us to return. As none -of us could speak Burmese, I signed to him to proceed quickly and -communicate his news to Colonel Browne, which he did, and I ordered my -men to press forward to overtake the rest of the party, while I waited -behind for my groom and pony. The messenger on his return signified -that Colonel Browne was continuing his progress to Seray. The road -descended into a hollow, from which a steep ascent leads to Seray. -Here a difficulty arose about the road, as several paths diverged, -and there was nothing to indicate which had been taken by Colonel -Browne’s party. Unfortunately, I took a wrong one, and soon arrived -at a strange village, the inhabitants of which had, doubtless, never -before seen an European. According to Kakhyen custom, I dismounted -before entering, and, seeing some women standing at the door of the -first house, indicated by signs that I desired to know the road. They -sulkily waved to me to go on upwards. Imagining that the end of the -village was reached, I prepared to remount, but this was resented by a -number of men who rushed out of a house, and, shouting, drew their dahs -in a threatening manner. I tried to induce some of them, by the offer -of _compraw_, to show me the way, but none would do so. Proceeding -onwards, followed by the hillmen, I suddenly found my big dog by my -side. As his presence was evidence that some of my men were behind, I -turned my pony’s head, and all the Kakhyens bolted. After retracing my -steps for some distance, I discovered my collectors and servants hiding -for fear in a deep hollow. Presently I met a Kakhyen boy, who conducted -us to the village of Seray. - -Seray, like the majority of Kakhyen villages, is finely situated on -the summit of a ridge, among lofty trees, enclosing a grassy glade -in its centre. The paths approaching the village are broad, and its -vicinity is indicated by groups of high massive wooden posts, with -simple devices in black, and by groves to the nats, and by small -circular walled enclosures devoted to the worship of the sky spirit. -On arriving, I found all the Sikhs ranged in front of the tsawbwa’s -house, also the chiefs of Woonkah and Wacheoon, and Allan’s Chinese -clerk. It was so dark on entering that at first I could not recognise -Colonel Browne, Allan, and Fforde, save by their voices. The chief, who -knew me again, was seated on the ground, and it was observable that -he and all his men were armed. The restlessness which he exhibited, -his withdrawing outside for private conferences with his pawmine, and -the fact that all the women had left the house, excited suspicion; -but when the latter returned, and the chief and his pawmine divested -themselves of their dahs, I concluded that any hostile intention that -might have been originally entertained against us had for the present -been abandoned. Then sheroo and hard boiled eggs were brought in and -set before us; but further parley with the chief produced no results, -and we adjourned to a grove of oak and hazel trees on the outskirts -of the village. Moung Yoh, or Li-kan-shin, the professed nephew of -Li-sieh-tai, who had been acting as our interpreter, and addressing -Seray as uncle as a mark of friendship, presently came to request -Colonel Browne to return to the chief’s house. There it was decided -that the Seray and Woonkah tsawbwas should proceed to Manwyne at once, -and ascertain the actual state of things, and take a letter to Margary. -Another Burman had arrived from the camp to request us to return, and -we mounted our ponies, and retraced our steps. On the road we met some -Kakhyens, one of whom seized the bridle of Browne’s horse, and signed -him to go back, as the road was beset, but as our friend was under the -influence of sheroo, we spoke to him pleasantly and proceeded. This man -was a pawmine of Shitee, who returned to the camp in the evening, and, -when taxed with having been intoxicated, admitted that he had started -with a bamboo flask full of sheroo, which he had finished. These -incidents showed that there was an uneasy apprehension of danger, but -that in the immediate vicinity the Kakhyens were friendly. - -During our absence, the Burmese had thrown up barricades or breastworks -of stones and earth, at points above the camp, and commanding the -road to Seray. The tsare-daw-gyee announced to Browne that we should -certainly be attacked by the Chinese either that evening or on the -march the next day. Some men were observed peering down from among the -trees on the hill-brow, as if reconnoitring our position. The Burmese, -who were collecting firewood, came running down as fast as they could, -and the whole camp set up a fearful shout to scare the supposed -enemies, who disappeared, and the excitement gradually subsided. - -[40] Yule’s ‘Marco Polo,’ vol. ii. (1875), p. 244. - -[41] See page 73. The name of the village was understood by us, on that -occasion, to be the same as that of the district, viz. Ponline. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -REPULSE OF MISSION. - - Appearance of enemy--Murder of Margary--Friendly tsawbwas--Mission - attacked--Woonkah tsawbwa bought over--The jungle fired--Repulse - of attack--Incidents of the day--Our retreat--Shitee--Burmese - reinforcements--Halt at guard-house--Retreat on Tsitkaw via - Woonkah--Elias and Cooke’s visit to Muangmow--Li-sieh-tai--Return - of Captain Cooke--Elias at Muangmow--Father Lecomte and the Mattin - chief--A forged letter--The Saya of Kaungtoung--Reports regarding - Margary--The commission of inquiry--Return of Elias--Visit to the - second defile--Mission’s return to Rangoon. - - -We were all astir with early daylight on February 22nd, and prepared -our baggage for the advance to Manwyne; but about seven o’clock large -bodies of armed men were observed on the heights above us hurrying -downwards in the direction of Shitee, as if to cut off our retreat. -There was no mistaking their hostile purpose, and the Burmese -immediately detached parties to occupy the positions which they had -fortified, one being above the camp, and another thrown forward to a -point of the road leading to Seray, which commanded the next hollow -and the opposite ridge. The Woonkah tsawbwa came into the camp, -and communicated to Colonel Browne a report which received almost -instant confirmation. The tsare-daw-gyee appeared with a very serious -countenance, and produced two letters received from the Burmese agents -at Manwyne. They briefly narrated the horrible murder of Mr. Margary -on the previous day at Manwyne; his writer and other attendants were -also reported to have been killed. No particulars were given; but the -tsare-daw-gyee was warned that we were about to be attacked, and that -it would be for his own interest to detach himself by some miles from -the English, failing which precaution he would incur the same danger, -although the Chinese bore no ill-will to him and his party. The Burmese -officer, however, promptly addressed himself to the defence of the -camp, and we went up with him to the spur just above to reconnoitre, -while the Sikhs took up a position behind a long low boulder lying at -the western end of the camp, which served as a natural breastwork, -whence they commanded the road by which we had come. The friendly -Kakhyen tsawbwas of Woonkah and Wacheoon had hastened away to bring up -reinforcements, and the mules were driven down into the grassy hollow -below the camp. These preparations had not been completed when the -enemy opened fire from all sides but one. The assailants had descended -the ridge, hidden by the forest which, as already described, surrounded -our position on two sides. This had masked their advance, and served -as a perfect cover for them, the report and smoke of their fire-arms -alone showing their whereabouts; it was plain, however, that they were -in force to the south and east, and they evidently selected our party -as the object of attack, avoiding the Burmese, who, however, actively -returned the fire. Presently some of the assailants, led by a Chinese -brandishing a long trident, rushed out from the jungle to the smaller -open space. The Sikhs at once opened fire on them, which drove them -behind whatever cover could be found, and stopped any further advance -for a time. As soon as they were hidden, our men ceased firing. This -seemed to embolden the enemy, and a second detachment rushed down and -distributed themselves among the bushes. A brisk and well-aimed volley -drove them out in a mass, up the narrow entrance to the road. One man -at least was seen to fall dead, and others, wounded, were dragged up by -their companions. For some hours, firing from the men concealed in the -forest continued on all three sides. As these Kakhyens and Chinese only -raised their firelocks to the side of the head, looked for a second -forwards, and then fired, the bullets went over our heads. The steady -firing of the Sikhs at last seemed to be too much for the enemy, and -about 2 P.M. they were seen retreating along the ridge above, and the -firing to the south ceased. As they were retreating, we fired on them -at about a thousand yards’ range, and this evidently astonished them, -as they rushed past, stooping at the exposed points where the fire -told. When everything seemed quiet, and the road appeared clear, the -mules were brought up from the hollow, and the muleteers hastened to -get the loads ready. While this was being done, a party of our Kakhyens -made a rush to the open space, where one of the enemy had been seen to -fall, and returned with his head, which was tied up by the pig tail to -a tree. It was subsequently reported that he was a Chinese officer, -but his dress and appearance hardly indicated such rank. Before the -preparations for a start were completed, the enemy returned in much -greater force, and reoccupied the coverts, and it was estimated that -they were at least five hundred strong. Firing recommenced from -the heights and the forest around, and our position appeared to be -completely surrounded, except on the side of the descent to the -Nampoung valley. The question of abandoning the baggage and effecting -a retreat by this, the only line left open, was mooted, but the -tsare-daw-gyee urged delay, and his men as well as ourselves maintained -a steady fire on the enemy. - -The Woonkah tsawbwa, with a number of his men, had returned to the camp -just before the first repulse of the enemy, and he informed Colonel -Browne that the Seray chief had offered him five hundred rupees if he -would join in the attack on us. The drift of this remark was at once -seen by Colonel Browne, who promptly offered him ten thousand rupees -if he could succeed in bringing off all the baggage. It was difficult -for the Kakhyen’s mind to conceive so large an amount of coin, and the -tsare-daw-gyee had to make him comprehend it by stating that he would -receive “three basketfuls of silver.” - -Just as this arrangement had been concluded, we heard the shouts of -men, apparently coming up behind the southern spur, which was occupied -by the enemy. The Burmese at first thought that this indicated the -approach of a reinforcement which was hourly expected to arrive from -Bhamô. Presently, however, the forest in front of them burst into a -blaze, having been fired by the Shitee tsawbwa and his Kakhyens with -those of Woonkah. This manœuvre proved most successful, and the enemy -was speedily forced to retire, and as other coverts were successively -fired below the heights by the Burmese, they were soon in full retreat -along the heights, exposed to the fire of our rifles, which told on -them at several open places. Firing, however, continued for some time -below the heights, and on the side of the ridge commanding the Seray -road a desultory fire was also kept up. The Burmese guard were here -posted behind an earthwork, and kept the enemy at bay on that side; and -after the southern spur and eastern heights were cleared, we took the -Sikhs down to support the Burmese, and fired into the further hollow, -the only remaining covert of the enemy. - -All firing had nearly ceased by about five o’clock. The jungle on all -other sides being now cleared and the road to Shitee open, the order -was given to reload the mules. They were speedily brought up out -of the hollow, where they had remained in safety, and all were soon -loaded. Some mules and drivers had disappeared, but willing Kakhyens, -either of Shitee or Woonkah, speedily shouldered the remaining loads, -and the vacant pack saddles were heaped up and burned before we left. -At the close of the day, though bullets had been flying about in -all directions, the casualties on our side only amounted to three -men slightly wounded, and a mule shot in the neck. The firing was -mainly directed at the officers of the mission, and whenever we moved -towards the baggage, bullets fell freely about us, while the Chinese -shouted to the tsare-daw-gyee that they did not wish to kill his -men, but the “foreign devils.” Our Burmese showed great spirit, and -the tsare-daw-gyee, from first to last, was deserving of the highest -praise. One of his men, while trying to drive out some Chinese, had -his red turban carried off by the prongs of a trident, but succeeded -in evading a more fatal thrust of the weapon. The loss of the enemy -was variously reported, and it is impossible to give an accurate -return. Some perished in the burning jungle, and so far as the reports -afterwards furnished could be relied on, of the assailants about eight -or ten were killed and thirty wounded. I noticed that young men not -more than twenty years of age, and even boys, were numerous among -their ranks. The well-known loud voice of the Seray pawmine was heard, -and the tsawbwa’s son as well as the tsawbwa of Ponsee were said to -have been present. The son of Seray was detected by the report of his -double-barrelled gun, a present to his father at the time of the former -expedition, both barrels of which were fired at once, making the double -report easily distinguishable. - -The letters received from Manwyne had stated that the party about to -attack us was the vanguard of a force of three thousand men, whom the -governor of Momien had despatched to oppose our progress. The reader -will remember that our camp at Ponsee was menaced with attack, in April -1868, by the lawless Kakhyens of this very district, and, although on -the other side of the mountain, our position on this occasion was close -to that place. Numerous robberies had been previously reported in this -district, and the attacking party undoubtedly consisted largely of the -Ponsee and Seray Kakhyens. These belong to the Lakone tribe, while the -clans of the Woonkah, Wacheoon, and Shitee chiefs, who rendered such -faithful assistance, are offsets of the Cowlie tribe. With the Kakhyens -were associated a number of Chinese rowdies or perhaps soldiers; but -the assailants could hardly be reckoned other than local robbers, who -thought that the Burmese would not resist, and that our own guards were -too few, while the prospect of such a rich booty was enough to make -them encounter the risks of a fight. The staunch defence, the effect -produced by the long range of the rifles, and the bold diversion in -our favour directed by the Shitee and Woonkah chiefs, who fired the -jungle, combined to disappoint their expectations. It must not be -understood from this that the subsequent reports of the advance of -Chinese troops, and of hostility on the part of the Momien officials, -are discredited. The frontier Chinese were strongly prejudiced against -our entrance into Yunnan, and the Kakhyens and local robbers would be -stimulated by the reported or actual advance of troops to anticipate -any overt acts of hostility, and try to secure the rich booty for -themselves. - -When the baggage train had all moved safely off, escorted by some of -the Burmese guard, we set out on the return to Shitee, followed by the -Sikhs, the rear being brought up by the tsare-daw-gyee. Mr. Fforde, -with a few of his men, remained for a short time, while the Burmese -posted on the road to Seray held their position until all were clear -off, then followed slowly after us to cover the retreat. We started -at 5.30, and in half an hour reached Shitee, having met on the road -some of the Burmese reinforcements which had come up from Bhamô. The -baggage was all collected in a pile before the tsawbwa’s house, and -the tsitkay-nekandaw, who commanded the newly arrived detachment, was -posted with forty of his men behind an earthwork which they had thrown -up, covering the approach to the village. Both the tsawbwa and the -tsare-daw-gyee wished us to remain for the night at this place. The -chief feared that the Chinese would come down and burn his village -in revenge for his having aided us. The Burmese argued, that if the -members of the mission continued the retreat, it would appear as though -we were deserting the baggage, which could not be brought further -that evening. The position of the village, situated on the slope of -the mountain spur, and closely surrounded by dense jungle, seemed too -much exposed to a night attack, and Colonel Browne decided to push on -to the guard-house on the Nampoung. We started accordingly at 6.30, -accompanied by the tsare-daw-gyee and some of the Burmese. It soon -became very dark, and the descent down the rocky footpath, bordered -on one side by a steep declivity, was tedious and dangerous. We could -not see the stones or the edges of the track, and when passing through -thick groves of trees, even a white pony right in front of me was -invisible. - -For nearly four long hours we stumbled downwards, the latter part -of the journey being somewhat facilitated by the moonlight, which, -however, was obscured by the impenetrable forest and the surrounding -heights. Crossing the Nampoung, the guard-house was safely reached, and -we were comfortably housed. As four of the mules had brought on some -bedding, food, and cooking utensils, we were not so badly off as the -Sikhs, who had marched laden with ammunition besides packets of sycee -silver, which had been distributed among them for safety in the crisis -of the attack, and had only supplies of dry rice. - -The next morning it was resolved that the Woonkah tsawbwa, who had -accompanied us, should return to Shitee, and bring down the remainder -of the baggage, while we should await his arrival. Two hours later -the tsare-daw-gyee reported that the Chinese were collecting in force -at the northern and southern ends of the Nampoung valley to renew the -attack. He therefore advised us to proceed at once to Tsitkaw by the -Woonkah road. In a short time we were toiling up the steep ascent -leading to the district and village of Woonkah, which lies on the -summit of the high ridge forming the western watershed of the Nampoung, -and must be at an altitude equal to that of Shitee. The tsare-daw-gyee -brought up the rear of the party, and during the march sent forward a -messenger to urge us to press on, because the Chinese were reported to -be rapidly assembling. The people of the first Woonkah village welcomed -us with evident satisfaction, and the tsawbwa-gadaw brought a grateful -supply of sheroo, which was most refreshing. Here we were joined by the -tsare-daw-gyee, and it was proposed to him that we should leave the led -horses behind, but he objected to this as unnecessary. - -From Woonkah the descent of the hills commenced, the road passing -through a forest of very lofty trees clear of underwood. As we neared -the junction of a road from the north with the Woonkah track, our -advanced guard of Burmese beckoned us to follow quickly, and most -carefully reconnoitred the sides of a spur which sloped down towards -us, but nothing but dense jungle was visible. They evinced the same -anxious caution at the point where the Ponline road joined our route -before the third guard-house was reached. The Sikhs were beginning to -be much distressed, and we had to relieve them by giving up our ponies -for their use in turns. Tsihet was reached at 2.30, and, after a short -rest, we proceeded to Tsitkaw, where we arrived at sundown, and were -congratulated on our escape by the second tsitkay-nekandaw, who met -us outside at the head of a guard lining each side of the road. We -put up in our old quarters, but without any supplies, as no baggage -had arrived; and for bedding, we had straw and Shan felt coverlets. -Fortunately, some tins of preserved meat were forthcoming, but we had -to procure from the villagers some clay vessels for cooking, and a blue -bowl to serve instead of plates. - -We remained two days at Tsitkaw expecting the baggage, the lighter -portions of which arrived in charge of the Burmese. Another detachment -of eighty-five men came from Bhamô, on the morning after our arrival, -and marched straight on to the hills. The indefatigable tsare-daw-gyee -also received orders from the Woon to return at once to Woonkah, and -remain there personally to oversee the despatch of all the baggage. -It is impossible to speak too highly of the care for our safety on -the march, and the general conduct, of this Burmese officer. Various -reports were brought in as to the loss suffered by the enemy; and both -Burmese and Kakhyens seemed to have been strongly impressed by the -“far shooting” of our rifles. The Kakhyen who had brought the earliest -information of the intended attack made his appearance, and was -delighted at finding his services recompensed with a handsome reward. -He was so elated that, Kakhyen-like, he returned with a “tail” of -followers, and, giving himself out as a tsawbwa, tried to get something -for his companions, in which he was unsuccessful. We were also rejoined -by our old interpreter, Moung Mo, who had disappeared at Shitee; but -of Moung Yoh, or Li-kan-shin, and Allan’s Chinese clerk, who had been -last seen or heard of at Seray, nothing certain could be ascertained. -Subsequent reports stated that they had both been murdered, but no -trustworthy intelligence was received either of their death or escape. - -On the second day of our stay at Tsitkaw, letters were received from -the Resident at Bhamô in reply to the despatch announcing our repulse. -He had fortunately been on the point of sending some Lenna Kakhyens -with letters to Elias at Muangmow, and had promised them a reward if -they escorted our companion safely back. The Woon sent to request our -return to Bhamô, as he had heard of an intended attack on Tsitkaw by -the Khanloung Kakhyens, a most lawless race of robbers inhabiting the -hills above the Molay river. Extra guards were accordingly posted by -the choung-oke, and all the soldiers were ordered to be on the alert; -but the night passed off quietly. We all returned, some by road and -the rest by boat, to Bhamô, on February 26th, and were welcomed at the -Residency by Captain Cooke. - -He had no news of Elias, who on the 17th instant was still at -Muangmow, and whose position, alone in the power of Li-sieh-tai, -seemed precarious and alarming. To explain it, I must again mention -that Captain Cooke and Mr. Ney Elias had started, under the convoy -of the Lenna chief of Paloungto, by the Sawady route, intending, if -possible, to meet us at Momien. They went from Bhamô to Mansay, and, -leaving the latter place early in the morning, arrived at the Kakhyen -village of Kara by nine o’clock. The chief Kara village, named Peetah, -lies a few miles distant. Two miles from this place, they entered the -country of the Lenna Kakhyens, and a march of seven miles brought them -to Wurrabone, a small village situated near the summit of a mountain. -This is the seat of the elder brother of the Paloungto chief, at whose -house they spent the night, being received with the utmost attention -that Kakhyen hospitality could show. From their observation, the Lenna -tribe appear to be a very superior race of Kakhyens, their houses and -manners evincing a higher degree of civilisation than is found amongst -the Kara or Lakone tribe. Starting at midday from Wurrabone, the party -arrived at sunset at Paloungto, a village of twenty houses. A march -of six miles over a rough hill road led to Namkai, the largest Lenna -village, containing forty houses, whence a road leads to Muangwan -and Hotha. Here the road, passing through a part of the Lakone -country, descended for nine miles to Pamkam, a small village lying -at the foot of the hills on the right bank of the Namwan or Muangwan -river. From this point, at which the Chinese frontier is crossed, -and the level valley of the Shuaylee is entered, Kwotloon, in the -territory of Muangmow, is only a mile distant. Arriving at sunset, the -travellers halted for the night, the Shan inhabitants proving sullen -and inclined to be uncivil. Their behaviour was a marked contrast -to the demeanour of the dreaded Lenna Kakhyens, through whose hills -the party had passed without any difficulty, while their expenses -had not amounted to five rupees, the hospitable tsawbwas insisting -on supplying everything required. The only chance of delay arose at -Paloungto, where the tsawbwa wanted to give a grand buffalo sacrifice -and feast in honour of his guests, and to propitiate the nats in -their favour. He postponed the ceremonial at Cooke’s request until -the return journey of the latter. After leaving Kwotloon, the Namwan -stream was crossed, and a day’s march on the left bank of twenty-four -miles in a south-easterly direction, and ascending the right bank of -the Shuaylee through an open, level country, brought the party to the -Shan town of Muangmow. This place, the residence of the tsawbwa, like -the towns of the Sanda valley, is surrounded by a brick wall sixteen -feet high, without bastions or embrasures, but backed by an earthwork. -Four gates, corresponding to the points of the compass, lead into -the town, which occupies a square of about six hundred yards, and is -inhabited by Shan Chinese. The travellers at once proceeded to call on -Li-sieh-tai, who was residing in a ruinous yamen, and commanded a force -of apparently about fifty Chinese soldiers, although said to number -three hundred. This redoubtable Chinese official received them with -great civility, addressing Elias as “his elder brother,” and assigned -them quarters in a khyoung close to the western gate of the town. - -Li-sieh-tai is described as a little but broad-shouldered and powerful -man, with a large head and ugly visage, having an unusually wide mouth, -with thick and protruding lips. In conversation he looks straight at -his interlocutor, which is in marked contrast to the usually downcast -or shifting glance of the other Chinese. He showed his literary -acquirements by carefully perusing the imperial passports, which he -declared to be quite satisfactory, and amply sufficient to ensure the -bearer’s safety if once in the mandarins’ country beyond Sehfan. The -difficulty would be in the journey from Muangmow to Sehfan, as there -was a feud between the tsawbwas of these states. - -Captain Cooke resolved to return to Bhamô, as his presence might render -it more difficult or tedious for Mr. Elias to proceed to Momien. When -he with his followers proposed to depart, he found the western gate -closed, and was told that it could not be opened without the leave -of some official. He had been already requested to sign a letter of -indemnity for Mr. Elias’ safety, which had, as a matter of course, -been declined, and the closing of the gate was intended as a species -of pressure. He outmanœuvred the officials by ordering his Kakhyens -to wait till the gate should be opened, while he took his departure -by another gate. They rejoined him outside the town, and all arrived -without further difficulty at Paloungto. Here the nat sacrifice duly -took place, and a bullock, pig, and fowls were slaughtered, a leg -of the first victim being presented to Cooke, which is a mark of -honour only paid to chiefs. A grand palaver was held in the tsawbwa’s -house, the occasion being a dispute between the chief and one of his -villages, the people of which had stolen a bullock from him. To atone -for this insult, a fine of ten bullocks was imposed, to be paid in -five yearly instalments. At least fifty Kakhyens were present, and -sheroo and samshu were liberally supplied, but the assemblage was -quiet and orderly. At midnight the English guest expressed a wish to -sleep, and all at once departed, while the chief produced for his -accommodation two carpets which he had recently received as a present -from the Residency. The chief explained the difficulties which had -arisen between himself and the leader of the mission at Sawady, by -the fact that he had only agreed to convoy the British mission, and -would not admit a Burmese guard into his country. It is certain that -no mention of the passage of a Burmese guard had been made during the -previous negotiations by Mr. Elias, who was at that time unaware of -and subsequently opposed to the plan. The tsawbwa complained bitterly -of the humiliation he had experienced in being obliged to squat on -the ground before the Burmese officials, and that he had not had any -opportunity of a private interview with the English officers. It is -very much to his credit that he asked for nothing beyond what he had -been promised; and his conduct and that of his brother, the chief of -Wurrabone, and their subjects, showed conclusively that, so far as the -Kakhyens are concerned, this route to Muangmow was unattended by any -real difficulty. - -On the day after our arrival at Bhamô, our anxiety concerning the -position of Elias was relieved by the arrival of two Lenna Kakhyens, -bringing letters from him dated from Kwotloon on the 24th. The -messengers had thus accomplished their journey in two days, and were -immediately sent back with letters. As it was probable that Mr. Elias -would have received the letter of recall, his speedy arrival was -looked for; and all our suspense on his account was ended on March 2nd, -when he made his appearance, escorted by the Wurrabone pawmine. - -Subsequently to Captain Cooke’s departure from Muangmow, Li-sieh-tai, -whose conduct and character had made a rather favourable impression -on Mr. Elias, held out hopes that he might be able to arrange for his -safe conduct to Sehfan. The tsawbwa, however, was more explicit, and -assured him that it was impossible in the then state of the country. -Subsequent observations, and refusals of access to the tsawbwa, on -various pretexts, convinced Elias that there was no intention to let -him proceed. He therefore bade farewell to Li, who accepted a rifle -as a parting present, and returned to Kwotloon, to which place two -Shans brought the news of the attack on our camp. The aged tsawbwa of -Wurrabone, with his pawmines, went to Kwotloon to escort him safely to -Mansay; and leaving Kwotloon on the 28th, they accomplished the journey -of sixty-four miles by a direct road, avoiding Paloungto, in two days. -While passing Peetah, the Lennas evinced some apprehension that the -Kara Kakhyens, who had previously grumbled about the smallness of their -gains, might prove troublesome; but the party passed through without -opposition. - -It is impossible to avoid the reflection that, if the murder of Margary -and the attack on our camp had been directed by Li-sieh-tai, he could -easily, by direct or indirect means, have disposed of his visitor; -and his civility and consideration for his safety by not allowing him -to advance are surely to be esteemed a strong argument in his favour. -Among the Lenna Kakhyens the opinion was freely expressed that the -opposition was due to secret tactics on the part of the Burmese. That -this idea prevailed among the hill tribes to the south of the Tapeng -was further confirmed by Father Lecomte, who returned from a visit to -Mattin at the time of our arrival at Bhamô. When he and his companion -reached the first Kakhyen village, there was an incessant discharge of -fire-arms, and the villagers appeared unwilling to receive them, until -they assured them that they were not Englishmen. Their sacerdotal garb -assisted to make the Kakhyens believe that they belonged to a different -race, and they were then entertained, but informed that at first the -people had said, “If these are kalas, let us kill them, because the -king of Burma does not wish them to enter our hills.” The tsawbwa -of Mattin, whose intelligence and general knowledge impressed them -strongly, told them that there was no chance of the mission reaching -Yunnan. He further remarked that the Kakhyens were glad to see the -Englishmen at Bhamô; but “what will become of the trade and occupation -of our people if they make a railway from Bhamô to Momien?” This -feeling, both among the Chinese merchants and the Kakhyens, especially -those under Burmese and Chinese influence, that our gain in the way of -open trade would prove their loss, must be largely taken into account -in estimating the difficulties of progress. - -The opinion that the king of Burma was hostile to the mission owed -its origin to a forged royal letter, directing the Kakhyens to oppose -us. A copy of this letter was obtained by the Resident, and there was -no doubt that it had been widely circulated. The forgery was brought -home to no less a personage than the chief phoongyee, or _saya_, -of Kaungtoung. The Woon of Shuaygoo, whose district includes both -Kaungtoung and Sawady, it will be recollected, refused any co-operation -with his colleague at Bhamô. I personally experienced his hostility to -foreigners during a boat voyage through the second defile on the return -from Bhamô, when he not only refused a guide, but sent instructions to -the headmen of his villages to forbid my landing. He has been since -deprived of office, and the actual perpetrator of the forgery has -been tried by the ecclesiastical court of Mandalay, degraded from the -priesthood, and sentenced to carry one hundred loads of water into the -khyoung of the court. The sentence ran as follows:--“In the case of -rahans, if in a matter not ordered by our most excellent Lord Buddha, -one represents it to be a sacred order, he is guilty of _dakka-apat_. -In the case of laymen, if a person represents that which is not a -royal order as a royal order, the customary punishment is to widen -his mouth (by slitting the cheeks) or to cut off his hand. In the -present instance, Shin Thula Tsara, the Saya of Kaungtoung, without -orders from an ecclesiastical court, by making that which was not a -royal order into a royal order, was the one who ordered the obstruction -of the British mission proceeding to China. He accordingly has been -deprived of his office of bishop; but as a rahan and a soldier of the -Buddhist religion is not punishable according to the civil law, the -decision, in accordance with the rule given in the Wini, made by the -assembled members of the ecclesiastical court, is--Let him be punished -by carrying one hundred loads of water,” &c. This isolated case of -hostility on the part of Burmese officials in nowise detracts from the -good opinion which the zeal and energy displayed in our service by the -Bhamô authorities earned from all who witnessed and profited by them. - -Upon our safe arrival, the Woon sent letters to the governor of Momien -to inquire into the causes of the opposition offered to the progress -of the mission and the murder of one of its officers. The report that -Chinese troops were still marching in great numbers from Momien to -Manwyne was also the subject of inquiry. He did not disguise his fear -that the Chinese would attack Bhamô; and the preparation of bricks for -the construction of a wall around the town, which had already begun, -was actively pressed forward. - -During our stay, all opportunities for ascertaining, if possible, -the exact details of the murder of Mr. Margary and his followers -were eagerly availed of by us; but beyond the melancholy fact, though -various reports were current, it was impossible to collect evidence -either as to the perpetrators or the circumstances of this atrocious -crime. It seemed, however, agreed that there were Chinese officials and -troops at Manwyne. The muleteers and others who accompanied Margary had -fled for their lives into the jungle. One reported that he had been -examined as a friend of the foreigners, and had escaped by asserting -that he was a resident of the district, and not connected with us. The -most trustworthy account was furnished by two of the six Burmese who -were at Manwyne, and whom the Chinese officials threatened to kill. -The most intelligent one stated that he saw Margary walking about the -town, sometimes with Chinese and at other times alone. On the morning -of the 21st, the very day of his murder, some men invited him to go and -see a hot spring, and when he was outside the town, they knocked him -off his pony and speared him. His writer and messenger and two servants -were killed in the khyoung. This was only hearsay, and no one had seen -the heads of the victims, which were reported to have been affixed to -the town wall, or, according to another account, to have been sent to -Momien. Our informants had not seen any troops, though one had heard -them marching at night while he was concealed in the jungle. - -Later accounts stated that the Chinese officers had been ordered back -in disgrace to Momien, because they had allowed our party to escape, -and that the Shans were at feud with the Chinese, as the phoongyee -complained that the khyoung had been desecrated by blood-shedding. - -It is to be hoped that the commission of inquiry now traversing China -from the east will be able to elicit the facts, and to determine to -whom the guilt of the barbarous murder of a British officer attaches. -It is in no wise fitting to prejudge the case. Whether local marauders -or the Momien officials, actuated either by prejudice against -foreigners or commercial jealousy, or, it may be, a groundless fear of -encouragement to be derived by the Mahommedans from the presence of -the English, violated the rights guaranteed by treaty and the express -commands of an imperial passport, remains to be seen. It is possible -that the authority of the viceroy of Yunnan was prostituted to oppose -the entrance of the hated foreigners; and the recent reports seem to -indicate a determination in the Yunnan yamens at least to screen the -offenders. - -For my own part, I desire to record the deep sympathy entertained for -those who mourn for the loss of one so beloved. Our brief intercourse -lasted long enough to win for him the esteem and cordial friendship -of us all; and while we deplored the early loss to his country of the -services of one whose past career and talents promised to raise him to -high distinction, we lamented his untimely death as that of an old and -dear friend. To his family and those who looked forward to share his -future, the loss is irreparable; and the punishment of the guilty will -bring but little consolation. But he may be said to have bequeathed it -as a public duty--made more imperative by its being the most fitting -tribute to his worth--to establish in those border lands the right of -Englishmen to travel unmolested. - -The death of this young officer and the repulse of the British mission -from the frontiers of China have left a marked impression on the minds -of the various populations. The question of opening trade routes may -be left to the future. Overland commerce cannot be forced, or even -stimulated, by extraordinary efforts. The existence of a channel of -trade between Burma and China has been demonstrated; and when the -restored prosperity of Yunnan shall create a demand, the steamers -of the Burmese rivers and the entrepot of Bhamô, where the British -flag assures protection to British interests, are ready to furnish -the supply. For the present, above and beyond the task of avenging -his murder on the guilty, of whatever rank they may be, the name of -AUGUSTUS RAYMOND MARGARY will be most fitly honoured by a party of -his countrymen formally asserting the right to traverse, in honour -and safety, the route between Burma and China, which he was the first -Englishman to explore, and which should be maintained as his most -durable monument. - -By the arrival of Mr. Ney Elias, our chief cause of anxiety was -removed, and when on March 3rd the boats arrived from Tsitkaw freighted -with the baggage and stores which successive officials had been -despatched to expedite, there was no farther necessity for delay at -Bhamô. Everything, with very trivial exceptions, was delivered safely -according to the inventory which had been taken at Woonkah, and the -tsawbwa of that place received his promised reward of £1000, which -undoubtedly made him the richest chief among the northern Kakhyens. - -As the steamer from Mandalay had not arrived, I hired a native boat, in -order to make a leisurely inspection of the second defile, and dropped -down to Sawady. The Woon of Bhamô had informed me that there was danger -to be apprehended from the Kakhyens on the hills of the defile, and -advised an application to the Shuaygoo Woon, who was at Sawady, for a -guide. After some delay, the Woon received me, but most ungraciously, -and declined the request, as the Bhamô Woon had sent no official letter -on the subject. Not content with this refusal, he sent a boat with -soldiers to convey orders to the villages not to allow me to remain -for the night, the result of which we experienced at a place called -Thembaw-eng, where the headman came down and compelled us to leave -our moorings. We were not assailed by Kakhyens, but had a nocturnal -alarm of a tiger, which the boatmen declared to be not a real tiger, -but the nat of the locality, who was enraged at their having cut down -some branches which interfered with my camera, when photographing the -great cliff. A more disagreeable incident was a violent storm, almost -amounting to a tornado, which overtook us in the river. The hurricane -was presaged by a most brilliant light seen, in the west, from which -quarter the wind soon after burst upon the river with tremendous -fury, lashing its surface into great waves, while incessant flashes -of lightning lit up the scene, which was one of terrific grandeur. A -pleasing incident of the trip was the arrival of a boat containing -our old friend and patient, the old tsare-daw-gyee, who had escorted -us from Mandalay, and who had arrived at Bhamô in chains on his way -to Mogoung a few days before. He expressed great pleasure at seeing -me safe, and I congratulated him on having regained his liberty. This -was due to royal orders brought by an express boat from Mandalay two -days previously. As he intended to halt at Shuaygoo-myo, he promised -to neutralise the malice of the Woon, by personal instructions to the -headman, which proved most useful. - -The steamer _Colonel Fytche_, with the members of the mission, overtook -us at the wooding station of Yuathet on March 7th, and, after the -usual delays caused by grounding on sandbanks, we reached Mandalay on -the 10th, and found the steamer _Yunnan_ about to start for Rangoon. -We were almost amused to hear the various and contradictory rumours -which had been flying about this most gossiping of capitals as to -our dangers and escapes. An account of the attack, as being made by -Kakhyens and disaffected Chinese, had been published in a printed -Chinese broadsheet, which professed to give the most recent and -exact information concerning the mission, a curious illustration of -the interest which the subject possessed for the Chinese traders of -Mandalay. The _Yunnan_ conveyed us to Rangoon, where the welcome of -the Chief Commissioner and the hearty congratulations, on our safety, -of our other friends were not lessened by our having been compelled -to return _re infecta_, leaving the task, it is to be hoped, soon and -successfully to be accomplished by another mission. - - - - -APPENDICES. - - -APPENDIX I. - -A NOTE BY BISHOP BIGANDET ON BURMESE BELLS.[42] - -Bells are common in Burma, and the people of that country are well -acquainted with the art of casting them. Most of the bells to be seen -in the pagodas are of small dimensions, and in shape differ from those -used in Europe. The inferior part is less widened, and there is a -large hole in the centre of the upper part. No tongue is hung in the -interior, but the sound is produced by striking with a horn of deer or -elk the outward surface of the lower part. No belfry is erected for -the bells; they are fixed on a piece of timber laid horizontally, and -supported by two posts, at such a height that the inferior part of the -bell is raised about five feet from the ground. - -The largest specimens of Burmese art are the two bells to be seen, the -one at the large pagoda of Rangoon, called Shuay Dagon, and the other -at Mengoon. - -The first was cast in 1842, as recorded by the inscription on it. The -weight of metal is 94,682 lbs.; its height, 9½ cubits; its diameter, -5 cubits; its thickness, 15 inches. But during the process of -melting, the well-disposed threw in copper, silver, and gold in great -quantities. It is supposed that in this way the weight was increased -one-fourth. - -The bell of Mengoon was cast at the beginning of this century. In shape -and form it resembles our bells of Europe. It is probable that some -foreigner residing at Ava suggested the idea of giving such an unusual -form to that monumental bell. Its height is 18 feet, besides 7 feet -for hanging apparatus. It is 17 feet in diameter, and from 10 to 12 -inches in thickness. Its weight is supposed to exceed 200,000 lbs.[43] -In the interior, large yellowish and greyish streaks indicate that -considerable quantities of gold and silver have been thrown in during -the process of melting. No idea can at present be had of the power of -the sound, as its enormous weight has caused the pillars that support -it partially to give way. To prevent a final disaster, the orifice of -the bell has been made to rest on large teak posts sunk in the ground -and rising about 3 feet above it. - -[42] From ‘The Legend of the Burmese Buddha,’ by Bishop Bigandet, -Rangoon. - -[43] It will be observed that these figures are in excess of those -given by Colonel Yule, which I have quoted in the text. - - -APPENDIX II. - -TRANSLATION OF A CHINESE DOCUMENT, WHICH PURPORTS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE -ORIGIN AND ESTABLISHMENT OF MAHOMMEDANISM IN CHINA. BY COLONEL SLADEN. - -The chief queen of the emperor Tanwan adopted a child and called him -Anlaushan. In time the child developed into a man of extraordinary -comeliness and wonderful intellect. - -The queen was enamoured; and the adopted son became her paramour. - -Anlaushan soon rose to distinction. His abilities were of the highest -order, and raised him at once to fame and influence. The queenly -passion was not disclosed; but suspicion had been sufficiently roused -to make it prudent on the queen’s part to get rid of her lover, and -defeat all signs of illicit intercourse. - -Anlaushan was accordingly accused of being privy to a conspiracy to -dethrone the emperor. The influence of the queen prevailed to obtain a -conviction, and her favourite was banished from the royal capital. - -But the injustice of his accusation and a sense of wrongs roused -Anlaushan to action, and induced him to become in reality a leader -of rebellion. He lost no time in collecting a large force with which -he was able to make head against the government, and successfully -encounter the troops of the emperor. In time he had approached within -a league of the capital, and city and palace were alike threatened. - -The emperor Tanwan in this emergency adopted the suggestion of his -vizier Kanseree, and despatched a mission to Seeyoogwet, and implored -foreign aid. A force of three thousand men was sent, under the command -and guidance of three learned teachers, who arrived in due time at -Tanwan’s capital. By their aid Anlaushan was defeated and eventually -captured. - -The rebellion was at an end, and the foreign contingent left China, to -return to its own country. Here, however, a difficulty arose. Their -rulers refused them admittance, and alleged as a cause for doing so, -that it was against the constitution of the country to receive back men -who had come into contact with pork-eating infidels. They had herded -in fact with pigs and infidels, and could no longer be regarded as -unpolluted subjects, or as fit members of a society which held pork in -religious detestation. - -They returned therefore to China, and became permanent sojourners in -a foreign land. They are the original stock from which Mahommedanism -has sprung up in China, in various communities, and under several -denominations, &c. - - -APPENDIX III. - -LIST OF NATS, OR DEITIES, WORSHIPPED BY THE KAKHYENS; OBTAINED FROM -NATIVE SOURCES BY COLONEL SLADEN. - -1. _Ngka_ nat; Burmese, _Me_ nat; Eng. God of Earth.--He is worshipped -on the occasions of digging gold or other mines, founding a village, -and sowing paddy. The offerings made are buffalo, hogs, fowls, dried -fish, and liquor (sheroo). The worship must be celebrated by the entire -population of a village, and for four days next ensuing no work nor -journey must be undertaken. - -2. _Mooshen_ or _Mofitwa_ nat or nats. These are husband and -wife, called respectively _Sharoowa_ and _Modai-pronga_. Burmese, -_Thakya-meng_; Eng. the King of Gods.--Worshipped on the occasion -of clearing fields, cutting rice crop, and founding a village. The -offerings made are a young male buffalo or bull, hog, cocks, eggs, -rice, dried fish, and liquor, with gifts of a silk putzo and women’s -ornaments. The worship is celebrated by the tsawbwa and the whole -village, and cannot be offered by a private person. - -3. _Numsyang_ or _Noon-shan_ nat or nats; Burmese, _Yuwa-saun_; Eng. -the Village Guardians.--These are male and female, the eastern portion -of a village being under the custody of the former, and the western of -the latter. They are worshipped twice a year; also on the occasion of -any epidemic or of war, and at the foundation of a new village. The -offerings are as already mentioned, but the victims must be male, and -the worship is celebrated by the tsawbwa with all his people. - -4. _Chan_ nat; Burmese, _Me_ nat; Eng. the Sun.--Also two, husband and -wife. Worshipped by chief and people at the time of clearing fields and -harvesting. The offerings are red fowls, boiled rice, eggs, dried fish, -bread, and liquor, with gifts of one gong, a red putzo, and masculine -ornaments. - -5. _Sada_ nat; Burmese, _La_ nat; Eng. the Moon.--Worshipped as -foregoing. Offerings, boiled rice, dried flesh and fish, eggs, and four -bamboo flasks of liquor, with gifts of feminine clothes and ornaments -and a silver pipe stem. - -6. _Ning-foi_, or _Pomp-woi_; Burmese, _Le_ nat; Eng. the -Air.--Worshipped in sickness, time of war, when going on a trading -journey, clearing fields, or founding a village. Offerings, buffalo, -cow, hog, fowls, &c., with gifts of putzo, gong, and silver. - -7. _Ning-gon-wa_ nat; Burmese, _Byama_ nat; the Hindoo Brahma.--Regarded -as the “chief tsawbwa after death.” Offerings, bread; gifts, flowers, -silk putzo, and eight bamboos of liquor. - -8. _Boom_ nat; Burmese, _Toung_ nat; Eng. the God of -Mountains.--Worshipped in sickness, and when clearing fields or founding -a village. Offerings, buffalo, cow, hog, &c. - -9. _Mŭm Sŭn_; Burmese, _Soba_ nat; Eng. the Rice God.--Worshipped for -growth of rice crop, and sometimes in sickness. Offerings the same as -to the Moon. - -10. _Chegah_ nat; Burmese, _Lay-khyan-saun_; the Field and Garden -Keeper.--Invoked to protect them. Offerings of buffalo and cows, of -which the skin is burned and the flesh boiled. Propitiated also with -offerings of tobacco. Said to inflict disease in the skin and eyes. - -11. _Waroom_ nat; Burmese, _Ana_ nat; Eng. the God of -Disease.--Worshipped during sickness, chiefly small-pox and cholera. -Offerings, buffalo, &c. - -12. _Khakhoo Kha-nam_; Burmese, _Yei_ nat; the God of -Water.--Worshipped on the occasion of any one being drowned; sometimes -in sickness. Offerings, two buffaloes, two hogs, two fowls, &c. - -13. _Tsethoung_ nat; Burmese, _Tou_ nat; Eng. the God of -Forest.--Worshipped on the occasion of founding a village, clearing -fields, war, and sickness. Offerings, a hog, a goat, &c. - -14. _Ngkhoo_ nat; Burmese, _Aing_ nat; the Home God, or God of -Ancestors.--Worshipped in all cases of sickness. Any one wishing to -migrate to another state hangs a bamboo of liquor on a post and invokes -him. New rice is also offered him at harvest. Offerings, buffalo, cow, -&c. - -15. _Ndong_ nat; Burmese, _Aing-peen_ nat; the God of the Outside of -Home.--Believed to reside in the house, but worshipped outside if one -of the family is killed in war, or by drowning, fall from a tree, or -the bite of a tiger or snake. Offerings, buffalo, &c. - -16. _Mo_ nat; Burmese, the same; the God of Heaven.--Four brothers, -viz. Moung-lam, Khreenwan, Seen-lap, Mou-sheeing, and a sister, -Boung-fwoy, the Thunder Goddess. A very high god of the Kakhyens, -worshipped by those who desire profit in trade, victory in war, or -children; also on occasion of founding a village and of sickness. -Sacrifice, buffalo, cow, hog, and fowls--all which must be white--dried -fish, eggs, and liquor. - -17. _Lessa_ nat; Burmese, _Tesey_, or _Tuhsai_; the ghost of a person -murdered by the dah, supposed to cause disease.--Offerings, buffalo, -&c., and boiled rice, curry, liquor, exposed in baskets. - -18. _Needang_ nat; Burmese, _Meima Tesey_; the compound spectre of -mother and unborn child. - -19. _Hau-saing_ nat; Burmese, _Taroup_ nat; the Chinese god. - -20. _Khokhamla_; Burmese, _Sing-buring_; the last king. - -21. _Phee Lomoon_; Burmese, _Soung_; the witch, believed to be able to -destroy life. - - -APPENDIX IV. - -NOTE BY PROFESSOR DOUGLAS ON THE DEITIES IN THE SHAN TEMPLE AT TSAYCOW, -IN THE HOTHA VALLEY. - -The objects of worship contained within the walls of this temple are -well worthy of note, more especially as they illustrate the curious -manner in which the deities representing the various faiths of -Chinamen--Buddhist, Taouist, and Confucianist--are often intermingled. -As the subjoined list shows, Buddhas, Buddhisatwas, Devas, Arhans, and -Buddhist patriarchs, stand side by side with “True Men,” “Masters of -Heaven,” and princes of the Taouist faith; while Confucianism finds a -solitary representative in the Deva of Scholarly (i.e. Confucianist) -Youths (No. 15). This grouping together of the deities of the “Three -Religions” might appear strange to those unacquainted with the phases -which these faiths have assumed in China. From the first, however, -Taouism was but another form of Buddhism, and the gradual weakening, -which has been going on for centuries, of the distinctive doctrines -of the two sects, together with the introduction of purely Chinese -superstition into both, have tended to obliterate the uncertain line -of demarcation which originally separated the one from the other. -Indeed, the power of absorption, whether of races or of creeds, which -so peculiarly belongs to the Chinese, has served to fuse together the -dogmas of Buddha and Lao-tsze with the teachings of Confucius to such -an extent that, as far as the masses are concerned, they may be treated -as the foundations of a common faith, and the objects set apart by each -for worship are to be found not unfrequently standing in positions of -equal honour--as in the present instance--in the national Pantheons. - -The following is a list of the eighty deities who are enthroned in the -temple:-- - -1. Yun lai tseĭh teen = the Deva of the Gathering Clouds. - -2. Jĭh kung tsun teen = the honoured Deva of the Sun Palace. - -3. To wăn tsun teen = Vaishravana. - -4. Keen-na-lo Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, the King of the -Kinnaras. - -5. Ta hĕh tsun teen = Mahâ Kala. - -6. Sing kung tsun teen = the honoured Deva of the Star Palace. - -7. Tae suy tsun teen = the Chinese Cybele. - -8. Luy shin tsun teen = the honoured Deva of Thunder. - -9. Hoo-kea-lo Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, King Hoo-kea-lo. - -10. Po-kiĕh-lo-tsew (?) tsun teen = the honoured Deva Po-kiĕh-lo-tsew -(?) (Bhaskaravarna?). - -11. Same as No. 8. - -12. Lŭh chai pă Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, the Eighth King of -the Six Fasts (?). - -13. Hing ping kwei Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, the -Disease-transmitting Demon King. - -14. Hwa-kwang-meaou-keĭh-tseang tsun teen = Manjusri. - -15. Joo tung te teen = the Imperial Deva of Scholarly (i.e. -Confucianist) Youths. - -16. San chi tsun teen = the Glory-scattering honoured Deva. - -17. Mi-tseĭh-kin-kang tsun teen = the Vajra-holding honoured Deva. - -18. Mo-le-che tsun teen = Maritchi. - -19. Să chin jin = the True Man Să (Taouist). - -20. Kŏ chin jin = the True Man Kŏ (Hang?) (Taouist). - -21. Yuh te = the Jade Ruler (Taouist). - -22. Chang Teen sze = the Master of Heaven Chang (Taou-ling?) (Taouist). - -23. Heu chin keun = the Prince Heu (Taouist). - -24. Ho-le-te-nan tsun = Hariti. - -25. Yen-lo te teen = Yama. - -26. Kwei tsze moo teen = the Demon Terrestrial Deva. - -27. Poo-te-shoo teen = Buddhisatwa Druma. - -28. Keen-lo te teen = the Firm and Strong Terrestrial Deva. - -29. Mo-he-lo tsun teen = Maheshvara. - -30. Kwang mŭh tsun teen = Virupaksha. - -31. Tsăng chang tsun teen = Virudhaka. - -32. Chĭh kwŏ tsun teen = Dhritarashtra. - -33. Same as No. 8. - -34. Kwan shing te teen = the God of War. - -35. Te shĭh tsun teen = Buddha. - -36. Ta fan tsun teen = Brahma. - -37. Tsze tung te teen = the Deva of the Tsze and Tung Trees. - -38. Ta peen teen = the Great Deva of Disputation. - -39. Kung tĭh tsun teen = the honoured Deva of Good Works. - -40. Hoo fa tsun teen = Dharmarakshita. - -41. Heuen teen shang te = The Sombre-Heaven God. - -42. Pin-too-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan[44] Pin-too-lo. - -43. Choo-cha-pwan-to-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Choo-cha-pwan-to-kea. - -44. Fa-na-po-sze tsun-chay = the Arhan Fa-na-po-sze. - -45. Na-kea-mow-na-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Na-kea-mow-na-lo. - -46. Pwan-to-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Pwan-to-kea. - -47. Fa-chay-fŭh-to-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Fa-chay-fŭh-to-lo. - -48. Po to-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Po-to-lo. - -49. Soo-pin-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Soo-pin-to. - -50. Peen-nŏ-kea-fa-tso tsun-chay = the Arhan Peen-nŏ-kea-fa-tso. - -51. Kan heen = the Watching-the-Righteous (Deity). - -52. Kea-che = Kâsyapa. - -53. Chay-nŏ Fŭh = the Protecting and Answering Buddha. - -54. Shŭh-kea Fŭh = Sakya Buddha. - -55. Pe-loo Fŭh = Vairoshana. - -56. A-nan = Ananda. - -57. Wăn choo = Mangusri. - -58. Pin-tow-loo-to-chay tsun-chay = the Arhan Pin-tow-loo-to-chay. - -59. Kea-kea-po-tĭh-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Kea-kea-po-tĭh-to. - -60. Nŏ-keu-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Nŏ-keu-lo. - -61. Kea-le-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Kalika. - -62. Shoo-foo-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Shoo-foo-kea. - -63. Lo-hoo-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Lo-hoo-lo. - -64. Yin-këĕ-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Yin-këĕ-to. - -65. A-she-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Asita. - -66. King-yew tsun-chay = the Arhan King-yew. - -67. Tă-ma tsoo sze = the Patriarch Dharma. - -68. Kea-lan Poo-să = the Sam̃ghârâma Buddha. - -69. Same as No. 41. - -70. Kwan-yin Poo-să = Avalokites’vara. - -71. Wăn-chang te keun = the God of Literature. - -72. Hoo-fă Wei-to = Veda, the Defender of the Law. - -73. Tsëĕ yin Fŭh = Amita. - -74. Same as No. 3. - -75. Same as No. 30. - -76. Same as No. 32. - -77. Same as No. 31. - -78. Has no name attached. - -79. Shwuy ho kin kang = the Water and-Fire-Varja-(throwing Deity) [an -impossible title]. - -[44] _Arhan_, Professor Douglas informs me, has the same signification -as the term _rahan_, used by me in the text.--J. A. - - -APPENDIX V. - -VOCABULARY. - - +--------------+----------------+--------------+ - | English. | Kakhyen. | Shan. | - +--------------+----------------+--------------+ - |One | Langai | Loong | - |Two | Lakong | Song | - |Three | Masoam | Sam | - |Four | Malee | Si | - |Five | Mangah | Ha | - |Six | Kroo | Hoak | - |Seven | Sanet | Saet | - |Eight | Matsat | Pyet | - |Nine | Tsikoo | Kow | - |Ten | Shi | Sheep | - |Eleven | Shilangai | Sheepate | - |Twenty | Koon | Sow | - |Twenty-one | Koonlangai | Sowate | - |One hundred | Latsa | Packlaing | - |One thousand | Hainglangai | Hainglaing | - |I | Ngai | Kow | - |We | Antaing | Mowshoe | - |You | Nongtaing | How | - |He | Torawah | Mung | - |Of me | Ngaihome | Kowlai | - |Of us | Antainglo | Howhalai | - |Of you | Nangtainglo | Mowsoo | - |Of him | Keyraiĕh | Hongmyoon | - |Of them | Kangtengraiĕh | Myonhowlai | - |Above | Lata | Kāneh | - |Below | Lawoo | Kantow | - |Far | Nowtsanai | Kaiyow | - |Near | Aneesharengai | Cowalaí | - |Alone | Nanaisha | Yonlai | - |Inside | .. .. | .. .. | - |Behind | .. .. | .. .. | - |Before | .. .. | .. .. | - |North | .. .. | Kaneu | - |South | .. .. | Kantow | - |East | .. .. | Wanoak | - |West | .. .. | Wantoak | - |Best | Kajai | Leesubinah | - |Bad | Inkajah | Yunglee | - |Worse | .. .. | .. .. | - +--------------+----------------+--------------+ - - +-----------------+-----------------+-------------+ - | Hotha Shan. | Leesaw. | Poloung. | - +-----------------+-----------------+-------------+ - | Ta | Ti | Lay. | - | Seuk | Hnuit | Eh. | - | Soom | Sa | Ooay. | - | Mee | Li | Pone. | - | Ngwa | Ngaw | Pohn. | - | Ho | Chaw | Taw. | - | Huit | Tshe | Ta. | - | Het | Hay | Poo. | - | Kaow | Koo | Teen. | - | Takkhay | Tsi | Kew. | - | Khayta | Tsili | Kewlay. | - | Sow | Meetzee | Ehkew. | - | Sowta | Meetzeeti | Ehkewlay. | - | Tabac | Teengha | Oobooyaw. | - | Tahaing | Titoo | Oohaing. | - | Ngaw | Nga | Ow. | - | Ngawtookay | Ngaeuh | Nuibey. | - | Kewtakah | .. .. | Ee. | - | Mong | .. .. | Pĕh. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | Attaw | Khanashee | Kiggo. | - | Loongbaw | Meekhya | Kirroi. | - | Vaylai | Oorăh | Loong. | - | Neenăy | Tialah | Puloang. | - | Notah | Nwaday | Mowloutsay. | - | Ahhow | Nagwah | Kaffan. | - | Noongbah | Kanashee | Howlaybonow.| - | Numram | Jugushee | Howlaiow. | - | Hobah | Meetloakhew | Keyko. | - | Oobah | Meegoakhew | Keyroi. | - | Meetope | Wadashee | Keygo. | - | Neekcoam | Godashee | Makkayroi. | - | Soobudaykhaybaw | Loosoometsighaw | Tsika. | - | Makhay | Magee | Putzee. | - | Highmakhay | .. .. | .. .. | - +-----------------+-----------------+-------------+ - - +-------------------------------------------------+ - | VOCABULARY. | - |--------------+-----------------+----------------+ - | English. | Kakhyen. | Shan. | - |--------------+-----------------+----------------+ - | Worst | Toomsa inkajah | Moataykhew | - | High | Tsawah | Ansoong | - | Higher | .. .. | Aykhera soongsa| - | Highest | Lata | .. .. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | Low | Nemai | Tumalai | - | False | Nangmasonai | Monlonlai | - | Fine | Tsomai | Sanay | - | True | Raiai | Lonlai | - | Thin | Kasherai | Yongmai | - | Fat | Kubai | Peaeh | - | Thick | Tatday | Lalai | - | Oily | Toesa | Hackaylai | - | Pretty | Tsomai | Hanglilai | - | Ugly | .. .. | .. .. | - | Beautiful | Tsomai | Hanglilai | - | Clean | Tsomai | Senshitnai | - | Dirty | Shoeshakai | Hangwheylai | - | Dusty | .. .. | .. .. | - | Cheap | .. .. | Mouwai | - | Dear | Matzanneh | Paneh | - | Rich | Soneh | Me-eh | - | Poor | Matzaneh | Panyon | - | Old | Toonglasa | Tonalai | - | Young | Kacheeai | Onyou | - | Tall | Sawai | Soongai | - | Little | Indehkacheeai | Onzalai | - | Small | Kacheecheeai | Onzeesee | - | Big | Kubai | Yanalai | - | Tight | Teetai | Kapai | - | Wide | Koocabai | Quangai | - | Close | Meesa | Kowai | - | Painful | Matzeeai | Sipai | - | Pleasant | .. .. | .. .. | - | Red | Khrenai | Aneng | - | Yellow | Somai | Anaing | - | Green | Chitai | Anhew | - | Blue | Chitai | Anpyah | - | Orange | .. .. | .. .. | - | Black | Changai | Anam | - | White | Prongai | Angpuck | - | Hand | Lata | Mew | - +--------------+-----------------+----------------+ - - +---------------------------------------------------------+ - | VOCABULARY. | - +------------------------+---------------+----------------+ - | Hotha Shan. | Leesaw. | Poloung. | - +------------------------+---------------+----------------+ - | Highmakhayaw | Oumamagee | Putzee. | - | Mahanglai | Moodah | Ko. | - | Soobudaymahanglaí | Akkeymo | Kokakai. | - | Soobudayma-hanglaibaw | .. .. | Hoakmureemurra.| - | Mahlawhoonlai | Kula | Quoikaroi. | - | Manhay | Mungaw | Owmow. | - | Tomelai | Byeedah | Tseah. | - | Pēybaw | Ghooleeaw | Hawhoi. | - | Hyamlai | Battah | Mangah. | - | Powlai | Tsuddah | Kalana. | - | Kanlai | Guadah | Nakakoi. | - | Kokklai | Khuddah | Kaiaw. | - | Tomelai | Bheda | Tsi. | - | .. .. | Mabyee | Putzee. | - | Tomebaw | Bheda | Tsikaw. | - | Peubaw | Phaw | Lweehaw. | - | Tseetbaw | Neemughoondah | Highai. | - | Soodah | Shenggew | Peevunay. | - | Polai | Noodah | .. .. | - | Kolai | Kaddah | Gnaw. | - | Chodo | Tsobo | .. .. | - | Panlai | Saddah | Anpan. | - | Mungsaw | Tsomaw | Takkaw. | - | Thoay | Lanew | Taheelay. | - | Mangbah | Moakkaw | Onyou-haw. | - | Asaw | Wablaneu | Konou. | - | Moonmoonsaw | Runurraw | Konlay-lay. | - | Khuybaw | Woodaw | Langhaw. | - | Shinglai | Tsodah | Pakkaw. | - | Quanglabaw | Haydaw | Loomhaw. | - | Naygawsabaw | Thyeedaw | Chamhaw. | - | Atoohenlai | Goodoonnuddah | Toeowsayowlow. | - | Kneelawkaybaw | Teeanaw | Khyenhaw. | - | Omnah | Yeenee | Yow. | - | Aloom | Yeeshee | Eela. | - | Akkew | Yeneetshee | Eevong. | - | Amyauh | Lasay | Lenay. | - | Aloongasaw | Attew | Quonlaylay. | - | Annaw | Yeenah | Eewong. | - | Appew | Yeepoo | Eelooee. | - | Taw | Lapah | Tai. | - +------------------------+---------------+----------------+ - - +--------------+-----------------+--------------+ - | English. | Kakhyen. | Shan. | - +--------------+-----------------+--------------+ - | Foot | Lagong kheytai | Ting | - | Nose | Indee | Hunglan | - | Eye | Me | Waydah | - | Mouth | Iucoop | Soap | - | Tooth | Wa | Shew | - | Ear | Na | Mayloho | - | Hair | Karah | Hoonhoẃ | - | Head | Pong | Ho | - | Tongue | Shinglet | Lin | - | Belly | Khan | Tong | - | Rock | Shemah | Lung | - | Iron | Phee | Lĕh | - | Gold | Tsa | Hum | - | Silver | Comprong | Goom | - | Copper | Makree | Tong | - | Lead | Masoo | Chun | - | Tin | Pheyprong | Laypuck | - | Brass | Makree | Tonglung | - | Earth | Kah | Lunglean | - | Father | Kowah | Paw | - | Mother | Gnoo | Ma | - | Brother | Apoo | Tsailoong | - | Sister | Mongsow | Nongsow | - | Man | Chingpaw | Khoon | - | Woman | Noom | Pahying | - | Wife | Mashanoom | Meh | - | Child | Mang | Laon | - | Son | Kashah | Look | - | Daughter | Mawhonkashah | Looksow | - | Slave | Kashahpyeelai | Loogyonow | - | Cultivator | Toangnaiai | Toangla | - | Shepherd | Peinamremai | Sowpalingpeh | - | Hunter | Mounwhomai | Sowmonso | - | God | Shingrawah | Sowpara | - | Devil | Nateabai | Peahighloong | - | Sun | San | Wan | - | Moon | Ladah | Lhun | - | Star | Lagree | Laow | - | Fire | Wan | Phai | - | Water | Intzin | Nam | - | House | Indah | Huhn | - | Horse | Comerang | Māh | - +--------------+-----------------+--------------+ - - +-------------+-----------+-------------+ - | Hotha Shan. | Leesaw. | Poloung. | - +-------------+-----------+-------------+ - | Hkay | Khaypah | Ronaw. | - | Nayhong | Nahbay | Koorookmoo. | - | Knoydzee | Myetzoo | Nigh. | - | Myoot | Malay | Moay. | - | Khoway | Tsitshee | Shang. | - | Neeshaw | Nabaw | Choak. | - | Oo | Oochay | Heuckhyn. | - | Owgong | Oodew | Khyn. | - | Whaw | Latchay | Latah. | - | Oondow | Hickhay | Vot. | - | Wholoong | Kamah | Yahow. | - | Shan | Hhew | Tsigh. | - | Say | Keypah | Yoang. | - | Noway | Poo | Reun. | - | Toangwah | Gishshee | .. .. | - | Keway | Tsew | Pachat. | - | Shanphew | Hoepew | Leckleway. | - | Tungpur | Yeguw | .. .. | - | Me | Nayhew | Katai. | - | Apaw | Baba | Koon. | - | Aggah | Mama | Ma. | - | Among | Aiyee | Peeow. | - | Ham | Mala | Peenangow. | - | Chow | Latchoe | Taee. | - | Inggnaw | Lamurah | Yeban. | - | Aymaw | Lameuh | Peeow. | - | Tsoee | Lunay | Yebanay. | - | Tsalooalisa | Tsobahla | Eemeilay. | - | Eengnawsa | Lameungla | Eebanay. | - | Khyun | Chobah | Myeh. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | Muso | .. .. | .. .. | - | Oorah | Whŏo | Chuprah. | - | Tam | Gnay | Canom. | - | Poee | Neemee | Lata. | - | Pulaw | Habackhee | Takkew. | - | Khew | Coosah | Law. | - | Poee | Attaw | Nigh. | - | Tea | Yeghaw | Em. | - | Een | Ghnee | Krep. | - | Mang | Amho | Myong. | - +-------------+-----------+-------------+ - - +-----------------+-----------+-----------+ - | English. | Kakhyen. | Shan. | - +-----------------+-----------+-----------+ - | Cow | Toomsoo | Bow | - | Dog | Quhay | Mah | - | Cat | Ningyoueh | Myew | - | Cock | Oorang | Kiephoo | - | Duck | Oopyaet | Pyet | - | Ass | .. .. | .. .. | - | Bird | Nhoopyen | Loak | - | Mule | Latsayla | Mālaw | - | Bamboo | Kawah | Myēh | - | Stone | Loong | Heen | - | Elephant | Maguay | Tsang | - | Buffalo | Ngā | Why | - | Flea | Wahkaree | Mat | - | Louse (body) | Sakhep | Mien | - | Louse (head) | Chee | How | - | Deer | Po | Pangdai | - | Goat | Painam | Pay-yah | - | Sulphur | Khan | Khan | - | Salt | Tsoom | Khu | - | Sugar | Tsantang | Khuwan | - | Milk | Tsoo | Loam | - | Sheep | .. .. | Toe | - | Turban | Poonkaw | Khynhoe | - | Jacket | Polong | Seu | - | Trousers | Teboo | Pa | - | Woman’s Jacket | Polong | Sou | - | Woman’s Turban | .. .. | Klynhoe | - | Petticoat | Soomboo | Shin | - | Shoes | .. .. | Whyepteen | - | Earring | Lakan | Pehwho | - | Rice | Shat | How | - | Opium | Yeepyen | Phey | - | Serpent | Laboo | Moo | - | Frog | Shoo | Koap | - | Grass | Nam | Yāh | - | Tree | Poonsaw | Tonemai | - | Leaf | Poonlap | Mowmai | - | Wood | Poon | Mytsing | - | Fish | Nga | Pa | - | Cold | Kachee | Kat | - | Warm | Katetai | Oonai | - | Ice | Tsin | Ghonlam | - +-----------------+-----------+-----------+ - - +----------------+--------------+---------------+ - | Hotha Shan. | Leesaw. | Poloung. | - +----------------+--------------+---------------+ - | Nochoanatsaing | Anyemah | Muckamah. | - | Quhoee | Annah | Sŏw. | - | Kollaw | Urrah | Yewh. | - | Capaw | Urupah | Yehcrow. | - | Pāy | Ah | Pyet. | - | Mahlee | Khyamyeh | Myonglee. | - | Ghnaw | Nga | Ngow. | - | Mālaw | Teemee | Tolelaw. | - | Chewgen | Wahmah | Khyang. | - | Leekaw | Takhee | Maou. | - | Khyang | Hamāh | Chang. | - | Noloway | Annaga | Kha. | - | Ghlu | Catteuh | Khang. | - | .. .. | Chinutah | Oo. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | Twing | Myloo | Ahjaw. | - | Pa | Utchee | Mēh. | - | Khanteuk | Khang | Khan. | - | Khaw | Tsabow | Sĕh. | - | Saow | Shantah | Mahmoilooay. | - | Nonow | Atchee | Emboo. | - | .. .. | Atchumew | Atchaw. | - | Wootoop | Wootew | Kameh. | - | Tsay | Bucheu | Kayeup. | - | Ghlaw | Meekee | .. .. | - | Eenawtsay | Samen buchee | Kayeup yebaw. | - | Eenaw ootoop | Samen wootew | Kameh yebaw. | - | Eenaw tungaw | Meekyee | Kalang yebaw. | - | Khyapteen | Khynee | Khypteen. | - | Kneechaw | Knockaw | Paywhoo. | - | Tsen | Dthapoo | Lakow. | - | Yappingyen | Yappay | Yapping. | - | Mowee | Who | Hhan. | - | Pāw | Oopah | .. .. | - | Sieaw | Shi | Mat. | - | Tsidsaing | Shidzee | Hoi. | - | Skihow | Tsibeeyah | Phooan. | - | Shake | Tsidzee | Hoi. | - | Mushaw | Ngwa | Kā. | - | Kamlai | Gyaddah | Kaw. | - | Poolai | Tsaddah | Myahcaeeai. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - +----------------+--------------+---------------+ - - +------------------------+----------------------+--------------------+ - | English. | Kakhyen. | Shan. | - +------------------------+----------------------+--------------------+ - | Snow | Khen | Lie | - | Rain | Marangto | Phoontoak | - | Wind | Umboong | Loom | - | Thunder | Mahmoomooai | Phasowai | - | Lightning | Meeprap | Phamypai | - | Sky | Moo | Bhă | - | Day | Sheenee | Khangwan | - | Night | Shenah | Khanghŭm | - | Light | Shenee | Phalaing | - | Darkness | Insin | Lapsing | - | Cloud | Soomoay | Moay | - | River | Mereeha | Lamkew | - | Hill | Boom | Loiloo | - | Insect | .. .. | Pieta | - | Heart | Mashin | Hosow | - | Go | Samo | .. .. | - | Eat | Shamo | .. .. | - | Sit | Domo | Laugda | - | Come | Wamo | Mada | - | Beat | Tookmo | Tainda | - | Stand | Rotmo | Lookda | - | Lie | Karengmo | Einlengda | - | Die | Seesa | .. .. | - | Call | Shegah | Ma | - | Throw | Shedeng | Tim | - | Drop | Hatsa | Toak | - | Place | Sherah | Teayou | - | Lift | Ta | Yōng | - | Pull | Rung | Teat | - | Smoke | Loo | Lŭt | - | Love | Nheyrai | Hachlai | - | Hate | Neimcome | Hhanhau | - | What is your name? | Nung meing ganging | .. .. | - | | sagaieh | | - | How old is this horse? | Daiee comerang kadeh | .. .. | - | | tinglaeh goon | | - | I do not know | Ngai inchengai | Cow mhahow shay | - | How far is it to | Sanda mying kadeh | Muang Sanda kai | - | Sanda? | sanai | halow | - | It is a journey of one | Intwey langai toosa | Lam wan qua | - | day | | tenglai | - +------------------------+----------------------+--------------------+ - - +---------------------+---------------+-----------------+ - | Hotha Shan. | Leesaw. | Poloung. | - +---------------------+---------------+-----------------+ - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | Mowrowbaw | Mahă | Qnoi. | - | Ghli | Mayhee | Koo. | - | Mowrow | Mooggoo | Polong. | - | Shapmyng | Bhyyeh | .. .. | - | Annyow | Kneerueetchee | La. | - | Knee | Myeemalaw | Tsungai. | - | Tmoot | Yeetah | Keisin. | - | Mowbowbaw | Kneeowmah | Qneh. | - | Mowchootbaw | Nayaw | Tsaymawchoak. | - | Hangeen | Mookoo | Mok. | - | Kaw | Yeegyah | Emhongfie. | - | Boom | Kneekee | Panang. | - | .. .. | Biddee | .. .. | - | .. .. | See | Hogiow. | - | Kawda | .. .. | .. .. | - | Kneeah | .. .. | .. .. | - | .. .. | La | .. .. | - | Tayda | .. .. | .. .. | - | Yapda | Hatesa | .. .. | - | Ayda | Yeeta | Ee. | - | Lawah | Kooyay | Tayau. | - | Koondah | Law | Vuneh. | - | Tahyoudab | Tsayloho yeuk | Oonsayau. | - | Anhedah | Takyah | .. .. | - | Koobawdah | Qnaw | Tayan. | - | Shãybawdah | Gho | Tutanlaybeneen. | - | Gnawsheubawdah | Yehbeckshe | Owkynowkuloak. | - | Nawnoilawdah | Nguanah | Owingau. | - | Cachencachaw | Kneemahandau | Owchungkakai. | - | Nong day pay cainay | .. .. | .. .. | - | | | | - | Myang honehyay | .. .. | .. .. | - | mang laybounay | | | - | Ngaw masa | .. .. | .. .. | - | Chanda quhonhay | | | - | wenenay | | | - | Tanyen samhet tah | .. .. | .. .. | - +---------------------+---------------+-----------------+ - - - - -INDEX - - - Agriculture:-- - Kakhyen, 129 - Shan, 299 - - Alekyoung, 22 - - Amulets, 409 - - Ashan, 316 - - Attack on mission of 1868, 167, 185 - - Attack on mission of 1875, 429 - - - Bhamô:-- - Early notices, 5 - Town, 41 - Old, 69 - Chinese, 56, 337, 377 - - British Residency, 333, 362 - - Burma, king of, 335, 347, 357, 359 - - Burmese-- - Treaty, 6 - Costume, 10 - Pooay, 352, 379 - Sabbath, 378 - Bells, 455 - Frontier guard-houses, 336, 413 - - - Chalktaw river, 263 - - Chang-see, 344 - - Chinese-- - Frontiers, 80, 318, 416, 441 - Plays, 198, 372 - The, of Bhamô, 42, 377 - The, of Mandalay, 454 - The, of Manwyne, 159, 268 - - Chinese Shans, 285, 293, 374 - - Chowkyoung, 30 - - Climate of Bhamô, 40 - - Climate of Momien, 206 - - Coal mines, 25 - - - Deebay mountains, 187 - - Divination, 79 - - Dolphins, 395 - - - Eclipse of the sun, 1868, 308 - - Elias’, Mr., journey to Muangmow, 440 - - - Fish, sacred, 24 - - Fishes of the Irawady, 29 - - Forged royal letter, 447 - - French expedition, the, 238 - - - Gaudama, footprints of, 33, 263, 264 - - - Hantin, 412 - - Hawshuenshan, 186, 213 - - Hentha, 68, 412 - - Hlepét, 15 - - Hoetone, 321 - - Horse worship, 309 - - Hot springs of Nantin, 182 - - Hot springs of Sanda, 262 - - Hotha:-- - Valley of, 244 - Town, 279 - Old, 303 - Chief of, 176, 280 - - Hteezeh, 22 - - - Irawady:-- - First defile of, 36 - Second defile of, 33, 452 - Third defile of, 23 - Steamers on, 20, 335 - Dolphins of, 395 - Fishes, 29 - - - Jade manufacture, 201 - - - Kabyuet, 25 - - Kad-doung mountain, 316, 326 - - Kakhyen hills, 67, 315, 369, 402, 413 - - Kakhyens, 32, 45 - Manners and customs of, 125-150 - Deities of, 457 - Language of, 464 - - Kambanee, 405 - - Kara Kakhyens, 440 - - Karahokah, 167 - - Katha, 31 - - Kaungtoung, 35, 447 - - Kethung, 22 - - Khanloung Kakhyens, 439 - - Khyan-Nhyat, 26 - - Khyto, 244 - - Kingdoung, 157 - - Kowlie Kakhyens, 126, 434 - - Kuttha, 48 - - Kwotloon, 441 - - - Lakone Kakhyens, 126, 434 - - Lakong mountain, 85 - - Lankon, 414 - - Lasee, 317 - - Latha, 314 - - Lay-myo, 344 - - Leesaws or Leisus, 257, 265, 276 - - Lenna Kakhyens, 440 - - Li-sieh-tai, 28, 338, 368, 442 - - Loayline, 320 - - Loaylone, 318 - - - Mahommedans, Chinese:-- - Origin of, 224 - Revolt of, 233 - Conquest of, 338 - - Makouk, 22 - - Malé, 3 - - Maloolah, 4 - - Mandalay, 11, 351, 358, 453 - - Manhleo, 256 - - Manloi, 279 - - Manloung lake, 63, 399 - - Mansay, 374 - - Mantai, 323 - - Manwyne, 159, 268, 368 - - Margary, A. R.:-- - Overland journey of, 365 - Murder of, 429, 449 - - Mattin, 320, 446 - - Mawphoo, 177, 252 - - Mengoon, 18 - - Mentone, 16 - - Molay river, 54, 256 - - Momeit, 30 - - Momien:-- - Valley of, 187 - Town of, 190 - Capture of, 343 - - Momouk, 322 - - Moonam river, 414 - - Muang-gan, 157 - - Muangkak, Shan state, 375 - - Muangkha river, 318 - - Muangkwan, 375 - - Muangla, 173, 253 - - Muanglong, 346, 374 - - Muangmow, 374, 442 - - Muangtee, 179, 252 - - Muangtha, 289 - - Muangwan, 311, 327 - - Muangwye, 317 - - Myadoung, 30, 361 - - Myait-loung hills, 19 - - Myit-ngé river, 16 - - - Namboke, 315 - - Namkai, 441 - - Namkhan, 375 - - Nampoung river, 80, 416, 421 - - Namsa river, 276, 314 - - Namthabet river, 324, 344, 403 - - Namwan river, 441 - - Nantin, 179, 250 - - Nantin valley, 182 - - Nats:-- - Sacrifice to, 329 - Shan fear of, 260, 308 - _See_ Kakhyens. - - Nattoung hills, 22 - - - Opium, 135, 300 - - Overland trade, 1, 335, 391 - - - Pagan, Old, 28 - - Pagoda:-- - Seebyo, 18 - Stone, 23 - Votive, 52 - Yethaycoo, Sessoungan, 34 - - Pagodas:-- - Shuaybaw, 33 - Shuaykeenah, 51 - Hotha, 310, 380 - - Paloungto, 441, 442 - - Paloungto chief, 384 - - Pamkan, 441 - - Panthays, _see_ Mahommedans. - - Payto, 413 - - Peetah, 440 - - Phonkan, 327, 387 - - Ponline, 71, 414 - - Ponline chief, 57, 87, 405 - - Pong, 286 - - Ponsee, 85, 316 - - Ponwah, 422 - - Potatoes, 209 - - - Queyloon, 394 - - - River steamers, 359 - - River terraces, 182 - - Routes (_see_ Map):-- - Theinnee, 2, 16, 347 - Shuaylee, 35 - Ancient, 4 - Embassy, 3, 250, 319, 373 - Sawady, 374, 390 - Ponline, 56, 393 - Sprye’s, 2 - - - Sanda:-- - Town, 168 - Valley, 255 - Temples, 259 - - Sawady, 35, 383 - - Sehfan, 374 - - Seray, 425 - - Seray chief, 98, 419 - - Shan-- - States, 286 - People, 287 - Manners and customs, 288-300 - Buddhism, 65, 306, 308 - - Sheroo, 138 - - Shienpagah, 21 - - Shitee Meru, 316, 420 - - Shuaybaw, 33 - - Shuayduay, 210 - - Shuaygoo, 32, 361 - - Shuaykeenah, 62, 381 - - Shuaylee river, 30, 345, 374 - - Shuay-mein-toung hills, 29 - - Shuemuelong mountains, 177 - - Silver currency, 44, 377 - - Silver mines, 105 - - Singnew, 413 - - Singpho, _see_ Kakhyens. - - Stone celts, 204 - - - Tagoung, 27 - - Tagoung-toung-daw hills, 30 - - Tahmeylon, 398 - - Taho river, 172 - Suspension bridge, 178, 252 - Fall of, 208 - - Tai, _see_ Shans. - - Tali-fu, 235, 367 - - Tali-fu, capture of, 341 - - Talone, 71 - - Tapeng river, 47, 103, 394 - Gorge of, 324, 404 - Valley of, 158, 272 - Source of, 175 - Floods of, 270 - - Tayshan mountains, 187 - - Teng-yue-chow, _see_ Momien. - - Theehadaw, 23 - - Thigyain, 30 - - Thingadaw, 24 - - Thubyo-budo hills, 22 - - Trade:-- - Burma and China, 2, 7, 335 - Of Rangoon, 1 - Of Momien, 199 - In salt, 21 - - Tsagain hills, 19 - - Tsampenago, 26 - - Tsampenago, Old, 48 - - Tsaycow, 303 - - Tsihet, 69, 412 - - Tsing-gai, _see_ Bhamô. - - Tsingu, 22 - - Tsinuhat, 26 - - Tsitgna, 326, 398 - - Tsitkaw, 60, 400, 438 - - - Wacheoon chief, 422, 429 - - Woonkah chief, 431 - - Woonkah village, 437 - - Woosaw, 344 - - Wurrabone, 440 - - - Yay-law, 210 - - Yunnan:-- - Present state of, 366 - Minerals of, 202 - - - LONDON: - - PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, - STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. - - - - -Transcriber’s Notes - -In a few cases, obvious errors in punctuation and spacing have been -corrected. - -Some inconsistent hyphenization has been corrected. - -Page xii: “Friendly tsawbas” changed to “Friendly tsawbwas” - -Page 41: “built of sun-drie bricks,” changed to “built of sun-dried -bricks,” - -Page 94: “Ponline tswabwa” changed to “Ponline tsawbwa” - -Page 72: “stream of the Tpeng” changed to “stream of the Tapeng” - -Page 238: “a treaty of partitition” changed to “a treaty of partition” - -Page 277: “and, thorougly tired,” changed to “and, thoroughly tired,” - -Page 308: “on the the 13th of August” changed to “on the 13th of August” - -Page 460: “found not unfrequantly” changed to “found not unfrequently” - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MANDALAY TO MOMIEN *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Mandalay to Momien</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:0; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em;'>A narrative of the two expeditions to western China of 1868 and 1875 under Colonel Edward B. Sladen and Colonel Horace Browne</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: John Anderson</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: April 2, 2022 [eBook #67758]<br /> -[Most recently updated: November 20, 2022]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Brian Wilson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MANDALAY TO MOMIEN ***</div> - -<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter" id="img001"> - <img src="images/001.jpg" class="w75" alt="MANDALAY, THE CAPITAL OF INDEPENDENT BURMA; FROM MANDALÉ HILL." /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">MANDALAY, THE CAPITAL OF INDEPENDENT BURMA; FROM MANDALÉ HILL.<br /></p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - - - - -<h1> MANDALAY TO MOMIEN:</h1> - -<p class="center p0 big">A NARRATIVE</p> - -<p class="center p0 small">OF THE</p> - -<p class="center p0 big">TWO EXPEDITIONS TO WESTERN CHINA</p> - -<p class="center p0">OF 1868 AND 1875</p> - -<p class="center p0 p2 small">UNDER</p> - -<p class="center p0 big">COLONEL EDWARD B. SLADEN</p> - -<p class="center p0 small">AND</p> - -<p class="center p0 big">COLONEL HORACE BROWNE.</p> - -<p class="center p0 p2 small">BY</p> - -<p class="center p0 big">JOHN ANDERSON, <span class="smcap">M.D.Edin.</span>, F.R.S.E., F.L.S., F.Z.S.</p> - -<p class="center p0 small">FELLOW OF CALCUTTA UNIVERSITY;<br /> - CURATOR OF IMPERIAL MUSEUM AND PROFESSOR OF COMPARATIVE ANATOMY,<br /> - MEDICAL COLLEGE, CALCUTTA;<br /> - MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC OFFICER TO BOTH EXPEDITIONS.</p> - -<p class="center p0 small p2"> WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.</p> - -<p class="center p0 p2">London:<br /> -<span class="big">MACMILLAN AND <abbr title="company">CO.</abbr></span><br /> -1876. -</p> -</div> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p class="center p0"><span class="small">LONDON:</span><br /> -PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS,<br /> -<span class="small">STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.</span><br /> -</p></div> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="PREFACE">PREFACE.</h2> -</div> - - -<p>Seven years have elapsed since the date of the expedition which -furnishes the subject of the larger portion of this work. Its results -have been recorded, but can hardly be said to have been published, in -the official reports of the several members, printed in India, and not -accessible to the general reader.</p> - -<p>The public interest in the subject of the overland route from Burma -to China, called forth by the repulse of the recent mission and the -tragedy which attended it, has suggested the present publication. It is -hoped that a compendious and popular account of the expedition of 1868 -will be acceptable, if only as an introduction to the simple narrative -of the mission of this year, commanded by Colonel Horace Browne. The -statement of the difficulties which beset our advance in 1868 will -prepare the reader to estimate the opposition which, under a changed -political condition of the country, compelled the mission under Colonel -Browne to return without accomplishing its object.</p> - -<p>The narrative of our experiences of the border<span class="pagenum" id="Page_iv">[Pg iv]</span> country between Bhamô -and Yunnan, and its motley population, has been supplemented from -materials collected by Colonel Sladen, including a catalogue of Kakhyen -deities obtained by him, and which will be found in the Appendix, along -with a Panthay account of the origin of the Chinese Mahommedans. To -him, as well as to my fellow travellers, Captain Bowers and <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Gordon, -I gladly record my obligations for the information that has been -derived from them.</p> - -<p>For many details illustrating the condition of Yunnan and the -Mahommedan revolt in that province, I am indebted to the volumes, -issued by the French government, which contain the results of the -French expedition from Saigon to Yunnan, under Lagrée, Garnier, and -Carné, whose premature loss their country has to deplore, and to the -travels of that enterprising pioneer of commerce, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> T. T. Cooper.</p> - -<p>No one can treat of the border lands of Cathay without deriving -assistance from the stores of knowledge collected and arranged by the -erudite editor of ‘Marco Polo,’ Colonel Yule, to whom I tender my -tribute of admiration and indebtedness.</p> - -<p>My observations on the Kakhyens are confirmed by the learned Monsig. -Bigandet, the annotator of the ‘Life of Gaudama,’ who was the first<span class="pagenum" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</span> -European to visit those hill tribes, and who communicated his -experiences to the columns of the leading Rangoon journal. The reader -will find among the appendices a valuable note by the same author, on -Burmese bells, especially those of Rangoon and Mengoon.</p> - -<p>The list of Chinese deities given in the Appendix has been translated -from the original by the well-known Chinese scholar, Professor Douglas, -of the British Museum, who has kindly added an explanatory note. The -appended vocabularies may prove interesting to philologists.</p> - -<p>The illustrations of the country and people as far as Ponsee have been -executed from photographs taken by Major Williams and myself, while the -views of the country to the east are reproductions of sketches which -fairly claim the merit of accurate delineation of its features.</p> - -<p>The map illustrating the topography of the district travelled has -been based upon surveys made during the expedition by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Gordon and -a Burmese surveyor, and a second has been added to show the general -relations of our Indian empire to Western China, with the various -routes which have been explored or projected, including those followed -by the French expedition, and by Margary from the terminus of the boat -journey to Bhamô.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</span></p> - -<p>The journal of our ill-fated companion, recently published in -China, and received in this country when this work was completed, -unfortunately does not carry him on to Tali-fu, but his impressions of -the country beyond this point have been briefly summarised in these -pages.</p> - -<p>The scientific reader will perhaps be inclined to complain that the -following pages do not contain more of the results of the proper work -of a naturalist. Of these, a full and illustrated report, unavoidably -delayed by absence from this country, is in active preparation. This -will be published by the aid of the Indian government, given at the -instance of the Chief Commissioner of British Burma, the Hon. Ashley -Eden, by whom the opening up of the overland route to China, as a -measure beneficial to the province administered by him, has ever been -strongly advocated.</p> - -<p class="right p0"> J. A.</p> - -<p class="p0"> <span class="smcap">6 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh</span>,<br /> - <em>December 31, 1875</em>. -</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="TABLE_OF_CONTENTS">TABLE OF CONTENTS.</h2> -</div> - -<hr class="r5" /> - -<p class="center p0 big">FIRST EXPEDITION:—CHAPTERS I. to XI.<br /> -SECOND EXPEDITION:—CHAPTERS XII. to XVI.</p> - -<table class="autotable"> -<tr> -<td class="tdr r" colspan="3"> -<div>PAGES</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>MANDALAY TO BHAMÔ.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Overland trade of Burma and China—Early notices—English -travellers—Burmese treaty of 1862—<abbr -title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Williams—Objects of -the expedition—Its constitution—Arrival at -Mandalay—Second coronation of the king—The -suburbs—The bazaars—Mengoon—Burmese -navigation—Shienpagah—Coal mines—The -third defile—Sacred fish—Tagoung and Old -Pagan—Ngapé—Katha—Magnetic battery—The first -Kakhyens—The Shuaybaw pagodas—The second defile—View -of Bhamô -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_1">1-36</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>BHAMÔ.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Arrival at Bhamô—Our quarters—The town—The Woon’s -house—The Shan-Burmese—Kakhyen man-stealing—The -environs—Old Tsampenago—Legendary history—The -Shuaykeenah pagodas—The Molay river—The first -defile—Delays and intrigues—Sala—The -new Woon—Our departure—Tsitkaw—Mountain -muleteers—The Manloung lake—The phoongyee’s farewell -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_37">37-66</a></div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</span> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>KAKHYEN HILLS.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Departure from Tsitkaw—Our cavalcade—The hills—A -false alarm—Talone—First night in the hills—The -tsawbwa-gadaw—Ponline village—A death dance—The -divination—A meetway—Nampoung gorge—A dangerous -road—Lakong bivouac—Arrival at Ponsee—A Kakhyen -coquette -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_67">67-86</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>PONSEE CAMP.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Desertion of the muleteers—Our encampment—Visit of hill -chiefs—Sala’s demands—A mountain excursion—Messengers -from Momien—Shans refuse presents—Stoppage of -supplies—Ill-feeling—Tsawbwa of Seray—<abbr -title="saint">St.</abbr> Patrick’s Day—Retreat of -Sala—The pawmines of Ponsee—A burial-ground—Visit -to the Tapeng—The silver mines—Approach of -the rains—Hostility of Ponsee—Threatened -attack—Reconciliation—A false start—Letters -from Momien—A hailstorm—Circular to the members of -the mission—Beads and belles—Friendly relations with -Kakhyens—Their importance -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_87">87-124</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>THE KAKHYENS.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -The Kakhyens or Kakoos—The clans—Their -chiefs—Mountain villages—Cultivation and -crops—Personal appearance—Costume—Arms and -implements—Female dress and ornaments—Women’s -work—Sheroo—Morals—Marriage—Music—Births—Funerals—Religion—Language—Character—How -to deal with them—Our party -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_125">125-154</a></div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</span> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>MANWYNE TO MOMIEN.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Departure from Ponsee—Valley of the Tapeng—A -curious crowd—Our khyoung—Matins—The town of -Manwyne—Visit to the haw—The tsawbwa-gadaw—An -armed demonstration—Karahokah—Sanda—The chief -and his grandson—Muangla—Shan burial-grounds—The -Tahô—A murdered traveller—Mawphoo -valley—Muangtee—Nantin—Valley of Nantin—The -hot springs—Attacked by Chinese—Hawshuenshan -volcano—Valley of Momien—Arrival at the city -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_155">155-188</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>MOMIEN.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Momien—The town of Teng-yue-chow—Aspect -and condition—An official reception—Return -visit—Government house—A -Chinese tragedy—The market—Jade -manufacture—Minerals—Mines of Yunnan—Stone -celts—Cattle—Climate—Environs—The -waterfall—Pagoda hill—Shuayduay—Rock -temples—Ruined suburbs—City temples—Four-armed -deities—Boys’ school—A grand feast—The -loving-cup—The tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee—Keenzas—The -Chinese poor -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_189">189-222</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>THE MAHOMMEDANS OF YUNNAN.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Their origin—Derivation of the term “Panthay”—Early -history—Increase in numbers—Adoption of children—The -Toonganees—Physical characteristics—Outbreak of the -revolt—Tali-fu—Progress of revolt—The French -expedition—Overtures from Low-quang-fang—Resources -of the Panthays—Capture of Yunnan-fu—Prospects -of their success—Our position—The governor’s -presents—Preparations for return -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_223">223-247</a></div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_x">[Pg x]</span> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>THE SANDA VALLEY.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Departure from Momien—Robbers surprised—At -Nantin—Our ponies stolen—We slide to Muangla—A -pleasant meeting—The Tapeng ferrymen—A valley -landscape—Negotiations at Sanda—The Leesaws—A Shan -cottage—Buddhist khyoungs—For fear of the nats—The -limestone hill—Hot springs of Sanda—The footprint of -Buddha—A priestly thief—The excommunication—The -chief’s farewell—Floods and landslips—Manwyne -priests—A Shan dinner party—The nunnery—Departure -from Manwyne—The Slough of Despond -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_248">248-273</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>THE HOTHA VALLEY.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -The mountain summit—A giant glen—Leesaw -village—The wrong road—Priestly inhospitality—Town -of Hotha—A friendly chief—The Namboke -Kakhyens—The Hotha market—The Shan people—The -Koshanpyi—The Tai of Yunnan—Their personal -appearance—Costume—Equipment—The Chinese -Shans—Silver hair ornaments—Ear-rings—Torques, -bracelets, and rings—Textile -fabrics—Agriculture—Social customs—Tenure of -land—Old Hotha—A Shan-Chinese temple—Shan -Buddhism—The fire festival—Eclipse of the sun—Horse -worship—Ancient pagodas—Roads from Hotha -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_274">274-312</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>FROM HOTHA TO BHAMÔ.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Adieu!—Latha—Namboke—The southern -hills—Muangwye—Loaylone—The Chinese -frontier—Mattin—Hoetone—View of the Irawady -plain—A slippery descent—The Namthabet—The Sawady -route—A solemn sacrifice—A retrospective survey -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_313">313-332</a></div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xi">[Pg xi]</span> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>INTERMEDIATE EVENTS.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Appointment of a British Resident at Bhamô—Increase of native -trade—Action of the king of Burma—Burmese quarrel with the -Seray chief—British relations with the Panthays—Struggle -in Yunnan—Li-sieh-tai—Imperialist successes—European -gunners—Siege of Momien—Fall of Yung-chang—Prince -Hassan visits England—Fall of Tali-fu—Sultan Suleiman’s -death—Massacre of Panthays—Capture of Momien—Escape -of Tah-sa-kon—Capture of Woosaw—Suppression of -rebellion—Imperial proclamation—Li-sieh-tai, commissioner -of Shan states—Re-opening of trade routes—Second -British mission—Action of Sir T. Wade—Appointment -of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary—Members of -mission—Acquiescence of China and Burma -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_333">333-349</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>SECOND EXPEDITION.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Start of mission—Arrival at Mandalay—The -Burmese pooay—Posturing girl—Reception by the -meng-gyees—Audience by the king—Departure of -mission—Progress up the river—Reception at -Bhamô—British Residency—<abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> -Margary—Account of his journey—The Woon of -Bhamô—Entertains Margary—Chinese puppets—Selection -of route—Sawady route—Bullock carriage—Woon -of Shuaygoo—Chinese surmises—Letters to Chinese -officials—Burmese worship-day -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_350">350-378</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc" colspan="3"> -SAWADY. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -The <em>hun pooay</em>—Mission proceeds to Sawady—Visit -from Woon—Rumoured opposition—The Woon as a -musician—Sawady village—Royal orders—Baggage -difficulties—Arrival of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> -Clement Allan—Paloungto chief—Kakhyen<span -class="pagenum" id="Page_xii">[Pg xii]</span> pilfering—Abandon -route—Adopt Ponline route—Reasons for change—Tsaleng -Woon—Departure of mission to Tsitkaw—Elias -and Cooke proceed to Muangmow—Dolphins—Up the -Tapeng—Tahmeylon—Arrive at Tsitkaw -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_379">379-399</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>THE ADVANCE.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Residence at Tsitkaw—View from our house—The -Namthabet—Junction of the rivers—Arrival of the -Woon—Conference of tsawbwas—Hostages—Kakhyen -women—Rifle practice—A night alarm—A curious -talisman—We leave Tsitkaw—Camp at Tsihet—Burmese -guard-house—Lankon, Ponline—Camp on the -Moonam—Hostile rumours—Camp on the Nampoung—Departure -of Margary for Manwyne—Escape of hostages—Letter from -Margary—We enter China—Camp on Shitee Meru—Burmese -vigilance—Visit to Seray—Conference with Seray -tsawbwa—Suspicious reception—Return to camp—Burmese -barricades -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_400">400-427</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>REPULSE OF MISSION.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Appearance of enemy—Murder of Margary—Friendly -tsawbwas—Mission attacked—Woonkah tsawbwa bought -over—The jungle fired—Repulse of attack—Incidents -of the day—Our retreat—Shitee—Burmese -reinforcements—Halt at guard-house—Retreat -on Tsitkaw via Woonkah—Elias and Cooke’s visit to -Muangmow—Li-sieh-tai—Return of Captain Cooke—Elias -at Muangmow—Father Lecomte and the Mattin chief—A -forged letter—The Saya of Kauntoung—Reports regarding -Margary—The commission of inquiry—Return of -Elias—Visit to the second defile—Mission’s return to Rangoon -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_428">428-454</a></div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xiii">[Pg xiii]</span> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#APPENDICES">APPENDICES.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdr r chap"> -<div><a href="#APPENDIX_I">I.</a></div> -</td> -<td> -A Note by Bishop Bigandet, on Burmese Bells -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_455">455</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdr r chap"> -<div><a href="#APPENDIX_II">II.</a></div> -</td> -<td> -Origin of Mahommedanism in China; from Chinese Document -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_456">456</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdr r chap"> -<div><a href="#APPENDIX_III">III.</a></div> -</td> -<td> -Deities worshipped by Kakhyens -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_457">457-459</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdr r chap"> -<div><a href="#APPENDIX_IV">IV.</a></div> -</td> -<td> -Deities in a Hotha Shan Temple -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_460">460-463</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdr r chap"> -<div><a href="#APPENDIX_V">V.</a></div> -</td> -<td> -<span class="smcap">Vocabularies</span>:—Kakhyen, Shan, Leesaw, and Poloung -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_464">464-473</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -<a href="#INDEX"><span class="smcap big">Index</span></a> -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_475">475-479</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -</table> - - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="LIST_OF_MAPS_AND_ILLUSTRATIONS">LIST OF MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.</h2> -</div> -<hr class="r5" /> -<ul class="index" style="margin-left: 10%;"> -<li class="ifrst"><span class="smcap"><a href="#img002">Map of Country Traversed</a>.</span></li> -<li class="ifrst"><span class="smcap"><a href="#img003">General Map, with Routes</a>.</span></li> -<li class="ifrst"><span class="smcap"><a href="#img004">Plan of Momien; by Burmese Surveyor</a>.</span></li> -</ul> -<hr class="r5" /> -<table class="autotable"> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img001">Mandalay, the Capital of Independent Burma; from Mandalé Hill</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<em>Frontispiece.</em> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by</em> <span class="smcap">Colonel Sladen</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" class="tdr"> -<em>To face page</em> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img005">The Deva-faced Cliff, Second Defile of the Irawady</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_34">34</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img006">Rocky Barrier on the First or Upper Defile of the Irawady</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_55">55</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by</em> <span class="smcap">Major Williams</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img007">Kakhyen Women</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_74">74</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by</em> <span class="smcap">Major Williams</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img008">Our Camp at Ponsee</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_89">89</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by</em> <span class="smcap">Major Williams</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img009">Kakhyen Men—Kakhyen Matrons</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_125">125</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From photographs by</em> <span class="smcap">Major Williams</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img011">Kakhyen and Shan Pipes, Musical Instruments, etc.</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_134">134</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From photographs.</em> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img012">Nantin Valley, Town of Muangtee to the Left</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_178">178</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a sketch by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_xvi">[Pg xvi]</span> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img013">Extinct Volcano of Hawshuenshan; from Summit of Momien Hill</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_186">186</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a sketch by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img014">Within the Walls of Momien or Teng-yue-chow</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_192">192</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a sketch by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img015">Waterfall of the Tahô; Momien in the Distance</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_208">208</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a sketch by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img016">Valley of Sanda, looking Westward from the Hill behind the Town</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_254">254</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a sketch by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img017">Shan Head-dress, Bracelets, and Ear Ornaments</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_296">296</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From photographs.</em> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img018">Posturing Girl at Mandalay</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_354">354</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img019">View in Bhamô</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_364">364</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by</em> <span class="smcap">Major Williams</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img020">Tsitkaw, on the Tapeng, looking towards the Kakhyen Hills</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_401">401</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>. -</td> -</tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="center p0" id="map"><span class="figcenter" id="img002"> - <img src="images/002.jpg" class="w75" alt="A map of the routes traversed by the expedititions of 1868 and 1875" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">A MAP OF<br /> the <br />ROUTES TRAVERSED BY THE EXPEDITIONS OF<br /> 1868 <span class="allsmcap">AND</span> 1875 -<br /><span class="small"><em>Stanford’s Geographical <abbr title="established">Estabᵗ</abbr> 55 Charing Cross.</em> -<br />London; Macmillan & <abbr title="company">Cᵒ</abbr>.</span></p> -<hr class="r65" /> -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img003"> - <img src="images/003.jpg" class="w75" alt="A map of south western China showing routes traversed and proposed" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">A MAP OF<br /> SOUTH-WESTERN CHINA <br />Showing routes<br /> TRAVERSED & PROPOSED. -<br /><span class="small"><em>Stanford’s Geographical <abbr title="established">Estabᵗ</abbr>. 55 Charing Cross.</em> -<br />London; Macmillan & <abbr title="company">Cᵒ</abbr>.</span></p> - -<hr class="r65" /> -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img004"> - <img src="images/004.jpg" class="w75" alt="Plan of Momien" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">PLAN OF MOMIEN<br /> (TENG-YUE-CHOW) -<br /><span class="small"><em>Stanford’s <abbr title="geographical">Geogˡ</abbr>. <abbr title="established">Estabᵗ</abbr>. 55 Charing Cross, London.</em> -<br />London; Macmillan & <abbr title="company">Cᵒ</abbr>.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="MANDALAY_TO_MOMIEN">MANDALAY TO MOMIEN.</h2> -</div> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.<br /> -<span class="small">MANDALAY TO BHAMÔ.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> -Overland trade of Burma and China—Early notices—English -travellers—Burmese treaty of 1862—<abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Williams—Objects of -the expedition—Its constitution—Arrival at Mandalay—Second -coronation of the king—The suburbs—The bazaars—Mengoon—Burmese -navigation—Shienpagah—Coal mines—The third defile—Sacred -fish—Tagoung and Old Pagan—Ngapé—Katha—Magnetic battery—The first -Kakhyens—The Shuaybaw pagodas—The second defile—View of Bhamô. -</div> - - -<p>For some years previous to the date of the expedition of which the -progress is narrated in these pages, the attention of British merchants -at home and in India had been directed to the prospect of an overland -trade with Western China. Most especially did this interest the -commercial community of Rangoon, the capital of British Burma, and the -port of the great water highway of the Irawady, boasting a trade the -annual value of which had increased in fifteen years to £2,500,000. -The avoidance of the long and dangerous voyage by the Straits and -Indian<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</span> Archipelago and a direct interchange of our manufactures for -the products of the rich provinces of Yunnan and Sz-chuen might well -seem to be advantages which would richly repay almost any efforts to -accomplish this purpose.</p> - -<p>One plan, then as now, zealously insisted upon by its promoter, Captain -Sprye, was the construction of a railway connecting British Burma and -China via Kiang-Hung, on the Cambodia river, and the frontier position -or reputed town of Esmok.</p> - -<p>But as it was, and still is, necessary to send a surveying expedition -over an unknown and alien country, as a preliminary, this project, -whether chimerical or not, could not compete with the immediate -possibility of opening a trade by way of the river Irawady and the -royal city of Mandalay.</p> - -<p>Although before 1867 but four English steamers with freight had -ascended the river to the capital, harbingers of the numerous flotilla -now plying on the Irawady, it was known that a regular traffic existed -between Mandalay and China, especially in the supply of cotton to the -interior, which was reserved as a royal monopoly.</p> - -<p>This trade was reported to be mainly carried on by caravans traversing -the overland route via Theinnee to Yunnan. According to the itineraries -of the Burmese embassy in 1787, the distance is six hundred and -twenty miles, and forty-six hills and mountains, five large rivers -and twenty-four smaller ones, had to be traversed in the tedious -journey of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</span> two months. But an unbroken chain of tradition and history -indicated the natural entrepot of the commerce between Burma and China -to be at or near Bhamô,<span class="fnanchor" id="fna1"><a href="#fn1">[1]</a></span> on the left bank of the upper Irawady, and -close to the frontier of Yunnan.</p> - -<p>The Burmese annals testified that during several centuries this had -been the passage from China to Burma either for invading armies or for -peaceful caravans. The most recent Burmo-Chinese war had arisen out -of the grievances of Bhamô Chinese merchants, and the treaty of peace -that was signed at Bhamô in 1769 stipulated that the “gold and silver -road” between the two countries should be reopened. Mutual embassies -had consequently journeyed between Pekin and Ava, and almost all had -proceeded by way of the Irawady and Bhamô.</p> - -<p>European travellers and traders had early discerned the importance of -this channel of intercourse, which seems to have been alluded to by the -great Venetian, Marco Polo, under the name of Zardandan.</p> - -<p>The old documents of Fort <abbr title="saint">St.</abbr> George record that the English and -Dutch had factories in the beginning of the seventeenth century at -Syriam, Prome, and Ava, and at a place on the borders of China, which -Dalrymple supposes to have been Bhamô. According to this authority, -some dispute arose between the Dutch and Burmese, and on the former -threatening to call in the aid of the Chinese, both the English and -Dutch were expelled from Burma. In<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</span> 1680 the reputation of this field -for mercantile enterprise seems to have again attracted the attention -of the authorities at Fort <abbr title="saint">St.</abbr> George, and four years afterwards one -Dod, trading to Ava, was instructed to inquire into the commerce of -the country, and to request that a settlement might be sanctioned at -Prammoo, on the borders of China. This mission was unsuccessful, and -Prammoo cannot with certainty be identified, but the strong similarity -of the name seems to point to Pan-mho or Bhamô.</p> - -<p>Coming down to more recent and certain data, we find that Colonel -Symes, H.E.I.C.’s envoy to Ava in 1795 (and who was accompanied by -that able geographer, <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Buchanan), states that an extensive trade, -chiefly in cotton, existed between Ava and Yunnan. “This commodity was -transported up the Irawady to Bhamô, where it was sold to the Chinese -merchants, and conveyed partly by land and partly by water into the -Chinese dominions. Amber, ivory, precious stones, betel-nut, and the -edible birds’ nests from the Eastern Archipelago, were also articles -of commerce. In return, the Burmans procured raw and wrought silks, -velvets, gold-leaf, preserves, paper, and utensils of hardware.” Both -the researches of Wilcox and the journal of Crawford’s embassy to Ava -in 1826 referred to the trade and routes by Bhamô, and the Bengal -government in 1827 published a map containing the best procurable -information about the Burmo-Chinese frontier.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span></p> - -<p>Colonel Burney, who was Resident at the court of Ava in 1830, published -a large number of valuable contributions to the history, geography, -and resources of Upper Burma, and accurate itineraries of the Theinnee -and Bhamô routes to China. Our experience demonstrated the accuracy of -the latter as far as Momien, and it may be inferred that the remainder -will be found equally exact. Pemberton<span class="fnanchor" id="fna2"><a href="#fn2">[2]</a></span> seems to have been the -first to fully realise that—to use his own words—“the province of -Yunnan, to which the north-eastern borders of our Indian empire have -now so closely approximated, has become from this circumstance and -our existing amicable relations with the court of Ava an object of -peculiar interest to us.” In the same year Captain Hannay accompanied -a Burmese mission to Mogoung, and for the first time Bhamô was -accurately described by an eye-witness, and much valuable information -gained respecting the trade then carried on between Ava and China. His -description of the importance of the town, however, differed widely -from that of Drs. Griffiths and Bayfield, who visited it two years -later.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna3"><a href="#fn3">[3]</a></span></p> - -<p>Hannay gives the reported number of houses as one thousand five -hundred, while the latter travellers estimated town and suburbs as -containing five hundred and ninety-eight houses, “neither good nor<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span> -large,” which latter description is more in keeping with the present -condition of the town.</p> - -<p>In 1848 Baron Otto des Granges published a short survey of the -countries between Bengal and China, showing the great commercial and -political importance of Bhamô, and the practicability of a direct trade -overland between Calcutta and China.</p> - -<p>In this paper the far-seeing author advocated the equipment of a small -expedition to ascertain the mercantile relations of the country about -Bhamô, to examine the mineral wealth of Yunnan, and to enter into -negotiations with the Chinese merchants.</p> - -<p>In 1862 the government of India, in the prospect of a treaty being -negotiated with the king of Burma, directed their Chief Commissioner, -Sir A. Phayre, to include in it, if possible, the reopening of the -caravan route from Western China by the town of Bhamô, and the -concession of facilities to British merchants to reside at that place, -or to travel to Yunnan, and for Chinese from Yunnan to have free access -to British territory, including Assam. The first of these objects was -to be effected by obtaining the king’s sanction to a joint Burmese and -British mission to China. A treaty was concluded whereby the British -and Burmese governments were declared friends, and trade in and through -Upper Burma was freely thrown open to British enterprise. It was -further stipulated that a direct trade with China might be carried -on through Upper Burma, subject to a transit duty of one per cent. -<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">ad valorem</em> on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span> Chinese exports, and <em>nil</em> on imports. The -proposal, however, as to the joint mission was unsuccessful.</p> - -<p>In the following year, <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Williams, formerly resident at the court of -Mandalay, obtained the royal permission to proceed as far as Bhamô, -where he arrived in February, after a journey of twenty-two days. His -object was to test the practicability of a route through Burma to -Western China, and the results of his experience led him to strongly -advocate the Bhamô routes as politically, physically, and commercially -the most advantageous.</p> - -<p>His energetic advocacy led the mercantile community of Rangoon to -appreciate the importance of their own position, commanding, as it -does, the most ancient highway to Western China. His claim, however, -to have been the first to suggest this trade route must yield to -that of Otto des Granges; and the assertion that he was the first -Englishman who visited Bhamô could only have been made in ignorance or -forgetfulness of the labours of Hannay, Bayfield, and Griffiths.</p> - -<p>When the commercial acuteness of the merchants was thus directed to the -possibilities of the overland trade, it might seem at first sight that -the stream could be tapped at Mandalay without following it up to the -borders of Yunnan.</p> - -<p>But our growing intercourse with the capital of Burma made it known -that for twelve years the Burmo-Chinese trade via Bhamô, which in -1855 represented £500,000 per annum, had almost entirely<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span> ceased. -Whether this were owing to the effects of the Mahommedan rebellion -in Yunnan, or, as some alleged, to Burmese policy, was uncertain. It -was an additional problem, and the then Chief Commissioner, General -Fytche, anxiously pressed upon the government of India the importance -of solving it, and under the treaty of 1862 of thoroughly examining the -possibility and probable results of reopening the Bhamô trade route.</p> - -<p>This enterprise might be deemed one of hereditary interest to the -descendant of that enterprising merchant-traveller, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Fitch, who has -left an account of his visit to Pegu in 1586. The proposed expedition -was sanctioned by the government of India in September 1867, and the -consent of the king of Burma having been duly obtained, arrangements -were forwarded for the departure of the mission from Mandalay in -January 1868. The chief objects of the expedition were, to use the -words of General Fytche, “to discover the cause of the cessation of the -trade formerly existing by these routes, the exact position held by -the Kakhyens, Shans, and Panthays, with reference to that traffic, and -their disposition, or otherwise, to resuscitate it, also to examine the -physical conditions of these routes.”</p> - -<p>Thus the duties to be discharged were multifarious, pertaining -to diplomacy, engineering, natural science, and commerce. These -accordingly were all represented among the members of the mission, -which consisted of Captain Williams, as engineer; <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr><span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span> Anderson, as -medical officer and naturalist; with Captain Bowers and Messrs. Stewart -and Burn as delegates from the commercial community of Rangoon.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna4"><a href="#fn4">[4]</a></span> A -guard of fifty armed police, with their inspector and native doctor, -formed an escort, while the command of the whole was entrusted to Major -Sladen, Political Resident at Mandalay. It is saying scarcely enough -to add that to the foresight, tact, and resolute patience displayed by -him as leader was due whatever measure of success was obtained. He had -already secured not only the consent but the co-operation of the king. -Written orders had been despatched to the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">woon</em>, or governor, of -Bhamô, and to other places, to render all assistance. Besides these -verbal aids, the king placed at his disposal a royal steamer, named the -<em>Yaynan-Sekia</em>, better known as “The Honesty,” to convey the party -to Bhamô. On no former occasion had it been deemed prudent for steamers -to ascend save for a few miles above Mandalay; and great difference of -opinion existed as to the navigability of the upper Irawady in the dry -season by a steamer, though only drawing three feet of water.</p> - -<p>In the morning of January 6, 1868, the steamer <em>Nerbudda</em>, -which had conveyed the party from Rangoon, made fast alongside the -landing-place of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span> the present capital of Burma, three miles from the -city, of which only the golden spires could be seen above the trees. As -our stay was not to exceed three or four days, all the party remained -on board until it should be time to embark on the <em>Yaynan-Sekia</em>. -Beyond a jetty used by the Burmese in the floods, lay the royal -steamer undergoing thorough painting and cleaning for our reception. -She was moored in a creek, the royal naval depot, where numerous -war-boats of the past and the present fleet of royal steamers are -laid up in ordinary. For nearly three miles the river banks presented -a busy scene. Native boats were loading or discharging cargo; houses -extended the whole distance, those nearer the river being tenanted by -fishermen. A large suburb stretched inland from the shore; each house -was surrounded by a vegetable garden enclosed in a bamboo fence eight -to ten feet high, while all were embosomed in magnificent tamarind, -plantain, and palm trees. The women were busily engaged weaving silk -putzos and tameins in various patterns.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna5"><a href="#fn5">[5]</a></span> Beyond this suburb lay a -large flat of alluvial land, devoted to rice fields, some in stubble, -from which the grain had just been reaped; in others men and women were -irrigating the young<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span> crop, now about six inches high, three crops -yearly being raised from these lands, which formed, as it were, an -island of cultivation, surrounded by houses.</p> - -<p>The leader of the expedition, Major Sladen, came down to welcome us, -and we rode with him to the Residency, situated on the banks of a -canal, which runs parallel with the river, and halfway between it and -the city. The bank of the canal is lined with houses, and broad streets -lead to the city, over numerous strongly built timber bridges, the only -defect in which is that the alluvial banks of the canal frequently -give way, to the destruction of the bridges and interruption of the -traffic. Our road lay through a populous suburb of houses built of -teak and supported on piles. To the right lay a quarter occupied by -the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">demi-monde</em>; to the left numerous khyoungs, or monasteries, -reared their graceful triple concave roofs. Phoongyees, or Buddhist -monks, abounded; so did pigs and dogs, both of which are fed daily -by a dole from the king, who, as a pious Buddhist, lays up a store -of good works by thus preserving animal life. These ubiquitous pigs -have given rise to a well-known saying, which tersely expresses the -first impression made on the European visitor by the precincts of the -capital. Our stay was too short to admit of more than a flying visit to -Mandalay, its palace and countless pagodas.</p> - -<p>The city properly so-called lies about three miles from the Irawady, -on a rising ground below<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span> the hill Mandalé. It was founded, on his -accession in 1853, by the present king; and one of his motives for -quitting Ava, and selecting the new site, was to remove his palace -from the sight and sound of British steamers. The city is built on -the same plan as the old capital, described by Yule, and consists -of two concentric fortified squares. The outer is defended by lofty -massive brick walls, with earthworks thrown up on the inside. There -are four gates, over each of which rises a tower with seven gilded -roofs. Similar smaller towers adorn the wall at intervals. A deep moat -fifty yards broad has been completed since the date of our visit, -and now surrounds the walls. During the night, guard-boats, with -gongs beating, patrol its waters. When the king, in compliance with a -prophecy, was crowned a second time in 1874, he made the circuit of the -city in a magnificent war-boat, the splendour of which eclipses the -traditionary glory of the Lord Mayor’s barge. The actual ceremony of -the re-coronation took place on the 4th of June, at 8 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, -the hour pronounced propitious by the court of Brahmins.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna6"><a href="#fn6">[6]</a></span> Captain -Strover describes the ceremony as being to a great extent private, only -the various ministers of state and about eighty Brahmins being present. -Incantations and sprinkling of holy water brought from the Ganges -formed the chief<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span> part of the ceremony, after which his majesty was -supposed to have become a new king, barring the difficulty of years. -Seven days afterwards, the king went through the ceremony of taking -charge of the royal city. At nine in the morning a gun announced that -he had left the palace, and at half past another was fired, intimating -that he had entered the royal barge. The procession round the city -moat commenced from the east gate, and was led by the two principal -magistrates of Mandalay in gilded war-boats; then followed all the -princes in line, a short way in front of the state barge, and behind -the king came the ministers and officials. Troops lined the walls all -round the city, and cannon were placed every here and there at the -corners of the streets. Bands of music played as the procession passed, -and, altogether; the sight was most effective and unique. Having gone -right round the city, he left the royal barge at the east gate, and a -salute announced that he had re-entered the palace, and the ceremony -was finished. According to his majesty’s own statement, the ceremony -was a purely religious act.</p> - -<p>The first square is inhabited by the officials, civil and military, -and the soldiers of the royal army. All the houses are in separate -enclosures, bordering broad, well kept streets; along the fronts -is carried the king’s fence, a latticed palisade, behind which the -subjects hide themselves when his majesty passes. During the day, -stalls are set up in the streets, and the various Burmese necessaries, -even to cloth, are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span> sold, but at night all are cleared away and the -gates closed. The central or royal square is surrounded by an outer -stockade of teak timber twelve feet in height, and an inner wall. -Entrance is given by two gates opposite each other, opening into a -wide place, containing the government offices and the royal mint, -on one side; on the other, a wall runs across, and a large gateway, -opened only for the king, and a small postern give access to the palace -enclosure. All Burmese entering this take off their shoes. Within is a -wide open area, as large as a London square. On the opposite side rises -a building crowned by nine roofs richly gilded, and surmounted by a -golden <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">htee</em>, or umbrella, with its tinkling coronal of bells. -This marks the audience hall. All entering this are required to take -off their shoes, for the royal abode is sacred. The same rule applies -to all temples, and this unbooting is really a mark of religious -respect, due as much to the meanest khyoung as to the residence of the -king. This fact perhaps, if borne in mind, might soothe the ruffled -feelings of those who see in this unbooting a mark of degrading homage. -To the left is the abode of the white elephant, which, it may be -said, is scarcely distinguishable from any other elephant save by the -paler hue of the skin of the head. To the right is the royal arsenal, -outside of which the visitor would be now surprised by the sight of -a completely armed and equipped deck of a vessel, which serves as a -school for naval gunnery.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span></p> - -<p>We were not admitted to an audience, nor did we see the royal gardens, -which, with the other palace buildings, lie to the rear of the central -hall. <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Dawson, as quoted in Mason’s ‘Burmah,’ describes the gardens -in glowing language, as “truly beautiful, and as picturesque as they -are grand.” Outside the walls of the city the suburbs, or unwalled -town, stretch away southward in broad streets, which converge towards -the Arracan pagoda; and in the distance the spires of pagodas mark the -site of Amarapura.</p> - -<p>It is impossible to estimate the population, but it must exceed one -hundred thousand, to judge by the extent of ground covered by houses. -Between the city and Mandalay hill numerous khyoungs have been erected -by the queens and other members of the royal family, the teak pillars -and roof timbers of which are magnificently carved and richly gilt.</p> - -<p>In passing through the enclosures of these monasteries, it is necessary -for equestrians to dismount and walk slowly through the sacred -precincts. On this side also there is a large stockaded enclosure, to -which the Shan caravans always resort. Here their wares, principally -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">hlepét</em>, a sort of salted tea—not, however, made from the true -tea plant<span class="fnanchor" id="fna7"><a href="#fn7">[7]</a></span>—are disposed of by means of brokers. At the foot of -Mandalay hill is a temple with a large seated statue of Buddha, carved -from the white marble of the Tsagain hills. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span> hill itself is crowned -by a gilded pagoda, and a statue of Buddha. The Golden King stands with -outstretched finger pointing down to the golden htee that marks the -royal abode, the centre of the city and of the Burman kingdom.</p> - -<p>On the hill is a vast colony of fowls, numbers of which are purchased -by the royal piety every morning, and maintained at the king’s expense. -The eastern side of the city is skirted by a long swamp, which forms a -lagoon in the rains. The Myit-ngé river, six miles to the south, may -be said to complete the insulation of the environs of the capital. Not -far from the Residency, but on the other side of the canal, there is -a large bazaar, enclosed with brick walls, which presents a most busy -scene. This may be said to be the principal enclosed market-place; but -there are other smaller cloth bazaars; and several quarters or streets -are occupied by special trades, a very noisy quarter being that of the -gold-beaters. The fondness for gilding which characterises the Burmese -causes an immense demand for gold-leaf, the gold used being principally -brought by the caravans from Yunnan. Another quarter is tenanted by -Chinese. By a curious coincidence, on the day of our arrival, a Chinese -caravan of two hundred mules arrived from Tali-fu. They had come by the -long overland Theinnee route, bringing hams, walnuts, pistachio-nuts, -honey, opium, iron pots, yellow orpiment, &c. We noticed many Suratees -among the inhabitants<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span> of the city. These acute and enterprising -traders come to Burma in great numbers, and are found everywhere busily -engaged in money-making. European adventurers of various nationalities -form an element in the population, small, but mischievous; it is hardly -to be wondered at if an ill impression of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kalas</em><span class="fnanchor" id="fna8"><a href="#fn8">[8]</a></span> is formed by -the Burmese nobility and gentry, judging from the conduct of some of -these foreigners; while again they spread monstrous reports about the -king, his social and political habits and ideas, which find their way -into the Indian and English press.</p> - -<p>The transshipment of ourselves and followers and baggage was -duly effected, and in the afternoon of the 18th of January the -<em>Yaynan-Sekia</em> left her moorings. We only proceeded as far as -Mengoon, on the right bank, a few miles from the capital. Thus far we -had the company of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Manouk, an Armenian gentleman, who held the -office of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kala woon</em>, or foreign minister. We duly visited the -huge ruin of solid brickwork, which, as Colonel Yule says, represents -the extraordinary folly of King Mentaragyi, the founder of Amarapura in -1787.</p> - -<p>Intended for a gigantic pagoda, it was left unfinished, in consequence -of a prediction that its completion would be fatal to the royal -founder; the earthquake of 1839 split the huge cube of solid brickwork, -and it is now a fantastic ruin.</p> - -<p>Yule gives the dimensions of the lowest of the five<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span> encircling -terraces as four hundred feet square; if completed, the whole edifice -would have been five hundred feet high. Near this is the great bell, -twelve feet high, and sixteen across at the lips, and weighing ninety -tons.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna9"><a href="#fn9">[9]</a></span></p> - -<p>The most interesting object is the Seebyo pagoda, built by the grandson -and successor of Mentaragyi in 1816, and named after his wife. The -substructure from which the pagoda rises is circular, and consists -of six successive concentric terraces. Each terrace is five feet -above the one below, and six feet in breadth, and is surrounded by -a stone parapet of a wavy design. In the niches of each terrace are -images, fabulous dragons, birds, and <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">beloos</em>, or monsters. By -a rough measurement the walled enclosure is four hundred yards in -circumference, but an open space of thirty-five yards deep intervenes -between the wall and the first terrace. The design of the pagoda is -intended to represent the mythical Myen Mhoo Doung, or Meru Mountain, -the central pillar of the universe, and the seven encircling ranges -of mountains, or the six continents, each of which is guarded by a -monster, the first by the dragon, the second by the bird Kalon. It -might be also suggested that those terraces may represent the six happy -abodes of nats which form successive Elysiums below the seat of Brahma.</p> - -<p>From the rising ground above Mengoon a magnificent panorama unfolds -itself: the valley from the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span> dry and treeless Tsagain hills, a few -miles to the rear, spreads out for fifteen miles in width to the -eastern line of mountains, which, emerging from the north bank of the -Myit-ngé, stretch away as far as the eye can reach to the north-east. -The long flowing sweep of these summits singularly contrasts with the -irregularly peaked outline of the Myait-loung hills, south of the -Myit-ngé. Immediately beneath the spectator, the Irawady, curving under -the western hills, broadens, till opposite to the capital its main -banks are nearly three miles and a half apart.</p> - -<p>The river is broken up into channels by large islands, on one of -which the royal gardens are situated, and numerous sandbanks, exposed -in the dry season, and cultivated with tobacco and other crops. In -the foreground the various channels of the splendid river present an -animated spectacle of numerous canoes, timber rafts, and boats of -every form and size. In the middle distance, the golden roofs of the -city gates and of the many monasteries which cluster outside the red -city walls flash back the sunbeams. The fantastic forms of the many -roofed spires of the zayats and rest-houses, and the sparkling htees of -pagodas, everywhere perplex and please the eye, which looks from the -picturesque hill to the north, crowned by the gilded temple, to the -irregular outlines of the bazaar, stretching far down to the successive -line of the abandoned capitals. A glorious picture, especially when -the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span> glowing orange tints of sunset are relieved by the rich purple of -the cloudlike distant hills!</p> - -<p>From Mengoon the steamer made its unaccustomed way under the right -bank, passing sandbanks covered with numerous flocks of whimbrel, -golden plover, and snake-birds. Although at the present time both royal -and private steamers ply regularly between Mandalay and Bhamô, at the -dry season frequent delays, caused by grounding on sandbanks, make the -upward voyage of very uncertain duration. We as the pioneers had to -feel our way most cautiously, the water being very low. Our crew, from -captain to firemen, were to a man Burmese, and great was our admiration -of the coolness and skill shown by the skipper in navigating the narrow -channels; he seemed to have an almost instinctive intuition of the -depth of the water. It was no work of love on his part, as he took no -pains to disguise his dislike of the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kalas</em>, or foreigners, and -was devoid of the jovial openheartedness generally characteristic of -Burmese. A rich illustration of the character of the Burmese crew was -afforded us by the leadsman, who quitted his post, unobserved by the -captain. He provided, however, for the navigation, by telling one of -his fellows to sing out for him in his absence, and imaginary depths, -varying several feet, were accordingly shouted at intervals to the -unconscious captain, who steered accordingly—fortunately without -mishap. A court official accompanied us to see that the orders for -provision of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span> firewood were duly obeyed, and to purvey boats in case -of the river proving unnavigable; but as no difficulties arose, he -had nothing to do save that he once showed his zeal by inflicting an -unmerciful beating on a village headman who failed to supply milk.</p> - -<p>The banks of the river presented a succession of picturesque headlands, -fifty to sixty feet high, separated by luxuriant dells, each containing -a village. Between two such heights, covered with pagodas accessible -only by flights of steps, lay Shienpagah, a thriving town of some four -hundred houses. A brisk trade is here carried on in fish and firewood -for the capital, and salt procured from the swamps behind the sterile -Tsagain hills.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna10"><a href="#fn10">[10]</a></span> Above Shienpagah we changed our course to the other -side. The villages on the eastern bank seemed small and few, each -embowered among tall trees and groves of palmyra, mixed with a few -cocoa-nut palms, relieved by the bright, pale, tropical green of the -plantain. A broad alluvial<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span> flat extended to the low broken ranges of -the Sagyen and Thubyo-budo hills, from the former of which comes nearly -all the marble used in Mandalay. The distant Shan mountains rose beyond -another plain sparsely covered with lofty trees and richly cultivated.</p> - -<p>Our course lay up a channel, skirting the long island and town of -Alékyoung, till the rounded hill of Kethung, dotted with white pagodas, -rose over the dense greenery in which nestled the village so called. On -the opposite bank lay Hteezeh, the village of oil merchants. A belt of -bright yellow sand, and then a fine green sward, led up from the river -to the village, shaded by noble palmyras and gigantic bamboos, which -formed a background to a river scene of exquisite colouring and beauty. -A mile or two above Alékyoung, the river narrowed, flowing in a stream -unbroken by islands or sandbanks. Soon the short well wooded Nâttoung -hills abutted on the right bank, in a pagoda-crowned headland, with -Makouk village at its base. On the opposite side, the small town of -Tsingu, once fortified, and still showing fragments of the old walls, -occupied another headland, marking the entrance of the third defile of -the Irawady.</p> - -<p>From this point, for thirty miles, as far as Malé and Tsampenago, the -country on either bank is hilly, and covered to the water’s edge with -luxuriant forest. Winding in a succession of long reaches, the river -presents a series of lovely lake landscapes. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span> stream, one thousand -to fifteen hundred yards wide, flows placid and unbroken, save by the -gambols of round-headed dolphins. As, preceded by long lines of these -creatures, we steamed slowly along, each successive reach seemed barred -by wooded cliffs. Reminiscences of the lake scenery of the old country -were vividly awakened as we passed from one apparently land-locked -scene of beauty to another. The high irregular hills were clothed with -forest trees almost hidden by brilliant orchids and gigantic pendant -creepers. Palms of various kinds feathered the water’s edge. Here and -there fishing-villages peeped out, and everywhere graceful pagodas -and priests’ houses gleamed amid the foliage. Parroquets darted and -hornbills winged their heavy flight across the stream, while chattering -troops of long-tailed black monkeys escorted the unusual visitors along -the banks.</p> - -<p>The chief object of interest is the little rocky island of Theehadaw, -which boasts the only stone pagoda in Burma, and is resorted to by -numbers of pilgrims at the great Buddhist festival in March. The -pagoda is of no great size, but is substantially built of greyish -sandstone admirably cut and laid in mortar. The building rises from -a quadrangular base, with a chamber facing the east and closed with -massive doors. The three other faces have false doors, and the sides -of all, as well as the angles, are adorned with quasi-Doric pilasters. -Our attention, like that of most pilgrims, was chiefly given to the -famous tame<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span> fish. Having supplied ourselves with rice and plantains, -the boatmen, called “Tit-tit-tit.” Soon the fish appeared, about fifty -yards off, and after repeated cries, they were alongside, greedily -devouring the offering of food. In their eagerness they showed their -uncouth heads and great part of their backs, to which patches of gold -leaf, laid on by recent devotees, still adhered. So tame were they that -they suffered themselves to be stroked, and seemed to relish having -their long feelers pulled. One fellow to whom a plantain skin was -thrown indignantly rejected it, and dived in disgust.</p> - -<p>For three miles above and three below the island fishing is prohibited -by royal order, and the priests, who feed them daily, assured us that -the fish never stray beyond the boundaries of their sanctuary. An offer -of fifty rupees failed to secure a single specimen, but it may be -here told that on another occasion, under cover of night, and without -Burmese observation, one was hooked, and, though not easily, landed, -photographed, and duly preserved. Two miles above the island we stopped -at Thingadaw to coal. This is a depot for the produce of the coal -mines, which having been accidentally discovered by some hunters were -being worked by the king.</p> - -<p>We set out to visit a newly opened mine, said to be two miles distant, -but failed to find it after a walk of two hours over a broken -undulating country covered with dense tree and bamboo jungle. The -soil is poor and sandy, save in hollows, which<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span> afford good grazing -to ponies and cattle. Fossilised wood abounds all over the surface, -and soft white and reddish sandstones crop out, so soft that the cart -wheels cut them into deep ruts. In these places the surface presented a -remarkable appearance, being covered with symmetrical pillars of soft -reddish sand, two inches high, and capped by a hard ashen-grey top of -the consistence of stone, and as large as a penny piece. The little -pillars in many places had crumbled away, and the soil was strewed -with the little caps, giving it the appearance of an ash heap. In a -later visit to the coal district, made from Kabyuet, a little south of -Theehadaw, we had the assistance of the headman of the mines, who was -most anxious to show us everything and secure a good report to the king.</p> - -<p>At the first mine, called Lek-ope-bin, five miles from the river, the -coal-bed, six feet thick, crops out in a hollow, and dips south-west -at an angle of thirty-five degrees. A little to the north-east is the -Ket-zu-bin mine, said to yield the best coal. During our visit a few -men were quarrying the coal with common wood axes and wooden-handled -chisels, so that they could only win a small quantity of broken coal. -Under proper management these mines could give an abundant supply of -useful fuel. We learned that the sand of an adjacent stream is washed -for gold, and a single worker can make 303 <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">yuey</em> = 3<em><abbr title="shillings">s.</abbr></em> per -diem.</p> - -<p>The black sand of the Pon-nah, a stream falling<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span> into the Irawady, is -also washed for gold, which it is said to yield in large quantities at -a place two days’ journey up the stream.</p> - -<p>On the 17th of January, we reached the northern entrance of the defile, -marked by two prominent headlands—the western one crowned by the -pagoda of Malé, or Man-lé, formerly Muang-lé, and the eastern by those -of the old Shan town of Tsampenago, above which none but Chinese could -formerly trade.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna11"><a href="#fn11">[11]</a></span></p> - -<p>Malé contains about three hundred houses, and is the customs port -for clearing boats bound from Bhamô to Mandalay, and the centre of a -considerable trade in bamboo mats, sesamum oil, and jaggery. From it we -beheld rising to the eastward the fine peaked mountains of Shuay-toung, -about six thousand feet high, on which snow is said to lie in the -winter.</p> - -<p>Above Malé the river widens to a great breadth, with numerous islands, -as far as Khyan-Nhyat. Thence it contracts to an unbroken stream about -one hundred yards wide, flowing for twenty-two miles between high, well -wooded banks.</p> - -<p>Having halted at Tsinuhat, a little village to the south of a long -promontory, on which are the ruins of Tagoung and Old Pagan, we made -a short excursion to the sites of these ancient capitals. According -to the Burmese chronicles, Tagoung was founded by Abhi-rája—of the -Shakya kings of Kappilawot—who fled before the invasion of his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span> -country by the king of Kauthala or Oudh. After the death of Abhi-rája -the succession was disputed by his two sons. They agreed that each -should endeavour to construct a large building in one night, and that -the crown should belong to him whose building should be found completed -by the morning. As usual in legends, the younger son outwitted the -elder. He artfully set up a framework of bamboos and planks, covered -with cloth and whitewashed over, so as to present the semblance of a -finished building. The elder brother, believing himself to have been -vanquished by the aid of nats or demons, migrated to Pegu, and finally -settled in the city of Arracan (Diniawadee).</p> - -<p>The younger son assumed the throne at Tagoung, and was succeeded by -thirty-three kings. An inroad of Tartars and Chinese, said to have -come from Kandahar,<span class="fnanchor" id="fna12"><a href="#fn12">[12]</a></span> destroyed the city and expelled the last of -the dynasty, who had married Nagazein, whose name indicates one of -the mythical serpent race. This event may be referred to the century -preceding the Christian era, and, according to the late <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Mason, must -have occurred after the Tartar conquest of Bactria.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna13"><a href="#fn13">[13]</a></span></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span></p> - -<p>After the death of the Tagoung king, one portion of his people migrated -eastwards and founded the Shan states. Another, under the widowed -queen Nagazein, settled on the river Malé. After the advent of Gaudama -and the second overthrow of the cities of the Shakya kings, one of -their race, named Daza-Yázá, migrated to Malé, and, having there found -and married Nagazein, founded Upper or Old Pagan. A dense forest of -magnificent timber and thousands of seedling eng trees surrounds and -covers the sites and ruins of the ancient cities, of which nothing -now remains but low lines and shapeless masses of brickwork. Near -them stand pagodas of later date, still in tolerable preservation. Of -the most ancient within the bounds of Old Pagan, only a single wall -remained, behind a seated Buddha eight feet high. From the former we -obtained small metal images of Buddha, and from the pagoda in Old Pagan -bricks bearing in relief an image of Gaudama as the preceding Buddha. -One of these was exactly the same as that described by Captain Hannay. -Each bears an inscription in the old Devanagari character, beginning, -“Ye Dhammá.”</p> - -<p>The ancient name of Tagoung is now borne by a little fishing-village -of forty houses. At the time of our passage the villagers were located -in temporary huts on a long sandbank, and busily engaged in preparing -ngapé or mashed salt-fish. The fishing stakes were fixed athwart a -deep narrow channel separating the sandbank from the village. Such<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span> -fishing-stations are numerous all along the river. Every morning -large quantities of fish are taken, and sold by weight to the makers -of ngapé. The fish, when cleaned, are packed between layers of salt -and trodden down by the feet in long baskets lined with the leaves of -the eng tree. While this narrative was being prepared for the press, -a suggestion was made in the columns of a most able weekly paper -that in the event of difficulties with Burma the Viceroy of India -should prohibit the exportation from British Burma of ngapé, “which -must be imported from the seaboard.” Undoubtedly there is a large -exportation from our territories, but the fish composing that curious -Burmese condiment, which, as Yule says, resembles “decayed shrimp -paste,” are caught in the Irawady. The upper river teems with fish; -fourteen species<span class="fnanchor" id="fna14"><a href="#fn14">[14]</a></span> were purchased by us at Tagoung, and the numerous -fishing-villages could probably render the capital independent of the -supply from British Burma.</p> - -<p>The Shuay-mein-toung hills, on the right or western bank, opposite -Tagoung, are very high, and wooded to their summits, with white pagodas -peeping out amidst the dense foliage. A few miles to the north they -recede from the river, where, on the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span> eastern bank, the isolated range -of the Tagoung-toung-daw, about twenty miles long and one thousand -feet high, runs almost parallel to the river, in its intervening -valley six miles wide. The Irawady is here studded with large islands, -covered with long grass and forest trees; during the rains they are -submerged, and become very dangerous to descending boats. A serpentine -course, following a broad deep channel to the east of the large island -of Chowkyoung, brought us to the town of Thigyain on the right bank, -opposite to the village of Myadoung on the left. This latter gives its -name to the district south of Bhamô. Here we were startled by the news -that the Woon of Bhamô, to whom we were accredited, had been killed -during a riot at Momeit, about thirty-six miles south-east of Myadoung. -The Woon had proceeded thither with a force of three hundred men to -collect taxes, when the Shans and Kkahyens broke out into revolt and -surrounded the royal troops, many of whom, with their leader, had been -killed. It was impossible not to feel a presentiment that this untoward -event would prove a source of delay, by compelling us to deal with -subordinates who would be timid, even if well disposed to assist. We -passed, hidden by an island, the mouth of the Shuaylee, three miles -above Myadoung, and halted at Katha, on the right bank, the largest -place met with since Shienpagah. It is a long town, containing at -least two hundred well-built timber houses, disposed in two parallel -streets,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span> and surrounded by bamboo palisades with three gates. It is -the head-quarters of the woon of a considerable district, inhabited -by Shan-Burmese. Long hollows of rich alluvium cultivated for rice, -and closed in by undulating land covered with valuable forest trees, -including teak, separate the town from the western hills. Some cotton -is grown and tobacco largely raised on the islands and sandbanks. At -the time of our visit, a number of Shan merchants had arrived with -salted tea-leaves and other commodities. A few Yunnan Chinese, who had -probably come down the Shuaylee, were also in the town. The people -seemed well-clad and well-to-do, and the women were busily employed -in weaving and preparing coloured cotton yarns for the manufacture of -putzos and tameins.</p> - -<p>A dense morning fog delayed our departure from Katha, and the whole -population of the town swarmed on board the steamer. After satisfying -their curiosity with the novelties of machinery, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., we bethought -ourselves of amusing them with a magnetic battery. At first all held -back, but a few more venturous spirits leading the way, the operators -were speedily besieged by eager candidates for a shock. The grimaces -of each patient produced shouts of laughter. The good-humoured Shans -discovered or fancied that the shock was good for would-be parents; -some coaxed their timid wives to the front, while the matrons brought -up their pretty young daughters to obtain a share of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span> benefits -going. Above Katha the river is broken up by large islands into -tortuous, deep, and narrow channels. Large flocks of geese kept passing -us for nearly an hour, and the sandbanks and shores of the islands -were covered with varieties of wild ducks. As evening closed in, at -Shuaygoo-myo, immense flocks of <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Herodias garzetta</em>, or the little -egret, were seen roosting in the tall grass and on the high trees, -which seemed illuminated by their white forms.</p> - -<p>In this neighbourhood we saw several villages deserted for fear of the -Kakhyens, who had occupied some of the abandoned houses.</p> - -<p>Two of our party set out to visit and make their first acquaintance -with those wild highlanders, who reminded them of the East Karens; they -were civil, but declined an invitation to the steamer, pleading that -they must rejoin their chief, but really fearing reprisals from the -Burmese. Of their kidnapping habits, several proofs were given, one -being in the person of a boy of Chinese extraction, who had been sold -by them to the village headman for twenty-five rupees. At our departure -in the morning, young women and boys raced along the river-side, -keeping up with us, to secure protection from the hillmen on the way -to their villages. We were also informed that the priests’ pupils who -collected food from village to village were obliged to creep along -under the high banks to escape the kidnappers. Subsequent experience -has shown that the villagers on the eastern shore, as far as Bhamô, are -in the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span> habit of sleeping in boats moored in the river; only thus can -they be secure from the nocturnal raids of their dangerous neighbours.</p> - -<p>Leaving Shuaygoo-myo, we passed the large island of Shuaybaw, with its -thousand pagodas, their bright golden htees strikingly contrasting with -the rich green massive foliage, above which they rose. The great pagoda -is about sixty feet high, enclosed on two sides by a richly carved -zayat of teak with an elaborately decorated roof, and a cornice of -small niches, containing seated marble Buddhas. Two broad paved ways, -one known as the Shuaygoo-myo and the other as the Bhamô entrance, -approach the pagoda, which is three quarters of a mile distant from -the river. Numerous zayats cluster round the central shrine, piled to -the ceiling with Buddhistic figures in metal, wood, and white marble, -offered by the worshippers who yearly throng this holy place sanctified -by the footprint of Gaudama.</p> - -<p>Three miles above the island is the entrance to the second defile, -where the Irawady flows through a magnificent gorge piercing a range -of hills at right angles. For five miles the deep dark green current, -narrowed to three hundred yards, but deepening to one hundred and -eighty feet and more, is overhung by gigantic precipices. Their summits -are mostly covered with scanty stunted trees, but some rise bare, with -splintery peaks, and red, rocky escarpments; lower down their bold -sides are mantled in dark green forest, picked out here and there with -the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span> fresher green of festooned clumps of bamboos, palms, and luxuriant -musæ. Little fishing-villages enclosed in bamboo palisades lie snugly -in the hollows. Entering the defile, we rounded a many-peaked hill on -the left bank, which rose precipitously four hundred feet, its outline -broken by huge black rocks standing out against the blue sky. The -little white pagoda of Yethaycoo, in front of a cave, and dominating -a grey limestone precipice one hundred and fifty feet in height, -looked across the gorge to a phoongyee’s house perched on high, and -accessible only by bamboo ladders. The most striking feature was the -great limestone precipice which rose like a gigantic wall eight hundred -feet from the water’s edge. This is the Deva-faced cliff celebrated in -the mythical history of Tsampenago. At its base the little pagoda of -Sessoungan was perched on a detached pyramid of limestone embowered -in fine trees. During the March festival many devotees scale the long -bamboo ladders which form the only access to the shrine. The Buddhist -love for preserving animal life is here manifested towards the large -monkeys (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Macacus assamensis</em>, M’Lelland), which, like the tame -fish, come when called, and devour the offerings of the devotees. -Projecting and depending from the precipice were huge masses of -stalagmite formation, seemingly liable to fall at any moment. Water was -dripping over them, and the natives say that during the rains the water -pours over the face of the precipice in a tremendous<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span> cascade, the -roar of which is deafening. It may well be so, for the echoes in the -defile are most wonderful, echoing and re-echoing in almost harmonious -reverberations. In the earliest morning the loud shouting of the -hoolock monkeys in the forest made the whole air resonant, as it was -taken up by another troop on the opposite bank, and echoed along the -hills and from cliff to cliff in a constant wave of sound, curiously -blended with which rang the shrill crowing of jungle cocks. As the -sun rose higher, a deep bass was supplied by the hum of innumerable -bees, whose pendant nests thickly studded the rocky projections of -the precipice. At the next turn of the river another pagoda, with a -handsome many-roofed zayat by its side, high on the western hills, -marked the northern entrance of the defile, and we soon passed the -ancient mart of Kaungtoung, celebrated for the repulse of the Chinese -invading army in 1769, and the treaty which thenceforward secured peace -and commerce between Burma and China. Subsequently it became a rival of -Bhamô as an emporium of Chinese trade by the valley of the Shuaylee and -the Muangmow route. The river now spread itself into a broad stream, -broken up by islands and sandbanks, but in some places not less than -a mile and half wide between the main banks. In front of the village -of Sawady a long stretch of sand was occupied by a large encampment of -Shan, Chinese, and other traders, a large fleet of boats lying ready to -convey the goods down the river.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span></p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img005"> - <img src="images/005.jpg" class="w75" alt="A map of south western China showing routes traversed and proposed." /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">THE DEVA-FACED CLIFF, SECOND DEFILE OF THE IRAWADY.</p> - - -<p>Here we sighted Bhamô in the distance, situated on an elevated bank -overlooking the river, the htees of its few pagodas glistening brightly -in the setting sun. To the right the high range of the Kakhyen hills -was seen stretching away in an unbroken line to the east-north-east, -and on the left a low range of undulating tree-clad hills bent round to -join the western heights of the defile.</p> - -<p>The almost level sweep of country, about twenty-five miles broad -between these limits, was closed in, about ten miles to the north, -by another low range, marking the upper <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">khyoukdwen</em>, or first -defile, of the Irawady.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn1"><a href="#fna1">[1]</a> Pronounced “Bhamaw.”</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn2"><a href="#fna2">[2]</a> ‘Report on Eastern Frontier of British India,’ 1835.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn3"><a href="#fna3">[3]</a> <em>Vide</em> ‘Selection of Papers on the Hill Tracts between Assam -and Burmah,’ Calcutta, 1873.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn4"><a href="#fna4">[4]</a> The Chamber of Commerce, under the able president, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> M’Call, -had been most active in urging the despatch of the mission, and had -subscribed £3000 for all expenses of their representatives, and for the -purchase of specimens of manufactures.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn5"><a href="#fna5">[5]</a> The <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">putzo</em> is a long narrow silken cloth of a chequered -pattern, which a Burman winds round him to form a suit of clothes. The -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tamein</em> is the feminine equivalent, partly of cloth, partly of -silk, with a zigzag pattern, the silken portions forming the skirt, -which, according to ancient custom, exposes one leg almost completely -in walking.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn6"><a href="#fna6">[6]</a> These Brahmins act as royal astrologers, who are consulted on all -great occasions. The Buddhist priests took no part in the ceremonial.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn7"><a href="#fna7">[7]</a> It appears to be made from the leaves of <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Elæodendron -persicum</em>, Persoön.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn8"><a href="#fna8">[8]</a> <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Kalas</em>, Burmese word for “foreigners.”</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn9"><a href="#fna9">[9]</a> See <a href="#APPENDIX_I">Appendix I</a>.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn10"><a href="#fna10">[10]</a> At this time about one million viss of salt were annually exported -up the river from Shienpagah, finding its way chiefly to Bhamô and to -Tsitkaw, for the supply of the Kakhyens and Shans. Lately, however, -English salt is beginning to take its place, and on my last voyage -up the Irawady, one flat from Mandalay carried nothing but salt. In -order to proceed to Tsitkaw, it is transshipped at Bhamô into small -boats, which carry only five thousand viss each, as the Tapeng is a -rapid river, and rather shallow during the dry weather. On salt from -Shienpagah, a duty is levied at Malé, Yuathét, and Bhamô, in addition -to a boat tax, and when it proceeds up the Tapeng, an additional impost -has to be paid at Tsitkaw, and a boat tax at Haylone and Tsitgna. (A -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">viss</em> = about 3 lbs.)</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn11"><a href="#fna11">[11]</a> Hannay, ‘Selection of Papers,’ Calcutta, 1873.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn12"><a href="#fna12">[12]</a> In the ecclesiastical translation of the classical localities of -Indian Buddhism to Indo-China, which is current in Burma, Yunnan is -represented by Gandhara or Kandahár. Yule’s ‘Marco Polo,’ ii. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 59, -edition of 1874.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn13"><a href="#fna13">[13]</a> Colonel Yule remarks that “Tartars on the Indian frontier in those -centuries are surely to be classed with the Frenchmen whom Brennus led -to Rome” (‘Marco Polo,’ i. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 12).</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn14"><a href="#fna14">[14]</a> <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Wallago attu</em>, Bloch and Schn.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Callichrous -bimaculatus</em>, M’Lelland; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Macrones cavasius</em>, H. B.; -<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Macrones corsula</em>, H. B.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Labeo calbasu</em>, H. B.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Labeo -churchius</em>, H. B.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Cirrhina mrigala</em>, H. B.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Barbus -sarana</em>, H. B.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Barbus apogon</em>, C. and V.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Carassius -auratus</em>, Linn.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Catla buchanani</em>, C. and V.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Rhotee -cotio</em>, H. B.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Rhotee microlepis</em>, Blyth; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Notopterus -kapirat</em>, Bonn.</p> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.<br /> -<span class="small">BHAMÔ.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Arrival at Bhamô—Our quarters—The town—The Woon’s house—The -Shan-Burmese—Kakhyen man-stealing—The environs—Old -Tsampenago—Legendary history—The Shuaykeenah pagodas—The Molay -river—The first defile—Delays and intrigues—Sala—The new Woon—Our -departure—Tsitkaw—Mountain muleteers—The Manloung lake—The -phoongyee’s farewell. -</div> - - -<p>We found some difficulty in steering the long steamer through the -channels, but anchored about 5 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> on the 22nd of January off -the river front of Bhamô, in a very deep and broad channel. Our arrival -attracted crowds, but the whistle and rush of steam drove many into a -precipitate retreat. We had now reached our true point of departure. -Whatever had been the uncertainties of the untried navigation of the -river, the real dangers and difficulties of the attempt to penetrate -Western China were now to begin. We bore the proclamation of the king -commanding all Burmese subjects to aid us. But there was no governor -of Bhamô to execute the royal orders, and the secret intentions or -inclinations of the Burmese were yet to be tested. The difficulties -of the unknown road over the Kakhyen mountains,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span> the hostility or -friendship of the mountaineers, and of the Shan population between them -and Yunnan, were equally untried. Moreover, though it had scarcely -been realised in all its bearings by our own British officials, -Yunnan was no longer a well ordered province of the Chinese empire; -it was disorganised by the successful rebellion of the Mahommedan -Chinese, called Panthays by the Burmese, who had established a partial -sovereignty, extending from Momien to Tali-fu. The frontier trade had -been materially interrupted, partly by the desolation caused by the -internecine warfare, and partly by the depredations of imperial Chinese -partisans. Of these, the most dreaded leader was a Burman Chinese, -known as Li-sieh-tai, a faithful officer of the old <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">régime</em>, who -had established himself on the borders of Yunnan, and waged a guerilla -war against the Panthays and their friends. His name is Li, and his -so-called small name is Chun-kwo, while from his mother having been a -Burmese, he is also known as Li-haon-mien, or Li the Burman. As having -been raised to the rank of a Sieh-tai in the Chinese army, he was -called Li-sieh-tai or Brigadier Li.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna15"><a href="#fn15">[15]</a></span></p> - -<p>In Bhamô itself there were a number of Chinese merchants, who were -unlikely to favour any project which threatened to admit the hated -barbarians to a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span> share of their monopoly and profits. This may give -some idea of the state of things which we found on our arrival. Our -illusions as to a speedy or easy progress were soon dissipated, and -after a formal visit from the two tsitkays, or magistrates, ruling -the northern and southern divisions of the town, it became evident -that we must prepare for a long stay at Bhamô. The royal order to -provide transport had only been received by the Woon on the eve of -his departure on his fatal expedition to Momeit. Nothing, therefore, -had been done; nor could they venture to act until the new governor -arrived. The next best thing was to insist on their carrying into -effect the royal order to build a house for us, which had not been -done. This they reluctantly performed, and in a few days a bamboo -edifice was run up close to the Woon’s house, consisting of a central -hall, with three bedrooms on either side, and a verandah at each end of -the house. A small outhouse accommodated the servants and baggage, and -the guard was quartered in an adjacent zayat; a tent pitched in front -of the house served as a refectory. Till these quarters were prepared, -we remained on board the steamer, receiving crowds of visitors. In -the press a heavy log of timber fell on a little girl and fractured -her thigh; she was at once carried on board, and the broken limb duly -set. This incident speedily established the reputation of the foreign -doctor, and for the rest of our stay patients flocked in every day, -some coming from long<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span> distances, and blind and lame eagerly expecting -to be made young and whole. A great deal of blindness had resulted -from small-pox. Ophthalmia was also prevalent. A common affection was -a form of ulcerous inflammation, chiefly on the legs, amongst those -whose occupation led them into the jungles. This was so intractable -as to incline one to attribute it to poisonous thorns; but subsequent -personal experience proved that slight bruises and abrasions are most -apt in this country to become painful and tedious. During the whole -time no case of fever was treated, nor did any occur among our party -of one hundred men. This speaks volumes for the salubrity of the place -during the dry season. The highest temperature experienced was 80° -Fahrenheit, the average maximum being not more than 66° Fahrenheit, -while the nights were very pleasant, cooling down, if we may put it -so, to fifty or forty-five degrees. Fever is rather more prevalent -during the rains, when the Irawady rolls down a huge volume of water, a -mile and half broad, and the low lands are submerged twelve to fifteen -feet.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna16"><a href="#fn16">[16]</a></span></p> - -<p>But this is a digression somewhat professional, and it is needful to -revert to the narrative and try to give the reader some notion of our -surroundings and proceedings until we got away fairly on the march.</p> - -<p>Bhamô, known by the Chinese as Tsing-gai, and in Pali called Tsin-ting, -is a narrow town about one<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span> mile long, occupying a high prominence on -the left bank of the Irawady. Instead of walls, there is a stockade -about nine feet high, consisting of split trees driven side by side -into the ground and strengthened with crossbeams above and below. -This paling is further defended on the outside by a forest of bamboo -stakes fixed in the ground and projecting at an acute angle. However -formidable to barefooted natives, the stockade does not always exclude -tigers, which pay occasional visits, and during our stay killed a woman -as she sat with her companions. There are four gates, one at either end -and two on the eastern side, which are closed immediately after sunset; -a guard is stationed at the northern and southern gates, while several -look-out huts perched at intervals on the stockade are manned when -an attack of the Kakhyens is expected. The population numbers about -two thousand five hundred souls, occupying about five hundred houses, -which form three principal streets. There are many thickly wooded -by-paths, and bridges over a swamp in the centre of the town, leading -to scattered houses, dilapidated pagodas, zayats, and monasteries.</p> - -<p>The street following the course of the bank, with high flights of steps -ascending from the river, has a row of houses on either side, with a -row of teak planks laid in the middle to afford dry footing during the -rains. The houses of the central portion are all small one-storied -cottages, built of sun-dried bricks,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span> with tiled concave roofs with -deep projecting eaves. Through an open window the proprietor can be -seen calmly smoking behind a little counter, for this is the Chinese -quarter, and the colony of perhaps two hundred Celestials here offer -for sale Manchester goods, Chinese yarns, ball tea, opium, Yunnan -potatoes, lead, and vermilion, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. They also regulate the cotton -market, and the traffic in this product, which is brought both from -the south and the north, is carried on even during the rains. The head -Chinaman, who is responsible for order amongst his compatriots, is a -man of great influence. He and his fellow merchants, professing great -friendship, invited us to a grand feast and theatrical entertainment -given in the Chinese temple, or rather in the theatre which formed a -portion thereof. We entered through what was to us a novelty in this -country, a circular doorway, into a paved court. The theatrical portion -of the building was over the entrance to a second court, facing the -sanctuary, which is on a higher level. A covered terrace surrounded -the holy place on three sides, with recesses containing seated figures -nearly life size, with rubicund faces and formidable black beards and -moustaches. Each of these was carefully protected from dust by being -enshrined in a square box closed in front with gauze netting. Besides -the theatrical entertainment, which was interminable, we were regaled -with preserved fruits and confectionery, with tea and <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">samshu</em>, -or rice spirit, followed by numerous courses of pork, fowls,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span> <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. The -staple of conversation was the dangers and impossibilities of getting -through to Yunnan; every argument they could think of to induce us to -abandon the idea of progress was then and afterwards employed. It can -readily be imagined that the Bhamô Chinese traders viewed with utter -dismay the prospect of Europeans sharing their trade; to their schemes -of hindrance we shall again recur.</p> - -<p>The rest of the townspeople are exclusively Shan-Burmese, living in -small houses built of teak and bamboo, all detached and raised on -piles. The Woon’s house, on a low promontory running out into the swamp -behind the Chinese quarter, was a large tumbledown timber and bamboo -structure; but its double roof and high palisade covered with bamboo -mats marked the dignity of its occupier. A small garden overrun with -weeds contained the remains of a rockery and fish-pond, and a neglected -brass cannon, under a low thatched shed, guarded either side of the -gate; in a large adjacent space stood the court-house. All the public -buildings were then in a state of dilapidation and decay; this the -inhabitants attributed to Kakhyen raids, destructive fires, decay of -trade since the Panthay wars, and misrule. Evidence was not wanting in -the numerous neglected pagodas and timber bridges, and in the ruinous -and charred remains of what must have been handsome zayats, that Bhamô, -in palmier days, deserved the eulogiums passed on it by Hannay and -other travellers.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span></p> - -<p>The Shan-Burmese seemed a peaceful, industrious class. In each house a -loom is found in the verandah, and the girls are taught to weave from -an early age. The women are always busy weaving silk or cotton putzos -and tameins, preparing yarns, husking rice, or feeding and tending -the buffaloes, besides doing their household duties. The men till -the fields, but are not so industrious as the softer sex. A few are -employed in smelting lead, and others work in gold, or smelt the silver -used as currency. To six tickals<span class="fnanchor" id="fna17"><a href="#fn17">[17]</a></span> of pure silver purchased from the -Kakhyens, one tickal eight annas of copper wire are added, and melted -with alloy of as much lead as brings the whole to ten tickals’ weight. -The operation is conducted in saucers of sun-dried clay bedded in paddy -husk, and covered over with charcoal. The bellows are vigorously plied, -and as soon as the mass is at a red heat, the charcoal is removed, and -a round flat brick button previously covered with a layer of moist clay -is placed on the amalgam, which forms a thick ring round the edge, to -which lead is freely added to make up the weight. As it cools, there -results a white disc of silver encircled by a brownish ring. The silver -is cleaned and dotted with cutch, and is then weighed and ready to be -cut up. Another industry is confined to the women, who make capital -chatties from a tenacious yellow clay, which overlies this portion of -the river valley, in some places forty feet thick; the earthenware is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span> -coloured red with a ferruginous substance found in nodules embedded in -the clay.</p> - -<p>From the same clay, a number of Shan-Chinese from Hotha and Latha make -sun-dried bricks outside the town, and a colony of the same people -sojourn every winter at Bhamô, making <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">dahs</em>, or long knives, -which are in great demand. A number of Kakhyens are often to be seen -near the town, bringing rice, opium, silver, and pigs for sale. -Their chief object is to procure salt, for which necessary they are -dependent on Burma. They are not allowed to encamp within the town, but -are compelled to shelter themselves outside the gates, in miserable -wigwams. The Burmese assigned as a reason for their exclusion their -dread of the Kakhyen propensity for kidnapping children and even men, -and also because a small party might be the precursors of a raid.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna18"><a href="#fn18">[18]</a></span> -A few days after our arrival, four children who had been stolen were -recovered. One of them was brought by her mother, to show the large -round holes bored in the back of the ears as a sign of servitude. The -other three were little fat Chinese children, and adopted by the head -tsitkay. A curious illustration of their habits of man-stealing was -also afforded us.</p> - -<p>The Burmese interpreter found among the Kakhyens outside the town a -man who privately told him<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span> that he was a <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kala</em>, or foreigner, -who had been ten years in slavery; having heard of the arrival of the -kalas, he anxiously desired an interview. His features showed that he -was a native of India, and his history, given in a jumble of Burmese, -Kakhyen, and Hindostani, was as follows. Deen Mahomed, a petty trader -from Midnapore, had come to Burma with nine others ten years before. -They stayed a year at Tongoo, thence making their way up as far as -Bhamô. In this neighbourhood, during a halt for cooking, all had gone -to seek firewood save Deen Mahomed and another, who were in charge -of the goods. A party of Kakhyens suddenly rushed out of the bush, -and seized both men and goods. His comrade was taken away he knew not -where, and he was carried off as a slave. A log of wood was fastened to -one of his legs, and he was further secured by ropes fastened to this, -and braced over his shoulders. This he wore for two months, during -which time he was not made to work, but was guarded by a Kakhyen. He -was then released on his promise to remain. A few days after, the -village was plundered by a hostile tribe, but he and his master escaped -to another village, where he was bartered for a buffalo to another -man. His new master treated him well, but did not allow him to leave -the hills, and after two or three years gave him a Kakhyen wife. He -had almost forgotten his native language, but not his native country. -As soon as he heard of our arrival,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span> he resolved to ask our aid in his -deliverance. We sent him among his fellow-countrymen of the guard, who -clothed him, and he was installed as a groom, and taken with us as -an interpreter. That his story was true, we had confirmation, as his -quondam master preferred a claim for compensation for his loss.</p> - -<p>The country behind Bhamô runs up to the base of the mountain wall in -undulations so long as to present the general aspect of a level slope, -covered with eng trees and tall grass. For about a mile outside the -stockade, the surface is cut up by numerous deep jheels, evidently old -backwaters of the Irawady, which once flowed in a long curve, marked -by an old river bank, south-east of the town. The soil, especially in -the hollows, is very rich, giving two crops of rice annually. Numerous -legumes, yams, and melons, and a little cotton are grown, and the sandy -river islands yield capital tobacco.</p> - -<p>The edible fruits procurable are jacks, tamarinds, lemons, citrons, -peaches, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., and plantains are plentiful.</p> - -<p>About a mile north of the town, the Tapeng river debouches into the -Irawady, after flowing twenty miles through the plain as a quiet -navigable stream, hardly recognisable as the furious torrent which -rushes through the neighbouring gorge. During the dry season, it is -one hundred and fifty to two hundred yards wide, and navigable only by -boats, which convey a constant traffic between the Irawady and Tsitkaw, -where the merchandise is transferred<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span> to and from mules. During the -rains, the Tapeng is at least five hundred yards wide, and navigable -for small river steamers up to this place.</p> - -<p>Occupying the angle between the two rivers, the remains of an ancient -city are still discernible, though completely overgrown by magnificent -trees and thickets of bamboo and elephant grass. The broad wall, -composed of bricks and pebbles, can be traced from the river banks -at its northern and southern extremities, which are a mile apart. We -followed one section for three quarters of a mile, and found it in some -places thirty feet high from the bottom of the moat, which is still -traceable. The ruins, which, to judge from appearances, are coeval -with those of Tagoung, mark the site of the oldest Tsampenago. This -city, according to tradition, quoted by the old phoongyee at Bhamô, -flourished in the days of Gaudama. There is yet another ruined city of -the same name on the other side of the Tapeng, which does not present -the same appearance of great antiquity. Twelve miles to the east of -Bhamô are the ruins of another city named Kuttha, while Bhamô itself -has a predecessor in the village called Old Bhamô, near the foot of -the Kakhyen hills, the former importance of which is witnessed by its -ruined pagodas. Here too is that old brick building mentioned by <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> -Bayfield as probably the remains of the old English factory erected in -the beginning of the seventeenth century. We have little but conjecture -to guide us as to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span> vicissitudes of these ancient cities of the -Shan kingdom of Pong. As elsewhere in Burma, each new founder of a -dynasty seems to have transferred the seat of power to a new site. But -the legend of the origin of Tsampenago, of which the history of Bhamô -is a continuation, may be more interesting than dryasdust details of -antiquity.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna19"><a href="#fn19">[19]</a></span></p> - -<p>Tsampenago is the Burmese form of a Pali name, Champa-nagara, from -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">nagam</em>, town, and Champa, the seat of a powerful kingdom, -flourishing in the era of Gaudama, the ruins of which are still visible -near Bhaugulpore, on the Ganges. Tsampenago, then, means the city of -Champa.</p> - -<p>The founder and first king of Tsampenago was Tsitta, and his queen’s -name was Wattee. They were childless, which was a cause of great -grief, and the queen prayed earnestly for an heir. A son was promised -to her by a dream, in which the king of the Devas presented her with -a valuable gem. Soon after this, the king’s brother Kuttha rebelled, -and attacked the city with a great army. The king and queen fled for -their lives to Wela, a mountain three thousand feet high, a day’s -journey north of Tsampenago. They were pursued, but the queen escaped -and was preserved by the nats, on the mountain, where her son was -born and named Welatha. The king was taken prisoner and confined in -chains. When Welatha was six years old, he<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span> saw his mother in tears, -and by questioning her learned that he was a prince, and his father -a captive. When he was seven, his mother yielded to his importunity, -and sent him, with her royal ornaments, to visit his father. On -approaching Tsampenago, he met his father being led out to execution. -The brave boy stopped the procession, and revealed himself, offering -to die instead of his father. Kuttha ordered him to be thrown into -the Irawady. But the river rose in tremendous waves, the earth shook, -and the executioners could not, for terror, obey the royal order. -This being reported to Kuttha, he ordered that the prince should be -trodden to death by wild elephants, but the beasts could not be goaded -to attack him. A deep pit was dug and filled with burning fuel, into -which the prince was cast, but the flames came on him like cool water, -and the burning fagots became lilies. When Kuttha heard this, in his -fury he had the young prince taken down to the Deva-faced mountain -(second defile), and cast from the great precipice into the river, but -he was caught up by a naga, and carried away to the naga country. The -earth quaked, many thunderbolts fell, the Irawady rolled up its waves, -and broke down its banks. Kuttha was seized with terror, and as he -fled forth of the city gate, the earth opened and swallowed him up. -Thereupon, the nagas brought back the young prince and his father, and -they reigned jointly. Their first care was to seek for the queen, but -on approaching the mountain of Wela, the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span> flowers were few, and their -fragrance gone, and the queen was found dead. History says nothing of -their after reign, but records that in the 218th year of the Buddhist -sacred era, in obedience to the command of the universal monarch, four -pagodas were built in the kingdom of Tsampenago—the Shuaykeenah, -the Bhamô Shuay-za-tee; Koung-ting, and two others. The next item of -history states that in the year 400 of the era (probably the vulgar era -of 638 <span class="allsmcap">A.D.</span>) the succession of kings being destroyed, and the -glory of the former rulers having departed, the tsawbwa Tholyen did not -dare to live in the city; so he founded a new one at the village of -Manmau, and made it his capital. Now <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">man</em> is Shan for village, -and <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">mau</em> for a pot; thus Bhamô, or Manmau, signifies Potters’ -Village, a name still justified by the pottery there manufactured. How -Tsampenago was destroyed, is not historically certain, but a tradition -exists among the Shans, that it was overthrown by an army of Singphos -from the north-west. After Tholyen, twenty-three tsawbwas are said -to have ruled in succession at Bhamô over a district comprising one -hundred and thirty-six villages. The succession was then broken, and -the country was ruled by Shan deputies. After this, tsawbwas were -obtained from Momeit, who ruled over Bhamô till Oo-Myat-bung and his -family were made slaves by the great Alompra about 1760. Ever since, -the district has been governed by myo-woons appointed by the king of -Burma. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span> first, Thoonain, settled the boundaries of the district, -including only eighty-eight villages, the eastern and north-eastern -boundaries being given as China.</p> - -<p>The legend of Tsampenago records the erection of the Shuaykeenah -pagoda, the name of which at least is preserved to the present day -by the group of pagodas situated on an eminence north of Tsampenago. -These are still the holy places of the neighbourhood, and are thronged -with pilgrims at the March festival. The great gilded pagoda has been -re-edified by royal bounty and popular offerings, but others are from -time to time added by private votaries. Thus it was our good fortune to -witness the laying the foundation of a votive pagoda at Shuaykeenah. -A small square of ground, the exact size of the base of the intended -pagoda, was railed off by a fantastic bamboo fence, two feet high, -decorated with flowers and paper flags. A wooden pin, covered with -silver tinsel, and bearing a lighted yellow taper, was fixed in the -centre, and another about two feet from the south-eastern corner of the -level plot; round the first a quadrangular trench, and a deep hole by -the side of the other were dug and sprinkled with water. Eight bricks, -each the exact size of one side of the trench, were prepared. On four -the name of Gaudama was inscribed in black paint; on the others, a -leaf of gold was placed on the centre of one, silver on the second, a -square of green paint on the third, and red on the fourth, each having -a border of green. A<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span> round earthen vase containing gold, silver, and -precious stones, besides rice and sweetmeats, was closed with wax in -which a lighted taper was stuck, and deposited in the south-east hole, -by the builder of the pagoda, who repeated a long prayer, while the -earth was filled in and sprinkled with water. This was an offering to -the great earth serpent, in the direction of whose abode the south-east -corner pointed. It is an interesting relic of the snake worship once so -prevalent among the Shan race to the south, which, like nat worship, -has been incorporated in Buddhism. Another instance is afforded in -some of the Yunnan shrines, where the canopy over Buddha is supported -by many-headed snakes, as occurs in some Indian temples. In the next -part of the ceremony, the depositing of the bricks in the trench, the -Shan was assisted by his grandmother, wife, and daughter; he knelt -at the north, faced by his wife, his daughter on his right hand, and -the grandmother on the left. The silvered brick, with a lighted taper -on it, was handed to the old woman, who raised it over her head, -and, devoutly murmuring a long prayer, placed it in the trench; the -wife did the same with the red brick and its taper, and the daughter -followed with the green, while her father took the gold one. The -girl, in raising her brick, burst out laughing, amused, as we were -told, at having forgotten her prayers. The four bricks having been -properly deposited, the others were next laid in order, the sacred name -downwards, and a layer of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span> cloth spread over all. Earth was then thrown -in and sprinkled with water, and the hole having been filled up, the -ceremony was over.</p> - -<p>Four miles above Shuaykeenah and the mouth of the Tapeng, the Irawady -receives the waters of the Molay. It is a narrow stream, rising in the -Kakhyen hills, with a course of ninety-six miles, for thirty of which -it is navigable during the rains, and a small boat traffic exists, -chiefly for the conveyance of salt.</p> - -<p>While our leader was engaged planning for our departure with the -officials, three of us made a hurried excursion to the first -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">khyoukdwen</em>, or defile. This portion of the river commences a few -miles above Bhamô, and extends for twenty-five miles, nearly to Tsenbo.</p> - -<p>Between these two points the river flows under high wooded banks. -At the lower entrance, the channel is one thousand yards broad, but -gradually narrows to five hundred, two hundred, and even seventy yards, -as the parallel ranges approach each other. As we ascended, the hills -rose higher and closed in, rising abruptly from the stream and throwing -out a succession of grand rocky headlands. We moored for the night off -a Phwon village standing on a cliff eighty feet high, just above the -first so-called rapids. The next day, after we had proceeded about -seven miles, we came to a reach in which the river flowed sluggishly -between two high conical hills, which seemed to present no outlet. The -quiet<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span> motion and deep olive black hue of the water suggested great -depth.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna20"><a href="#fn20">[20]</a></span></p> - - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img006"> - <img src="images/006.jpg" class="w75" alt="ROCKY BARRIER ON THE FIRST OR UPPER DEFILE OF THE IRAWADY." /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">ROCKY BARRIER ON THE FIRST OR UPPER DEFILE OF THE IRAWADY.</p> - -<p>This reach extended about one mile and a half, with a breadth of two -hundred and fifty yards, closing in at the upper end, where the channel -is broken up by rocks jutting out boldly, and approaching each other -within eighty yards. A pagoda, apparently of great age, perched on a -small isolated rock, rising about forty-five feet from the stream, -seemed to indicate the limit of the rising of the waters, as it could -not have withstood the flood. This rocky reach stretches a mile in a -north-north-westerly direction, and terminates abruptly in an elbow, -from which another clear reach, overhung by precipitous but grassy -hills, extends east-north-east.</p> - -<p>This bend of the river is one of the most dangerous parts, owing to -numerous insulated greenstone rocks which stretch across it, exposed -twenty feet and more in February. Owing to the sudden bend, the current -rushes between them with great violence, but we found no difficulty in -effecting a passage for our boats. Telling evidences were not wanting -in the high-water mark, twenty-five feet above the then level, and in -the shivered trunks of large trees and debris of branches heaped in -wild confusion among the rocks, that the body of water pouring through -the narrow gorge must in the rains be enormous and of terrific power. -The navigation, with the present obstructions unremoved, would be -impossible for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</span> river steamers, but engineering skill could speedily -render the water way practicable if desired for traffic. We had not -time to ascend to the northern entrance of the defile, where the river, -unconfined by the hills, is again a majestic stream half a mile in -width. We could only look, and long for an opportunity of exploring its -course upwards to the unknown regions whence it rolls down its mighty -flood. The problem of the Irawady’s source and course has yet to be -solved; but we had to return to Bhamô, expecting the solution of our -perplexities, as to how and when we should reach Yunnan.</p> - -<p>Four weeks had now been spent by our leader in a fruitless attempt -to get the tsitkays to assist in making the necessary arrangements. -What between the novelty of their first introduction to enterprising -Englishmen, their dread of acting till the Woon arrived, and last, -though not least, their fear of offending the influential Chinese, they -could do nothing, nor give any information. As the arrival of large -Shan caravans and companies of trading Kakhyens proved, all routes -were not closed. The magistrates admitted a small trade existed by the -Tapeng and Ponline route; by this route it was decided that we should -go. It soon became known to our leader that the Chinese merchants, -failing to deter us from proceeding, had taken more active measures. -They had written to the Kakhyen tsawbwas, desiring them to withhold -assistance, and they further intrigued with the imperialist officer<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</span> -Li-sieh-tai, who at this time threatened the road to Momien and -Tali-fu, entreating him to cut off the expedition <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em>. The -turning-point of our fortunes had now arrived. We could gain no exact -information as to the political relations of the Shans, and only knew -that the Panthay government extended to Momien, which was believed to -be the residence of Mahommedan chiefs of importance.</p> - -<p>Major Sladen, with promptness and decision, resolved, unknown to all, -to outwit the Chinese. He despatched letters to the chiefs of Momien, -explaining the peaceful objects of the mission, and the approbation -given to it by the Burmese government under our treaty, and pointing -out the advantages of opening the direct trade. These letters, with -copies of the treaty and proclamation, were secretly sent off by three -Kakhyens from the southern hills, who had attached themselves to our -interest.</p> - -<p>The next character claiming our attention was Sala, the Kakhyen chief -of Ponline, who came to Bhamô at the request of Sladen, after refusing -to comply with the order of the tsitkays. He visited us attired as -a mandarin of the blue button, and attended by six or eight armed -followers. He carried a gold umbrella, which he had received from the -king of Burma, with the title of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">papada raza</em>, or mountain king. -There was nothing regal in his aspect or bearing. He was a tall, thin -man, with a contracted chest, long neck, very small and retreating -forehead, while his oval and repulsive visage was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</span> adorned with high -cheek-bones, oblique eyes, and a depression instead of a nose. During -the interview, when all the Burmese officials were present, he sat -ill at ease, with his eyes bent on the floor. We received him as an -independent chief, with the escort drawn up under arms in his honour. -But little information was procured, as the interpreter, a village -tamone, could not be persuaded to give correct versions of the chief’s -short and almost monosyllabic answers. So Sladen brought the interview -to a pleasant close by offering a friendly cup of <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">eau de vie</em>. -This seemed to suit the chief, and he and his retinue finished a bottle -of brandy, and asked for more. His parting words were, “Remember the -brandy, and send it to me quickly.”</p> - -<p>The following day, at a private interview, the chief threw off his -former reserve, which he said had been forced on him, as he could not -afford to offend the Bhamô Chinese. It was his own wish to assist the -mission, but he stipulated for a small Burmese escort, to show that -we had the full support of the king. He engaged to assemble a hundred -mules at Tsitkaw, a village on the right bank of the Tapeng twenty-one -miles distant; thence he undertook to conduct us safely to Manwyne, the -first Chinese Shan town, and boasted himself as the greatest chief on -the route, and on good terms with all the tsawbwas.</p> - -<p>The new Woon arrived on the 20th of February, but declined to land -for three days, as they were <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">dies nefasti</em>. In the meantime he -sent word that we<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</span> might have boats to take the baggage to Tsitkaw, -but advised us to wait until he had fired his guns, and brought in -the various Kakhyen chiefs. The day after his landing, Sladen, with -Sala, visited him, and the Ponline chief asked for a Burmese guard, -alleging as a precedent that a guard had been sent up with the king’s -cotton. The Woon, however, declared it to be quite unnecessary and -uncalled for, and told the chief that the cases were quite different. -The tsawbwa then consented to take us on without the guard, but told -the Woon that he had received threatening letters from the Chinese. The -Woon admitted his knowledge of the Chinese opposition, and promised to -admonish the head Chinaman at Bhamô that he would be held responsible -for our safety. The morning after the Woon arrived, he proceeded in -state to the court-house, escorted by two hundred men. He wore the -fantastic dress of a Burmese prince, a short tight richly coloured coat -covered with gold tinsel, with two enormous wing-like epaulettes, and -a tall gilt hat like a fireman’s helmet, surmounted by a pagoda-like -spire. His appointment was read, and the guns fired, after an hour had -been spent in driving home the powder and cartridge of green plantain -leaf. Our baggage was despatched the next day, but two difficulties -remained. We had no Kakhyen interpreters, and the rupees, which were -said to be useless in the Shan country, had not been changed, for no -country silver was to be found in Bhamô, a mysterious and suggestive -fact. But<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</span> these were not held sufficient to delay our departure, -which took place on the morning of the 26th of February. Our want -of a guide was removed by an accidental meeting in the street with -the head jailor, a good-natured Shan, whom Sladen induced to guide -us to Tsitkaw, promising to screen him from any displeasure of the -authorities. Although the distance is only twenty-one miles, the loss -of time caused by ferrying our party of one hundred men over the Tapeng -compelled us to halt at the village of Tahmeylon, where we put up in a -small monastery. Early the next morning we started, skirting the Tapeng -through tall grass, with occasional rice clearings. At the junction of -the Manloung river with the Tapeng, a number of ruined pagodas marked -the site of the second town of Tsampenago, built at a much later date -than that near Bhamô.</p> - -<p>By noon we reached Tsitkaw, and were received inside the low stockade -by the Burmese officials and a miserable guard armed with rusty flint -muskets, who garrison this as a customs station. We were conducted -to a small barn-like zayat, which had been cleaned out for our use. -Inquisitive natives speedily sought to force their way in, and had -to be kept at bay by armed sentinels, though with caution. And we -were requested to have a guard under arms all night, to protect our -property against thieves, and perhaps ourselves against tigers, which -occasionally overleap the stockade. In the morning, the Kakhyen<span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</span> -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tsawbwas</em>, or chiefs, and <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">pawmines</em>, or headmen, of -Ponline, Tahlone, Ponsee, and Seray, through whose lands lay the route -to Manwyne, appeared to take charge of ourselves and baggage. As the -Shan-Burmese of Tsitkaw and other villages near the hills keep on -good terms with the highlanders, the chiefs showed no timidity of the -Burmese officials; they made themselves quite at home, and asked for -brandy; under its genial influence a formal assent was soon given to -our passage through their territories.</p> - -<p>The first process was to collect all our baggage, that it might be -passed in review, and divided into small loads. Outside Tsitkaw, we had -passed an enclosure in which were about a hundred men, chiefly Shans, -with a few Kakhyens. These fellows had jeered at us in passing, and it -was by no means reassuring to learn that this unmannerly mob consisted -of the mule owners, as restive and untractable as their beasts. Each -man owned from one to a dozen mules, and looked after his own interests -without regard either to his employer’s or the rest of the caravan. -The consequent shouting, disputing, and almost fighting that ensued -as each helped himself to the packages that seemed desirable baffled -description. At last all the baggage was distributed in little heaps, -and each man marked off the number of mules required on a primitive -tally, formed from a piece of bamboo, which he broke across into a -corresponding number of joints, and put up carefully against the day of -reckoning.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</span></p> - -<p>The next morning witnessed another scene of confusion and quarrelling, -as the panniers or pack-saddles were brought in order to have the -loads adjusted. The packs are secured to cross-trees, which fit into -transverse pieces of wood, fixed in the saddles; and a band passed -in front of the mule’s shoulders keeps all firm in its place. When -the burdens had been arranged, it appeared that there were more mules -than loads, and the disappointed proprietors furiously disputed the -possession of their lots with their more fortunate competitors; hands -were repeatedly laid on the hilt of the dah, but all ended in bluster, -and finally the loads were arranged. When all seemed ready for the -morrow’s starting, the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">choung-oke</em>, or bailiff of the river, -appeared on the scene, accompanied by several Kakhyens, and informed us -that March 1st, being the 9th of some Kakhyen month, was an altogether -ill-omened day to commence any undertaking. This Burmese official -further confidentially informed Sladen that there was a quarrel brewing -between the muleteers and the chiefs, which would break out before -long; but he was disconcerted by the prompt action of the leader, who -sent for the chiefs, and, assuring them of his confidence, said that -he would abide by their arrangements for the transport. To this they -replied that we were their brothers, and that they would be true to us -for ever. The enforced delay at this place enabled us to make a short -excursion to the Manloung lake, about one mile and a half<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</span> distant. -I went all round it in a small canoe, which held three people with -difficulty. The western bank is high and wooded, but broken by two -channels, through which the Manloung stream issues, uniting below a -small island, on which stands a Shan village of the same name. Besides -this, there is another island, and a village named Moungpoo. The high -bank is continued on the north, beyond the lake, as a prominent ridge -covered with tall trees, extending in a bold sweep to the foot of the -hills; it appeared evidently to be an old river bank, and that the -lake marks what was once the course of the Tapeng. The Manloung stream -falls into a remarkable offshoot of the main river, which afterwards -rejoins the Tapeng by several channels. This stream is deep and rapid, -and supplies several irrigating water-wheels. The lake is two miles -long and a mile broad, and according to native accounts very deep. To -the east extended a succession of swamps, hidden under a luxuriant -growth of high grass; careful search discovered no springs or streams -as sources of supply, although doubtless the former exist, as there is -a constant outflowing of water. It is probably also a reservoir, filled -annually by the overflow of the Tapeng, which during the rainy season -frequently floods the level plain to a depth of two feet for some days -at a time, the flood suddenly rising and as suddenly subsiding.</p> - -<p>Manloung contained about eighty houses, and the women at this time were -all busily engaged in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</span> weaving cloth from cotton procured from the -Kakhyens, who grow it on the hills. The village boasted of a large and -flourishing monastery, far superior to any to be seen at Bhamô, and -with a large number of resident pupils. The dormitory was exhibited -with pride by the chief phoongyee; the beds were neatly arranged -along one side of the room, each possessing a nice clean mattress and -coverlet and superior mosquito curtains.</p> - -<p>Thence we returned to Tsitkaw, where the filthy disregard of decency -exhibited by the drunken highland chiefs, which we were obliged to -tolerate, made our enforced sojourn still more insupportable; and an -additional source of anxiety was furnished by the information, imparted -by Sala, that Moung Shuay Yah, our Chinese interpreter, was really in -collusion with the hostile Chinese.</p> - -<p>Daylight on the 2nd of March saw us all on the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">qui vive</em> in -expectation of an early start, but the mule-men, at nine o’clock, had -not eaten their rice, and then came a demand for an advance of mule -hire; a previous request for salt to be distributed to the people of -villages <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em> had been complied with, but no sooner had -the baskets containing it been brought in front of the house than the -men helped themselves at discretion, and no more was heard of it. An -hour was now spent in the distribution of five hundred rupees, which -were laid out on a mat, while the eagerness with which the recipients -gathered round and handled the silver spoke volumes<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</span> as to their greed -for coin. One of the tsawbwas had been seen eagerly watching Sladen’s -private cash-chest, and asked in the most pressing manner to be allowed -to take charge of it, while another dogged the footsteps of Captain -Bowers’ servant, endeavouring to coax him into entrusting his master’s -fowling-piece to his care.</p> - -<p>During the morning the phoongyee of an adjoining khyoung arrived to -say farewell. He had been a constant visitor, and the kind reception -given him, and the toleration of his curiosity, which showed itself by -wandering about and prying into everything, had quite won his heart. He -was far superior to the usual run of Shan phoongyees, who, according -to Burmese Buddhism, are lax and unorthodox in practice and doctrine. -He spent much of his time in missionary visits to the ruder villages, -whose inhabitants he hoped to convert to conformity with stricter -religious rules. By way of a parting gift he presented each of us with -some sweet scented powder and a few fragrant seeds or pellets, which he -declared to be a sovereign remedy for headache or fever, “contracted by -smelling culinary operations!” His advice to Sladen at parting was so -shrewd and characteristic as to deserve quoting. “We have met before in -a former existence, and it is by virtue of meritorious acts there done -that I am privileged to meet you again in the present life, and advise -you for your welfare. Wisdom and prudence are necessary in all worldly -undertakings; use then special care<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</span> and circumspection in your present -expedition; your enemies are numerous and powerful. We shall all hail -the reopening of the overland trade with China. The prosperity of the -priesthood depends on the condition of the country and the people; what -is good for them is also good for religion.”</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn15"><a href="#fna15">[15]</a> A distinguished continental Chinese scholar has informed me that -this title is a civil one, denoting commissioner. In the absence of the -Chinese characters, the exact title of this functionary cannot be given.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn16"><a href="#fna16">[16]</a> The meteorological registers kept at the British Residency show -the annual rainfall at Bhamô to be 65 inches.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn17"><a href="#fna17">[17]</a> One <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tickal</em> = rather more than half an ounce troy.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn18"><a href="#fna18">[18]</a> Since the date of this visit, rest-houses have been erected for -the Kakhyens by the Burmese authorities, and also by the British -Resident; and some of these natives are always to be found temporarily -occupying them.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn19"><a href="#fna19">[19]</a> For this the writer is indebted to the learning and industry of the -late <abbr title="reverend">Rev.</abbr> <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Mason.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn20"><a href="#fna20">[20]</a> Bayfield found no bottom at twenty-five fathoms.</p> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.<br /> -<span class="small">KAKHYEN HILLS.</span></h2> -</div> - - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Departure from Tsitkaw—Our cavalcade—The hills—A false -alarm—Talone—First night in the hills—The tsawbwa-gadaw—Ponline -village—A death dance—The divination—A meetway—Nampoung gorge—A -dangerous road—Lakong bivouac—Arrival at Ponsee—A Kakhyen coquette. -</div> - - -<p>Almost at the last moment before setting out, while lists of the -muleteers were being taken, in order to ascertain their respective -chiefs, so as to know who should be held responsible, in case of -default or robbery, the tsawbwas of Ponsee and Talone discovered -that Sala, when at Bhamô, had received a musket as a present. Their -informant was the treacherous Moung Shuay Yah, who instigated them -to stand on their dignity and demand a similar gift. Compliance was -impossible, so they refused their services, and prowled about in -sneaking silence, ostentatiously taking lists of ourselves and of our -baggage. By two o’clock a start was fairly effected, although our -arrangements were by no means as complete as they might have been; -but as it was settled that we should only proceed as<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</span> far as Ponline -village, about twelve miles distant, it was better to start than risk -further delay. There was something outrageously wild in the irregular -confusion of our exodus from Tsitkaw, which, though perhaps orderly -according to Kakhyen ideas, presented no trace of system to our -uninformed minds. The three Kakhyen chiefs led the way, followed by the -unwieldy cash-chest, borne by eight men, and guarded by four sepoys; -then came the long straggling caravan of a hundred and twenty mules, -travelling just as it suited the peculiarities of each beast and its -driver. Our police escort marched steadily on, headed by the jemadar, -at whose side appeared his wife, looking like a true <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">vivandière</em>, -her slim figure becomingly attired in a blue silk padded jacket, and -trousers tucked up to the knee, with a red silk handkerchief for -head-dress; with a Burmese dah and bag slung over her shoulders, and -her shoes tied behind her back, she was evidently prepared for all -dangers and fatigues.</p> - -<p>We mounted our ponies and rode forward over the level plain before -us; stretching north-east and south-west, rose the long undulating -outline of the Kakhyen mountains, broken here and there by huge domes -or pointed peaks, rising to five and six thousand feet. On our right -flowed the Tapeng, gradually calming its waters into a placid stream, -after having emerged as a foaming torrent from the mountain barrier. -At the village of Hentha the route diverged from the river, and half -a mile<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</span> further we passed the long, straggling, but populous village -of Old Bhamô, embosomed in a dense grove of bamboos and forest trees. -Outside the village stood a solitary and almost ruined pagoda, the -advanced outpost, on this side the river, of Burmese Buddhism, for none -of these religious edifices are found among the Kakhyen hills.</p> - -<p>Four miles’ ride through a succession of level swampy patches of paddy -clearings, and grassy fields intersected by deep nullahs, brought us to -the village of Tsihet, on slightly undulating ground. At this point the -route turned almost at right angles, to ascend the hills, and here the -three tsawbwas were seated in deep and excited consultation, apparently -waiting for us. We had outstripped most of the convoy, and as Sladen -rode up, Sala exclaimed, pointing to the hill-path, “All right, go on, -and don’t be afraid.” His words were less intelligible than those of -the Talone tsawbwa, who asked in an injured tone, “When are you going -to give me that gun?”</p> - -<p>We ascended about five hundred feet, over a series of rounded hills, -distinct from the main range, but connected with it by spurs, up the -slope of one of which we were slowly climbing, when a shot was heard -in front. Sladen, the superior powers of whose pony had taken him -ahead, waited until the others joined him, and another shot and then -four reports together were heard, but no bullet whizzed near. A spear -was picked up in the path, which a Burmese syce<span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</span> alleged to have been -thrown from the jungle at the passing travellers; but his evidence was -doubtful.</p> - -<p>We all proceeded as if nothing had happened, but our Kakhyens, some -fifty of whom were ahead, gathered round, flourishing their dahs and -yelling like fiends, to assure us of their determination to protect us. -A little further on we came upon two Kakhyens of our party, standing -in an open by the roadside, one armed with a cross-bow and poisoned -arrows, and the other with a flint musket. By signs they tried to -convey to us that some evil-disposed mountaineers had hidden themselves -at this spot, and had fired on them, but that on their returning the -fire, the enemy had “bolted” down the hillside. We had our own opinion -that the supposed attack was an ingenious ruse to try our mettle, and -that most of the shots were fired by our half intoxicated muleteers, -who evinced no sort of fear or misgiving. One of them, mounted on a -mule, and armed with a long dah and matchlock, proved himself more -dangerous as a friend than all the supposed enemies. He kept rushing -backwards and forwards on a path scarcely wide enough in some places -for a single pony; now he flourished his long sword in a reckless -manner, and then fired his matchlock over the head of Sladen, who -was in front, reloading and firing over his shoulder with a rapidity -wonderful in a man so drunk as to be beyond reason. Judicious praises -of his dexterity and a promise to refill his powder-horn at the -next<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</span> village were necessary to prevent him from becoming suddenly -quarrelsome and dangerous.</p> - -<p>From the summit of the spur fifteen hundred feet high, we descended -by a rough, slippery path, the bed of a dried-up watercourse, to a -level glen of rich alluvial land, and thence climbed another spur to a -height of two thousand feet, whence a slight descent brought us to a -long ridge, on which were situated the villages of Talone and Ponline. -Approaching the first-named, we were requested to dismount, as Kakhyen -etiquette does not admit of riding past a village. We led our ponies -through a grassy glade, surrounded by high trees, and sacred to the -nats. At one side stood a row of bamboo posts, varying in height from -six to twenty feet, split at the top into four pieces, supporting small -shelves to serve as altars for the offerings of cooked rice, fowls, -and sheroo, wherewith the demons are propitiated. Before each altar -were placed large bundles of grass, and a few old men were kneeling, -muttering a low chant.</p> - -<p>Leaving Talone on an eminence to our left, we remounted and descended -a little distance through deep ravines, in secondary spurs, and, after -a short ascent, traversed a tolerably level pathway, and another short -rise brought us to our halting-place, the village of Ponline, lying -two thousand three hundred feet above the sea. The rocks exposed were -all metamorphic, consisting chiefly of a grey gneiss or red granite, -and a hornblendic mica schist, huge rounded boulders of which latter -were strewn on the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</span> hillsides. The hills were covered with a dense tree -forest, largely intermixed with bamboos. It was already dusk when we -arrived, but the moon shone brightly, and a pawmine conducted us to a -house, swept and made ready for us. Like all Kakhyen houses, it was an -oblong bamboo structure, with closely matted sides, raised on piles -three feet from the ground. The roof thatched with grass sloped to -within four feet from the ground; the eaves, propped by bamboo posts, -formed a portico, used as a stable at night for ponies, pigs, and -fowls, and as a general lounge by day. Notched logs served as stairs -to ascend to the doorway in the gable end. On one side of the interior -was a common hall, running the whole length of the building. On the -other was a series of small rooms, divided from each other by bamboo -partitions; a second doorway or opening at the further end was, as we -afterwards learned, reserved for the use of members of the family, -or household, none others being allowed to enter thereby, on pain of -offence to the household nats. Chimneys and windows there were none, -and the walls and roofs were blackened with smoke. In the common hall -and in each room there was an open hearth sunk a little below the -flooring, the closely laid bamboo work being covered with a layer of -hard-pressed earth.</p> - -<p>Only a portion of the baggage mules had arrived, and the bedding of -several members of the party was among the missing property. Rumours -were also afloat that robbers had succeeded in driving off<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</span> eight -mules, if not more, and altogether the first night in Kakhyen land -seemed to some of the party inauspicious; but we made the best of it, -and, having taken possession of our strange quarters, were presently -joined by Williams, who had been detained taking the altitudes. He -contributed the news that after leaving Talone a shot had been fired at -Sala, who was in front of him. We strolled out in the pleasant night -air, and admired an animated group of fair Kakhyens, busily pounding -rice by moonlight. The paddy was placed in a rude mortar, or rather a -cavity hollowed out in a log, and two girls stood opposite each other -wielding heavy poles, four feet long. These were plied alternately, the -heavy dull thud of the pestle forming a bass to the treble of a low -musical cry, emitted at each stroke by the fair operators, while their -bell girdles tinkled a pleasant accompaniment. These girdles marked -their rank, only the daughters of chiefs being allowed to wear these -musical ornaments.</p> - -<p>An old woman beckoned Sladen to follow her, and conducted him to -a house, which proved to be that of Sala, who received him most -hospitably, making him share his carpet, while his guide, the tsawbwa’s -wife, and her family brought successive relays of bamboo buckets, -filled with <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">sheroo</em>, or Kakhyen beer.</p> - -<p>At last, having divided what bedding there was, we settled ourselves -to sleep, leaving it for the morrow to confirm or dissipate the fears -excited by the non-arrival of guard, cash-chest, and baggage.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</span></p> - -<p>Our slumbers were, however, disturbed by loud shouts, repeated from -height to height, which seemed to be the “All’s well!” of native -guards, posted round the village to watch over our safety.</p> - -<p>In the morning a large capon and a supply of beer arrived, as a present -from the chieftainess, and later on she herself with her daughters and -retinue came in state. She was a short matronly-looking woman, with -an intelligent expression of countenance and good features, but for -her high cheek-bones and slightly Chinese eyes. Her costume was of -course the perfection of highland full dress, and, though singular, by -no means unbecoming. The head-dress was the most striking part of it, -consisting of blue cloth, wound round and round in a sort of turban, so -as to form an inverted cone, towering at least eighteen inches above -her head. Her upper garment was a sleeveless black velvet jacket, -ornamented with a row of large embossed silver buttons running round -the neck and continued down the front; besides these, circular plates -of chased and enamelled silver, three inches in diameter, arranged -in rows down the front and back seams and around the skirt, made the -garment almost resemble a cuirass. The dress was completed by a single -kilt-like petticoat, composed of a dark blue cotton cloth, with a broad -red woollen border, wound round the hips, and reaching a little below -the knee. One end was tastefully worked with deep silken embroidery, -and carefully disposed, so as to hang gracefully on one side. A<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</span> -profusion of fine ratan girdles round the waist supported the kilt and -filled up the void between it and the jacket; and, by way of stockings, -a close-fitting series of black ratan rings encircled her legs below -the knee. Her rank was marked by two large silver hoops round her -neck, and a necklace of short cylinders of some red clayey material, -intermixed with amber and ivory beads. These cumbrous ornaments are -permitted only to the wives and daughters of tsawbwas and pawmines. -Two silver bracelets on each arm, and long silver tubes worn in the -lobes of the ears, completed her splendour. Her little daughters, -besides the distinctive girdles of black beads, and silver bells, each -containing a small free pellet, which tinkled pleasantly to every -motion of the wearer, wore broad waist-belts ornamented with several -rows of cowrie shells. Our visitor brought us goose eggs and sheroo, -and apologised for not having more to offer, but promised to send us -every day something to eat. Her goodwill was rewarded by presents of -silk handkerchiefs and red cloth, and a gorgeous table-cloth, the -splendour of which and her joy, when Sladen presented it to her, left -her perfectly speechless.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img007"> - <img src="images/007.jpg" class="w50" alt="KAKHYEN WOMEN." /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">KAKHYEN WOMEN.</p> - -<p>During the day the missing mules and baggage began to arrive, -the drivers having camped for the night at various places in the -neighbourhood, and early in the afternoon the guard marched in, but -without the cash-chest. The jemadar reported that he had remained -in charge of it at Talone, where he<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</span> had been obliged to leave it, -together with the missing eight mules and their loads. The tsawbwa, who -with his people and the Chinese interpreter, Moung Shuay Yah, had spent -the night in drinking, refused to let either cash-chest or baggage -proceed. The guard had been unable to obtain any food till before -starting this morning, and one of the sepoys who had rashly indulged in -excessive draughts of water had been seized with sickness, and died in -two hours.</p> - -<p>On the receipt of this news of the unaccountable conduct of the -Talone chief and Moung Shuay Yah, Sala despatched his own son with -positive orders for the instant release of the porters and drivers, -and pending their arrival, we sallied forth to view the village and -its surroundings. The houses were situated at short distances from -each other in a deep hollow, thickly wooded with magnificent oaks and -a few palms (Corypha), and very fine screw-pines, or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">pandani</em>, -one fallen stem of the former being fully sixty feet in length. -Immediately over the village towered a bold rounded summit of the -main range two thousand feet above us, halfway up the side of which -a large conical Khakyen grave formed a prominent object; in shape it -so strongly resembled a Burmese pagoda as to suggest an imitation. In -the village very fine plantains were cultivated, and the sides of the -spurs below were extensively cleared for rice and other crops. From the -ground behind the tsawbwa’s house, we obtained a splendid view of the -lofty hills on the southern side of the Tapeng valley,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</span> many of which -appeared to rise to a height of six thousand feet above the river, -cultivated and dotted with villages almost to the very summits.</p> - -<p>In the course of our ramble we were attracted to one house by the -sound of drumming; outside the portico, some men were sitting cooking -chickens, which had been merely stripped of their feathers, but not -otherwise cleaned. Having asked and obtained permission, we entered -the common hall, round which men, women, and children were dancing, -each carrying a small stick, with which they beat time, as they circled -round with measured steps, curiously combining a prance and a side -shuffle. The instrumentalists were a man and a girl, who vigorously -beat a pair of drums, while ever and anon the dancers burst out into -loud yells, and quickened the speed of their evolutions. We at first -sat gravely on the logs, brought by a smiling girl, but were presently -invited by signs to take our places in the dance; accordingly we stood -up and went round, but had scarcely taken two turns when the whole -party rushed, yelling loudly, out of the house, the leader flourishing -his stick wildly, as though clearing the way. Much puzzled, we returned -into the house, and found the corpse of a child, laid in a corner -carefully screened off, and the poor mother wailing bitterly by its -side. The festivity turned out to be the death dance, to drive away -the departed spirit from hovering near its late tenement, and our -exertions were believed to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</span> have mainly contributed to the speedy and -happy result; so at least we were made to understand by our hosts, -who hastened to refresh us with sheroo, served in cups ingeniously -improvised out of plantain leaves. We paid our footing in silver, -and departed with a feeling that even the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">entente cordiale</em> -we desired to establish with the Kakhyens hardly demanded an active -participation in death-dances.</p> - -<p>The next day Sala’s son arrived with the cash-chest and the missing -mules from Talone; but the boxes had been opened, Sladen and Bowers -had each lost a canteen, well stocked with knives and forks, and the -mule-men had further helped themselves to all eatables. They had, -however, shown a laudable consideration, for in one of Stewart’s cases -was a bottle of port wine, which they had opened by pushing in the -cork; not relishing the contents, they had carefully cut and fixed in a -wooden stopper to prevent waste!</p> - -<p>Sladen assembled Sala and the other chiefs, and distributed salt, -cloth, and some yellow silk handkerchiefs, which were highly prized. -Sala delivered a public exhortation, enjoining fidelity on all; in -private he communicated the necessity of propitiating the nats, and -requested our attendance at a ceremony which was to take place that -night, for the purpose of ascertaining the will of the demons, by the -medium of a <em>meetway</em>, or diviner.</p> - -<p>Accordingly after dinner we all adjourned to the hall of the tsawbwa’s -new house, and, reclining on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</span> mats brought by his wife, chatted for -some time with the chiefs and headmen assembled round the fire.</p> - -<p>The meetway now entered, and seated himself on a small stool, in one -corner, which had been freshly sprinkled with water; he then blew -through a small tube, and, throwing it from him with a deep groan, at -once fell into an extraordinary state of tremor, every limb quivered, -and his feet beat a literal “devil’s tattoo” on the bamboo flooring. He -groaned as if in pain, tore his hair, passed his hands with maniacal -gestures over his head and face, then broke into a short wild chant -interrupted with sighs and groans, his features appearing distorted -with madness or rage, while the tones of his voice changed to an -expression of anger and fury. During this extraordinary scene, which -realised all one had read of demoniacal possession, the tsawbwa and his -pawmines occasionally addressed him in low tones, as if soothing him or -deprecating the anger of the dominant spirit; and at last the tsawbwa -informed Sladen that the nats must be appeased with an offering. -Fifteen rupees and some cloth were produced. The silver, on a bamboo -sprinkled with water, and the cloth, on a platter of plantain leaves, -were humbly laid at the diviner’s feet; but with one convulsive jerk of -the legs, rupees and cloth were instantly kicked away, and the medium -by increased convulsions and groans intimated the dissatisfaction -of the nats with the offering. The tsawbwa in vain supplicated for -its acceptance, and then signified to Sladen that more<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</span> rupees were -required, and that the nats mentioned sixty as the propitiatory sum. -Sladen tendered five more with an assurance that no more would be -given. The amended offering was again, but more gently, pushed away, -of which no notice was taken. After another quarter of an hour, during -which the convulsions and groans gradually grew less violent, a dried -leaf rolled into a cone, and filled with rice, was handed to the -meetway. He raised it to his forehead several times, and then threw it -on the floor; a dah, which had been carefully washed, was next handed -to him and treated the same way, and after a few gentle sighs he rose -from his seat, and, laughing, signed us to look at his legs and arms, -which were very tired. The oracle was in our favour, and predictions of -all manner of success were interpreted to us as the utterances of the -inspired diviner.</p> - -<p>It must not be supposed that this was a solemn farce, enacted to -conjure rupees out of European pockets; the Kakhyens never undertake -any business or journey without consulting the will of the nats as -revealed by a meetway, under the influence of temporary frenzy, or, -as they deem it, possession. The seer in ordinary life is nothing; -the medium on whose word hung the possibility of our advance was a -cooly, who carried one of our boxes on the march, but he was a duly -qualified meetway, belonging to Ponsee village. When a youth shows -signs of what spiritualists would call a “rapport” or connection<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</span> with -the spirit world, he has to undergo a sufficiently trying ordeal to -test the reality of his powers. A ladder is prepared, the steps of -which consist of sword blades, with the sharp edges turned upwards, and -this is reared against a platform thickly set with sharp spikes. The -barefooted novice ascends this perilous path to fame, and seats himself -on the spikes without any apparent inconvenience; he then descends by -the same ladder, and if, after having been carefully examined, he is -pronounced free from any trace of injury, he is thenceforward accepted -as a true diviner. Sala improved the occasion by warning Sladen that a -powerful combination had been formed to oppose our advance, and that -many evil reports had been circulated, but concluded by saying that a -liberal expenditure of silver would remove many, if not all, obstacles. -The practical application of this was made next morning. When all was -ready for a start, the tsawbwa would not appear: Sladen paid him a -visit, and was informed that six hundred rupees must be paid nominally -as an advance for the mule-men, or else he had better go back. This -extortionate demand was reduced after some debate to three hundred, -which were paid, and then an additional sum of three hundred rupees was -demanded for the carriage of the troublesome and tempting cash-chest. -An offer of one rupee per diem each to twenty bearers was refused, and -we then decided to divide the cash into parcels of three hundred rupees -to be carried by the men of the escort. By this means<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</span> the liability -to continual “squeezes” on the part of the chiefs, or robbery by the -porters, was avoided. At length we set out from Ponline, and, after -proceeding a mile over an easy road along the high ground, commenced -the descent to the gorge, down which, fifteen hundred feet below, the -Nampoung flowed into the Tapeng, dividing the hills into two parallel -ridges. The descent, at first easy, gradually became steeper, and at -length precipitous; the path was cut into zigzags, but as slightly -deviating from the straight line as the steepness of the declivity -allowed. The weathered and disintegrated surface of metamorphic rock -had been worn down by traffic and torrents, so that it often was a deep -<b>V</b> shaped groove with but nine or ten inches of footway, and the -loaded mules found it difficult to round the abrupt turns in these deep -cuttings; huge boulders, stones, and sharp-pointed masses of exposed -quartz, made the travelling still more hurtful and dangerous to man and -beast. The beds of the streams were filled with fine granite, and in -the largest watercourse crossed, a small section was observed, showing -a mass of greyish micaceous schist, with large veins of quartz; it was -tilted up vertically, and there were distinct indications of bedding -in a nearly north and south direction. The Nampoung, whose source lies -among the hills to the north-east, is the limit between the districts -of Ponline and Ponsee, and was formerly, and must be considered still, -the boundary between Burma and the Chinese province of Yunnan, the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</span> -ruined frontier fort being pointed out on a height commanding the ford. -We forded the Nampoung on our ponies, where the stream was a hundred -feet wide, and three feet deep. The beasts could scarcely stem the -rapid current, which in the event of a fall would have soon swept horse -and rider into the foaming Tapeng. The road wound up the face of a -precipice, below which the Tapeng rushed down a succession of rapids, -with a deafening roar, and a force which nothing could resist, save the -prodigious masses of granite which encumbered its bed, while others -leaned from the banks as if ready to topple into the raging torrent.</p> - -<p>The occasional glimpses of the distant landscape were glorious; on -either hand hills towered up into mountains, and range succeeded range, -till lost in the blue distance. Our enjoyment of the grandeur of the -mountain scenery was, however, somewhat marred by the difficulty of the -path, which compelled us frequently to dismount, and let the goat-like -ponies scramble as best they could up the deep narrow cuttings. The -road contoured the hillside, cut into the face of the rock for some -ten feet, presenting every now and again turnings at a sharp angle. -On the verge of a precipice of one thousand feet deep, the outer edge -gave way under the hind hoofs of Williams’ pony, and he was only saved -from destruction by the pony recovering itself with a vigorous effort. -Kakhyen roads seem to be purposely designed with a view to reaching -the highest points<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</span> on the given route, and after leaving the river -banks, we thus ascended and descended over a succession of lofty -spurs abutting on the river from the main range; precipitous ridges, -connecting them at right angles, presented tolerably level ground, but -with a surface so confined that the traveller looked down into the deep -gorges on both sides. Patches of rich loamy soil in the valleys, and on -the slopes of the spurs, were cleared for paddy, and in each clearing -a small thatched hut raised on poles served as a watch-tower. Near -some of the villages perched on heights, limited efforts at terrace -cultivation were visible, and in one place a small stream had been -diverted for irrigation. Magnificent screw pines and large tree ferns -displayed their exquisite foliage, relieved by the blossoms of various -flowering trees.</p> - -<p>By two o’clock the baggage mules were so jaded that, although we had -not made more than eight or ten miles, it became necessary to halt in -the jungle. Behind our bivouac towered an enormous shoulder of the -mountains, rising four thousand feet above us, and called Lakong. The -air was genial and temperate, the thermometer marking sixty-three at 9 -<span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, and, with our lamps strung up on bamboos, our followers -and servants surrounding the bivouac, we dined and slept comfortably -and securely <em xml:lang="es" lang="es">al fresco</em>, while the drivers picketed their mules -above and below. Close to our camp were some old Kakhyen burial-places -on a rounded hill. Each consisted of a circular trench, thirty-eight -feet in diameter, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</span> about two feet deep, surrounding a low mound, -containing only one body. The high conical thatched roof which covered -newer graves, elsewhere observed, had disappeared, but some of the -bamboo supports were still standing. The trenches of some other graves -were built round with slabs of stone, the form of the grave and manner -of interment reminding one involuntarily of the megalithic burial -structures.</p> - -<p>Before resuming our march to Ponsee, Sala intimated that caution would -be required, as the Ponsee tsawbwa was very indignant at not having -received the desired musket. The nats also had signified through the -meetway that before starting the guard should fire a volley, and the -tsawbwa added a recommendation to use double charges of powder, so that -the nats might be doubly pleased. The road lay along tolerably easy -ground, as we were now almost on a level with the origin of the main -spurs, and by noon of March 6th we had reached the village of Ponsee, -three thousand one hundred and eighty-seven feet above the sea-level, -and forty-three miles from Bhamô. As the tsawbwa did not appear, and -had made no preparation to house our party, the camp was pitched under -a clump of bamboos, in a hollow below the village. Ponsee, with its -twenty scattered houses, and terraced slopes of cultivated ground, -occupied one side of a mountain clothed to its summit, two thousand -feet above, with dense jungle and forest, save where clearings -betokened the vicinity of other villages far above us.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</span></p> - -<p>Our muleteers dispersed themselves and their mules on the upper -terrace of a tumulus-shaped knoll overlooking the road, and cultivated -on one side in a succession of regular and equidistant terraces. In -the afternoon we were visited by a pawmine, accompanied by his wife -and several female relatives, who brought presents of sheroo and -vegetables. One of the young ladies was inclined to be merry and -communicative, in order to attract attention and secure a present of -beads. Although she was a wife, her hair was cut straight across her -forehead, and hung down behind in dishevelled locks, uncovered by the -head-dress which Kakhyen wives wear. An offer of a puggery to supply -the defect was received with a peal of laughter, at which the pawmine -seemed startled and scandalised, and he reproved his fair cousin in a -way that caused her to shrink into abashed silence. During the evening -the dangerous temper of the Kakhyen was shown by an unprovoked attack -made by one of the Ponsee tsawbwa’s followers upon a Burmese servant, -but Sala promptly interfered to protect our man, and declared that he -would resent an insult offered to any of our people as if offered to -himself. Thus, as in other matters, he so far showed himself honest, -though his constant demands for money began to make the leader think -his friendship might be too dearly purchased.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.<br /> -<span class="small">PONSEE CAMP.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Desertion of the muleteers—Our encampment—Visit of hill -chiefs—Sala’s demands—A mountain excursion—Messengers -from Momien—Shans refuse presents—Stoppage of -supplies—Ill-feeling—Tsawbwa of Seray—<abbr title="saint">St.</abbr> Patrick’s Day—Retreat -of Sala—The pawmines of Ponsee—A burial-ground—Visit to the -Tapeng—The silver mines—Approach of the rains—Hostility of -Ponsee—Threatened attack—Reconciliation—A false start—Letters from -Momien—A hailstorm—Circular to the members of the mission—Beads and -belles—Friendly relations with Kakhyens—Their importance. -</div> - - -<p>On the first night of our sojourn at Ponsee, we were roused from our -beds in the open air by a violent thunderstorm, which threatened a -drenching, but fortunately let us off with only a few heavy drops. One -of the party drew his bed under a small thatched shed close by, and -slept soundly, to awake in the morning and find that he had shared -his shelter with a deceased Kakhyen, on whose grave he had been -reposing. At an early hour, Sala came to inform Sladen that a small -army of Shans and Kakhyens had collected to oppose our progress, but -that two thousand rupees might purchase their goodwill. When informed -that the disposable funds<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</span> would not admit of such costly travelling, -he significantly remarked that the Panthays were rich, and would be -glad to assist us. This obstacle might be imaginary, but a most real -difficulty left us no time to reflect on it, for instead of preparing -for a start, the muleteers, without a word of complaint, or indeed -any communication with us, proceeded to unpack their loads, flinging -all the baggage on the ground. I went to look after my boxes, but was -warned off by a Kakhyen, who flourished his dah, and worked himself up -into such a fury that retreat appeared the wisest course. In a short -time the mules and drivers marched away, taking the road to Manwyne, -leaving us and our baggage destitute of any means of transit. A few -beasts remained, belonging to Ponline, but too few to be taken into -account. Here was an unexpected dilemma, such as would have delighted -Sir Samuel Baker, who says he “finds pleasure in a downright fix.” -Sladen set off to find out, if possible, the meaning of it all from -Sala, who was seated comfortably drunk in the chief’s house. He -declared that the muleteers had been influenced by messages from the -Shan tsawbwas of Sanda and Muangla, threatening them with death if -they brought us on. He advised threats of exclusion of the Shans from -the Burmese fairs by way of reprisals, but Sladen indignantly told him -that he came to promote peace, and not dissension, and that he would -write conciliatory letters, explaining the object of the expedition to -those chiefs who had been misled. Thereupon<span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</span> Sala grew confidential, -and let out what certainly seemed the truth, <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">in vino veritas</em>, -about our missing interpreter Moung Shuay Yah, who had been last seen -or heard of at Ponline. It appeared that this half Chinese scoundrel -had finally endeavoured to persuade Sala, and on his refusal the Talone -tsawbwa, to murder Sladen and plunder the cash-chest. Thwarted in his -villainous projects, he had returned to Bhamô, of which latter fact -confirmation was afforded a few days later. Matters looked unpromising; -it was whispered that the muleteers had become aware that our detention -at Ponsee was certain, and were unwilling to hazard a delay, the -profits of which would go into the greedy pockets of the Ponline -chief. Besides the dark aspect of affairs, the natural atmosphere was -overcast, heavy clouds presaging storm, and to be prepared against all -consequences, we removed our quarters to the plateau vacated by the -muleteers, where the three sepoy palls, or small tents, accommodated -the Europeans, while the sepoys and followers set to work to construct -bamboo tents, thatched with leaves and grass for their protection, and -speedily a regular camp was established in a favourable position. Sala -showed himself in a new light, later on in the day, when he came down -very drunk, and dressed in a yellow silk cloth which he had stolen from -Sladen’s servant. He was at first inconveniently affectionate, and, -seizing Sladen by both hands, vowed eternal friendship; he then grew -inquisitive about our rifles and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</span> revolvers, and required Sladen to -show his marksmanship by splitting a bamboo forty yards off. A refusal -to gratify him changed him at once into a violent savage, pouring out -a flood of the foulest abuse in Burmese. With tact and patience, he -was restrained from violence, but the real treacherous nature of the -animal had shown itself unmistakably. He finally assured Sladen that -he might make up his mind not to quit Ponsee until he had paid two -bushels of rupees. More agreeable visitors arrived, in the persons -of the Kakhyen chiefs of Nyoungen, Wacheoon, and Ponwah, small hill -districts on the road to Manwyne. These tsawbwas all brought presents -of fowls and rice, for which they received cloth as a return. The chief -of Ponwah was a wiry little highlander, with oblique eyes, and strongly -marked features of a Tartar type, adorned with two scanty tufts by way -of moustache, and a sparse beard carefully restricted to the front of -his chin. His dress was different from that of the other tsawbwas, and -argued a higher social condition. It consisted of a blue turban, blue -padded woollen jacket, a kilt of the same material and colour, with a -red and blue border, finished off with richly embroidered leggings, -and short blue woollen hose with thick soles. A leopard’s fang adorned -his dah, and a cloth bag contained his metal pipe and bamboo flask of -samshu, which frequently found its way to his thirsty lips; before each -draught he dipped his finger into the liquor, and poured a few drops on -the ground as a libation to the earth nats.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</span> The mother of the young -Ponsee tsawbwa also came down, attended by a number of girls, bringing -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">sheroo</em>, or beer, cooked rice, eggs, and vegetables. Beads were -distributed, but they begged for rupees; and a few four-anna pieces -hardly contented them. One of us gallantly presented an importunate -damsel with a pretty little bottle of perfume, and to make her -appreciate it, poured a little on her hand, and signed to her to rub it -on her face, but having done so, she evinced her disgust by wry faces, -spitting at and abusing the donor, as though he had insulted her, to -his extreme confusion.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img008"> - <img src="images/008.jpg" class="w75" alt="OUR CAMP AT PONSEE." /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">OUR CAMP AT PONSEE.</p> - -<p>The day of anxiety was followed by a night of rain and storm. Heavy -gusts of wind, sweeping down the lofty shoulder of the mountain, -threatened to carry away the light tents, and it required all our -efforts to prevent this catastrophe by holding stoutly on to the -tent poles. The interior was of course inundated, and beds and -bedding saturated with water, but some of the followers were worse -off, having no shelter of any sort. Our troubles, however, were only -beginning. The Nanlyaw tamone,<span class="fnanchor" id="fna21"><a href="#fn21">[21]</a></span> who had been ordered to accompany -us as interpreter, and had failed to do so, arrived with orders from -the Woon of Bhamô to the tsawbwas of Ponsee and Ponline to repair at -once to Bhamô, and assist in an inquiry about reopening the silver -mines. The message and the messenger were both suspicious, and some -obstructive influence speedily showed itself. A demand was set up for -three<span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</span> hundred rupees, compensation for five houses said to have been -destroyed by a jungle fire, originating in the embers of our camp-fire -at Lakong. Sala evidently thought that any demands would be complied -with to prevent his deserting us, and talked much about the imperative -orders of the governor. By way of relief from the discussion, we made -an excursion up the mountain to a height about six hundred feet above -our camp, whence a splendid panorama unrolled itself of the Burmese -plain as far as Bhamô, and the junction of the Tapeng with the majestic -Irawady. We passed numerous oaks, and a grove of trees bearing nuts -exactly like our own hazels. At the highest point reached, a Kakhyen -village was found, snugly nestled in a beautifully cool hollow, with a -small stream flowing down the hillside.</p> - -<p>Our appearance startled three women, proceeding to fill the bamboos, -which serve as water pitchers, carried in a wicker basket at the back; -they darted into a hollow below the road, and, turning their backs to -us, waited till we had passed by. A thousand feet below us, a deep -ravine resounded with the cry of hoolock monkeys, howling at the full -pitch of their voices. Shooting, either for sport or purposes of -science, was rendered extremely difficult by the dense jungle and the -steep sides of the deep gorges, where the birds are mostly found, for -a bird, when shot, dropped down a steep declivity, into long grass or -tangled shrub, where search was useless.</p> - -<p>On our return, a cock and hen partridge, of a new<span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</span> species, belonging -to the genus Bambusicola, were shot in the cleared ground, and in -the woods the cry of an oriole was often heard, but the birds were -invisible. Descending by another route, passing the rice clearings, -where wild strawberries carpeted the ground with flowers and fruit, -and two sorts of violets and various brambles were also in flower, we -reached the camp, and were soon plunged again into debate with Sala. -The fellow was sulky and angry, demanding six hundred rupees blackmail, -and three hundred as compensation for the village fire, threatening -as an alternative to leave us to “be lost in the hills and never more -heard of.” Sladen temperately refused to submit to such extortionate -demands, but, to prove his friendly intentions, offered to compensate -for any actual damage, and to send presents to the chiefs <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en -route</em>. His arguments had such an effect on Sala that he was content -to ask for one hundred rupees to settle the “fire.”</p> - -<p>At this stage of the interview all were surprised by the sudden -appearance on the scene of three strangers, dressed in gorgeous Chinese -costume, and attended by half a dozen others; two of their faces were -familiar, and they saluted Sladen with an air of recognition, but Sala -and he were at first equally puzzled as to their identity. The two -foremost were arrayed in blue satin skull-caps embroidered with gold, -padded and embroidered jackets of fine blue cloth, and wide trousers -of yellow silk. They wore new broad cane hats and gold embroidered -Chinese<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</span> shoes. The hilts of their dahs were each enriched with half -the lower jaw of a leopard, and suspended from their button-holes was -a decoration consisting of a pink and blue square of cloth, with a -cipher embroidered in the corner. This was full dress Panthay uniform, -which one of them proceeded to divest himself of, and exhibited his -ragged Kakhyen garb underneath, and then Sladen recognised Lawloo, -the scout despatched by him from Bhamô to the governor of Momien. -He produced, carefully rolled up, a packet addressed in Arabic on a -strip of red paper, which contained an envelope stamped with Chinese -hieroglyphics in red, and a letter written in Arabic, and stamped with -Chinese devices in red and blue; attached to this was another letter in -Chinese. The latter no one could read, and a combined attempt made by -the native doctor and the jemadar to decipher the former also failed, -but Lawloo assured us that the governor of Momien was most friendly. -He had received the messengers with all respect, and had equipped them -in the gorgeous dresses which had disguised them from our recognition. -He had also sent with them Shatoodoo, an officer in the Mahommedan -service, a tall, fair-skinned, well-built man, dressed in blue -uniform, with a fine intelligent face and the quiet self-possession -of a well-bred gentleman. Our couriers, men belonging to the Cowlie -tribe, bore their new honours with great composure; they completely -ignored the presence of the Ponline tsawbwa, while they told of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</span> -their kindly reception, and explained the purport of the letters. The -governor had expected us by the “ambassadors’” route, which leads from -Bhamô into Hotha, where he had arranged to meet us. They said we were -not to advance at present via Manwyne, unless we were strong enough -to fight our way past Mawphoo fort, the stronghold of Li-sieh-tai. -The messengers, on their return, though conspicuous by their Panthay -uniform, had travelled openly and unmolested through the Shan states, -which had been declared to be hostile to our advance. The immediate -effect was to cause Sala and the pawmines to withdraw from our tents, -which was a great relief, as they had infested them, squatting on the -beds for hours together, smoking, and chewing tobacco and betel, while -any remonstrance was at once replied to with an angry scowl and a -flourish of the naked dah. But the peace did not last long. The tsawbwa -soon recommenced his demands, and day after day the fire question was -discussed, and terms of settlement agreed upon, only to be insolently -repudiated on the first occasion.</p> - -<p>The next day more practical preparations for opening the route were -made by the despatch of letters and presents to the Kakhyen chief of -Seray, and to the Shan chiefs or headmen of Manwyne and Manhleo. Two of -the Ponline pawmines and the interpreter Moung Mo, the tamone of Hentha -village, whose services and goodwill we had secured, went in charge of -the presents, and Sladen’s Burmese<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</span> writer was also sent, by way of -check on the pawmines. They returned in a few days with the presents, -which the chiefs had declined to accept, as the tsawbwa of Sanda had -refused his consent to our passage, and the Manwyne people, though -favourably disposed, were afraid of the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">poogain</em>, or headman, -of Manhleo, a town situated on the south bank of the Tapeng, opposite -Manwyne. This official was an inveterate enemy of the Panthays, -and a few years before had massacred a Panthay caravan of peaceful -merchants. The character and intentions of the expedition had been so -misrepresented by the Chinese traders at Bhamô that the Shans were -naturally indisposed to run any risks from our presence among them.</p> - -<p>The refusal of the presents caused Sala to raise his demands; “all -the people, Burmese, Chinese, and Shans,” he declared, were leagued -against us, and if we did not secure his protection, we should have our -heads cut off. This was his usual argument, illustrated by holding an -imaginary head with his left hand, and making the motion of sawing at -the supposed neck with his right.</p> - -<p>A more practical result of the secret opposition was the stoppage of -supplies. Soon after our arrival the Shans from the Manwyne district -had discovered that there was a sure market for their provisions, and -a regular bazaar had been established in our lines. Kakhyen villagers -as well as Shans brought in fowls, rice, salt, vegetables, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., and -competition<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</span> had kept prices down; empty beer bottles were found to be -highly prized, and one bottle was worth twelve measures of rice. Among -other things, the Manwyne Shans brought in sugar candy, and preserved -milk in the form of thin cakes of paste like a film of coagulated -cream, which placed in a cup of water over night supplied a cup of -excellent milk in the morning. The method of preparation we could not -learn, but the result was undeniably successful. The attendance of -Shans, however, fell off, owing to the ill-usage received by many of -them from the Kakhyens, who helped themselves to their goods, and paid -them with abuse and blows. Hence supplies fell short, and prices rose -accordingly, and it became unsafe moreover to wander for any distance -from the camp. On one occasion one of us was tempted to indulge in a -bath in the small stream which flowed immediately below. There was -a most perfect douche, where the water leapt over a huge boulder, -embowered in gigantic bamboos and splendid ferns, as though contrived -for the secret bath of a Kakhyen sylvan nymph: but the unhappy European -invader was scarcely in full enjoyment of the refreshing douche than -he was saluted with a shower of stones and broken branches from some -villagers who had watched him. This was a ludicrous side of popular -hostility, but as the “fire” question continued to be discussed, almost -daily warnings were brought to us that ill-disposed Kakhyens were -collected on the heights<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</span> above, intending to attack the camp under -cover of night.</p> - -<p>A slight change in affairs was effected by the arrival of the tsawbwa -of Seray, a village four miles distant, who made his appearance on the -13th, attended by his pawmines and a numerous retinue. He was a rather -short stout man of about forty-five, dressed in blue from turban to -shoes; his manner was serious and respectful, and his remarks sensible, -but evincing great curiosity about all the novelties that presented -themselves. When he found leisure to discuss business matters, he -asked us the particulars of the fire question, saying that if it were -settled, he would undertake to guide us by a hill route to Momien, so -as to avoid the necessity of passing through Sanda. Sladen explained -to him that though the fire question had been settled three times, -he would now submit it finally to his arbitration, and the demand, -which had risen to five hundred rupees, was by his award satisfied by -a promise of two hundred and sixty. Notwithstanding this settlement, -that evening both the tsawbwas came down to request us to keep fires -burning, and maintain a careful watch all night, as over a hundred -men had collected on the hillside commanding the camp, intending to -try their chance in a night attack, according to their usual tactics. -Sala had endeavoured, he said, to dissuade them, and had finally told -them he would look on while they were shot down by our men. The night, -however,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</span> passed off more quietly than the days, which were occupied -in ceaseless discussions; the question of mule hire being again in -debate. Sala brought forward the preposterous demand of twenty rupees -a piece for one hundred and sixty mules, those, namely, whose owners -had deserted at this place. This demand was supported by fictitious -tallies, and his disgust at finding we had kept an accurate account -was great, while his fury at the laughter with which his attempts at -extortion were met found vent in the usual pantomimic prophecy of our -decapitation. The party of tsawbwas was increased by the arrival of the -chief of Wacheoon, who brought a present of rice and sheroo; the object -of his visit being to make the pertinent inquiry as to what still -detained us at Ponsee.</p> - -<p>On <abbr title="saint">St.</abbr> Patrick’s Day, matters came to a crisis. All the morning the -tsawbwas and pawmines were assembled in our tent, arguing about the -mule hire; even the respectable chief of Seray had caught the infection -of covetousness, and demanded twenty rupees a mule for a journey of -a few hours. The Seray chief was attended by a Chinaman who had been -in his employment from his youth, and now acted as his chief trader. -He had interpreted the Momien letters, and seemed to desire to be -useful, but it was plain that he regarded the expedition as a military -one, designed to assist the Panthays. He declared that the Sanda -people were willing to receive us, but were restrained by fear of -Li-sieh-tai. Sladen offered<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</span> five hundred rupees, in addition to the -money already paid, for sufficient carriage to Manwyne, where he would -await the answer to his letters despatched the day before by the former -messengers to Momien and to the tsawbwa of Sanda, as he was determined -not to advance without the full consent of all the Shan chiefs. He -then, by a happy thought, recounted to the assembled tsawbwas the sums -of money and presents that the arch robber Sala had received from him -for distribution. At this startling revelation, the chief of Ponsee was -evidently exasperated, and a storm was brewing, when suddenly a shot -was fired from a house on the hill above us, and a bullet, or slug, -whizzed over the tent in which we were sitting, and presently another -struck the head of a camp cot inside. All were naturally startled, but -no one believed the first shot to have been intentionally aimed until -the second was fired after the lapse of a few minutes. Sala and the -pawmines sprang out, and vociferated frantically to the people in the -village above. The chief of Seray sat silent, and presently announced -that he should return to his own home, and the meeting was forthwith -dissolved.</p> - -<p>True to his word, the Seray chief departed the next day, leaving the -message that he would return as soon as we were rid of Ponline; and the -next news was that the Ponsee chief had threatened Sala with instant -vengeance, and that our friend and protector had decamped to his own -village, taking<span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</span> with him all the presents entrusted to him for the -officials of Manwyne, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., and forcibly carrying off our Burmese -interpreter Moung Mo.</p> - -<p>The tsawbwa and pawmines of Ponsee, who now came to the front, as -self-appointed arbiters of our destinies, so far as progress was -concerned, have not yet been introduced.</p> - -<p>The tsawbwa was a youth of eighteen, who possessed no influence. What -natural intelligence he might possess was obscured by his habits of -continual intoxication and debauchery, in company with a number of -“fast” young Kakhyens. He had hitherto preserved a sort of sullen -neutrality, occasionally, however, conveying to us useful warnings, -but acting neither for nor against us. The real power seemed to be -exercised by his pawmines, four brothers who had generally shown -themselves friendly. The eldest was a good-for-nothing merry-andrew, -in a chronic state of intoxication. The next in age was a quiet, -sensible man, who seemed fully to appreciate the advantages that would -accrue to his people from the reopening of the trade between Yunnan -and Burma, and he frequently declared that he was ready to give us all -the help in his power. He was nicknamed by us the “Red Pawmine;” and -his next brother and constant companion, a little spare man, with high -cheek-bones, deeply sunken eyes, and features sharpened and worn by -bad health, was appropriately styled “Death’s Head.” He was by far the -ablest, but his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</span> quick, nervous temperament and violent temper rendered -him a difficult man to deal with. The youngest, as excitable, but far -less intelligent, was regarded with jealous eyes by his three elder -brothers.</p> - -<p>The young tsawbwa for about a week subsequent to Sala’s departure -professed himself our friend, and a few days of tranquil and almost -patient expectation ensued, during which we endeavoured to extend our -acquaintance with the hill country about us, of which we had as yet -been able to see no more than the outskirts of our camp or rather -prison.</p> - -<p>Accordingly, Stewart and I started on our ponies to ascend the -mountain, taking Deen Mahomed as interpreter and a native boy to act -as guide. No sooner had the party passed the tsawbwa’s house than a -hue and cry was raised by one of the pawmines, who shouted orders to -the lad to return at once. Disregarding the outcry, we pushed on along -a narrow bridle-path, but were delayed by the obstinacy of a pony who -declined to face a difficult bit of road, and the villagers overtaking -us, the guide was dragged away by the pawmine. The tsawbwa was appealed -to, but he declared that it was not safe to go up, as there was a -village of “bad Kakhyens” on the mountain, and Deen Mahomed was warned -with gesture symbolical of throat-cutting of what would happen to him -if he got another guide. We consoled ourselves for this failure by a -visit to a burial-ground, on the top of a thickly wooded height, which -lay to the east of the camp. The path<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</span> leading to it was sprinkled at -intervals with ground rice, as an offering to the nats, and on two of -the graves, which were quite recent, lay a little tobacco and a small -cylindrical box containing chillies, while outside the surrounding -trench the skull of a pig, with some more tobacco, had been placed. The -conical roof of bamboos and grass was decorated with a finial of wood -cut into two flag-like arms, painted with rosettes in black and red, -which ridiculously resembled guide-posts.</p> - -<p>The tsawbwa proved more obliging a day or two afterwards, when a -request was sent to him for a guide to conduct us to the Tapeng -river. The path led along the saddle of the long spurs running down -to the valley, and the climate as we descended changed from temperate -to tropical; the upper forest consisted of oaks, cherry, apple, and -peach trees, especially in a magnificently wooded glen, while a large -mountain stream made its way over a rocky channel, forming at one -place a splendid waterfall over a perpendicular cliff of gneiss. Along -the tops of the fruit trees a large troop of monkeys <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">(Presbytis -albocinereus</em>) were leisurely wandering.</p> - -<p>In descending we could only keep our footing by clutching at the -overhanging branches, as our feet slipped on the fallen leaves and -bamboo spathes which lay heaped in the steep and narrow path. The -roots which projected every now and then were another and even worse -impediment. Where, as often happened, the path turned a sharp angle on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</span> -the crests of the precipitous spurs, great caution was needful, for if -one had lost his equilibrium in such a place, he would have certainly -sent all in front of him down the almost perpendicular declivity. As -the lower level was reached, the trees became essentially tropical, -intermixed with musæ, bamboos, ratans, and splendid ferns, while huge -cable-like creepers intertwined their leafy cordage, and orchids of -various and novel species displayed their fantastic beauties, and -loaded the air with perfume.</p> - -<p>After a long scramble down, we climbed over a secondary spur, and at -its foot reached a sandy strand shaded by a magnificent banyan covered -with the fragrant blossoms of a large yellow orchid (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Dendrobium -andersoni</em>, Scott). Before us the roaring Tapeng rushed in a torrent -forty yards wide, over a rocky bed, in a succession of foaming rapids -and deep smooth reaches. At this point its bed was about thirteen -to fourteen hundred feet above the plains at Tsitkaw, twenty miles -distant, so that its descent is nearly seventy feet in the mile, the -water mark indicating the highest rise of the flood to be twelve feet -above its present level.</p> - -<p>The only birds visible were two water wagtails flitting from boulder -to boulder in the middle of the torrent. The rocks in position were -gneiss, with veins and large embedded oblong pieces of quartzite; the -quartz often standing out in bold relief where the gneiss surface had -been worn away by the action of the water. Huge boulders of the same -rock and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</span> pure white crystalline marble were strewn along the river -bed. Along the bank a footpath led to a spot where a raft lay ready, -in the deep smooth water above a rapid, to ferry over passengers to -the silver mines. The raft was attached by a loop to a bark rope, -stretched across the river. Our guide expressed his readiness “for a -consideration” to conduct us across, but not “that day;” so we made -our way back again, and if the descent had been difficult, it may be -imagined how much more so was the return journey, which, however, was -safely accomplished.</p> - -<p>A few days after this trip, we started, accompanied by two of the -Ponsee pawmines, for a visit to the silver mines. We reached the river -by the next spur, to the west of the path followed on the former -excursion, and, leaving the servants to prepare breakfast under the -banyan tree, made for the raft. The guide rope was fastened to a fallen -tree, six feet above the river on the opposite bank, while on our side -it was carried over forked branches, firmly fixed in the ground and -secured to a huge boulder. The raft proved to be on the other side, -and one of the Burmese followers caught hold of the rope, and hand -over hand succeeded in making his way across the strong current. He -was followed by one of the pawmines, who evinced a careful dexterity -which argued him to be well accustomed to what seemed a dangerous task. -The raft was then brought across, one man in front running the loop -along the rope, and the other<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</span> sitting behind with a paddle to keep it -stemming the stream. It was a simple wedge-shaped platform of bamboos -lashed together, presenting a sort of prow which is kept against the -rush of the stream. Bamboos at each side supported seats of split -bamboo, and when the raft, which carried six persons, was loaded, the -“deck” was a couple of inches under water.</p> - -<p>Arrived at the other side, we were struck by the prevalence of white -marble, and the extraordinary contorted folds of an abrupt cliff of -blue crystalline quartzite rock, about fifty feet high, overlooking -the ferry. A narrow footpath to the north-east of this cliff led to a -ridge of pure white crystalline marble, of the same structure as the -marble of the Tsagain hills. The ridge, which was destitute of trees, -was about six hundred feet above the level of the river, running almost -parallel with its course for about a mile. A small watercourse dividing -the ridge from a rounded hill covered with waterworn boulders of the -quartzite rock marked the limits of the marble, which terminated so -abruptly as to be at once noticeable, and the pawmine said there was no -silver beyond this limit. We walked along the almost level top of the -treeless ridge, and found at the eastern side a pleasant valley, where -the cultivated terraces showed signs of the neighbourhood of a village, -and a Bauhinia in full bloom of white flowers with violet centre -occurred in great profusion.</p> - -<p>The mines consisted of a series of galleries about four feet in -diameter, run horizontally into the slope<span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</span> of the ridge facing the -river. Our conductors led us along the steep hillside, strewn with -large masses of iron pyrites, and overgrown with grass and low jungle, -so thick that each man had to cut his way with a dah. We passed about -thirty of these adits, which penetrated the hillside for two or three -hundred feet, sloping slightly downwards, and with passages opening at -right angles. I crawled into one of them, preceded by a guide with a -lantern, and made my way for a considerable distance along the tunnel, -the sides of which showed red earth mixed with masses of marble and -quartzite, but my progress was stopped by finding the passage blocked -by the fallen roof, the bamboo props used when the mine was worked -having given way. No detailed information regarding the productiveness -of these mines could be obtained, and since the outbreak of the civil -war in Yunnan they had not been worked, save to a very small and -intermittent extent by the Kakhyens. The heaps of slag in the glen -near the small watercourses, where all smelting operations had been -conducted, showed that a very considerable quantity of ore used to be -raised. Specimens of the ore assayed by Professor Oldham have been -found to contain 0·191 per cent. of silver in the galena. The mines are -of easy access, and from their close proximity to the borders of China, -little or no difficulty would be experienced in finding labourers to -work them. Silver is also said to be found on the right bank of the -river, at a great elevation on the hillsides to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</span> west of Ponsee; -and gold is asserted to occur near the same locality, and specimens -were shown to me at Bhamô in grains some of which were as large as -small peas.</p> - -<p>From the mines we returned across the river, and breakfasted on the -bank of the Tapeng, treating our Kakhyen companions to some of the -eatables, their approval of which was indicated by jerking their fists -with the thumb extended, which emphatically signifies that anything is -very good. The forefinger is held straight to indicate that a man is -good, and crooked to denote one who is not to be trusted.</p> - -<p>So we returned to Ponsee, where we must again take up the tangled -thread of events bearing on our progress. A month had passed since our -arrival, and the advance of the season was marked by the call of the -cuckoo, which was often heard in the eastern woods. The jungle had -all been felled in the new clearings, and nightly fires illuminated -the opposite hills, caused by the burning of the jungle over acres of -ground. Heavy thunder showers almost every night did not add to our -comfort, and heralded the speedy setting in of the south-west monsoon.</p> - -<p>But we were apparently as far off from any extrication from our -detention as ever.</p> - -<p>The Seray tsawbwa had on March 22nd returned with news that a Panthay -official had arrived at Sanda, and that the country so far was open. He -also produced a letter addressed to himself by the governor<span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</span> of Momien, -requesting him to give us all the help in his power, and promising to -reimburse any expense he might be put to in our service. The chief -seemed fully disposed to help, and started for his own village to -procure mules, with which he promised to return in two days, leaving -his Chinese clerk to help us as an interpreter.</p> - -<p>This was pleasant, and the improved temper of the people was shown -by the arrival of messengers from the widow of a tsawbwa ruling a -district on the road to Manwyne, with a present of fowls, eggs, and an -uninviting compound of flour and chillies; accompanied by a message -that she and her people would come and escort us to Manwyne. The -dowager of the late chief of that town also sent Sladen the gift of -two Kakhyen bags, and a curious implement forming a toothbrush and -tongue-scraper combined.</p> - -<p>The Seray chief, however, did not show according to promise, and a week -after his departure news came that two Chinamen had arrived from Bhamô, -with a party of fifty armed Burmese. These men gave out that they had -been sent to recommence mining operations at the silver mines. The -immediate result was that the Seray chief, first by a messenger, and -then in person, repudiated his engagement to procure mules, alleging -that the Ponsee chief had threatened to kill him if he assisted us to -quit the Ponsee territory. Argument and expostulation were useless, -and he nodded assent when Sladen attributed his change of purpose to -private<span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</span> instructions received from Bhamô. He departed, after warning -us to be on our guard against the Ponsee chief, who had resolved to -attack the camp.</p> - -<p>The hostility of the Ponsee chief was soon shown, for the day after -the arrival of the Burmese his Kakhyens drove off all the Shans from -our little bazaar; the chief himself came down with his dah drawn, and -cut down one of the traders, which act of violence made him liable to -pay an indemnity to the Manwyne people. His pawmines came next with -the intelligence that he had summoned two neighbouring tsawbwas to -his assistance, that two buffaloes had been slaughtered, and a grand -sacrificial feast was to be held that night, after which the nats -would be consulted as to our fate, when, if the oracle commended it, -the Kakhyens, drunk with sheroo and samshu, would attack the camp. One -of the buffaloes had been supplied by the Burmese, and the symbolic -present of a pound of flesh, the acceptance of which signified consent, -had been offered to and accepted by the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tsare-daw-gyee</em>, or -Burmese royal secretary, in charge of the party. The pound of flesh had -been also sent to the pawmines, but rejected by them, and they loudly -denounced their chief as an uncontrollable madman.</p> - -<p>A wholesome fear of the European strangers had gradually grown up; they -were believed to possess supernatural powers. Breech-loading rifles -and revolvers, and “Bryant and May’s matches,” which<span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</span> ignited only on -the box, and defied wind and rain, argued a close alliance with the -nats of the elements; while the photographic apparatus appeared in -Kakhyen eyes to be the instruments of conjurers, who could control the -sun himself. Hence but few of the Kakhyens would join the chief, whom -they considered bent on his own destruction. While the conspirators -were revelling and consulting, our police escort was drawn out and -exercised, and the ominous sound of three volleys from fifty guns, -which to their universal astonishment and awe all went off at once, -terrified them, and gave a significant hint that assailants would meet -a warm reception. The pawmines prayed that they and their houses might -be spared in the general destruction that must overtake our enemies, -and the news soon reached us that the meetway, who was secretly in our -pay, had announced that the nats disapproved of the conspiracy.</p> - -<p>The pawmines then requested permission to introduce the two hostile -tsawbwas, who accordingly arrived; their naturally villainous faces -were not improved by an expression of sheepish fear, but they lightened -up when Sladen received them kindly, and without upbraiding them -explained the advantages that would arise to all if our plans should -be carried out. A present of an empty biscuit tin and a beer bottle -quite won their hearts, and converted them into fast friends. The -pawmines then represented that the young chief, with whom, on his -repentance, they had made<span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</span> friends, desired to be forgiven and received -into favour. It was argued that he felt very sore at Ponline having -defrauded him of his rightful gains, and it was agreed that by way -of making up for all neglect he should receive one hundred rupees! -He swore eternal friendship, and vowed that henceforth we were his -relations. Sladen asked him why he had omitted his relations in the -late distribution of beef, at which he grinned, and went off awkwardly -enough, but still in good humour.</p> - -<p>During the first few days of April, the situation was hopeful -and exciting, but the tsawbwa and his pawmines, though outwardly -reconciled, soon made it evident that their respective interests -clashed too much for united action. The chief volunteered to go and -procure mules, the pawmines offered to supply any number of coolies. -The amount to be paid on our arrival at Manwyne was fixed at five -hundred rupees, and this was eagerly coveted by the rivals; each -in turn denounced the other as entertaining designs of looting the -baggage, and the pawmines declared that the chief dared not show his -face in Manwyne on account of a private feud.</p> - -<p>Sladen refused to accept the separate services of either the chief or -his subordinates, and this straightforward policy compelled a seeming -reconciliation. The Seray tsawbwa sent his pawmines with sixty men and -six mules, far too few for the baggage of the party; his men, however, -declared they could carry it all, and facetiously advised us to build -houses<span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</span> for permanent residence at Ponsee, as the latter chief would -never be able to procure mules.</p> - -<p>An amusing interlude was afforded by the arrival of a half-caste, -professing to be one of the chief men of the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tsawbwa-gadaw</em>, or -dowager chieftainess, of Manwyne. He came in a breathless state of -excitement, and announced that he had succeeded in hiring two hundred -mules, but that the caravan had been detained by the Kakhyen chiefs -on the road, who had sent him to say that they would allow them to -pass for one hundred rupees, and as a pledge of their sincerity had -entrusted him with an amber chain worth that sum. The fellow must have -had a high opinion of our credulity, for the chain, when produced, was -valued at about eight annas, and he was summarily dismissed.</p> - -<p>At last, terms were arranged; the pawmines were to supply coolies, -while the tsawbwa was to find carriage for forty mule-loads, and the -7th of April was appointed for the start. We were up with daylight, -tents were speedily struck, and baggage packed for the march. The -coolies soon assembled, and the area of our little camp was covered -with wild-looking Kakhyens armed to the teeth with matchlocks, spears, -and dahs, looking much more like a horde of banditti than peaceful -porters. Their demeanour was in keeping with their appearance, and -their dishonest purpose was evidenced by the bare-faced rivalry -displayed by the different parties in seizing upon the packages which -seemed most valuable,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</span> irrespective of size or weight. The precaution -had been taken of telling off the escort into parties, with strict -orders to prevent the exit of any baggage until all were in readiness -for a start. The crisis was brought on by Sladen’s japanned tin cases. -The youngest pawmine, who was first on the field, had appropriated -them for his coolies, but when his brother, “Death’s Head,” appeared, -very much excited, early as it was, with drink, he claimed them for -his men. On his brother’s refusal to give them up, he lost all command -over himself. After a violent outburst of passion, he made a dash at -the gold sword which the king had presented to Sladen, and snatched -it from the Burmese servant in charge. This attempt was frustrated by -Williams, who with a vigorous wrench rescued the sword from “Death’s -Head’s” grasp. Thus foiled, he attacked the Burmese clerk, who was -taking down the names of the coolies, and threatened to cut him down. A -general hubbub ensued, during which he rushed off to a camp fire, lit -his slow-match, and advanced priming his matchlock, till he was close -to Sladen, when he fired off his piece in the air. The consternation -which ensued reached its climax when an assistant surveyor in a foolish -panic fired his revolver. The Kakhyens showed that they had no relish -for a fight, and, throwing down their loads, bolted in all directions. -We of course remained quiet, while the tsawbwa showed more sense than -could have been expected, calling upon the Kakhyens not to fly, and -after a time order<span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</span> was restored. One of us followed “Death’s Head,” -who had sat down at the end of the camp to reload his gun, and by a -little persuasion got him to send his gun up to the village, and return -to his duties. The loads were all arranged, and the escort had been -so distributed that each set of coolies could be under surveillance, -with a chain of communication between the van and rear-guard, while -the coolies carrying the japanned tin cases were placed under the -immediate supervision of armed followers, so that they could not “bolt” -without creating an alarm. It was high noon before all was ready, and -then the tsawbwa and pawmines, perhaps disgusted with these salutary -precautions, announced that, as Manwyne could not be reached that day, -our departure must be postponed till the morrow. This was pleasant -after toiling six hours under a broiling sun, but we had nothing -to oppose to native caprice save patience, strongly tempered with -misgivings, which proved to be correct. The next morning no coolies -appeared, and the pawmines came down to say that they could not fulfil -their promise, as the tsawbwa had refused his co-operation. The chief -himself soon afterwards arrived to lay the onus of the failure on the -pawmines. A probable instigator of the whole scheme was the Nanlyaw -tamone, who, after a long absence, suddenly presented himself in our -camp, and whom Sladen, having had repeated proofs of his machinations, -at once arrested as a spy; but at the urgent intercession of his -friends, the pawmines, he was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</span> dismissed with a strong caution not to -show himself again in our vicinity.</p> - -<p>At this juncture, when all hope of extrication from our Ponsee prison -seemed to have vanished, letters arrived from the governor of Momien, -informing Sladen that he was about to take the field in person, with a -strong force, to attack Li-sieh-tai, and drive him from his stronghold -of Mawphoo. The letters further recommended us not to attempt to -advance beyond Manwyne until advices should reach us of the defeat -of the Chinese partisan. A second letter was a circular addressed to -the Kakhyen chiefs, exhorting them to give all possible aid to the -expedition. This at once gave a vantage ground, from which to deal with -our highland friends, and it was improved by Sladen. Kakhyens, Burmese, -and Shans had alike conceived extravagant ideas of the value of our -baggage, and showed beyond doubt that the hope of getting possession of -all, or a part of it, was a strong motive of their action or inaction. -The leader therefore began to proclaim on all sides that though we had -cheerfully endured privations and delays, in the hope of thoroughly -conciliating the natives, they were not to imagine our patience to be -inexhaustible. If we should be compelled to abandon all or any part of -our baggage, it would be piled up and burned before our departure; thus -they would lose their expected plunder, and incur the risk of future -reprisals, or demands for compensation, and, above all, certainly -alienate those who sought to be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</span> their friends. To this the chiefs -replied in substance as follows: “Do not blame us for your misfortunes; -we have been always in doubt how to act, on account of the many -warnings we have received against aiding your progress. <em>Now</em> we -know you. You have always been kind to us, and are a powerful people.”</p> - -<p>Vexatious and harassing as had been our detention at Ponsee, it is -certain that it would have been before this period quite impossible -to proceed beyond Manwyne, and our residence among these semi-savage -tribes served to convert their first suspicions into confidence, and -to impress them with the value of our friendship. The uniform kindness -with which all just services were requited, as contrasted with the -treatment to which they had hitherto been subjected in their dealings -with other races, especially with the Burmese, gradually worked its -effect.</p> - -<p>At this time letters were received through Burmese agency, from no less -a person than Moung Shuay Yah, who since his treacherous desertion -had never been heard of. Now all of a sudden his name was mentioned -<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">ad nauseam</em> by the Burmese followers, and two Kakhyens arrived -with letters purporting to have been written at some halting-place in -the Shan country; but the bearers contradicted each other, and could -not tell when, or from whom, they had received the letters. Next day, -another letter was brought by one of the silver mining party, which, he -said, Moung Shuay Yah had given him fourteen days before,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</span> but which -he had <em>forgotten</em> to deliver. The fact was the interpreter had -started for Momien, having heard of the change of our prospects, and -our probable advance to that city. As it was needful, if possible, -to save appearances, Moung Shuay Yah in his letter declared that he -had been obliged to fly to save his life from the anger of Sala. -Fortunately his place was by this time well supplied by Moung Mo, -whom, it may be remembered, Sala had carried off with him, but who had -returned and placed himself at Sladen’s disposal. He amply corroborated -all that had been before told us of the efforts of the Bhamô people -to obstruct our progress. Orders had been received from Mandalay, -conveying the king’s displeasure at our detention at Ponsee, and -authorising Sala to take us to Manwyne, but he had replied that after -being induced by the Burmese of Bhamô to compromise himself with us, he -would have nothing further to do with it.</p> - -<p>It was supposed by our leader that the express object of stationing the -armed miners at Ponsee was to deter the Kakhyens from helping us. Moung -Mo, in addition, assured us that he had ascertained that Li-sieh-tai -had sworn to oppose any attempt on our part to penetrate the Shan -states, and he advised us on no account to proceed to Manwyne without -an intimation from the Panthays that the road was open. An important -circumstance occurred at this time in the arrival of messengers and a -Chinese interpreter from Momien. They brought no letters, but<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</span> were -charged by the Tah-sa-kon<span class="fnanchor" id="fna22"><a href="#fn22">[22]</a></span> to make personal inquiries into the real -objects of the mission and our circumstances at Ponsee. It transpired -that letters from Bhamô had informed the governor that we represented -a powerful nation in alliance with the Chinese, and foes to the -Mahommedans all over the world, and that our real object was to destroy -the Panthay dominion in Yunnan.</p> - -<p>Sladen thoroughly dispelled these suspicions, and sent away the envoys -completely satisfied as to the genuineness of our pacific intentions. -The probabilities of an advance were, however, still remote and -uncertain, and the wet season had fairly set in, marked by a constant -succession of thunder and heavy rains. Dense masses of mist rolled -up the valley like vast advancing curtains, shrouding the mountains -in their gigantic folds, and producing an artificial twilight, and -torrents of rain descended for three or four hours incessantly, soaking -the tents; our waterproof blankets alone saving the inmates from -complete saturation, but not from the utter discomfort of living in a -puddle.</p> - -<p>One storm deserves accurate description. Up to 4 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> of -April 12th, the wind had been blowing in fitful cool gusts from the -south-west, but at that hour there was a sudden lull; distant thunder -was heard echoing among the mountains, and heavy black clouds came -rolling up; a few drops of rain<span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</span> gave, as it were, the signal for -a discharge of hailstones, or rather flakes of ice. The wind blew -in violent gusts, and thunder rumbled over head, but the flashes of -lightning were very faint. The hailstones were circular discs about the -size of a shilling, flat on one side, and convex on the other. A white -nucleus two-eighths of an inch in diameter, and in many cases with a -prominent boss of clear ice on the convex side, formed the centre of -a pellucid zone surrounded by an opaque one, in its turn encased in -clear ice; the inner margin of this external zone was filled with a -dark substance, resembling mud combined with delicate ice crystals; the -whole disc strongly resembling a glass eye; when fractured, the nucleus -separated itself as a small short column, flat at one end, and convex -at the other.</p> - -<p>During the storm, which lasted for twenty minutes, the aneroid rose -from 26·62 to 26·65, and the attached thermometer registered 67°, the -maximum heat during the day having been 84°.</p> - -<p>It was evident that the season was closed for purposes of engineering -survey and exploration, and this, combined with the reduced state -of the exchequer, induced the leader of the expedition to address a -circular to the members of the party, placing before them the facts, -and suggesting that it would be for the interests of the public service -that the numbers should be reduced in order to curtail the future -expense of transport. It was necessary in fact to lighten the ship, -and each was invited to consider<span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</span> how far he could assist in this -needful work. Sladen had determined to remain, <em>if necessary</em>, -for some months, until the opportunity should arrive to visit Momien, -and at all hazards personally communicate with the Panthays; but he -felt that he ought to place it in the power of the other members -of the expedition to return, especially as the work which some of -them had been despatched to effect could not be performed. This -circular was sent round on the 17th, and the news of the fall of -Mawphoo and the utter defeat of Li-sieh-tai reached us on the 18th -of April, and was afterwards fully confirmed by despatches from the -Tah-sa-kon, announcing his victory and writing to us to advance under -the protection of all the chiefs <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em>. Our friends the -tsawbwa and his pawmines, who had been day by day “making believe,” -as children say, to discuss plans for procuring mules, were evidently -much influenced by this; but they could not help showing their greed -for rupees, and their continual demand was that three hundred should be -paid before starting.</p> - -<p>It was only later on that we learned that all these Kakhyens, -especially Sala, had always been steady adherents of Li-sieh-tai, and -that his utter defeat made them thoroughly anxious to conciliate the -victorious Panthays.</p> - -<p>The tsawbwa presented himself in a very penitent mood, and, confessing -all his past misconduct, averred his determination to give up drink and -debauchery and do his duty as a chief. Linking his fingers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</span> together -with an expressive shake, he vowed leal service to his English friends, -and then started off in company with his head pawmine on the road to -Manwyne, where he expected to meet the Seray chief, and arrange means -for our transport.</p> - -<p>As if a new order of things had set in, our camp now was daily -crowded by Kakhyens, all in the highest good humour. The women of the -village came down <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en masse</em>, bringing presents of fowls, eggs, -sheroo, and rice, but the fair ones had an eye to business; beads, -looking-glasses, bright new silver coins, and what they seemed most to -prize, red cloth, were in great demand. A brisk trade was driven in -the various ornaments, and they stripped off their bead necklaces and -ratan girdles and leggings with great glee, and even a bell-girdle, -the distinctive ornament of Kakhyen aristocracy, which hitherto even -rupees had failed to secure, was now acquired in return for red cloth; -indeed, it seemed quite possible to purchase a Kakhyen <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">belle</em>, -ornaments, and all, for a few yards of the much prized material; and -they returned home with great glee, shorn of their decorations, but -rich in beads and cloth. Some came to solicit medical aid; cases of -severe ulcerations, caused probably by their labour in the jungle, and -aggravated by dirt, being common. The gratitude evinced for the relief -given was touchingly shown by the presents, deposited with a fearful -humility that showed the donor’s belief in the intimate connection -between the doctor and the nats. Every day both chiefs and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</span> people from -the more distant villages flocked in, and none came empty-handed. Gifts -of rice, vegetables, tobacco, and sheroo, were brought not merely in -the hope of return presents, but evidently as signs of amity. There -could be no mistaking their feeling, that strangers who behaved with -kindness and justice were welcome. These poor hill people had hardly -ever known what it was to be treated with confidence; on either side, -Burmese and Chinese had wronged and oppressed them. Monsig. Bigandet -states that they had formerly been characterised by a genial kindliness -and ready hospitality to strangers, but that the cruel treatment they -experienced in Burmese towns, and the fraudulent evasion of payment for -their services, had rendered them suspicious, greedy, and treacherous. -It is not to be wondered at if the presence among them of strangers -of an unknown race, escorted by an armed force, should at first have -been regarded by them with fear and dislike, and it is with a modest -pride that we recall the kindly confidence in the strangers which had -sprung up towards the end of our long detention at Ponsee. The people -from the distant villages continually asked, “Why did you not come our -way? we should have then had some of the good things that you have -brought for the Ponsee people.” The camp was perpetually full; the men, -after curiously inspecting the many wonders that presented themselves, -chatted and smoked with our followers; and the women, old and young, -eagerly petitioned for small hand glasses, and black<span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</span> or green beads, -the latter being most valued, and straightway converted their prizes -into personal decorations. The young women formed in lines, each -clasping her neighbour in a coquettish embrace, their shyness had -vanished, they chatted and flirted freely, and did not even flinch from -being photographed.</p> - -<p>The friendly intercourse with these visitors gave us most welcome -opportunities of inquiry into their customs, their national and social -life. There was no backwardness in answering any questions, and the -record of delays and difficulties may be well interrupted by a few -pages devoted to these mountaineers. Those of whom we saw the most were -all dwellers to the north of the Tapeng, but some of the visitors came -from the southern hills, and the general characteristics distinguish -both these and the clans visited by us on the return journey, who seem -to be more civilised than their northern congeners. It is right here -to acknowledge that the following account of this people has been -rendered fuller and more accurate by the use of some notes furnished -by Major Sladen from accounts given by natives, and by the use of -a valuable memoir on the territories written by the learned and -indefatigable missionary, Bishop Bigandet, whose warmest sympathies -have been called out for these poor mountaineers, of whom he said, “It -is of the utmost importance to know them, their character and habits, -and to be prepared to secure their good will, whenever the thought of -opening communications with Western China shall have been seriously -entertained.”</p> - - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img009"> - <img src="images/009.jpg" class="w50" alt="KAKHYEN MEN" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">KAKHYEN MEN.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img010"> - <img src="images/010.jpg" class="w50" alt="KAKHYEN MATRONS" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">KAKHYEN MATRONS.</p> - - -<p class="footnote" id="fn21"><a href="#fna21">[21]</a> <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Tamone</em>, a Burmese headman of a village.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn22"><a href="#fna22">[22]</a> <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Tah-sa-kon</em>, a civil title equivalent to Commissioner or -Administrator.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.<br /> -<span class="small">THE KAKHYENS.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -The Kakhyens or Kakoos—The clans—Their chiefs—Mountain -villages—Cultivation and crops—Personal appearance—Costume—Arms -and implements—Female dress and ornaments—Women’s -work—Sheroo—Morals—Marriage—Music—Births—Funerals—Religion—Language—Character—How -to deal with them—Our party. -</div> - - -<p>From the summit of the lofty hill, fully two thousand feet above our -camp, called Shitee-doung, which it became possible to ascend during -the latter part of our stay, an extensive view was obtained. From it to -the north a sea of hills extended as far as the eye could reach; to the -south stretched ranges of hills covered with forest, save where little -clearings showed the presence of villages; to the north-east lofty -parallel ranges closed in a narrow valley with a river winding down -it. These hills are the country of the Kakhyens. These mountaineers -belong to the widely spread race that under the name of Singphos, -Kakoos, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. occupy the hills defining the Irawady basin, up to the wall -of the Khamti plain, and are probably cognate with the hill tribes of -the Mishmees and Nagas. The name Kakhyen is a Burmese appellation; -they<span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</span> invariably designating themselves as Chingpaw, or “men.”<span class="fnanchor" id="fna23"><a href="#fn23">[23]</a></span> By -their own account the hills to the north of the Tapeng, for a month’s -journey, are occupied by kindred tribes. South of the Tapeng, they -occupy the hills as far as the latitude of Tagoung, and, as mentioned, -were met with on our voyage near the second defile. To the east, they -are found occupying the hills, and, intermixed with the Shans and -Chinese, almost to Momien. Here they, as it were, run into the Leesaws, -who may be a cognate, but are not an identical, race. The two chief -tribes in the hills of the Tapeng valley are the Lakone and Kowrie or -Kowlie, but numerous subdivisions of clans occur. All are said to have -originally come from the Kakoos’ country, north-east of Mogoung; and -Shans informed us that two hundred years ago Kakhyens were unknown in -Sanda and Hotha valleys. To give one instance of their migrations. The -Lakone tribe have at a very recent period driven the Kowlies from the -northern to the southern banks of the Tapeng. A Lakone chief, having -married the daughter of a Kowlie, asked permission to cultivate land -belonging to his father-in-law; receiving a refusal, he took forcible -possession, and drove the Kowlies across the river to the hills where -they now dwell.</p> - -<p>Among these hill tribes the patriarchal system of government has -hitherto universally prevailed,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</span> although a certain, or rather -uncertain, obedience is nominally due to Burmese or Chinese -authorities. Thus the Ponsee and Ponline chiefs had each received a -gold umbrella and the title of papada raza from the king of Burma. -Each clan is ruled by an hereditary chief or tsawbwa, assisted by -lieutenants or pawmines, who adjudicate all disputes among the -villagers. Their office is also hereditary, and properly limited to the -eldest son, whereas the chieftainship descends to the youngest son, or, -failing sons, to the youngest surviving brother. The land also follows -this law of inheritance, the younger sons in all cases inheriting, -while the elder go forth and clear wild land for themselves. Between -Tsitkaw and Manwyne seven clans under separate chiefs are met with, -each chief considering himself entitled to exact a toll of four annas -per mule-load from travellers through his district. The chieftain’s -goodwill being secured by payment of his toll or blackmail, that of -the people follows as a matter of course. When the traveller quits the -lands of one chief, he is handed over by his guide to the next headman, -and is as safe with him as with the former. The tsawbwa is the nominal -owner of the land, but a suggestion to a villager that the chief might -evict him from his holding was replied to by a significant sawing -motion of the hand across the throat. As a general rule, the chief -owns the slaves found everywhere among these people. Most have been -stolen as children, but adults are also kidnapped. The women become -concubines,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</span> the men are well treated if industrious and willing. The -children of slaves belong to the owner, but really are as well treated -as the members of his family. When a tsawbwa marries, he is expected to -present a slave to his father-in-law, among the other gifts. The market -value of a boy or girl is about forty rupees, but that of a man not -more than twenty to thirty rupees, or a buffalo.</p> - -<p>Every house pays the chief an annual tribute of a basket of rice. -Whenever a buffalo is killed, a quarter is presented to him. He is -usually a trader, and, besides the receipt of tolls, derives a profit -from the hire of mules or coolies for transport. Save in this respect, -it was impossible to help being reminded of Scottish highland clans of -the olden time, so many were the points of resemblance that occurred -in the customs and indeed character of these mountaineers, though, to -avert all possible indignation, I hasten to add that no parallel is -intended to be drawn, especially as regards their morals or social life.</p> - -<p>The Kakhyen villages are always situated near a perennial mountain -stream, generally in a sheltered glen, or straggling with their -enclosures up a gentle slope, covering a mile of ground. The houses, -which usually face eastwards, are all built on the same plan as that -tenanted by us at Ponline. The most usual dimensions are about one -hundred and fifty to two hundred feet in length, and forty to fifty -feet in breadth. These large bamboo structures are veritable barracks. -The first room is hospitably reserved for strangers;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</span> the others form -the apartments of several families, connected by blood or marriage, -which compose the household community. The back entrance is reserved -for the use of the members of these families. A serious demand for -compensation arose out of the inadvertence of one of our servants who -entered by the family door, and thus provoked the domestic nat. The -projecting eaves, supported by posts which are adorned with the skulls -of buffaloes and pigs, form a portico, where men and women lounge or -work by day, and at night the live stock—buffaloes, mules, ponies, -pigs, and poultry—are housed, while a bamboo fence guards them from -possible thief or leopard.</p> - -<p>Near the houses are small enclosures, where white-flowered poppies, -plantains, and indigo are cultivated; paddy and maize are grown -together on the adjacent slopes and knolls, which are carefully scarped -in terraces, presenting often the appearance of an amphitheatre. The -stream is dammed near the highest point, and directed so as to overflow -the terraces and rejoin the channel at the base. Bamboo conduits are -sometimes used to convey the water to paddy fields or distant houses. -Fresh clearings are also made every year by felling and burning the -forest on the hillsides. Near every village disused paths may be seen, -which have been cut to former clearings, and along which a little canal -has been carried. The cleared ground is broken up with a rude hoe, but -in the cultivated terraces wooden<span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</span> ploughs are used. Excessive rain, -which makes the paddy weak and the yield scanty, is most dreaded. -Generally, the natural fertility of the soil more than repays the rude -husbandry with beautiful crops of rice, maize, cotton, and tobacco, of -excellent quality. Near the villages, peaches, pomegranates, and guavas -are grown; and the forests abound with chestnuts, plums, cherries, and -various wild brambleberries. On the higher slopes, oaks and birches -grow in abundance, and large areas are covered with <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Cinnamomum -caudatum</em> and <em xml:lang="la" lang="la"><abbr title="Cinnamomum">C.</abbr> cassia</em>, the oil of which is commonly sold as -oil of cinnamon. Thousands of these trees are annually felled to clear -new ground for cultivation and burned where they lie. Another natural -production is the tea plant (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Camellia thea</em>), which grows freely -on the eastern side of the hills, and suggested dreams of future tea -plantations, cultivated by improved Kakhyens or imported Shans and -Paloungs.</p> - -<p>Among the inhabitants of the villages, both those who visited our camp -and the southern hillmen seen on the homeward route, the variety of -faces is striking. This may be probably owing to admixture of Shan -and Burmese blood, but two types may be said to predominate; the one -with a fine outline of features, which recalled the womanly faces of -the Cacharies and Lepchas of Sikkim. In it the oblique eye is very -strongly marked, and the face is a longish, rather compressed oval, -with pointed chin, aquiline nose, and prominent malars.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</span> One Kakhyen -belle met with at Bhamô, with large lustrous eyes and fair skin, might -almost have passed for a European. The other and by far the most -prevalent type is probably the true Chingpaw, presenting a short, round -face, with low forehead and very prominent malars. The ugliness of -the slightly oblique eyes, separated by a wide space, the broad nose, -thick protruding lips, and broad square chin, is only redeemed by the -good-humoured expression. The hair and eyes are usually a dark shade -of brown, and the complexion is a dirty buff. The average height for -men is from five feet to five feet six inches, and four feet six inches -to five feet for women. The limbs are slight, though well formed, one -peculiarity being the disproportionate shortness of the legs. This is -also observable among the Karens, to whom the Kakhyens bear a general -resemblance, suggesting a common origin, which is further indicated -by their language. Though not muscular, they are very agile, and the -young girls bound like deer along the hill-paths, their loose dark -locks streaming behind them. They bring down from the hills loads of -firewood and deal planks which we found as much as we could lift. -However interesting and picturesque their appearance may be, closer -inspection dissolves the enchantment lent by distance. Both persons -and clothes appear never to have been washed, and the dress, once put -on, is never changed till it is worn to pieces. Neither men nor women -use combs, and the state of the thick matted<span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</span> felt of hair can better -be imagined than described. Although they never seemed to wash except -faces, hands, and feet, some of the men were good swimmers and divers, -and proudly exhibited their skill, disclosing thereby the fact that -their bodies were tattooed with blue dots, chiefly on the chest and -back. The dress of the men usually consists of a Shan jacket and short -breeches of blue cotton cloth, supported by a cotton girdle. The hair -is coiled in a blue or sometimes a red turban; the moustache and beard -are very scanty, but their custom of eradicating the natural growth -renders it hard to judge. They insert in the lobe of the ear a piece -of bamboo, or a lappet of embroidered red cloth, a leaf or flower, or -a piece of paper, our old newspapers being in great request; and a -number of fine ratan rings encircle the leg below the knee. It seemed -to us that the Kakhyen men were ready to adopt any dress; some even -wore their hair in the Chinese pigtail. The “Red Pawmine,” on grand -occasions, turned out in a bright red turban, rose-checked breeches, -and a red blanket over his shoulders. The chiefs usually wear Chinese -padded jackets, leggings made of rolls of blue cloth, and Shan shoes. -They are distinguished, especially in the case of those who rigidly -adhere to the ancient Kakhyen costume, by neck-hoops of silver, -resembling Celtic torques, and the necklace of beads or cylinders of -an ochreous earth. These are found in the Mogoung district, and are -highly valued, being reputed to be the authentic handiwork<span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</span> of the -earth nats. Some Kakoos met with at Sanda wore a broad piece of blue -cotton cloth, with a red embroidered border of woollen stuff, like a -kilt, reaching to the knee. This seems to be the true Kakhyen dress; -and they also wore their hair uncovered, and cut straight across the -forehead, like the Kakhyen maidens. No hillman is ever seen without his -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">dah</em>, or knife; it is half sheathed in wood, and suspended to a -ratan hoop covered with embroidered cloth and adorned by a leopard’s -tooth. This is slung over the right shoulder, so as to bring the hilt -in front ready to the grasp of the right hand. Two sorts of dahs are in -use: one the long sword, such as the Thibetans use, two feet and a half -in length, with a long cylindrical wooden hilt, bound with cord and -finished with a red tassel. The other is shorter and broader, widening -from the hilt to the truncated tip. This knife the Burmese call “the -Kakhyen’s chief”; it is wielded with great dexterity either to cut -down trees or men, or to execute the fine lineal tracery with which -their bamboo opium pipes and fan cases are decorated. It is appealed to -in every argument, and drawn on visible foes and invisible nats with -equal readiness. On one occasion we espied a woman on the hillside -writhing on the ground in evident pain. A passing villager came to her -assistance, and at once out flashed his dah, with which he executed -several cuts in the air over the prostrate woman. This was to drive -away the nat who had taken possession; he<span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</span> then threw earth over her -head, and ran off to the village to procure help to carry her home. -During the latter part of our stay, one of the police escort, during a -chaffing argument with a Kakhyen visitor, was without warning felled -by a blow of the dah. The savage decamped to the jungle, leaving the -sepoy bleeding from a gash on his head, and another on the arm, with -which he had warded off the blow and so saved his skull from being -split. These dahs are made by the Shans of the Hotha valley, who are -the itinerant smiths of the country. Other arms are a long matchlock, -and a cross-bow, with arrows poisoned with the juice of an aconitum. -They are much used in hunting; the flesh round the wound being cut out, -the rest of the animal is eaten without danger. An invariable article -of equipment is an embroidered bag worn over the right shoulder, -containing pipe, tobacco, lime and betel box, money, and a bamboo flask -of sheroo. A most ingenious apparatus supplies a light for the constant -pipe. It resembles a child’s popgun, and consists of a small cylinder -four inches long, open at one end, into which is very tightly fitted -a piston, with a cup-shaped cavity at the lower end. In it, a small -pellet of tinder is placed, the piston is driven down smartly, and as -quickly withdrawn, when the tinder is found to be ignited.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img011"> - <img src="images/011.jpg" class="w75" alt="KAKHYEN AND SHAN PIPES, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, ETC." /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">KAKHYEN AND SHAN PIPES, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, ETC.</p> - -<ul class="index" style="margin-left: 10%;"> -<li class="isuba">Fig. 1. Kakhyen ladle for preparing opium.</li> -<li class="isuba">2. Kakhyen opium forceps.</li> -<li class="isuba">3. 4. Kakhyen cylinder and piston for striking fire.</li> -<li class="isuba">5. Shan flute with gourd mouthpiece.</li> -<li class="isuba">6. Kakhyen double flute.</li> -<li class="isuba">7. Kakhyen opium hookah (bamboo).</li> -<li class="isuba">8. Kakhyen opium pipe.</li> -<li class="isuba">9. Kakhyen opium hookah, the mouthpiece made of the underground stem -and the water receptacle of the segment of a remarkable bamboo with -swollen internodes.</li> -<li class="isuba">10. Chinese bamboo lamp.</li> -<li class="isuba">11. Shan powder flask.</li> -<li class="isuba">12. Shan violin.</li> -<li class="isuba">13. Bow for ditto.</li> -<li class="isuba">14. Shan guitar.</li> -</ul> - -<p>It is worth recording that the men invariably smoke opium, but not -to excess; rarely, if ever, did we see them use tobacco for smoking, -though they<span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</span> were addicted to chewing it. The juice of the poppy, -exuding from incisions made in the green capsules, is collected on -plantain leaves, which are dried, and in this form the opium is smoked -either in hookahs made of the segment of a peculiarly shaped bamboo -or in brass pipes of Chinese manufacture. Whether the cultivation and -use of opium have spread from Assam or from Yunnan is uncertain, but -we found it universal from the Burmese plain to Momien, although the -method of smoking it among the Kakhyens differs altogether from that -of the Chinese. <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Bayfield, in 1837, observed of the Singphos, on -the western side of the Irawady valley, that, “from whatever source -derived, the cultivation of the poppy is now universal;” and he -describes the methods of collection and use as the same, save that -coarse cloth was used instead of leaves.</p> - -<p>The men rarely employ themselves in manual labour; a few of the more -industrious assist the women to fell the jungle and set it on fire, -but most of this labour is left to the women. In general, the men till -the land; but between the seasons, they wander from house to house, -and village to village, gossiping, drinking, or smoking. Journeys to -dispose of produce, or carry goods, hunting excursions, and occasional -fights or forays, are not reckoned labour. They do not work in metals, -but are very skilful in adorning bamboos or wooden implements with -carving. The designs of their tracery are the simplest combinations of -straight<span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</span> lines, and rude figures of birds and animals, characteristic -of the most primitive art.</p> - -<p>The Kakhyen women have adopted the short loose Shan jacket of blue -cotton, slashed with red cloth, variously ornamented, according to the -means of the wearer, with cowries and silver. This covers the arms and -breast, but leaves the waist exposed, save for a profusion of ratan -girdles, adorned with lines of white seeds. These also support the -kirtle or kilt, which reaches from the hips to the knee, the border -of the skirt being chequered in red, blue, and yellow. Cowries form a -favourite ornamentation of every part of the dress, and the daughters -of chiefs wear broad belts of these shells. Besides the distinctive -bell-girdle, fine ratan rings encircle the leg below the knee, but no -shoes are worn. Most of the matrons coil their hair in the folds of -the Shan turban, but the original Chingpaw head-dress is a puggery -of embroidered cloth, twisted round the head, while the end, fringed -with beads, falls gracefully on the shoulder. Unmarried women wear no -head-dress, and cut their hair square across the forehead in a fashion -not unknown in England, while their back hair, unrestrained by any -fastening, streams down behind. The ears are pierced both through the -lobes and upper cartilage. In the latter orifice is inserted a lappet -of embroidered cloth tasselled with small green and black beads; -silver tubes, reaching to the shoulder, are also worn by the wealthier -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">belles</em>, while the poorer display fresh<span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</span> flowers or leaves. -Anything seems convertible into an ear-ring: thus a cheroot, or, as -seen by us, a freshly plucked leek, is stuck into the ear. All who can, -wear necklaces of beads, but silver hoops called <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">gerees</em>, and the -komoung of red ochreous beads, are peculiar to the necks of high-born -damsels.</p> - -<p>It has been remarked that the men are averse to labour, but the lot of -all women irrespective of rank is one of drudgery. They are not allowed -to eat with the men, and are looked on as mere beasts of burden, valued -only for their usefulness; but they seem contented with their lot, and -are always cheerful and light-hearted. Their brisk activity forms a -pleasing contrast to the lounging idleness of their lords. Much, if not -most, of the field-work falls to their share, and their daily routine -is one of incessant and hard labour. Their first duty in the morning -is to clean and crush the rice for the daily consumption, and late at -night the dull thud of the heavy pestle, with the accompaniments of -their regular wild cry and the jingling of the bell-girdles, was to be -heard. They fetch water from the stream, and firewood from the jungle. -This latter is a most laborious task, as the girls have to search for -dry wood, cut it into faggots, and bring it home on their backs. Their -bare legs are often lacerated in the jungle, and the wounds, aggravated -by dirt and neglect, form intractable ulcers. Many such cases were -brought to our camp for treatment. Another effect of the hard work and -exposure is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</span> to be observed in the frequency of grey hair among the -young women, the matted locks of even girls of ten and twelve years -being abundantly silvered as if by premature old age.</p> - -<p>Their ordinary house labours include the preparation of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">sheroo</em>, -or Kakhyen beer, a beverage always in demand. This is regarded as a -serious, almost sacred task, the women, while engaged in it, having to -live in almost vestal seclusion. Certain herbs and roots dried in the -sun are mixed with chillies and ginger, to avert the interference of -malignant nats; the mixture is pulverised with some rice in a mortar, -and reduced to a paste which is carefully preserved in the form of -cakes, wrapped in mats. Crushed rice mixed with fresh plantains is -steeped for half a day, and allowed to dry. It is next boiled, or -“mashed,” with a due proportion of the “medicine” or powdered cake in a -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">paungyaung</em>, or wooden tub, placed within a copper caldron, from -which it is, after cooling and fermenting for a week in a leaf-covered -basket, transferred to a closely covered earthen jar. After twenty days -the sheroo is fit to drink, but is better if left for six months. This -forms the stock, to which water is added, and the beverage is offered -in a bamboo, closed with a fresh plantain leaf. This liquor resembles -very small beer, but is pleasant and refreshing. A similar beverage is -found among the Lepchas of Darjeeling, who imbibe it through a reed, -the Looshais and Nagas. The Khyens and Karens also prepare a rice-beer -like the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">congee</em> of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</span> the Burmese; the Nagas also prepare “moad” -from rice, and the Khamtis and Singphos of the Hoo-kong valley distil a -spirit which the latter call <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">sahoo</em>; but the Kakhyens procure all -their supplies of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">samshu</em>, or rice-spirit, from the Shan-Chinese.</p> - -<p>It is naturally the business of the women to spin, dye, and weave the -home-grown cotton. Their loom is of a primitive form, the same as -that used among the Khyens, the Munipoories, and other tribes on the -north-east of Assam. One end of the warp is held in position by pegs -driven into the ground, and the other is kept on the stretch by a -broad leather strap fastened round the back of the woman as she sits -on the ground with her legs straight before her. A long piece of wood -keeps the threads of the warp open, so that the shuttle, which is -thirty inches long, and worked by both hands, can pass easily. With -this they produce a strong thick cloth, and weave fanciful patterns -of red, green, and yellow. They are also adepts at embroidery in silk -and cotton, which is only applied to the decoration of the bags or -havresacks worn by the men.</p> - -<p>The code of morality of the Kakhyens has been variously represented. -Unchastity before marriage is certainly not regarded as a disgrace. If -possible, the parents of the girl endeavour to get the lovers married, -but it is not an imperative duty. Should, however, an unmarried girl -die <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">enceinte</em>, the father of the child is bound to compensate -her parents by the present of a slave, a buffalo,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</span> a dah, and other -articles, and to give a feast to the inmates of the house. Failing -this, he is liable to be sold as a slave. This arises from the value -set upon a marriageable daughter, both as regards her present working -power and her future price as a wife, which is not lessened by an -indiscretion.</p> - -<p>Infidelity after marriage is a crime which the husband may punish on -the spot by the death of both the offenders. In case of elopement of -a wife, the husband is entitled to recover damages, fixed at double -the amount expended by him at his marriage. For this the relatives and -clansmen of the lover are held liable on pain of a feud.</p> - -<p>The ceremony of marriage, besides the religious rites, combines the -idea of purchase from the parents with that of abduction, so frequently -found to underlie the nuptial rites of widely separated races. An -essential preliminary is to get the diviner to predict the general -fortune of the intended bride. Some article of her dress or ornaments -is procured, and handed to the seer, who, we may suppose, being thereby -brought <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en rapport</em> with her, proceeds to consult omens and -predict her <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">bedeen</em> or destiny. If auspicious, messengers bearing -presents are sent to make proposals to the girl’s parents, who specify -the dowry required and agreed to by the envoys. All being adjusted, two -messengers are sent from the bridegroom to inform the bride’s friends -that such a day is appointed for the marriage. They are liberally -feasted, and escorted<span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</span> home by two of her relatives, who promise to be -duly prepared. When the day comes, five young men and girls set out -from the bridegroom’s village to that of the bride, where they wait -till nightfall in a neighbouring house. At dusk the bride is brought -thither by one of the stranger girls, as it were, without the knowledge -of her parents, and told that these men have come to claim her. They -all set out at once for the bridegroom’s village. In the morning the -bride is placed under a closed canopy, outside the bridegroom’s house. -Presently there arrives a party of young men from her village, to -search, as they say, for one of their girls who has been stolen. They -are invited to look under the canopy, and bidden, if they will, to take -the girl away; but they reply, “It is well; let her remain where she -is.”</p> - -<p>While a buffalo, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. are being killed as a sacrifice, the bridegroom -hands over the dowry, and exhibits the trousseau provided for his -bride. A wealthy Kakhyen pays for his wife a female slave, ten -buffaloes, ten spears, ten dahs, ten pieces of silver, a gong, two -suits of clothes, a matchlock, and an iron cooking pot. He also -presents clothes and silver to the bridesmaids, and defrays the expense -of the feast. Meanwhile the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">toomsa</em>, or officiating priest, -has arranged bunches of fresh grass, pressed down with bamboos at -regular intervals, so as to form a carpet between the canopy and the -bridegroom’s house. The household nats are then invoked, and a libation -of sheroo and water poured out. Fowls, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. are then killed, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</span> -their blood is sprinkled on the grass path, over which the bride and -her attendants pass to the house, and offer boiled eggs, ginger, and -dried fish to the household deities. This concludes the ceremony, in -which the bridegroom takes no part. A grand feast follows. Besides the -ordinary fare of rice, plantains, and dried fish and pork, the beef of -the sacrificed buffalo and the venison of the barking deer, all cooked -in large iron pots, imported from Yunnan, are the viands. Abundant -supplies of sheroo and Chinese samshu prepare the guests for the dance.</p> - -<p>The orchestra consists of a drum formed of a hollowed tree stem, -covered at both ends with the skin of the barking deer, a sort of -jews-harp of bamboo, which gives a very clear, almost metallic, tone, -and a single or double flute, with a piece of metal inside a long -slit, which the performer covers with his mouth. He also accompanies -the strain with a peculiar whirring noise, produced in his throat. The -marriage feast ends, like all their festivities, in great drunkenness, -disorder, and often in a fight.</p> - -<p>Breach of promise is made a cause of feud, the friends of the aggrieved -fair one making it a point of honour to attack the village of the -offender. The curious custom obtains that a widow becomes the wife of -the senior brother-in-law, even though he be already married. The day -after the birth of a child, the household’s nats are propitiated by -offerings of sheroo and the sacrifice of a hog. The flesh is divided -into three portions, one for the toomsa, another for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</span> the slayer and -cook, and the third for the head of the household. The entrails, with -eggs, fish, and ginger, are placed on the altars, all the villagers are -bidden to a feast, and sheroo is handed round in order of seniority. -After all have drunk, the oldest man rises and, pointing to the infant, -says, “That boy, or girl, is named so and so.” When a Kakhyen dies, the -news is announced by the discharge of matchlocks. This is a signal for -all to repair to the house of death. Some cut bamboos and timber for -the coffin, others prepare for the funeral rites. A circle of bamboos -is driven into the ground, slanting outwards, so that the upper circle -is much wider than the base. To each a small flag is fastened, grass -is placed between this circle and the house, and the toomsa scatters -grass over the bamboos, and pours a libation of sheroo. A hog is then -slaughtered, and the flesh cooked and distributed, the skull being -fixed on one of the bamboos. The coffin is made of the hollowed trunk -of a large tree, which the men fell with their dahs. Just before it -falls, a fowl is killed by being dashed against the tottering stem. -The place where the head is to rest is blackened with charcoal, and a -lid constructed. The body is washed by men or matrons, according to -sex, and dressed in new clothes. Some of the pork, boiled rice, and -sheroo, are placed before it, and a piece of silver is inserted in the -mouth to pay ferry dues over the streams the spirit may have to cross. -It is then coffined and borne to the grave amidst the discharge of -fire-arms.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</span> The grave is about three feet deep, and three pieces of -wood are laid to support the coffin, which is covered with branches of -trees before the earth is filled in. The old clothes of the deceased -are laid on the mound, and sheroo is poured on it, the rest being drunk -by the friends around it. In returning, the mourners strew ground rice -along the path, and when near the village, they cleanse their legs -and arms with fresh leaves. Before re-entering the house, all are -lustrated with water by the toomsa with an asperge of grass, and pass -over a bundle of grass sprinkled with the blood of a fowl sacrificed -during their absence to the spirit of the dead. Eating and drinking -wind up the day. Next morning an offering of a hog and sheroo is made -to the spirit of the dead man, and a feast and dance are held till late -at night, and resumed in the morning. A final sacrifice of a buffalo -in honour of the household nats then takes place, and the toomsa -breaks down the bamboo fence, after which the final death dance<span class="fnanchor" id="fna24"><a href="#fn24">[24]</a></span> -successfully drives forth the spirit, which is believed to have been -still lingering round its former dwelling. In the afternoon a trench -is dug round the grave, and the conical cover already described is -erected, the skulls of the hog and buffalo being affixed to the posts.</p> - -<p>The bodies of those who have been killed by shot or steel are wrapped -in a mat and buried in the jungle without any rites. A small open -hut is erected<span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</span> over the spot for the use of the spirits, for whom -also a dah, bag, and basket are placed. These spirits are believed to -haunt the forests as <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">munla</em>, like the Burman <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tuhsais</em>, or -ghosts, and to have the power of entering into men and imparting a -second sight of deeds of violence. Funeral rites are also denied to -those who die of small-pox and to women dying in child-birth. In the -latter case, the mother and her unborn child are believed to become a -fearful compound vampyre. All the young people fly in terror from the -house, and divination is resorted to, to discover what animal the evil -spirit will devour, and another with which it will transmigrate. The -first is sacrificed, and some of the flesh placed before the corpse; -the second is hanged, and a grave dug in the direction to which the -animal’s head pointed when dead. Here the corpse is buried with all -the clothes and ornaments worn in life, and a wisp of straw is burned -on its face, before the leaves and earth are filled in. All property -of the deceased is burned on the grave, and a hut erected over it. The -death dance takes place, to drive the spirit from the house, in all -cases. The former custom appears to have been to burn the body itself, -with the house and all the clothes and ornaments used by the deceased. -This also took place if the mother died during the month succeeding -child-birth, and, according to one native statement, the infant also -was thrown into the fire, with the address, “Take away your child;” but -if previously any one claimed the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</span> child, saying, “Give me your child,” -it was spared, and belonged to the adopting parent, the real father -being unable at any time to reclaim it.</p> - -<p>These ceremonies show the character of the religion of the people. -Hemmed in as they are by Buddhist populations, they adhere to -the ancient form of worship of good and evil spirits. The French -missionaries have been unable to produce any effect upon them. A vague -idea of a Supreme Being exists among them, as they speak of a nat in -the form of a man named Shingrawah, who created everything. They do -not worship, but reverence him, “because he is very big.” As their -funeral rites show, they believe in a future existence. Tsojah is the -abode of good men; and those who die violent deaths, and bad characters -generally, go to Marai. To questions as to the place and conditions of -these, an intelligent Kakhyen answered, “How can I tell? no one knows -anything.”</p> - -<p>The objects of worship are the nats benign or malignant; the first -such as Sinlah, the sky spirit, who gives rain and good crops; Chan -and Shitah, who cause the sun and moon to rise. These they worship, -“because their fathers did so, and told their children that they were -good.” Cringwan is the beneficent patron of agriculture, but the -malignant nats must be bribed not to ruin the crops. When the ground is -cleared for sowing, Masoo is appeased with pork and fowls, buried at -the foot of the village altars; when the paddy is eared, buffaloes and -pigs<span class="pagenum" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</span> are sacrificed to Cajat. A man about to travel is placed under -the care of Muron, the toomsa, after due sacrifices, requesting him to -“tell the other nats not to harm that man.”</p> - -<p>Neglect of Mowlain will result in the want of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">compraw</em>, or -silver, the great object of a Kakhyen’s desire, and if hunters forbear -offerings to Chitong, some one will be killed by stag or tiger. Chitong -and Muron are two of ten brothers, who have an especial interest in -Kakhyen affairs, and another named Phee is the guardian of the night. -Every hill, forest, and stream, has its own nat of greater or less -power; every accident or illness is the work of some malignant or -vindictive one of “these viewless ministers.” To discover who may be -the particular nat, or how he is to be appeased, is the business of -the toomsa. He prescribes and assists in all sacrifices, and calls the -nats to receive their share, which with economical piety generally -consists of the offal. The extraordinary method of consulting the will -of the nats by a possessed medium has been already described. The -meetway is distinct from a toomsa, or regular priest, but there is no -sacerdotal caste, the succession being kept up by a natural selection -and apprenticeship. The village toomsa practises augury from fowl -bones, omens, and the fracture of burned nul grass, besides holding -communication with the spirit world. Besides the occasional sacrifices, -at seed-time a solemn sacrifice is offered to Ngka, the earth spirit. -In this the whole<span class="pagenum" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</span> community participates, and the next four days are -observed as a strict sabbath, no work or journey being undertaken.</p> - -<p>At harvest-time Sharoowa and his wife are worshipped in a similar -manner by the chief and villagers. All animals sacrificed must be -males, but a woman’s dress and ornaments are offered to the female nat. -The <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">namsyang</em>, or tutelary nats of the village, are also husband -and wife; he ruling the western and she the eastern portion; they are -venerated twice a year with other nats by the tsawbwa. All the people -repair to the head village, and the chief offers buffaloes, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., and a -grand feast is held. The skulls of the animals offered and eaten are -affixed to the tsawbwa’s house, where they remain as memorials of his -piety and hospitality.</p> - -<p>These recurring seasons of seed-time in May and June and harvest-time -in December seemed to us to be the only divisions of time known -to these mountaineers, but they were said to have a succession of -months.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna25"><a href="#fn25">[25]</a></span></p> - -<p>The language of the Kakhyens is monosyllabic, and is spoken in an -ascending tone, every sentence ending in a long-drawn “ee,” in a higher -key, thus—“Chingpaw poong-doon tan-key-ing <em>eee</em>?” “Do the -Kakhyens dance?” Monsig. Bigandet says: “It is the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</span> same as used by -all the Singpho tribes, and bears a great resemblance to that of the -Abors and Mishmees, and other tribes of the south-western spurs of the -Himalayas. The pronunciation is soft and easy, and the construction of -sentences simple and direct as in English. It is totally different from -the Burmese, and belongs to a completely different group.” We found -very few that could speak Burmese, except the Ponline and other chiefs -bordering the plain; but almost all the chiefs both north and south of -the Tapeng, and many of their clansmen, could speak Chinese, and a few, -such as the chiefs of Mattin, Seray, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., could write Chinese; but the -Kakhyens possess no written characters of their own.</p> - -<p>As warriors the Kakhyens cannot be ranked high. Quarrelsome and -revengeful as they are, prone to exact atonement for a wrong or feud -to the last, their attacks are always made stealthily, and generally -at night—they may be said to crouch and spring like the tiger. As -hunters, so far as we could learn, they are not very daring, but our -opportunities of observation were limited, and the hills about Ponsee -did not seem to contain much animal life. Their chief quarry is the -barking deer, but leopards and porcupines are said to be sometimes -found, and wild elephants were reported as occasional visitors. The -fierce and pugnacious bamboo rat is esteemed a dainty and valuable -prize. The young lads set ingenious traps for jungle fowl and -pheasants. A miniature fence of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</span> the stems of tall jungle grass is -constructed down the hillside for two hundred feet, through which -little runs are opened. At each a pliable bamboo is firmly fixed at -one end, while the other is lightly fastened to the ground. A noose -fixed to this end snares the birds, which are hoisted in the air like -moles in the familiar trap. We also observed boys liming small birds -in an ingenious manner, with a bird-lime obtained from the root of -some plant. This was smeared on the prongs of a wooden trident fixed -in a bamboo handle, which was hidden in the jungle bordering a path. -On a cord across the trident, a number of ants were so fixed that they -could move their wings; the constant flutter allured the birds to perch -on the trident and be caught. The small boys were stimulated in the -pursuit of “small deer” and all sorts of birds by the rewards given for -any specimens. The collection and preservation of all manner of living -things was a constant source of wonder to the Kakhyens, as well as of -gain. Even the young tsawbwa caught the infection, and, moved either -by greed or gratitude for medical help, brought in a young example -of a red-faced monkey, closely allied to <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Macacus tibetanus</em> -(Milne-Edwards).</p> - -<p>It will be evident that they are a perfectly wild race of mountaineers, -supplying themselves with most of the necessaries of life by rude -cultivation. They are altogether dependent on their neighbours for -salt and dried fish; and as their own scanty crops furnish<span class="pagenum" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</span> little -superfluity, their great object is to obtain <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">compraw</em>, wherewith -to purchase what they need. They rear no animals but pigs; and the -buffaloes they own have been stolen from the plains. This habit of -“cattle-lifting” causes them to be regarded as natural outlaws by the -Burmese; hence the constant state of hostility and reprisals on both -sides. Since the time of our visit the mountaineers have been better -treated at Bhamô, and a zayat has been erected for their use outside -the stockade, besides one built for them near the British Residency; -but no Kakhyen can enter or leave the town without a pass, for which he -has to pay toll, this licence-duty being farmed by residents in Bhamô. -It must be owned that, whether their character has been deteriorated -by knavish injustice on the part of Chinese traders, or high-handed -extortion and wrong on the part of Burmese, they are at the present -time lazy, thievish, and untrustworthy. Their savage curiosity leads -them to pry into every package entrusted to them. During the return -journey all the collecting-boxes were opened, and every specimen -unrolled and examined, with what results of utter confusion may be -imagined. They consider themselves entitled to levy blackmail on -all passing through their districts, and each petty chief tries to -represent himself as an independent tsawbwa, with a full control of the -portion of route near his village.</p> - -<p>As any mission or trade-convoy must, however, pass through their -hills, and strong and impartial justice<span class="pagenum" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</span> should characterise all our -relations with them, it will not be thought presumption to suggest -what appears to be the best and fairest method of dealing with them. -It is thoroughly well established that the Kakhyens themselves -possess no mules, or at least so few as to be insufficient for the -carriage of any large amount of baggage or goods. When the chiefs -have been employed to procure mules, they hire them from the Shans, -acting thus as middle-men, and in our case making an exorbitant -profit. Their incurable habits of pilfering and meddling curiosity -render them unfit to be employed as porters. All beasts of burden, -and coolies, if required, should be procured either in Burma or by -direct agents, hiring them in the Shan districts subject to China; -in the latter case no payments in advance should be made. The chiefs -of the Kakhyens occupying the portion of the route lying within the -Burmese frontier line should be summoned to Bhamô by the Burmese -authorities at the instance of the British Resident, and, a proper -sum, in recognition of their territorial dues, being fixed, should be -informed that this will be paid at the Residency on the safe passage -through their territory being accomplished and certified. A similar -course can be pursued by communication with the Chinese authorities -with regard to those who live within the Chinese frontier. The duties -to be performed by the chiefs should be limited to guaranteeing an -undisturbed passage, and providing such accommodation or supplies as -may be required.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</span> With regard to provision for an open trade route, a -fair tariff should be fixed upon: this has been done by the Chinese, -and could be accomplished by the Burmese also. The mountain chiefs may -then be required to keep the roads open and in repair, and to suppress -any attempt at brigandage, on pain of being fined, and otherwise -punished. It must be remarked, however, with all deference to the -political branch of our service, that one cannot help thinking that -it will be needful in all cases that our Residents should not issue -independent summonses and orders to the hill chiefs. The ill-feeling -of the Burmese has not unnaturally been excited by British officers -dealing, independently of the Woon, with the chiefs, nominally at -least, subordinate to him as the officer of the king of Burma. It is -surely incumbent on the British Resident in the town of an independent -foreign power to co-operate with and recognise the local authorities, -and cultivate an <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">entente cordiale</em> with them. If this policy be -systematically observed, the Burmese will be most fairly and properly -held responsible for the conduct of the chiefs whom they claim to be -dependent on their authority, and who have accepted titles and insignia -from the king of Burma. It may seem fanciful to suggest ways and means -of removing the difficulties of the route for a future trade; but -the passage of a mission, or of future explorers of the interesting -country beyond the Kakhyen hills, will be only thus made possible. -The arrangements must be made with the Burmese and the Chinese; the -Kakhyens, being only regarded<span class="pagenum" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</span> as outlying people, paid their dues, not -from fear, but from generous justice; while they are sternly repressed, -and taught their own insignificance and almost inutility. These remarks -may seem an example of shutting the door after the steed is stolen; -but if the plan proposed widely differs from that pursued by our -expedition, let it be remembered that we were pioneers in an unknown -country, feeling our way through tribes and populations, the political -relations of which were at that time as little known as were the -physical difficulties of the route we had been commissioned to explore -through their midst.</p> - -<p>These observations are the result of the experience gained in the -course of this first attempt, and the opinions then formed have been -confirmed on a more recent occasion, when it was not in my power to -make any practical application of the knowledge of the ways and habits -of the mountaineers which had been formerly gained.</p> - -<p>If the reader is somewhat tired of the Kakhyens, he can better -understand the wearisome and anxious time passed by us at Ponsee, as -all through April we alternately hoped and despaired of escaping from -our open-air prison. At the end of that time our party was reduced in -numbers by the departure of Williams and Stewart, who acted upon the -circular already mentioned as issued by the leader of the mission. They -started, under the guidance of Moung Mo, on April 29th, and reached -Bhamô without delay or difficulty.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn23"><a href="#fna23">[23]</a> “<span xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">En langue Mou-tse et Kong un homme se dit <em>Ho-ka</em>, en langue -Kho il se dit <em>Ka-sya</em>.”—‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome</span> i. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 378.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn24"><a href="#fna24">[24]</a> See <em>supra</em>, page 77.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn25"><a href="#fna25">[25]</a> At a later visit the tsawbwa of Mattin declared the year 1874 to -be the Kakhyen year 1320; and the following list of months was given to -Père Lecomte:—(February) Ra, Wot, Shila, Cheetung, Shenan, Shimerray, -Kopes-hay, Kopetang, Kala, Majea, Mahah, Hro (January).</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.<br /> -<span class="small">MANWYNE TO MOMIEN.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Departure from Ponsee—Valley of the Tapeng—A curious crowd—Our -khyoung—Matins—The town of Manwyne—Visit to the haw—The -tsawbwa-gadaw—An armed demonstration—Karahokah—Sanda—The chief -and his grandson—Muangla—Shan burial-grounds—The Tahô—A murdered -traveller—Mawphoo valley—Muangtee—Nantin—Valley of Nantin—The -hot springs—Attacked by Chinese—Hawshuenshan volcano—Valley of -Momien—Arrival at the city. -</div> - - -<p>After various reports and interchange of letters between ourselves -and the Panthays, tending to the removal of any doubts in the minds -of the latter, we learned that the representatives of the Shan states -had come to Manwyne. A slight hint of the unchanged ill-feeling of the -Bhamô people was given in the imprisonment of Moung Mo, who had acted -as guide to Williams and Stewart; a vigorous remonstrance, however, -forwarded to the Woon, was followed by his liberation and return to the -camp.</p> - -<p>On the 8th of May, the Shan representatives arrived. The appearance -of these fair, civilised, intelligent men, dressed in dark blue from -shoe to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</span> turban, was a great relief. They assured us that we might go -forward, and disowned having entertained any hostile feeling. Men were -sent to Manwyne to bring mules, and our departure for that town on the -next day but one was resolved on.</p> - -<p>It was amusing to see the pawmine acting as cicerone, and exhibiting -the wonders of our camp furniture to the inquiring Shans. They -complained bitterly of the unsettled state of the country, and declared -that our presence had already contributed to restore order. One of -their complaints was that they could not trade with Bhamô on account of -the extortion and plunder practised by the Woon and his people on the -traders resorting thither.</p> - -<p>The Ponsee pawmines were on their best behaviour, and even the vexed -question of the mule hire was at last settled. The tsawbwa declared -that every man, woman, and child, was the better for our stay, and -entreated us to favour him by choosing this as the return route, and to -make what use we liked of him.</p> - -<p>The Shans came down very early on the morning of May 11th to announce -that sufficient mules had arrived. We packed up with right good will, -and at eight o’clock the mules actually appeared. At the last moment, -“Death’s Head” pawmine attempted to create a disturbance about a -photograph taken of his house. He declared his wife and son had been -sick ever since, and that the photographer had bewitched them, in -revenge for his having stolen our cow.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</span> Another pawmine demanded a toll -of two rupees per mule, and threatened an embargo. This was too much. -A short and sharp refusal, emphasized by a revolver, acted like magic, -and the pawmines sneaked off, thoroughly crestfallen.</p> - -<p>At half past eleven we started from the scene of our long detention. -Scarcity of mules compelled us to leave our tents behind, and trust for -future shelter to the hospitality of the townspeople <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em>.</p> - -<p>The road was tolerably level for a mile or so, as far as Kingdoung, -whence a steep descent led to a comparatively flat glen, closed in by -hills on all sides but one, covered with flooded rice terraces, while -here and there the ground was being broken up by men and boys with -large hoes.</p> - -<p>The steep descent to this alluvial hollow could be easily avoided by -a road skirting a spur to the east, sloping down to the Tapeng. Here -numerous small streams drain into the Tapeng, from both south and -north, the largest of which is called the Thamô. From the north-eastern -watershed, we obtained a fine view of the Tapeng valley, stretching -away to the east-north-east, and then descended to the level of the -river by a gradual slope, over rounded grassy hills and dried-up -watercourses. On the way we were met by the tsawbwa-gadaw of Muang-gan, -accompanied by a bevy of damsels offering cooked rice, fresh sheroo, -and flowers. After a short halt for refreshment and friendly talk -with the old lady, whose hospitality was duly rewarded with beads, -we proceeded<span class="pagenum" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</span> over a fair road six feet broad. From an eminence we -viewed the Tapeng entering the hills through a narrow gloomy gorge, -which swallowed up the broad placid stream, descending from the -north-east between low white sandy banks. Looking up the river, the -level valley stretched away, till in the far distance the border -ranges, three or four miles apart in the foreground, seemed almost to -meet. These defining mountains rose three thousand feet, and others -of still greater height towered in the background, while a loftier -range, running almost at right angles to them, crowned the far horizon. -The level ground on either side of the river was parcelled out into -innumerable rice fields, which, with the numerous villages situated on -the higher undulations amid clumps of bamboo and fruit trees, attested -the presence of a numerous and industrious population. The exposed -reaches of sand within the river banks suggested heavy floods during -the wet season; but at this period the water was drawn off by many -canals, and glistened in little lakes, from which the green blades of -the young rice crop were just raising their heads. The gentle slopes -running up to the base of the hills and the lower hillsides afforded -rich pasture to large herds of cattle and buffaloes. At the various -villages large crowds of Shans and Chinese were gathered, awaiting the -strangers. At one of some importance, mats were laid out for us under -the trees, and we were challenged by the officials of Manwyne, who -addressed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</span> our leader somewhat to this effect: “You say you are a man -of authority, therefore we allow you to pass.” It was not etiquette -to take any notice of them, and mounting their ponies, they fell into -the rear of the cavalcade, with a crowd of boys behind them. Outside -Manwyne itself a dense crowd of men, women, and children surrounded our -baggage, which had been unloaded pell-mell on a stretch of sand where -we were expected to encamp. No sooner had we dismounted than the crowd -pressed around. They appeared by no means friendly, and the Chinese -especially jeered and hooted, and one fellow had the impudence to -feel the texture of the beard of one of our party. A more inquisitive -set of sightseers it is impossible to conceive, and for some time -they regularly blockaded us, almost to suffocation. While impatiently -waiting for the officials in the full blaze of the afternoon sun, both -parties found ample interest in surveying each other. To us the first -sight of the peculiar but picturesque dress of the good-looking Shan -women was probably as attractive as our physiognomies and attire seemed -to be to the natives. The head-dress was a long blue turban, curled -in crescent-shaped folds with neat precision, towering nearly a foot -above the head, and inclined backwards in an inverted cone, displaying -the back of the head adorned with large silver discs. Add to this, -neat little white or blue jackets slashed with red, fastened with -enamelled silver brooches, and exposing plump little<span class="pagenum" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</span> arms adorned with -heavy silver bracelets, blue petticoats with deeply embroidered silken -borders, fanciful gaiters, and blue shoes, and the reader can imagine -that the curious crowd of Manwyne was picturesque.</p> - -<p>There was a good sprinkling of Chinese women with dwarfed feet, but -they were much more poorly clad than the prosperous-looking Shans.</p> - -<p>The men, Shan and Chinese, were all dressed in dark blue jackets and -trousers, the Shans being distinguished by blue turbans with the -pigtail wound into their coils, while the Chinese wore skull-caps. -Almost all carried long-stemmed pipes. After some delay and -expostulation with the headmen, we were inducted into a Buddhist -khyoung or temple, standing in a separate courtyard just within the -town, but entered through a gate of its own in the town wall. It was -a low square building, facing the river, built partly of bricks and -partly of wood, on a rubble foundation, and roofed with fired tiles.</p> - -<p>It had two roofs, the upper in itself somewhat like a smaller khyoung -perched on the top of the larger, with two latticed windows in each -of its curved sides, and borne up by strong teak pillars. At either -end two wooden partitions shut off the cells of the priests and their -pupils. A kitchen in one corner completed the domestic arrangements, -unless we may include two or three new coffins, and materials for -more, piled ready in one corner of the verandah. A long table was -covered with models of pagodas,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</span> enclosing seated figures of Gaudama, -one principal Buddha occupying the centre, with an umbrella suspended -over his head. This seemed to serve as an altar, on which two large -candles were placed during the evening prayers, intoned with bell -accompaniments, strongly reminding us of the Catholic mass. In the -verandah three square niches faced this altar, one containing the image -of a horse.</p> - -<p>As soon as we had taken up our quarters, the temple was thronged inside -and out by a curious crowd, who favoured us with their presence till -we retired for the night. The ill-feeling of certain of the Chinese -inhabitants was so dreaded by the headmen that an armed Shan guard was -stationed round the khyoung, in addition to our own police sentries, -who were requested by the authorities to be on the alert against an -attack.</p> - -<p>In the early morning the matin bell and chanting awoke us to find the -apartment filled with precise old matrons and buxom Shan girls busy at -their devotions. Each carried a little basket filled with rice, and a -few brought offerings of flowers. As they entered, they first knelt -in front of the principal Buddha, but did not venture on the raised -platform. After a short prayer, they turned to the niche containing -the horse, before which they repeated a prayer standing, and then -deposited an offering of cooked rice in front of the quadruped. We next -became the objects of their attention, but they were too timid to give -us much of it on the first occasion.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</span> After the priests had finished -their prayers, all the women arranged themselves in a row outside the -khyoung. Presently the burly chief priest, draped in yellow, appeared. -With downcast eyes and grave face he walked slowly down the line, -holding a large bowl, in which each placed an offering of cooked rice. -This done, the congregation dispersed to their homes.</p> - -<p>This practice of the phoongyees gathering their daily food from the -worshippers, instead of begging it from house to house, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">patta</em>, -or alms-bowl, in hand, is an instance of the unorthodox laxity -prevailing among the Shan Buddhists.</p> - -<p>A delay of two days was made necessary by consultations as to the -route to be followed. The choice lay between crossing the river into -the Muangla territory, or continuing along the right bank, through the -Sanda state, to the town of that name. The latter was finally decided -on, despite the opposition of a Muangla deputy named Kingain.</p> - -<p>The town of Manwyne, or Manyen, was itself formerly a dependency of -Sanda, but had been ceded to one of the Muangla family as the dowry of -a Sanda princess. It is surrounded by a low wall of sun-dried bricks, -raised on a lower course of rough stones. The population of Shans and -Chinese might be reckoned at seven hundred, and the district contains -about five thousand. At this time numerous fugitives from the more -disturbed districts had taken refuge there, the war not having extended -so far down the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</span> valley. The people, though prosperous, were lawless -and independent, the nominal authority of the dowager tsawbwa-gadaw, -or princess, being little regarded, and the Chinese power being in -abeyance. We visited the bazaar held every morning outside the wall. -The vendors were mostly girls, each sitting in front of a small basket, -supporting a tray on which her stock was laid out. The eatables -comprised a curious curd-like paste made from peas and beans, and in -great request; peas which had sprouted, beans, onions, and various -wild plums, cherries, and berries, while maize, rice, and barley, and -several sorts of tobacco, were also on sale. One end of the bazaar was -devoted to unbleached home-made cotton cloth, with a small stock of -English piece goods, and red and green broadcloth.</p> - -<p>Many Kakhyens, chiefly young women, were present, with firewood and -short deal planks for sale, and we were struck by the perfect freedom -enjoyed by these people as contrasted with their treatment in Burmese -territory. The town gate led into a filthy narrow street, or rather -lane, about nine feet wide. It was paved with boulders, and bordered -on either side by a deep open gutter close under the windows, and -alive with swine. The one-storied houses were built of bricks, with -one room opening on the street, the sill of the open window serving as -a counter, mainly for the sale of pork. This was the Chinese quarter; -beyond it lay the clean Shan division, every house detached and -surrounded by a neat little courtyard,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</span> with ponies, buffaloes, and -implements, housed under substantial sheds. A few villages formed, as -it were, suburbs of the so-called town, each enclosed in its bamboo -fence, and intersected by narrow railed paths. None of the houses were -raised on piles, as in Burma; the better sort were built of bricks -and tiled, and the smaller ones were mere mud hovels. In one village -we saw a man cutting tobacco for the use of the ladies, and were -politely invited to be seated while we were instructed in the art of -the tobacconist. The fresh leaves rolled firmly together were pushed -through a circular hole in a wooden upright, and thin slices rapidly -cut off; these are only partially dried and smoked while still green. -Some was brought to fill the visitors’ pipes, and for half an hour we -sat chatting to these homely Shans. Returning to the khyoung, we found -it crowded with numerous patients, all entreating medical aid. The -poor people were intensely grateful, though some of the old and infirm -seemed to expect miracles, and went away evidently doubting the will, -rather than the power, of the physician.</p> - -<p>During this time our leader had been busily engaged adjusting the -division of three hundred rupees among the Kakhyen pawmines; they were -most demonstrative in their expressions of friendship, and urgently -pressed us to confide ourselves to their escort on the return route. -Presents were also distributed to the headmen of the town, and those -of Sanda and Muangla, and the officials escorted us on a visit of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</span> -ceremony to the tsawbwa-gadaw. Her <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">haw</em>, or palace, built in -the Chinese style of telescopic courtyards, formed an enclosure in -the centre of the town. We passed through two courtyards, the sides -of the outer one forming the stables, and those of the inner one the -kitchen and servants’ rooms, with the residence filling up the end. -The entrance from the first to the second court formed a waiting-room, -where a bench covered with silken draperies had been placed. After a -few minutes we were invited to proceed through the second court to the -house, which was raised about three feet from the ground, with an open -reception hall, apparently off a third court, containing the private -apartments. The reception court was laid out with flowers, dwarf yews, -and a vine trained over a trellis. High-backed chairs with red cushions -were set out, and presently the dowager appeared from her apartment, -accompanied by some white-robed Buddhist nuns, or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">rahanees</em>, and -attended by three maids. One of the nuns was her daughter; the others -had visited Rangoon, as pilgrims to the great pagoda, and brought back -strong impressions of the excellence of British rule; both in Manwyne -and elsewhere these pious ladies subsequently did good service by -spreading favourable reports of the English visitors.</p> - -<p>But we are forgetting the tsawbwa-gadaw. She was a stout little woman -of fifty summers, of quiet self-possessed carriage. Above her round -fair face towered a huge blue turban eighteen inches in height. Her -costume consisted of a white jacket fastened with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</span> large square -enamelled silver clasps, and a blue petticoat with richly embroidered -silken border and broad silken stripes; her leggings and shoes were -also covered with exquisite embroidery. She entered smoking a long -silver-stemmed pipe, and received us with pleasant affability. Sladen -held a long conversation with her concerning the mission, and she -greatly rejoiced in the prospect of reopening Burmese trade, and -promised her hearty support. Small cups of bitter tea, and saucers -furnished with all requisites for betel-chewing, were handed round, the -style of everything being thoroughly Chinese, and we took our leave, -having evidently won her esteem.</p> - -<p>The next morning, May 13th, the entire population of the neighbourhood -assembled to see the visitors depart. The fair ones were in their -holiday attire, their head-dresses decorated with sweet-smelling -flowers. Many parting presents of these, accompanied with good-natured -nods and smiles and kind wishes, were bestowed on the travellers. -Several Shan officials accompanied us, perched high on huge red-cloth -saddles and padded coverlids heaped on their small ponies. The route -lay along the undulating right bank of the river, over a tolerable -but narrow track, which crossed the mountain streams flowing into the -Tapeng by substantial granite bridges, built of long slabs laid side by -side, so as to form an exact semicircular arch.</p> - -<p>About four miles from Manwyne, our attention was called to a number of -men who rushed out of a village<span class="pagenum" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</span> on the opposite bank of the river. -Although they were all armed, and indulged in threatening shouts and -gesticulations, we did not suspect any really hostile intentions. -Presently, however, we found ourselves exactly opposite to them, when, -whiz! came a bullet, passing close to Sladen’s pony, which plunged -violently. At this they yelled, and fired some more shots, accompanied -by furious brandishing of dahs. We took no notice, and this apparent -indifference cooled their ardour, and the road, diverging from the -river, soon took us out of sight. The fact that small but well-armed -parties of Shans were posted at intervals suggested that the officials -had expected an attack.</p> - -<p>Beyond this the march to Sanda was an ovation, the people lining the -road, and waving us on with shouts of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Kara! kara!</em> “Welcome! -welcome!” Most striking was the panorama of the fertile and populous -valley, with the broad Tapeng winding through it, and the magnificent -wall of mountains towering on either hand. Village succeeded village, -and every available acre was cultivated, the young rice now rising -about two inches above the water, and tobacco plantations on the higher -ground displaying their delicate verdure.</p> - -<p>Halfway between Manwyne and Sanda, the road passes through Karahokah, -the chief Chinese market-town of the valley. The village consists -of two long parallel lines of houses separated by a broadway, down -the centre of which the booths and stalls are placed on the weekly -market-day. It was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</span> full market when we passed, so by advice we went -round outside the village, but the curious crowd streamed out and -nearly closed the road. A striking feature was added to the landscape -by the bright red soil of the lower spurs jutting out from the higher -range. In contrast to the dense forests above, they were almost -destitute of trees, except at the extreme points, and clothed as -they were with rich short grass, their strongly marked red and green -colouring completed the unique beauty of the Sanda valley. At five -o’clock <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> we reached Sanda or Tsandah, seventy-five miles -from Bhamô, and were conducted to a small temporary Buddhist khyoung -built on the site of one wrecked by the Panthays.</p> - -<p>It was little better than a thatched hut, with the ground for a floor. -Here, as in other Shan towns, a striking difference was observed -between the phoongyees and those seen in Burma. Their huge yellow -turbans, coiled round yellow skull-caps, stood out each like a solid -nimbus or glory. They wore white jackets and yellow trousers, girdles, -and leggings, and shoes contrary to the precepts of their religion. -Each carried on his back a broad-brimmed straw hat covered with green -oiled silk. Their profusion of silver ornaments, buttons, rings, and -pipes, was utterly at variance with the vows of poverty taken by Rahans.</p> - -<p>The town of Sanda, marked on maps as Santa-fu, occupies the end of a -ridge in a northerly bend or bay of the valley, a mile and a half from -the Tapeng.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</span> The remains of a thick loopholed wall enclose an irregular -area about six hundred yards square, over which are scattered eight -hundred to one thousand houses, with a population of four to five -thousand. We saw neither towers, pagodas, nor public buildings, save in -ruins, excepting the tsawbwa’s house. The Panthays stormed the town in -1863, and the ruined defences and buildings had not yet been restored. -Indeed the dejected and poverty-stricken inhabitants had only partially -repaired their own brick-built dwellings.</p> - -<p>Four hundred yards from the north-east gate was the bazaar, a village -in itself, inhabited solely by Chinese, consisting, like Karahokah, of -two lines of houses, the broadway between being closed at either end -by a wall. A Chinese joss house, the ruins of which showed its former -importance, stood near the entrance. In our wanderings through the -bazaar, we met two women from the hills to the north of Sanda, of an -entirely different race from Shans, Chinese, or Kakhyens, who called -themselves Leesaws.</p> - -<p>The next day was devoted to a ceremonious visit to the old tsawbwa. -We entered his haw, a handsome structure of blue gneiss, through a -triple archway, and passed through the courtyards, the whole building -being arranged on the same plan as the Manwyne palace, but on a much -larger and handsomer scale. High-backed Chinese chairs were duly set -out in the vestibule of a building leading directly to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</span> the private -apartments, and the courtyard in front was crowded with the leading -townsmen. The tsawbwa, a frail old man with an intelligent face and -polished manners, was dressed in a long coat of sombre Shan blue -and a black satin skull-cap. He was nervous and silent, nearly all -the talking being done by his officials, who seemed to be gentlemen -of education and considerable intelligence. They were unanimous in -expressing their hopes that our mission would result in settling the -country and restoring the trade.</p> - -<p>The little grandson and heir of the tsawbwa was brought to be -introduced. The old chief evidently doated on the boy, and made a most -urgent request, that Sladen would consider him as his son. When he -learned that he already possessed a little boy, the chief exclaimed, -“Then let them be brothers.” It appeared that the astrologers, in -forecasting the event of our mission, had divined that this adoption by -our leader was essential to the future welfare of the heir of Sanda. -The interview closed with the circulation of tea and betel, and after -we had requested the chief’s acceptance of a handsome table-cloth and -other presents, we took our leave, but were followed to our quarters -by servants of the tsawbwa bearing supplies of rice, ducks, fowls, and -salted wild geese. The next morning the tsawbwa made his appearance, -accompanied by his grandson, and bringing presents of a silken quilt -and handsome embroidered Shan pillows. A richly enamelled silver<span class="pagenum" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</span> pipe -stem was given to Sladen in the name of his newly adopted son, for -whom the grandfather earnestly besought his affection and care. At -his request it was arranged that in leaving the town we should pass -in front of the tsawbwa’s house. As the cavalcade neared the gates of -the enclosure, two trumpeters stationed there blew a lusty flourish -on their long brass trumpets. The chief himself stood on the steps, -shaded by two large umbrellas, one a gold <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">chatta</em> and the other -red, with heavy fringes. His chief men surrounded him, and the little -grandson was held in the arms of an attendant. We dismounted to shake -hands, which rather puzzled the chief. After a cordial parting, a -salute of three guns was fired, and the trumpeters preceded us, blowing -sonorous blasts till we passed through the south-eastern gate.</p> - -<p>The road followed the embankments of the paddy fields, across the -entrance to the high steep glen down which flows the Nam-Sanda stream, -which was forded. A low red spur from the north-west range, nearly -meeting another from the opposite range, here confines the Tapeng -to a narrow deep channel, and divides the valley into two basins, -one of Sanda and the other of Muangla. Having crossed this spur, we -forded a small stream, which was quite warm, from its being fed by -the hot springs of Sanda. The Muangla valley is a repetition of that -of Sanda, with the same direction, and flanked by similar parallel -heights, until the head of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</span> basin is reached. There the valley, -as it were, bifurcates: down the northerly division, the main stream -of the Tapeng flows from the north-east through a fine valley, shut -off from the Muangla basin by an intervening range of grassy hills. A -large affluent, called the Tahô, or by the Chinese Sen-cha-ho, comes -down from the east-north-east, between the high hills which appeared to -bound the valley before us, but, opening farther on, enclose the valley -of Nantin.</p> - -<p>Numerous villages were passed, the inhabitants of which gave us a most -hearty welcome. Near the head, or fork, of the valley, the Tapeng, even -now a hundred yards wide, runs nearly across it, from one side to the -other. We forded it at a village called Tamon, where a large bazaar was -being held. Having crossed a slightly elevated flat peninsula on the -left bank, and above the junction of the rivers, covered with charming -villages embowered in high trees and splendid bamboo topes, we came -to the Tahô flowing in broken streams in an old channel, a mile wide, -between lofty banks. A great portion of the level ground is covered -with rice fields, for the irrigation of which the streams are diverted.</p> - -<p>A very neat bamboo pavilion had been erected for us on the high bank -overlooking the Tahô, and after a rest, we crossed the channel to -Muangla, which was visible on the opposite side, below a range of low -red hills. We ascended the old river bank, and passed through the -southern gateway, screened by a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</span> brick traverse, into a short broad -street closed by a stone wall. Here we were conducted to a ruined -Chinese temple, which had been hastily repaired for our occupancy, and -were speedily invested by a crowd of curious folk, who seemed never -satiated with staring.</p> - -<p>Muangla, or Mynela, nearly ninety miles from Bhamô, stands on a high -slope on the left bank of the Tapeng, enclosed by a brick wall nine -feet high, with numerous loopholes and occasional guard-houses. The -wall, with its six strong gateways, protected by traverses, appeared -to be in much better condition than that of Sanda. With the exception -of the broad bazaar street, the various roadways were mere lanes paved -with boulders. The population within the walls could not exceed two -thousand, which might be doubled by the addition of the large suburban -villages close to the town. One of these contained the remains of some -handsome Chinese temples, destroyed by the iconoclastic Panthays. One -temple, built in a picturesque series of terraces, still retained -evidence of its former grandeur in elaborate carving and colouring, -a number of life-sized figures, and a large sweet-toned bell on the -highest terrace. In still another, one of the courts contained a -symbolic representation of the passage of souls into the future life. -A miniature bridge with many passengers was depicted, guarded by two -human forms, and spanning a miry hollow. In the latter, human beings -were being tortured by monstrous<span class="pagenum" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</span> dogs and serpents. Some of the -passengers were represented being thrown from the bridge into this -abyss; others had passed to Elysium, or Neibban, on the further bank. -In another recess stood a low square hollow pillar with an opening on -one side, facing a structure resembling a small brick stove with a -chimney-like orifice, over which, as issuing from it, were depicted men -and animals. This seemed intended to figure the transmigrations of the -soul in the whirlpool of existences, from which every good Buddhist -desires to escape into Neibban.</p> - -<p>Close to the town, but out of sight of the buildings, we came upon the -burial-ground of the tsawbwas, overlooking a desolate sea of hills. -Over handsome horseshoe tombs with broad terraces and lofty portals of -well-hewn gneiss, a few scattered pines stood sentinels. In the common -graveyard, between the town and the junction of the river, as in many -others passed in the valley, the graves are all raised and rounded as -in old churchyards at home, lying to all points of the compass, with a -broad stone slab at the head, but little care is shown except for the -burial-places of the chiefs, in this particular the Shans differing -altogether from the Chinese.</p> - -<p>Viewed from Muangla, the western range of the valley culminates in -a bold precipitous mountain, frowning above the Tapeng, which comes -down through a narrow gorge between it and the hills which rise behind -the town, and wall the valley of the Tahô. Above this narrow gorge, -the Tapeng<span class="pagenum" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</span> flows down a broad level valley, from its source reported -to be three days’ journey distant. At its exit from the gorge, it is -a quiet deep stream; at this spot a boat ferry was plying, and the -view reminded us forcibly of Scottish mountain scenery. A long deep -valley ran along the eastern face of the opposite hill, dotted on -both sides by Kakhyen and Poloung villages and dark green forest. Its -stream was conveyed across the Tapeng gorge by a wooden aqueduct, to -irrigate the fields on the further bank. We were warned not to venture -far from the town, so could not explore as much as we wished and had -leisure for. A ceremonial visit had been duly paid on our arrival to -the youthful tsawbwa, a lad of fifteen, who, under the regency of his -mother, governed the extensive district of Muangla, paying a tribute -of five thousand bushels of rice to the Panthays. The officials, who -evidently favoured the old Chinese imperialist regime, demurred to our -proceeding, for fear of the banditti infesting the road to Mawphoo. In -this they were supported by the tsawbwa of Hotha, who joined us here, -on his road to Momien, with a caravan of one hundred and fifty mules -laden with cotton. He was a man of energy and education, speaking and -writing both Shan and Chinese. As one of the largest traders between -Bhamô and Momien, he possessed the respect and confidence of both -Shans and Panthays. Sladen sent letters to the governors of Nantin -and Momien, to which replies were brought on May 21st by our<span class="pagenum" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</span> missing -interpreter, Moung Shuay Yah, who was accompanied by three well-dressed -and fine-looking Panthay officers, also by a guard sent to escort us to -Momien.</p> - -<p>On the 23rd of May, we left Muangla, and crossed the muddy flat to the -Tahô, where the valley contracted to a breadth of scarcely two miles. -Here we were joined by the Hotha chief with his well-appointed caravan, -but a halt was called, as a report came in from the front that three -hundred Chinese were ahead ready to attack us. Advancing to Nahlow, -a little further on, a fresh report raised the numbers of the enemy -to five hundred, and we were pressed to order a volley, which would -frighten them away! At Nahlow the villagers pointed out a hill as the -post of the Chinese, who had killed two men, but careful examination -with field-glasses could detect no signs of the enemy. Some men were -now observed a thousand yards ahead, and the Panthay officers galloped -forward to reconnoitre. The mules were unloaded, and the villagers -brought buckets of pea curd and fried peas strung on bamboo spathes. -Our scouts having reported all clear, we proceeded over undulating -boggy ground, and descended about eighty-five feet to the bed of the -Tahô in a long oval basin, covered with gravel and boulders, and closed -in on three sides by grassy hills. We presently came upon a man lying -by the stream, with a frightful gash in his head, and a wound in his -chest. He was a poor trader, who had been attacked, robbed,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</span> and, as -it proved, murdered, for despite our help he died in a short time. At -the head of the valley, a slippery zigzag path led up the steep face -of a great spur of the Mawphoo mountain, the summit of which commanded -a splendid prospect of the rich valley of the Tapeng, mantled with -green paddy, and of the wild barren gorge below us. The sides of the -parallel ranges, here a few hundred yards apart, were marked by large -landslips, many of them white as snow. Our path lay along one which -formed a perpendicular precipice five hundred feet above the Tahô. A -high mountain facing Mawphoo was pointed out as the Shuemuelong, famous -in the wars between Burma and China. From the summit, a level path -turning north-east led us to Mawphoo, situated at the extremity of a -high level basin, marked by two terraces on the northern side, with the -Tahô flowing invisibly in a deep cleft, or ravine, at the base of the -southern hills. At first sight one is inclined to regard it as an old -lake basin, for it is so closed in by hills that the presence of the -river could not be even suspected by a spectator who had not previously -traced its course.</p> - -<p>Mawphoo, which was said to have been recently the stronghold of -Li-sieh-tai, was a wretched walled village in ruins, garrisoned by a -few Panthay soldiers. The crumbling walls and ruins were overgrown -with weeds and jungle, and it was hard to believe that this place -had been held by an enemy and stormed only a few weeks before. From -this<span class="pagenum" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</span> the road skirted the level ground of the valley, but numerous -deep watercourses presented frequent difficulties, while the rain of -the last few days had rendered the path dangerously slippery. There -was evidence however in the paved roadway, the numerous substantial -stone bridges, and the frequent ruins of villages, that this must have -been a considerable highway in peaceful times; now the whole country -seemed to be a desolate waste. For some miles the heights along the -road were manned by strong Panthay and Kakhyen guards, who carried a -profusion of yellow and white flags, striped with various colours. All -were armed with matchlocks, as well as spears and tridents mounted on -shafts twelve feet long. Each picquet, as we passed, discharged their -pieces, and then followed in our rear beating their gongs. At the end -of this remarkable valley, we made a rapid descent to the treeless -valley of Nantin, which now opened to view curving to the north-east or -rather almost north. At the foot of the descent, the Tahô, which leaves -the valley through a deep rocky gorge, is spanned by an iron chain -suspension bridge, with massive stone buttresses, and an arched gateway -on either bank. The span is about one hundred feet, and planks laid -across the chains, covered with earth and straw, serve as a roadway, -while one of the chains sweeps down from the top of the gateway, to -serve as a railing. A small circular fort on an eminence was garrisoned -by a few men, who guarded the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</span> bridge. We continued along the right -bank through the Nantin valley, the sides of which presented three -distinctly marked river terraces, and, having forded the river, entered -the little Shan town of Muangtee, or Myne-tee, one hundred and eight -miles from Bhamô. The walls were crowded, and the short narrow street -through which we passed was thronged with women and children. Very -few men were visible, owing, as we were informed, to the incessant -fighting, which had killed off most of the male population.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img012"> - <img src="images/012.jpg" class="w75" alt="NANTIN VALLEY, TOWN OF MUANGTEE TO THE LEFT" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">NANTIN VALLEY, TOWN OF MUANGTEE TO THE LEFT.</p> - -<p>A mile beyond we reached the small walled Chinese town of Nantin, -now held by the Panthays. Two officers on ponies met and conducted -us through the gate to a ruined Chinese temple. This had once been a -handsome structure, but the walls were riddled with shot, the images -defaced, and broken open in search of plunder. Nantin itself showed all -the signs of having been once a thriving Chinese town. Now one-half -of it was in ruins, and the other tenanted by a scanty and miserably -poor population. By its position on a triangle of land between the Tahô -and a swift deep affluent, with the hills rising close behind it and -forming the base line, it completely commands the main road to Momien -and Yunnan. It was accordingly held by a strong Panthay force, under a -governor bearing the title of Tu-tu-du.</p> - -<p>The governor visited us, accompanied by a Chinese chief named -Thongwetshein, who had recently<span class="pagenum" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</span> joined the Panthay cause. They -demanded either a list of the presents intended for Momien or -permission to search our baggage, both of which requests Sladen stoutly -refused, and referred them to Momien for instructions. In the course -of the day it came out that reports had been circulated that our boxes -contained live dragons and serpents and fearful explosives. The fears -of the Tu-tu-du were quieted by a peep at some bottled snakes and -frogs, and he begged us to pay him an official visit. This, he said, -would strengthen his influence over the townspeople, whom he described -as thieves and ruffians.</p> - -<p>A veritable Mahommedan Hadji was resident in the town. Knowing a little -Persian and Arabic, he led the devotions of the faithful, the Musjid -being held in his house. Our jemadar visited it, and described it as -miserably appointed, without water for ablutions, and the worship as -very lax.</p> - -<p>The next day, we set out in state with a guard of eight sepoys, and -preceded by two gold umbrellas. We passed through the bazaar, a narrow -dirty street, with a double row of stalls, displaying hoes and ploughs, -a little cloth, thread, paper, and eatables, including almost ripe -peaches. At the residence, we were received with a salute of three -guns; and the centre gates being thrown open for our admission, as a -mark of special honour, we rode forward to the second courtyard. In -the reception room the governor led us to a raised dais, he himself -occupying a low place on a bench at the side of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</span> room. After a few -compliments, he suddenly vanished, only to reappear in a few minutes -in full mandarin costume. The explanation was that, seeing Sladen in -full staff uniform, he felt it incumbent on him to assume his official -robes. Tea in beautiful porcelain cups and betel-nut were served; and -Sladen having presented him with a musket and one hundred and fifty -rounds of ammunition, the governor escorted us to the outer court, and -dismissed us under a salute of three guns.</p> - -<p>Instructions having come from Momien that we were to proceed without -delay, we started the next morning. The Panthay garrison lined the -street, and at a neat stone bridge spanning a burn which runs through -the town the governor and Thongwetshein with their staff awaited us to -say farewell, while the band struck up a lively air on the gongs. A -guard preceded us, commanded by a nephew of the governor of Momien, and -a more indescribable lot of irregulars were never seen. The officers, -however, were fine intelligent men, well dressed in Panthay garb. So -little fear of danger seemed to exist that they were accompanied by -some female relatives in full Chinese costume, who rode in the advance -guard. The valley, or rather glen, as it is only a mile wide, which -stretched to the north before us, seemed to be a remarkable instance of -the changes effected by water. Throughout its length of about twenty -miles, its sides are marked by two well defined river terraces, and -indications of a third higher one<span class="pagenum" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</span> corresponding to the highest of the -Mawphoo glen. These terraces close in at the head, while the entrance -into the deep ravine of the Mawphoo glen terminates it. This whole -length of area, lying one thousand feet above the level of Sanda, has -been denuded by the Tahô; the second terrace, which corresponds with -the lower one of the Mawphoo glen, is almost on the same elevation with -a level platform which extends from the head of the valley. From this -to the foot of the Mawphoo gorge seems to have been once a level flat, -perhaps a lake, like that of Yunnan, from which the Tahô precipitated -itself as a waterfall into the Sanda valley. The hills to the east, -at the base of which our route lay, instead of the bold precipitous -mountains of metamorphic rocks, were rounded trappean hills, occasional -glimpses of which reminded us of home scenery, as they swept up in -grassy curves, with dense clumps of trees on or near their summits. -Numerous watercourses seamed their sides, the channels strewn with -waterworn granite boulders, rounded lava-like masses of cellular -basalt, and large fragments of peat.</p> - -<p>The hills to the north-west rose much higher, in a lofty, well wooded -mountain wall, with grander peaks soaring beyond. Seven miles from -Nantin we halted to visit the famous hot springs. The steam rising from -them had been visible nearly a mile off; and the Nam-mine, a rather -large stream fed by them, was hot enough to startle both men and mules -while fording it. The rocks composing the side of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</span> the hill whence the -springs issue consisted of a cellular basalt and a hard quartzose rock, -the former being partially superficial, and the latter that through -which the springs issued.</p> - -<p>Seen from the west, the south-eastern side of the hill is marked by an -apparently deep, crater-like hollow, forcibly suggesting that it was -once a volcanic vent, the neighbouring rocks being almost scoriaceous, -and the internal heat being still evidenced by the boiling springs. -Besides those on the western face, others still larger occur on -its other side, some miles to the east. Of those visible, the most -important is an oval basin about three yards long, with a depth of -eight inches; about six yards from it are a number of funnels, six -inches in diameter, in the quartz rock, emitting steam. Higher up, and -fifty yards off, another strong jet of steam occurs, and on the other -side of a narrow gully are two other springs, which emit a considerable -body of boiling water through the earthy face of the hill. The water -in the principal spring comes up with great force through circular -apertures, about three inches in diameter, and the bottom of the basin -is covered with thick impalpable white mud. Owing to the heat and -volume of steam, it was only accessible on the leeward side, and the -ground was so hot that our barefooted followers could not approach by -some yards. It vibrated in a remarkable way, and the sensation was as -if one were standing over a gigantic boiler buried in the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</span> earth, which -was increased by the loud roar of the steam from the funnels, and the -indistinct rumbling noises in the hidden inferno.</p> - -<p>It is remarkable that, although the steam is at scalding heat, the -stones in it are covered with masses of green jelly, which thrive at -a temperature only ten degrees below boiling-point. The analysis of -a gallon of the water is as follows: 120 grains of solid matter; 112 -salts of alkalis, almost entirely chloride of sodium; 80 earthy salts, -silica, and oxide of iron. No nitric and but very little sulphuric -and carbonic acids were present, but traces of phosphoric acid were -detected. We were informed that the springs are much resorted to by -patients from all parts, who use the spring to cook their food, and -cure themselves in the vapour or the Nam-mine stream. After enjoying -our halt, which had been made with the full approval of the Panthay -officers and the Hotha chief, we started to overtake the cavalcade, -which had marched forward. Just as we rejoined the rear-guard, four -shots were fired in front, but as the road only admitted of single -file, and lay along a thickly wooded hillside, marked by the ruins of -many villages, no one could advance to reconnoitre. Word was presently -passed down that the mules had been attacked and two Panthay officers -wounded; but on proceeding onwards, we discovered that the affair -was more serious, and that the two officers and another man had been -killed. We soon came up to the bodies of the officers wrapped in their<span class="pagenum" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</span> -large turbans and tied to bamboos, ready to be carried back to Nantin. -The poor fellows had both been great favourites with their comrades -and the governor of Momien; and a sad group surrounded the bodies, -including their female relatives, who had ridden out from Nantin only -to lament their murder, for so it was. As they were riding at the -head of the mules, at a corner in the narrow path, a lurking body of -Chinese rushed out from the trees, shot down the first, and the second, -hurrying to the rescue, was shot through the leg and cut down with a -dah. Eight mules had their loads thrown off and looted, and were then -driven up the hills. A little further on, the scene of the disaster was -marked by the ransacked packages lying on the roadside, and among them -two boxes containing my clothes and notebooks. One of these had escaped -unopened, and was left in charge of a Panthay officer, who promised -to see it brought on. At the head of the valley a halt was called, to -enable all the Panthays to come up, as a second ambuscade was suspected -in a thickly wooded hollow in the steep hillside above.</p> - -<p>At this point the river terraces sweep round to form the head of the -valley, but the Tahô has cut a deep gorge through them. The second -terrace could be seen continuing to the north in a long upward -slope, thrown into rounded mounds, the sites of small villages, and -terminating in a distant broad plain. The hillsides were covered with -pines, and the road ran through a belt of dense forest, over the -shoulder<span class="pagenum" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</span> of a spur from the main range of hills. Here the attack -was expected to be made, so we advanced with vigilant attention to -the jungle on either hand, passing ruined villages, buried in dense -vegetation, consisting chiefly of fruit trees and garden plants run -wild. We were unmolested, and, after a short descent, came upon the -Tahô foaming along its rocky channel, spanned by a broad parapeted -bridge of gneiss and granite. The roadway exactly followed the curve -of the arch, and the ponies could scarcely keep their footing on the -smooth slabs, worn almost to a polish by the constant traffic of bygone -centuries. On the right bank a small Panthay guard met us, and reported -that they had chased a body of Chinese, lurking in the dreaded hollow. -We soon gained the level of the plain, seen in the distance as the -upward termination of the Nantin valley. From its eastern side rose -a long conical hill, stretching nearly north and south, in a black -sterile mass of lava, with the exception of its rounded grassy summit. -This remarkable extinct volcano of Hawshuenshan, rising abruptly from -the plain, stands out in striking contrast to the tumulus-shaped grassy -hills which cluster round it on all sides. A few small plants rooted -in the interstices of the rocks do not, in the distance, impart even -a trace of verdure to its barren sides, which are thrown into long -rocky curves, evidently old lava streams. We rode over the eastern -extremity of this volcano, by a broad path paved with long slabs of -gneiss and granite, and again came upon the Tahô,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</span> as a narrow rapid -stream running between it and the abrupt sides of the grassy hills to -the east. We crossed the river over another handsome stone bridge, and -passed the ruins of a rather large village. The Tahô issues at this -point from between a high spur and the volcano, through a very narrow -gorge; and the road wound up the side of the spur, and was laid with a -double line of stone flags to facilitate the ascent. From the top we -gained a fine view of the small circular lake-like valley, from which -the Tahô issued below, and looked down on numerous villages encircling -the irrigated level in its centre, which was covered with young rice. -Continuing a slight ascent over the grassy hills, by a good broad road, -we turned the flank of a lofty hill crowned with a white pagoda; and -the valley of Momien lay before us, shut in on all sides by rounded -hills, treeless, but covered with pasture.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img013"> - <img src="images/013.jpg" class="w75" alt="EXTINCT VOLCANO OF HAWSHUENSHAN; FROM SUMMIT OF MOMIEN HILL" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">EXTINCT VOLCANO OF HAWSHUENSHAN; FROM SUMMIT OF MOMIEN HILL.</p> - -<p>The hills seemed to slope almost to the walls of the city in the -centre, but the intervening area was sufficient for an almost unbroken -ring of large villages, either in ruins or deserted. To the right -rose the Deebay range, beyond which lay the road to Tali-fu, and in -the far distance the lofty Tayshan ranges, running north and south, -formed a noble background of black rugged mountains. A long narrow -valley stretched in a northerly direction, marking the course of the -Tahô, from its source in the Sin-hai or Pai-hai watershed, sixty miles -distant. Between the foot of the hill and the city wall, a long line -of flags of all<span class="pagenum" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</span> shapes and colours, and glittering spears, marked -the presence of the Tah-sa-kon of Momien. An aide-de-camp presently -arrived with a request that we would dismount and greet the governor, -who had come out to meet us. We were a motley group, not improved in -appearance by twenty-one miles’ march over muddy flats and dusty hills, -but, preceded by the most presentable sepoys, with the jemadar carrying -a gold sword in front, the three Europeans advanced under the canopy -of two gold umbrellas, through a long line of officers and banner men, -to the Tah-sa-kon, who, dressed in full mandarin costume, occupied a -richly cushioned chair, with three huge red silk umbrellas, fringed -with gold lace, held over him. He rose to welcome us with handshaking -and courteous greeting, and then escorted us to a large, well-built -temple outside the town wall, but close beneath the angle where the -governor’s palace stood. Here we took up our quarters with a sense -of profound satisfaction at having at last, after so many delays and -difficulties, reached a city of Western Yunnan.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.<br /> -<span class="small">MOMIEN.</span></h2> -</div> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Momien—The town of Teng-yue-chow—Aspect and condition—An -official reception—Return visit—Government house—A Chinese -tragedy—The market—Jade manufacture—Minerals—Mines -of Yunnan—Stone celts—Cattle—Climate—Environs—The -waterfall—Pagoda hill—Shuayduay—Rock temples—Ruined suburbs—City -temples—Four-armed deities—Boys’ school—A grand feast—The -loving-cup—The tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee—Keenzas—The Chinese poor. -</div> - - -<p>A retrospect of the journey thus far showed that since our departure -from the Burmese plain we had been steadily ascending. Although -the altitudes could not be taken with accuracy, owing to the -inefficiency of the instruments which had been supplied at Rangoon, -such observations as it was in our power to make were made; they were -subsequently reduced by the surveyor’s department at Calcutta, and the -results are approximately correct. Where it was necessary to depend on -speculation, care was taken to under-estimate the apparent altitudes. -The natives always speak of ascending to Momien and descending from -it, and, applied to the western approaches, this expression is -fully justified. From<span class="pagenum" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</span> Bhamô, four hundred and fifty feet above the -sea-level, we had climbed over the Kakhyen hills to the Sanda valley, -which, at Manwyne, lies at least two thousand feet above Bhamô. -Throughout the forty-eight miles of its length, this valley rises so -gradually as to present the appearance of a long level avenue, divided -into three stages, till the head of the Muangla division is reached. -From this it is requisite to ascend by a detour over the Mawphoo -height, to attain the fourth stage, or the valley of Nantin, lying one -thousand feet above Manwyne. From the upper extremity of the Nantin -valley, the long steps, so to speak, of the Hawshuenshan glen rise -fourteen hundred feet to Momien. Thus, the latter city, one hundred and -thirty-five miles from Bhamô, occupies a site on a plateau elevated -more than five thousand feet above the level of the sea, which is -declared by native reports to be the highest inhabited position in the -mountainous region of Western Yunnan.</p> - -<p>The Chinese city of Teng-yue-chow, better known by its Shan name of -Momien, is said to have been built four hundred years ago by a governor -of Yung-chang, obeying the king of Mansi or Yunnan, which the Shans -call Muangsee. It was probably built as a frontier garrison, to hold -in check the recently conquered territories of the Shan kingdom of -Pong. It thus became, as it still is, the ruling head-quarters of the -tributary Koshanpyi or Nine Shan States, now represented by those of -the Sanda and Hotha<span class="pagenum" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</span> valleys, with Muangtee, Muang-mo, and Muangmah. -We were able to procure a Chinese history of Momien as well as of -Tali, though both had become rare, as the rebels had destroyed the -woodblocks. These copies were brought by Major Sladen to England, in -order to be deposited in the British Museum. It is to be hoped that -some one of our Chinese scholars will find leisure to translate these -works, which would probably throw valuable light on the little known -history of these regions.</p> - -<p>The plan and construction of the city show that it was built as a -fortress. It occupies an area of five furlongs square, enclosed by a -strongly built stone wall, battlemented or crenellated, twenty-five -feet high. Twenty yards from the walls a deep moat surrounded the -once city; it was still perfect on the eastern and southern faces, -but had degenerated into a broad puddle, the favourite wallow for the -bazaar pigs, on the western. The masonry is admirable, the well hewn -slabs of lavaceous rock, two to four feet long, being laid in mortar, -hardened almost to the consistency of the stone, while the moat is -faced with stones laid together without mortar, so close and true that -a penknife can scarcely be inserted between them. Inside the wall, an -earthen rampart, about thirty feet wide and eighteen feet high, serves -as a battery, or parade ground, as well as a promenade. There are no -bastions, but at intervals turrets rise from the rampart, built of -blue burned bricks, the smooth surface and sharp edges of which are -uninjured<span class="pagenum" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</span> by the wear and tear of centuries. The four gateways, to -each of which corresponds a substantial bridge spanning the moat, are -lofty and well built; but at the time of our visit, two of these gates -had been built up. The south-western or bazaar gate was especially -fortified by a semicircular traverse, an entrance in the side of which -led into a tunnel-like archway, over which rose a lofty watch-tower, -with concave roof, supported by strong pillars. The inner doorway was -closed by heavy ironclad wooden valves, which were carefully shut at -nightfall. Viewed from a distance, the walls and turrets, with a lofty -pagoda and the roof of the watch-tower, seemed to indicate a populous -and thriving town; but within the walls was almost emptiness. The -broad rectangular streets were comparatively deserted, save by a few -Panthay soldiers, who with their families formed the sole intramural -population. But few houses remained uninjured, the best of these being -the dwellings of the governor and his officers. The numerous temples -had been gutted and half demolished. The images and huge stone incense -vases had been overthrown and broken, while the ruined walls pitted -with bullets showed the fierceness of the struggle which had taken -place. The absence of all the wonted bustle and noise of a crowded -city was made more striking by the evidence on all sides of the former -prosperity and population.</p> - -<p>Our stay at Momien extended over six weeks; but the state of the -country, combined with the weather,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</span> reduced us almost to inaction. -The depressing monotony of life under these circumstances was, however, -relieved by the unvarying kindness of the hospitable Panthays. Our -first day was devoted to arrangement of ourselves and baggage, in which -a crowd of curious visitors assisted by uttering astonished “Iyaws!” at -everything possessed by the foreigners, whose persons and goods each -was anxious to inspect.</p> - - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img014"> - <img src="images/014.jpg" class="w75" alt="WITHIN THE WALLS OF MOMIEN OR TENG-YUE-CHOW" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">WITHIN THE WALLS OF MOMIEN OR TENG-YUE-CHOW.</p> - -<p>The following day having been appointed by the governor for our -reception, we entered the town in state, preceded by twenty Mahommedan -sepoys of the escort, carrying the presents. These consisted of -green and yellow broadcloths, muslins, gaudy rugs and table covers, -double-barrelled guns and revolvers, with all appliances, powder -and shot, penknives, scissors, a binocular glass, telescope, and -musical-box, and a quantity of Bryant and May’s matches.</p> - -<p>A large but well-behaved crowd of poverty-stricken Chinese had -assembled, who matched well with the ruinous houses of the suburb. We -entered by the south-western gate into a narrow dirty street, from -which a lane led to the governor’s house, surrounded by a low wall. The -gateway, about fifteen feet high, was formed of plain squared stone -pillars, with others laid horizontally across them, like the cross -beams of a doorway. This led into the usual Chinese succession of -quadrangular courts. In a small circular pavilion were stationed some -ragged musicians, who struck up a lively air on gongs and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</span> cymbals. -As we crossed the court to the house, a salute was fired from three -small cannon that were stuck into the ground, with muzzles upwards. A -rabble followed into the doorway leading to the inner court, at the end -of which, in the reception hall, sat the governor. He rose to receive -us, and motioned us to sit on his left hand, at a long table, on which -the presents were laid before him. Behind his seat there was a raised -recess, covered with red cloth, in which stood a small chair of state. -The sides of the room were hung with long narrow strips of blue and -red cloth, covered with Chinese characters in gold-leaf. The superior -officers occupied chairs along each side of the room, and a crowd of -underlings blocked up the entrance. The governor was a powerful man, -fully six feet three inches high, with prominent cheek-bones, heavy -protuberant lips, slightly hooked nose, and faintly oblique eyes. His -face was bronzed by exposure, and a deep indentation between the eyes, -with other scars, told of campaigns, in which he was said to be ever -foremost in the fight. He wore a grey felt hat, resembling a helmet -placed sideways, the front half of the rim being turned up, and the -back part downwards. A gold rosette, set with large precious stones, -formed a handsome ornament in front, and a long blue silk topknot hung -down behind. A pale blue silk coat, richly figured, exactly resembling -a dressing-gown, completed his costume. Sladen expressed our deep -regret at the death of the two officers, and promised<span class="pagenum" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</span> to suggest to -our government to compensate their families. The governor replied that -we were not to distress ourselves, as they considered it an honour to -die as those men had done. As to the opening of trade, he declared -that any number of English merchants might visit Momien in the ensuing -November; that he had arranged with the Shan tsawbwas, and could manage -the Kakhyens, so that caravans should pass safely; but he hinted that -there were too many people then present to admit of this question -being discussed. He expressed great pleasure at the presents, and the -musical-box being set agoing excited universal admiration; the matches -astonished the company; but the sincerest satisfaction was called -forth by the guns and powder. Tea, preserved oranges, jujubes, and -sugar-candy were served round. In the course of general conversation -the governor stated that the Sultan had been pleased to hear of our -intended visit to Momien; but he feared that the road to Tali-fu was -too infested with Chinese bands to allow of our proceeding further.</p> - -<p>The governor, attended by an armed retinue, paid his return visit of -ceremony the next day, carried in a gorgeous chair, and dressed in -full mandarin robes, while his officers were gaily attired in white -cotton jackets, braided, and adorned with silver buttons. They made -a gallant show of gold swords, silver spears, banners, and other -insignia. Presents were brought in, consisting of a bullock, sheep, -trays of confectionery, and forty thousand cash.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</span> The latter were at -first declined, but the courteous Tah-sa-kon would take no refusal, and -the cash furnished an acceptable largess to the escort and followers, -giving each about one rupee. The mission funds were, in truth, rather -low about this time, which, it may be noted, operated against the -acquisition of specimens of the local manufactures, save to a very -limited amount. Among the confectionery sent was a quantity of fine -white granulated honey, and a strong warning was given against the use -of onions, as the combination of onions and honey in the system would -be a certain poison.</p> - -<p>When taking leave, the governor suggested that now the claims of -etiquette had been satisfied, we should consider ourselves free of -government house, as well as the town in general, and come and go as -we liked, and promised that he would visit us <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">sans cérémonie</em>. -Our guard and the Panthays fraternised completely, their common -faith uniting them, and the Chinese Mahommedans treated the true -believers from India with great respect. The jemadar was indeed in -constant request to officiate at the mosque, till he lost his voice by -over-exertion.</p> - -<p>True to his promise, the governor appeared bent on carrying us off -to an entertainment at his house. We were received in the same room -as before, but were invited to sit with our host on the dais at the -further end; constant relays of tea-cakes and sweetmeats were brought -in, to all of which each man was expected to do his duty. Shouts of -laughter<span class="pagenum" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</span> reached our ears from time to time, as the ladies, our -host’s four wives and their maids, amused themselves in the adjacent -zenana with the magnetic battery. Our circle was presently joined by -the tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee, who was on a visit to the governor. She -was attended by several well-dressed Shan ladies, and they chatted and -laughed with that charming good humour which seems characteristic of -the Shans.</p> - -<p>We were then shown over the private apartments by the governor himself, -who led us first to his bedroom, a snug little windowless room, lighted -by two doors facing each other, containing a large four-post bed, with -blue silk curtains looped up by silver chains, and a comfortable couch, -while the walls were decorated with an English eight-day clock, and -Chinese pictures and old armour. Passing through the room, we entered -a small court, where a number of tailors sat busily at work in a -verandah. This led to the zenana, or women’s apartments, a pretty range -of buildings, surrounding a small garden, ornamented with large vases, -containing dwarfed fruit and pine trees, and stone tanks filled with -goldfish. The trees included peach, plum, orange, box, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., about two -to four feet in height, which had been dwarfed by tying knots in the -stem of the sapling. On our way back, we passed through a room hung -round with war hats gorgeously decorated with the tail feathers of the -Lady Amherst and golden pheasants, and with the handsome fox-like<span class="pagenum" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</span> -brush of the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">wah</em> (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Ailurus fulgens</em>, F. Cuv.). After this -inspection, we were conducted to an open hall, in which a theatrical -entertainment was to take place. More tea and cakes were produced, -while large copper vases of incense burned close to us, and the heavy -fumes produced a drowsy feeling. The stage was a pavilion about twenty -feet long, closed on three sides, with two doors behind it, one for -the entrance and the other for the exit of the players. The orchestra -of violins, gongs, and cymbals, occupied the back of the stage, and -discoursed most monotonous music, like the clatter of crockery, with -occasional bangs and screeches. A small panelled picture of birds and -flowers served as scenery, and the properties were a table like an -inverted pyramid, with a chair on either side of it. The characters -were all sustained by male performers, who, on this occasion, presented -a tragedy, turning on the Chinese virtue of filial obedience. This -required the hero to obey his mother by rebelling against his -father-in-law and killing the princess, his wife; but the latter solved -the difficulty by suicide, and mother and son joined in lamentation -over her. The hero had his face painted red, and adorned with a long -black beard and moustache; he was accoutred in a gorgeous coat, richly -embroidered with dragons and flowers, a hat with a fine bushy tail -of <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Ailurus fulgens</em>, red trousers, and black satin boots. He -bellowed and blustered, and strode about the stage as if practising the -goose-step; the close<span class="pagenum" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</span> of every speech being emphasized by a bound in -the air. While the play was going on, we were expected to consume the -contents of eight bowls containing fowl chopped up with salted goose, -dried prawns, mushrooms, vegetables, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., each dish being evidently -a choice specimen of Chinese cuisine. <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Ahyek</em>, or samshoo, was -then served round, but the governor, as a good Mussulman, abstained -from the forbidden liquor; small saucers of rice and condiments came -next, but after three hours of eating we beat a retreat from the still -interminable feast and drama.</p> - -<p>The hospitable governor renewed his invitation the next afternoon, when -a farcical comedy was played, which was very broad, but fortunately -brief. As this was the market-day, two officers were detached to -escort us through the bazaar, the principal street of which extended -half a mile straight from the south-western city gates. Each side was -occupied by permanent shops, and a double row of stalls, protected by -huge umbrellas, lined the whole length of the street. A dense crowd of -Chinese, Shans, and Panthays, with a small sprinkling of Leesaws and -Kakhyens, thronged every avenue; the people were quite good-humoured, -but their curiosity would have been very troublesome but for the -presence of the officers. This, however, was only at first; during our -stay we roamed at will through the streets of the bazaar suburb, as -well as within the walls. The shops were small, one-storied cottages, -each devoted to a particular trade. Drapers, booksellers, druggists,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</span> -dealers in tobacco and nuts, provision merchants, displayed their -several wares, but, except on the market-day, with little custom. -Numerous eating-houses were crowded by the better class of customers, -while the poorer villagers were supplied by lads hawking comestibles. -The stalls made a rich display of vegetables and fruit; among the -former were peas, green and dried beans, potatoes, celery, carrots, -onions, garlic, yams, bamboo shoots, cabbage and spinach, and ginger; -the fruit comprised apples like golden pippins, pears, peaches, -walnuts, chestnuts, brambleberries, rose-hips, and three sorts of -unknown fruit. Mushrooms were in great demand, as well as a dried, -almost black lichen; black pepper, betel-nut, and poppy capsules -were seen on almost every stall, and salt sold in compressed balls, -marked with a government stamp. Other departments contained coloured -Chinese cloths and yarns, and buttons, English long and broad cloth, -needles, and brass buttons, Mahommedan skull-caps, embroidered in gold -thread, rings, mouth-pieces and brooches of amber and jade, opium -pipes, and Chinese hookahs. Running at right angles to the principal -street is another devoted to tailors and ready-made clothes stores, -and coppersmiths, who supply all kitchen appliances, and manufacture -the copper discs used in cutting jade. Along this street we came to -the store of the principal Chinese merchant, who invited us in, and -was very hospitable. His laments over the decay of the former trade -with Burma, caused by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</span> the civil war, showed clearly to which side his -sympathies inclined; and it was evident that he, as well as all the -non-Mahommedan Chinese, were only kept to their present allegiance by -the strong hand. The whole bazaar suburb was surrounded by a low brick -wall with several gates, each guarded by a sentinel at night, and the -Chinese resided here, being evidently excluded from the city. Although -the manufactures seemed to be in a very depressed state, the quarters -of the various artificers were still traceable; in a by-street we -had an opportunity of viewing the manufacture of jade ornaments. The -copper discs employed, a foot and a half in diameter, are very thin -and bend easily; the centre is beaten out into a cup, which receives -the end of the revolving cylinder. We watched two men at work, one -using the cutter, and the other a borer tipped with a composition of -quartz and little particles resembling ruby dust. Both were driven by -treadles; the stone is held below the disc, under which is a basin of -water and fine, silicious mud, into which the stone is occasionally -dipped, the operator taking handfuls of the mud. The stones are cut -into discs one-eighth of an inch thick, when intended for ear-rings, -and handed over to the borer to be perforated. The most valuable jade -is of an intensely bright green, something like emerald; but red and -pale pink qualities are highly prized. In the extensive ruins outside -the bazaar there was ample evidence, in the rejected fragments of -jade, that the manufacture<span class="pagenum" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</span> must have been formerly carried on on a -much more extensive scale. The jade is obtained from the mines in the -Mogoung district, where large masses in the form of rounded boulders -are dug out of the pits; in former times a large quantity was yearly -imported to Momien. One hundred rupees was the price asked for a pair -of bracelets of the finest jade, and at Bhamô four rupees purchased -rings worth £2 at Canton.</p> - -<p>Of amber-workers, who manufactured rosaries, rings, mouth-pieces, -<abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., from the amber brought from the mines in the Hukong valley, near -Mogoung, but few remained at the time of our visit. The amber most -prized is perfectly clear, and the colour of very dark sherry. A -triangular specimen, one inch long, and one across, cost ten shillings.</p> - -<p>At the bazaar there was a plentiful display of the mineral wealth of -Western Yunnan, which is rich in gold, silver, lead, iron, copper, tin, -mercury, arsenic, and gypsum; and we obtained small specimens of most -of these minerals, including a yellow orpiment, exported in quantities -from Tali to Mandalay, whither a large amount of tin also is annually -sent. The copper is brought from a range of hills near Khyto, three -days’ march to the north-east. It is smelted on the spot, and brought -in flattish pigs. The same hills are said to yield all the iron and -salt used in Western Yunnan; but the most precious product of the -Khyto mines is galena. Of this, a small specimen has been assayed by -<abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Oldham, who has pronounced it to be among the richest that he has -ever<span class="pagenum" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</span> seen; it yields 0·278 per cent., or 104 <abbr title="ounce">oz.</abbr> of silver to the ton -of lead. Flints and large quantities of lime are brought from Tali-fu, -where large quarries of fine white marble exist. Sulphur is procured -in the neighbourhood, but we could not learn the locality. Li-sieh-tai -was subsequently reported to be raising sulphur to the south-west, and -an Old Resident<span class="fnanchor" id="fna26"><a href="#fn26">[26]</a></span> in Western China mentions a rich mine of sulphur -belonging to the northern frontier town of Atenze, behind a little mine -of saltpetre. The Chinese report on the mines of Yunnan, appended to -the records of the French expedition, states that in 1850 the copper -mines of Yunnan, of which Tali-fu is the principal depot, produced -over eleven thousand tons, and the silver amounted to two millions -of francs. The Old Resident, however, says that before the outbreak -of the rebellion there were one hundred and thirty-two copper mines, -government knowing only of thirty-seven; and as the above account was -calculated on the returns made to the government, who exact from thirty -to fifty per cent. of the produce, it is plain that the mineral wealth -of Yunnan is even greater than it is set forth in that report. Gold is -brought to Momien from Yonephin and Sherg-wan villages, fifteen days’ -march to the north-east; but no information could be obtained as to the -quantity found. It is also brought in leaf, which is sent to Burma, -where it is in extensive demand.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</span></p> - -<p>In the drug-shops a powder was vended as a nervous restorative, made -of the horn of an antelope ground down, and sold at one rupee per -tickal;<span class="fnanchor" id="fna27"><a href="#fn27">[27]</a></span> and the pharmacopœia also included the powdered shells of a -tortoise (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Testudo platynotus</em>, Blyth), imported from Upper Burma, -and snuff made of sambur horn, used as a styptic for bleeding from the -nose. We were much surprised to find stone celts openly offered for -sale. When it was known that we would purchase, numbers were brought -in, and we acquired a collection of one hundred and fifty specimens, -at prices varying from two shillings to sixpence. Their poverty and -not their will constrained the owners to part with them, for they are -believed to confer good luck on the owner, and to possess curative -properties if dipped in medicine, and are exhibited to procure easy -parturition. They are usually turned up by the plough; and the popular -belief is that they fall from the sky as thunderbolts, and take nine -years to work up to the surface. The high estimation in which they are -held suggests that a Chinese Flint Jack made a profitable business -of imitating the real implements, or manufacturing amulets of the -same type. A large number of those purchased are small, beautifully -cut forms, with few or no signs of use, and made of some variety of -jade; but there is no reason to doubt the authenticity of the larger -forms which were brought to us. Bronze<span class="pagenum" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</span> celts are also found, but are -valued at their weight in gold; we managed, however, to purchase one at -Manwyne on the return journey. It belongs to the socketed type of celts -without wings. The composition of the bronze is the same as that of the -celts found in Northern Europe—tin 10, copper 90.</p> - -<p>In consequence of a long period of drought preceding our arrival, -the slaughter of animals had been forbidden, as it was feared that -the rain would be withheld as a punishment, a curious instance of -Buddhist superstition affecting the Panthays and Chinese; but in two -days the rains set in, and the prohibition was removed. The markets -were thenceforward well supplied with bullocks, buffaloes, sheep, -goats, and pigs. The buffaloes are chiefly used for agriculture; -the beeves have no hump, and are small but well made, generally of -reddish-brown colour, deepening to black. The numerous sheep belong to -a large blackfaced breed, with convex profiles. Two kinds of goats are -common; one with long shaggy white hair nearly sweeping the ground, and -flattened spiral horns, directed backwards and outwards; the other kind -has very short dark brown hair, short shoulder list, and full beard, -with similar flattened spiral horns, but not so procumbent. The pigs -seemed to be all black. Remarkably fine ponies were common; but the -mules, which were much more numerous, are more prized. Fowls, ducks, -and geese are abundant and large; and last, though not least, cats, all -of a uniform grey, with faint darkish spots,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</span> made themselves at home -everywhere. But we noticed very few dogs, those seen being black with -shaggy coats, resembling the shepherd dogs of the south of Scotland.</p> - -<p>It has been mentioned that the rains set in soon after our arrival. -From June 1st the south-west monsoon prevailed, with very few fair -intervals. The sky was obscured by thick, misty clouds, that wrapped -the hills in dense folds. As a rule, the rain fell very heavily; but -there were days together when it was little more than a thick Scotch -mist in a dead calm. Occasional thunderstorms of terrific grandeur -burst over the valley, accompanied by strong gusts from the south-west; -but the most characteristic feature of the weather was the generally -perfect stillness of the atmosphere, while low leaden clouds poured -down incessant rain, generally heavy, but sometimes only a gentle -drizzle, all which combined had a sufficiently depressing effect on -us. The temperature was by no means oppressive, the mean maximum in -June being seventy-four degrees, and the minimum sixty-two degrees. The -natives strongly assert that the climate is unhealthy for strangers, -and we all suffered more or less from intractable diarrhœa. Smallpox, -too, was prevalent; and one of our collectors and a Kakhyen sub-chief, -who had accompanied us, died from it. We were strongly cautioned -against the use of the river water, to which the natives attribute the -prevalence of goitre, which is most unpleasantly remarkable among men -and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</span> women and children, some goitres being so large as to require -special support; even young infants were observed affected by it, and -in their case it must have been congenital. Otherwise the children -seemed very healthy, notwithstanding their rags and dirt, and not -a single case of fever was observed, though about sixty or seventy -patients were treated for other diseases.</p> - -<p>The fact that by far the greater part of the valley is under water for -six or seven months, during three of which it is little better than a -huge morass, would not seem to recommend it as salubrious; but it must -be remembered that it lies more than five thousand feet above the level -of the sea, in the twenty-fourth parallel of north latitude, and is a -comparatively dry and temperate country, singularly destitute of trees, -which conditions would combine to place it beyond the range of miasma.</p> - -<p>The worthy governor showed great anxiety about our health. He refused, -on the score of security against prowling robbers, to let us shift our -quarters, but sent guards to accompany us in an occasional ramble round -the precincts of the city. So great was the insecurity that we dared -not venture more than a few hundred yards from the walls unattended. -A favourite walk was to a place less than a mile to the north-west of -the town. Here the Tahô, after flowing through the valley, precipitates -itself, in an all but unbroken sheet of water, over a cliff one hundred -feet high; thence it foams down<span class="pagenum" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</span> a steep glen to the little valley -of Hawshuenshan. Immediately above the fall the stream is spanned by -a substantial stone bridge of three arches with roofed approaches. -Below this the thick bed of basaltic trap, over which the river leaps, -is worn into a miniature horseshoe; and the overhanging luxuriant -vegetation of ferns and brambles, and wild roses with double flowers, -formed a strikingly beautiful scene. In the rains the body of water was -so great that a column of spray ascended which was visible two miles -off. From this point the crenellated walls of Momien, with the distant -background of lofty ranges, completed a striking picture. Above the -bridge the Tahô flows down in a tortuous stream twenty yards broad, -well stocked with large gold carp (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Cavassius auratus</em>, Lin.), -between banks ten feet high; and the rice fields on either side are -irrigated by large wheels raising the water in long bamboo buckets, -which discharge themselves into wooden pipes leading to the fields. -These wheels are numerous in the valley.</p> - - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img015"> - <img src="images/015.jpg" class="w75" alt="WATERFALL OF THE TAHÔ; MOMIEN IN THE DISTANCE" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">WATERFALL OF THE TAHÔ; MOMIEN IN THE DISTANCE.</p> - - -<p>After visiting the waterfall, we ascended the pagoda hill, about one -thousand feet above the town. The path led through potato-fields now -in full bloom, the plants grown in ridges, and earthed up with a -home-like effect. The leaf is smaller than that of the home plant, and -the tubers in the market had a thin red skin; but they were very good, -and in great demand at fourpence for three pounds and a half. Nothing -could be learned of the introduction of this plant, nor of the celery, -which is also largely cultivated,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</span> and seemed quite as out of place. -The potato, however, is called <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">yan-gee</em>, evidently the same as -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">yang-yu</em>, foreign root, which, according to <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper,<span class="fnanchor" id="fna28"><a href="#fn28">[28]</a></span> is -its name in Sz-chuen, where it is said to have been introduced by the -foreign teachers, i.e. the French missionaries, long ago. The lower -slope of the hill was covered with stone tumulus-shaped tombs, the -arched head of each containing a tablet with an epitaph. Ruder graves -were simple earthen tumuli, each with its arched opening blocked by -a large stone. The slopes of the hills surrounding the valley are -dotted with similar graveyards—mute records of the population that -once thronged the ruined villages lying below. Near the summit stood -a pagoda, a whitewashed round brick tower on a stone base with six -projecting rings. The hill itself, like all the eminences around, was -covered with fine grass, and a number of mules were grazing under -the protection of a Panthay guard. A pleasant illustration of the -prevailing insecurity was given a few days later, when this guard was -attacked and forty mules driven off by imperialist Chinese. We were -unmolested, and climbed to the summit, flushing from the bracken beds a -magnificent cock pheasant (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Phasianus sladeni</em>, And.), with long -tail feathers, resembling some noticed in a Panthay head-dress. Sladen -afterwards bagged the hen; and we also obtained a young fox with a -golden-yellow coat and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</span> white-tipped brush, apparently of the Himalayan -race. Returning, we observed a large arched cavern, which proved to be -an old quarry of trachytic rock, which had probably furnished the city -walls. On one occasion we were permitted to make a longer excursion -to the valley of Hawshuenshan. Our party must have consisted of -thirty-five men, all armed, the Panthay guard, equipped with spears and -muskets, being commanded by the governor’s nephew, with several other -officers: all this being necessary for safety during a mere suburban -stroll. Turning southerly from Momien, we soon came in sight of the -town of Yay-law, the deserted ruins of which stretched for more than a -mile along the foot of the Deebay range. We skirted the pagoda hill, -remarking a curious isolated heap of lava; no other rock was visible -for miles around, and it had all the appearance of a small volcanic -vent, and the rock was identical with that of the extinct volcano.</p> - -<p>Rounding the hills two miles from Momien, a slight westerly descent -led to a short narrow gorge, at the south-eastern angle of the little -circular valley of Hawshuenshan. The once wealthy village of Shuayduay -occupies an abrupt slope at the head of the gorge, rising in a series -of terraces faced with mortarless walls of very porous lava, laid as -closely as the facing of the Momien ditch, and protected by parapets -of sun-dried brick. A small stream runs down the ravine, which is -not more than a quarter of a mile long and fifty yards broad, to a -substantial<span class="pagenum" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</span> tank crossed by a broad stone platform, arched on one -side to allow the overflow to escape. Facing Hawshuenshan valley, the -platform expands into a handsome, crescent-shaped terrace, enclosed by -an elegant stone balustrade, which forms the entrance to a temple built -on the southern slope, opposite to Shuayduay. This temple, rising in -terraces on the steep hillside, standing out beautifully against the -background of green hills, was the only one spared by the Mahommedans, -whose stern bigotry could not resist its beauty. The approach to the -temple buildings lay through two curved courtyards with handsome arched -gateways. The first enclosure was an open square with three sides built -on the same level, the nearest one of which contained the priests’ -apartments; to the right and left lay a neat garden of dwarfed fruit -trees, the centre of which was occupied by a few stunted trees covered -with a profusion of yellow orchids in full flower, and a magnificent -hydrangea in a colossal vase; the furthest side next the hill was -raised on a stone terrace four feet above the level of the rest. On -this higher platform stood life-sized gilded figures of deities, with -incense always burning in small black stone vases, and on a table -in front of the images lay a large drum and grotesque hollow wooden -fishes, which the priests and worshippers beat with short sticks. -A passage led through each side of the court to stone staircases -proceeding to the terrace above, and converging in its centre in -an hexagonal tower,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</span> supported on stone pillars seven feet high; -these formed an archway from which ascended a short flight of steps, -dividing to the right and left to reach the highest terrace, nearly -on a level with which was a chapel forming the upper chamber of the -hexagonal tower. The upper temple occupied the whole of its terrace, -built entirely of wood, except the back and end walls. The front was -panelled with richly gilt lattice work, while the eaves and ceilings -were coloured in imitation of porcelain. Behind a screen, adorned with -richly coloured carvings of birds and flowers, sat three life-sized -gilded figures on altars, apparently of porcelain. The central figure, -of marble, represented a woman seated on a lotus, with a flower of -the lily beneath her feet; she held forth a naked male child, seated -on one hand, and supported by the other in front, the child’s sex -being strongly marked. This was the goddess Kwan-yin, goddess of mercy -and conception, and her presence would seem to mark the shrine as a -Taouist temple. These terraced rock temples resembled those described -by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper as visited by him at Chung Ching. The stone walls of -the shrine were not carried to the roof, but finished with wooden -panelling, pierced with circular windows of elegant tracery. These were -so arranged that the light fell full on the seated figures. From the -centre of this terrace a narrow stair led down to the chapel on the top -of the hexagonal tower, within which sat a fine Buddhistic figure, with -the head in white marble tinted brown.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</span></p> - -<p>Following a well-paved track along the hill to the east of the valley, -a ride of a quarter of a mile brought us to the walled Chinese town of -Hawshuenshan, built on the slope of the hill. The valley is abruptly -closed in on three sides by rounded grassy hills rising suddenly round -the dead level of the centre, then inundated for the rice crop. The -south-west side is closed by the long low range of the extinct volcano, -with a white pagoda standing out in strong relief from its black and -barren side.</p> - -<p>Hawshuenshan had evidently been a place of great importance, being a -much larger town than Shuayduay, and must have contained at least three -thousand inhabitants. At this time a considerable number of refugees -had here found an asylum, who had fled from the deserted villages of -Shangnan, Tahinshan, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. We were shown an open grassy plot on the -southern outskirts of the town which had, only a few months previously, -been strewn with the corpses of imperialist Chinese. The people of -Hawshuenshan had declared against the Panthays, and joined the Chinese -partisan Low-quang-fang; on this plot they had been attacked and -defeated. As usual, no quarter was given, and all who failed to fly -were massacred, and afterwards buried where they fell. A fine temple -overlooked a small stream running down from Shuayduay, and which now -formed a small lake just outside the town. This water was crossed by a -handsome stone bridge, with picturesque archways. From this we followed -a raised causeway<span class="pagenum" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</span> to the head of the valley, and, passing the Tahô -waterfall on the left, ascended gradually four hundred feet to Momien. -This vale of Hawshuenshan, though not more than two miles long by one -broad, had been once encircled by large villages, the ruins of which -still attested that before the war they must have been places of no -little wealth.</p> - -<p>With the exception of the walled bazaar, the once populous -<em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">faubourgs</em> of Momien had been laid in ruins; the heaps of bricks, -the stone sides of the ancient wells deeply grooved by rope marks, and -the long rows of detached mounds, with little grass-grown squares, -defined the position of the southern and north-eastern suburbs. The -houses of the north occupying a smaller area, surrounded by fine -gardens, and shut in between the river and the city wall, seemed to -have escaped demolition.</p> - -<p>Amidst the general desolation within the city walls, two remarkable -objects of art and nature stood, as it were, memorials of the past. One -was a tall whitewashed pagoda seven stories in height, of the usual -and familiar Chinese form. The other was a magnificent fir tree, which -towered fully one hundred feet, although its top had been broken by a -storm; at the height of four feet from the ground, the trunk measured -fifteen feet in circumference.</p> - -<p>In default of other resources, we spent a good deal of time strolling -among the ruined temples and monasteries, which were numerous both in -the city and suburbs; by far the greater majority were in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</span> ruins, but a -few only partially destroyed were still tenanted by a few poor priests -who, in spite of the Mahommedans, kept the incense burning before the -gods of their forefathers. The massive stone gateways, richly carved -roofs, and the elaborate decorations of the altars and images, afforded -proofs of a high proficiency in art. Combinations of plants and birds -furnished many of the designs of the decorations, executed either in -well chiselled carvings or richly coloured paintings. In the carvings, -dragons and monsters are frequent; all are generally coloured, the -standard tints being red, blue, green, and yellow. The outsides of the -principal walls are frequently decorated with medallion pictures of -small animals and birds in black, grey, and white, alternating with -squares or circles of complex geometrical figures. As far as could be -judged from the images of the various deities, these temples appeared -to be shrines of a compound of Buddhism, Taouism, and Confucianism, -though no Buddhist priests were to be seen—or at least their yellow -religious garb was nowhere visible—the priests having no distinctive -costume, and living generally in their own houses in the suburbs. -The images of the deities are nearly all life-sized, the place of -honour being occupied sometimes by one, sometimes by three, seated on -a pedestal in the centre of the principal hall. Around the central -figures are disposed the statues of lesser deities, sages and scholars. -In one temple where the central images were undoubtedly Buddhistic, the -walls of the outer court<span class="pagenum" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</span> were surrounded by fifty life-sized male and -female figures, all seated, which seemed to represent the army of the -Thagyameng. In another the chief deity was a colossal seated image, -with a dragon at each knee, and the body of a snakelike dragon passing -up under the double girdle, and breaking on the breast into a number -of heads, recalling the seven-headed cobras of Hindoo mythology; the -head and neck of a serpent-formed dragon issued, too, from under each -armpit. Some of the female figures are seated on lions, other forms -have the heads of bulls and birds, while four-armed figures also occur. -In the khyoung, which formed our residence, there was a figure of -Puang-ku, the creator, seated on a bed of leaves resembling those of -the sacred <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">padma</em> or lotus. This remarkable four-armed figure was -life size, and naked, save for garlands of leaves around the neck and -loins. He was seated cross-legged like Buddha, the two uppermost arms -stretched out, forming each a right angle. The right hand held a white -disc and the left a red one. The two lower arms were in the attitude -of carving, the right hand holding a mallet and the left a chisel. -Except the Shuayduay images, which were of stone, almost all were -constructed in the following manner: a frame of wood, making a sort -of lay figure, is roughly put together, and afterwards padded to the -proper proportions with layers of straw wound tightly over it; a layer -of clay is plastered over the whole, and when dry, the flesh tints are -laid on with marked<span class="pagenum" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</span> realistic truth, and the garments duly coloured. -The fact that the breast of every image of importance had been broken -open seemed to show that a jewel or gold had been deposited therein, as -is the custom in Burma.</p> - -<p>During our stay the festival of the Goddess of Agriculture occurred. -The stem of an iris and a branch of wild indigo were hung up over every -door, and a general holiday observed; but nothing else marked the -occasion, save that the priests insisted on kindling the incense in our -khyoung, which act of devotion had been on other days pretermitted for -the sake of our lungs. In one of the few khyoungs still inhabited by -priests—all of which were situated in out-of-the-way places outside -the town—I found a boys’ school conducted by an intelligent priest. A -heavy shower of rain drove me in for refuge, and the master, who was -seated at a low black desk, politely invited me to a seat. The pupils -at once left their desks and crowded round us. A sign directing them -to resume their desks and tasks was only so far obeyed that all began -shouting their lessons at the full pitch of their voices; a word from -the master, however, quickly dispersed them. I produced cheroots, and -the priest sent for tea, and we chatted for an hour. Lying on the desk -was a flat piece of wood like a gigantic paper-cutter. To explain its -use, he called up a small boy, and, taking one of his hands, rubbed the -palm with the instrument in a mysterious way. Suddenly, however, the -paper-cutter rose and descended rapidly, tears started to the boy’s -eyes, but<span class="pagenum" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</span> were dried by a kindly word from the master, explaining -that it was only an exhibition, not a punishment. The boys, whose -ages varied from six to fifteen, seemed to enjoy their lessons there. -The school hours lasted from nine to five o’clock, with an hour and -a half’s interval, during which each boy purchased his dinner from a -hawker of small bowls of Chinese dainties. Every boy has his own books, -and, seated at a table, shouts his lesson aloud till he thinks he knows -it, and then proceeds to attempt to recite it to the master, on whom -he turns his back during the repetition. They learn to write at the -same time as to read, for each boy first copies his lesson, getting -the exact pronunciation of each letter and word from the master—thus -whole books are committed to memory; but the babel of voices during -the process is deafening, and the plan is not recommended for adoption -to our school boards, although the punishment of the paper-knife might -offer them a good model for imitation.</p> - -<p>One bright little Momien boy was a great favourite; he was the pet -son of the chief military officer, who brought him, as being deaf and -dumb, in order to see what could be done. As the child attempted to -imitate sounds, he was not deaf, and careful examination discovered -that he was tongue-tied. A successful operation removed the impediment, -much to the astonishment and delight of his father. The latter, whose -title was Tah-zung-gyee, was a fine young Panthay soldier, of rather -a jovial<span class="pagenum" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</span> temperament. He invited us to a grand feast at his house, -which was one of the few remaining uninjured within the walls. The -invitation was duly conveyed to each on a piece of pink paper; and -at the hour appointed—about 1 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>—a messenger arrived to -inform us that the feast was ready. The house was approached through an -outer court containing the stables. It formed a large square enclosing -a central court. The principal building, facing the entrance, was -raised on a terrace about four feet high, with a flight of steps at -either end, each leading into an open hall. From this two doors led -to the women’s apartments. The buildings on the other three sides -of the square suggested Swiss cottages by their deep eaves and the -large latticed windows of the second floor. A kitchen and store-rooms -occupied the ground floor, and on one side was a dovecot. The eaves of -the house were richly decorated with carvings representing landscapes -with running water, bridges, and trees. A court outside contained a -very choice garden filled with dwarf trees in vases; besides which, -there were tall crimson hollyhocks and passion flowers. Two small stone -tanks contained gold fish with remarkable doubly divided tails; and in -one corner there was a model roughly carved in stone of a hillside, -with caves and a pagoda. The walls of the rooms were decorated with -Chinese landscapes and pictures of birds, in sepia and colours, -which were mounted on rollers, like maps on a school-room wall. The -entertainment, as usual, commenced with tea and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</span> cakes, followed by -delicious nectarines and plums; after which came the more solid items -of the repast. A decoction of samshoo seasoned with aromatic herbs was -handed round like a loving-cup, our host first taking a vigorous pull, -and passing it round till the jug was emptied. The liquid was warm and -rather agreeable; but it fell to my lot to finish the contents, and, -much to my disgust, I observed unmistakable pieces of pork fat among -the herbs and spices. Our Mahommedan host not only drank samshoo, but -allowed his drink to be thus flavoured with pork! He was most genial, -and declared he would most willingly bestow his sisters on us as wives; -and, in token of friendship, presented each with a jade ring and -camellias. The women were curiously watching the strangers from the -curtained doors; and towards the close of the evening the host asked -for remedies for barrenness, with which some females of his household -were affected. After some hesitation, the three patients mustered -courage to show themselves, and were fine, young buxom women, with -dwarfed feet. Some disappointment was evidently experienced at the -refusal to prescribe for such patients as these.</p> - -<p>The jealous reserve of the Chinese ladies was always pleasantly -contrasted by the Shan manners, which united perfect modesty with -a frank and pleasant demeanour. Thus the tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee -visited us with her retinue of ladies. The old lady was splendidly -attired, her towering turban being ornamented in front with the Panthay -rosette of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</span> green, blue, and pink stones set in gold, and at the sides -with little silver triangles set with small enamelled flowers. Her -skirt was richly embroidered in silk and gold thread, and her light -blue silk jacket was trimmed with black satin, which contrasted well -with her massive gold bracelets. She wore amber and jade finger-rings, -and a handsome silver chatelaine and richly embroidered fan-case -hanging by her side. One of her maidens carried a small Chinese hookah, -and another her embossed silver boxes of betel-nut, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. She was greatly -pleased with a present of a handsome carpet, needles, scissors, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.; -and her maids were charmed with small circular mirrors, which they at -once fastened to their jackets as ornaments. These <em>keenzas</em>, as -they called them, were immensely prized; and a few days after, as I was -engaged in searching for land shells below the city wall, one of the -Shan ladies hailed me from the battlements. The owner of the pretty -face peering over the wall was evidently begging for something, which -at first I thought was cheroots, and bade her by signs lower down her -long head-dress, in the corner of which I tied a few cheroots, but -these proved unsatisfactory; and the word <em>keenza, keenza</em>, at -last made it plain that the young Shan lady wanted a mirror, and one -had to be brought and sent up to her; and her glee was most amusing -when she pulled up the cloth and found the keenza and a packet of -needles. Compared to the pretty faces and picturesque attire of these -Shan maidens, the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</span> dress and appearance of the Chinese women was very -miserable. All the women who appeared in the streets were ugly and -ill-clad, though the children had chubby, red cheeks. The majority -wore pork-pie hats. All except the slaves had their feet dwarfed, and -wore Dutch-like clogs in the rainy weather. The costume consisted of -trousers, drawn tight round the ankle, a long loose blue garment, and a -large blue double apron in front. Notwithstanding the dwarfed feet, the -women walked to market three or four miles, carrying heavy loads, and -seemed to think nothing of shouldering two buckets of water, slung to a -bamboo. Every day our khyoung was besieged by crowds of beggars of all -ages, from little ragged urchins to old men and women bent with age. -Their rags and filth defied description, and sordid poverty in various -degrees characterised all the wretched inhabitants of the ruined -suburbs that surrounded the almost empty city. It must seem wearisome -to harp upon the utter desolation and ruin that had resulted from the -long continuous warfare, and the reader may prefer to gather some -information as to the rebellious Mahommedan Chinese and their doings.</p> - - -<p class="footnote" id="fn26"><a href="#fna26">[26]</a> ‘Pioneer of Commerce,’ appendix v. pp. 464 and 466.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn27"><a href="#fna27">[27]</a> A <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tickal</em> is rather more than half an ounce troy.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn28"><a href="#fna28">[28]</a> ‘Pioneer of Commerce,’ <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 186.</p> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</span></p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.<br /> -<span class="small">THE MAHOMMEDANS OF YUNNAN.</span></h2></div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Their origin—Derivation of the term “Panthay”—Early -history—Increase in numbers—Adoption of children—The -Toonganees—Physical characteristics—Outbreak of the -revolt—Tali-fu—Progress of revolt—The French expedition—Overtures -from Low-quang-fang—Resources of the Panthays—Capture of -Yunnan-fu—Prospects of their success—Our position—The governor’s -presents—Preparations for return. -</div> - - -<p>The Mahommedans of Yunnan have a tradition of their origin, which is -curious, but mythical. The governor and the hadji at Momien stated, -in substance, that their forefathers came from Arabia to China one -thousand years ago, in the reign of the emperor Tung-huon-tsong, who -had sent his chief minister, Khazee, to Tseeyoog(?) to implore help -against the rebel Oung-loshan. Three thousand men were accordingly -sent, and the rebellion was crushed by their assistance. Their former -compatriots refused to receive them back, as having been defiled by a -residence among pork-eating infidels, so they settled in China, and -became the progenitors of the Chinese Mahommedans. This information -was furnished in the form of answer to questions put by me<span class="pagenum" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</span> carefully -written, and translated into Chinese, and Sladen also procured a -Chinese document, giving substantially the same account.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna29"><a href="#fn29">[29]</a></span> It will -be seen that the variations of this from the account furnished to -General Fytche are important;<span class="fnanchor" id="fna30"><a href="#fn30">[30]</a></span> but as the name of the emperor -Tung-huon-tsong differs but slightly from that of Hiun-tsong of the -Tung dynasty, against whom Ngan-Loshan<span class="fnanchor" id="fna31"><a href="#fn31">[31]</a></span> rebelled, it seems possible -to connect this account with Chinese history. His son Sutsung, -<span class="allsmcap">A.D.</span> 757, was rescued from his difficulties by the arrival -of an embassy from the khalif Abu Jafar al Mansur, the founder of -Bagdad, accompanied by auxiliary troops, who were joined by Ouigoors -and other forces from the West. It must be added that my informants, -while claiming Arab descent, stated clearly that their more immediate -ancestors had migrated from Shensi and Kansu to Yunnan about one -hundred and fifty years ago. History, however, shows the early growth -and rapid increase in China of a large Mahommedan population, whom the -Chinese term Hwait-ze; the name Panthay or Pansee being of Burmese -origin.</p> - -<p>As to the derivation of this term, several theories have been -suggested. Major Sladen gives Puthee as a Burmese term for Mahommedans -generally. Garnier says that the word Pha-si, which the Burmese have -corrupted into Pan-thé, according to Colonel Phayre, is the same as -Parsi or Farsi, which in India is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</span> applied to the Mahommedans, and that -this denomination is very ancient, as Colonel Yule pointed out that in -a description of the kingdom of Cambodia, translated by A. Remusat, a -religious sect is described, called Pâssi, who were distinguished by -wearing white or red turbans, and by refusing to drink intoxicating -liquors, or to eat in company with the other sects; but that -distinguished Chinese scholar, Sir T. Wade, derives the term Panthay -from a Chinese word Pun-tai, signifying the aboriginal or oldest -inhabitants of a country; and Garnier mentions that a people called -Penti are found on the eastern side of the Tali Lake, and in the plain -of Tang-tchouen, to the north of Tali. They are a mixed race, descended -from the first colonists sent into Yunnan by the Mongols, after the -conquest of the country by the generals of Kublai Khan.</p> - -<p><abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper tells us that the term Pa-chee, or white flag party, as -distinguished from the Hung-chee, or red flag, or imperialists, -was also used to designate the rebels in the north of Yunnan, and -Garnier frequently applies these terms to the contending parties. The -termination <em>-ze</em> in the name Hwait-ze, as in Mant-ze, Thibetans, -Miaout-ze, hill tribes, and Khwait-ze, foreigners, seems always to -imply political and tribal separation from Chinese proper. These -names occur in the curious prophecy of the Four -Ze Wars, quoted by -Cooper.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna32"><a href="#fn32">[32]</a></span></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</span></p> - -<p>From the account of China compiled in the middle of the ninth century -by Abu Zaid, from the reports of Arab traders, it is evident that his -countrymen had long resorted to China. Even then the Arab community -of Hang-chew-fu (Khanfu) was of great importance: it possessed -a separate judge, appointed by the emperor of China, and we are -told that the Mahommedan, Christian, Jewish, and Parsee population -massacred in <span class="allsmcap">A.D.</span> 878 numbered one hundred and twenty -thousand. Mahommedanism was little known among the Tartars before the -time of Chengis-khan, but his conquests were the means of bringing a -considerable population of Uigurs into Shensi and Kansu; and the faith -of the Prophet had spread amongst this tribe long before the Tartar -conquest of China.</p> - -<p>The vigorous trading and political intercourse subsisting between China -and their mother country kept alive the religious life and social -individuality of these immigrants. This large addition of population -to their co-religionists already derived from the contingents of the -khalifs, and the Arab traders, accounts for the number of Mahommedans -which Marco Polo noted during his residence in China (1271-1295). In -his description of the people on the western border of Shensi, where -the celebrated mart of Singui was situated, and his account of Singan, -and Carajan, a part of Yunnan, he describes the Mahommedans as forming -a considerable part of the foreign population.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</span></p> - -<p>How strong a position this sect had obtained under the reign of Kublai -appears from Marco Polo’s statement that the provincial governments -were entrusted to Tartars, Christians, and Mahommedans. The invasion -of Burma and the sieges of Singan and Fun-ching were entrusted to -Mahommedan generals. The story of Bailo Achmed, the great minister of -finance, is the most striking illustration of the Mahommedan influence, -although the discovery of his crimes brought the khan’s anger upon -the Saracens, and led to their being prohibited the practices as to -marriage and slaughter of animals, enjoined by their religion. This -check could only have been temporary, and as we find Mahommedans -filling high places of trust, both civil and military, it can be fairly -conjectured that after the conquest of Yunnan these enterprising -soldiers and traders established themselves in the colonies planted in -the new province.</p> - -<p>In the early part of the fourteenth century, Rashid-ood-deen, Vizier -of Persia, mentions Karajang or Yunnan province, and states that the -inhabitants were all Mahommedans. Ibn Batuta, who visited China in the -middle of the same century, found in every large town Mahommedans, -who were mostly rich merchants. In all the provinces there was a town -belonging to them, each of which usually possessed a mosque, market, -a cell for the poor, and a kadi and sheikh ul Islam, while in some -districts they were exceedingly numerous.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</span></p> - -<p>The Jesuit fathers, in the seventeenth century, make frequent mention -of the Chinese Mahommedans. Le Compte, writing to Cardinal de Bouillon -in 1680, says, “that they had been six hundred years in the country -undisturbed, because they quietly enjoyed their liberty without seeking -to propagate their religion, even by marriages, out of their own -kindred, even in places where they were most numerous, and longest -settled, as in the provinces north of the Hoang Ho, and in towns along -the canal, where they had built mosques, differing altogether from -Chinese architecture. They were regarded as foreigners, and frequently -insulted by the Chinese.”</p> - -<p>The oppression to which they were subjected after the second Tartar -conquest began to show itself as early as the beginning of the -eighteenth century, when their mosques were destroyed by the populace -of Hang-chow in Hu-quang province, notwithstanding the efforts of the -magistrates to protect them. At an earlier period, however, about -1651, they had been deprived by the Tartar emperor, Chunchi, of the -honours enjoyed by some of their number in connection with the Board -of Mathematics. This change of policy, thus begun, caused a rebellion, -which broke out in the reign of Kien-hung, 1765-71, on the western -frontier, and spread to the province of Kansu. The rebels resisted -the imperial forces with great valour, but were ultimately subdued. -The Abbé Grosier, writing subsequently to this event, says, “that for -some time past the Mahommedans<span class="pagenum" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</span> seem to have been more particularly -attentive to the care of extending their sect.”<span class="fnanchor" id="fna33"><a href="#fn33">[33]</a></span></p> - -<p>The method they resorted to was the free use of their wealth in -purchasing children to bring up as Mahommedans. During the terrible -famine which devastated the province of Quangtong in 1790, they -purchased ten thousand children from poor parents; these were educated, -and, when grown up, provided with wives and houses, whole villages -being formed of these converts. This system has been followed by them -to the present day, so that large numbers of the faithful are of -Chinese origin; and we found instances of it at Momien. According to -Garnier, the sultan of Tali was a Chinese orphan, adopted and educated -by a wealthy Mahommedan. Yunnan appears, from the <em>Pekin Gazette</em>, -to have been the scene of almost incessant insurrections from 1817 -to 1834, attributable, in all probability, to the Mahommedan element -in the population. During one rebellion, in 1828, the leader had an -imperial seal engraved, and issued manifestoes summoning the people -to join his standard. At the same time, the mixed populations of this -province appear to have been always distinguished by an independent and -insubordinate spirit, which often defied the central authority. Some -towns were even governed by elective municipal councils, only nominally -ruled by the mandarins.</p> - -<p>Grutzlaff mentions that during his residence in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</span> China, in 1825-1832, -they had several mosques in Chekiang, Pechili, Shensi, and Shansu; -but as they had occasionally joined the rebels of Turkistan, the -government viewed them with a jealous eye. Nevertheless, some of -their number filled offices of high trust. He also states that many -of them performed the pilgrimage to Mecca, and brought back Arabian -MSS. of the Koran, which a few could read imperfectly, that they -were by no means bigoted nor proselytising, and that they venerated -Confucius. These Mahommedans of Northern China and Turkistan include -the people called Toonganees, who are said to trace their origin to -a large body of Uigurs, who were transplanted to the vicinity of the -North Wall, under the rule of the Thang dynasty, between the seventh -and tenth centuries. These settlers were encouraged to intermarry -with the Chinese women, and after this, when, following the example -of their fellow tribesmen, they embraced Islam, they still retained -this practice, although careful to bring up all their children in the -Faith. Though a mixed race, they are distinguished from both Manchoos -and Chinese by their intelligent countenances and superior strength. -They have always evinced special aptitude for mercantile speculations, -like their southern brethren. They have also shown themselves to be -excellent warriors in the successful rebellion of Turkistan, and that -which broke out in 1861 in Kansu, and under Abdul Jaffier threatened to -be as successful as the revolt of Yunnan.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</span></p> - -<p>In the course of the present century, the Faithful appear to have -multiplied in Yunnan more rapidly than in the northern provinces. -Colonel Burney tells us that in 1831 almost the whole of the Chinese -traders who visited the Burmese capital were Mahommedans, except a few -who imported hams. Some of them could speak a little Arabic, and one -read to him passages from the Koran; but none of them could tell him -whence they derived their origin.</p> - -<p>As far as appearance goes, there are strong traces of descent from a -non-Chinese and, we may say, Turkish stock visible among the present -Mahommedans of Western China. Garnier remarks that “the Mussulmans of -Arab origin are tolerably numerous, and many are to be met with who -manifest very markedly the principal traits of Arabs, some preserving -the ancestral type in great purity. But the majority cannot be readily -distinguished from Chinese, except by their superior stature, greater -physical strength, and more energetic physiognomies. Although they only -contract matrimonial alliances with those of their own creed, they -commonly take Chinese women as concubines. Hence a large infusion of -Chinese blood, notwithstanding which they have preserved almost all the -warlike qualities of their ancestors.” <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper describes a merchant -who called upon him as “a splendid specimen of the Yunnan Mahommedan, -standing over six feet; his countenance was singularly haughty and -noble, and his manner peculiarly gentle and dignified.” His long<span class="pagenum" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</span> black -moustache and hair, hanging in a huge tail almost to the ground, are -also particularly noticed.</p> - -<p>The leading men met with by us at Momien were well-made, athletic, -and of a goodly height, the governor standing six feet three inches. -They were fair-skinned, with high cheek-bones, and slightly oblique -eyes, their cast of countenance being quite distinct from the Chinese. -In fact, the general type of face recalled that of the traders who -come down to Calcutta from Bokhara and Herat. They generally wore -moustaches, but depilated the rest of the face, while their long -hair was coiled in the folds of huge white turbans. The only other -distinctive article of dress was a bright orange-coloured waistband, -which usually supported a silver-mounted dagger. As a rule they -abstained from intoxicating drink, and smoking opium or tobacco; but -some were lax in these particulars. Our strict Mussulmans rather -despised them for laxity in worship as well, and the native doctor, -who was a fanatic, declared that they were not true believers at -all. On the whole, the conclusion which may be fairly arrived at as -to their origin is, that to the descendants of a possible Arab stock -have been added a considerable number of Turkish emigrants, who, in -truth, constitute the main origin of the Mahommedan population in -Yunnan. A number of Chinese proper have from time to time been added -to this community, which, in all places, seems to have included the -wealthiest and best class of the population. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</span> rebellion in Yunnan -seems to have been brought about solely by the oppression to which the -Mahommedans were subjected by the mandarins. Their proud independent -spirit would not brook the tyranny and extortion universally practised -by the official class, from which they were excluded. The mandarins, -according to their wont, secretly hounded the mob on to their rich -and respectable enemies, riots were provoked, and their mosques were -destroyed, as at Momien, where a handsome building, constructed after -plans brought home from Mecca, had existed before the war. Thus their -religious hatred was aroused, as the ruined temples and Buddhist -monasteries testified, and both interest and revenge for insults -to their religion led to a universal and well-planned rising. As -the insurrection which broke out in 1855 spread, the Chinese towns -and villages which resisted were pillaged, and the male population -massacred; while the women were spared to minister to the passions of -the undisciplined soldiery, and children were captured to be brought up -as Mussulmans; but all the places which yielded were spared.</p> - -<p>That the country suffered terribly in the struggle was proved to us -by the mute evidence of the deserted towns and villages, and from the -most southern border of the province to the farthest north we have the -reports of eye-witnesses of the fearful devastation. The contending -parties invoked the aid of the hill tribes, such as the Lolos, Lou-tse, -and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</span> Kakhyens, and these had to be rewarded for their services by -licensed pillage. Thus it happened that places on the debatable borders -were pillaged three times over, by the Red Flag, by the White Flag, and -by the marauders. In this way the towns of Sanda and Muangla had been -plundered by the Kakhyens after the Panthay invasion. The officers at -Momien told many stories of the conduct of their soldiers, which spoke -volumes of the misery brought on the peaceful inhabitants; but the -Chinese soldier is, by all accounts, as dangerous in peace to the towns -on which he is billeted as any enemy could be, and scenes of violence -and outrage accompany the march of the undisciplined ruffians under the -imperial banners wherever they go.</p> - -<p>The exact order of events which led to the establishment of the -Mahommedan kingdom is somewhat uncertain; we could not, for want -of interpreters, gain trustworthy information. In the account of -the French expedition,<span class="fnanchor" id="fna34"><a href="#fn34">[34]</a></span> M. Garnier refers the commencement of -the rebellion to an outbreak of the Mahommedans, the cause of which -is not stated, and describes them as having instigated a riot in -1856, and pillaged the city of Yunnan-fu. The imperial authorities -thereupon determined to rid themselves of these intractable subjects -by a general massacre, which was ordered to take place on a given -day. This commenced at Hoching, a town<span class="pagenum" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</span> between Li-kiang-fu and -Tali-fu, when upwards of a thousand Mahommedans were murdered; while -similar treacherous massacres followed in different places. A simple -bachelor or literatus of Moung-ho, named Tu-win-tsen or Dowinsheow, -a Chinese orphan who had been adopted by Mahommedans, rallied his -co-religionists. His followers at first numbered only forty, but their -ranks were speedily joined by fugitives from Hoching, Yung-pe, and -other places, till with six hundred men he attacked the ancient and -holy city of Tali-fu, which surrendered in 1857. Although Tali-fu is -a small town, the population of which did not at that time exceed -thirty-five thousand, the rich plain walled in by mountains, and -with a lake teeming with fish, stretching forty miles in length and -ten in breadth, maintained a population estimated before the war at -four hundred thousand. Garnier states that there were one hundred -and fifty villages, but the Old Resident numbers them at two hundred -and fifty-three. The mountains to the north and south close in upon -the lake, and the plain and city are accessible only by two strongly -fortified passes, Hiang-kwang and Hia-kwang, or, as the Burmese call -them, Shangwan and Shagwan. Thus Tali has been from the earliest -times a strong city; it was the capital of a kingdom at the invasion -of Kublai Khan, and is still regarded by the Thibetans, who make -pilgrimages to its vicinity, as the ancient home of their forefathers. -The Mahommedans made it their head-quarters, and it<span class="pagenum" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</span> seemed likely -again to become the capital of an independent kingdom. Their success -was facilitated by the jealousy which existed between the pure Chinese, -mainly descended from immigrants from Sz-chuen, and the Minkia and -Penti mixed races, descended from the early colonists planted by the -Mongols, and probably by the later Tartar dynasty in 1679. These -tribes, inhabiting the eastern plains of Tali and other adjacent -districts, were despised, as being sprung from intermarriage with the -Shan and barbarous races, by the Chinese, as the true Creoles looked -down upon any in whose veins ran negro blood.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna35"><a href="#fn35">[35]</a></span> Hence they stood -aloof in the struggle between the Chinese and the Mahommedans; the -latter even succeeded in occupying Yunnan-fu for a short time, but were -speedily expelled. A local revolt, however, was organised there by a -Mahommedan hadji of great repute, called Lao-papa, who assassinated -the viceroy Pang, and was proclaimed emperor or sultan, but enjoyed -his dignity a very short time. Another Mahommedan, named Ma-kien, who, -before the war, had been a seller of barley-sugar, but had become a -soldier, and took the imperialist side, subdued Lao-papa in 1861, -and established the authority of another Lao, who had been appointed -viceroy. Ma-kien was named <em>ti-tai</em>, or commander of the forces, -but an officer called Leang, in the south of the province, refused -to obey<span class="pagenum" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</span> his orders, and a little civil war ensued between their -respective partisans. The Mahommedans took advantage of this division -in the camp of the enemy to consolidate their power under their elected -chief, Tu-win-tsen, who was proclaimed sultan, or imam, in the year -1867. Momien had been captured three years before our visit, and the -Shan states on the Tapeng brought under the Mahommedan king, whose -authority extended over a considerable portion of the province. In -the beginning of 1868, the French found the government at Yunnan-fu -administered <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">ad interim</em> by a mandarin of the blue button, -named Song, the viceroy Lao having recently died, and his successor, -though appointed, not having ventured to assume the perilous post. -The office of commander-in-chief was filled by Ma-kien, supported by -a staff of Mahommedan officers, whose costume and physiognomy marked -them as different from the Chinese. Lao-papa also resided in Yunnan, -invested with rank and honours, as the religious head of all the -Mahommedans.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna36"><a href="#fn36">[36]</a></span> It does not appear how this could be reconciled with -the religious authority of Sultan Suleiman, and it is plain that the -Mahommedans were themselves divided into two parties.</p> - -<p>It is interesting to compare this account with that derived by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> -Cooper from information furnished him in the north of the province as -to the rebellious attitude assumed by the imperial viceroy,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</span> himself a -Mahommedan proselyte, who had actually concluded a treaty of partition -with the sultan of Tali, and corrupted the imperial troops sent to -quell the revolt with funds furnished by the sultan. We do not, -however, possess such information as will enable us to reconcile the -two accounts which present so many points of agreement and difference. -By a curious coincidence, that most enterprising traveller, having been -turned back by the impossibility of penetrating to Tali, was detained -at Weisee-fu, one hundred and twenty miles distant, at the very time -of our stay at Momien. The utter want of communication kept us in -perfect ignorance of his being comparatively so near at hand, and he -was equally unaware of our presence in Western Yunnan. Our information -as to the passage of the French mission was, if anything, worse, as -an obstructive falsehood is perhaps more aggravating than complete -ignorance. During the first week of July the governor communicated -the information that some six or eight months previously the French -expedition had come into collision with hostile tribes in the vicinity -of Kiang-hung, and had suffered severe losses; some of their number had -perished, and the remainder had arrived in a state of exhaustion and -want at a place called Thela, where they had been kindly received. This -information he declared to be authentic, and furnished by a relative -of his own, resident at Thela, who had purchased some of the arms and -other property taken from the French. As at that time the last news<span class="pagenum" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</span> -received some time before our departure from Burma had stated the -party to be at Kiang-tong or Xiang-tong, a Laotian state tributary to -Burma, we could not help fearing that some disaster must have befallen -them. The statement may have been a distorted account of the detention -experienced by the French before reaching Kiang-hung, and the fact -that they were obliged to reduce their baggage, some of the articles -referred to as proof positive by the Panthays having perhaps come -from the superfluous stores, given or bartered away to the Laotians. -It does, as M. Gamier remarks, appear improbable that the governor, -who was a trusted officer of the sultan, should have received no -information as to the visit to Tali-fu of the party in the month of -March preceding.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna37"><a href="#fn37">[37]</a></span> On the other hand, it is difficult to imagine any -reason for his suppression of his knowledge of it, unless he feared -that we should be thereby inclined to mistrust the letters from the -sultan. As regards Garnier’s theory that the apparent welcome given -to us was intended to do away with any unfavourable impression which -might have been produced in the minds of foreigners by the sultan’s -refusal to see the French party, and ordering their instant departure, -it is much more probable that the French were regarded with strong -suspicion, and taken for spies. The fact that they had travelled under -Pekin passports, and had been guests of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</span> viceroy <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">ad interim</em> -at Yunnan-fu, was not in their favour; but worse than that was their -connection with the French missionaries, who were everywhere most -hostile to the Mahommedan cause. One of their number had been engaged -in the sacerdotal task of manufacturing gunpowder for the viceroy, and -had been blown up by his own petard; others had forwarded a memorial by -the medium of the French minister to the emperor in favour of Ma-kien, -as the only man capable of saving the province from the rebels. An -imperial reply to this, promising to aid him with troops and supplies, -was received before Garnier left Yunnan. It is more than probable that -this was known to the authorities at Tali, and, even independently of -the circumstance narrated by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper, would have operated against a -cordial reception of the French visitors.</p> - -<p>At our first entrance into the country, without any passports whatever, -we, as commercial explorers, had appealed to the existing authorities, -and had refused to advance until their safe-conduct had been received. -Our neutrality between the two contending parties had been most -carefully sifted by letters and envoys before we were made welcome at -Momien, and little more than a week after our arrival it was tested, -if not by the contrivance, certainly with the knowledge, of the -governor. One evening Moung Shuay Yah, in a mysterious manner, made -known the presence of an important visitor, namely, an officer sent -by Low-quang-fang, the officer who, in conjunction with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</span> Li-sieh-tai, -supported the imperial cause. He had brought a pony as a gift, and -desired to make our friendship, and provide us with a safe escort -on the return route, always provided we were unaccompanied by the -Panthays. Our leader declined an interview, and refused the pony, -stating that we were guests of the governor, and as such could not -confer with his enemies, except with his consent. We soon learned -that the governor was aware of the mission of this envoy, and that in -course of time a treaty was signed by which Low-quang-fang undertook -not to attack the Panthay possessions, or molest us on our return, -and was to be left undisturbed in the possession of a small customs -post; whether this was a ruse on the part of the Chinese partisans to -win our support, or of the Panthays to sound our real opinions, it is -impossible to say. At all events, it confirmed the conviction of the -governor in our good faith. The terms of the agreement, if true, were -another proof of the anxiety of the Panthays to re-open the western -trade routes, to which we doubtless mainly owed our friendly reception.</p> - -<p>Gamier remarks that they had all along found it essential to keep open -the trade with Sz-chuen, and <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper found Mahommedan merchants -unmolested in Chinese Yunnan. The king of Burma, not only as an ally, -but as a tributary of China, could not recognise the rebel sultan, nor -enter into political or commercial relations with him. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</span> sultan, who -had visited Rangoon and Calcutta as a pilgrim to Mecca, may well have -been disposed to court the favour of those Feringhees whose power and -wealth he had witnessed in the City of Palaces. It is possible that -the hospitable governor of Momien was only amusing his guests with -complimentary mockeries, and that there was no intention of suffering -us to proceed to Tali, and see the real state of things in the -interior, the desolation of the province, and the scanty forces at the -disposal of the new power. Subsequent events have shown the instability -of the Panthay kingdom as soon as a regular and determined attack -was made on it by the imperial government; but as regards their then -condition, with the utmost respect for the memory of that distinguished -explorer, Lieutenant Gamier, it is impossible to overlook the fact that -he was strongly prejudiced against the Panthays, by their treatment -of him, as well as by the French missionaries, one of whom speaks of -the “detested yoke of the Mahommedans.” Garnier even attributes the -closing of the western traffic to the robberies of the Kakhyens and -the arbitrary oppression of the Panthays; who were, as our observation -showed, doing all they could to encourage the Burmese and Shans to -carry on the former traffic. It is possible that we were prejudiced by -kindness, and misled by outward appearances of strength; but whatever -the cause of the origin and progress of this rebellion, it is certain -that from the outset the rebels met with little direct resistance -from<span class="pagenum" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</span> the imperial authorities, and the officials, with their few -adherents, were gradually driven from the fertile valleys of Western -Yunnan to more inaccessible fastnesses; thence they still maintained a -guerilla warfare, neither side ever bringing anything like a large or -well-appointed army into the field. The imperialist commanders, such -as Li-sieh-tai and Low-quang-fang, who were designated robber chiefs -by the Panthays, although really officials of the Pekin government, -could only harass their enemies by desultory attacks. Their followers, -if captured, were speedily tried and executed as robbers. We witnessed -more than sixteen executions of these poor wretches. The criminal was -led to the outskirts of the bazaar by a small escort, with music and -banners flying, and, with his hands tied behind his back, was made to -kneel by the side of the road. The executioner chopped off the head -usually at one blow; the body was buried on the spot, and the ghastly -head hung up by the gate of the town.</p> - -<p>The superior prowess of the Panthays and the unanimity of their -councils, directed by the sultan of Tali-fu, were apparently carrying -all before them. During our stay at Momien, news was brought, -apparently authentic, of the capture by his army of the great city -of Yunnan-fu. The condition of Central Yunnan may be imagined from -the statements made in the proclamation announcing the fall of the -capital. In it are enumerated forty towns and one hundred villages as -having been taken and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</span> destroyed, and upwards of three hundred persons -being burned to death; while the losses of the Chinese, in various -fights, amounted to over twenty thousand men. The communications were, -however, interrupted by constant fighting on the road between Momien -and Yung-chang, two out of three messengers, with despatches from Tali, -being killed, while the Mahommedan convoys of specie, and presents sent -from the sultan to us, were stopped at Sheedin, near Yung-chang. During -our stay, a force of some hundreds of so-called soldiers, commanded -by our friend, the chief military officer, or <em>tah-zung-gyee</em>, -marched to repel an attack on the town and mines of Khyto; and as -proofs of a victory gained by them within a few days, two hundred ears -were sent into Momien, while they owned to a loss of forty men.</p> - -<p>Although the Panthays were merciless in warfare—only those inhabitants -of the towns and villages who at once tendered their submission -being spared—they were desirous of establishing a firm and orderly -government: in all cases their officers protected the passage of -merchants, and dealt much more justly by them than the mandarins had -been accustomed to do; this was admitted by the Chinese and Shans, who, -though outwardly submissive, were at heart thoroughly opposed to the -new <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">régime</em>. Similar testimony is borne by the two travellers -already quoted, as regards the caravans trading with Sz-chuen and -Thibet. It seemed at this period almost certain that Yunnan would -become an independent<span class="pagenum" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</span> kingdom, if indeed Sz-chuen and the northern -provinces were not also formed into a great Mahommedan empire, and the -same idea is recorded by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper, as having been the result of his -observations of the state of the country to the north.</p> - -<p>For us, however, to attempt to advance was impossible; even if progress -had been safe, it would have been impolitic. Whether our presence at -Momien was an infraction of the Chinese treaty or no, it was made -necessary if any information as to the real state of the country was to -be obtained, and this had been the principal object of the expedition -set forth in the instructions.</p> - -<p>The reader is earnestly requested to bear in mind that politically, -socially, and almost geographically, this border land of China had -been almost a <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">terra incognita</em> before our arrival at Momien. -We realised the fact that we were in China indeed, but in a province -which the rebellion had almost converted into an independent kingdom; -and from which it seemed almost certain that the lingering remains of -obedience to the emperor at Pekin would be soon thoroughly erased. -Our leader was, therefore, very soon desirous of effecting a return, -but the governor, on various pretexts of securing our safety and -communicating with Tali, postponed our departure; and this although he -insisted on supplying the whole party with all necessaries during the -whole time of our stay. The kindly Tah-sakon was really busy preparing -as good<span class="pagenum" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</span> a display of presents to his English friends as he could. -As <em xml:lang="es" lang="es">de facto</em> ruler of the country, we arranged with him the -duties which should be levied on future caravans, and received letters -expressive of the desire of the Panthay sultan’s government to enter -into friendly relations with our government, and to foster mutual -trade. The governor asked for and obtained two seals, wherewith to -authenticate his future letters, and gave in exchange an official seal -and a vase of red ink, the use of which would, he said, ensure the safe -delivery of any letters forwarded to him.</p> - -<p>Our farewell visits were exchanged on the 11th of July, and the -good-natured governor, who was most sincerely sorry to part with his -guests, brought his presents. These consisted of seventy white jackets -and bamboo hats for our men, a mandarin’s full dress suit, figured -silk jackets, three fine straw hats covered with oilcloth for our -wear in the rain, silver-mounted daggers and spears, a gold and jade -chatelaine, and amber rosaries. The mandarin’s suit was his own, and he -had previously insisted on taking off the rings from his fingers, and -placing them in the same order on the fingers of his “English friend,” -whom he begged always to wear them for his sake.</p> - -<p>Our departure was fixed for the 12th of July, the last advice of the -governor being that we should not loiter <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em>, and only pass -one night at each stage. A body of troops were to precede and another -to follow in our rear; as a further precaution it had been decided not -to employ mules but coolies to carry<span class="pagenum" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</span> the baggage, as the engagement of -mules would have given some days’ warning to the hostile Chinese; for -the same reason the porters had not been engaged till the last—so that -our anticipated start was delayed by the insufficiency of porters, and -the need of cutting up old rafters to make poles for the few who did -appear. The governor was very wroth with his officers, and one of them, -an old Chinese, not a Panthay, pleaded in excuse that we were carrying -away a number of boxes filled with mud, and worthless weeds and -skins—the pursuit of natural history was by no means appreciated by -the people, except by the Kakhyens, who were ready enough to bring any -sort of animal or reptile they could catch. The same Chinese official -tried to represent that we were carrying back a number of boxes of -powder. As his object was evidently to make delays and mischief, other -officials were appointed to superintend our departure, and Sladen -thought it right to remove any possible ill-feeling from the kindly -governor’s mind by showing him that the stock of ammunition was only as -much as was needful for the escort; and we parted on the best terms.</p> - - -<p class="footnote" id="fn29"><a href="#fna29">[29]</a> Vide Appendix II.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn30"><a href="#fna30">[30]</a> ‘As. Soc. Proceedings,’ 1867, <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 176.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn31"><a href="#fna31">[31]</a> Du Halde, i. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 199.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn32"><a href="#fna32">[32]</a> ‘Pioneer of Commerce,’ <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 352.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn33"><a href="#fna33">[33]</a> Grosier’s ‘China,’ <abbr title="volume">vol.</abbr> iv. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 270.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn34"><a href="#fna34">[34]</a> ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 455, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn35"><a href="#fna35">[35]</a> ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 518.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn36"><a href="#fna36">[36]</a> ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 455.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn37"><a href="#fna37">[37]</a> ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 514, note.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.<br /> -<span class="small">THE SANDA VALLEY.</span></h2> -</div> - - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Departure from Momien—Robbers surprised—At Nantin—Our ponies -stolen—We slide to Muangla—A pleasant meeting—The Tapeng -ferrymen—A valley landscape—Negotiations at Sanda—The Leesaws—A -Shan cottage—Buddhist khyoungs—For fear of the nats—The -limestone hill—Hot springs of Sanda—The footprint of Buddha—A -priestly thief—The excommunication—The chief’s farewell—Floods -and landslips—Manwyne priests—A Shan dinner party—The -nunnery—Departure from Manwyne—The Slough of Despond. -</div> - - -<p>At the last our departure from Momien seemed doubtful, owing to the -difficulty of finding porters, and men were forcibly impressed into -the service. Any demur as to a particular box or complaint of the -weight of their loads was silenced by a torrent of abuse from the -Panthays, who, to these persuasives, sometimes added severe blows. -About 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> on July 13th we started, waving our adieus to the -governor, who had come out on the town wall to bid us farewell. The -guard gave him a feeble cheer in Hindustani, which they again repeated -as we marched out of the bazaar gate and set our faces westwards. Two -Panthay officers, who had been our constant visitors, accompanied us -for nearly a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</span> mile, and at parting they burst into tears. After we had -gone a long way, and turned back to take a last look at Momien, we saw -the two figures, standing on the same spot, gazing wistfully after us.</p> - -<p>In a short time it began to rain in torrents, and the roads became very -slippery, especially for men carrying heavy loads, so that we soon went -ahead of the porters. At the descent into the Nantin valley, the road -was as if it had been well oiled. Ponies and pedestrians slid down the -steep hill-path in wild confusion, many of the party coming to serious -grief. A little Chinese girl, who had been presented to the jemadar -and his wife, as a return for his exertions in the mosque services, -accompanied us, tied in a small bamboo chair on a pony. As the beast -was quite at liberty to choose his own course, the terror and screams -of the small neophyte were most piteous. At the scene of the attack -made on the upward journey—marked still by some of our empty boxes—we -passed the bodies of two men who had been recently killed and cast on -the roadside. Halting at the hot spring to wait for the porters, we -learned that these were the corpses of Chinese robbers, who had been -caught, by the Panthay vanguard, crouching in the jungle with long -spears, ready to stick the first mule passing, and had been summarily -disposed of by them. Near Nantin all were requested to wait and allow -the rear-guard to close up, as we were about to pass a favourite -lurking-place for robbers.</p> - -<p>We formed a long line, with Panthay soldiers before<span class="pagenum" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</span> and behind, -and, with gongs beating ahead, marched unscathed into Nantin, which -was reached by six o’clock. Our former residence, the khyoung, was -found to be already tenanted by a Panthay guard and a Kakhyen tsawbwa -groaning with fever. A dose of sulphate of magnesia, followed up -with quinine, secured to him sleep and to ourselves quiet, as far as -he was concerned; but we were kept on the look-out, as the baggage -arrived in detachments, much of it, including bedding, not turning up -till the next day, and some articles, such as a portable bedstead, -and a magazine box, not appearing at all. The governor came to greet -us in the evening, attended by a guard, one of whom carried a huge -gauze lantern swung from a tripod. He was full of regrets that he had -not been apprised of our coming, so as to have prepared comfortable -quarters, and met us on the way. The Hotha tsawbwa did not appear, -according to his promise, and was reported to be still in his own -valley, and his absence prevented us from adopting the embassy route -across Shuemuelong into Hotha valley. As it afterwards appeared that -the irrepressible Li-sieh-tai and his troops had taken up their -quarters in a strong post on the Shuemuelong mountain, it was just as -well that this route was not attempted. We found ourselves accordingly -obliged to retrace the former road to Muangla, Sanda, and Manwyne.</p> - -<p>The pleasing news reached us that a party of one hundred Burmese had -arrived in Muangla, sent<span class="pagenum" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</span> from Bhamô in charge of a remittance of -five thousand rupees, and to escort us back to that place; so that, -notwithstanding all the discomforts of our quarters, all turned in well -pleased and prepared to make an early start for Muangla.</p> - -<p>Our morning slumbers were rudely broken by one of the police, who -reported concisely, “Of the three ponies, not one is left.” During the -night thieves had made a hole in the wall of the courtyard just large -enough to admit the passage of a pony, and through this the animals -had been carried off unperceived by the sentries posted within twenty -yards. Examination showed that the animals had been supplied with -corn, and a trail of grain led to another opening in the town wall. On -the previous visit we had been cautioned to watch carefully against -any attempt to steal the ponies; but the warning had unfortunately -been forgotten. A robbery had been attempted in the same way when the -tah-sa-kon was residing in the khyoung. The thieves purloined a gun -and sword, but an alarm was raised, and the latter was dropped in -their flight. We borrowed ponies to carry us to Muangla, and started -at half past ten. As before, considerable difficulty was caused by -the absence of porters, nearly all the coolies from Momien having run -away. Mules had to be found to supply their place, and the proverbial -character of these beasts was fully verified by those of Nantin, which -for an hour stubbornly refused to be loaded. During this interlude the -Panthays were doing their best to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</span> impress men for the lighter loads. -The recusants were dragged up by soldiers with drawn swords, and each, -when loaded, was followed by a spearman, ready to egg him on with his -spear if he attempted to lag behind. As we passed through Muangtee, the -townspeople had all turned out, and our old friend, the tsawbwa-gadaw, -and her retainers, male and female, stood outside her haw, and waved -salutes and adieus. Outside the town a strong Shan guard of honour was -drawn up, and escorted us to the chain bridge across the Tahô, three -miles from the town.</p> - -<p>During the rains the river is unfordable, and the road follows the -left bank along the embankments of the paddy fields as far as the -bridge. From the right bank the ascent to the lofty Mawphoo glen -proved most arduous, the road being so slippery that men and beasts -were continually falling, and many of the pedestrians were severely -bruised. It rained incessantly, and it was a great relief to all when -Mawphoo was reached, and an hour’s rest was enjoyed previous to the -descent into the head of the Muangla valley. The road first led down -a declivity, where the only mode of progress for the ponies was by -sliding; and then followed a series of zigzags, some of them over -frightful precipices, where a slip of the pony’s foot would be certain -destruction. At this season the Tahô issues as a tremendous torrent -from the deep gorge in the Mawphoo hills, and the distant Tapeng -appeared almost as large as the Irawady in dry weather. We reached -Muangla at dusk, and were<span class="pagenum" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</span> astonished, on entering the town, to meet -an Englishman, accompanied by some Shans. He rushed up to our leader, -and introduced himself as <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Gordon, a civil engineer from Prome, who -had been sent by the Chief Commissioner with additional funds, and -to fill the post of engineer to the expedition. He had received his -instructions by telegraph on May 9th, to follow the party as quickly as -possible, and had obeyed them with laudable energy. He had travelled -from Bhamô with a guard of fifty Burmans, and found no difficulty <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en -route</em>. At Manwyne he had met with the Hotha tsawbwa, who wished -him to remain for a day or two; but pushing on, and passing Sanda -without halting, he had reached Muangla the day of our arrival. The -guard of one hundred Burmese which had been despatched in charge of the -first supply of rupees had arrived there ten days previously; but the -tsare-daw-gyee in charge had been afraid to advance further.</p> - -<p>From this place our Panthay guards were to return, and the Burmese -officer expected that his escort would take their place. He seemed -indeed most eager to be of service, and was much chagrined when he -learned our leader’s intention of exploring the route on the southern -banks of the Tapeng. It was a most pleasant surprise to meet <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> -Gordon, whose goodwill and energy were inexhaustible. The supply of -funds also came just in time to enable us to make complete collections -of Shan products, and it also marvellously smoothed the difficulties of -the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</span> return journey. So we set out from Muangla in excellent spirits, -notwithstanding the incessant rain. Messages had come, from parties -unknown, offering to restore the stolen ponies for three hundred and -twenty rupees, but as the local authorities did not seem inclined to -move in the matter, the thieves were left in possession of their booty. -Our Mahommedan escort bade us farewell with evident reluctance, and one -officer expressed a strong desire to accompany us to Rangoon, saying -that if he was once there, he would never return to Yunnan.</p> - -<p>On July 20th we started for Sanda, the usual difficulty as to porters -having compelled me to leave behind the collecting boxes for specimens, -with two of my collectors in charge, until carriage could be procured. -We crossed the Tapeng above its junction with the Tahô in ferry-boats, -the boatmen at first refusing to convey us unless paid five thousand -cash beforehand. This attempt at extortion was resisted, and the -dispute was ended by our taking forcible possession of the boats, when -the boatmen at once gave in, and worked with perfect goodwill and -activity till all the party were safely over. We then set out in a body -for Sanda, the road at first leading along the top of some old river -terraces deeply channelled by mountain streams, which were crossed by -two narrow planks laid side by side. Our ponies, however, crossed them -with ease, except the one which Gordon had brought from the plains, and -which was unused to such acrobatic exploits; so it<span class="pagenum" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</span> grew nervous on -a bridge over which it was being led, and disappeared head-over-heels -in the deep gully beneath. Wonderful to relate, the animal broke no -limbs, and shortly reappeared a little further down, trembling, but -unhurt, on the river terrace below. Two miles beyond the place where -the Tapeng had been forded on the upward journey we descended towards -the level centre of the valley, at this season under water, the road -being carried along a substantial embankment built to keep back the -floods. The whole extent of the valley was clothed in exquisitely fresh -verdure, in beautiful contrast to the dark mountains which towered like -a protecting wall on either side, while alternate cloud and sunshine -fully displayed the beauty of the landscape. Now deep shadows of giant -clouds flitted down the mountains and over the sunny plains, while -occasional fleecy mists wrapt the highest peaks, and again black storms -obscured the hills as with a curtain,</p> - -<p> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">“Lashed at the base with slanting storm,”</span><br /> -</p> - -<p class="p0">the rest of the valley basking in the sunlight. Near Sanda a stream -had to be crossed so swollen that the ponies could scarcely stem the -current, which was over the saddles. By 6 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> we were safely -housed in our old quarters at Sanda, and the tsawbwa’s headman speedily -arrived with a supply of fowls, rice, and firewood sufficient for all -our wants.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img016"> - <img src="images/016.jpg" class="w75" alt="VALLEY OF SANDA, LOOKING WESTWARD FROM THE HILL BEHIND THE TOWN" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">VALLEY OF SANDA, LOOKING WESTWARD FROM THE HILL BEHIND THE TOWN.</p> - - -<p>On awaking in the morning, we made the unpleasant<span class="pagenum" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</span> discovery that two -packages had been stolen from our bedsides. One was only a fishing-rod -and bamboo pipe and stems, but the other contained the solid silver -pipe-stem given by the tsawbwa to Sladen, and some other presents. -The theft was duly reported to the tsawbwa, who at once offered two -hundred rupees’ reward for the recovery of the stolen articles. During -the day, many people crowded the khyoung, having clothes and ornaments -to sell. The priests were much scandalised to see women’s clothes sold -and exhibited in the sacred precincts, and at last procured an order -from the tsawbwa, forbidding the women to come for the purpose of such -traffic.</p> - -<p>We remained at Sanda till July 8th, being detained partly by the rain, -and partly by negotiations with the people of the Muangla district, -lying on the other side of the Tapeng, relative to our homeward route. -The chief persons, a village headman named Kingain, and the poogain -of Manhleo, a place opposite to Manwyne, through whose jurisdiction -the route lay, had both been hostile to us on the upward journey. The -Hotha tsawbwa himself proved to have had some dispute with the Sanda -people, which prevented his coming to meet us, while the Sanda headmen -were averse to our crossing over to Hotha, for fear any future trade -should be diverted from their town. In the course of the negotiations, -two Shan headmen of villages informed Sladen that they could conduct us -safely by a good and easy hill road to the Molay<span class="pagenum" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</span> river, which could -be reached in two days, at a point whence it was navigable during the -floods, for large salt boats, down to the Irawady.</p> - -<p>The skilful patience of our leader was at last rewarded by converting -Kingain and the Manhleo poogain into firm friends, and it was settled -that we should proceed to Manwyne, and cross the river at that place, -whence they would secure our safety. The son of the poogain arrived to -act as our conductor, and a letter was received from the Hotha tsawbwa, -promising to meet us at Manwyne.</p> - -<p>During our stay we had unrestricted opportunities of viewing Shan -manners. Every fifth day the regular market was held, and the broad -street was crowded by the country folk. Stalls lined both sides of the -roadway, which seemed paved with umbrella-like straw hats. Besides -Kakhyens from the hills, Leesaws were numerous, bringing oil, bamboos, -and firewood for sale. Both men and women shave a circle round the -head, leaving only a large patch on the upper and back parts, from -which the hair is gathered into a short pigtail. Both sexes dress so -much alike that the boys and girls were almost indistinguishable from -each other. Some of them were induced to pay us a visit, and give words -and phrases of their language, which seemed to be quite distinct from -the Kakhyen tongue, and somewhat akin to the Burmese.</p> - -<p>Seeing our interest in these people, a respectable old Shan, who had -already done some trade with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</span> us, invited us to his house, where he -professed to have some Leesaw clothing to dispose of. It turned out -that he proposed to pass off his own old clothes on the gullible -strangers; so our visit became one of politeness only. We were duly -seated, and his daughters served us with sliced mangoes and plums, -which were eaten with salt. Our host’s two wives were present, and -other matrons flocked in from the neighbouring cottages, their hands -blue with indigo. We asked if it was usual for Shans to have more than -one wife, and were told that it was not, but that every man pleased -himself. We also learned that the usual age for marriage is between -eighteen and twenty, and the consent of the parents alone is required -to make the contract binding, as there is no religious ceremony, and -the priests have no voice whatever in the matter.</p> - -<p>The house, like all the Shan cottages, was enclosed in a courtyard, and -consisted of three rooms—a central living-room, with a sleeping-room -on either side. Against the wall of the “keeping-room,” facing the -door, stood the family altar, a small table having on it an incense -vase and an ancestral tablet. A broad verandah ran along the front of -the cottage, at one end of which stood a large indigo vat, hollowed -out of a solid block. From this house we visited the Shan and Chinese -khyoungs. Both were plain bamboo structures, built on the sites of -the former buildings, described as having been rich and splendid -structures, destroyed by the Panthays some<span class="pagenum" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</span> years previously. The Shan -temple contained only one figure of Gaudama, and as the phoongyees were -seated at their rice, round a small bamboo table, we went on to that of -the Chinese, next door. Here there was one principal Buddha, clothed in -a yellow robe, and crowned with a nimbus resembling ostrich plumes. On -the altar were a few small Buddhas freshly gilded, and a number of old -pictures. On a small table was a wooden fish, such as was of frequent -occurrence in the Momien khyoungs. Tradition says that in one of his -former existences Gaudama was shipwrecked, but brought to land by a -large fish, which he afterwards fed during its life. A strange mixture -of Arion and Jonah pervades this legend; but the fish is probably a -mystic legacy from the more ancient religions to which Kwan-yin and -other deities belong. The chief phoongyee was very courteous, and had -seats brought covered with red rugs, while his waiting-man served -the guests with tea and fruit. He exhibited a number of pictures -representing the judgment and punishment of sinners. One figure, -evidently the judge, was seated at a table, with a book before him, -and pens and ink-horn at his side, while two figures stood on either -hand—one a hideous-looking monster, the other of more human and gentle -aspect. The latter was the good, the former the bad recording angel. -In front of the judge, the pious and wicked were depicted, in fleshly -forms, departing to their several destinations. Of the latter, some -were being dragged<span class="pagenum" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</span> away by devils; while others in the foreground were -being subjected to torments appropriate to their failings in life. The -possessor of a false tongue was having it torn out by the roots, while -the slayer of animals was being hacked in two, with his head downwards -and his legs wide apart.</p> - -<p>There was a grotesque humour about these horrible pictures, which made -even the priest smile, as he exhibited and described them; but he waxed -very grave as he told of the former splendour of the ruined religious -edifices of Sanda.</p> - -<p>There was little to be done in the way of collecting zoological -specimens, and nothing in the way of sport. A thick grove of fir-trees, -marking the burial-place of the tsawbwa’s family, was the only covert, -but firing there was looked upon as certain to bring disease and death -upon the chief and his household. After one attempt, a formal request -was made that we would not shoot on the hills behind the town. A nat -is said to dwell in a cutting, which marks the entrenchments made by -the Chinese army in 1767, and the Shans believe that if a gun were -fired, the insulted demon would come down as a tiger and carry off -children. The chief himself came one day complaining of cough and -headache, and asking for medicine to dislodge the nat who had seized -him, but sulphate of magnesia proved too much for the demon. A Burman -assistant surveyor, who had been sent to make a survey of the river, -was prevented by the villagers, who pleaded a dread of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</span> nats’ -anger, and the tsawbwa, when appealed to, not only supported this view, -but privately asked the interpreter if we had not a secret object in -examining the country, and did not mean to return next year with a -strong force to take possession. We were perfectly free to stroll about -the environs, and one of the chief men undertook to guide us to visit -the hill whence the lime sold in the market was procured. The road lay -along the paddy fields, and was either knee-deep in mud or up to the -saddle-girths in water. We crossed the Nam-Sanda, a deep strong stream -flowing from the north through a short narrow glen, on the other side -of which the limestone hill rose in a gentle declivity. As we rode -through the fields of cotton, now in flower, and kept so clean that -not a weed was visible, Shan girls, dressed in dark blue, with short -trousers and petticoats with little aprons over them, looked up from -their field-work with mute astonishment depicted on their round chubby -faces. About four hundred feet up the grassy hill, on which not a tree -was to be seen, the bluish-grey masses of hard crystalline limestone -occur, lying in irregular heaps overgrown with long grass, as they have -fallen down from the rocky heights above. Some superstitious ideas are -attached to the occurrence of the limestone in this place, and it was -shown to us as a supernatural curiosity. The masses are dug out of the -ground, and carried to the villages, where they are calcined, grass -being used as fuel in preference to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</span> wood. An old kiln was shown us, -which had been formerly erected by some Chinese lime-burners, who had -come from Tali-fu. On our return, the tsawbwa was anxious to know if -the hill contained silver, the Shans having the impression that our -field-glasses enable us to see into the very heart of the mountains -and detect the precious metals therein concealed. In the bed of a -small stream running down the little valley, the hot springs occur, -consisting of two separate groups, separated by about a quarter of -a mile. In the most easterly, we found only one spring, in a basin -about six inches deep and a yard in diameter; the water bubbles up -through a gravelly bottom, over which a fine black micaceous mud has -been deposited. We found the temperature to be 204°, two degrees below -the boiling-point of Sanda, <abbr title="videlicet">viz.</abbr> 206°; but in the cold weather, when -undisturbed by floods, the temperature is higher. As a proof of this, -we saw the feathers of fowls and hair of kids, which had been cooked -in the spring, lying all about the banks of the rivulet. The natives -deepen the basin by piling stones round its margin, and use the spring -as a medicinal bath, and sometimes drink the waters. The other group -had five openings, through which the water bubbled up in the bed of -the stream, which had been diverted to expose them. All the basins -but one had been obliterated by the floods, and the temperature of -the water much reduced; but by inserting the bulb into the holes, the -temperature was found to be the same as that of the first spring. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</span> -atmosphere round the springs was sensibly warm, and the ground so hot -in some places that our barefooted companions could not stand on it. -A peculiar heavy smell was perceptible, which was also perceived, -after boiling, in the water brought away by us. This is probably due -to the presence of some empyreumatic matter.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna38"><a href="#fn38">[38]</a></span> Our guide informed -us with a serious face that hell was in the immediate vicinity, and -that when Gaudama walked over this spot, the flames burst forth, and -endeavoured to devour him, but the springs issued forth and quenched -them, becoming heated in the contest. He also told us that a footprint -of Gaudama was visible close at hand, in a romantic glen, down which -flowed a mountain torrent called the Chalktaw. The stream was crossed -by a double-spanned bamboo bridge, supported in the middle of the -stream by a large boulder, and hung at either end to two bamboos -driven into the ground, so that the bridge is partly arched and partly -suspended. Many Kakhyen and Leesaw men and women were coming down the -hill on their way to Sanda market, bringing great loads of vegetables, -firewood, and planks of wood three<span class="pagenum" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</span> feet long, fifteen inches broad, -and one inch and a half thick. A basket of vegetables and a plank so -heavy that one of us could scarcely lift it formed a mountain-girl’s -load down the steep hillside. About a quarter of a mile up the wild -glen, strewn with enormous waterworn granite boulders, we were shown -the giant footprint in a spot surrounded by some fine old banyan trees. -The print was on the end of a boulder looking up the glen, and it was -evident that the hollow representing the heel had been formed by the -friction of a superincumbent boulder. In time the river changed its -course, and the boulder was exposed to the view of some devout and -imaginative Buddhist. He, struck with the resemblance of the cavity to -a huge heel-mark, carved the outline of a human foot, and proclaimed -the wondrous discovery. Its great antiquity is shown by the existence -of two tablets on the other face of the rock; the carved outlines are -still traceable, but the inscriptions are so worn that it is impossible -to decipher the form of the characters. On our way back we passed a -Leesaw girl with a great display of beads, and succeeded in coaxing her -to part with four strings, and six hoops from her neck, for a rupee. A -little further on we met some more of her tribe resting under a tree, -who rose and offered us rice-spirit out of their bamboo flasks; in -exchange we gave them some watered whisky, which they seemed highly to -relish. These Leesaw women wore a peculiar turban with a pendant end, -of coarse white cloth<span class="pagenum" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</span> patched with blue squares, and trimmed with -cowries. Their close-fitting leggings were made of squares of blue and -white cloth, and their ornaments consisted of large brass ear-rings, -necklaces of large blue beads and seeds, and a profusion of ratan, -bamboo, and straw hoops round the loins and neck. These resemble the -dress of the Moso women described by Cooper, and similar dresses and -ornaments are shown in Mons. Garnier’s illustrations of the Leisus in -North Yunnan.</p> - -<p>At three o’clock in the morning of August 29th, we were all startled -from sleep by a loud outcry and a pistol shot. It turned out that a -thief had opened the door and stolen one of the handsome silver Panthay -spears, but the jingle of the ornaments had awoke Sladen, who fired -a shot in the dark after the retreating robber, and raised an alarm, -in vain. Suspicion at once fell on a phoongyee who slept in a room -close to the door; the sentinel on duty had heard the priest stirring -just before, and while he walked a few yards to consult a watch hung -up on a post, the robbery was effected. The tsawbwa and his headmen -showed great concern, and all agreed in suspecting the priest, whose -character, it appeared, was already bad. They taxed him with the theft, -and told him that it was a most disgraceful act, to steal a gift made -by one official to another; they also threatened, if the spear was not -restored, to degrade him from the priesthood, theft, even to the value -of six annas, being one of the crimes which, at his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</span> ordination, the -rahan is specially warned against, as depriving him <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">ipso facto</em> -of his sacred character.</p> - -<p>The tsawbwa was extremely incensed, and requested us to delay our -journey to enable him, if possible, to discover and restore the spear, -as well as punish the criminal. Early the next morning an old woman -came crying to the khyoung, and, as she entered, threw down her pipe, -and rushed up to Sladen with her hands clasped, and the tears streaming -down her wrinkled cheeks. The interpreter explained that she was the -mother of the suspected priest, and had come to intercede for him. -Another of her sons presently joined her, but they were advised to go -to the tsawbwa, in whose hands the matter rested. While she was being -shown the door through which the thief had entered, the phoongyee -himself came in, and the old woman, with a violent outburst of abuse, -struck him several blows with her clenched fist, and fairly beat him -out of the khyoung.</p> - -<p>The ceremony of excommunication took place in due course, and was -brief enough, lasting only five minutes. He was brought in by all the -headmen, and attended by his mother and brother, the latter carrying -the clothes of an ordinary Shan, which the culprit, when degraded, -was to assume. All sat down, and the poor old woman made an affecting -appeal to her son to confess if he were guilty; but he preserved a -dogged silence, and commenced to take off his turban in front of the -altar. She then retired, departing with her hands clasped above her -head, and ejaculating prayers.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</span> The priest, having removed his turban, -took a water lily from an offering of flowers in front of the image -of Gaudama, and, placing it on a tripod, again deposited it before -the image. The chief priest now appeared on the daïs, and the culprit -knelt behind his lily muttering a few sentences, occasionally rising -from his knees, and bending in worship before the figure, and gradually -retreated after each prostration, until he was beyond the verge of the -daïs peculiar to the priests. He then knelt before the chief phoongyee, -and repeated some formula after him, after which he retired to his -room, and soon emerged dressed as a layman. He was then taken away -by the headmen, and some hours after was brought back led by a chain -secured to an iron collar round his neck. In the evening he was again -led by the chain, down to the khyoung, escorted by the headmen, who -stated that they had failed to find any clue to the missing spear, or -to establish the guilt of the prisoner. He was, however, during the -ensuing conference as to our departure, kept chained to a pillar and -guarded by two men. After another day of delay and barter with the -people, who crowded the khyoung, the only noticeable purchase being -some capital tobacco at the price of a rupee for three pounds and a -half, we took our departure on August 4th. The old tsawbwa and his -grandchild came with a parting present of cloth, and a request that -we would not mount until we had passed his house; and a silver watch -presented by Sladen to his adopted son gave immense pleasure to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</span> both -the chief and his heir. As we approached the haw, three trumpeters -blew a lusty blast, and the three saluting guns were fired as we -ascended the steps leading to the gateway, where the chief and his -grandson awaited us. After a hearty handshaking, and formal adieus, we -mounted under a second salute, and rode out of the town preceded by the -trumpeters in full bray.</p> - -<p>The road at this season was carried along the embankments of the -paddy fields nearer to the base of the hills. The courses of the many -mountain streams showed the traces of the devastation caused by the -unprecedented floods of the past week; whole rice fields had been swept -away, and in others the crop had been hopelessly buried in silt. Roots -and stems of large trees everywhere blocked the channels, and the sides -of the mountains showed red patches, like wounds, where landslips had -occurred. These had been most destructive; nine villages were said to -have been overwhelmed in the Sanda valley, one, a village of forty -houses, being completely destroyed with all its inhabitants, save nine -who were absent. The nineteen miles to Manwyne were accomplished by -5 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, and we took up our quarters in the same khyoung as -on the former visit; some trouble and a little gentle violence being -requisite to exclude the pertinacious and curious Chinese, who went -so far as to hustle a sentry. These Manwyne people (not including the -Shans), though not so hostile as on our first visit, were evidently -ill-disposed, and can be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</span> only classed as “rowdies.” At sundown a -bell was rung and a huge candle lit in front of the altar, while the -priests, kneeling on the upper daïs, supported by choristers on the -lower one, chanted their vespers.</p> - -<p>Bell-ringing and matins woke us up early in the morning, and, as -before, the devout women trooped in with their offerings of rice and -flowers. The phoongyees and some others were very much interested -in hearing about railways, telegraphs, and other wonders of Western -civilisation. One of the Sanda headmen remarked that they were much -privileged to hear of such things, and that we must all have met before -in a previous existence, and would doubtless meet again. They were awed -by viewing the moon through a good telescope; and a prediction of the -coming eclipse of the sun evidently impressed them with a deep sense -of our astrological powers, the chief phoongyee, with bated breath, -inquiring whether it presaged war or famine.</p> - -<p>Our first visitor was the “Death’s Head” pawmine of Ponsee, who -came with the idea that we should entrust ourselves to his friendly -guidance, and was chagrined at the information that we should return by -Hotha. The Hotha tsawbwa had been delayed by the difficulty of crossing -the mud left by the floods, and, when he at length appeared, was at -first inclined to magnify the difficulties, physical and otherwise, -of reaching his valley. When he found us resolute, he made light of -the difficulties, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</span> arranged that the Manhleo poogain should take -charge of the baggage, while he himself preceded us to prepare for -our reception. In the meantime we were entertained at a dinner by the -tsawbwa-gadaw, the honours being done by the Hotha chief. We were -welcomed by the two Buddhist nuns, one a daughter of our hostess, -and the other a sister of Hotha, attended by a crowd of maids and -retainers, and were at once requested to take our seats at the table. -Tea was then served, followed by the dinner, consisting of well-cooked -fowls, roast and boiled, pork, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., with small plates of onions, peas, -and sliced mangoes; then came rice and sauce, followed by another -service of tea. All the dishes were served on Chinese porcelain, and -the samshu was poured from a Birmingham teapot into tiny cups of jade. -We were waited on by men; but just as the dinner was placed on the -table, the hostess came in for a few minutes, and made a speech of -welcome, and apologies for having nothing better to offer; and when -it was over, she rejoined the party. The two rahanees and their maids -favoured us with their company all the time. Being struck with the -red-dyed nails of the ladies, I asked one rosy-cheeked damsel to show -me the dye. She volunteered to give a practical illustration, and at -once brought from an inner room a pulpy mass of the petals and leaves -of a red balsam beaten up with cutch. Having first begged for a small -ring as a memento of our visit, she proceeded to envelop the tip of my -little finger in a portion of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</span> the pulp, and covered it with a green -leaf neatly tied on with thread.</p> - -<p>After dinner the Hotha chief entertained us with a performance on the -Shan guitar or banjo, for the instrument had only three strings, and -the sounding-board was made of a stretched snake skin. The chief was -evidently regarded, and justly, as a skilled performer, and under his -fingers the instrument discoursed sweet, pleasant tinkling, while the -airs, though simple, were melodious. After our return to the khyoung, -the two nuns and their maids arrived with some presents from the -tsawbwa-gadaw, and remained for two hours, asking intelligent questions -about our country and religion, and on leaving made us promise to -visit them at their own khyoung. The next afternoon a messenger came -to remind us of our promise, and two of the party went to the nunnery. -It consisted of two bamboo houses, side by side, enclosed by a fence. -One, used as a residence, was an ordinary Shan house of three rooms; -the other, used as a chapel, was a pavilion, twenty-four feet square, -raised on piles four feet above the ground, and closed in with mats on -all sides save that fronting the dwelling-house. The only decorations -were a few small images of Gaudama, and strips of white paper cut into -ornamental figures and suspended like banners from the roofs. The Hotha -nun was engaged in weaving, which was a breach of the Buddhist canons, -forbidding the religious to employ themselves in any useful labour. -We were invited<span class="pagenum" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</span> into the dwelling-house, and served with mangoes and -women’s tobacco, and bidden to light our pipes. A long and interesting -conversation ensued, mainly on religious subjects. The nuns, especially -the young lady of Manwyne, evinced great interest in the subject of -Christianity, concluding by begging us to consider her as a sister. -Then we all adjourned to afternoon tea at the haw of her mother. The -old lady expressed a great desire to possess a portrait of our gracious -Queen, which we promised to send her from Rangoon. In the meantime, we -offered a temporary substitute in the shape of four brand new rupees, -with which she was greatly pleased.</p> - -<p>August 9th found us ready for an early start from Manwyne, but the want -of porters delayed us till 8.30, when we set out for the Tapeng. A -farewell dish of rice and spirit, “to strengthen us for the journey,” -arrived from the tsawbwa-gadaw, while the chief phoongyee presented -some cloth to each of us, heartily expressing his good wishes for our -welfare. The townspeople waved their adieus, some calling out <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Kara! -kara!</em> and others the Shan equivalent for <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">Au revoir!</em> It was -noon before the ponies were safely across the river, now six hundred -yards in breadth, on the other side of which a mud flat extended for -two miles. The smooth surface had been caked hard by the sun, but with -many a fissure, through which the legs of the ponies slipped into the -tenacious quagmire beneath. At last a veritable Slough of Despond -was reached, and the party was fairly bogged; the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</span> ponies floundered -and stumbled so much that it became necessary to dismount. The next -half-hour will not be easily forgotten, when, the reins in one hand -and my dog held fast in the other, I plunged and struggled through the -slimy ooze, which seemed to grasp the legs firmly at each step. At -one place the pony made a sudden stumble, and disappeared in the mud, -whilst the strain sent me rolling forwards until dragged to my feet -by two unincumbered natives. The stoutest of our party was literally -hauled through by men stimulated by rupees, while his pony had to -be dug out of the mud by some Shans. A blunder of our guide had led -us into this tract of mud, which had been recently deposited by the -overflow of the river; and the amount of alluvium brought down can be -imagined from the fact that the tract covered about six square miles, -with an average depth of four feet. Following the embankments of the -paddy fields for about two miles, we halted for breakfast on a grassy -slope at the foot of the hills, under the shade of wide-spreading -banyan and mangoe trees, amidst eager crowds of villagers staring at -the strangers.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.<br /> -<span class="small">THE HOTHA VALLEY.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -The mountain summit—A giant glen—Leesaw village—The wrong -road—Priestly inhospitality—Town of Hotha—A friendly -chief—The Namboke Kakhyens—The Hotha market—The Shan -people—The Koshanpyi—The Tai of Yunnan—Their personal -appearance—Costume—Equipment—The Chinese Shans—Silver hair -ornaments—Ear-rings—Torques, bracelets, and rings—Textile -fabrics—Agriculture—Social customs—Tenure of land—Old Hotha—A -Shan-Chinese temple—Shan Buddhism—The fire festival—Eclipse of the -sun—Horse worship—Ancient pagodas—Roads from Hotha. -</div> - - -<p>At 2 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> we commenced to ascend the hills, which from Manwyne -had not appeared to be more than one thousand feet high, but proved to -be three times that altitude above the river. The rough bridle-path -led straight up the steep declivity, and in the blazing heat of an -unclouded sun the ascent was most trying to man and beast, already -wearied by their exertions in the quagmire. The mules were ahead, but -our men soon began to lag, although we went as slowly as was compatible -with the prospect of reaching Manloi, on the other side, before -nightfall. A short way up the mountain, bold cliffs stood out, of white -crystalline marble, weathering to a dull brown.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</span> This was succeeded by -quartzose rock; and, still higher, a blueish gneissose rock formed the -upper mass of the range. We passed through several Kakhyen villages, -paying a few rupees by way of toll to the headmen, who were sitting by -the roadside waiting for us. Near the summit, we had a splendid view of -the course of the Tapeng to the Burmese plain. A high curtain of clouds -to the westward hung over the entrance of the river into the gorge of -the hills, while below and beyond it the immense plain of the Irawady -was clearly discerned backed by high hills, and with the great river -winding through it like a broad silver band. To the right extended a -magnificent panorama of the valley as far as the spur above Sanda, -and we took a long farewell gaze at the lovely vale, walled in by its -guardian mountains, and rich in every variety of effect produced by the -grouping in sunset lights and shadows, of flood and fell, and verdant -fields. Having crossed the summit more than five thousand feet above -the sea, we looked down on the narrow Hotha valley, not a thousand feet -below, stretched out at our feet for twenty-five miles, the opposite or -southern range trending round to the north-east to join the mountain -wall of the Sanda valley, by a connecting ridge, much lower than the -height from which we looked across, and saw to the south successive -distant heights cradling valleys whose waters flow to the Shuaylee.</p> - -<p>It is somewhat difficult to find an appropriate term<span class="pagenum" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</span> for this lofty -mountain-cradled district. It is a giant glen, scarcely above two miles -wide, presenting no level ground, but a succession of broken surface -diversified by tossed grassy knolls of red soil, dotted here and there -with villages, each with its plantation of fruit trees. A narrow -stream, the Namsa, winds down on the southern side, till, through a -cluster of higher grassy hills covered with bracken, it forces its -downward way to the Tapeng. Such is the valley of Hotha as it lay -smiling before us in the fast fading light, with its hundred villages, -tenanted by forty thousand peaceful and industrious Chinese-Shans, -which compose the two states of Hotha and Latha, or Muangtha and Hansa.</p> - -<p>Having commenced to descend the ridge, we met with some Leesaws -carrying a freshly killed deer, which an offer of ten rupees failed to -induce them to part with. Many tracts of temperate forest trees, such -as oaks and beeches, were seen, and below them extensive tracts of a -novel short and thin stemmed bamboo. We presently passed through the -village of our Leesaw friends, picturesquely perched on the face of a -steep spur among magnificent trees and enormous grey boulders, some of -which were as large as the houses, which latter differed altogether -from the Kakhyen habitations, being small square structures, with no -floor save the ground, which was kept dry by means of a trench cut -round the mud walls. We entered the village street by a wooden gateway, -and passed out under<span class="pagenum" id="Page_277">[Pg 277]</span> a long covered passage embowered in luxuriant -creepers.</p> - -<p>The sun had set almost as we commenced the descent, and darkness -overtook us halfway down. At a division of the path, a stubborn -muleteer insisted on choosing what proved to be the wrong road, and -half our party, including the Manhleo headman, were thus misled. We -blundered along a rough bridle-track covered with loose stones and -cut up by watercourses. In vain we shouted to attract the attention, -and learn the whereabouts, of the rest; no answer was returned save -the echoes from the hills, now shrouded in darkness. At last we -met some Shans, and learned that we were close to a village called -Mentone, in the Latha or western division, and some miles from Hotha. A -consultation was held as to which alternative was the worst, to proceed -in the dark to Hotha, or go dinnerless and supperless to bed. The -latter seemed the least evil; so we made for the village khyoung, which -was reached at 8.50 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> We could get nothing to eat; and, -thoroughly tired, we unsaddled the hungry and worn-out ponies, and, -taking their saddles for pillows, fell asleep on the floor in front of -the altar. Our slumbers, however, were soon disturbed by the phoongyees -squatting down close to our heads, and shouting out their evening -prayers. The chief phoongyee, a shrivelled old man, sat cross-legged, -with his prayer-book on a small stool before him, and a little acolyte -sat by his side, running a wooden pointer along the lines to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_278">[Pg 278]</span> keep the -priest’s eyes from wandering. Before him sat six choristers yelling -in different keys at the pitch of their voices. The devotions of the -phoongyee were interrupted by our Shan interpreter, who shouted to him -that he wanted to buy four annas worth of rice. The priest at once -stopped the service to bargain as to the quantity of rice to be given -for the coin, which was new to him; this being settled, he resumed his -office, but was again interrupted, as he had not sent any one to serve -out the rice.</p> - -<p>Prayers being ended, we requested something to eat, and were told that -there were some pears on a tree outside, to which we were at liberty -to help ourselves, a generous offer which was politely declined. The -priest, however, gave us quilts to lie on; and being thus made at all -events warmer, though still hungry, we fell asleep, and, waking before -dawn, were well on the way to Hotha by sunrise.</p> - -<p>The inhospitality of these phoongyees was in singular contrast to the -tenets and practice of the Burmese Buddhist priests, who hold it a -pious duty to receive and refresh the stranger. There was, however, an -ill feeling at work against us, which found vent in the question asked -by some of the villagers, “Why had we come to their valley to bring -flying dragons and other evils on them?” This was due to the malicious -reports that the Muangla people had spread. The unexampled inundations -were attributed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</span> to our presence, and it was declared that our stay had -been followed by death in each place. Even the Hotha chief was not free -from the superstitious dread thus produced; and his father-in-law, the -old Latha tsawbwa, though he accepted the presents sent him, utterly -declined a visit, as he feared the strangers would bewitch him and his -household. His dutiful son-in-law declined to press him, as he was “an -old buffalo,” which always went in the contrary direction to that in -which it was driven.</p> - -<p>Turning our backs on the inhospitable village, we proceeded by an -excellent paved road carried along the end of the spurs, and in many -places cut out along the slopes. The mountain streams were crossed -by means of granite bridges, some of them adorned with dragons. -Numerous villages embowered among fine trees were passed; and a novel -feature was introduced by the occurrence, at intervals, of roadside -drinking-fountains, the wells being built over and cased in stone -ornamented with a white marble frieze. A gilded pagoda surmounting a -hillock opposite Manloi brought our thoughts back to Burma, as it was -the first pagoda of the Burmese type seen since our departure from the -plains.</p> - -<p>At 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, August 10th, we arrived at the town of Hotha, -consisting of about one hundred and fifty houses, surrounded by a low -wall, somewhat ruined and dilapidated, the result, not of Panthay -invasion, but of a rebellion by the tsawbwa’s subjects, who a year -before, exasperated by the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</span> imposition of a new tax, rose and attacked -his town. The tsawbwa and his son, in state dresses, the former attired -as a mandarin of the blue button, received us at their residence, and a -salute was fired from four mortar-shaped guns embedded in the ground. -Quarters were assigned to us in the haw, close to the chief’s private -apartments; and all our people were assembled in the course of the day. -The whole of the baggage was brought in safely, although the party had -been divided in the descent of the mountain, and some of the followers -had been obliged to remain in the Leesaw village, the unsophisticated -mountaineers charging them two rupees a head for their night’s lodging! -The Manhleo poogain and Kingain, the Muangla headman to whom the convoy -of the baggage had been entrusted, were very proud of the encomiums -passed on their successful performance of their task, and requested a -certificate to that effect, and further promised to assist all future -travellers who might desire to cross from Manwyne to Hotha.</p> - -<p>We remained until the 27th as guests of the courteous and accomplished -chief Li-lot-fa, or, to give him his Chinese appellation, -Li-yin-khyeen; and the recollection of our sojourn with him, and of his -pleasant valley, is the most agreeable of all the reminiscences of the -country beyond the Kakhyen hills. Not only did our host evince the most -hospitable desire to purvey all creature comforts, but he made us feel -thoroughly at home. We lived on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</span> terms of intimacy with his family, -and his two wives and two daughters manifested a charming freedom of -manners, combined with the most refined propriety, that would have -done credit to a drawing-room at home. The chief delighted to converse -about the various modern inventions of which he had heard reports -from the Chinese who had visited Rangoon. Their accounts, however, -<em>more suo</em>, had been full of marvellous exaggerations, including -flying-machines, telescopes that enabled the sight to penetrate -mountains, and others that divested people of their clothes! The chief -had some vague ideas about railways, steamships, and gas, and was most -eager for fuller and more accurate information.</p> - -<p>We urged him to visit Rangoon and Calcutta, but he seemed to think -the disturbed state of the country an insuperable obstacle; but he -discussed, instead, the plan of sending his son, a lad of thirteen, to -Rangoon. Li-lot-fa could read and write Shan and Chinese, and he now -commenced to learn Burmese, and it was a curious sight to see him at -work with his note-book, which he had obtained from us, taking down -words and sentences as busily as if he had been a competition wallah -preparing for an examination.</p> - -<p>The fact that this tsawbwa had succeeded in maintaining friendly -relations with both the Panthays and imperialist Chinese chiefs, with -whom his real sympathies lay, so that his valley had escaped the evils -of war, spoke well for his diplomatic tact. His conversation showed -that he had been from the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</span> first well informed about our progress and -difficulties, which he unhesitatingly attributed to the machinations -of the Bhamô Chinese. He asserted that the advance to Ponsee, and the -desertion of the muleteers at that place, had been part of a well -concerted scheme on the part of the Kakhyen chiefs to attack and -plunder our baggage. Our escape from this danger was attributed by the -chief to “a supernatural power against evil, given as a reward for good -deeds in former existences.”</p> - -<p>As an energetic trader, he was most anxious to co-operate heartily in -reopening all the trade routes, his especial object, as was natural, -being the restoration of the central or embassy route, which had been -closed for some years by feuds between the Kakhyens of the hills on the -southern side of the Tapeng and the Burmese officials. The cause of -quarrel was stated to have been an unprovoked attack, on the part of -the Burmese, on a few Kakhyens.</p> - -<p>The tsawbwa possessed great influence over the Kakhyen chiefs through -whose territory this route passes, an instance of which was speedily -given by the arrival of the chief of Namboke, accompanied by his -pawmines, and a strong armed guard, the chief and his officers being -mounted on ponies. As soon as he saw Sladen, he went down on one knee, -in the most respectful manner of greeting, and recalled himself to his -recollection as having visited us at Bhamô and received a present of -a head-dress. This chief scarcely resembled a Kakhyen, his naturally<span class="pagenum" id="Page_283">[Pg 283]</span> -Tartar-like cast of countenance being heightened by his Chinese -skull-cap and dress. After remaining one night and expatiating on the -advantages of the embassy route, he set out for home, bearing a letter -from Li-lot-fa to all the Kakhyen chiefs, which the pawmines were -to carry forward, inviting them to come in and arrange for our safe -progress to Bhamô.</p> - -<p>The bazaar or market, which is held every fifth day, took place on -the 12th. There are no shops or shopkeepers, except where the Chinese -reside, among the Shans, and all sale or barter is necessarily -conducted at these regular markets or fairs, which are thronged by the -people of the valley and adjacent hills. The Hotha fair was held on a -grassy slope, about half a mile distant from the town. There were no -permanent or temporary stalls, the vendors simply sitting down in long -lines with their goods before them. One section was devoted to the -sale of sword blades, the manufacture of which is a speciality of this -valley, and another to the wooden scabbards and handles. After buying -two fine blades for four shillings each, I was assured that the vendor -had charged one-third over the value.</p> - -<p>Another quarter was devoted to the sale of samshu, and close by it were -the <em>restaurants</em>, where the hungry customers refreshed themselves -with hot pork, vermicelli, or an article exactly like it, various -vegetables, and peas, all hot and nicely served in little white bowls. -The butchers’ quarter was amply supplied with pork and beef, and fowls -and ducks<span class="pagenum" id="Page_284">[Pg 284]</span> were plentiful. Long lines of Kakhyen women from the hills -offered for sale joss-sticks, pears, apples, plums, peaches, mustard -leaves, and a variety of hill vegetables, along with basketfuls of -nettles, as food for the swine, which are an invariable adjunct of a -Shan household.</p> - -<p>In the centre of the market, on a double row of stalls, were displayed -various kinds of Shan cloth, Shan caps, Chinese paper, rice cutch, -flint, and lime, which are brought from Tali-fu, white arsenic, yellow -orpiment, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. In another quarter, English green and blue broadcloth was -selling at twenty shillings per yard, along with red flannel, for which -the Kakhyens have an especial affection. It seemed to us, however, -that, although the price was high, a very few pieces would “glut the -market.”</p> - -<p>Indigo, the universal dye of the dark blue-clad Shans, Kakhyens, and -Chinese of Western Yunnan, also had its own quarter. The fair was -thronged with people, the elder busy chaffering over their few wares, -and the younger strolling about and gossiping. Almost all were clean -and well-dressed, and there was an absence of the poverty-stricken -class, which had been so numerous in the various towns of the Sanda -valley, all appearing to be well-to-do, to judge from their appearance. -The women, as a rule, were little and rather squat, with round, flat, -high-cheek-boned faces, and slightly oblique eyes. Some of the younger -women, with fair skins and rosy cheeks, might have been accounted -good-looking, but were<span class="pagenum" id="Page_285">[Pg 285]</span> disfigured by the strange custom of dyeing the -teeth black, which is the fashion among Shans of the better class. The -dye is probably a preparation of cutch, and, according to the tsawbwa, -the custom originated in a desire to preserve the teeth from decay.</p> - -<p>For the first time we noticed the peculiar and picturesque dress of the -Chinese Shan women. The men, with the exception of an occasional red -turban, were dressed in the universal dark blue. The costume of the -Hotha Shan women only differed from that remarked in the Sanda valley -in the prevalence of dark green jackets and the number of large silver -hoops worn round the neck.</p> - -<p>It will be well here to summarise, even at the risk of repetition, -our observations on the Shan inhabitants of these valleys, who belong -to the Tayshan or Great Shans of the Tai race, the branches of which, -under different names, are found extending to the eleventh parallel, -their various states being tributary to Siam, Burma, or China. The -Shan population where it has been absorbed into the Burmese kingdom -has become assimilated in language and customs with the dominant race, -from which they can scarcely be distinguished. Throughout the valley of -the upper Irawady above Bhamô, but with the Kakhyen hills interposing -their stratum of hill tribes between them and their brethren of the -Chinese states, the Shan element predominates, though contending with -the wilder Singphos to the west of the valley. The inhabitants, though -speaking Burmese, still preserve the Shan<span class="pagenum" id="Page_286">[Pg 286]</span> language, and retain the -physical and other characteristics of their race.</p> - -<p>The little states of Manwyne and Sanda, Muangla, Muangtee, Muangtha, -or Hotha and Latha, and Muangwan and Muangmow, which lie on the right -bank of the Shuaylee, are the remains of the Koshanpyi or Nine Shan -States, forming the chief component parts of the Shan kingdom of Pong, -conquered by the Chinese in the fourteenth century. Bhamô or Tsing-gai, -with the country extending to Katha, or perhaps to Tsampenago, and the -upper part of the valley of the Irawady, with Mogoung as its chief -town, were the last remaining independent remnants of this state, and -have been included in Burma since the annexation by Alompra in 1752 of -the semi-independent state of Mogoung.</p> - -<p>It seems most probable that the walled Chinese town of Muanglon -represents Muang Maorong, the ancient capital of the Pong kingdom, -and the Chinese Shan states of Sehfan and Muangkwan, and possibly the -state of Kaingmah, which is reckoned among the Koshanpyi, are under -the jurisdiction of its Chinese governor, as the states we visited are -dependent on Momien. Throughout Yunnan, and, according to Garnier, as -far as the confines of Tong-king, the Tai race is widely diffused. -The names of towns and districts seem to indicate that this region -of lofty hills and great valleys was formerly the seat of the Shan -kingdom, and still—though intermixed with the wild hill tribes, and -the descendants of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_287">[Pg 287]</span> the Chinese colonists, who were settled in the -newly acquired conquests—the Shans, under the name of Pa-y, hold their -ancient ground. Mons. Garnier mentions that at Muang-Pong he found -villages peopled with Tai-ya settlers, who had fled from the Mahommedan -ravages, and settled beyond the borders of Yunnan. His description of -their characteristic dress and silver ornaments would almost exactly -apply to the Chinese-Shans of the Hotha valley. He describes some -Tai-neua<span class="fnanchor" id="fna39"><a href="#fn39">[39]</a></span> refugees met with at Kiang-hung or Xien-hong itself, and -remarks on the resemblance between these two divisions of the Shans. -As soon as he had passed into the country where the Laotian language -ceased to be understood, on the confines of Yunnan, near Se-mao, “The -inhabitants presented an intermediary type between the Chinese and the -Tai race. This mixed type faithfully represents that of the ancient -population of Yunnan, or that of the Tai, who were conquered by the -Chinese.” And at Yuen-kiang he remarks: “The Tai, whom the Chinese call -Pa-y, are the ancient inhabitants of the country of Muong-Choung, which -is now called Yuen-kiang. They are more numerous and more independent -as the frontier of Tong-king is approached.” Thus the Chinese province -of Yunnan on the one side and the upper portion of the valley of the -Irawady on the other contain a largely preponderating element of -Shan population,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_288">[Pg 288]</span> their national characteristics, however, gradually -becoming obliterated by the influence of the ruling races respectively. -Owing to their local position, which has preserved their subordinate -independence, the little nest of valleys, cradled in the parallel -secondary ranges which lie between the Salween and the Irawady, has -preserved, almost unmixed, the relics of the ancient Shan kingdom, and -it is with their inhabitants, so far as our observations extended, that -we have to do. It is with some uncertainty that the terms Shans proper -and Chinese Shans are used; not so much as indicating a theory of race -as to serve as a practical distinction between the two divisions, -which, though claiming to be one in race as in language, will be seen -to present curious differences; while the Chinese-Shans, or Sino-Shans, -as some have called them, may, according to the evidence of the French -explorers, really represent the original Tai race more directly than -the Shans of the Tapeng valley and the Irawady valley.</p> - -<p>The Shans proper of these valleys are a fair race, somewhat sallow -like the Chinese, but of a very faintly darker hue than Europeans, the -peasantry, as a rule, being much browned by exposure; they have red -cheeks, dark brown eyes, and black hair. In young people and children, -the waxen appearance of the Chinese is slightly observable. The Shan -face is usually short, broad, and flat, with prominent malars, a faint -obliquity and contraction of the outer angle of the eye, which is much<span class="pagenum" id="Page_289">[Pg 289]</span> -more marked in the true Chinese. The nose is well formed, the bridge -being prominent, almost aquiline, without that breadth and depression -characteristic of the Burman feature. The lower jaw is broad and well -developed; but pointed chins below heavy, protruding lips are not -infrequent. Oval faces laterally compressed, with retreating foreheads, -high cheek-bones, and sharp retreating chins, are not infrequent; and -the majority of the higher classes seemed to be distinguished from the -common people by more elongated oval faces and a decidedly Tartar type -of countenance. The features of the women are proportionately broader -and rounder than those of the men, but they are more finely chiselled, -and wear a good-natured expression, while their large brown eyes are -very scantily adorned with eyebrows and eyelashes. They become much -wrinkled by age, and, judging from the numbers of old people, appear to -be a long-lived race. They are by no means a tall people, the average -height for men scarcely reaching five feet eight, while the women are -shorter and more squat in figure. The only difference between the -Shans and Poloungs, so far as my limited observation went, seems to -be that the latter are darker and smaller; but the Chinese Shans, or -Sino-Shans, of the Muangtha valley differ widely from their congeners. -They are a much smaller race, their little, squat figures and broad, -short flat faces reminding one of Laplanders. The cheek-bones are very -prominent, and their faces are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_290">[Pg 290]</span> much flatter and shorter than those -of the other Shans. The breadth between the eyes, which are markedly -oblique, is considerable, and the mouths are heavy, with protruding -lips. In the women these characters are more pronounced, and their -complexion strongly resembles that of the Chinese.</p> - -<p>In the ordinary attire the Shans, except the Chinese Shans, are -almost uniformly dressed in sombre dark blue, the dye being obtained -from the wild indigo. In full dress, however, the women display an -appreciation of colour which would delight an artist. The peculiar -head-dress, like an inverted cone, has been already alluded to. It -consists of a series of long blue scarves, a foot broad, and of a -total length of forty to fifty feet, wound round and round the head -in a huge turban, towering upwards with a backward slope, like that -of the Parsee head-dress. The folds are arranged in a crescent over -the forehead with most exact precision; the free end, embroidered -in gold and silk, and sometimes adorned with silver pendants, hangs -gracefully down the neck. The hair, left uncovered in the hollow of -this structure, is adorned with silver hairpins, the heads of which -are richly enamelled to represent flowers and insects. The jacket, of -blue or green, and sometimes pink, is short and loose, with a narrow -and erect collar. Thin square plaques of enamelled silver fasten it at -and below the neck, to which are sometimes superadded three rows of -large round silver bosses, enriched with birds and flowers enamelled -in various colours. The loose sleeves are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_291">[Pg 291]</span> folded back from the elbow, -displaying massive silver or silver-gilt bracelets. A tight thick skirt -of cotton cloth, deeply bordered with squares of embroidered silk or -satin, close-fitting leggings, and embroidered shoes, complete the -toilette, a richly variegated cloth being sometimes worn as a girdle. -A Shan lady thus attired is incomplete without a silver flask-shaped -scent-bottle about three inches across, adorned with silver studs and -pendants terminating in round silver bells, which jingle as the wearer -moves. Silver chatelaines are also worn, and a needlecase formed of -a silver tube, enamelled and studded, enclosing a cushion, which is -attached to the waist. Silver neck-hoops, ear-rings, and rings, which -deserve particular description, complete the adornments of the Shan -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">belle</em>, who, moreover, is seldom seen without her long-stemmed -pipe, with its small bowl of glazed clay.</p> - -<p>The male peasants wear a long double-breasted jacket of blue cotton, -buttoned down the right side, often with jade, amber, or silver -buttons. Of the same material are their short wide trousers and thick -turbans, with a long fringe at the free end, which is usually coiled -up with the pigtail on the outside. Long strips of blue cloth wound -round the shins serve as leggings, and their shoes are made of cloth -resembling felt, embroidered with narrow braid and soled with leather. -A very broad straw hat covered with oiled silk serves as an umbrella -against rain or a scorching sun.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_292">[Pg 292]</span></p> - -<p>The better classes, such as the headmen of the towns, wear long blue -Chinese coats reaching to the ankles, and black satin skull caps -ornamented with Chinese figures worked in gold braid. The little boys -don blue cotton caps, braided, with a red topknot, and garnished with -a row of silver figures of guardian nats. A silver chatelaine, with -a number of little instruments, such as tweezers to depilate the -face, ear and tooth picks, is frequently worn by the men. It hangs -from the button-hole by a long silver chain, ornamented with beads of -jade, amber, or glass, or with grotesque figures of animals carved in -jade or amber. Two essentials in a Shan’s equipment are his dah and -tobacco-pipe. The dah has a blade two feet and a half to three feet in -length, expanding from the hilt to the almost square point, which is -nearly three inches broad. The wooden handle is bound with cord covered -with silver foil, and ornamented with a tassel of goat hair. The wooden -half-scabbard is attached to a ratan hoop worn over the right shoulder. -These dahs are chiefly manufactured by the Muangtha Shans from iron -imported from Yunnan. They use charcoal as a fuel, and a bellows made -of the segment of a large bamboo, with a piston and valve at each end. -They supply all the hill tribes with weapons, and, as before remarked, -resort to Bhamô and elsewhere to work during the winter months. These -weapons exactly resemble those made by the Khampti Shans, and, like -them, are keen and well tempered. The tobacco-pipes are remarkable -on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_293">[Pg 293]</span> account of their elaborate silver stems, which are frequently a -yard in length, and enriched with enamelled flowers and silver twist. -Sometimes the stem swells at intervals into elongated silver spheres. A -long bamboo stem intervenes between the silver and the bowl of glazed -earthenware. The wealthier Shans frequently use the Chinese hookah, and -the poorer the Chinese brass or iron pipes with small bowls. Tobacco, -home-grown and of very excellent quality, is carried in small round -boxes made of buffalo hide covered with red varnish. They are made in -two halves, the upper overlapping the under, the hide being moistened -and stretched over a wooden mould.</p> - -<p>The costume of the Chinese Shan women of Hotha and Latha differs in a -marked manner from that already described. They wear the Shan jacket -and loose trousers like the men, and usually are barefooted. The back -part of the jacket is prolonged to the knees in a half skirt, and -a double Chinese apron in front overlaps it, so as to complete the -dress. Besides the large silver plaques, epaulets are worn, of small -semi-spherical discs, connected by a line of silver buttons from -shoulder to shoulder. The broad waistband of the apron expands behind -into a richly embroidered piece, which is a peculiar characteristic -of this people. A still more distinctive mark is the head-dress, from -which the high turban is absent. The hair is divided and gathered up -on the crown of the head, when it is plaited into the ends of a flat -chignon encircled by a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_294">[Pg 294]</span> ratan hoop covered with red cloth. This is kept -in position by means of twenty-five to thirty silver pins headed with -thin plates of silver embossed or engraved with leaves and flowers, and -so disposed as to form a silver coronal. Outside this is wound a slight -blue turban, to the pendant fringes of which are suspended a number of -silver rings. In full dress four much larger hairpins, with elaborate -heads eight inches in length and three inches across, are worn. They -are overlaid with silver wire cunningly wrought to represent the stems -and leaves of plants, which are enamelled green, brown, and yellow, -and enriched with flowers in the same material, the petals formed -of red and blue stones, and little silver spheres representing the -unopened buds. Sometimes yet another inner circle of smaller pins, each -headed with a cluster of four small caps, is added; and an elaborate -head-dress forms a circle or an aureole of silver flowers fully a foot -in diameter. The various patterns of hairpins are of the most intricate -construction. The simplest are made chiefly of silver wire and flat -pieces of silver cut into fantastic figures or forms of trailing plants -in full flower, the colours being enamelled in green, blue, purple, and -yellow. Some are wrought in the finest filigree, one beautiful specimen -representing a swan-like bird resting on its outstretched wings among -a bed of flowers. The feathers of the wings are most effectively -wrought in silver wire, and among the leaflets stand up little coils of -silver wire, each terminating in two square<span class="pagenum" id="Page_295">[Pg 295]</span> cusped discs of silver. -These strongly resemble the capsuled stems of mosses; and the general -appearance of these pin-heads suggests that the artist has derived his -inspiration from the study of a grassy sward covered with flowers and -moss; indeed, the most fashionable form of this ornament consists of -two tiers of leaf-work, the uppermost supported on fine wire, while -through its interstices the capsuled stems rise from the lower tier, as -flowers rise above the grass.</p> - -<p>This distinctive head-dress of the Chinese Shans seems to characterise -the Pa-y or Tai women in the south of Yunnan. M. Garnier describes -those of Yuen-hiang as wearing long silver hairpins, from the ends of -which hung a profusion of pendants. Their costume consists of a showy -corset with a little jacket over it, a petticoat with a broad coloured -border, and apron; and he particularly describes a high collar made -of red and black stuff, on which little silver studs are arranged in -patterns reminding him of the armed collar of a “bouledogue.” The front -of the vest is also thickly studded with similar ornaments. The Pa-y -ear-rings are of very delicate workmanship, the usual pattern being a -large ring supporting a small square plate with numerous pendants, much -resembling those of the Chinese Shans. The married women of the latter -especially invariably wear a silver or silver-gilt ring, overlaid -with studs or filigree work, to which is attached a jade or enamelled -silver disc. The Chinese Shan girls wear a tube of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_296">[Pg 296]</span> silver, from which -is suspended an inverted rosette set with a circle of club-shaped -pendants. From the centre of this flower-like ornament hangs a filigree -ball and rosette set with a garnet. The ear ornaments of the Shans -proper are of two kinds, only one of which, worn by the young girls, -can be called an ear-ring—the large circle of silver wire suspending a -flat spiral ornament resembling a favourite pattern of the Roman period -in Europe. There are three forms of the second or of the cylindrical -type, necessitating a large opening in the lobe of the ear, but by no -means so large as the ear ornaments of the Burmese beauties, which are -sometimes an inch and a half in diameter. The first are made of a piece -of bamboo, which is covered with silverfoil, one end being finished -by a piece of cloth, which is effectively embroidered with the green -wing-cases of a beetle, red seeds, and Chinese devices in gold thread. -The second form is a short cylinder of silver, with a cross piece -engraved with Chinese figures. The third is nearly two inches long, -widening into a disc fully an inch in diameter, and terminating in a -silver knob. The front is composed of open silver filigree.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img017"> - <img src="images/017.jpg" class="w75" alt="SHAN HEAD-DRESS, BRACELETS, AND EAR-ORNAMENTS" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">SHAN HEAD-DRESS, BRACELETS, AND EAR ORNAMENTS.</p> - - -<ul class="index" style="margin-left: 10%;"> -<li class="isuba">Fig. 1. Chinese Shan chignon encircled with silver hairpins.</li> -<li class="isuba">2. Shan silver bracelet.</li> -<li class="isuba">3. ” ” ” in filigree.</li> -<li class="isuba">4. ” ” ” enamelled.</li> -<li class="isuba">5. Chinese Shan girl’s ear-drop.</li> -<li class="isuba">6. 7. Shan woman’s tubular ear ornaments.</li> -<li class="isuba">8. Shan finger ring.</li> -<li class="isuba">9. Silver tube for enclosing a needle cushion.</li> -</ul> - -<p>These silver ornaments will be seen to be thoroughly characteristic of -the Shans, who, it need not be said, are expert silversmiths, their -simple tools consisting of small cylindrical bellows, a crucible, -punch, graver, hammer, and little anvil. In the Sanda valley the -phoongyees are the chief artificers; but in Hotha the trade is still -confined to the laymen. Their enamels, of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_297">[Pg 297]</span> which we could not -discover the materials, are very brilliant, and employed with beautiful -effect in the floral patterns, which form the principal stock of -designs. The only other forms of ornamentation, the rope-shaped fillets -and rounded studs or bosses, singularly resemble those found on the -diadems and armlets of the early historical periods of Scandinavian -art. The plain torques or neck rings in use, especially among the -Hotha Shans, only differ from the ancient Irish type by their more -rounded form, and by the pointed ends being bent outwards, in lieu of -being expanded into cymbal-shaped faces. Another kind of torque is of -the same shape, but covered with leaf ornaments and cones in filigree -and enamel alternating with red and blue stones or pieces of glass. -Torque-like hollow rings, covered with floral enrichments, are worn as -bracelets; sometimes they are gilt with very red gold and enamelled, a -jewel being usually set in the centre. Another form is a silver hoop, -nearly two inches in breadth, with rounded edges and filigree borders, -most elaborately set with floral rosettes of three circles, rows of -leaves, brown, green, and dark purple, centred by a large silver stud.</p> - -<p>The finger-rings are generally made of rope wire, either with conical -or flat spiral coils; but one curious type is formed of an oblong -ornamented silver plate an inch long, and as broad as the finger. A -half-circle from either side enables it to be worn on a finger of any -size. Many<span class="pagenum" id="Page_298">[Pg 298]</span> of the rings are jewelled with garnets, moonstones, and -pieces of dark green jade, but no valuable gems were observed. The men -commonly wear ordinary Chinese rings of jade or amber.</p> - -<p>The women are constantly engaged in weaving and dyeing, for the yarn -from home-grown cotton is spun, dyed, and woven by their industrious -fingers. They are adepts at needlework and silken embroidery; and -all the clothes worn are made and ornamented by the women of each -household. Straw-plaiting is another of their industries, and the -broad-brimmed straw hats made in the valley would compete with the -finest Leghorn fabrics. Another art in which they excel, apparently -borrowed from the Chinese, is the manufacture of elaborate ornaments -for the hair from the sapphire blue feathers of the roller bird -(<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Coracias affinis</em>). These are fastened on paper cut to imitate -wreaths and flowers; and with copper wire, gold thread, and feathers, -laid on with the greatest nicety, very pretty simple ornaments are -produced, which are often brightened by the addition of a ruby or some -other gem.</p> - -<p>The stuffs woven in a loom similar to that in use by the Kakhyens are -of all degrees of texture, the finer kinds, used for jackets, being -very soft, and usually figured with large lozenge-shaped patterns -of the same colour. A marked feature of the textile fabrics and -embroideries of the Shans, and indeed of their ornamentation generally, -is the reproduction of conventional patterns, handed down from<span class="pagenum" id="Page_299">[Pg 299]</span> their -forefathers without any attempt to improve or vary them. The Shan -designs of the nineteenth century probably are identical with those of -the fourteenth, and are simple modifications of the lozenge, square, -and stripe; these modifications may be, and are, almost endless, and -the combinations of the elementary forms most intricate, while the -ground of the fabrics in which the patterns are wrought is usually -covered with numerous small truncated almond-rounded lozenges, -interspersed with figures of the sacred Henza, or Brahminical goose. -The chief beauty of their textile fabrics consists in the wonderful -grouping and harmony of the colouring; and in the employment of their -vivid full and half tints of blue, orange, green, and red, they are all -but unrivalled artists.</p> - -<p>The great body of the Shan population is engaged in agriculture; and -as cultivators they may take rank even with the Belgians. Every inch -of ground is utilised; the principal crops being rice, which is grown -in small square fields, shut in by low embankments, with passages and -floodgates for irrigation. During the dry weather, the nearest stream -has its water led off, and conducted in innumerable channels, so that -each block, or little square, can be irrigated at will. In the valley -of the Tapeng, advantage is taken of the slope of the ground to lead -canals to fields several miles away from the point of divergence. At -our arrival in the beginning of May, the valley from one end to the -other appeared<span class="pagenum" id="Page_300">[Pg 300]</span> to be an immense watery tract of rice plantations -glistening in the sunshine, while the bed of the river was left half -dry by the subtraction of the water. Tobacco, cotton, and opium are -grown on the well-drained slopes of the hills, the two former for -home use; but the white-flowered poppy is cultivated to supply the -requirements of Chinese, Kakhyens, and Leesaws. A considerable quantity -of Shan opium finds its way to Bhamô, and thence to Mandalay, and also -to Mogoung, whence it is distributed among the Singphos.</p> - -<p>The land is tilled by a wooden plough with an iron share, drawn by a -single buffalo. Men and women work together, but the heavy tillage is -done by the former, the weaker sex being only employed in weeding and -thinning. Vegetables are grown round every house, and form an important -article of diet. Numbers of fine cattle and pigs are reared and killed -for eating, their flesh, with all kinds of poultry, being largely -used, and sold freely in the markets, for the Shans have no Buddhist -prejudices. The milk, however, is not used. The entrails of animals, -as among the Burmese, are much used in Shan <em>cuisine</em>; a very -fair soup, made of the intestines of fowls, being a favourite dish of -the Hotha tsawbwa, who insisted, when dining with us, on substituting -it for our soup, which he did not approve. The large larvæ of a giant -wasp, and stewed centipedes, are Shan dainties which we could not -appreciate.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_301">[Pg 301]</span></p> - -<p>Their principal stimulant is <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">samshu</em>, or rice-spirit; but -during our stay amongst them, we observed scarcely an instance of -intoxication. The vice of drunkenness and the licentiousness common -amongst all their neighbours seem almost unknown among this industrious -self-supporting race. They are social and good-humoured, but by no -means as jovial as the Burmese, compared with whom they are a quiet, -rather sedate people.</p> - -<p>As a rule, each man is content with one wife, but polygamy is allowable -to those who are wealthy enough; thus the Hotha chief had several -wives at various villages. All that is required to contribute a valid -union is the sanction of the parents, mutual consent, and interchange -of presents between the contracting parties, but no religious rite -whatever is observed on the occasion of the wedding.</p> - -<p>They are a musical race, and possess many simple wild airs, which -they play on stringed and wind instruments. Of the former, which are -played like a guitar, one is about three feet in length, with three -strings and a broad sounding-board; another is only half the size, the -sounding-board being a short drum-like cylinder, with a snake skin -stretched across it. This instrument was also a great favourite with -the Momien people, and is probably of Chinese origin. The most usual -wind instrument is a sort of flute, made of bamboo, with a flask-shaped -gourd as mouthpiece, and the sound is full, soft, and pleasing. The -long brazen trumpets, which are a sort of state<span class="pagenum" id="Page_302">[Pg 302]</span> appendage of the -tsawbwa, are only blown to announce his arrival, or to do honour to his -guests.</p> - -<p>The chiefs, although paying an annual tribute to the authorities at -Momien, exercise full patriarchal authority in their states; assisted -by a council of headmen, they adjudicate all cases, civil and criminal. -The tsawbwa is the nominal owner of all land, but each family holds a -certain extent, which they cultivate, paying a tithe of the produce to -the chief. These settlements are seldom disturbed, and the land passes -in succession, the youngest son inheriting, while the elder brothers, -if the farm is too small, look out for another plot, or turn traders; -hence the Shans are willing to emigrate and settle on fertile lands, -as in British Burma. The chiefs naturally do not approve of this, -and it is to be feared that the recent emigration of these Shans to -our provinces has in the last few years excited the ill-will of the -tsawbwas against the British officials, whom they accuse of inducing -their people to desert them. In ordinary times of peace and prosperity, -the inhabitants of these valleys must have been very thriving, and the -chiefs very wealthy, tokens of which appeared in their haws, though -most of them had been much injured before our visit; but at this -time they were certainly impoverished, and, without doubt, many of -the valuable articles of dress and jewellery offered to us for sale -belonged to the chiefs and their families. The great anxiety of the -peaceable Shans was for the restoration of order, and though they all -earnestly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_303">[Pg 303]</span> longed for the re-establishment of the imperial Chinese -<em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">régime</em>, they were, in the meantime, most ready to befriend those -whose mission was to establish a route for commerce, necessitating -peace and order as the conditions of its maintenance.</p> - -<p>We found it impossible to obtain a guide to the southern side of the -valley of Hotha beyond the Namsa, which is a very small mountain -stream. The tsawbwa declared that the bridge had been washed away, and -that the road was deep in mud; but he himself planned an excursion for -us to visit another house belonging to him at Tsaycow, some miles to -the east of Hotha. The chief set off early in the morning to prepare -for our reception, and we followed at midday. The road, paved with -boulders, and near the villages with long dressed slabs of granite, -wound over the grassy spurs, the slopes of which were cultivated -with tobacco and cotton. The mountain streams, running over rocky -channels encumbered by large boulders particoloured with green moss -and lichens, were spanned by bridges of gneiss or granite, those -over the larger streams being handsome arched structures, twenty to -twenty-five feet in span, with a rest-house at either end, and the -parapets often guarded by stone dragons. Each village was approached by -a long narrow lane arched by trees and feathery bamboos, terminating -in a picturesque gateway, and bordered by stone drinking fountains. -The houses were embowered in trees, pear, apple, chestnut, peach, and -sweet lime, forming<span class="pagenum" id="Page_304">[Pg 304]</span> orchards round the villages, and the triple roofs -of substantial khyoungs and occasional pagodas crowning the knolls, -completed the rural picture, with a background of green slopes of -grazing land running up to the rearward wall of mist-clad mountains. -One small pagoda, called Comootonay, differed altogether from the -ordinary Burmese type, in its peculiar shape and attenuated long spire, -which rose to a height of fifty feet. Five miles of pleasant riding -past a succession of thriving and picturesque villages, orchards, and -khyoungs, brought us to Tsaycow, or Old Hotha, a much larger place than -the present town of that name, embowered in trees, and delightfully -situated on a spur at the opening of a little dale, down which flowed -a fine mountain stream. The chief’s house, formerly his head-quarters, -which was built in the Chinese fashion, though smaller than our -residence, had the advantage of a better site and superior condition, -the private apartments especially being richly decorated with elaborate -carvings. In the inner reception hall we were welcomed by the tsawbwa, -and, after being refreshed with tea, were conducted by him to see two -khyoungs, one Shan and the other Chinese, built, after his own designs, -one above the other, on the hillside behind the village. The Chinese -temple, which occupied the highest site, was enclosed by a high wall, -with a gate leading into a courtyard bordered by cloisters on either -side, while a raised pavilion occupied the end, opposite to which, -and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_305">[Pg 305]</span> above all the other buildings, towered the shrine, crowning the -highest of two terraces faced with granite. Covered staircases led -from the cloisters to the higher level, each terminating in a little -rounded tower containing a large bell. The temple occupied the whole of -the terrace, with verandahs, paved with stone, to the front and rear. -A little stream bubbled up into a small basin in the front, and then -formed a cascade from terrace to terrace into the court below. Two -entrances led from the verandah into the temple, between which a large -window exactly faced the altar-piece. On a table in front of the window -stood vases with incense and flowers, and a number of boxes containing -the library. The altar-piece, an admirable example of open woodcarving, -about twenty feet high, resembled a huge triptych, containing three -recesses about ten feet from the ground. It was enclosed by a simple -wooden railing four feet high, and before it stood a small table, -whereon incense is burned, and at either end two others, with a wooden -fish and drumstick on each. The three recesses contained life-sized -figures, each with a gauze curtain in front. A beam projecting to the -front wall from either side supported two life-sized figures, and along -each side wall eighteen small figures were ranged on a platform, with -a vase and joss-sticks before each. The tsawbwa acted as cicerone, -and explained that the central figure was Chowlaing-lon, the king of -all nats, who had existed before Gaudama. The figures on either side -are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_306">[Pg 306]</span> called Coonsang, and act as his pawmines or agents, to execute -his orders; and the four standing figures are the rulers of the four -great islands or quarters of the globe, who keep a record of all the -actions of their subjects. After death each man is brought before -Chowlaing-lon, and by him consigned to the Coonsang, who, according -to the report given by the rulers, make them over to one or other of -the thirty-six nats representing the army of the Thagyameng, ranged in -order along the sides. One of these nats was represented with six arms, -armed respectively with a belt, bow, arrow, club, and dagger, while one -hand was empty as though ready to seize a victim. All the others were -in different attitudes, each holding some kind of weapon, and having -a long scarf-like band round his neck and shoulders, reaching to the -ground, to serve as wings, recalling to our minds the flying people -visited by Peter Wilkins.</p> - -<p>The lower or Shan khyoung consisted of two oblong buildings on -different levels. A grim-looking nat or Beloo guarded the door leading -into the temple, where sat three colossal Buddhas, the Past, Present, -and Future. On either side were two guardian figures, one mounted on -a pigmy elephant, and the other on a mongrel monster, half lion and -half tiger. At the feet of the Buddhas was a well executed figure of a -tortoise; while vases of incense and sweet-smelling flowers placed on -a table sent up their sweet odours to the calm impassive faces above -them. At<span class="pagenum" id="Page_307">[Pg 307]</span> each side of the building, sat a row of life-sized figures, -cleverly executed, and one especially, representing a shrivelled old -man, with his chin resting on his knees, and the flesh tints admirably -given, displayed real artistic power. In the lower temple, which -was open in front, the middle of the central wall was occupied by a -figure of Kwan-yin holding the child, and surrounded by a number of -small adoring figures sculptured in relief; above her head a parrot, -holding a rosary in its bill, was perched on a twig. On the other side -of the wall, so as to be back to back with the Chinese goddess, sat a -colossal Buddha flanked by two gigantic figures, one of which held a -rat. The tsawbwa declared that all these temples had been erected in -honour of Buddha; and he narrated the history of Kwan-yin, who was the -daughter of an ancient emperor of China, but, assuming the white robe -of a rahanee, spent her days in a forest, devoted to pious meditation. -The mixture of ancient polytheism and Buddhism in the story was an -apt illustration of the confused form of religion represented in the -shrines.</p> - -<p>Our visit was concluded by a sumptuous dinner at the tsawbwa’s house, -the great point of etiquette apparently being to leave no part of -the table unoccupied by dishes, save a margin for the guests to use -their chopsticks. After dinner the tsawbwa introduced the subject of -religion, and was much surprised at our not believing the doctrine of -successive existences. Speaking of Gaudama, he<span class="pagenum" id="Page_308">[Pg 308]</span> distinguished him from -Buddha, and was anxious to learn from us in what country he, Gaudama, -was at present living.</p> - -<p>The Buddhism of the Shans is, as has been already noticed, marked -by great laxity among the phoongyees, and the most active religious -feelings among the people belong to the belief in and worship of nats. -During our stay, on the 13th of August, the fire festival of the Shans -was celebrated, and about twenty bullocks and cows were slaughtered -in the market-place; the meat was all speedily sold, part of it being -cooked and eaten, while the remainder was fired out of guns at sundown, -the pieces which happened to fall on the land being supposed to become -mosquitoes, and those in the water leeches. Immediately after sunset -the tsawbwa’s retainers began to beat gongs and blow long brass -trumpets; after dark, torches were lit, and a party, preceded by the -musicians, searched the central court for the fire nat, who is supposed -to lurk about at this season with evil intent. They then prosecuted -their search in all the apartments and the garden, throwing the light -of the torches into every nook and corner where the evil spirit might -find a hiding-place. Three other festivals are annually devoted to the -nats of rain, wind, and cold.</p> - -<p>The eclipse of the sun which happened on the 18th of August, commencing -at 9.5 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, had been predicted by us at various places, and -here also. The diminution of light was, as the Shans admitted,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_309">[Pg 309]</span> not -sufficient to have called their attention to it, unless forewarned. -The tsawbwa showed his usual intelligence by being able to use the -telescope. As soon as he had satisfied himself that the eclipse had -really commenced, he ordered his saluting guns to be fired, and the -long trumpets to be blown, while, at his earnest request, we were -obliged to order out the police guard to fire two volleys; all this was -to terrify some monster that was threatening to devour the sun. The -chief, however, listened attentively to our endeavour to explain the -natural causes of the phenomenon, and even imparted them to the excited -crowd which flocked eagerly about us.</p> - -<p>Some of the khyoungs in the valley were altogether sacred to the -Chinese deities Kwan-yin and Showfoo, the Prah, or god of the Yunnan -Chinese, with various evil nats and famous teachers, such as Tamo, to -the utter exclusion of any trace of the Buddhistic creed.</p> - -<p>At a dilapidated little temple close to Hotha, dedicated to certain -nats, the entrance was guarded by two horses, each with a horseman -standing at its head. Similar figures of horses, tended by a man in -Tartar costume, occurred in the khyoung at Muangla, and the reader may -remember that the Manwyne women paid daily offerings of rice to the -horse’s image in the khyoung at that town. The fact that the Shans are -a race of horse-breeders and horsemen may account for the preservation -of this curious relic of their pristine religion, along with the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_310">[Pg 310]</span> -primæval propitiation of the dangerous nats, or powers of earth, air, -and water.</p> - -<p>The principal Buddhist khyoung of the valley, situated in the pretty -walled village of Tsendong, is perfectly free from any admixture of -their older superstitions. The tsawbwa, who acted as our cicerone, -seemed very proud of the temple, which was declared to be very old. -It is built on a low stone platform, surrounded by a narrow terraced -verandah, the whole of the outside being roughly but skilfully -carved. It contained richly gilt book cabinets, and elaborately -carved altar-pieces, and might have been transported entire from the -Burmese plains. The remains of an old and venerated phoongyee, who -had died two months previously, lay in state under a double-roofed -temporary pavilion, close to the khyoung. The sarcophagus, supported -on two dragons, was a handsome structure, surmounted by a richly -carved miniature pagoda. The ground had been levelled, and was kept -scrupulously clean, and the whole enclosure carefully railed off. -On a neighbouring terrace stood an octagonal zayat, enclosing a -small pagoda. It was built almost entirely of wood, with five roofs, -diminishing in size upwards, and capped by a golden htee. A series of -open windows of carved wood-work ran round the building, and over each -were two beautifully carved panels, representing a single object, as -a bird, deer, plant, or bat. Each roof was raised on three projecting -bearers, terminating in grotesquely carved heads. The enclosed pagoda -was a square<span class="pagenum" id="Page_311">[Pg 311]</span> structure, with a delicately tapered spire reaching to -the interior of the highest roof.</p> - -<p>The presence of these purely Burmese buildings in the Hotha valley, -while pagodas are altogether wanting in the valley of the Tapeng, is -probably due to the vicinity of the ancient embassy route, but in 1769 -the Burmese appealed to the existence of pagodas in this valley as a -proof of their ancient right to include it within their boundaries.</p> - -<p>The heavy rains which continued during our stay at Hotha delayed our -progress, and at the same time prevented more complete explorations of -the neighbourhood.</p> - -<p>As already mentioned, we were to proceed over the Kakhyen hills, at -the western end of the valley, the plan of crossing into Muangwan -being impracticable, so far as we were concerned, although a Burmese -surveyor was detached to examine the route. As before stated, we were -debarred from even visiting the southern heights, but <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Gordon and I -made an excursion to the eastern head of the valley, where it is closed -in by a transverse ridge connecting the two ranges. A good road led -to the ridge, which was crossed by a narrow track, the highest point -not being more than four hundred feet above Hotha. A steep declivity -led down into another valley, probably branching off from Muangwan. -To the east-north-east, another valley could be descried, leading in -the direction of Nantin, which lies one thousand one hundred feet -lower. Through the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_312">[Pg 312]</span> mist and heavy rain, glimpses of high hills were -dimly seen on every side, and we concluded that the Hotha valley, as a -thoroughfare to Momien via Nantin, would present more difficult heights -to be surmounted than the valley of the Tapeng.</p> - -<p>We learned that from Old Hotha a road led to Muangla, reaching the -Sanda valley by a gorge of lower elevation and more gradual descent -on the northern slope than the route by which we had climbed up and -scrambled down in our passage from Manwyne. Even an excursion, however, -beyond the limits of the Hotha valley was rendered impossible by the -presence of Li-sieh-tai and his force in Shuemuelong. We accordingly -addressed ourselves to quit the pleasant quarters at Hotha, and recross -the Kakhyen hills to the Burmese plain, all the chiefs of the hill -tribes along the route having attended in person or by deputy at a -meeting on August 22nd, when satisfactory arrangements had been made -for our transit.</p> - - -<p class="footnote" id="fn38"><a href="#fna38">[38]</a> <em>Analysis by <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Macnamara.</em></p> - -<p class="footnote">One gallon contains:—</p> - -<ul class="footnote index"> -<li class="isuba">49·7 grains of solid matter;</li> -<li class="isuba">3·6 ” salts of alkalies, chloride of sodium;</li> -<li class="isuba">19·7 ” silica, earthy salts, and oxide of iron;</li> -<li class="isuba">Traces of sulphuric, carbonic, and phosphoric acids;</li> -<li class="isuba">No nitric acid.</li></ul> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn39"><a href="#fna39">[39]</a> <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Thaï-neua</em> is applied to the northern Shans. ‘Voyage -d’Exploration,’ <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 409.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_313">[Pg 313]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.<br /> -<span class="small">FROM HOTHA TO BHAMÔ.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Adieu!—Latha—Namboke—The southern hills—Muangwye—Loaylone—The -Chinese frontier—Mattin—Hoetone—View of the Irawady plain—A -slippery descent—The Namthabet—The Sawady route—A solemn -sacrifice—A retrospective survey. -</div> - - -<p>On the 27th of August we bade adieu to our friends at Hotha, the wife -and daughters of the chief coming out to “see us off”; while their -tears, and reiterated requests that we would soon come again, might -have been called forth by the departure of some near relatives or very -dear friends. We offered to shake hands, “English fashion,” which the -eldest daughter declined, as it was contrary to Shan etiquette, but the -young wife of the chief mustered up courage to defy public opinion. -The saluting guns were fired, and we started amidst the good wishes -of a large crowd. The tsawbwa rode with us as far as the boundary of -his domains; and all along the route his people turned out with many -demonstrations of goodwill to the departing strangers. On the borders -of Latha, our friend took leave of us with evident<span class="pagenum" id="Page_314">[Pg 314]</span> regret, and handed -us over to the care of the Kakhyen chief of Namboke.</p> - -<p>The Latha district is naturally even more picturesque than that of -Hotha. The hills are nearer, and the glen, as it might be called, is -more thickly wooded. The town of Latha, which we passed near at hand, -though separated from the road by the Namsa river, appeared to be -the largest and most populous in the whole valley. We were precluded -from visiting it by the unwillingness of the old chieftain to receive -the foreigners. A present and polite messages were, however, sent by -our leader <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en passant</em>, and a return present and complimentary -message, personally dictated by the chief, were brought back by our -messengers. The message attributed his inability to receive us to the -prejudices of some of his subjects. He promised that, whenever we -should come again, he and his people would be prepared to welcome our -presence. His subjects seemed to be no less thriving than those in the -other section. All along the route, many-roofed khyoungs, rising above -the rich greenery, marked the whereabouts of villages, and pagodas of a -very striking type covered the rounded hills and thickly wooded knolls.</p> - -<p>We crossed the Namsa by a long wooden bridge, and soon found ourselves -involved in a perfect maze of little conical grassy hills, which -blocked up the western end of the valley. The road turned to the left -from the narrow glen of the Namsa, and gradually ascended, following -the course of the Namboke<span class="pagenum" id="Page_315">[Pg 315]</span> stream, and, crossing a number of small -hills, attained the summit of the first spur of the easterly barrier -of the valley. From this point to Namboke, the road wound over a -succession of spurs, till the village was reached, lying among a group -of little wooded hills formed by the junction of spurs of the secondary -Hotha range with the great southern barrier of the Tapeng valley, which -here unite. After a march of fourteen miles, performed in five hours, -we arrived at 5 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> in a downpour of rain, which did not make -the roofless shed provided as quarters at all inviting. The tsawbwa -then conducted us to his house, where we alighted under a salute of -three guns, and were accommodated partly in the strangers’ hall and -partly in the portico, which latter proved populous with enemies to -sleep. The urgent hospitality of the Namboke chief compelled us to -gratify him by a day’s halt; and it was only by dogged determination -that our leader succeeded in effecting a start at midday on the 29th.</p> - -<p>From Namboke we descended into a deep hollow, and thence gradually -ascended to the ridge of the main range bordering the Tapeng gorge, -along which we travelled to Ashan, eight miles distant, where we put up -for the night in Kakhyen houses. The footpath which did duty for road -had been recently cleared of jungle by the Kakhyens, the fresh marks of -whose dahs were visible on either side, as we wound through magnificent -virgin forest. From occasional points of vantage on open hill brows,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_316">[Pg 316]</span> -we looked down on a sea of foliage, unbroken by any clearing or sign of -human habitation. From the summit level of the ridge, we looked to the -right across the valley of the Tapeng, and saw Ponsee lying, a little -speck, on the opposite slope, halfway between the Tapeng and the summit -of the lofty Shitee-doung, also called Shitee Meru, as if after the -Sacred Hill. The territory of Ponsee extends from this summit to that -of Kad-doung, which rose behind us, so that Ashan with its dozen houses -lies within the Ponsee borders. Below us, to the left, two narrow deep -valleys ran east and west, separated by a low ridge, the termination -of the southern boundary of Hotha, which speedily lost itself in the -bewildering maze which results from the division and commingling of -the great spurs of the main lines of upheaval of these mountains. In -every direction, as far as the eye could reach, extended a sea of -hills, some rising in great dome-shaped masses six thousand feet above -the sea, clothed to their summits with dense forest, unbroken by any -cultivation. The greater number of the lesser hills had been evidently -cleared, and their abrupt slopes seemed, as it were, fashioned into -huge flights of broad steps, the terraces for the rice and maize crops, -while by the aid of a good field-glass little Kakhyen villages could be -detected dotting the slopes.</p> - -<p>We left Ashan in heavy rain, and commenced to descend in a southerly -direction. The path led along the crest of a spur running down to a -village. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_317">[Pg 317]</span> ponies and mules could not keep their feet on the wet, -slippery paths, and kept sliding down on their hindquarters. As steep -declivities bordered the path, the descent was not without risk, and -a pedestrian could only keep his footing by catching hold of the long -grass, and so lowering himself down.</p> - -<p>Having crossed the Namkhong, swollen by the rains into a tempestuous -stream, which taxed the uttermost strength of the ponies, the path -lay over a wet and muddy alluvial flat into another valley and across -another torrent. We then made a very steep ascent up the mountain side, -passing the village of Lasee, perched on a lofty rounded peak. From the -height we gained a full view of the ranges to the southwards, running -nearly parallel to each other, east-north-east and west-south-west, -with intervening valleys, much broken up by spurs. A descent of a few -hundred feet brought us to the village of Muangwye, on the southern -slope of a hill covered with trees and enormous granite boulders.</p> - -<p>Our halt here was a device of the local tsawbwa, who was anxious to -have the honour of entertaining us. The other chiefs had gone on to -Loaylone with the baggage and commissariat, expecting us to proceed to -that village as our resting-place for the night. The chief did his best -to reconcile us to his hospitable <em>ruse</em> by a hearty welcome and -liberal supplies of sheroo and samshu.</p> - -<p>The usual and direct route from Ashan to Hoetone, the last Kakhyen -village before descending to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_318">[Pg 318]</span> plain, only occupies one good day’s -march; but the anxiety of the respective chiefs to entertain us caused -them to lead us from village to village, and make three marches instead -of one; and as the rain was almost incessant, and the path up and down -the hillsides slippery in the extreme, we found Kakhyen regard almost -as embarrassing as the former hostility.</p> - -<p>The next day we crossed the Muangkah stream, about fifteen feet across, -and flowing in a deep nullah, which is the boundary line between the -Lakhone and Cowlee Kakhyens, into whose borders we now entered. The -glen was very narrow, but the rich black soil very fertile, judging -from the appearance of the small rice fields. The only bridge was a -felled tree, less than a foot broad, with a ricketty bamboo tied on as -a handrail, along which we scrambled, almost envying the animals, which -swam across. Ascending another ridge, we passed the remains of the old -Chinese frontier fort, commanding this route, as a custom-house, as -that above the Nampoung commands the Ponsee road. A hundred feet below, -the village of Loaylone occupied a steep slope, stretching out in an -amphitheatre. This was the largest and most thriving Kakhyen village -we had yet seen, and the chief’s house presented the unusual feature -of a high bamboo fence enclosing it. The chief was bountiful in his -supplies of fowls and sheroo; and in the evening his younger brother, -the tsawbwa of Mattin, paid us a visit, and proved to be the most -polished and intelligent Kakhyen we had met, his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_319">[Pg 319]</span> manners and style -being fully equal to those of any Burmese or Shan gentleman. His dress -was a mixture of Shan and Chinese, but his hair was arranged in Burmese -fashion. He proved to be perfectly acquainted with Burmese and Chinese, -and held a long conversation on the advantages of re-establishing -trade, in which he professed the utmost readiness to co-operate. He was -very anxious that we should become his guests at Mattin for several -days; and, after exhausting the pleas of the ill-health of some of the -party, the rains, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., we were obliged to urge that delays on the way -would prejudice the minds of our rulers against the embassy route. It -was necessary to remain a day at Loaylone, as, according to custom, -the mules and porters had to be paid off here, and replaced by others -belonging to the Cowlee Kakhyens. The ordinary central route to Momien -is said to be from this place to Muangwan, a view of which valley can -be gained from the Chinese fort of Loaylone, whence the road leads to -Nantin, avoiding the Hotha valley. There was, of course, some trouble -with the muleteers, who invariably put forth extortionate demands, only -to be met by firm refusal. At the very moment of our departure, two of -the Namboke pawmines laid an embargo on a mule-load of luggage as a -pawn for payment for some rice, which they had already received.</p> - -<p>The direct road to Hoetone is only six miles by a comparatively level -route along the paddy fields,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_320">[Pg 320]</span> but the necessity of accepting Mattin’s -invitation lengthened our march to fifteen miles, involving the ascent -of one of the highest ranges. In a glen below Loaylone we met a caravan -of mules from Bhamô laden with cotton and salt. From this point steep -ascents over a succession of spurs, and descents into shallow valleys, -brought us to the summit of the main ridge at an elevation of five -thousand feet. Close to our left, and five or six hundred feet higher, -rose the high dome-shaped hill which we had sighted from Ashan. To the -south-east and south rose a few still higher peaks, but none apparently -exceeding an elevation of six thousand feet. The summit of this ridge -was covered with fine turf and a few trees, and strewn with enormous -granite boulders, under the shelter of which were built the houses of a -small village named Loayline.</p> - -<p>From this point we began to descend the main mass of the Kakhyen hills, -and soon arrived at the village of Mattin, situated on the ridge of a -spur. A salute of three guns and a musical clash of gongs and cymbals -announced our arrival, and we were ushered up a broad flight of stone -steps leading to a Chinese gateway in a substantial brick and stone -wall. Within this stood the chief’s house, of Kakhyen design, but, by -its construction and rich ornaments of carving, deserving the name of -a Kakhyen palace. After being duly presented to the chief’s family, -and admired by an enthusiastic crowd of his subjects, who, be it said, -were vastly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_321">[Pg 321]</span> superior both in their appearance and dress to their -compatriots of the northern hills, we were conducted into a small -external pavilion, and refreshed ourselves in privacy.</p> - -<p>From Mattin a descent of two miles brought us to Hoetone, situated on -a flattened depression of the same spur, strewn with huge gneiss and -granite boulders. In front of the tsawbwa’s house three flat blocks of -stone, about three feet high, were fixed in the ground in line, which -were described as the altar whereon buffaloes were offered to the -nats. We had observed similar stones in a grove outside the village, -which the numerous skulls strewn about showed to have been the scene -of numerous offerings. In this place there was also a circular wall, -three feet high, with one of the standing stones built into it, and -the ground covered with the decaying skulls of sacrificed buffaloes. -The next morning we were visited first by the aged tsawbwa of Hoetone, -accompanied by his wives, children, and grandchildren, all in their -best attire, and laden with the usual presents of fowls, vegetables, -cooked rice, and sheroo. The next to appear were the tsawbwas of -Kadaw and Sakhiy, dressed in ancient black satin jackets, with their -womankind attired <em xml:lang="es" lang="es">à la</em> Kakhyen, but decorated with a profusion -of Shan silver ornaments. The sub-chief who had followed us to Momien, -and died there of small-pox, was a son of Kadaw, and although he had -come to Momien of his own accord, Sladen considered it just to promise -to the old father that,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_322">[Pg 322]</span> when at Bhamô, he would consult with the other -chiefs as to compensation for his son’s death. With this assurance the -father departed well pleased; but a younger brother of the deceased -thought fit to bully and demand instant payment, and enlisted a few -of the muleteers on his side. The usual Kakhyen wrangle and bluster -ensued, but being met with firm expostulation, according to custom, -ended in nothing; but our departure had been thereby delayed till -midday, when we gladly recommenced our descent to the plains.</p> - -<p>In dry weather it is usual to travel from Hoetone to Bhamô by Momouk, -across the plain, on the left bank of the Tapeng; but the low grounds -being now under water, it was necessary to proceed to the Tapeng below -its exit from the hills, and descend it in boats to Bhamô. A short -distance below Hoetone, we came to a division in the road, and a -discussion ensued with the Mantai tsawbwa, who was acting as guide to -the advance party of the cavalcade, as to the proper path to follow. -One road, along the spur which we had descended, appeared evidently -to be the direct route, as the other turned off to the left down a -deep hollow, towards another spur to the southward. This, the tsawbwa -insisted, was as good and as short as the other, and we perforce -followed him. From the brow of the spur a noble panorama of the -extensive plain of the Irawady burst upon our view.</p> - -<p>The great river, now swollen to its fullest width,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_323">[Pg 323]</span> wound like a broad -band of silver through the plain, and our followers literally jumped -and shouted with joy at the prospect, realising the speedy termination -of their six months’ wanderings. Those of our party whose dignity -forbade such demonstrations rejoiced no less in spirit; for even this -grand hill scenery becomes wearisome when one has to scramble up the -steep mountain paths and slide down the counter slope in torrents -of rain. We could not grumble at the slight detour which the Mantai -chief had imposed upon us, for the whole population of his village was -eagerly awaiting our arrival, and saluted us with five guns. In his -house, which was enclosed with a bamboo palisade, mats were spread for -us, and his wife and daughters, two almost handsome maidens, vied with -each other in demonstrations of welcome and proffers of very excellent -sheroo. Leaving them highly delighted with a few bright silver coins -and compliments, we remounted, and began a slippery descent through -bamboo jungle, in which there was a fair chance of being impaled on the -fallen stems, as the ponies slid down on their haunches, utterly unable -to change their course. Having at least reached four thousand feet -below Hoetone, we had to cross at the bottom a roaring mountain torrent -by a newly constructed bridge. A large boulder lay in midstream, and -two large bamboos were placed from it to the banks on either side, with -smaller cross pieces to keep all secure; this primitive and rickety -bridge, about<span class="pagenum" id="Page_324">[Pg 324]</span> eighteen inches wide, sloped down to the stone, and -then rose up at a steep incline to the other bank. It was a perilous -path for man and beast, for to lose one’s balance meant being swept -down by the resistless current into the Tapeng. The level ground on -either side of the stream was closed in by high hills, which echoed -with the roar of the latter river; but the high grass which covered -the alluvial flat hid it from us, until, having crossed a low spur, we -came upon the banks of the foaming yellow flood, rushing down to the -plains in a magnificent torrent. About two miles further, we left the -Tapeng, and turned to the south-west, and, crossing a low spur, came -upon the right bank of a moderate-sized, deep-flowing stream, with a -very strong current, called Namthabet, which flows into the Tapeng, -at its exit from the hills. This stream had to be crossed by a raft, -which two Kakhyens had been sent from Hoetone to construct, but they -had only completed half their task when we arrived. We were therefore -compelled to bivouac, and all hands set to work to construct the small -bamboo huts thatched with grass, which the Burmese call <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tai</em>. The -night was fine, but the sandflies proved utter foes to sleep, defying -mosquito curtains; and the morning brought a tremendous thunderstorm, -followed by torrents of rain, as if the hill nats wished to give us a -farewell benefit.</p> - -<p>As soon as the raft was completed, the jemadar and a number of -Burmans embarked, furnished with long bamboos to pole it across; but -the current<span class="pagenum" id="Page_325">[Pg 325]</span> swept it down stream, and it was only saved by the men -jumping into the water and pushing it to bank, where all held on by the -overhanging branches. The Kakhyen method of stretching a rope across -the stream was next resorted to, and under the experienced direction -of Captain Bowers a strong rope of the outer layer of the bamboo was -speedily improvised. This attempt also failed, for the rope broke in -two when the raft was in midstream, but the men kept firm hold, and -hauled themselves to the opposite bank. At last we succeeded, by means -of two ropes, in ferrying all the party across, drenched to the skin by -the rain and river water. On the left bank we were met by the choung-sa -of Tsitgna with an escort, sent to accompany us to Nampoung, on the -Tapeng. Before us lay a line of low hills, running nearly north and -south, dividing the valley of the Namthabet from the Burmese plain, -into which they fade gradually by long undulations. Their eastern face -is covered almost exclusively with bamboos, but the western slope is -thickly wooded with numerous species of forest trees, until the plain -is reached, when eng trees and tall elephant grass take their place. On -arriving at the Tapeng, after a march of five miles, we found two large -boats in readiness, one of them nicely carpeted, and carrying a band -of musicians beating gongs and tomtoms. All our party, including the -Kakhyen chiefs who had accompanied us, being embarked, we were towed by -two war-boats, each manned by thirty men, across the broad and quickly -flowing<span class="pagenum" id="Page_326">[Pg 326]</span> Tapeng, to the village of Tsitgna, where we were conducted -by the Woon’s private secretary to a small pavilion, comfortably -arranged for our reception. The Burmese officials were most attentive; -gratuitous supplies of eatables were brought in abundance, and even the -Kakhyen chiefs and their followers were supplied with all they needed.</p> - -<p>On the 5th of September we settled the hire of the mules and porters -without the slightest disagreement, all the baggage having been safely -delivered, without the loss of a single article between Hotha and -Tsitgna. Even the load of the mule detained at Loaylone, which had been -divided into bundles for two porters, arrived safe, and, to the honour -of the Kakhyens be it said, without so much as even an opened bottle of -brandy being tampered with.</p> - -<p>The next morning we embarked on boats constructed of two canoes, -carrying a platform and a canopy or roof of leaves overhead, and -glided down the broad deep Tapeng, which this season is one thousand -five hundred feet wide, and deep enough for an ordinary river steamer, -as far as the hills. On the way down, we looked back for a parting -glance at the Kakhyen hills. On either side of the river rose the two -lofty peaks, the Shitee-doung on the north and the Kad-doung on the -south, seeming to stand like sentinels, to guard the routes to China, -and in a very literal sense, for the old Chinese forts and frontier -custom-houses occupied strong positions on either mountain, and the -boundary line<span class="pagenum" id="Page_327">[Pg 327]</span> of the Flowery Kingdom is almost defined by these -heights. Near the mouth of the river we were met by the tsare-daw-gyee -with two war-boats, which towed us to Bhamô, where we landed at 2.30 in -the afternoon of September 5th, having left it on the 26th of February.</p> - -<p>The Burmese surveyor who had been despatched from Hotha to examine the -route to Sawady had arrived at Bhamô on the 26th of August, having -accomplished his journey in ten days. He had travelled in the disguise -of a Shan, accompanied by a guide recommended by the Hotha chief, and -our own Kakhyen interpreter. Carrying no instruments except an aneroid -for measuring the heights, he had performed his task of observations -very satisfactorily. From Hotha he had crossed the intervening ridge, -seven hundred feet above the Muangtha valley, into the much larger -valley of Muangwan, lying at about the same level as that of Nantin. -This Chinese Shan state was governed by the grandmother of the youthful -tsawbwa, acting as regent during his minority. She and her headmen -agreed in promising safe conduct to all English traders adopting that -route. A constant stream of mules and pack bullocks was described as -passing from Sawady to Muangwan, whence they proceeded either to Nantin -or to Muangkun. The route was clear of all obstructions, and smooth -and even throughout. Two Kakhyen districts were passed through, named -Bhagon and Phonkan, in the latter of which the highest elevation<span class="pagenum" id="Page_328">[Pg 328]</span> -occurs. Both agreed to maintain the old Chinese tariff of one rupee for -mules and eight annas for bullocks, and the Phonkan chief expressed his -wish that English traders would adopt this route, and guaranteed their -safety.</p> - -<p>Our old quarters in the town of Bhamô had been thoroughly repaired, -and were ready to receive us, while the tsawbwas, who had accompanied -us, to the number of thirty-one, all of whom ruled districts adjacent -to the central route, were housed by the Burmese in zayats outside the -stockade. The object of their attendance was to take part in a solemn -sacrifice according to their custom, and to enter into an engagement -ratified by the most binding oath, that they would afford safe conduct -and protection to all traders and travellers who might hereafter cross -their hills between Bhamô and the Shan states. The ceremony took place -on the 13th, after sundry open objections and hidden obstacles raised -by the Burmese, who, no doubt, were at first rather puzzled by the -transaction, but, after clear explanations by Major Sladen, raised -no further difficulty. A species of scaffold was erected, consisting -of strong posts sunk into the ground, with cross pieces, to which -the victim, a buffalo, was bound. An altar was reared twenty feet in -height, with a square platform of bamboos, on which the offering was -placed. Before the sacrifice, and again before the offering was made, -the nats or deities were duly invoked in a solemnly chanted prayer. -The buffalo<span class="pagenum" id="Page_329">[Pg 329]</span> was firmly bound by its horns to the scaffold, and then -thrown on one side, so that the whole weight of the body bore on the -partially twisted neck. A Kakhyen rushed forward, in one hand holding a -plantain leaf cup full of water, and brandishing his dah in the other. -Simultaneously the water was thrown over the victim, and the fatal blow -delivered in the neck with a force and effect as fatal as the stab of -the matador. The carcase was at once cut up, the blood being received -in a large vessel, while the entrails were laid as offerings to the -nats on the elevated altar. With the blood a quantity of samshu was -mixed, and stirred up with the points of dahs and spears, and each -chief in turn drank from the bowl, and uttered his vow of fidelity to -the common cause. Such was the rite that the three chiefs had joined in -at Ponsee when leagued for our destruction, and now thirty-one chiefs -bound themselves solemnly to maintain peace and give protection to -future travellers through their borders. This was the concluding act -which terminated our expedition, and it may be permitted to us to look -back with satisfaction to the fact, that of the whole party which set -out of Bhamô, with the exception of one sepoy and a native collector, -who succumbed to disease, all returned in safety. The natives of the -Kakhyen hills and of the Shan valleys had learned to regard their -at first suspected or dreaded visitors as friends and benefactors; -and if the advance had been slow, and in the opinion of some costly, -the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_330">[Pg 330]</span> return had been easily accomplished, and not without a wealth of -“golden opinions” won from the various chiefs with whom Englishmen for -the first time had been brought in successive relations.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>It is scarcely within the scope of this volume to review the political -aspect of the work performed, but it is impossible to refrain from some -comments. The term failure has been freely applied to the outcome of -this expedition, and the conduct of the leader has been, only recently, -most harshly criticised. Considering that his instructions, as received -from the Chief Commissioner of British Burma, were to investigate -thoroughly the causes of the cessation of trade, to discover the exact -political position of the Kakhyens, the Shans, and the Panthays, and to -influence these communities in favour of the restoration of commerce, -it can hardly be alleged that the prescribed objects were not fully -attained. While it had been considered by the superior authorities -desirable to advance to Yung-chang, or, if possible, to Tali-fu, the -leader had been strictly enjoined not to risk the safety of the members -of the mission. From Bhamô he had to feel his way, contending against -intrigues on the part of the Kakhyens and misunderstanding on the part -of the Shans, fomented by the misrepresentations of the jealous Chinese -merchants at Bhamô. The country to be traversed was unknown, and in an -abnormal state of confusion. Where Burma ended, and China commenced, -was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_331">[Pg 331]</span> a problem, for the ancient frontier lines had been temporarily -obliterated, the authority of the mandarins had receded into the -interior of Yunnan, and that of the usurping Mahommedan rulers was -only partially felt to the westward of Momien. Not till that town was -reached could the desired information be obtained, or the true relation -of the intervening valley states to Burma or China be discerned. Not a -step forwards had been taken without securing beforehand the consent, -and, as it proved, the welcome, of the various rulers, subordinate -or supreme; and care was especially taken to disown any political -partisanship, and to proclaim to all that our object was to explore in -the interests of commerce.</p> - -<p>When, after a short stay at Momien, it became evident that further -progress was at once dangerous and in the existing state of things -liable to embroil us with Chinese constituted authorities, a return was -resolved on, and only retarded by uncontrollable circumstances. To have -obeyed orders, and in various and trying positions to have manifested -a patient endurance in order to reach the farthest possible goal, and -return thence with the wished for information, and thus prepare the -way for future travellers, may not be accounted brilliant exploits; -but these are the arduous duties of a careful scout and a successful -pioneer. The reader can form his own opinion as to whether these were -not worthily performed by Major Sladen.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_332">[Pg 332]</span></p> - -<p>Those who shared his journeyings, though not his responsibilities, and -witnessed his cautious and resolute bearing under novel and perplexing -conditions, cannot but record their opinion that he deserves a larger -meed of praise than has been as yet accorded to his conduct of the -first English expedition to Yunnan.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_333">[Pg 333]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.<br /> -<span class="small">INTERMEDIATE EVENTS.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Appointment of a British Resident at Bhamô—Increase of native -trade—Action of the king of Burma—Burmese quarrel with the -Seray chief—British relations with the Panthays—Struggle in -Yunnan—Li-sieh-tai—Imperialist successes—European gunners—Siege -of Momien—Fall of Yung-chang—Prince Hassan visits England—Fall -of Tali-fu—Sultan Suleiman’s death—Massacre of Panthays—Capture -of Momien—Escape of Tah-sa-kon—Capture of Woosaw—Suppression -of rebellion—Imperial proclamation—Li-sieh-tai, commissioner -of Shan states—Re-opening of trade routes—Second British -mission—Action of Sir T. Wade—Appointment of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary—Members of -mission—Acquiescence of China and Burma. -</div> - - -<p>The first active step taken by the Chief Commissioner of British Burma, -as a result of the expedition of 1868, was to recommend the appointment -of a British Resident at Bhamô. The various Shan and Kakhyen chiefs, as -well as the governor of Momien, had concurred in the opinion that such -an appointment would be beneficial to the future trade.</p> - -<p>By the 6th article of the treaty of 1867 it had been provided that -British steamers should be allowed to navigate the Burmese waters, that -British merchants should be permitted to reside at Bhamô, and, lastly, -that British agents might be appointed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_334">[Pg 334]</span> at all customs stations, such -as Bhamô and Menhla. The government of India, however, while approving -of the appointment of a British Resident at Bhamô, declined to pass -final or definite orders until the king’s sentiments should have -been ascertained, and a distinct assent given by him. His Majesty -had already, when the matter was mooted, declared that he would take -care that his officer, the Woon, should co-operate with the Resident; -but, according to the instructions given, that the plan should be -laid before him as one “requiring a clear understanding, and a full -approval on the part of his Majesty,” it was made the subject of a -special audience. The king expressly declared that the appointment of -a Resident at Bhamô had his full consent and approval; but he hoped -that “obstinate or intractable officers, guided solely by their own -opinion, without regard to advice or reason,” would not be sent. He -further desired that the new official might be presented to himself, -when he would introduce him to the Woon of Bhamô, in order to arrange -their mutual relations. The spirit in which the king entertained and -acquiesced in the proposal may be taken as an illustration of the -manner in which the king of Burma has shown himself disposed to deal -with the formidable power which holds the seaboard of his kingdom. -Fully alive, as he must have been, to the possible embarrassments that -might arise from his relations to England on the one hand, and to his -suzerain, the emperor of China, on the other, it cannot be said that he -has failed to carry out<span class="pagenum" id="Page_335">[Pg 335]</span> his treaty obligations to our government; and -when the misrepresentation of which he has been the subject is taken -into account, it will appear that the king of Burma has some right to -complain of the treatment he has received at the hands of the British -public.</p> - -<p>In March 1869, Captain Strover was gazetted as the first British -Resident at Bhamô, and in due course the British flag was hoisted at -that ancient entrepot of Indo-Chinese trade. It is almost needless -to remark that, as regards direct British commerce, no considerable -results followed. In 1872 it was reported that not a single consignment -belonging to British firms had arrived at Bhamô during the three -previous years. The native trade increased considerably, and the -Chinese merchants of Rangoon and Mandalay had despatched large -quantities of cotton and salt, and other commodities, as well as a -moderate supply of piece goods. In the spring of 1870, the arrivals at -Tsitkaw averaged eight hundred mules a month. During the two following -years caravans of one thousand beasts of burden are recorded as -arriving from the Chinese territories. The river-borne trade increased -so much that the agents for the Irawady Flotilla Company found that -the monthly steamer service to Bhamô was insufficient, and besides the -extra steamers placed on the line by them, the India General Steam -Navigation Company despatched steamers and heavily laden flats. To -quote a correspondent of the <em>Times</em>, “in four years the steam -navigation developed itself into<span class="pagenum" id="Page_336">[Pg 336]</span> an almost regular fortnightly -service, which, during the year ending October 1874, carried cargo to -the value of about £200,000 to and from Bhamô.”</p> - -<p>The king of Burma showed his anxiety to restore the trade of the Bhamô -route by erecting and garrisoning a line of guard-houses through the -Kakhyen hills, from the plain to the Nampoung, beyond which river, as -being the boundary line of China, Li-sieh-tai would not permit their -erection.</p> - -<p>In 1872, no less than one hundred and fifty thousand viss of royal -cotton were stored at Manwyne under the charge of the king’s agents -there resident, and it is expressly noted that, so far as the Burmese -are concerned, British goods could have been forwarded with perfect -security. The Mandalay Chinese, however, were deterred (1871) from -buying cotton for the Yunnan market by the information that the -imperialist officers had laid an embargo on the caravans, to prevent -them from supplying the Panthays with provisions. The caravans were -not infrequently attacked by dacoits, especially near Nantin, and the -Kakhyen chief of Seray was accused by the Burmese of having intercepted -royal presents on their way to China. The tsare-daw-gyee of Bhamô, -by way of reprisal, seized thirty mules belonging to the Seray chief, -whence arose a feud, which was not forgotten at the period of the -second expedition. At this time, it resulted in the messengers sent by -the Resident to the governor of Momien being warned by the Seray<span class="pagenum" id="Page_337">[Pg 337]</span> chief -not to travel that road, as it was unsafe for any Burmese.</p> - -<p>It was a necessary, but regretable, consequence of the reception given -to the first expedition by the governor of Momien that he maintained -friendly relations with successive Residents. It appeared desirable, -with a view to maintain the security of the trade route, to keep on -friendly, though strictly neutral, terms with the holders of the -commanding position of Momien. It is, doubtless, easy to look back, and -be wise after the event; but, rightly or wrongly, the intercourse once -begun could not be well abandoned; at all events, it was judged prudent -to maintain it. It certainly created in the minds of the Chinese at -Bhamô a distinct impression that the interests of their possible -commercial rivals and of their actual political foes were identified. -The Kakhyen chiefs of the southern route even complained that since -they and the Shans had become friends of the English the Bhamô Chinese -were no longer amicably disposed towards them. The presents sent by -the Residents from time to time were, doubtless, magnified by the -popular imagination, and neither side found it easy to believe that the -sole object was the assurance of safe and commodious transit. Thus at -least it may be conjectured from the study of the course of subsequent -events, as well as from the manifestations of feeling on the part of -both Panthays and Chinese.</p> - -<p>The conflicting accounts and reports which were<span class="pagenum" id="Page_338">[Pg 338]</span> brought in, and -which enable us in some degree to trace the progress of events in -Yunnan, which led to the complete overthrow of the Mahommedan power, -all combined to show that, from the time of our visit to Momien, the -Chinese government would seem to have aroused itself to the necessity -of recovering the almost lost province. Whatever the real strength -of the Mahommedans may have been in 1868, it is certain that they -had gradually lost ground in 1869. The various reports furnished -were too contradictory, and, in truth, both the governor of Momien -and the Chinese were too much given to exaggeration to furnish any -trustworthy data. In 1870, as was well ascertained, Li-sieh-tai was the -acknowledged leader of the imperialist Chinese troops in the Momien -district, and had invested Momien, but had suffered a defeat, and -been obliged to retreat into the Shitee-doung range of hills. He soon -recruited his forces, and levied contributions from the Shans, and also -from the Chinese merchants both of Bhamô and Mandalay. The latter were -not moved by patriotism, but by the national feelings of affection for -their kindred, and respect for their ancestral graves in Yunnan.</p> - -<p>Towards the end of that year, Momien had been again invested by the -Chinese, but a Panthay force from the north had succeeded in throwing -reinforcements into the city, notwithstanding which, entrenchments -were subsequently thrown up by the Chinese troops, who, under Li and -Li-quang-fang and another<span class="pagenum" id="Page_339">[Pg 339]</span> officer, pressed the place hard, but to no -purpose. The imperialists seem to have poured troops into the province, -and a proclamation signed by Li was posted in Bhamô, announcing that -ten thousand troops had surrounded Yung-chang. In the beginning -of 1871, the northern districts, which had been the cradle of the -rebellion, were held firmly by the Mahommedans, and the city of Tali-fu -was reported by two natives of India, who came to Bhamô, to have been -free two months before from the presence of imperialist troops. The -Mahommedan troops then were in great force, and had been despatched to -the relief of the threatened cities of Yung-chang and Shin-tin. The -imperialist troops were then attacking Yeynan-sin, to the north-east -of Tali-fu, and as they had cannon directed by three European gunners, -the Mahommedans, though fighting with their usual bravery, suffered -great losses, and could scarcely make head against them. Thus there -were three lines of attack, one army assailing Yung-chang and the -neighbouring cities south of the line between Momien and Tali; the -main force advancing on the holy city itself, and Li-sieh-tai with -his troops pressing the siege of Momien, where the governor doggedly -held out, though reported to have been severely wounded, and kept up -constant communication with the Residency at Bhamô. By the end of -1871, Yung-chang had been taken by the Chinese, and Tali-fu was said -to be closely invested. Around Momien constant fighting continued -with varied success, one Chinese leader having been killed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_340">[Pg 340]</span> and his -troops defeated; but the Mahommedans were bravely fighting a hopeless -battle against overwhelming numbers, and the more faint-hearted among -them were advising surrender, or meditating treachery. The Sultan -Suleiman resolved on sending his son and heir, Hassan, to solicit the -aid or interference of the British government, in order to avert the -threatened overthrow of his power, or secure tolerable terms of peace. -The young prince, as he may be called, made his way in disguise, with -a few attendants, to Rangoon, and thence proceeded to London, where he -arrived in the spring of 1872. It is needless to say that his errand -was bootless; but he was treated as a private guest of the government, -and remained for some time in this country. On his return he was -accompanied by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper, who was appointed in England to conduct him -to the frontier of our territory. The prince had himself proposed that -thence this well-known traveller should proceed with him to Tali-fu, -and thus accomplish the object of his former venturous journey. <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">En -route</em> they visited Constantinople, where the Sultan received the -prince as a distinguished guest, and finally arrived at Rangoon. Here -they received the intelligence of the capture of Tali-fu, the death -of Suleiman, and the utter destruction of the Mahommedan power. This -necessarily put a stop to their further journey, and the unhappy Hassan -set out on a pilgrimage to Mecca.</p> - -<p>During his absence in Europe, the Chinese generals had put forth all -their power to capture the head-quarters<span class="pagenum" id="Page_341">[Pg 341]</span> of the rebels. For some -months the natural strength of the position of Tali-fu, to which all -the Mahommedans of the surrounding country had retired before the -advancing Chinese armies, defied its assailants. Abundant provisions -were stored in the granaries; and the garrison, said to number thirty -or forty thousand Mahommedans, were determined to resist to the last. -The chief minister of the Sultan was entrusted with the command of -Shagwan, as the Burmese call the fort of Hia-kwang or Hsia-kwan, and -he was bribed to admit the Chinese forces and surrender to them the -granaries. The artillery of the Chinese, directed, as already stated, -by European gunners, rendered it impossible for the sultan to cope with -them in the field; but he held out within the walls of the city till -provisions failed, and approaching famine compelled him to enter into -negotiations. He was led to believe that, if he surrendered himself, -his people would be spared, and willingly agreed to sacrifice his own -life to save those of his followers. Knowing the fate which awaited -himself and his family, he administered poison to his three wives and -five children, and, having taken a fatal dose himself, proceeded in his -chair to the Chinese general’s quarters, but died on the road. His head -was cut off, and, preserved in honey, was forwarded to Pekin, and it is -said that his three youngest sons were sent as prisoners. The Chinese -general then demanded that the Mahommedans should surrender all their -arms<span class="pagenum" id="Page_342">[Pg 342]</span> and ammunition, which was done. The officers were then required -to repair to the Chinese head-quarters to pay their respects to the -general. Forty-one obeyed the summons, and on entering his presence -were at once seized and beheaded. Orders were then issued for a general -massacre of the disarmed and leaderless garrison, and an indiscriminate -slaughter of thousands of men, women, and children, completed the -conquest of Tali-fu. Thence the army marched to Chun-ning-fu and -Yin-chaw, which towns were successively captured, no quarter being -given to any of the Mahommedans.</p> - -<p>Another version of the fall of Tali-fu narrates that the Mahommedans -invited the Chinese to a conference at one of the gates, having -previously mined the ground. The Chinese came in force, but, struck -with a sudden suspicion of doubt, retreated just before the explosion -of the mine, which destroyed the gate and part of the wall. The -Chinese then returned and stormed the city, but the citadel was too -strong for them, and held out till surrendered as above described. The -Mahommedans claimed in their version to have been successful in their -stratagem, and to have destroyed great numbers of the enemy, of whom -many panic-stricken rushed into the lake, and perished there. The fort -or position of Hsia-kwan was stated by the Chinese to have been stormed -by a night attack, headed by the Tartar general in person, who led the -way over rocky heights supposed to be inaccessible. At all events, it -is certain that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_343">[Pg 343]</span> Tali-fu fell in August 1872, and on the New Year of -1873 the governor-general of Yunnan sent forward letters to the king -of Burma announcing the fact, and requesting the king to assist in the -reopening of trade, as the rebellion was at an end; but, to use the -words of Sir Thomas Wade, “the rebellion died hard,” for Momien and -Woosaw still held out.</p> - -<p>The governor of the former place had been visited by a high Panthay -official, who was secretly a traitor to the cause, and advised -surrender; whereupon the governor invited him into his Yamen, and -promptly beheaded him. In February three officers arrived from Momien -at Bhamô with letters addressed to the Chief Commissioner of Burma, -and were forwarded to Rangoon. The town was finally captured in May, -the strong south-western gate described in page 192 having been -successfully mined; but the victors found no one in the city. The -governor had succeeded in bribing the officer in command of the troops -to the north of the town, who had been a former adherent of his own, -and suffered his few remaining co-religionists to escape by night, -much to the disappointment of the Chinese, who could not consider the -country tranquillised while so brave and able a leader was at large. In -June a proclamation was posted throughout the Shan valleys, announcing -the marriage of the emperor and the fall of Momien, and inviting all -the people to return to their homes and cultivate their lands.</p> - -<p>The ex-governor was heard of from time to time as<span class="pagenum" id="Page_344">[Pg 344]</span> lurking in the -mountains with a few faithful followers, and orders were issued -from the king of Burma that he should be seized if found on Burmese -territory, and surrendered to the Chinese. This order was issued in -compliance with a request sent by an envoy from the viceroy of Yunnan -to the king; but he managed to elude both Chinese and Burmese, and -succeeded in entering Hoothaw or Woosaw, the last remaining stronghold -of his party.</p> - -<p>This place, three days’ march north-west of Momien, is described as -a town of one thousand houses, surrounded by a stone wall twenty -feet high, and defended on one side by a deep stream, and altogether -stronger and more flourishing than Momien. Its position must be at -a high elevation, as in winter the swamps are frozen hard enough to -bear men on the ice. Communication is carried on between this place -and Lay-myo, one hundred miles north of Bhamô, on the Namthabet, an -affluent of the Irawady, by which route the officers from Momien -reached Bhamô.</p> - -<p>Woosaw was captured at the end of May 1874, but the ex-tah-sa-kon and -the principal officers succeeded in escaping to Chang-see, a town -south-west of Woosaw, and eight days distant from Talo, on the Irawady, -while his sons were at Tseedai assisting the tsawbwa in a fight with -the Wacheoon chief.</p> - -<p>The Panthays, in their turn, had become dacoits, as they had formerly -termed Li-sieh-tai’s troops, and from their lurking-places on the hills -near Nantin attacked the caravans going to Momien; while the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_345">[Pg 345]</span> last news -of the ex-tah-sa-kon, who for a time was supposed to be dead, were -that he had joined the Shan rebel Tsan-hai, who was committing acts of -brigandage in the Burmese Shan state of Namkan, on the left bank of the -Shuaylee.</p> - -<p>Thus in the middle of 1874 the Chinese authority had been thoroughly -re-established. As early as August 1873, an imperial proclamation -had been issued in the <em>Pekin Gazette</em>, in which the emperor -congratulated himself on the termination of the war, which had lasted -eighteen years, and in which the half of the prefectural and district -cities had been taken by the rebels. All arrears of taxes due up -to 1872 were remitted, and the <em>le-kin</em>, or special war tax, -was declared to be no longer required. Li-sieh-tai was appointed -commissioner of the Koshanpyi or Shan states; and Sie-ta-lin, the -newly invested Chinese governor of Momien, and the officials of the -other strong towns, set themselves to restore trade and resettle the -country, which had been deserted and left desolate for years. It can be -well imagined that no little hatred of the Panthays, not unmixed with -fear, animated all the border Chinese, and the constant rumours that -the rebels were collecting for a new attack combined with the actual -robberies committed to keep all the Chinese officials on the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">qui -vive</em>.</p> - -<p>It has been already mentioned how the trade between Burma and China -increased from 1872, as soon as the head of the Mahommedan revolt was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_346">[Pg 346]</span> -crushed at Tali-fu. It is a significant fact that in 1873 the Chinese -governor of Muanglong, situated to the south-west of Momien, sent -orders to his feudatory, the tsawbwa of Sehfan, to open trade to Bhamô -at any risk; and the chief, in announcing the intended departure of a -large caravan, requested the Resident at Bhamô to send a deputy to meet -him at Hotha.</p> - -<p>The routes were regularly open, and large quantities of cotton, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., -exported, both by Bhamô and Theinnee, although disorders still existed, -and straggling dacoits and lawless Kakhyens frequently attacked the -caravans. Under these circumstances, the Chief Commissioner of British -Burma, the Hon. Ashley Eden, conceived that the time had come for -renewing, under more favourable conditions, the opening of the overland -trade route to British commerce. In this he was strongly seconded by -the commercial community at Rangoon. The question of the establishment -of a British Consul at Tali-fu was also discussed. The first point to -be attained was to secure a safe transit from Burma into China. The -passage of a peaceful British expedition, which would on its journey -thoroughly examine the capabilities of the country beyond Momien, and -perhaps discover an easier and better route from Bhamô to Yunnan, was -still regarded as the direct method of preparing the way.</p> - -<p>In 1874, Lord Salisbury, the Secretary of State for India, decided -to send a second expedition to penetrate China from Burma, and -pass through, if<span class="pagenum" id="Page_347">[Pg 347]</span> practicable, to Shanghai. To avoid possible -misunderstandings, and to make it plain to the Western Chinese -mandarins that the foreign visitors were of the same nation as the -English who lived and traded in the treaty ports, her Majesty’s -Minister at Pekin was instructed to send a consular official, duly -furnished with imperial passports, to meet the mission on the frontiers -of China. Having secured the full permission of the Pekin government, -Sir T. Wade selected <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary, a young but most promising member -of the consular service, thoroughly versed in Chinese language and -etiquette, to proceed from Shanghai to Momien. A plan had been at first -proposed of despatching a party by way of the Theinnee route from -Mandalay, but had been negatived by the king of Burma, on the ground -of a rebellion then existing in a Burmese Shan state on the road. -Consequently there was no other alternative but to proceed by one or -other of the routes from Bhamô. The consent of the king was secured -to this measure, although at first his Majesty objected to an armed -escort, as he was quite willing to send a sufficient force to convoy -the mission to the Chinese frontier; but when he understood that the -armed escort would only consist of fifteen Sikhs, he withdrew his -objection, and promised his full support and assistance. A considerable -quantity of valuable presents were prepared for distribution among the -chiefs and officials <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em>. These included a supply of edible -birds’ nests, jewellery, binoculars, musical-boxes,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_348">[Pg 348]</span> and silver-mounted -revolvers. Two valuable horses, one a magnificent Australian or Waler, -and the other an Arab, were destined as presents to the viceroy of -Yunnan, and a pair of large Australian kangaroo dogs were added to the -convoy.</p> - -<p>The command of the expedition was entrusted to Colonel Horace Browne, -of the Burmese Commission; the post of geographer was filled by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> -Ney Elias, whose successful and intrepid journey through Mongolia and -survey of the Yellow River had won for him the Gold Medal of the Royal -Geographical Society of London; and the remaining scientific duties of -medical officer and naturalist were entrusted to myself.</p> - -<p>In November 1874, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias, who was then Assistant Resident at -Mandalay, was commissioned to proceed to Bhamô, there to concert with -the Resident measures for providing carriage so as to avoid delay. He -accordingly visited the Kakhyens holding the route selected, and made a -contract with their chiefs for the conveyance and convoy of the mission.</p> - -<p>The expedition was appointed to leave Burma in January 1875, in order -to accomplish the passage of the hill country before the setting in -of the rainy season. As it was possible that <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary, who left -Shanghai on September 4th, might not be able to reach Momien in time, -<abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Allan, of the Chinese consular service, was sent by sea to Rangoon -to accompany the mission, and facilitate our intercourse with the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_349">[Pg 349]</span> -Chinese authorities. The preparations for ensuring the success of the -mission were thus rendered as complete as foresight could make them. -The respective governments of Burma and China had been fully informed -of the nature and purposes of the expedition, and had both given to -our diplomatic representatives their full consent and promises of safe -conduct. The personal goodwill of the border chiefs and mandarins -was expected to be conciliated, in the same degree as their official -co-operation had been secured by the passports furnished from Pekin; -and although there was an element of uncertainty arising from the -possible jealousy of the border Chinese and the plundering habits of -lawless factions among the Kakhyens, the precautions taken might be -well considered as enough to ensure success.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_350">[Pg 350]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.<br /> -<span class="small">SECOND EXPEDITION.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Start of mission—Arrival at Mandalay—The Burmese pooay—Posturing -girl—Reception by the meng-gyees—Audience by the king—Departure -of mission—Progress up the river—Reception at Bhamô—British -Residency—<abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary—Account of his journey—The Woon of -Bhamô—Entertains Margary—Chinese puppets—Selection of route—Sawady -route—Bullock carriage—Woon of Shuaygoo—Chinese surmises—Letters -to Chinese officials—Burmese worship-day. -</div> - - -<p>In November 1874, Colonel Browne and myself arrived at Calcutta, having -left England on receipt of telegraphic instructions in the preceding -month. A short time was devoted to the purchase and preparation of the -various articles intended as presents; while the necessary equipment -of scientific instruments was completed under the personal supervision -of Colonel Gastrell, of the Surveyor-General’s office, and nothing was -spared by this well-known officer to make the fullest provision for all -scientific purposes. Fifteen picked men were selected from a Calcutta -regiment of Sikhs to form the guard, and all being thus ready, we -proceeded to Rangoon, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_351">[Pg 351]</span> thence, in the <em>Ashley Eden</em> steamer, -began our journey up the Irawady on December 12th.</p> - -<p>At Prome we picked up a Chinese named Li-kan-shin, who proved to -be a nephew of Li-sieh-tai. He had been driven from his abode at -Hawshuenshan by the Panthays, and had lived at Prome, where he bore the -Burmese name of Moung Yoh. He now wished to return to Yunnan to visit -his mother; as he spoke Burmese fluently, in addition to writing and -speaking Chinese, he was taken into the service of the mission as an -interpreter. At first he hesitated, fearing to be punished for bringing -foreigners into Yunnan, but a sight of the imperial passport removed -all his scruples.</p> - -<p>We arrived at Mandalay in the evening of December 23rd, 1874, and -were received on landing by officials sent from the palace with -royal elephants to carry us up to the Residency. Very different -was the reception accorded to the members of this mission from the -apparent neglect which had seemed to ignore our existence when on the -expedition of 1868. All the marks of honour that are usually conferred -on distinguished visitors were duly paid. Silver dishes loaded with -dainties were sent from the palace, and we were declared to be the -king’s guests, not only at the capital, but until we should have passed -his frontiers, and have been safely handed over to the Chinese. For -our delectation, also, the royal <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">corps dramatique</em> appeared -to perform a <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">pooay</em>, or play, the most favourite amusement of -the Burmese, even to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_352">[Pg 352]</span> very youngest, who will sit for hours, and -night after night, listening to the adventures of the royal heroes and -heroines, and enjoying the jokes which are freely interspersed. The -performance takes place under an open pavilion of bamboos erected for -the occasion. There is no stage, but a circular space covered with -mats is reserved for the performers, and the audience squat around the -edge of the matted portion. The only indication of scenery is a tree -set up in the centre to do duty for the forest, in which the scene of -all Burmese dramas is laid. By this tree a huge faggot is placed and -a large vessel of oil, and the blazing flame, fed from time to time -with oil poured over it, illuminates the performance with a lurid -light, which gives a fantastic appearance to the figures. A portion of -the circle is reserved for the orchestra, the leader taking his place -inside a hollow cylinder hung round with drums and cymbals, while the -lesser musicians group themselves around the noisy centre. No permanent -theatre exists even in the capital, nor are the performers paid by -the audience. It is the custom for those who desire on any particular -occasion to “give a pooay” to engage one of the various troupes of -players, for whom a pavilion is extemporised opposite the house, -while the public form regular rows around, and enjoy the gratuitous -spectacle. Such an enclosure was set up in the Residency compound. -The first intimation of the coming pooay was the early arrival of the -orchestra some hours before the performance was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_353">[Pg 353]</span> to commence, making -their presence known by a noisy rehearsal of the music of the play, -which soon drew together an expectant crowd. As in pooays generally, -the actors and actresses then by degrees dropped in, each accompanied -by a friend or servant to assist in the toilettes, which were made -in public; the men and women taking their places on opposite sides -of the orchestra. The actors arrayed themselves in robes stiff with -tinsel, over which they placed an apron of curious work and cumbrous -form, and crowned their heads with a species of tiara shaped like a -pagoda. Each actress brought with her a small box containing cosmetics, -flowers for adorning her hair, and a little mirror. Seating herself -on a mat, she substituted for her ordinary jacket a bespangled gauze -coat over her richly woven silken <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tamein</em>, or skirt, which -was tucked so tightly round her limbs that it gave her a shuffling -gait. The decorating of her hair with sweet-smelling flowers, the -powdering of her face, and the painting of her eyebrows, constituted -however the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">chef-d’œuvre</em> of her toilette, requiring constant -appeals to the mirror to ensure its success. She then as a finishing -stroke threw around her neck numerous strings of imitation pearl -beads, which reached down to nearly the knee, and in each lobe of -her ears inserted a solid cylinder either of gold, jade, or amber, -called a <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">nodoung</em>. She then smoked a cheroot while unconcernedly -awaiting her call. This occupation, indeed, was never pretermitted -during the performance,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_354">[Pg 354]</span> except while the actor’s lips were occupied -in declamation or song. The royal prima donna, whose professional -reputation is very high, and who sang sweetly, would at the end of a -passionate outburst coolly relight her cheroot at the blazing faggot -by the tree, and smoke it till her next speech or song. Besides the -dramatic performers, the royal tumblers and jugglers appeared every -afternoon, and executed surprising feats, which were witnessed by -an enthusiastic crowd. The agility of the tumblers was remarkable. -One man would, as it were, fly rather than spring over a row of nine -boys arranged as if for leap-frog. He also leapt through a square -formed by keen-edged knives held by two men, and disposed with the -edges at right angles to his progress, and giving barely space for -the passage of his body. One remarkable exhibition was that of a girl -of sixteen, who possessed most singular elasticity of body. She laid -herself on the ground, and, without apparent effort or distress, bent -her body backwards till her toes rested on her head, as shown in the -illustration taken from a photograph. She also possessed the power of -moving the muscles of one side of her face and body, while those of -the other side remained in a perfect state of repose. The feats of the -jugglers were even more puzzling than those of the Indian performers, -and seemed to be very popular with the crowd.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img018"> - <img src="images/018.jpg" class="w75" alt="POSTURING GIRL AT MANDALAY" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">POSTURING GIRL AT MANDALAY.</p> - -<p>The day after our arrival, the foreign minister, or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kengwoon -meng-gyee</em>, paid us a visit, and invited<span class="pagenum" id="Page_355">[Pg 355]</span> us to a breakfast, which -was served with great profusion, and was almost English in its style. -At a separate table tea was prepared of two sorts; one the ordinary -infusion of tea leaves, the other from hard black cakes stamped with -Chinese letters, and exactly resembling tablets of Indian ink. These -are prepared by the Shans from the Chinese leaf tea, and produce a -liquor as pale as sherry, but of excellent flavour. The visit and -breakfast of the foreign minister was followed in due succession by -similar civilities on the part of the other meng-gyees; and a day -was appointed for our presentation to the king, an honour which had -been vouchsafed to the mission of 1868 neither on its outward nor -homeward journey. Accompanied by the British Resident, Captain Strover, -we proceeded on royal elephants, sent for our use, to the palace -enclosure, where we found the meng-gyees seated on carpets in a small -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">hlot</em>, or open hall, outside the palace gate. Having doffed our -shoes, we seated ourselves on the carpets with feet carefully hidden, -according to court etiquette, and conversed with the ministers, while -attendants served tea, fruits, and cakes. At last we were informed that -the king was ready to receive us; so, having resumed our boots, we -proceeded through a small postern in the inner palace stockade into the -large open space, on the far side of which rose the lofty temple-like -structure with its nine roofs, topped by the golden htee which marks -the centre of the capital and state of Burma. Boots were again removed, -and we ascended the short<span class="pagenum" id="Page_356">[Pg 356]</span> flight of steps into a spacious open hall -with rows of gilded pillars, and filled with a numerous guard, all -prostrated on their knees before the august presence of the meng-gyees -who escorted us. Two more halls were successively passed through, and -then through a side passage the audience hall was reached. This was -a large apartment painted white, with a gilded railing cutting off -two-thirds of its area. In the wall opposite to the railing were a pair -of gilded folding-doors, and on the right and left a row of pillars. -From amidst the ranks of the body-guard, all dressed in spotless white, -and squatted on the ground, we entered within the railing, and imitated -in our own way the uncomfortable position prescribed by etiquette, -carefully turning our feet to the rear. Behind either side of us, were -the ministers of state duly crouching. Before the folding-doors, and a -few yards removed from us, was spread a gorgeous velvet carpet of red -and gold pattern, on which stood a golden couch richly bejewelled. A -square pillow, an opera-glass, and two golden boxes were laid ready for -the absent occupant, and by the head of the couch stood a betel box in -the form of a golden <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">henza</em>, or sacred goose, inlaid with jewels.</p> - -<p>Presently the folding-doors were thrown open, disclosing a long vista -of golden portals, through which we saw his Majesty of Burma advancing, -accompanied by a little boy five or six years old. The Burmese -ministers, courtiers, and body-guard<span class="pagenum" id="Page_357">[Pg 357]</span> instantly bowed their faces to -the ground, and remained prone with hands held up in the attitude of -supplication. The Europeans bowed after their fashion, and the king, a -man of about sixty years, with a refined, intellectual face, quick eye, -and pleasing but dignified manners, reclined on the couch and saluted -us graciously. He then entered into a complimentary conversation, -looking at us through his opera-glass, though not twenty yards distant. -He expressed himself in the most friendly manner, and offered one of -his steamers to convey the party to Bhamô, which was politely declined -on the ground of all arrangements having been already made. All his -questions were duly repeated by one of the officials crouching at -our side, who rendered into courtly phraseology the somewhat laconic -replies of Colonel Browne. After the interview had lasted about fifteen -minutes, the king suddenly closed the conversation, the folding-doors -flew open, and he disappeared. The Burmese raised their heads, the -Englishmen stretched their legs, fruits and cakes were served on silver -salvers and cold water in golden cups, while the meng-gyees themselves -helped us and pressed us to eat.</p> - -<p>Thence we were conducted to view the so-called white elephant in his -small but richly adorned dwelling, which, with the concomitants of -golden umbrellas and attendants, he does not deserve by his rarity, as -he is not whiter, except about the head, than many elephants I have -seen in India.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_358">[Pg 358]</span></p> - -<p>For the rest of the palace and the surrounding city, the short -description already given will still serve. The suburbs manifested a -decided increase in the number of buildings and population, and the -inhabitants seemed more busy and prosperous than ever, as a proof of -which we remarked a new bazaar, built two years ago, twelve hundred -feet long and five hundred broad. The beauty of the environs, as viewed -from the angle towers of the city wall, seemed as striking as when -first beheld, and was enhanced by the lake-like waters of the broad -moat which now surrounds the walls of the city. Besides this additional -defence, the king is engaged in the construction of a fort on the left -bank of the river between Ava and Amarapoora. When approaching the -capital, we had noticed the works, distant at this season more than a -mile from the channel, though in the rainy season the river must reach -almost to the walls. Immediately opposite, on the right bank, rise the -chimneys of an iron foundry erected to work the iron obtained from the -neighbouring Tsagain hills. Like other Burmese works, both are still -unfinished, and are likely never to reach completion.</p> - -<p>The steamer <em>Mandalay</em> arrived on January 2nd, bringing the -numerous and cumbrous boxes of presents, the Australian and Arab -horses, and the kangaroo dogs, all under the charge of the Sikh guard -and <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Fforde, superintendent of police, who was to bring the guard -back from the frontiers of China. A list of the fire-arms on board -had been<span class="pagenum" id="Page_359">[Pg 359]</span> forwarded to the royal officials, and the Burmese customs -officers had examined those brought at the frontier station of Menhla -to see that they tallied with the list. On the following day we -embarked, accompanied by Captain Strover and his medical attendant, <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> -Cullimore, who, with a tsare-daw-gyee deputed by the king to look after -our wants, were to accompany us as far as Bhamô.</p> - -<p>The cordial reception experienced at the capital, and the readiness -shown by all the officials to “comfort and assist” the mission, seemed -to prove from the first that the king of Burma was sincere in his -promise to secure us a safe passage through his dominions. Sinister -rumours of his real dislike to the mission were, it may be said, of -course, not wanting, some of which reached our ears in the capital -itself, and others at a later period. However, we felt more inclined -to regard actions than mere words, and there has been no reason -subsequently to doubt the king of Burma respecting the promises he -had made. A royal steamer, laden with cargo and passengers, left the -capital for Bhamô before we got our steamer and its flat under weigh. -The latter was a large barge, somewhat resembling a Thames shallop, the -hull loaded with three hundred tons of salt, and the main deck, over -which the upper deck, or rather story, was raised on iron uprights, -crowded with steerage passengers. Our party occupied the cabins in -the fore part of the flat, the forecastle of which served us as an -open-air saloon. The navigation of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_360">[Pg 360]</span> the Irawady in the dry season -is somewhat uncertain, and the voyage proved unusually long. We had -scarcely proceeded a few miles when it was discovered that the stores -for the guard had been unloaded at Mandalay, and it was necessary for -the steamer to cast off the flat, and return for the missing provender. -The next morning, soon after starting, some native boats, laden with -firewood, coming down the river, were swept by an eddy under the -paddle-wheels. The steamer had been stopped, but the crews, being -short-handed, were unable to pull their boats clear; they managed, -however, to save their lives, but boats and cargo were totally lost. -The next incident was the grounding of our too deeply laden flat on -a sandbank, where we were obliged to remain for four days, until the -steamer returned to Mandalay for a second flat, into which part of the -cargo was transhipped. Thus by the end of the first week, we had only -made twenty-five miles out of the two hundred and fifty to Bhamô.</p> - -<p>From this point, no further delays were experienced, save those due -to the usual morning fogs; and our upward voyage was, in all other -respects, agreeable. We were received with every demonstration -of respect by the officials of all the towns <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em>. On -approaching the places of most importance, we were met by war-boats -sent to escort us for a mile or more to the landing, where the local -militia was arrayed as a guard of honour. Reception halls had been -erected, and the young women were assembled<span class="pagenum" id="Page_361">[Pg 361]</span> singing and dancing, or -rather posturing, as the performers do not stir from one spot, but sway -the body and arms in measured and not ungraceful movements. Sometimes, -when unable to stop, we saw the dance proceeding on the river bank. At -Myadoung, the “army” drawn up in our honour consisted of three hundred -men, ranged along the bank, who executed a serpentine manœuvre, as -they marched to receive us at the landing-place, apparently to make -their array seem more imposing; they wore no uniforms, and, besides -dahs and spears, carried very old and well-worn flint muskets. At this -place a handsome shed had been erected, where no less than sixty-four -fair performers were assembled, and in the evening we patronised, by -request, the performance of a regular pooay. All these entertainments -had been commissioned by royal order, which the local officials obeyed -to the best of their ability. Thus the Shuaygoo Woon came on board, and -most earnestly invited us to halt for an hour, and honour his pooay -by our presence, a request which, if we had known his real sentiments -towards English visitors, would scarcely have been complied with. Above -the second defile, we met the steamer which had preceded us coming down -on her return trip, with a large flat laden with cargo and passengers.</p> - -<p>We did not complete our journey till January 15th, having spent -twelve days on the voyage, the last twelve miles of which, owing to -the difficulty of the channel, took ten hours to accomplish. As the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_362">[Pg 362]</span> -steamer neared the high river bank, the southern end of Bhamô, twelve -large war-boats, each manned by thirty men, and one of which contained -Captain Cooke, the British Resident, the Woon, and the other Burmese -officials, paddled out to meet us, with much beating of gongs, and, -passing in order, turned and followed in a long procession. The high -bank was crowded with the townspeople, Shan-Burmese and Chinese, with -an intermixture of Chinese Shans and Kakhyens. As soon as the steamer -and flats were moored, the Resident and the Woon, with his tsitkays, -came on board, and welcomed us to Bhamô. The Burmese had prepared a -house in the town for our accommodation, but the Resident pressed us to -take up our quarters in the Residency, whither we according proceeded. -This is a fine building of teak, which has been erected at a cost of -£1100, though a similar one at Rangoon would have cost at least £2000. -It occupies a commanding position on the site of an old Chinese fort -near the river bank, about a mile north of the town. This old fort, -at my first visit, was completely hidden in jungle; the moat is still -wonderfully perfect, and encloses a large area, of which the residency -compound, about two acres in extent, forms but a small portion. This -is surrounded by a fence or wooden framework, covered with mats. -Outside the gate a zayat has been erected, which at this period was -occupied by about fifty Kakhyens of the Mattin clan, whose chief had -been summoned to Bhamô in reference to the possible claims of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_363">[Pg 363]</span> -central or embassy route. Living within the compound were a number of -Shan families from the Sanda valley, who were waiting for the arrival -of the <em>Mandalay</em> to carry them down the river, on a pilgrimage -to the shrines of Rangoon. It was impossible to avoid regretting that -the Residency has been built so far from the town, and in a situation -so exposed to any sudden attack from Kakhyen or any other marauders. -The jungle grows to the very edge of the moat, affording complete cover -for assailants, while the interstices of the fence afford abundant -opportunities for intruding guns or spears. One would think that the -selection of a site within the town, and near the Woon’s house, would -have seemed to argue more confidence in the Burmese authorities, with -whom the Resident should be in constant and friendly intercourse, in -order to effectually look after the interests confided to him, without -setting up an <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">imperium in imperio</em> over the Kakhyens of the -hills. Recent events have shown the insecurity of the present position, -which, in the case of any serious attack, could not be defended by the -sepoys of the Residency guard, who, at the time of our visit, could -only muster eight effective men.</p> - -<p>At the Residency we were welcomed by Mrs. Cooke, who shares with -her husband the risks and banishment of life in this far-off place, -giving a striking proof of the pluck and devotion to their lords which -characterises our countrywomen. Here, too, we made the acquaintance -with our future travelling companion,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_364">[Pg 364]</span> <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Ney Elias, and received the -information that <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary had arrived safely at Manwyne, and might -be daily expected to make his appearance at Bhamô.</p> - -<p>The day after our arrival, we decided that Colonel Browne, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Fforde, -and myself, should reside in the town of Bhamô, for the greater -convenience of communication with the Burmese, and, as far as I was -concerned, with my staff of collectors. The Woon at once placed at -my disposal a small bamboo structure, built on the site of the house -tenanted by us in 1868. Opposite to it was the house, newly built, in -readiness for the present mission, in which Colonel Browne and <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> -Fforde took up their quarters. The Woon was evidently much gratified by -this proceeding on the part of the officers of the mission, as showing -a friendly appreciation of his good offices. A temporary pavilion was -speedily erected over the street between the two houses, and on our -return from the Residency in the evening, a pooay was in full play -before an admiring audience. As soon as we had taken our seats in the -front of the verandah, trays of sweetmeats were set before us, and we -sat and viewed the performance till nearly midnight, as the jovial -laughter of the Burmese at the very broad jokes of the artists was not -conducive to sleep.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img019"> - <img src="images/019.jpg" class="w75" alt="VIEW IN BHAMÔ" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">VIEW IN BHAMÔ.</p> - -<p>On the 17th, we were agreeably surprised by the arrival of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary, -looking none the worse for his long overland journey from Hankow, -which he had left on the 4th of last September. But for a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_365">[Pg 365]</span> delay at -Loshan of six days, while waiting for new instructions, he would have -accomplished this tremendous journey in just four months. Starting -from Hankow, and passing the Tung-ting lake, on the Yang-tse, he had -ascended the Yuen river through Hoonan, and travelled by land through -Kweichow and Yunnan.</p> - -<p>The only real difficulty he experienced was at a town called Chen-yuen, -in Kweichow, where the boat journey ended on October 27th. Here the -populace endeavoured to prevent the removal of his luggage from the -boat, and it was only by means of an appeal to the mandarin, who at -first was uncivil but speedily yielded to the power of the passports, -and the interference of an armed guard sent by that official, that -he was enabled to proceed. It was necessary for him to sleep at the -Yamen, and leave the town in the early morning. When the mob learned -his departure, they wreaked their vengeance on the boatmen, and -destroyed their boat. On his land journey the people were everywhere -civil, though intensely curious, and the mandarins polite. He described -the scenery in Kweichow as splendid, but the roads rough and ragged, -carried almost always at a high level along pine-clad hills overlooking -valleys far beneath. The province appeared to have been sadly -devastated—the cities reduced to mere villages, and the villages to -collections of straw huts; everywhere ruins of good, substantial stone -houses abounded to show the former prosperity of the region before the -Miaou-tse<span class="pagenum" id="Page_366">[Pg 366]</span> came down from the hills and butchered the whole population. -Although twenty years have elapsed since this incursion, the cities -still remain like cities of the dead—their extensive walls surrounding -acres of ruins, with a few of the wild hillmen dwelling in them.</p> - -<p>His reception by the governor of the province at Kwei-yang-fu was -very cordial; and the latter promised to compensate the boatmen for -their loss in the destruction of their boat by the Chen-yuen mob. From -this city twenty days of steady travelling in a chair, twenty miles a -day, over fine mountains and through valleys almost deserted, brought -him to Yunnan-fu on November 27th. He met with civility everywhere; -but the acting governor-general of Yunnan, who was then <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">locum -tenens</em> of the absent viceroy, proved himself a most friendly and -indeed an unexpected ally. Not content with loading the Englishman with -honours and courtesies, he sent two mandarins to escort him the rest -of the way, and despatched an <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">avant-courrier</em> bearing a mandate -to all the local authorities, which secured marked respect for the -traveller, and also sent a quick courier with orders to the mandarins -on the frontier to take care of the expedition in case he should not -have met us before our entrance into China. From Yunnan to Tali a -dreadfully rough road or track of deep ruts and jagged stones led -over high mountains and into deep valleys. The ascents were so steep -as to require a team of eight or ten coolies harnessed with ropes to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_367">[Pg 367]</span> -drag the chair up the dangerous incline, often skirting the edge of a -precipice; and in the narrow and dangerous path strings of mules and -ponies laden with salt were often met with, to the great risk of the -traveller.</p> - -<p>The state of the country is best described in his own words:—“It is -melancholy to see these fine valleys given up to rank grass, and the -ruined villages and plainly distinguishable fields lying in silent -attestation of former prosperity. Every day I come to what was a busy -city, but now only containing a few new houses inside walls which -surround a wide space of ruins. But the people are returning gradually, -and the blue smoke can be seen curling up here and there against the -background of pine-clad hills. It must take some few years to re-people -the country, rich as it is.”</p> - -<p>The last four days’ travelling before reaching the plain of Tali passed -through a mountainous district devoid of cities. The authorities of -Tali were at first averse to his entering the city, pleading their -fear of the turbulent and dangerous populace, against whom he had been -already warned by the viceroy; but by an adroit appeal to the laws -of etiquette, which constrained him to pay his respects to the high -authorities, he got over the difficulty. The much dreaded city populace -treated him not only with courtesy but with profound respect, calling -him <em>Ta-jen</em>, or Excellency. The several officials received him -well, and the Tartar general, an enormously large man, who had been<span class="pagenum" id="Page_368">[Pg 368]</span> -foremost in the storming of the city, placed him in the seat of honour -by himself, asked innumerable questions about England and Burma, and -promised to invite the mission to stay a few days at Tali-fu.</p> - -<p>Yung-chang was reached on December 27th, after passing through -“glorious scenery,” by a road leading over high mountain regions, but -with nothing so bad as “the horrid passes” previously encountered. -A daring robbery had been just committed on the highway, and a halt -was necessitated for the soldiers to scour the hills for fear of -lurking dacoits. The people were gradually returning to the villages, -and burning the jungle grass, which had overgrown the long abandoned -fields. The mandarins at Yung-chang were inclined to be obstructive; -but those at Teng-yue-chow, or Momien, which was reached in four days -from the former city, were “delightfully civil.” Here he received -the despatches informing him of the plans of the mission, and in -accordance with them he set out for Manwyne, arriving there after a -journey of five stages through the Shan country, which he described as -a lovely valley, and the people as sociable and amiable. At Manwyne -he found the Burmese guard of forty men, who had been sent forward -from Tsitkaw to escort him through the Kakhyen hills. Here also he met -with the redoubtable Li-sieh-tai, “now a Chinese general,” who was -negotiating a tariff of imposts on trade with the Kakhyen chiefs and -Shan headmen. Li received his first English visitor with the greatest -honour, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kotouing</em> to him before all the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_369">[Pg 369]</span> assembled chiefs and -notables. The Burmese officers requested a delay to recruit their -men, after the march over the hills, and Margary, who was anxious to -press on, endeavoured vainly to induce Li to give him a guard, under -whose protection he could advance, leaving his followers and baggage -to follow with the Burmese. He recorded his opinion that there were -intrigues going on in this district adverse to the advance of the -mission, but notwithstanding he relied strongly on the express commands -of the all-powerful governor of Yunnan in its favour.</p> - -<p>His stay at Manwyne was marked by the most friendly intercourse with -the tsawbwa and his family, whose guest he was. He walked through the -town and shot over the banks of the river freely and unmolested; and, -as he writes, “I come and go without meeting the slightest rudeness -among this charming people, and they address me with the greatest -respect.”</p> - -<p>Under the escort of the Burmese guard he crossed the Kakhyen hills, -bivouacking one night in a clearing, as we had done on the former -journey, at Lakhon. He passed through eight or nine villages of the -Kakhyens, the savage appearance of these hill people striking him -forcibly after the civilised aspect of the Shans of the valleys, and -they treated him to a specimen of their bold impudence. His servant -Lin was menaced by one of these with a large stone, which he raised to -strike him with, and another drew his dah and made a daring attempt<span class="pagenum" id="Page_370">[Pg 370]</span> to -rob one of the men of his bag. After remaining a night at Tsitkaw, he -and his party descended the Tapeng by boat, and reached the Residency -early in the forenoon. It can easily be imagined with what feelings -we congratulated the first Englishman who had succeeded in traversing -“the trade route of the future,” as he called it, and with what -pleasant anticipations we heard of the accounts of his arduous but -successful journey, and the reception accorded all along the line of -route, crowned by the politeness shown by the dreaded Li-sieh-tai. The -astonishment and admiration of the Burmese was even greater. In their -own minds they had never realised the existence of English officials in -China, and now there appeared a veritable Englishman speaking Chinese -fluently, and versed in the use of chopsticks and all other points of -etiquette. This Petching <em>meng</em>, or Pekin mandarin, moreover, was -attended, besides the rest of his retinue, by a most imposing literate, -whose huge round spectacles gave him an aspect of wonderful wisdom, and -commanded the greatest respect from his countrymen at Bhamô.</p> - -<p>This worthy man, whose real name was Yu-tu-chien, and whose office was -that of writer or Chinese secretary, was a Christian from the province -of Hoopeh, one of the many sincere converts made by the Lazarist -missionaries. His intelligence and anxiety for knowledge, with his -amiable and faithful disposition, made him justly a favourite with all. -From the Woon downwards, every inhabitant who<span class="pagenum" id="Page_371">[Pg 371]</span> could speak Chinese was -anxious to interview and pay respects to the new-comers from Pekin, -and devoutly believed that the writer was a lesser mandarin sent in -attendance on the great man, and it must be confessed that Yu-tu -evidently increased in self-respect as he realised the estimation in -which he was held by the Chinese-speaking people, including the tsawbwa -of Mattin and his followers.</p> - -<p>The Woon, or governor of the town or district of Bhamô, was most -zealous in carrying out the royal orders, and was personally most -friendly. He was a short, elderly Burman, with prominent eyes and -good face, whose chief occupation seemed to be incessantly muttering -prayers, as he slid through his fingers the beads of the black amber -rosary which he invariably carried. His principal wife and his children -had been left in Mandalay as hostages for his good behaviour, according -to the usual Burmese policy; but his establishment was presided over -by a second or inferior wife, a stout elderly lady, whose acquaintance -I was privileged to make. This was on the occasion of an entertainment -given by him in honour of Margary, the day but one after his arrival. -We sat with him on carpets in his verandah, while about forty of the -prettiest and best dressed women of Bhamô, ranged in lines, postured -and sang in the covered courtyard below. The various officials formed -a background, and the crowd surrounded the performers. The infusion -of Shan blood is evident in the superior good looks and physique of -these<span class="pagenum" id="Page_372">[Pg 372]</span> daughters of the land. All were well dressed and adorned with -silver and some with gold bracelets and other jewellery; the older and -very much uglier women stood behind the last row of performers, and -led the singing. We squatted Burmese fashion, and smoked, while tea -and Huntley and Palmer’s biscuits were served with nuts and persimmons -dried in sugar, followed by the customary betel and pan. Fortunately, -etiquette did not oblige us to continue too long in the uncomfortable -posture, which Burmese adopt by habit, and we could come and go as -we liked during the two hours that the performance lasted. In the -evening we visited the Chinese temple, in which a ceremony or function -was proceeding on behalf of a Chinese townsman who had recently -become insane. One part of the ceremonial consisted of a theatrical -performance or puppet-show, viewed through a transparency, the actors -being represented by small figures cut out of leather, with talc heads; -they were moved by bamboos, one fixed at the back and another to one -of the arms. The figures were placed close behind the transparent -window, and a Chinaman in charge of each shouted the words of the part, -while he manipulated the figure with great skill. We were permitted -to go behind the scenes, and by a narrow wooden staircase ascended to -a lobby leading into a large room, which was full of Chinese, smoking -and drinking tea. Hundreds of the leather puppets were suspended round -the room from lines, as if they had been clothes<span class="pagenum" id="Page_373">[Pg 373]</span> hung up to dry. This -was at once the stage, green-room, and orchestra. The musicians were -seated along the walls on benches; the instruments were a flageolet and -a small violin, formed of a segment of bamboo, with a snake skin over -the opening, and two strings stretched to the end of the bamboo handle. -One man thumped two stones on a desk by way of drum; another played -the cymbals, and others small gongs. Behind the transparent windows, -at one end, stood a row of Chinese moving the puppets and shouting the -dialogue. All were amateurs engaged in a work of charity, though how -the patient was to be benefitted did not appear.</p> - -<p>During this exchange of civilities, the preparations for as early an -advance as was possible were not pretermitted. With regard to the -route to be traversed by the expedition, the Woon had fully expected -that the embassy or central road would be selected, and the Mattin -tsawbwa, through whose territory it passes, had come to Bhamô to make -arrangements for our transit. The Burmese preferred this route, as they -had more influence over those Kakhyens, and declared that they could -guarantee our safe passage more certainly by this route than any other. -The line to be followed would correspond with that travelled over on -our return journey in 1868. A Burmese embassy, carrying tribute to -China, had recently gone by this road, but was reported to have been -detained in the hills for more than a month, the mountaineers having<span class="pagenum" id="Page_374">[Pg 374]</span> -barricaded the road, in order to effectually extort black mail. This -embassy, or some of their members, had been heard of by Margary, as -he was passing near Momien. The fact that the tribute-bearing Burmese -embassies were accustomed to travel by this route did not recommend -it as advisable for the passage of our expedition, and the Political -Resident, with <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias, acting under orders, had, before our arrival, -made arrangements for us to proceed by the Sawady route. From thence -the road leads to Mansay, ten miles distant, a Shan village under -Burmese and Kakhyen protection, which is the regular rendezvous for all -Kakhyens coming down to Sawady or Kaungtoung to barter their goods for -salt and <em>ngapé</em>. From Mansay, four marches through the country of -the Lenna Kakhyens conduct to Kwotloon, in the Shan state of Muangmow, -on the right bank of the Shuaylee. Thence the proposed route goes by -way of Sehfan, a Chinese Shan state, dependent on the governor of the -walled town of Muanglong, up the valley of the Shuaylee, and crosses -the watershed to Momien. Such information as was possessed had been -obtained by Moung Mo, the Kakhyen interpreter, who had been despatched -by the Resident, in 1873, to Muangwan, and thence to Sehfan. He -described the country between this and Muangmow as a cultivated plain, -studded with villages, and the Shuaylee as a deep river a hundred yards -wide. Sehfan is a small town of three hundred houses, surrounded by -numerous large villages. Its chief had been brought up by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_375">[Pg 375]</span> the Chinese -governor of Muanglong, and was a firm friend of the Chinese; he had -recently married the eldest daughter of my old friend, the Hotha chief, -with whom we had spent such pleasant days in 1868.</p> - -<p>In 1873, great disturbances were caused by the aggressions of a Shan -rebel from Namkhan, a Burmese Shan state on the left bank of the -Shuaylee; and the Maran Kakhyens, who were at feud with the next clan -of the Atsees, frequently attacked caravans and looted Sehfan villages. -Beyond Sehfan lay the populous Chinese Shan states of Muangkwan, with -two large towns of one thousand houses, and Muangkah on the Salween. -The Chinese towns of Muanglong and Muanglem were both described as -containing four thousand to five thousand houses, which is probably an -exaggeration.</p> - -<p>Agreements had been entered into with the Paloungto Kakhyen chief, -who had undertaken to provide two hundred bullocks for carriage, -mules not being procurable, and to escort the mission safely into the -Muangmow district. The necessity of employing pack bullocks extended -the time likely to be required for the journey to Momien to thirty or -forty days; as, however, it was a principal object to explore this -partially known route, which was universally admitted to present the -fewest physical difficulties, the time so expended and the slow rate -of travelling appeared likely to afford the scientific members of the -mission more ample time for inquiry and observations. In this view of -the case, the leader did not wholly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_376">[Pg 376]</span> concur, and though deciding to -proceed to Muangmow, he contemplated striking off thence via Muangwan -and Nantin.</p> - -<p>It turned out to have been overlooked in the preliminary arrangements -that Sawady is not in the Bhamô district, but under the jurisdiction of -the Woon of Shuaygoo, to whom no orders had been sent from Mandalay. -The Woon of Bhamô was rather nonplussed by our decision to adopt the -Sawady route, but sent to request his colleague of Shuaygoo to come -and advise on the subject. This, however, the official, who, as it -afterwards appeared, is utterly hostile to Englishmen, altogether -refused to do; but the Bhamô Woon decided to send his own troops under -the command of a tsitkay, a veteran officer, to escort us as far as -Mansay; but he evidently considered the Kakhyens beyond that point as -refractory, though nominally in the Burmese territory. The Kakhyen -pawmines declared their willingness to be answerable for our safety -from Mansay if the Burmese would convoy us thus far, and then reviewed -our two hundred packages, at the size of which they shook their heads. -The boxes had all been carefully calculated to hold seventy-five pounds -each, half a load for a mule, which carries fifty viss, equal to one -hundred and fifty pounds, and had been constructed for package on the -cross-trees used in mule carriage. Bullocks, however, cannot carry so -much, and the goods are loaded on them in bamboo baskets, which, lined -with the bamboo spathes, are almost watertight. It became<span class="pagenum" id="Page_377">[Pg 377]</span> necessary, -therefore, to rearrange the cumbrous baggage, which was a work of some -days.</p> - -<p>Profiting by the experience of the former expedition, Colonel Browne -resolved not to be encumbered with a cash-chest. All the coined -money was exchanged for <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">sycee</em>, or lump, silver, at the rate -of one hundred rupees for seventy tickals of the finest quality, or -seventy-three tickals and a half of the more alloyed which passes among -the Kakhyens, and these ingots were distributed among the private boxes -of the party.</p> - -<p>Our inquiries about the several routes brought out the fact that the -Chinese fully believed us to be intent on making a railway, one man -remarking that the Sawady route was much the longest, but, “of course, -the best for the railway.”</p> - -<p>It is hard to follow the workings of the Chinese mind, but it was plain -that the objects of our expedition were as far from being perfectly -understood by them as ever, and that they watched the movements of -the mission with a secret feeling that the objects contemplated were -somewhat beyond the peaceful pursuit of the interests of commerce and -scientific inquiry.</p> - -<p>During the delay consequent on the alteration of the packages, our -friend the Woon got up <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">pooays</em>, or dances, for our amusement, and -for three hours at a time relays of women from the different quarters -of the town danced and sang.</p> - -<p>Shan letters were sent to the tsawbwa of Muangmow,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_378">[Pg 378]</span> and Margary -despatched Chinese letters to the governor of Momien and to -Li-sieh-tai, who had sent Kakhyen messengers to Tsitkaw to carry them -forward. It subsequently appeared that the letter had not reached -Li, as he had left Nantin before the arrival of the messenger, and -proceeded to Muangmow to await our coming.</p> - -<p>The 21st was a day of heavy rain, which seriously interfered with -packing arrangements; and as it was full moon, all amusement was -interdicted by the observance of the Burmese worship-day, which was -ushered in by the tolling of the Woon’s gong at seven, and at eight -o’clock we found him presiding over a congregation which assembled in -his house, the prayers being led by several priests. Our <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tai</em> was -quite free from the motley group of Burmese, Shan, and Kakhyen visitors -who had daily thronged it. This strict observance of what may be called -the sabbath was due to a recent revival of piety, stimulated by royal -orders on the subject.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_379">[Pg 379]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.<br /> -<span class="small">SAWADY.</span></h2> -</div> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -The <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">hun pooay</em>—Mission proceeds to Sawady—Visit from -Woon—Rumoured opposition—The Woon as a musician—Sawady -village—Royal orders—Baggage difficulties—Arrival of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Clement -Allan—Paloungto chief—Kakhyen pilfering—Abandon route—Adopt -Ponline route—Reasons for change—Tsaleng Woon—Departure of mission -to Tsitkaw—Elias and Cooke proceed to Muangmow—Dolphins—Up the -Tapeng—Tahmeylon—Arrive at Tsitkaw. -</div> - - -<p>On the following day the greater part of the baggage was stowed in -boats ready for departure to Sawady, which was fixed for the 23rd. The -Woon made his appearance at an early hour, bent on inviting Margary and -his writer, and all of us, to spend this the last day with him. In the -forenoon the usual <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">ying pooay</em>, or dance, went on, but in the -evening a <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">hun pooay</em>, or pooay acted by marionettes, was given. -This was a much more artistic affair than that of the Chinese puppets, -the marionettes being well made, regularly dressed figures about three -feet high. The stage on which they are presented is removed to a -distance, the proscenium<span class="pagenum" id="Page_380">[Pg 380]</span> forming, as it were, a frame proportioned to -the size of the figures; and the movers of the puppets stand behind a -screen at the back, and manipulate the little heroes and heroines by -means of strings. To the spectators they have a most real appearance, -being very cleverly handled, and the speeches are made by the invisible -actors with such art as to really seem as if proceeding from the -puppets, so as to suggest ventriloquism. This performance was evidently -the most popular form of entertainment. The Woon sat eyeing the puppets -intently through his binocular, just as his royal master had eyed -us at the audience, and the townspeople, squatted in rows, remained -till midnight eagerly watching the mannikins. The Woon produced an -alarum clock which had been rendered incapable of going, and amused -himself tinkling the alarum; but he was quite ignorant of the value of -the hours, and even after several lessons illustrated by a watch, he -utterly failed to fix the hands.</p> - -<p>On the next day, most of our party rode to Sawady, to which place -the guard and all the baggage had preceded them. <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias and I, -however, remained behind until we should receive the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">mot d’ordre</em> -from Browne, as the operation of packing the bullocks was likely to -occupy some days. The Woon, whom I had not seen that day, came in the -afternoon to apologise for his apparent neglect, as he had been engaged -in receiving public subscriptions for the regilding of the Shuaykeenah -pagoda. He was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_381">[Pg 381]</span> delighted at my offering a small contribution, and -waxed eloquent on the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">entente cordiale</em> engendered by such -conduct, and sent for his wife to bring a large silver vase containing -the collection, to which my donation was duly added. We had a long talk -on the archæology of the district, the old cities of Tsampenago and -Kuttha, and the founder of the Shuaykeenah pagoda, whom he asserted -to have been a king of Ceylon, named Thee-yee-da-ma-thanka, a legend -commonly current regarding the more ancient pagodas of Burma. In the -evening he sent the tsare-daw-gyee and the two tsitkays to pay a -visit, from whom I learned that there existed ancient histories of -the district in some of the khyoungs, one of which they promised, -if possible, to obtain. When they were shown a photograph of the -Soolay pagoda at Rangoon, they expressed their regret that during the -municipal improvements of the town the site of the sacred building -had become the junction of cross-roads, which seemed in their minds a -desecration. They were, however, relieved by the assurance that this -must have been done by the British authorities in ignorance of the -religious prejudices thereby affected.</p> - -<p>Two or three days passed without any incident of consequence, save that -on the 25th a Chinaman came to the Residency to report that he had -overheard some Yunnan Chinese talking in the bazaar, and had gathered -that an armed force had been despatched from Momien and Tali-fu to -Muangmow, under the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_382">[Pg 382]</span> command of Li-sieh-tai, to oppose our entrance -into China. His account, however, was very confused, and he had not -succeeded in hearing any very distinct statements, as the men had -evidently been suspicious of him. It is probable that this was merely -a garbled version of the fact that Li-sieh-tai had crossed from the -Tapeng valley to Muangwan with a few men <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em> to Muangmow. -The same day letters arrived from Sawady to say that the departure of -the mission was fixed for the following day, upon which we went at -once to the Woon to secure boats, who most readily placed them at our -disposal. He afterwards paid us a visit, bringing his Burmese harp -of twelve strings, on which he showed himself no mean performer. He -was accompanied by a boy who played a sort of harmonicon, or musical -glasses constructed of slips of hard wood, which vibrated with a sweet, -full tone. Another performer clashed a pair of cymbals, and clicked -split bamboos like castanets. The airs were sweet and plaintive. -After the music we had a long conversation about England, Prussia, -France, and Persia, with the general relations of which governments -he showed himself to be well acquainted. Railways and the mode of -transit to England were also discussed; my interpreter, however, -though an educated Burmese and son of a native official, proving very -incompetent, and putting absurd statements into my mouth. The Woon had -brought a present of a fruit, which he said was a great rarity from -Yunnan. It was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_383">[Pg 383]</span> the size of an apple, of a bright yellow colour, with -a delicate skin enclosing a jelly-like pulp, the coolness of which -he expressed by a pantomimic passing of his hand from the throat to -the epigastric region. He called it <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tsay-thee</em>; but inquiries -from Elias and Margary identified it as a persimmon. Of this fruit, -quantities in a dried form are imported to Burma, where they are a -favourite sweetmeat; but the fresh fruit is unknown.</p> - -<p>On the 27th we were ready to take boat to Sawady, and I bade farewell -to my friend, the Woon, who charged me to write to him. Elias and -myself started from Bhamô about 11.30, and arrived at Sawady in a -little more than a couple of hours.</p> - -<p>Sawady is a miserable village of about forty houses, though formerly -containing five times that number; but continual inroads by the -Kakhyens have reduced it to its present scanty dimensions. It is under -the protection of the Phonkan tsawbwa, who also, for a yearly payment -of salt, protects the village of Yuathet, situated about three quarters -of a mile to the north on the high bank of a small creek called -Theng-leng, which flows into the Irawady between high alluvial banks. -The village of Sawady is defended by a double bamboo palisade, and a -similar palisade runs along the narrow path dividing the two rows of -houses. As a further protection, boats, corresponding to the number -of houses, are moored to the river bank, and nightly the inhabitants -retire to them for sleep, and thus secure<span class="pagenum" id="Page_384">[Pg 384]</span> themselves against the not -infrequent nocturnal attacks of the Kakhyens. Sawady and Yuathet are -both small emporiums for trade, whither the Kakhyens resort to procure -fish and salt, and they bring bamboos to be floated down the river; -they are also ports for the trade to the interior. Around stretches a -vast plain, bounded by the distant hills, profusely covered with forest -and jungle, sometimes of underwood, sometimes of thick grass fifteen -feet high, with frequent swamps, which in the wet season are covered -with water. Before our arrival, Margary and Fforde had made expeditions -into the forest in search of game. Peafowl abounded there, perched at -inaccessible heights, on the highest trees, and they found the tracks -of tigers and other large game, but the solitudes were still as death, -and they returned without having started any animal. We found the -convoy of bullocks, under the charge of some hundred Kakhyens, encamped -outside the village. The Paloungto tsawbwa, a respectable-looking -man, clean and well dressed, with a huge roll of gold-leaf by way of -ear-ring distending the lobe of his ear, along with his pawmines, was -ready to receive the baggage. The Burmese guard encamped in hastily -improvised <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tais</em>, while the Englishmen were accommodated in a -rickety zayat screened with curtains.</p> - -<p>On the second day (January 24th), orders came from Mandalay that -the Burmese guard should escort the mission right up to the nominal -frontier of Burma and China or to Kwotloon,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_385">[Pg 385]</span> instead of Mansay, as -previously arranged and approved by the Kakhyens, whose opinion of the -change was not given. They continued to take over the packages, giving -receipts for each, and making panniers suitable for carriage on the -bullocks, into which the boxes were to be packed.</p> - -<p>On the 25th, objections began to be raised to the size of the packages, -which had been previously altered at Bhamô, and next the tsawbwa -appeared to say that he had brought three hundred and thirty-six -bullocks, although we only required two hundred. He explained this, -by stating that Elias had doubted their ability to provide two -hundred bullocks. The chief, therefore, had brought three hundred and -thirty-six, to prove the contrary, and expected to be paid for the lot, -although he admitted that the Resident had contracted for one hundred -and fifty bullocks and twenty ponies. This proposal being got rid of, -the next demand was for payment of the hire in advance, which Colonel -Browne also negatived, but promised to pay him one-half the amount, -provided all was ready for a start in two days.</p> - -<p>The next day was accordingly spent in transferring all the remaining -baggage, with the exception of the boxes containing the wardrobes of -the officers and the cash, which were placed under the immediate care -of the Sikhs.</p> - -<p>The 27th found the preparations for starting still backward, a state -of things which was not improved by heavy rain, against which the -Englishmen<span class="pagenum" id="Page_386">[Pg 386]</span> and their followers were but slightly protected, and the -baggage not at all. The chief and his pawmines appeared to receive the -promised advance of hire, but he declined to fix a time for starting, -as he required salt wherewith to load the extra bullocks. When met -by a refusal to delay for this purpose, he departed in a bad temper, -leaving his pawmines to continue the discussion. They finally settled -to start the day but one after, on condition of receiving one viss -of silver in advance, and one hundred and forty rupees as demurrage -expenses, being ten rupees for each of the fourteen villages whence the -bullocks had come. This was a fair charge, as the men and their beasts -had been awaiting our arrival for some days. Elias and I arrived while -the payment was being made in lumps of sycee silver, one of which was -declared by a pawmine to be bad, and, being bitten, proved to be hollow -and filled with sand. Soothed by the receipt of the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">compraw</em>, the -Paloungto chief declared that we were brothers, and he would be ready -to start “the day after to-morrow.”</p> - -<p>The evening brought a pleasant surprise to our party by the arrival of -<abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Clement Allan, who had come from Mandalay in ten days, in a royal -boat. While passing on the river, he heard one of the Sikhs talking to -a Chinaman on the bank, and, hailing them, discovered our whereabouts. -He was thus saved the journey to Bhamô, and all our party were now -assembled, and notwithstanding the heavy<span class="pagenum" id="Page_387">[Pg 387]</span> rain, we spent a pleasant -evening in anticipation of a speedy departure.</p> - -<p>While at breakfast, we were disturbed by hearing a number of gun shots, -and learned that the Kakhyens had endeavoured to remove our clothes -boxes in order to add them to the general baggage. The Sikhs on guard, -having received orders not to lose sight of them, declined to permit -their removal, whereupon the indignant Kakhyens fired their muskets -in the air. The Burmese tsitkay expressed uneasiness as to the temper -of the Kakhyens, and seemed to fear a collision with them, as they -numbered about four hundred men armed with muskets. There evidently -existed some ill-feeling between the Kakhyens and the Burmese, and -it unfortunately happened that all interviews with the chief were -conducted in presence of the Burmese officials. It came out in the -course of the day that the Paloungto chief had not entered into any -convention with the other tsawbwas of the route. The Resident had -been assured that a passage through their territories was certain on -payment of the ordinary dues. The chief had declared that most of -them would support his arrangements, but that it would be necessary -at Mansay to agree with the Phonkan tsawbwa, who would not come to -Sawady. The inveterate curiosity and pilfering habits of the hillmen -were exemplified by their boring holes in several provision tins in -order to ascertain the contents, the holes being afterwards carefully -stopped<span class="pagenum" id="Page_388">[Pg 388]</span> with cotton; our sugar, salt, and bags of rice were taken -toll of, and sundry bottles of brandy had mysteriously disappeared; -and it was subsequently discovered that the screws had been drawn -out of the boxes. Still, when it is remembered that a number of wild -hillmen had been detained in this place for a fortnight, with scanty -provisions, allowance must be made for petty thieving, without arguing -a deliberate intention of plunder. Our leader, however, began to be -seriously anxious about the prospects of safe transit through the hills -by this route. To the difficulty arising from the known antipathy of -the Burmese to the Lenna Kakhyens, there was now added the declaration -of some Shans of Muangmow, that the hillmen would not be permitted to -cross their borders, and this tended to make Colonel Browne suspicious -of the real intentions of the Paloungto chief. The climax was reached -when the old interpreter, Moung Mo, announced in the evening that our -expected start was postponed <em>sine die</em>, and that the chief, -displeased at being refused the charge of our clothes boxes, declined -to accompany us, devolving our escort on his pawmines. Upon this, -Colonel Browne resolved to return to Bhamô, and make arrangements for -proceeding by the old Ponline route, instead of that by Sawady and the -Shuaylee. But I think it doubtful that the Paloungto chief had any -dishonest intentions. He could not have divined the presence of the -specie in the boxes, and it was natural that he should require all the -baggage to be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_389">[Pg 389]</span> made over on the eve of starting, and should resent the -obvious imputation on his honesty, implied in the refusal to surrender -these boxes.</p> - -<p>We rode to Bhamô through jungle grass fifteen feet high, interrupted -occasionally by hollows studded with trees. The intersecting creeks -were difficult to cross, as the path, or rut, through the high -sandbanks was steep, and barely wide enough for a passage, so much so -that one of the ponies, with his rider, rolled back into the water, -which was only about three feet deep. Having arrived at Bhamô, and -decided to go by the Ponline route, if practicable for the led horses, -the Resident started for Tsitkaw, to summon the Kakhyen chiefs, and -provide mules. The Woon, fearing that the Paloungto chief would not -surrender the baggage, despatched a reinforcement of armed men on board -of four war-boats, mounted with gingals. We returned to Sawady by -water, bringing several large boats for the baggage, which were left -at Yuathet, by way of precaution against alarming the Kakhyens. On the -30th the tsawbwa and his pawmines came in from their camp, and Browne -recapitulated the delays and broken promises of the past week as well -as the want of arrangements with the other tsawbwas of the route. The -chief replied that his refusal to start had been caused by his anger at -being refused the care of the boxes; that he was willing to start “the -day after to-morrow;” but if we refused to go by his route, he should -expect to be paid the agreed hire for the bullocks brought down. The -reply to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_390">[Pg 390]</span> this was that, whatever the Resident and pawmines, who had -made the original contract, agreed to as justly due should be paid. -Browne, however, offered a douceur of a viss of silver as soon as the -baggage was restored. This was agreed to; and the men at once set to -work to bring back the boxes, which were transferred to the large -boats, and on January 31st the entire mission, escorted by the Burmese -war-boats, returned to Bhamô, having definitely abandoned the route by -Sawady, and elected to travel by the northern or Ponline road.</p> - -<p>Letters had been received from the Resident, written from Tsitkaw, to -the effect that plenty of mules were procurable, and that the Burmese -officials had summoned the Kakhyen chiefs. On our arrival at Bhamô, we -found a force of three hundred men in war-boats armed with gingals, -collected under the command of the Woon, who had been about to come in -person to Sawady to deliver us, if necessary, from the hands of the -Lenna Kakhyens. This was an additional proof, if any had been needed, -of the care of the Burmese for our welfare, and of the uncertainty -of their relations with the southern hill tribes. It was with great -reluctance that I for one turned my back on the Sawady route, the full -exploration and eventual establishment of which as the future trade -route had been proposed as a special object of our mission. It was -generally understood to be, though the longest, the one which presented -fewest physical difficulties; and of its actual employment<span class="pagenum" id="Page_391">[Pg 391]</span> we had -ocular demonstration in the trading parties, numbering many mules and -bullocks, which were continually coming and going during our stay at -its terminus.</p> - -<p>The northern route had been thoroughly explored six years before, -and full information collected concerning its physical and social -conditions, while the change in the political relations affected all -routes alike. As was afterwards ascertained, we were expected by the -Chinese at Muangmow, whither, it appears, Li-sieh-tai had gone to meet -the mission, and, as far as may be judged by his conduct, without -hostile intentions; and besides all this, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias, cooperating with -the British Resident at Bhamô, had visited the Lenna Kakhyens a month -before, and had made arrangements with them, according to which they -had brought down their beasts of burden for the conveyance of the -mission. Among various reasons assigned for abandoning the route were -the suspicious bearing of the Paloungto chief, and the possible, if not -probable, risk of delay in the hills. This would have been aggravated -by the chance that the provisions of the Sikhs, who were only supplied -with flour for thirty-five days, might run short. Another danger was -conceived to lie in the want of arrangements with the Phonkan chief, -who might prove as obstructive as he of Ponsee had done, and either -stop or fleece the mission. With regard to the behaviour of the Lenna -chief of Paloungto, it might have been expected that any<span class="pagenum" id="Page_392">[Pg 392]</span> lurking -ill-will would have been aggravated by the disappointment experienced -at losing the fair profits of a convoy, for which he had brought down -carriage and waited so long. At the time, the presence of the large -Burmese force may be thought to have restrained him; but the subsequent -reception given by him and his brother of Wurrabone to <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias and -Captain Cooke showed him to be thoroughly well affected, and almost -anxious to prove the absence of any ill-feeling. It was a generally -wise and proper policy to thoroughly conciliate the goodwill of the -Burmese officials, and to carry them with us in all our proceedings. -This line of conduct was carefully and consistently adopted by our -leader, but, consequently, there was no opportunity afforded to the -Kakhyen chief of expressing his sentiments as to the Burmese guard. -His only intercourse with our party was by interview held in presence -of the tsitkay, at which he was expected to take the position of an -inferior, squatting on the ground before men to whom he acknowledged -no subordination; and it is to be regretted that he did not find an -opportunity for confidential communication which might probably have -led to a better understanding. It must also be remembered that Kakhyen -chiefs do not comprehend the value of time, or share our notions as -to procrastination, and are not above “trying it on” in order to gain -a little more silver. As regards the possible complications with the -Phonkan tsawbwa, who six years before had announced his wish for the -passage<span class="pagenum" id="Page_393">[Pg 393]</span> of British commerce through his country, although he could not -or would not come into Sawady, he might have been induced to have met -and conferred with us at Mansay, while, if supplies of flour were not -procurable at Bhamô, yet, according to the experience acquired in 1868, -they were available in the Shan valleys and at Momien.</p> - -<p>On February 1st, we were all assembled in our old quarters at Bhamô. -The Woon was rather nonplussed at the adoption of the Ponline route, -and anxious as to the dangers of attack to which the mission might be -exposed before reaching Manwyne, though no whit relaxing his efforts to -carry out our wishes. Another Woon, he of Tsaleng, arrived in the royal -steamer, and seemed to fill the post of counsellor to his colleague, -who was perplexed by the news which arrived from Cooke, that all the -tsawbwas were at Manwyne discussing the tariff, and could not return -for some days. The same steamer brought up from Mandalay two Kakhyen -chiefs of the central route, <abbr title="videlicet">viz.</abbr> Muangkha and Poonhya. In return for -services rendered to the recent Burmese embassy, these two chiefs had -been received with high honour, and presented with gold umbrellas and -gilded saddles. They rode through Bhamô on ponies decorated with the -gilded equipage, while each rider wore a golden head-band bearing his -titles, preceded by a man carrying the golden umbrella, and escorted by -others beating gongs and proclaiming his rank.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_394">[Pg 394]</span></p> - -<p>On the 3rd, the heavy baggage and guard were embarked in boats to -proceed to Tsitkaw, accompanied by Fforde and myself, leaving Colonel -Browne and Margary to follow by land, while Elias had arranged to -attempt the passage by the Sawady route, and join the rendezvous at -Momien. The flotilla started from the river bank at Bhamô, and poled -up the Irawady to the mouth of the Tapeng, our progress against the -rapid stream being slow, and impeded by numerous projecting snags and -occasional sandbanks, where the water was so shallow that the crew were -obliged to jump overboard and push or drag the heavily laden boats -along. Immediately outside the mouth of the Tapeng extended a bar of -sandbanks, beyond which the great river suddenly deepened to about -eighty feet of water. In this deep reach numerous round-headed dolphins -were sporting. This being the pairing season, the males were chasing -the females. Some were swimming with their heads half out of water, -and <em>jerking from their mouths</em> large quantities of water to some -distance. One or two were noticed apparently standing erect in the -water, with their heads elevated straight above its surface, so that -nearly the whole of the pectoral fins was plainly visible; others, in -pairs, were rolling about on their sides. One was fired at, but simply -responded by a splutter and a dive. The boatmen, seeing our interest in -them, declared that they would come if called, and proceeded to utter -a peculiar sound of <em>hrr, hrr</em>, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_395">[Pg 395]</span> to drum on the side of the -boat with a stick. They informed us that the dolphins do not proceed -higher up the river than a rocky headland in the first defile, called -Labein-hin, or Dolphin Point, because the nats have established a -customs station there to collect an impost, which the dolphins are not -willing to pay. The dolphin of the Irawady (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Orcella fluminalis</em>, -Andr.) is the only round-headed form as yet known to be found in fresh -water, individuals having been rarely observed much below Prome, three -hundred miles from the sea, or nearly so. The colour of the body is -a dusky slate, and the under part of a dirty white; they attain a -considerable size, individuals ten feet in length being not uncommon. -Besides the round head, they are distinguished from the long-snouted -dolphin of the Ganges (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Platanista gangetica</em>, Lebeck), which -also inhabits fresh water exclusively, by the much larger, fully -proportioned eye. The latter, as a tenant of the muddy water of the -Ganges, which must be almost impervious to vision, has a very minute -eye. In the Yang-tze and in the great lake of the Cambodia, dolphins -are also found, and will probably prove to be closely allied to those -of the Irawady; but as yet we have no knowledge of their characters. -In the estuaries of the Bay of Bengal there is a small, round-headed -dolphin closely allied to this Irawady cetacean, but it never ascends -to the fresh water of the rivers. Apart from the scientific interest -of these large fluviatile mammals, they form a striking feature in the -river scenery of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_396">[Pg 396]</span> Irawady as they roll and tumble in long lines up -the deep reaches, and seem to delight in keeping pace with or outracing -the steamers. They do not appear to migrate through the whole distance -of the river’s course, but to confine themselves within certain -districts. The fishermen of the river regard them with a superstitious -respect, and each village is believed to be under the protection of a -particular dolphin, which guards the fishery. An offer of one hundred -rupees altogether failed to induce the people to catch a specimen; and -it was only by the fortunate acquisition of a dead carcass thrown upon -the bank, and secured by Captain Bowers, that I was enabled to make a -thorough comparison of the structure of this remarkable inhabitant of -the river. It should be added that the great black-headed gull is so -regular a companion of the dolphin that it is called by the fishermen -the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">labein-nuet</em>, or dolphin-bird.</p> - -<p>The progress of the flotilla of six laden boats against the rapid -stream of the Tapeng was necessarily slow. The right bank presented a -wide stretch of level country studded with tall cotton trees and oil -trees. The highest leafless branches of the former furnish eyries for -the ring-tailed eagle (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Haliaetus leucoryphus</em>, Pallas), a pair -of which birds were perched on a tree close to the bank commanding the -river. One bird was added to our collection. The left bank was clothed -to the water line with an impenetrable forest of magnificent trees, -rising from a jungle with ratans and luxuriant musæ. Numerous<span class="pagenum" id="Page_397">[Pg 397]</span> peacocks -displayed their splendid plumage on the high branches, most provokingly -out of shot. Hornbills, brown doves with violet necks abounded, and in -the jungle, barking deer, hog-deer, and sambur. The exposed sandbanks -were covered with snake-birds; terns, black-headed egrets, plovers, and -Brahminy ducks and wild geese also were frequent. We moored for the -night at the village of Queyloon, in time for a short excursion to some -abandoned rice plantings, in search of wild ducks; returning from which -we observed numerous small owls, the soft eccentric flight of which -resembled that of the goat-sucker.</p> - -<p>Soon after sunrise we were again <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em>, having waited some -time for a promised supply of buffalo milk, this being an almost -unattainable luxury in Burma; but the baby buffalo had anticipated our -demand, and disappointed our hopes. At the village of Tahmeylon, where -we had made a stoppage on the first ascent of the Tapeng in 1868, the -changes of the river channel were exemplified. At that time the water -ran deep under a high bank, but now a broad sandbank extended in front -of the village. We had landed on the other side of a neck of land which -caused a bend in the river, intending to strike the public path, which -we missed, and had to make our way by buffalo runs, which penetrated -the tall thick grass like tunnels. Along these we had to proceed nearly -doubled up, occasionally caught and almost choked by creepers, drenched -by the dank<span class="pagenum" id="Page_398">[Pg 398]</span> grass overhead, and knee-deep in miry clay. By dint of -keeping the sun before us, we succeeded in reaching Tahmeylon by noon. -Beyond this, the course of the river winds in a remarkable manner, -doubling successive long tongues of land, and enclosing a large island -overgrown with impenetrable jungle, until the village of Maloolah is -reached, on the left bank. The villagers warned us to moor our boats -for the night at some distance from the bank for fear of tigers, which -are numerous, and attack boats near the bank, and even the villages, at -night. In the neighbouring village of Tsitgna, ten of the inhabitants -had been killed by tigers in the preceding twelve months. We crossed -the stream in the morning in a dug-out, intending to shoot peafowl in -the forest which covered the rising ground on the right bank, but the -margin of the forest proved so swampy as to prevent all access. Jungle -fowl and squirrels were numerous, and our servants reported hog-deer. -We rejoined the boats at the outflow of the Manloung stream, having -breakfasted at the pagodas of Old Tsampenago. A labyrinth of streams -and swamps extends on the right bank to the place where a branch of -the Tapeng flows round and joins the Manloung stream. On the left -bank the forest is dense and high, and beyond it rises the irregular -outline of the Kakhyen hills, gradually becoming more distinct as -Tsitkaw is approached. At this village we found a khyoung outside the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_399">[Pg 399]</span> -stockade prepared for our accommodation, and the baggage was stored -in a large shed used for the storage of the royal cotton. A Burmese -guard, under the command of the tsare-daw-gyee, formed a cordon around -our residence, and by night had erected a number of huts, while their -fires formed a circle within which no robbers nor tigers were likely to -penetrate.</p> - -<p>At five in the afternoon of the next day, Browne, Margary, and Allan -arrived from Bhamô, which they had left at 10.30. The necessity of -avoiding the network of streams and swamps had obliged them to cross -the river three times in boats, while the two led horses and the ponies -swam across.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_400">[Pg 400]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.<br /> -<span class="small">THE ADVANCE.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Residence at Tsitkaw—View from our house—The Namthabet—Junction -of the rivers—Arrival of the Woon—Conference of -tsawbwas—Hostages—Kakhyen women—Rifle practice—A night alarm—A -curious talisman—We leave Tsitkaw—Camp at Tsihet—Burmese -guard-houses—Lankon, Ponline—Camp on the Moonam—Hostile -rumours—Camp on the Nampoung—Departure of Margary for -Manwyne—Escape of hostages—Letter from Margary—We enter China—Camp -on Shitee Meru—Burmese vigilance—Visit to Seray—Conference -with Seray tsawbwa—Suspicious reception—Return to camp—Burmese -barricades. -</div> - - -<p>The village of Tsitkaw, which seemed little changed as to its dirty -poverty since my recollections of 1868, consists of about eighty huts, -built on piles, enclosed within a bamboo stockade, which was being -repaired. The western half of the village is occupied by Chinese, and -for the first time the Chinese women are seen, for there are none -in Bhamô. At this time the Celestials were busy erecting a wooden -temple outside the stockade. Their principal men came to our khyoung -to greet Li-kan-shin, otherwise Moung Yoh, who was known to them, and -had been supposed to be dead. In the Buddhist khyoung,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_401">[Pg 401]</span> two French -missionaries, Father Lecomte and another, whom we had met at Bhamô, -had taken up their abode. They professed to be engaged in opening -communications between their mission in Burma and that in Yunnan, and -had made interest to accompany our party. It now appeared that they -proposed proceeding to Manwyne by themselves; but the Woon of Bhamô -interfered, and refused to allow them to enter the Kakhyen hills on the -north of the Tapeng. We were rather puzzled to understand their exact -object or account for their sudden change of plans.</p> - - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img020"> - <img src="images/020.jpg" class="w75" alt="TSITKAW, ON THE TAPENG, LOOKING TOWARDS THE KAKHYEN HILLS" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">TSITKAW, ON THE TAPENG, LOOKING TOWARDS THE KAKHYEN HILLS.</p> - - -<p>We had to remain at Tsitkaw some days, until the Kakhyen chiefs -assembled and the mules for carriage to Manwyne arrived. The air and -water are better than at Bhamô, and our sojourn, with its excursions, -was a pleasant time. Our residence consisted of two bamboo houses, as -it were, placed side by side, the drainage of the two roofs in the -centre being caught in a hollowed log of wood. A wooden ladder led -up to the first apartment, beyond which the sleeping room was shut -off by a <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kalagah</em>, or curtain. To the rear a wide alluvial flat -stretched away to the dense jungles swarming with tigers, and beyond -which lay the Manloung lake and its adjoining swamps. From the front -a charming view presented itself. Below a grassy bank ran the swift, -smooth stream, one hundred and fifty yards broad, bordered on the other -side by yellow sandbanks, fringed by a high screen of rich verdure -marking the limit of the Tapeng in flood. Beyond this rose the wall -of the luxuriant<span class="pagenum" id="Page_402">[Pg 402]</span> forest, backed by the lofty, well wooded Kakhyen -mountains. Six miles distant, this wall appeared unbroken, for the -gorge by which this river debouches is masked by a low line of hills, -round which the Tapeng is deflected in a north-west direction, until -it comes round above Tsitkaw, to flow towards the Irawady. There were -manifold temptations for a sportsman or a naturalist; on the long -alluvial flat, in the morning, flocks of parrots, Sarus crane, and -Brahminy ducks, were seen feeding in numbers, and large snipe and -glossy ibis abounded in the paddy fields. On the sandbanks bordering -the river, flocks of wild geese were wont to settle, and afforded us -some most literally wild goose chases. In the great trees, as Margary -said, the gorgeous peacocks were as plentiful as magpies, and he -was most anxious to secure some of their feathered spoils, to send -to General Chiang at Momien, who wanted the plumage for his hat. We -participated in most enjoyable excursions, and, to quote his words -again, led a regular gipsy life. One was to Manloung lake, where our -havildar shot a deer, to the delight of the Sikhs, who expressed -unqualified admiration of the country, and a strong desire that we -should annex it.</p> - -<p>One day was devoted to a long walk to the Namthabet river, beyond the -detached range of low hills. From the village of Tsitgna, we crossed in -a dug-out to the opposite village of Kambanee, where we observed some -Kakhyen women, who seemed almost<span class="pagenum" id="Page_403">[Pg 403]</span> too frightened to raise their eyes -from the ground. The road, at first broad and good, led through a level -tract, covered by forest of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">eng</em> tree and high grass, of the same -character as that which extends between Bhamô and the hills. As the -land rose in long undulations, the character of the forest changed, a -variety of timber succeeded the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">eng</em> trees, and dense groves of -bamboos filled the hollows. The slopes soon led up to a tolerably high -ridge, covered with dense forest, except where patches had been cleared -for the cultivation of maize. The summit commanded an extensive view -of the Tapeng plain, and of the Manloung lake, which was seen to cover -a large area. We descended by a steep path, winding through bamboo -thickets and clearings. In traversing this richly wooded tract, which -seemingly contained all the essentials of a sylvan paradise, we were -impressed with the paucity of bird life; only a few parrots screeched -their surprise at the intruders. On a high tree, three pigmy hawks were -seen, one of which fell a victim to the exigences of science.</p> - -<p>We presently came on the Namthabet, a clear, rapid stream, winding in -a rocky channel down a narrow valley, beyond which rose the mass of -the Kakhyen hills, clothed with dense forest. A Kakhyen woman was just -about to cross from the opposite side, but fled at our appearance, and -no persuasion on the part of our guide could induce her to return. We -descended the valley, passing a fire, on which rice was cooking in a -green bamboo, but the owner<span class="pagenum" id="Page_404">[Pg 404]</span> had hidden himself in the bush. We reached -the Tapeng at a place where a sort of slide had been cut in the banks, -down which the bamboos, when felled, are launched into the river, to -be floated into the Irawady, where they are made into rafts, and sent -down stream to the capital. A party of Kakhyens were seen busy at work -cutting bamboos, and we passed their temporary huts in a clearing; and -those of our party who were unacquainted with them seemed surprised -at their peaceful and friendly demeanour. A scramble over the rocky -left bank of the Tapeng brought us to the junction of the two rivers, -and the day’s march of fifteen miles was more than repaid by the -magnificent beauty of the gorge through which the Tapeng debouched from -the main range. The towering masses and walls of rock, clothed to their -summits with forest, at the base of which the river flowed deep and -slow, the exquisite foliage, and the rich colour of brilliant flowers, -made up an enchanting scene, very different from that which the same -river presented when last I viewed it, under lowering clouds and in -full flood, the height of which was now indicated by a faint brown line -on the rocks, thirty feet above its present level. The Namthabet flowed -out of a lesser gorge spanned by a ricketty bamboo bridge, which one of -us tried to walk over, but was speedily reduced to fall on hands and -knees and crawl across the vibrating structure. We made our way back -by a forest path through tangled vegetation,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_405">[Pg 405]</span> over the ups and downs -of the ridge, until the proper road was struck, by which Kambanee was -reached near sundown.</p> - -<p>An armed party, preceded by a sonorous gong, were descried making for -Tsitkaw, and at Tsitgna we learned that our old friend the Woon had -arrived in person from Bhamô to expedite the arrangements for our -progress to Manwyne. A conference had been held some days previously -with the tsawbwas of the northern hills; among whom were conspicuous -our old friend or enemy, Sala, the Ponline chief, and the pawmine of -Ponsee whom we had nicknamed “Death’s Head;” with them were others, -whose names were unknown to us. It had been agreed that the hire to be -paid per mule to Manwyne should be seven rupees eight annas, besides -a fee, by way of tax or toll, of five rupees for each animal. The -final arrangements had been postponed for five days, when a buffalo -sacrifice was to be held, at which all the chiefs interested could be -present. They had been convened at Manwyne not by mandarins but by -merchants, who wished to remonstrate with them about the robberies of -caravans, which constantly occurred on the Ponsee route. An instance -of this was reported during our stay, by some Chinese, who came in and -averred that they had been fired on by Kakhyens, near Ponsee, and had -been compelled to pay two hundred rupees blackmail. The day following -the Woon’s arrival, the Seray chief was alleged to have brought in a -drove<span class="pagenum" id="Page_406">[Pg 406]</span> of mules. Colonel Browne, on the Woon’s invitation, attended a -second conference, at which all the chiefs were present, and signed -an agreement, drawn up in Burmese. It was stipulated that they should -convey us safely to Manwyne, at which place the agreed upon presents -should be distributed to them, and that the sons of the Ponline, -Ponsee, and Seray tsawbwas should be detained as hostages for the -fulfilment of the contract.</p> - -<p>The son of the Seray chief was a young man whose demeanour and -countenance gave a most unfavourable impression; in fact, he appeared -to be a dissipated young ruffian, and decidedly unfriendly to the -strangers. Sala’s son was a lad of fourteen, much superior to his -father in appearance and manner; he was a frequent visitor to our -khyoung, and also a patient, as he suffered, like many of his -countrymen, from inflamed eyes, for the cure of which he seemed duly -grateful. He was rather a favourite of the old Woon, who took him to -Bhamô, and it is to be hoped that the better education and training -will fit him to be a better chief than his avaricious and treacherous -father.</p> - -<p>Consequent on the arrival of the tsawbwas, was a large influx of their -subjects, who flocked in in great numbers, both of men and women, -bringing presents of fowls and vegetables, and bamboo flasks of sheroo. -The members of our party who saw them in their native independence for -the first time were greatly interested in the “little scowling women”<span class="pagenum" id="Page_407">[Pg 407]</span> -and the half savage men. An unpublished letter, almost the last written -by Margary, graphically depicts them:—“We let them ascend to our ratan -floor, raised on stakes, and apart from the novelty, and indeed fun, of -trying to buy their various curiosities, it is by no means a savoury -infliction. The shocks of an electric machine produce a constant flow -of merriment, and we roar with laughter at the grimaces and contortions -of our savage guests. The women are getting bold by this time, and -come in considerable numbers, bringing us their simple offerings of -friendship. They are the queerest creatures imaginable, and dirty -beyond all description. Yet there is no small degree of coyness about -them, which makes them interesting, in spite of their red-stained lips -and unwashed legs. They wear the most marvellous girdles of loose rings -of ratan split to the thickness of a thread, and a belt covered with -cowries. The ears are pierced with big holes, in which they insert -silver tubes six inches long, adorned with tufts of red cloth. We have -been trying to-day to tempt them to sell these strange ornaments for -dazzling bead necklaces, but to no purpose. One creature permitted -me even to draw a tube out of her ear, but my attempts at bargaining -only produced good-humoured laughter from the men and giggles from the -women.”</p> - -<p>The curious crowds became at last so troublesome that we were obliged -to close the mat screen in front of our entrance hall, to secure -ourselves from the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_408">[Pg 408]</span> intruders who wished to watch us at our breakfast. -The excitability of their nature was exemplified when the Sikhs were -paraded at rifle and revolver practice at a target. The Kakhyen -eye-witnesses shouted and flourished their muskets, and some sprang to -the front blowing their matches, and indicating that they wished to try -their skill. The Burmese officers had to restrain them, and afterwards -the pawmines came forward, and formally asked the tsare-daw-gyee to -permit them to fire at the targets, at the same distance, three hundred -yards. This was refused, and the excitement gradually subsided. The -Burmese said that it all arose from the fact that a Kakhyen cannot even -hear a gun fired without instantly discharging his own piece, if only -in the air.</p> - -<p>On February 14th the Ponsee pawmine arrived to inquire when we would -start, and was informed that we were ready to set out at once. -Thereupon a conference of chiefs took place under a sort of cotton -tent or canopy, which had been erected by the Burmese, apparently -from mistrust of the ability of our floor to bear a crowd. It was -then decided that we should march on the 16th, as the Burmese wished -that a Chinese caravan should precede us. The <span xml:lang="my" lang="my">tsare-daw-gyee</span> remarked -that if the Kakhyens intended to attack either party, he would give -them the opportunity to do both, to avoid mistakes. He reported that -orders had been received at Manwyne, from the governor of Momien, -that the English mission was to be treated “according to custom,”<span class="pagenum" id="Page_409">[Pg 409]</span> of -which phrase no one could furnish any explanation. In the night we -were alarmed by what seemed to be an apparent stampede of mules, and -a prodigious shouting from the Burmese guard. It turned out that a -buffalo which the Kakhyens were slaughtering had broken loose, with its -throat gashed, and after a chase had been despatched just opposite our -khyoung, where in the morning they were cutting it up, having fixed -the head on a post of the zayat, probably in our honour as founders -of the feast. At noon, the <span xml:lang="my" lang="my">tsare-daw-gyee</span> appeared, accompanied by a -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tsitkay-nekandaw</em>, or deputy, from Bhamô, who had been sent by -the Woon to report progress. The official activity was stimulated by -the fact that the officer who had been sent up with us to Mandalay, and -had returned thither, had been condemned to banishment in chains to -Mogoung, because he had not waited to see us off. As the poor old man -had returned with our consent, and was in bad health, our leader wrote -to Mandalay to intercede for his pardon, which was subsequently granted -by the king. The tsitkay-nekandaw afforded a curious illustration of -a custom mentioned by Colonel Yule.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna40"><a href="#fn40">[40]</a></span> The upper part of his cheeks -was disfigured by large swellings, caused by the insertion under the -skin of lumps of gold, to act as charms to procure invulnerability. -Yule mentions the case of a Burmese convict executed at the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_410">[Pg 410]</span> Andaman -Islands, under whose skin gold and silver coins were found. The stones -referred to in the text of Marco Polo, as well as the substances -mentioned in the note by his learned editor, do not appear to have -been jewels. The custom prevails among Yunnan muleteers of concealing -precious stones under the skin of the chest and neck, a slit being -made, through which the jewel is forced. This, however, is not to -preserve the owners’ lives, but their portable wealth. While at -Mandalay, I examined some men just arrived from Yung-chang, and found -individuals with as many as fifteen coins and jewels thus concealed, -as a precaution against the robbers who might literally strip them to -their skin, without discovering the hidden treasure. But our Burmese -official regarded his disfiguring gold as a certain charm against -danger.</p> - -<p>During our interview with the Burmese, some of the pawmines came to -receive an advance of one-third of the mule hire, which was paid them; -and then Sala appeared to definitely agree on the amount of toll. One -of the other chiefs was asked to be present, but he preferred leaving -it to Sala’s decision. The latter agreed to receive five rupees per -mule, and was most careful to keep off any inquisitive hillmen while he -was debating, and afterwards receiving the whole amount. As all baggage -was ready, save such articles of bedding, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., as were daily in use, -the next day was fixed for the actual departure. Browne, as a final -preparation, distributed red turbans<span class="pagenum" id="Page_411">[Pg 411]</span> to the Burmese guard, which gave -something of a uniform appearance to the otherwise motley horde.</p> - -<p>We rose at 6 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> on February 16th, and made all our personal -baggage over to the Kakhyens, who were slow in completing their -preparations for a start. The Ponsee pawmine first appeared, and the -burden of his complaint, conveyed in the strongest affirmatives, and -with most expressive pantomime, was that he had not received any of -the blackmail, all the payment having been appropriated by Sala. The -tsare-daw-gyee declared that the latter had been obliged to disgorge -his plunder, but as a precaution he should be kept as a hostage at -Tsitkaw. A difficulty then was occasioned by the size of the box of -edible birds’ nests, which no muleteer would take; settlement of this -was left by Colonel Browne to the Kakhyen chiefs. A sharp dispute -relative to the method of taking the tallies of the number of the mules -broke out between the “Death’s Head” pawmine of Ponsee and the Burmese -choung-oke. This ran so high that the pawmine threatened to shoot the -choung-oke, and the old Burman swore he would cut down the Kakhyen, but -the contest resolved itself into abuse, and the Burman prevailed by -strength of lungs. A discussion then arose between the Ponsee pawmine -and another, whose contingent of mules the former was desirous of -reckoning, wholly or in great measure, amongst his own.</p> - -<p>The muleteers, having been delayed by the squabble, unloaded their -animals and drove them off<span class="pagenum" id="Page_412">[Pg 412]</span> to graze; the regathering of them was a -work of time, but they at last filed off, preceded by Margary and Allan -with a division of the Burmese guard. The rest of the mission, however, -was retarded by the difficulty of finding porters for the rejected box -of birds’ nests, the medicine chest, and photographic apparatus, all of -which had been left out in the cold, and had to be carried by Burmese. -At four o’clock, we finally cleared out of Tsitkaw, watched by Sala, -who waved an adieu from the porch of the house where he was to reside -as a hostage for our safety. We observed by the roadside several women -sitting with <em>carafes</em> of water, each containing a flower, from -which they poured libations as they muttered prayers for our safety. -As we passed the succeeding villages of Hantin, Hentha, and Myohoung, -the road was lined with women similarly occupied. An hour and a half -of slow progress brought us to the hamlet of Tsihet, at the foot of -the hills, outside of which men awaited us with welcome draughts of -pure and cool water. There are two small villages, each within its own -stockade, separated by a space of thirty yards. We took up our quarters -in a rickety zayat within the northernmost village. The camp outside -presented a most busy scene. Burmans were cooking their dinners, -while others were erecting temporary huts of freshly cut bamboos, or -thatching them with bamboo leaves and long grass. Groups of Kakhyen -muleteers, who had arrived first, were sitting in their huts, smoking -and chatting; others were collecting<span class="pagenum" id="Page_413">[Pg 413]</span> and marshalling the mules in -lines between the baggage, each animal having one of its feet fastened -to a wooden peg driven into the ground. The Burmese had encamped in a -cordon enclosing the Sikhs and Kakhyens, and of course all the baggage; -and outposts had been established at the north and south of the village.</p> - -<p>The locality of Tsihet, owing to the proximity of the hills, appeared -to be unhealthy, and the children looked very sickly. This is not to -be wondered at if the ordinary supply of water was to be judged by -that furnished to us in the evening, which seemed to have come from a -buffalo wallow. All the villagers assembled to watch the kalas at their -<em xml:lang="es" lang="es">al fresco</em> dinner, and eagerly accepted our empty bottles, which -were regarded as precious prizes.</p> - -<p>At eight o’clock next morning we were in motion, and almost immediately -began to ascend, crossing a succession of ridges, till at 9.30 the -first Burmese <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kengdat</em>, or guard-house, was reached, called -Pahtama Kengdat. It is situated in a hollow, and, like the rest, -consists of a small house built of teak and bamboo, raised on piles, -and surrounded by a double bamboo stockade, with two poles bearing -white pennants raised in front. The garrison consisted of some -half-dozen Burmese soldiers. Still ascending, we reached the district -of Singnew and at a place where the road diverged, several Kakhyen men -and women had collected to see us pass. The second Burmese guard-house, -or Lamen Kengdat, and soon<span class="pagenum" id="Page_414">[Pg 414]</span> afterwards the village of Pehtoo, or Payto, -were passed, and we entered the territory of Ponline. From the first -village and the third guard-house, Tap-gna-gyee, we ascended to the -principal village and residence of Sala, called Lankon, where we spent -our first night in Kakhyen land in 1868.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna41"><a href="#fn41">[41]</a></span></p> - -<p>We halted at noon in front of the chiefs house, by which grew a fine -peach tree in full bloom. A few old Kakhyens were assembled, and among -them the tsawbwa-gadaw, who produced sheroo, and demanded payment, -receiving four annas, with which she seemed very dissatisfied. The -road, or rather track, no wise improved during the last seven years, -was marked on either hand by tufts of raw cotton which the lower -hanging branches had taken as toll from the frequent caravans. From -this village our route lay to the north of that formerly travelled -by us, and a descent of an hour brought us to a small stream called -Moonam, on the other side of which we found the camp formed on a slope -which had evidently been recently cleared for the site of the fourth -guard-house, named Tsadota Kengdat, surrounded by high hill spurs on -all sides. We put up in the guard-house, which occupies the highest -point of the slope, and the Burmese formed their usual line round the -Kakhyens. The tsare-daw-gyee made his appearance later, having followed -a different route, which brought<span class="pagenum" id="Page_415">[Pg 415]</span> him to the north-eastern end, where -he encamped his party. All around us during the evening we heard the -gongs answering each other, and the loud shouts, or “All’s well!” of -the Burmese outposts.</p> - -<p>After a refreshing bath, we took a stroll up the hill under the -guidance of a Kakhyen to look for pheasants, from which we brought back -nothing but a portion of an enormous fungus. Before bedtime, Browne -announced that a Kakhyen had come to him with the information that -four hundred evil-disposed Kakhyens had assembled themselves beyond -Ponsee to dispute our advance. More friendly visitors were promised in -the shape of the tsawbwa-gadaw of Woonkah and her followers, who were -expected to arrive in the morning from her husband’s village, situated -on the mountain to the north of Ponline.</p> - -<p>While waiting in the morning of February 18th for the arrival of our -expected visitors, the tsare-daw-gyee with his subordinate officers -appeared, and in a very serious tone repeated the information that -four hundred evil-disposed Kakhyens and Chinese hill dacoits had taken -obligations among themselves to attack us, probably for the sake of -plunder. The amount of credence to be given to the report was variously -estimated, both by Kakhyens and Burmese. Moung Mo and Moung Yoh -disbelieved it; but the former wretched old man became suddenly unwell, -to such an extent that he feared he would be unable to go forward. The -Ponsee pawmine scouted<span class="pagenum" id="Page_416">[Pg 416]</span> the story, and averred it to be an invention of -a worthless Kakhyen who met us yesterday. Our Sikh havildar promptly -volunteered to advance with his fifteen men, and clear the road of -any number of these mountaineers, whom his observations at Sawady and -elsewhere made him hold very cheaply. The tsare-daw-gyee declared -that he and his men were ready to fight, but that it was desirable to -advance peaceably if possible. It was finally decided that we should -proceed to the last Burmese guard-house on the banks of the Nampoung, -and the caravan set out about nine o’clock.</p> - -<p>After a short, steep ascent, within hearing of the roar of the distant -Tapeng, the road descended to the Nampoung. Passing over two short -ridges, whence a magnificent view of the glen running south-south-west -to north-north-east is obtained, and then traversing a steep path in a -succession of narrow zigzags to the banks of the stream, we arrived at -the fifth Burmese guard-house by 10.30 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span></p> - -<p>The valley of the Nampoung is a deep, narrow glen, bordered on either -side by high mountains, and in no place is it broader than two hundred -yards. The river is a rapid clear stream, flowing in a rocky channel -between rock-strewn flats edged by high grass on either side. The -banks rise abruptly, covered with lofty forest trees, tangled with -magnificent creepers and festooned with orchids. Some miles to the -north a rather treeless valley communicates<span class="pagenum" id="Page_417">[Pg 417]</span> with the glen, apparently -running in a direction behind Manwyne. The guard-house occupies a level -open space, covered with terraces of paddy cultivation. To the south -the glen terminates in a deep gorge, down which the river rushes to -the Tapeng. We found the encampment formed, and the people, as usual, -busily preparing their huts, as, notwithstanding the advice of the -Ponsee pawmine, that we should proceed to Shitee, it had been decided -that we should remain here.</p> - -<p>Another Burman had arrived from Manwyne, confirming the report of -danger ahead, but Margary discredited it, and expressed his readiness, -if necessary, to proceed to Manwyne to inquire into the truth of the -rumoured opposition. The tsare-daw-gyee approved of this step, and it -was decided to send Margary forward, as he was known to the Manwyne -people from his recent stay at that town, and to all the Chinese -officers in the district as being under the protection of the viceroy -of Yunnan.</p> - -<p>During the afternoon gongs and cymbals were heard beating high up the -hill on the Chinese or left side of the valley, and Kakhyens were -seen peering down at us from among the trees. These proved to be the -followers of the Shitee Meru tsawbwa, who, however, would not come -across into Burmese territory, and after some time distant shots -announced his return to his village. In the evening the encampment -presented a picturesque scene, the red turbans of the Burmese -combining<span class="pagenum" id="Page_418">[Pg 418]</span> with the rich greenery of the palm leaves which thatched the -numerous huts. The Ponsee pawmine had erected for himself a wigwam of -feathery palm fronds, and the gleam of the bright fire, round which a -group of men in blue were chatting and smoking, lit up a picture that -one longed to sketch.</p> - -<p>We had a farewell dinner in the evening, to which Margary’s Chinese -writer was invited. Our discussion of the prospects of the mission, -though clouded by no anticipations of the fearful fate to which our -gallant comrade was about to set out, lasted till a late hour, while -the gongs of the watchful Burmese sounded as usual from various points -all round our position.</p> - -<p>Margary started for Seray <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em> for Manwyne early in the -morning of February the 19th. He was accompanied by his writer, -Yu-tu-chien, of whom I have already spoken, an intelligent Chinese -Christian, who during his stay with us had made himself both liked -and respected. The other attendants were his official messenger, or -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">ting-chai</em>, Lu-ta-lin, from the consulate at Shanghai; his boy, -Ch’ang-yong-chien, known by the name of Bombazine; Li-ta-yu, a servant -from Sz-chuen; and his cook, Chow-yu-ting, a native of Hankow, all of -whom had accompanied their master in the journey across China. Besides -his followers, Moung Yoh, or Li-kan-shin, and a pawmine of Seray, of by -no means prepossessing appearance, and remarkable for a peculiar loud -voice, escorted him to Seray.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_419">[Pg 419]</span></p> - -<p>The morning was devoted by myself to an attempt under the guidance of -a Kakhyen to explore the valley, which was rendered difficult by the -dense jungle, and the unwillingness of the native to proceed more than -two or three miles from the camp.</p> - -<p>The reports of threatened opposition were as rife as ever; but -some Chinese who arrived during the day professed ignorance of any -uneasiness among the hill tribes. A Kakhyen was brought in by the -Burmese to the guard-house, who had come from Manwyne on the previous -day on purpose to tell us, at some risk to himself, that a body of men -had been collected to attack us, by one Yang-ta-jen, in league with -the Seray tsawbwa. The messenger seemed half-witted, but was clear -in his story, which certainly agreed with the previous reports. News -arrived that all the hostages detained at Tsitkaw had escaped with the -exception of Sala. One of them was the son of the Ponsee pawmine, and -his father, who had been detailed to accompany Margary, was kept back -to be sent to Tsitkaw in place of his son. The tsawbwa-gadaw of Woonkah -duly arrived with her gift of fowls, eggs, and sheroo, and received -broadcloth and other presents, with which she speedily disappeared, not -without grumbling that she had not been paid in money for her fowls!</p> - -<p>Nothing further occurred till next morning, when messengers brought -a letter from Margary, dated from Seray, announcing that so far the -road was unmolested, and all the people met with were civil,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_420">[Pg 420]</span> and that -he should proceed to Manwyne. He noted that when in the Seray chief’s -house, the Seray pawmine evinced his contempt for the Burmese by -spitting on the ground.</p> - -<p>On the strength of this communication, although the tsare-daw-gyee -urged that no movement should be made until the news of Margary’s -reception at Manwyne reached us, Colonel Browne resolved to proceed -at once, and, if possible, reach that town in one march. The camp was -accordingly struck, and, crossing the Nampoung, we entered China.</p> - -<p>The road we were to pursue led straight up a steep spur of the main -range dividing the Tapeng from the Nampoung, the highest point of -which, Shitee Meru, rises immediately to the north of Ponsee, the -position of the long detention of the first expedition of 1868. I set -out in advance of the rest, accompanied by my men and the Kakhyen -scout who had brought the information from Manwyne. The ascent -commenced directly from the Nampoung valley, and three hours’ climb -of the hill-path brought us to the first Shitee village at noon. -The tsawbwaship has been divided among three brothers, each having -a village of his own, but the youngest, according to Kakhyen rules, -being the chief of Shitee Meru. At the first village we were hospitably -received and refreshed with sheroo, and the children were delighted -with beads and small coins. Here we found a native of India, a slave, -who had come from beyond Assam, and had forgotten most<span class="pagenum" id="Page_421">[Pg 421]</span> of his -language, but made himself known by calling out <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">pani</em>. On the -hillside I met the Shitee Meru tsawbwa coming down with two men, one -of whom escorted me some way; and next appeared the Wacheoon tsawbwa -with a party of forty armed followers, some of them mounted on ponies. -He was very friendly, and sent an escort back with us, one of whom -had brought a lizard for the Englishman. The road wound up and over -the spurs running down from the backbone of the Shitee-doung to the -Nampoung, which flows from the north-east along a valley lying below -the north-western slope of the main range that defines the right bank -of the Tapeng. The greatest height reached on Shitee Meru Doung was -about five thousand seven hundred feet above the sea, from which we -descended slightly to the site chosen for our encampment, the altitude -of which was found to be five thousand five hundred feet, where we -halted at 3.30, after a march of about eight miles.</p> - -<p>Between two rounded ridges running down to the Nampoung, one in our -rear covered with forest, and the other with grass, about five hundred -yards distant to the north-east, extended two flat clearings, where -the caravans were accustomed to bivouack, the first and smaller -clearing being close to the western spur. On the second and larger -space, divided from the first by a mountain stream, and lying at a -somewhat higher elevation, immediately along the grassy spur, the camp -was pitched. Around and above the encampments the forest had been -cleared,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_422">[Pg 422]</span> and the open space was covered with high grass interspersed -with boulders. Just below the encampments the ground sloped abruptly -into a grassy hollow between the ridges, which served as a grazing -ground for the mules. The main mountain ridge, which rose to a -height of six hundred feet above us, was clothed to its summit with -dense forest, which formed a continuous covert, extending along the -projecting ridge in the rear, and thus enclosing and commanding our -position on the south and east. Below the hollow, the hillside, clothed -with impenetrable jungle, sank abruptly to the Nampoung. The country -over which the road wound along the slope, in the direction of Seray, -consisted of old clearings covered with jungle grass and patches of -uncut forest. The immediate exit of the road led through a depression -in the ridge, and descended the intervening hollow, and, thence -reascending, crossed the next spur.</p> - -<p>We bivouacked in the open among the mules and baggage, and surrounded -by the fires, the smoke from which was at first most intolerable, but -no other annoyance or disturbance was experienced, and our Kakhyens -enjoyed themselves listening to the melodies of a musical-box, which -had become an especial favourite with them. The Burmese were as -vigilant as ever, and their sentinels seemed to be on the alert all -night. The tsawbwas of Wacheoon and Ponwah visited the camp, and they -had heard nothing of any suspicious movements of troops, and the other<span class="pagenum" id="Page_423">[Pg 423]</span> -Shans who brought fowls for sale confirmed this. Our interpreter, -Moung Yoh, returned to the camp in company with the Seray men, the -latter being remarkably well dressed and equipped, and evidently old -acquaintances of the Burmese. He reported that the Seray chief was -dissatisfied on account of the payment of the mule tax or dues to Sala, -which, however, had been done with the knowledge and approval of the -son of Seray. Moung Yoh then suggested that presents should be sent -to Seray, whom he had discovered to be a great friend of his uncle, -Li-sieh-tai, and to whose house he returned the same evening to await -our arrival.</p> - -<p>We were in readiness to start by seven o’clock in the morning of -the 21st, but the tsare-daw-gyee intimated that he did not think it -prudent to move until the tsawbwas of Shitee Meru, Woonkah, and others -arrived. His real intention, however, was to remain in this camp -until definite news came from <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary; but as the arrangement had -been made with the latter that we were to advance if we did not hear -from him warning us to the contrary, Colonel Browne resolved to push -forward to Seray with the Sikhs, leaving the Burmese guard and caravan -to follow. I started with my men in advance, but in a short time was -overtaken by Browne, Allan, and Fforde, followed by the Sikhs and their -servants, with the two led horses, the camp having thus been left to -the Kakhyens, under the charge of the Burmese. Their cavalcade soon<span class="pagenum" id="Page_424">[Pg 424]</span> -outstripped my party, as we were shooting, and collecting plants. The -road lies over numerous spurs and through deep wooded hollows, and -then crosses the watershed dividing the Nampoung valley from the gorge -of the Tapeng; on the southern or Manwyne side of the ridge lies the -district of Seray. Here a Shan Burman, wearing the red turban of our -escort, accompanied by a Kakhyen, overtook us, and by signs gave me -to understand that the tsare-daw-gyee wished us to return. As none -of us could speak Burmese, I signed to him to proceed quickly and -communicate his news to Colonel Browne, which he did, and I ordered my -men to press forward to overtake the rest of the party, while I waited -behind for my groom and pony. The messenger on his return signified -that Colonel Browne was continuing his progress to Seray. The road -descended into a hollow, from which a steep ascent leads to Seray. -Here a difficulty arose about the road, as several paths diverged, -and there was nothing to indicate which had been taken by Colonel -Browne’s party. Unfortunately, I took a wrong one, and soon arrived -at a strange village, the inhabitants of which had, doubtless, never -before seen an European. According to Kakhyen custom, I dismounted -before entering, and, seeing some women standing at the door of the -first house, indicated by signs that I desired to know the road. They -sulkily waved to me to go on upwards. Imagining that the end of the -village was reached, I prepared to remount, but this was resented<span class="pagenum" id="Page_425">[Pg 425]</span> by a -number of men who rushed out of a house, and, shouting, drew their dahs -in a threatening manner. I tried to induce some of them, by the offer -of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">compraw</em>, to show me the way, but none would do so. Proceeding -onwards, followed by the hillmen, I suddenly found my big dog by my -side. As his presence was evidence that some of my men were behind, I -turned my pony’s head, and all the Kakhyens bolted. After retracing my -steps for some distance, I discovered my collectors and servants hiding -for fear in a deep hollow. Presently I met a Kakhyen boy, who conducted -us to the village of Seray.</p> - -<p>Seray, like the majority of Kakhyen villages, is finely situated on -the summit of a ridge, among lofty trees, enclosing a grassy glade -in its centre. The paths approaching the village are broad, and its -vicinity is indicated by groups of high massive wooden posts, with -simple devices in black, and by groves to the nats, and by small -circular walled enclosures devoted to the worship of the sky spirit. -On arriving, I found all the Sikhs ranged in front of the tsawbwa’s -house, also the chiefs of Woonkah and Wacheoon, and Allan’s Chinese -clerk. It was so dark on entering that at first I could not recognise -Colonel Browne, Allan, and Fforde, save by their voices. The chief, who -knew me again, was seated on the ground, and it was observable that -he and all his men were armed. The restlessness which he exhibited, -his withdrawing outside for private conferences<span class="pagenum" id="Page_426">[Pg 426]</span> with his pawmine, and -the fact that all the women had left the house, excited suspicion; -but when the latter returned, and the chief and his pawmine divested -themselves of their dahs, I concluded that any hostile intention that -might have been originally entertained against us had for the present -been abandoned. Then sheroo and hard boiled eggs were brought in and -set before us; but further parley with the chief produced no results, -and we adjourned to a grove of oak and hazel trees on the outskirts -of the village. Moung Yoh, or Li-kan-shin, the professed nephew of -Li-sieh-tai, who had been acting as our interpreter, and addressing -Seray as uncle as a mark of friendship, presently came to request -Colonel Browne to return to the chief’s house. There it was decided -that the Seray and Woonkah tsawbwas should proceed to Manwyne at once, -and ascertain the actual state of things, and take a letter to Margary. -Another Burman had arrived from the camp to request us to return, and -we mounted our ponies, and retraced our steps. On the road we met some -Kakhyens, one of whom seized the bridle of Browne’s horse, and signed -him to go back, as the road was beset, but as our friend was under the -influence of sheroo, we spoke to him pleasantly and proceeded. This man -was a pawmine of Shitee, who returned to the camp in the evening, and, -when taxed with having been intoxicated, admitted that he had started -with a bamboo flask full of sheroo, which he had finished. These -incidents showed that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_427">[Pg 427]</span> there was an uneasy apprehension of danger, but -that in the immediate vicinity the Kakhyens were friendly.</p> - -<p>During our absence, the Burmese had thrown up barricades or breastworks -of stones and earth, at points above the camp, and commanding the -road to Seray. The tsare-daw-gyee announced to Browne that we should -certainly be attacked by the Chinese either that evening or on the -march the next day. Some men were observed peering down from among the -trees on the hill-brow, as if reconnoitring our position. The Burmese, -who were collecting firewood, came running down as fast as they could, -and the whole camp set up a fearful shout to scare the supposed -enemies, who disappeared, and the excitement gradually subsided.</p> - - -<p class="footnote" id="fn40"><a href="#fna40">[40]</a> Yule’s ‘Marco Polo,’ <abbr title="volume">vol.</abbr> ii. (1875), <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 244.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn41"><a href="#fna41">[41]</a> See page 73. The name of the village was understood by us, on that -occasion, to be the same as that of the district, <abbr title="videlicet">viz.</abbr> Ponline.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_428">[Pg 428]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.<br /> -<span class="small">REPULSE OF MISSION.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Appearance of enemy—Murder of Margary—Friendly tsawbwas—Mission -attacked—Woonkah tsawbwa bought over—The jungle fired—Repulse -of attack—Incidents of the day—Our retreat—Shitee—Burmese -reinforcements—Halt at guard-house—Retreat on Tsitkaw via -Woonkah—Elias and Cooke’s visit to Muangmow—Li-sieh-tai—Return -of Captain Cooke—Elias at Muangmow—Father Lecomte and the Mattin -chief—A forged letter—The Saya of Kaungtoung—Reports regarding -Margary—The commission of inquiry—Return of Elias—Visit to the -second defile—Mission’s return to Rangoon. -</div> - - -<p>We were all astir with early daylight on February 22nd, and prepared -our baggage for the advance to Manwyne; but about seven o’clock large -bodies of armed men were observed on the heights above us hurrying -downwards in the direction of Shitee, as if to cut off our retreat. -There was no mistaking their hostile purpose, and the Burmese -immediately detached parties to occupy the positions which they had -fortified, one being above the camp, and another thrown forward to a -point of the road leading to Seray, which commanded the next hollow -and the opposite ridge. The Woonkah tsawbwa came into the camp, -and communicated to Colonel Browne a report<span class="pagenum" id="Page_429">[Pg 429]</span> which received almost -instant confirmation. The tsare-daw-gyee appeared with a very serious -countenance, and produced two letters received from the Burmese agents -at Manwyne. They briefly narrated the horrible murder of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary -on the previous day at Manwyne; his writer and other attendants were -also reported to have been killed. No particulars were given; but the -tsare-daw-gyee was warned that we were about to be attacked, and that -it would be for his own interest to detach himself by some miles from -the English, failing which precaution he would incur the same danger, -although the Chinese bore no ill-will to him and his party. The Burmese -officer, however, promptly addressed himself to the defence of the -camp, and we went up with him to the spur just above to reconnoitre, -while the Sikhs took up a position behind a long low boulder lying at -the western end of the camp, which served as a natural breastwork, -whence they commanded the road by which we had come. The friendly -Kakhyen tsawbwas of Woonkah and Wacheoon had hastened away to bring up -reinforcements, and the mules were driven down into the grassy hollow -below the camp. These preparations had not been completed when the -enemy opened fire from all sides but one. The assailants had descended -the ridge, hidden by the forest which, as already described, surrounded -our position on two sides. This had masked their advance, and served -as a perfect cover for them, the report and smoke of their fire-arms -alone showing<span class="pagenum" id="Page_430">[Pg 430]</span> their whereabouts; it was plain, however, that they were -in force to the south and east, and they evidently selected our party -as the object of attack, avoiding the Burmese, who, however, actively -returned the fire. Presently some of the assailants, led by a Chinese -brandishing a long trident, rushed out from the jungle to the smaller -open space. The Sikhs at once opened fire on them, which drove them -behind whatever cover could be found, and stopped any further advance -for a time. As soon as they were hidden, our men ceased firing. This -seemed to embolden the enemy, and a second detachment rushed down and -distributed themselves among the bushes. A brisk and well-aimed volley -drove them out in a mass, up the narrow entrance to the road. One man -at least was seen to fall dead, and others, wounded, were dragged up by -their companions. For some hours, firing from the men concealed in the -forest continued on all three sides. As these Kakhyens and Chinese only -raised their firelocks to the side of the head, looked for a second -forwards, and then fired, the bullets went over our heads. The steady -firing of the Sikhs at last seemed to be too much for the enemy, and -about 2 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> they were seen retreating along the ridge above, -and the firing to the south ceased. As they were retreating, we fired -on them at about a thousand yards’ range, and this evidently astonished -them, as they rushed past, stooping at the exposed points where the -fire told. When everything seemed quiet, and the road appeared clear,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_431">[Pg 431]</span> -the mules were brought up from the hollow, and the muleteers hastened -to get the loads ready. While this was being done, a party of our -Kakhyens made a rush to the open space, where one of the enemy had been -seen to fall, and returned with his head, which was tied up by the pig -tail to a tree. It was subsequently reported that he was a Chinese -officer, but his dress and appearance hardly indicated such rank. -Before the preparations for a start were completed, the enemy returned -in much greater force, and reoccupied the coverts, and it was estimated -that they were at least five hundred strong. Firing recommenced from -the heights and the forest around, and our position appeared to be -completely surrounded, except on the side of the descent to the -Nampoung valley. The question of abandoning the baggage and effecting -a retreat by this, the only line left open, was mooted, but the -tsare-daw-gyee urged delay, and his men as well as ourselves maintained -a steady fire on the enemy.</p> - -<p>The Woonkah tsawbwa, with a number of his men, had returned to the camp -just before the first repulse of the enemy, and he informed Colonel -Browne that the Seray chief had offered him five hundred rupees if he -would join in the attack on us. The drift of this remark was at once -seen by Colonel Browne, who promptly offered him ten thousand rupees -if he could succeed in bringing off all the baggage. It was difficult -for the Kakhyen’s mind to conceive so large an amount of coin, and the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_432">[Pg 432]</span> -tsare-daw-gyee had to make him comprehend it by stating that he would -receive “three basketfuls of silver.”</p> - -<p>Just as this arrangement had been concluded, we heard the shouts of -men, apparently coming up behind the southern spur, which was occupied -by the enemy. The Burmese at first thought that this indicated the -approach of a reinforcement which was hourly expected to arrive from -Bhamô. Presently, however, the forest in front of them burst into a -blaze, having been fired by the Shitee tsawbwa and his Kakhyens with -those of Woonkah. This manœuvre proved most successful, and the enemy -was speedily forced to retire, and as other coverts were successively -fired below the heights by the Burmese, they were soon in full retreat -along the heights, exposed to the fire of our rifles, which told on -them at several open places. Firing, however, continued for some time -below the heights, and on the side of the ridge commanding the Seray -road a desultory fire was also kept up. The Burmese guard were here -posted behind an earthwork, and kept the enemy at bay on that side; and -after the southern spur and eastern heights were cleared, we took the -Sikhs down to support the Burmese, and fired into the further hollow, -the only remaining covert of the enemy.</p> - -<p>All firing had nearly ceased by about five o’clock. The jungle on all -other sides being now cleared and the road to Shitee open, the order -was given to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_433">[Pg 433]</span> reload the mules. They were speedily brought up out -of the hollow, where they had remained in safety, and all were soon -loaded. Some mules and drivers had disappeared, but willing Kakhyens, -either of Shitee or Woonkah, speedily shouldered the remaining loads, -and the vacant pack saddles were heaped up and burned before we left. -At the close of the day, though bullets had been flying about in -all directions, the casualties on our side only amounted to three -men slightly wounded, and a mule shot in the neck. The firing was -mainly directed at the officers of the mission, and whenever we moved -towards the baggage, bullets fell freely about us, while the Chinese -shouted to the tsare-daw-gyee that they did not wish to kill his -men, but the “foreign devils.” Our Burmese showed great spirit, and -the tsare-daw-gyee, from first to last, was deserving of the highest -praise. One of his men, while trying to drive out some Chinese, had -his red turban carried off by the prongs of a trident, but succeeded -in evading a more fatal thrust of the weapon. The loss of the enemy -was variously reported, and it is impossible to give an accurate -return. Some perished in the burning jungle, and so far as the reports -afterwards furnished could be relied on, of the assailants about eight -or ten were killed and thirty wounded. I noticed that young men not -more than twenty years of age, and even boys, were numerous among -their ranks. The well-known loud voice of the Seray pawmine was heard, -and the tsawbwa’s<span class="pagenum" id="Page_434">[Pg 434]</span> son as well as the tsawbwa of Ponsee were said to -have been present. The son of Seray was detected by the report of his -double-barrelled gun, a present to his father at the time of the former -expedition, both barrels of which were fired at once, making the double -report easily distinguishable.</p> - -<p>The letters received from Manwyne had stated that the party about to -attack us was the vanguard of a force of three thousand men, whom the -governor of Momien had despatched to oppose our progress. The reader -will remember that our camp at Ponsee was menaced with attack, in April -1868, by the lawless Kakhyens of this very district, and, although on -the other side of the mountain, our position on this occasion was close -to that place. Numerous robberies had been previously reported in this -district, and the attacking party undoubtedly consisted largely of the -Ponsee and Seray Kakhyens. These belong to the Lakone tribe, while the -clans of the Woonkah, Wacheoon, and Shitee chiefs, who rendered such -faithful assistance, are offsets of the Cowlie tribe. With the Kakhyens -were associated a number of Chinese rowdies or perhaps soldiers; but -the assailants could hardly be reckoned other than local robbers, who -thought that the Burmese would not resist, and that our own guards were -too few, while the prospect of such a rich booty was enough to make -them encounter the risks of a fight. The staunch defence, the effect -produced by the long range of the rifles, and the bold diversion in -our<span class="pagenum" id="Page_435">[Pg 435]</span> favour directed by the Shitee and Woonkah chiefs, who fired the -jungle, combined to disappoint their expectations. It must not be -understood from this that the subsequent reports of the advance of -Chinese troops, and of hostility on the part of the Momien officials, -are discredited. The frontier Chinese were strongly prejudiced against -our entrance into Yunnan, and the Kakhyens and local robbers would be -stimulated by the reported or actual advance of troops to anticipate -any overt acts of hostility, and try to secure the rich booty for -themselves.</p> - -<p>When the baggage train had all moved safely off, escorted by some of -the Burmese guard, we set out on the return to Shitee, followed by the -Sikhs, the rear being brought up by the tsare-daw-gyee. <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Fforde, -with a few of his men, remained for a short time, while the Burmese -posted on the road to Seray held their position until all were clear -off, then followed slowly after us to cover the retreat. We started -at 5.30, and in half an hour reached Shitee, having met on the road -some of the Burmese reinforcements which had come up from Bhamô. The -baggage was all collected in a pile before the tsawbwa’s house, and -the tsitkay-nekandaw, who commanded the newly arrived detachment, was -posted with forty of his men behind an earthwork which they had thrown -up, covering the approach to the village. Both the tsawbwa and the -tsare-daw-gyee wished us to remain for the night at this<span class="pagenum" id="Page_436">[Pg 436]</span> place. The -chief feared that the Chinese would come down and burn his village -in revenge for his having aided us. The Burmese argued, that if the -members of the mission continued the retreat, it would appear as though -we were deserting the baggage, which could not be brought further -that evening. The position of the village, situated on the slope of -the mountain spur, and closely surrounded by dense jungle, seemed too -much exposed to a night attack, and Colonel Browne decided to push on -to the guard-house on the Nampoung. We started accordingly at 6.30, -accompanied by the tsare-daw-gyee and some of the Burmese. It soon -became very dark, and the descent down the rocky footpath, bordered -on one side by a steep declivity, was tedious and dangerous. We could -not see the stones or the edges of the track, and when passing through -thick groves of trees, even a white pony right in front of me was -invisible.</p> - -<p>For nearly four long hours we stumbled downwards, the latter part -of the journey being somewhat facilitated by the moonlight, which, -however, was obscured by the impenetrable forest and the surrounding -heights. Crossing the Nampoung, the guard-house was safely reached, and -we were comfortably housed. As four of the mules had brought on some -bedding, food, and cooking utensils, we were not so badly off as the -Sikhs, who had marched laden with ammunition besides packets of sycee -silver, which had been distributed among them for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_437">[Pg 437]</span> safety in the crisis -of the attack, and had only supplies of dry rice.</p> - -<p>The next morning it was resolved that the Woonkah tsawbwa, who had -accompanied us, should return to Shitee, and bring down the remainder -of the baggage, while we should await his arrival. Two hours later -the tsare-daw-gyee reported that the Chinese were collecting in force -at the northern and southern ends of the Nampoung valley to renew the -attack. He therefore advised us to proceed at once to Tsitkaw by the -Woonkah road. In a short time we were toiling up the steep ascent -leading to the district and village of Woonkah, which lies on the -summit of the high ridge forming the western watershed of the Nampoung, -and must be at an altitude equal to that of Shitee. The tsare-daw-gyee -brought up the rear of the party, and during the march sent forward a -messenger to urge us to press on, because the Chinese were reported to -be rapidly assembling. The people of the first Woonkah village welcomed -us with evident satisfaction, and the tsawbwa-gadaw brought a grateful -supply of sheroo, which was most refreshing. Here we were joined by the -tsare-daw-gyee, and it was proposed to him that we should leave the led -horses behind, but he objected to this as unnecessary.</p> - -<p>From Woonkah the descent of the hills commenced, the road passing -through a forest of very lofty trees clear of underwood. As we neared -the junction of a road from the north with the Woonkah<span class="pagenum" id="Page_438">[Pg 438]</span> track, our -advanced guard of Burmese beckoned us to follow quickly, and most -carefully reconnoitred the sides of a spur which sloped down towards -us, but nothing but dense jungle was visible. They evinced the same -anxious caution at the point where the Ponline road joined our route -before the third guard-house was reached. The Sikhs were beginning to -be much distressed, and we had to relieve them by giving up our ponies -for their use in turns. Tsihet was reached at 2.30, and, after a short -rest, we proceeded to Tsitkaw, where we arrived at sundown, and were -congratulated on our escape by the second tsitkay-nekandaw, who met -us outside at the head of a guard lining each side of the road. We -put up in our old quarters, but without any supplies, as no baggage -had arrived; and for bedding, we had straw and Shan felt coverlets. -Fortunately, some tins of preserved meat were forthcoming, but we had -to procure from the villagers some clay vessels for cooking, and a blue -bowl to serve instead of plates.</p> - -<p>We remained two days at Tsitkaw expecting the baggage, the lighter -portions of which arrived in charge of the Burmese. Another detachment -of eighty-five men came from Bhamô, on the morning after our arrival, -and marched straight on to the hills. The indefatigable tsare-daw-gyee -also received orders from the Woon to return at once to Woonkah, and -remain there personally to oversee the despatch of all the baggage. -It is impossible to speak too highly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_439">[Pg 439]</span> of the care for our safety on -the march, and the general conduct, of this Burmese officer. Various -reports were brought in as to the loss suffered by the enemy; and both -Burmese and Kakhyens seemed to have been strongly impressed by the -“far shooting” of our rifles. The Kakhyen who had brought the earliest -information of the intended attack made his appearance, and was -delighted at finding his services recompensed with a handsome reward. -He was so elated that, Kakhyen-like, he returned with a “tail” of -followers, and, giving himself out as a tsawbwa, tried to get something -for his companions, in which he was unsuccessful. We were also rejoined -by our old interpreter, Moung Mo, who had disappeared at Shitee; but -of Moung Yoh, or Li-kan-shin, and Allan’s Chinese clerk, who had been -last seen or heard of at Seray, nothing certain could be ascertained. -Subsequent reports stated that they had both been murdered, but no -trustworthy intelligence was received either of their death or escape.</p> - -<p>On the second day of our stay at Tsitkaw, letters were received from -the Resident at Bhamô in reply to the despatch announcing our repulse. -He had fortunately been on the point of sending some Lenna Kakhyens -with letters to Elias at Muangmow, and had promised them a reward if -they escorted our companion safely back. The Woon sent to request our -return to Bhamô, as he had heard of an intended attack on Tsitkaw by -the Khanloung<span class="pagenum" id="Page_440">[Pg 440]</span> Kakhyens, a most lawless race of robbers inhabiting the -hills above the Molay river. Extra guards were accordingly posted by -the choung-oke, and all the soldiers were ordered to be on the alert; -but the night passed off quietly. We all returned, some by road and -the rest by boat, to Bhamô, on February 26th, and were welcomed at the -Residency by Captain Cooke.</p> - -<p>He had no news of Elias, who on the 17th instant was still at -Muangmow, and whose position, alone in the power of Li-sieh-tai, -seemed precarious and alarming. To explain it, I must again mention -that Captain Cooke and <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Ney Elias had started, under the convoy -of the Lenna chief of Paloungto, by the Sawady route, intending, if -possible, to meet us at Momien. They went from Bhamô to Mansay, and, -leaving the latter place early in the morning, arrived at the Kakhyen -village of Kara by nine o’clock. The chief Kara village, named Peetah, -lies a few miles distant. Two miles from this place, they entered the -country of the Lenna Kakhyens, and a march of seven miles brought them -to Wurrabone, a small village situated near the summit of a mountain. -This is the seat of the elder brother of the Paloungto chief, at whose -house they spent the night, being received with the utmost attention -that Kakhyen hospitality could show. From their observation, the Lenna -tribe appear to be a very superior race of Kakhyens, their houses and -manners evincing a higher degree of civilisation than is found amongst<span class="pagenum" id="Page_441">[Pg 441]</span> -the Kara or Lakone tribe. Starting at midday from Wurrabone, the party -arrived at sunset at Paloungto, a village of twenty houses. A march -of six miles over a rough hill road led to Namkai, the largest Lenna -village, containing forty houses, whence a road leads to Muangwan and -Hotha. Here the road, passing through a part of the Lakone country, -descended for nine miles to Pamkam, a small village lying at the foot -of the hills on the right bank of the Namwan or Muangwan river. From -this point, at which the Chinese frontier is crossed, and the level -valley of the Shuaylee is entered, Kwotloon, in the territory of -Muangmow, is only a mile distant. Arriving at sunset, the travellers -halted for the night, the Shan inhabitants proving sullen and inclined -to be uncivil. Their behaviour was a marked contrast to the demeanour -of the dreaded Lenna Kakhyens, through whose hills the party had passed -without any difficulty, while their expenses had not amounted to five -rupees, the hospitable tsawbwas insisting on supplying everything -required. The only chance of delay arose at Paloungto, where the -tsawbwa wanted to give a grand buffalo sacrifice and feast in honour of -his guests, and to propitiate the nats in their favour. He postponed -the ceremonial at Cooke’s request until the return journey of the -latter. After leaving Kwotloon, the Namwan stream was crossed, and a -day’s march on the left bank of twenty-four miles in a south-easterly -direction, and ascending<span class="pagenum" id="Page_442">[Pg 442]</span> the right bank of the Shuaylee through an -open, level country, brought the party to the Shan town of Muangmow. -This place, the residence of the tsawbwa, like the towns of the Sanda -valley, is surrounded by a brick wall sixteen feet high, without -bastions or embrasures, but backed by an earthwork. Four gates, -corresponding to the points of the compass, lead into the town, which -occupies a square of about six hundred yards, and is inhabited by Shan -Chinese. The travellers at once proceeded to call on Li-sieh-tai, who -was residing in a ruinous yamen, and commanded a force of apparently -about fifty Chinese soldiers, although said to number three hundred. -This redoubtable Chinese official received them with great civility, -addressing Elias as “his elder brother,” and assigned them quarters in -a khyoung close to the western gate of the town.</p> - -<p>Li-sieh-tai is described as a little but broad-shouldered and powerful -man, with a large head and ugly visage, having an unusually wide mouth, -with thick and protruding lips. In conversation he looks straight at -his interlocutor, which is in marked contrast to the usually downcast -or shifting glance of the other Chinese. He showed his literary -acquirements by carefully perusing the imperial passports, which he -declared to be quite satisfactory, and amply sufficient to ensure the -bearer’s safety if once in the mandarins’ country beyond Sehfan. The -difficulty would be in the journey<span class="pagenum" id="Page_443">[Pg 443]</span> from Muangmow to Sehfan, as there -was a feud between the tsawbwas of these states.</p> - -<p>Captain Cooke resolved to return to Bhamô, as his presence might render -it more difficult or tedious for <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias to proceed to Momien. When -he with his followers proposed to depart, he found the western gate -closed, and was told that it could not be opened without the leave -of some official. He had been already requested to sign a letter of -indemnity for <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias’ safety, which had, as a matter of course, -been declined, and the closing of the gate was intended as a species -of pressure. He outmanœuvred the officials by ordering his Kakhyens -to wait till the gate should be opened, while he took his departure -by another gate. They rejoined him outside the town, and all arrived -without further difficulty at Paloungto. Here the nat sacrifice duly -took place, and a bullock, pig, and fowls were slaughtered, a leg -of the first victim being presented to Cooke, which is a mark of -honour only paid to chiefs. A grand palaver was held in the tsawbwa’s -house, the occasion being a dispute between the chief and one of his -villages, the people of which had stolen a bullock from him. To atone -for this insult, a fine of ten bullocks was imposed, to be paid in -five yearly instalments. At least fifty Kakhyens were present, and -sheroo and samshu were liberally supplied, but the assemblage was -quiet and orderly. At midnight the English guest expressed a wish to -sleep, and all at once departed, while the chief<span class="pagenum" id="Page_444">[Pg 444]</span> produced for his -accommodation two carpets which he had recently received as a present -from the Residency. The chief explained the difficulties which had -arisen between himself and the leader of the mission at Sawady, by -the fact that he had only agreed to convoy the British mission, and -would not admit a Burmese guard into his country. It is certain that -no mention of the passage of a Burmese guard had been made during the -previous negotiations by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias, who was at that time unaware of -and subsequently opposed to the plan. The tsawbwa complained bitterly -of the humiliation he had experienced in being obliged to squat on -the ground before the Burmese officials, and that he had not had any -opportunity of a private interview with the English officers. It is -very much to his credit that he asked for nothing beyond what he had -been promised; and his conduct and that of his brother, the chief of -Wurrabone, and their subjects, showed conclusively that, so far as the -Kakhyens are concerned, this route to Muangmow was unattended by any -real difficulty.</p> - -<p>On the day after our arrival at Bhamô, our anxiety concerning the -position of Elias was relieved by the arrival of two Lenna Kakhyens, -bringing letters from him dated from Kwotloon on the 24th. The -messengers had thus accomplished their journey in two days, and were -immediately sent back with letters. As it was probable that <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias -would have received the letter of recall, his speedy arrival<span class="pagenum" id="Page_445">[Pg 445]</span> was -looked for; and all our suspense on his account was ended on March 2nd, -when he made his appearance, escorted by the Wurrabone pawmine.</p> - -<p>Subsequently to Captain Cooke’s departure from Muangmow, Li-sieh-tai, -whose conduct and character had made a rather favourable impression -on <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias, held out hopes that he might be able to arrange for his -safe conduct to Sehfan. The tsawbwa, however, was more explicit, and -assured him that it was impossible in the then state of the country. -Subsequent observations, and refusals of access to the tsawbwa, on -various pretexts, convinced Elias that there was no intention to let -him proceed. He therefore bade farewell to Li, who accepted a rifle -as a parting present, and returned to Kwotloon, to which place two -Shans brought the news of the attack on our camp. The aged tsawbwa of -Wurrabone, with his pawmines, went to Kwotloon to escort him safely to -Mansay; and leaving Kwotloon on the 28th, they accomplished the journey -of sixty-four miles by a direct road, avoiding Paloungto, in two days. -While passing Peetah, the Lennas evinced some apprehension that the -Kara Kakhyens, who had previously grumbled about the smallness of their -gains, might prove troublesome; but the party passed through without -opposition.</p> - -<p>It is impossible to avoid the reflection that, if the murder of Margary -and the attack on our camp had been directed by Li-sieh-tai, he could -easily, by direct or indirect means, have disposed of his visitor;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_446">[Pg 446]</span> -and his civility and consideration for his safety by not allowing him -to advance are surely to be esteemed a strong argument in his favour. -Among the Lenna Kakhyens the opinion was freely expressed that the -opposition was due to secret tactics on the part of the Burmese. That -this idea prevailed among the hill tribes to the south of the Tapeng -was further confirmed by Father Lecomte, who returned from a visit to -Mattin at the time of our arrival at Bhamô. When he and his companion -reached the first Kakhyen village, there was an incessant discharge of -fire-arms, and the villagers appeared unwilling to receive them, until -they assured them that they were not Englishmen. Their sacerdotal garb -assisted to make the Kakhyens believe that they belonged to a different -race, and they were then entertained, but informed that at first the -people had said, “If these are kalas, let us kill them, because the -king of Burma does not wish them to enter our hills.” The tsawbwa -of Mattin, whose intelligence and general knowledge impressed them -strongly, told them that there was no chance of the mission reaching -Yunnan. He further remarked that the Kakhyens were glad to see the -Englishmen at Bhamô; but “what will become of the trade and occupation -of our people if they make a railway from Bhamô to Momien?” This -feeling, both among the Chinese merchants and the Kakhyens, especially -those under Burmese and Chinese influence, that our gain in the way of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_447">[Pg 447]</span> -open trade would prove their loss, must be largely taken into account -in estimating the difficulties of progress.</p> - -<p>The opinion that the king of Burma was hostile to the mission owed -its origin to a forged royal letter, directing the Kakhyens to oppose -us. A copy of this letter was obtained by the Resident, and there was -no doubt that it had been widely circulated. The forgery was brought -home to no less a personage than the chief <span xml:lang="my" lang="my">phoongyee</span>, or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">saya</em>, -of Kaungtoung. The Woon of Shuaygoo, whose district includes both -Kaungtoung and Sawady, it will be recollected, refused any co-operation -with his colleague at Bhamô. I personally experienced his hostility to -foreigners during a boat voyage through the second defile on the return -from Bhamô, when he not only refused a guide, but sent instructions -to the headmen of his villages to forbid my landing. He has been -since deprived of office, and the actual perpetrator of the forgery -has been tried by the ecclesiastical court of Mandalay, degraded from -the priesthood, and sentenced to carry one hundred loads of water -into the khyoung of the court. The sentence ran as follows:—“In the -case of rahans, if in a matter not ordered by our most excellent -Lord Buddha, one represents it to be a sacred order, he is guilty of -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">dakka-apat</em>. In the case of laymen, if a person represents that -which is not a royal order as a royal order, the customary punishment -is to widen his mouth (by slitting the cheeks) or to cut<span class="pagenum" id="Page_448">[Pg 448]</span> off his hand. -In the present instance, Shin Thula Tsara, the Saya of Kaungtoung, -without orders from an ecclesiastical court, by making that which was -not a royal order into a royal order, was the one who ordered the -obstruction of the British mission proceeding to China. He accordingly -has been deprived of his office of bishop; but as a rahan and a soldier -of the Buddhist religion is not punishable according to the civil law, -the decision, in accordance with the rule given in the Wini, made by -the assembled members of the ecclesiastical court, is—Let him be -punished by carrying one hundred loads of water,” <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. This isolated -case of hostility on the part of Burmese officials in nowise detracts -from the good opinion which the zeal and energy displayed in our -service by the Bhamô authorities earned from all who witnessed and -profited by them.</p> - -<p>Upon our safe arrival, the Woon sent letters to the governor of Momien -to inquire into the causes of the opposition offered to the progress -of the mission and the murder of one of its officers. The report that -Chinese troops were still marching in great numbers from Momien to -Manwyne was also the subject of inquiry. He did not disguise his fear -that the Chinese would attack Bhamô; and the preparation of bricks for -the construction of a wall around the town, which had already begun, -was actively pressed forward.</p> - -<p>During our stay, all opportunities for ascertaining, if possible, -the exact details of the murder<span class="pagenum" id="Page_449">[Pg 449]</span> of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary and his followers -were eagerly availed of by us; but beyond the melancholy fact, though -various reports were current, it was impossible to collect evidence -either as to the perpetrators or the circumstances of this atrocious -crime. It seemed, however, agreed that there were Chinese officials and -troops at Manwyne. The muleteers and others who accompanied Margary had -fled for their lives into the jungle. One reported that he had been -examined as a friend of the foreigners, and had escaped by asserting -that he was a resident of the district, and not connected with us. The -most trustworthy account was furnished by two of the six Burmese who -were at Manwyne, and whom the Chinese officials threatened to kill. -The most intelligent one stated that he saw Margary walking about the -town, sometimes with Chinese and at other times alone. On the morning -of the 21st, the very day of his murder, some men invited him to go and -see a hot spring, and when he was outside the town, they knocked him -off his pony and speared him. His writer and messenger and two servants -were killed in the khyoung. This was only hearsay, and no one had seen -the heads of the victims, which were reported to have been affixed to -the town wall, or, according to another account, to have been sent to -Momien. Our informants had not seen any troops, though one had heard -them marching at night while he was concealed in the jungle.</p> - -<p>Later accounts stated that the Chinese officers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_450">[Pg 450]</span> had been ordered back -in disgrace to Momien, because they had allowed our party to escape, -and that the Shans were at feud with the Chinese, as the phoongyee -complained that the khyoung had been desecrated by blood-shedding.</p> - -<p>It is to be hoped that the commission of inquiry now traversing China -from the east will be able to elicit the facts, and to determine to -whom the guilt of the barbarous murder of a British officer attaches. -It is in no wise fitting to prejudge the case. Whether local marauders -or the Momien officials, actuated either by prejudice against -foreigners or commercial jealousy, or, it may be, a groundless fear of -encouragement to be derived by the Mahommedans from the presence of -the English, violated the rights guaranteed by treaty and the express -commands of an imperial passport, remains to be seen. It is possible -that the authority of the viceroy of Yunnan was prostituted to oppose -the entrance of the hated foreigners; and the recent reports seem to -indicate a determination in the Yunnan yamens at least to screen the -offenders.</p> - -<p>For my own part, I desire to record the deep sympathy entertained for -those who mourn for the loss of one so beloved. Our brief intercourse -lasted long enough to win for him the esteem and cordial friendship -of us all; and while we deplored the early loss to his country of the -services of one whose past career and talents promised to raise him to -high distinction, we lamented his untimely death<span class="pagenum" id="Page_451">[Pg 451]</span> as that of an old and -dear friend. To his family and those who looked forward to share his -future, the loss is irreparable; and the punishment of the guilty will -bring but little consolation. But he may be said to have bequeathed it -as a public duty—made more imperative by its being the most fitting -tribute to his worth—to establish in those border lands the right of -Englishmen to travel unmolested.</p> - -<p>The death of this young officer and the repulse of the British mission -from the frontiers of China have left a marked impression on the minds -of the various populations. The question of opening trade routes may -be left to the future. Overland commerce cannot be forced, or even -stimulated, by extraordinary efforts. The existence of a channel of -trade between Burma and China has been demonstrated; and when the -restored prosperity of Yunnan shall create a demand, the steamers -of the Burmese rivers and the entrepot of Bhamô, where the British -flag assures protection to British interests, are ready to furnish -the supply. For the present, above and beyond the task of avenging -his murder on the guilty, of whatever rank they may be, the name of -<span class="smcap">Augustus Raymond Margary</span> will be most fitly honoured by a -party of his countrymen formally asserting the right to traverse, in -honour and safety, the route between Burma and China, which he was the -first Englishman to explore, and which should be maintained as his most -durable monument.</p> - -<p>By the arrival of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Ney Elias, our chief cause<span class="pagenum" id="Page_452">[Pg 452]</span> of anxiety was -removed, and when on March 3rd the boats arrived from Tsitkaw freighted -with the baggage and stores which successive officials had been -despatched to expedite, there was no farther necessity for delay at -Bhamô. Everything, with very trivial exceptions, was delivered safely -according to the inventory which had been taken at Woonkah, and the -tsawbwa of that place received his promised reward of £1000, which -undoubtedly made him the richest chief among the northern Kakhyens.</p> - -<p>As the steamer from Mandalay had not arrived, I hired a native boat, in -order to make a leisurely inspection of the second defile, and dropped -down to Sawady. The Woon of Bhamô had informed me that there was danger -to be apprehended from the Kakhyens on the hills of the defile, and -advised an application to the Shuaygoo Woon, who was at Sawady, for a -guide. After some delay, the Woon received me, but most ungraciously, -and declined the request, as the Bhamô Woon had sent no official letter -on the subject. Not content with this refusal, he sent a boat with -soldiers to convey orders to the villages not to allow me to remain -for the night, the result of which we experienced at a place called -Thembaw-eng, where the headman came down and compelled us to leave -our moorings. We were not assailed by Kakhyens, but had a nocturnal -alarm of a tiger, which the boatmen declared to be not a real tiger, -but the nat of the locality, who was enraged at their having cut down -some branches<span class="pagenum" id="Page_453">[Pg 453]</span> which interfered with my camera, when photographing the -great cliff. A more disagreeable incident was a violent storm, almost -amounting to a tornado, which overtook us in the river. The hurricane -was presaged by a most brilliant light seen, in the west, from which -quarter the wind soon after burst upon the river with tremendous -fury, lashing its surface into great waves, while incessant flashes -of lightning lit up the scene, which was one of terrific grandeur. A -pleasing incident of the trip was the arrival of a boat containing -our old friend and patient, the old tsare-daw-gyee, who had escorted -us from Mandalay, and who had arrived at Bhamô in chains on his way -to Mogoung a few days before. He expressed great pleasure at seeing -me safe, and I congratulated him on having regained his liberty. This -was due to royal orders brought by an express boat from Mandalay two -days previously. As he intended to halt at Shuaygoo-myo, he promised -to neutralise the malice of the Woon, by personal instructions to the -headman, which proved most useful.</p> - -<p>The steamer <em>Colonel Fytche</em>, with the members of the mission, -overtook us at the wooding station of Yuathet on March 7th, and, after -the usual delays caused by grounding on sandbanks, we reached Mandalay -on the 10th, and found the steamer <em>Yunnan</em> about to start for -Rangoon. We were almost amused to hear the various and contradictory -rumours which had been flying about this most gossiping of capitals -as to our dangers and escapes. An account of the attack,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_454">[Pg 454]</span> as being -made by Kakhyens and disaffected Chinese, had been published in a -printed Chinese broadsheet, which professed to give the most recent -and exact information concerning the mission, a curious illustration -of the interest which the subject possessed for the Chinese traders -of Mandalay. The <em>Yunnan</em> conveyed us to Rangoon, where the -welcome of the Chief Commissioner and the hearty congratulations, on -our safety, of our other friends were not lessened by our having been -compelled to return <em>re infecta</em>, leaving the task, it is to be -hoped, soon and successfully to be accomplished by another mission.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_455">[Pg 455]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="APPENDICES">APPENDICES.</h2> -</div> - - -<h3 id="APPENDIX_I">APPENDIX I.</h3> - -<p class="center p0 big"><span class="smcap">A Note by Bishop Bigandet on Burmese Bells.</span><span class="fnanchor" id="fna42"><a href="#fn42">[42]</a></span></p> - -<p>Bells are common in Burma, and the people of that country are well -acquainted with the art of casting them. Most of the bells to be seen -in the pagodas are of small dimensions, and in shape differ from those -used in Europe. The inferior part is less widened, and there is a -large hole in the centre of the upper part. No tongue is hung in the -interior, but the sound is produced by striking with a horn of deer or -elk the outward surface of the lower part. No belfry is erected for -the bells; they are fixed on a piece of timber laid horizontally, and -supported by two posts, at such a height that the inferior part of the -bell is raised about five feet from the ground.</p> - -<p>The largest specimens of Burmese art are the two bells to be seen, the -one at the large pagoda of Rangoon, called Shuay Dagon, and the other -at Mengoon.</p> - -<p>The first was cast in 1842, as recorded by the inscription on it. The -weight of metal is 94,682 lbs.; its height, 9½ cubits; its diameter, -5 cubits; its thickness, 15 inches. But during the process of -melting, the well-disposed threw in copper, silver, and gold in great -quantities. It is supposed that in this way the weight was increased -one-fourth.</p> - -<p>The bell of Mengoon was cast at the beginning of this century. In shape -and form it resembles our bells of Europe. It is probable that some -foreigner residing at Ava suggested the idea of giving such an unusual -form to that monumental bell. Its height is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_456">[Pg 456]</span> 18 feet, besides 7 feet -for hanging apparatus. It is 17 feet in diameter, and from 10 to 12 -inches in thickness. Its weight is supposed to exceed 200,000 lbs.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna43"><a href="#fn43">[43]</a></span> -In the interior, large yellowish and greyish streaks indicate that -considerable quantities of gold and silver have been thrown in during -the process of melting. No idea can at present be had of the power of -the sound, as its enormous weight has caused the pillars that support -it partially to give way. To prevent a final disaster, the orifice of -the bell has been made to rest on large teak posts sunk in the ground -and rising about 3 feet above it.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn42"><a href="#fna42">[42]</a> From ‘The Legend of the Burmese Buddha,’ by Bishop Bigandet, -Rangoon.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn43"><a href="#fna43">[43]</a> It will be observed that these figures are in excess of those -given by Colonel Yule, which I have quoted in the text.</p> - - -<h3 id="APPENDIX_II">APPENDIX II.</h3> - - -<p class="center p0 big"><span class="smcap">Translation of a Chinese Document, which purports to account for -the Origin and Establishment of Mahommedanism in China. By Colonel -Sladen.</span></p> - -<p>The chief queen of the emperor Tanwan adopted a child and called him -Anlaushan. In time the child developed into a man of extraordinary -comeliness and wonderful intellect.</p> - -<p>The queen was enamoured; and the adopted son became her paramour.</p> - -<p>Anlaushan soon rose to distinction. His abilities were of the highest -order, and raised him at once to fame and influence. The queenly -passion was not disclosed; but suspicion had been sufficiently roused -to make it prudent on the queen’s part to get rid of her lover, and -defeat all signs of illicit intercourse.</p> - -<p>Anlaushan was accordingly accused of being privy to a conspiracy to -dethrone the emperor. The influence of the queen prevailed to obtain a -conviction, and her favourite was banished from the royal capital.</p> - -<p>But the injustice of his accusation and a sense of wrongs roused -Anlaushan to action, and induced him to become in reality a leader -of rebellion. He lost no time in collecting a large force with which -he was able to make head against the government, and successfully -encounter the troops of the emperor. In time he had<span class="pagenum" id="Page_457">[Pg 457]</span> approached within -a league of the capital, and city and palace were alike threatened.</p> - -<p>The emperor Tanwan in this emergency adopted the suggestion of his -vizier Kanseree, and despatched a mission to Seeyoogwet, and implored -foreign aid. A force of three thousand men was sent, under the command -and guidance of three learned teachers, who arrived in due time at -Tanwan’s capital. By their aid Anlaushan was defeated and eventually -captured.</p> - -<p>The rebellion was at an end, and the foreign contingent left China, to -return to its own country. Here, however, a difficulty arose. Their -rulers refused them admittance, and alleged as a cause for doing so, -that it was against the constitution of the country to receive back men -who had come into contact with pork-eating infidels. They had herded -in fact with pigs and infidels, and could no longer be regarded as -unpolluted subjects, or as fit members of a society which held pork in -religious detestation.</p> - -<p>They returned therefore to China, and became permanent sojourners in -a foreign land. They are the original stock from which Mahommedanism -has sprung up in China, in various communities, and under several -denominations, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</p> - - -<h3 id="APPENDIX_III">APPENDIX III.</h3> - -<p class="center p0 big"><span class="smcap">List of Nats, or Deities, worshipped by the Kakhyens; obtained from -Native Sources by Colonel Sladen.</span></p> - -<ol> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Ngka</em> nat; Burmese, <em>Me</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> God of Earth.—He is -worshipped on the occasions of digging gold or other mines, founding a -village, and sowing paddy. The offerings made are buffalo, hogs, fowls, -dried fish, and liquor (sheroo). The worship must be celebrated by the -entire population of a village, and for four days next ensuing no work -nor journey must be undertaken.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Mooshen</em> or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Mofitwa</em> nat or nats. These are husband and -wife, called respectively <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Sharoowa</em> and <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Modai-pronga</em>. -Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Thakya-meng</em>; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the King of Gods.—Worshipped on the -occasion of clearing fields, cutting rice crop, and founding a village. -The offerings made are a young male buffalo or bull, hog, cocks,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_458">[Pg 458]</span> eggs, -rice, dried fish, and liquor, with gifts of a silk putzo and women’s -ornaments. The worship is celebrated by the tsawbwa and the whole -village, and cannot be offered by a private person.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Numsyang</em> or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Noon-shan</em> nat or nats; Burmese, -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Yuwa-saun</em>; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the Village Guardians.—These are male and -female, the eastern portion of a village being under the custody of -the former, and the western of the latter. They are worshipped twice -a year; also on the occasion of any epidemic or of war, and at the -foundation of a new village. The offerings are as already mentioned, -but the victims must be male, and the worship is celebrated by the -tsawbwa with all his people.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Chan</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Me</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the Sun.—Also two, -husband and wife. Worshipped by chief and people at the time of -clearing fields and harvesting. The offerings are red fowls, boiled -rice, eggs, dried fish, bread, and liquor, with gifts of one gong, a -red putzo, and masculine ornaments.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Sada</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">La</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the Moon.—Worshipped -as foregoing. Offerings, boiled rice, dried flesh and fish, eggs, -and four bamboo flasks of liquor, with gifts of feminine clothes and -ornaments and a silver pipe stem.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Ning-foi</em>, or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Pomp-woi</em>; Burmese, <em>Le</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> -the Air.—Worshipped in sickness, time of war, when going on a trading -journey, clearing fields, or founding a village. Offerings, buffalo, -cow, hog, fowls, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., with gifts of putzo, gong, and silver.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Ning-gon-wa</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Byama</em> nat; the Hindoo -Brahma.—Regarded as the “chief tsawbwa after death.” Offerings, bread; -gifts, flowers, silk putzo, and eight bamboos of liquor.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Boom</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Toung</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the God of -Mountains.—Worshipped in sickness, and when clearing fields or -founding a village. Offerings, buffalo, cow, hog, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Mŭm Sŭn</em>; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Soba</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the Rice -God.—Worshipped for growth of rice crop, and sometimes in sickness. -Offerings the same as to the Moon.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Chegah</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Lay-khyan-saun</em>; the Field and -Garden Keeper.—Invoked to protect them. Offerings of buffalo and cows, -of which the skin is burned and the flesh boiled. Propitiated also with -offerings of tobacco. Said to inflict disease in the skin and eyes.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Waroom</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Ana</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the God of -Disease.—Worshipped<span class="pagenum" id="Page_459">[Pg 459]</span> during sickness, chiefly small-pox and cholera. -Offerings, buffalo, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Khakhoo Kha-nam</em>; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Yei</em> nat; the God of -Water.—Worshipped on the occasion of any one being drowned; sometimes -in sickness. Offerings, two buffaloes, two hogs, two fowls, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Tsethoung</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Tou</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the God of -Forest.—Worshipped on the occasion of founding a village, clearing -fields, war, and sickness. Offerings, a hog, a goat, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Ngkhoo</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Aing</em> nat; the Home God, or God -of Ancestors.—Worshipped in all cases of sickness. Any one wishing to -migrate to another state hangs a bamboo of liquor on a post and invokes -him. New rice is also offered him at harvest. Offerings, buffalo, cow, -<abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Ndong</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Aing-peen</em> nat; the God of the -Outside of Home.—Believed to reside in the house, but worshipped -outside if one of the family is killed in war, or by drowning, fall -from a tree, or the bite of a tiger or snake. Offerings, buffalo, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Mo</em> nat; Burmese, the same; the God of Heaven.—Four -brothers, <abbr title="videlicet">viz.</abbr> Moung-lam, Khreenwan, Seen-lap, Mou-sheeing, and a -sister, Boung-fwoy, the Thunder Goddess. A very high god of the -Kakhyens, worshipped by those who desire profit in trade, victory -in war, or children; also on occasion of founding a village and of -sickness. Sacrifice, buffalo, cow, hog, and fowls—all which must be -white—dried fish, eggs, and liquor.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Lessa</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Tesey</em>, or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Tuhsai</em>; -the ghost of a person murdered by the dah, supposed to cause -disease.—Offerings, buffalo, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., and boiled rice, curry, liquor, -exposed in baskets.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Needang</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Meima Tesey</em>; the compound -spectre of mother and unborn child.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Hau-saing</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Taroup</em> nat; the Chinese god.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Khokhamla</em>; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Sing-buring</em>; the last king.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Phee Lomoon</em>; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Soung</em>; the witch, believed to -be able to destroy life.</li> -</ol> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_460">[Pg 460]</span></p> - - -<h3 id="APPENDIX_IV">APPENDIX IV.</h3> - -<p class="center p0 big"><span class="smcap">Note by Professor Douglas on the Deities in the Shan Temple at -Tsaycow, in the Hotha Valley.</span></p> - -<p>The objects of worship contained within the walls of this temple are -well worthy of note, more especially as they illustrate the curious -manner in which the deities representing the various faiths of -Chinamen—Buddhist, Taouist, and Confucianist—are often intermingled. -As the subjoined list shows, Buddhas, Buddhisatwas, Devas, Arhans, and -Buddhist patriarchs, stand side by side with “True Men,” “Masters of -Heaven,” and princes of the Taouist faith; while Confucianism finds a -solitary representative in the Deva of Scholarly (i.e. Confucianist) -Youths (No. 15). This grouping together of the deities of the “Three -Religions” might appear strange to those unacquainted with the phases -which these faiths have assumed in China. From the first, however, -Taouism was but another form of Buddhism, and the gradual weakening, -which has been going on for centuries, of the distinctive doctrines -of the two sects, together with the introduction of purely Chinese -superstition into both, have tended to obliterate the uncertain line -of demarcation which originally separated the one from the other. -Indeed, the power of absorption, whether of races or of creeds, which -so peculiarly belongs to the Chinese, has served to fuse together the -dogmas of Buddha and Lao-tsze with the teachings of Confucius to such -an extent that, as far as the masses are concerned, they may be treated -as the foundations of a common faith, and the objects set apart by each -for worship are to be found not unfrequently standing in positions of -equal honour—as in the present instance—in the national Pantheons.</p> - -<p>The following is a list of the eighty deities who are enthroned in the -temple:—</p> - -<ol> -<li>Yun lai tseĭh teen = the Deva of the Gathering Clouds.</li> -<li>Jĭh kung tsun teen = the honoured Deva of the Sun Palace.</li> -<li>To wăn tsun teen = Vaishravana.</li> -<li>Keen-na-lo Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, the King of the -Kinnaras.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_461">[Pg 461]</span></li> -<li>Ta hĕh tsun teen = Mahâ Kala.</li> -<li>Sing kung tsun teen = the honoured Deva of the Star Palace.</li> -<li>Tae suy tsun teen = the Chinese Cybele.</li> -<li>Luy shin tsun teen = the honoured Deva of Thunder.</li> -<li>Hoo-kea-lo Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, King Hoo-kea-lo.</li> -<li>Po-kiĕh-lo-tsew (?) tsun teen = the honoured Deva Po-kiĕh-lo-tsew -(?) (Bhaskaravarna?).</li> -<li>Same as No. 8.</li> -<li>Lŭh chai pă Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, the Eighth King of -the Six Fasts (?).</li> -<li>Hing ping kwei Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, the -Disease-transmitting Demon King.</li> -<li>Hwa-kwang-meaou-keĭh-tseang tsun teen = Manjusri.</li> -<li>Joo tung te teen = the Imperial Deva of Scholarly (i.e. -Confucianist) Youths.</li> -<li>San chi tsun teen = the Glory-scattering honoured Deva.</li> -<li>Mi-tseĭh-kin-kang tsun teen = the Vajra-holding honoured Deva.</li> -<li>Mo-le-che tsun teen = Maritchi.</li> -<li>Să chin jin = the True Man Să (Taouist).</li> -<li>Kŏ chin jin = the True Man Kŏ (Hang?) (Taouist).</li> -<li>Yuh te = the Jade Ruler (Taouist).</li> -<li>Chang Teen sze = the Master of Heaven Chang (Taou-ling?) (Taouist).</li> -<li>Heu chin keun = the Prince Heu (Taouist).</li> -<li>Ho-le-te-nan tsun = Hariti.</li> -<li>Yen-lo te teen = Yama.</li> -<li>Kwei tsze moo teen = the Demon Terrestrial Deva.</li> -<li>Poo-te-shoo teen = Buddhisatwa Druma.</li> -<li>Keen-lo te teen = the Firm and Strong Terrestrial Deva.</li> -<li>Mo-he-lo tsun teen = Maheshvara.</li> -<li>Kwang mŭh tsun teen = Virupaksha.</li> -<li>Tsăng chang tsun teen = Virudhaka.</li> -<li>Chĭh kwŏ tsun teen = Dhritarashtra.</li> -<li>Same as No. 8.</li> -<li>Kwan shing te teen = the God of War.</li> -<li>Te shĭh tsun teen = Buddha.</li> -<li>Ta fan tsun teen = Brahma.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_462">[Pg 462]</span></li> -<li>Tsze tung te teen = the Deva of the Tsze and Tung Trees.</li> -<li>Ta peen teen = the Great Deva of Disputation.</li> -<li>Kung tĭh tsun teen = the honoured Deva of Good Works.</li> -<li>Hoo fa tsun teen = Dharmarakshita.</li> -<li>Heuen teen shang te = The Sombre-Heaven God.</li> -<li>Pin-too-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan<span class="fnanchor" id="fna44"><a href="#fn44">[44]</a></span> Pin-too-lo.</li> -<li>Choo-cha-pwan-to-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Choo-cha-pwan-to-kea.</li> -<li>Fa-na-po-sze tsun-chay = the Arhan Fa-na-po-sze.</li> -<li>Na-kea-mow-na-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Na-kea-mow-na-lo.</li> -<li>Pwan-to-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Pwan-to-kea.</li> -<li>Fa-chay-fŭh-to-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Fa-chay-fŭh-to-lo.</li> -<li>Po to-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Po-to-lo.</li> -<li>Soo-pin-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Soo-pin-to.</li> -<li>Peen-nŏ-kea-fa-tso tsun-chay = the Arhan Peen-nŏ-kea-fa-tso.</li> -<li>Kan heen = the Watching-the-Righteous (Deity).</li> -<li>Kea-che = Kâsyapa.</li> -<li>Chay-nŏ Fŭh = the Protecting and Answering Buddha.</li> -<li>Shŭh-kea Fŭh = Sakya Buddha.</li> -<li>Pe-loo Fŭh = Vairoshana.</li> -<li>A-nan = Ananda.</li> -<li>Wăn choo = Mangusri.</li> -<li>Pin-tow-loo-to-chay tsun-chay = the Arhan Pin-tow-loo-to-chay.</li> -<li>Kea-kea-po-tĭh-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Kea-kea-po-tĭh-to.</li> -<li>Nŏ-keu-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Nŏ-keu-lo.</li> -<li>Kea-le-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Kalika.</li> -<li>Shoo-foo-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Shoo-foo-kea.</li> -<li>Lo-hoo-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Lo-hoo-lo.</li> -<li>Yin-këĕ-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Yin-këĕ-to.</li> -<li>A-she-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Asita.</li> -<li>King-yew tsun-chay = the Arhan King-yew.</li> -<li>Tă-ma tsoo sze = the Patriarch Dharma.</li> -<li>Kea-lan Poo-să = the Sam̃ghârâma Buddha.</li> -<li>Same as No. 41.</li> -<li>Kwan-yin Poo-să = Avalokites’vara.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_463">[Pg 463]</span></li> -<li>Wăn-chang te keun = the God of Literature.</li> -<li>Hoo-fă Wei-to = Veda, the Defender of the Law.</li> -<li>Tsëĕ yin Fŭh = Amita.</li> -<li>Same as No. 3.</li> -<li>Same as No. 30.</li> -<li>Same as No. 32.</li> -<li>Same as No. 31.</li> -<li>Has no name attached.</li> -<li>Shwuy ho kin kang = the Water and-Fire-Varja-(throwing Deity) [an -impossible title].</li> -</ol> - - -<p class="footnote" id="fn44"><a href="#fna44">[44]</a> <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Arhan</em>, Professor Douglas informs me, has the same -signification as the term <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">rahan</em>, used by me in the text.—J. A.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_464">[Pg 464]</span></p> - -<h3 id="APPENDIX_V">APPENDIX V.</h3> - -<p class="center p0 big"><span class="smcap">Vocabulary.</span></p> - -<table class="vocab bbox"> -<tr class="bt bb"> -<th class="tdc bl br"> -English. -</th> -<th class="tdc bl br"> -Kakhyen. -</th> -<th class="tdc bl br"> -Shan. -</th> -<th class="tdc bl br">Hotha Shan.</th><th class="tdc bl br">Leesaw.</th><th class="tdc bl br">Poloung.</th> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -One -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Langai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Loong -</td> -<td class="bl">Ta -</td> -<td class="bl">Ti -</td> -<td class="bl">Lay.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Two -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Lakong -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Song -</td> -<td class="bl">Seuk -</td> -<td class="bl">Hnuit -</td> -<td class="bl">Eh.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Three -</td> -<td class="bl">Masoam -</td> -<td class="bl">Sam</td> -<td class="bl">Soom -</td> -<td class="bl">Sa -</td> -<td class="bl">Ooay.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Four -</td> -<td class="bl">Malee -</td> -<td class="bl">Si</td> -<td class="bl">Mee -</td> -<td class="bl">Li -</td> -<td class="bl">Pone.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Five -</td> -<td class="bl">Mangah -</td> -<td class="bl">Ha</td> -<td class="bl">Ngwa -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Pohn.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Six -</td> -<td class="bl">Kroo -</td> -<td class="bl">Hoak</td> -<td class="bl">Ho -</td> -<td class="bl">Chaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Taw.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Seven -</td> -<td class="bl">Sanet -</td> -<td class="bl">Saet</td> -<td class="bl">Huit -</td> -<td class="bl">Tshe -</td> -<td class="bl">Ta.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Eight -</td> -<td class="bl">Matsat -</td> -<td class="bl">Pyet</td> -<td class="bl">Het -</td> -<td class="bl">Hay -</td> -<td class="bl">Poo.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Nine -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsikoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Kow</td> -<td class="bl">Kaow -</td> -<td class="bl">Koo -</td> -<td class="bl">Teen.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Ten -</td> -<td class="bl">Shi -</td> -<td class="bl">Sheep</td> -<td class="bl">Takkhay -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsi -</td> -<td class="bl">Kew.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Eleven -</td> -<td class="bl">Shilangai -</td> -<td class="bl">Sheepate</td> -<td class="bl">Khayta -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsili -</td> -<td class="bl">Kewlay.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Twenty -</td> -<td class="bl">Koon -</td> -<td class="bl">Sow</td> -<td class="bl">Sow -</td> -<td class="bl">Meetzee -</td> -<td class="bl">Ehkew.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Twenty-one -</td> -<td class="bl">Koonlangai -</td> -<td class="bl">Sowate</td> -<td class="bl">Sowta -</td> -<td class="bl">Meetzeeti -</td> -<td class="bl">Ehkewlay.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>One hundred -</td> -<td class="bl">Latsa -</td> -<td class="bl">Packlaing</td> -<td class="bl">Tabac -</td> -<td class="bl">Teengha -</td> -<td class="bl">Oobooyaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>One thousand -</td> -<td class="bl">Hainglangai -</td> -<td class="bl">Hainglaing</td> -<td class="bl">Tahaing -</td> -<td class="bl">Titoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Oohaing.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>I -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngai -</td> -<td class="bl">Kow</td> -<td class="bl">Ngaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Nga -</td> -<td class="bl">Ow.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>We<span class="pagenum" id="Page_465">[Pg 465]</span> -</td> -<td class="bl">Antaing -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowshoe</td> -<td class="bl">Ngawtookay -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngaeuh -</td> -<td class="bl">Nuibey.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>You -</td> -<td class="bl">Nongtaing -</td> -<td class="bl">How -</td> -<td class="bl">Kewtakah -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Ee.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>He -</td> -<td class="bl">Torawah -</td> -<td class="bl">Mung</td> -<td class="bl">Mong -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Pĕh.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Of me -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngaihome -</td> -<td class="bl">Kowlai</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Of us -</td> -<td class="bl">Antainglo -</td> -<td class="bl">Howhalai</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Of you -</td> -<td class="bl">Nangtainglo -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowsoo</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Of him -</td> -<td class="bl">Keyraiĕh -</td> -<td class="bl">Hongmyoon</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Of them -</td> -<td class="bl">Kangtengraiĕh -</td> -<td class="bl">Myonhowlai</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Above -</td> -<td class="bl">Lata -</td> -<td class="bl">Kāneh</td> -<td class="bl">Attaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Khanashee -</td> -<td class="bl">Kiggo.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Below -</td> -<td class="bl">Lawoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Kantow</td> -<td class="bl">Loongbaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Meekhya -</td> -<td class="bl">Kirroi.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Far -</td> -<td class="bl">Nowtsanai -</td> -<td class="bl">Kaiyow</td> -<td class="bl">Vaylai -</td> -<td class="bl">Oorăh -</td> -<td class="bl">Loong.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Near -</td> -<td class="bl">Aneesharengai -</td> -<td class="bl">Cowalaí</td> -<td class="bl">Neenăy -</td> -<td class="bl">Tialah -</td> -<td class="bl">Puloang.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Alone -</td> -<td class="bl">Nanaisha -</td> -<td class="bl">Yonlai</td> -<td class="bl">Notah -</td> -<td class="bl">Nwaday -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowloutsay.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Inside -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -<td class="bl">Ahhow -</td> -<td class="bl">Nagwah -</td> -<td class="bl">Kaffan.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Behind -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -<td class="bl">Noongbah -</td> -<td class="bl">Kanashee -</td> -<td class="bl">Howlaybonow.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Before -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -<td class="bl">Numram -</td> -<td class="bl">Jugushee -</td> -<td class="bl">Howlaiow.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>North -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Kaneu</td> -<td class="bl">Oobah -</td> -<td class="bl">Meegoakhew -</td> -<td class="bl">Keyroi.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>South -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Kantow</td> -<td class="bl">Meetope -</td> -<td class="bl">Wadashee -</td> -<td class="bl">Keygo.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>East -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Wanoak</td> -<td class="bl">Neekcoam -</td> -<td class="bl">Godashee -</td> -<td class="bl">Makkayroi.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>West -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Wantoak</td> -<td class="bl">Soobudaykhaybaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Loosoometsighaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsika.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Best -</td> -<td class="bl">Kajai -</td> -<td class="bl">Leesubinah</td> -<td class="bl">Makhay -</td> -<td class="bl">Magee -</td> -<td class="bl">Putzee.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Bad -</td> -<td class="bl">Inkajah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yunglee</td> -<td class="bl">Highmakhay -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Worst<span class="pagenum" id="Page_466">[Pg 466]</span> -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Toomsa inkajah</td> -<td class="bl"> -Moataykhew -</td> -<td class="bl">Highmakhayaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Oumamagee -</td> -<td class="bl">Putzee.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -High -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Tsawah</td> -<td class="bl"> -Ansoong -</td> -<td class="bl">Mahanglai -</td> -<td class="bl">Moodah -</td> -<td class="bl">Ko.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Higher -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Aykhera soongsa -</td> -<td class="bl">Soobudaymahanglaí -</td> -<td class="bl">Akkeymo -</td> -<td class="bl">Kokakai.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Highest -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Lata -</td> -<td class="bl">Soobudayma-hanglaibaw -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Hoakmureemurra.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Low -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Nemai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Tumalai -</td> -<td class="bl">Mahlawhoonlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Kula -</td> -<td class="bl">Quoikaroi.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -False -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Nangmasonai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Monlonlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Manhay -</td> -<td class="bl">Mungaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Owmow.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Fine -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Tsomai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Sanay -</td> -<td class="bl">Tomelai -</td> -<td class="bl">Byeedah -</td> -<td class="bl">Tseah.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -True -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Raiai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Lonlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Pēybaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Ghooleeaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Hawhoi.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Thin -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Kasherai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Yongmai -</td> -<td class="bl">Hyamlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Battah -</td> -<td class="bl">Mangah.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Fat -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Kubai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Peaeh -</td> -<td class="bl">Powlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsuddah -</td> -<td class="bl">Kalana.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Thick -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Tatday -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Lalai -</td> -<td class="bl">Kanlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Guadah -</td> -<td class="bl">Nakakoi.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Oily -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Toesa -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Hackaylai -</td> -<td class="bl">Kokklai -</td> -<td class="bl">Khuddah -</td> -<td class="bl">Kaiaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Pretty -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Tsomai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Hanglilai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tomelai -</td> -<td class="bl">Bheda -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsi.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Ugly -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Mabyee -</td> -<td class="bl">Putzee.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Beautiful -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Tsomai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Hanglilai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tomebaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Bheda -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsikaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Clean -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Tsomai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Senshitnai -</td> -<td class="bl">Peubaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Phaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Lweehaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Dirty -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Shoeshakai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Hangwheylai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tseetbaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Neemughoondah -</td> -<td class="bl">Highai.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Dusty -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Soodah -</td> -<td class="bl">Shenggew -</td> -<td class="bl">Peevunay.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Cheap -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Mouwai -</td> -<td class="bl">Polai -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Noodah</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Dear -</td> -<td class="bl">Matzanneh -</td> -<td class="bl">Paneh -</td> -<td class="bl">Kolai -</td> -<td class="bl">Kaddah -</td> -<td class="bl">Gnaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Rich -</td> -<td class="bl">Soneh -</td> -<td class="bl">Me-eh -</td> -<td class="bl">Chodo -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsobo -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Poor -</td> -<td class="bl">Matzaneh -</td> -<td class="bl">Panyon -</td> -<td class="bl">Panlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Saddah -</td> -<td class="bl">Anpan.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Old -</td> -<td class="bl">Toonglasa -</td> -<td class="bl">Tonalai -</td> -<td class="bl">Mungsaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsomaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Takkaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Young -</td> -<td class="bl">Kacheeai -</td> -<td class="bl">Onyou -</td> -<td class="bl">Thoay -</td> -<td class="bl">Lanew -</td> -<td class="bl">Taheelay.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Tall -</td> -<td class="bl">Sawai -</td> -<td class="bl">Soongai -</td> -<td class="bl">Mangbah -</td> -<td class="bl">Moakkaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Onyou-haw.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Little -</td> -<td class="bl">Indehkacheeai -</td> -<td class="bl">Onzalai -</td> -<td class="bl">Asaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Wablaneu -</td> -<td class="bl">Konou.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Small -</td> -<td class="bl">Kacheecheeai -</td> -<td class="bl">Onzeesee -</td> -<td class="bl">Moonmoonsaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Runurraw -</td> -<td class="bl">Konlay-lay.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_467">[Pg 467]</span></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Big -</td> -<td class="bl">Kubai -</td> -<td class="bl">Yanalai -</td> -<td class="bl">Khuybaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Woodaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Langhaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Tight -</td> -<td class="bl">Teetai -</td> -<td class="bl">Kapai -</td> -<td class="bl">Shinglai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsodah -</td> -<td class="bl">Pakkaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Wide -</td> -<td class="bl">Koocabai -</td> -<td class="bl">Quangai -</td> -<td class="bl">Quanglabaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Haydaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Loomhaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Close -</td> -<td class="bl">Meesa -</td> -<td class="bl">Kowai -</td> -<td class="bl">Naygawsabaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Thyeedaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Chamhaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Painful -</td> -<td class="bl">Matzeeai -</td> -<td class="bl">Sipai -</td> -<td class="bl">Atoohenlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Goodoonnuddah -</td> -<td class="bl">Toeowsayowlow.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Pleasant -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneelawkaybaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Teeanaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Khyenhaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Red -</td> -<td class="bl">Khrenai -</td> -<td class="bl">Aneng -</td> -<td class="bl">Omnah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeenee -</td> -<td class="bl">Yow.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Yellow -</td> -<td class="bl">Somai -</td> -<td class="bl">Anaing -</td> -<td class="bl">Aloom -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeeshee -</td> -<td class="bl">Eela.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Green -</td> -<td class="bl">Chitai -</td> -<td class="bl">Anhew -</td> -<td class="bl">Akkew -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeneetshee -</td> -<td class="bl">Eevong.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Blue -</td> -<td class="bl">Chitai -</td> -<td class="bl">Anpyah -</td> -<td class="bl">Amyauh -</td> -<td class="bl">Lasay -</td> -<td class="bl">Lenay.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Orange -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Aloongasaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Attew -</td> -<td class="bl">Quonlaylay.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Black -</td> -<td class="bl">Changai -</td> -<td class="bl">Anam -</td> -<td class="bl">Annaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeenah -</td> -<td class="bl">Eewong.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -White -</td> -<td class="bl">Prongai -</td> -<td class="bl">Angpuck -</td> -<td class="bl">Appew -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeepoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Eelooee.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Hand -</td> -<td class="bl">Lata -</td> -<td class="bl">Mew -</td> -<td class="bl">Taw -</td> -<td class="bl">Lapah -</td> -<td class="bl">Tai. -</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Foot -</td> -<td class="bl">Lagong kheytai -</td> -<td class="bl">Ting -</td> -<td class="bl">Hkay -</td> -<td class="bl">Khaypah -</td> -<td class="bl">Ronaw.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Nose -</td> -<td class="bl">Indee -</td> -<td class="bl">Hunglan -</td> -<td class="bl">Nayhong -</td> -<td class="bl">Nahbay -</td> -<td class="bl">Koorookmoo.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Eye -</td> -<td class="bl">Me -</td> -<td class="bl">Waydah -</td> -<td class="bl">Knoydzee -</td> -<td class="bl">Myetzoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Nigh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Mouth -</td> -<td class="bl">Iucoop -</td> -<td class="bl">Soap -</td> -<td class="bl">Myoot -</td> -<td class="bl">Malay -</td> -<td class="bl">Moay.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Tooth -</td> -<td class="bl">Wa -</td> -<td class="bl">Shew -</td> -<td class="bl">Khoway -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsitshee -</td> -<td class="bl">Shang.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_468">[Pg 468]</span></td></tr> -<tr><td>Ear -</td> -<td class="bl">Na -</td> -<td class="bl">Mayloho -</td> -<td class="bl">Neeshaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Nabaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Choak.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Hair -</td> -<td class="bl">Karah -</td> -<td class="bl">Hoonhoẃ -</td> -<td class="bl">Oo -</td> -<td class="bl">Oochay -</td> -<td class="bl">Heuckhyn.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Head -</td> -<td class="bl">Pong -</td> -<td class="bl">Ho -</td> -<td class="bl">Owgong -</td> -<td class="bl">Oodew -</td> -<td class="bl">Khyn.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Tongue -</td> -<td class="bl">Shinglet -</td> -<td class="bl">Lin -</td> -<td class="bl">Whaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Latchay -</td> -<td class="bl">Latah.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Belly -</td> -<td class="bl">Khan -</td> -<td class="bl">Tong -</td> -<td class="bl">Oondow -</td> -<td class="bl">Hickhay -</td> -<td class="bl">Vot.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Rock -</td> -<td class="bl">Shemah -</td> -<td class="bl">Lung -</td> -<td class="bl">Wholoong -</td> -<td class="bl">Kamah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yahow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Iron -</td> -<td class="bl">Phee -</td> -<td class="bl">Lĕh -</td> -<td class="bl">Shan -</td> -<td class="bl">Hhew -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsigh.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Gold -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsa -</td> -<td class="bl">Hum -</td> -<td class="bl">Say -</td> -<td class="bl">Keypah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yoang.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Silver -</td> -<td class="bl">Comprong -</td> -<td class="bl">Goom -</td> -<td class="bl">Noway -</td> -<td class="bl">Poo -</td> -<td class="bl">Reun.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Copper -</td> -<td class="bl">Makree -</td> -<td class="bl">Tong -</td> -<td class="bl">Toangwah -</td> -<td class="bl">Gishshee -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Lead -</td> -<td class="bl">Masoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Chun -</td> -<td class="bl">Keway -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsew -</td> -<td class="bl">Pachat.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Tin -</td> -<td class="bl">Pheyprong -</td> -<td class="bl">Laypuck -</td> -<td class="bl">Shanphew -</td> -<td class="bl">Hoepew -</td> -<td class="bl">Leckleway.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Brass -</td> -<td class="bl">Makree -</td> -<td class="bl">Tonglung -</td> -<td class="bl">Tungpur -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeguw -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Earth -</td> -<td class="bl">Kah -</td> -<td class="bl">Lunglean -</td> -<td class="bl">Me -</td> -<td class="bl">Nayhew -</td> -<td class="bl">Katai.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Father -</td> -<td class="bl">Kowah -</td> -<td class="bl">Paw -</td> -<td class="bl">Apaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Baba -</td> -<td class="bl">Koon.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Mother -</td> -<td class="bl">Gnoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Ma -</td> -<td class="bl">Aggah -</td> -<td class="bl">Mama -</td> -<td class="bl">Ma.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Brother -</td> -<td class="bl">Apoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsailoong -</td> -<td class="bl">Among -</td> -<td class="bl">Aiyee -</td> -<td class="bl">Peeow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Sister -</td> -<td class="bl">Mongsow -</td> -<td class="bl">Nongsow -</td> -<td class="bl">Ham -</td> -<td class="bl">Mala -</td> -<td class="bl">Peenangow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Man -</td> -<td class="bl">Chingpaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Khoon -</td> -<td class="bl">Chow -</td> -<td class="bl">Latchoe -</td> -<td class="bl">Taee.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Woman -</td> -<td class="bl">Noom -</td> -<td class="bl">Pahying -</td> -<td class="bl">Inggnaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Lamurah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeban.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Wife -</td> -<td class="bl">Mashanoom -</td> -<td class="bl">Meh -</td> -<td class="bl">Aymaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Lameuh -</td> -<td class="bl">Peeow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Child -</td> -<td class="bl">Mang -</td> -<td class="bl">Laon -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsoee -</td> -<td class="bl">Lunay -</td> -<td class="bl">Yebanay.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_469">[Pg 469]</span></td></tr> -<tr><td>Son -</td> -<td class="bl">Kashah -</td> -<td class="bl">Look -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsalooalisa -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsobahla -</td> -<td class="bl">Eemeilay.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Daughter -</td> -<td class="bl">Mawhonkashah -</td> -<td class="bl">Looksow -</td> -<td class="bl">Eengnawsa -</td> -<td class="bl">Lameungla -</td> -<td class="bl">Eebanay.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Slave -</td> -<td class="bl">Kashahpyeelai -</td> -<td class="bl">Loogyonow -</td> -<td class="bl">Khyun -</td> -<td class="bl">Chobah -</td> -<td class="bl">Myeh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Cultivator -</td> -<td class="bl">Toangnaiai -</td> -<td class="bl">Toangla -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Shepherd -</td> -<td class="bl">Peinamremai -</td> -<td class="bl">Sowpalingpeh -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Hunter -</td> -<td class="bl">Mounwhomai -</td> -<td class="bl">Sowmonso -</td> -<td class="bl">Muso -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>God -</td> -<td class="bl">Shingrawah -</td> -<td class="bl">Sowpara -</td> -<td class="bl">Oorah -</td> -<td class="bl">Whŏo -</td> -<td class="bl">Chuprah.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Devil -</td> -<td class="bl">Nateabai -</td> -<td class="bl">Peahighloong -</td> -<td class="bl">Tam -</td> -<td class="bl">Gnay -</td> -<td class="bl">Canom.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Sun -</td> -<td class="bl">San -</td> -<td class="bl">Wan -</td> -<td class="bl">Poee -</td> -<td class="bl">Neemee -</td> -<td class="bl">Lata.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Moon -</td> -<td class="bl">Ladah -</td> -<td class="bl">Lhun -</td> -<td class="bl">Pulaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Habackhee -</td> -<td class="bl">Takkew.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Star -</td> -<td class="bl">Lagree -</td> -<td class="bl">Laow -</td> -<td class="bl">Khew -</td> -<td class="bl">Coosah -</td> -<td class="bl">Law.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Fire -</td> -<td class="bl">Wan -</td> -<td class="bl">Phai -</td> -<td class="bl">Poee -</td> -<td class="bl">Attaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Nigh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Water -</td> -<td class="bl">Intzin -</td> -<td class="bl">Nam -</td> -<td class="bl">Tea -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeghaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Em.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>House -</td> -<td class="bl">Indah -</td> -<td class="bl">Huhn -</td> -<td class="bl">Een -</td> -<td class="bl">Ghnee -</td> -<td class="bl">Krep.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Horse -</td> -<td class="bl">Comerang -</td> -<td class="bl">Māh -</td> -<td class="bl">Mang -</td> -<td class="bl">Amho -</td> -<td class="bl">Myong.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Cow -</td> -<td class="bl">Toomsoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Bow -</td> -<td class="bl">Nochoanatsaing -</td> -<td class="bl">Anyemah -</td> -<td class="bl">Muckamah.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_470">[Pg 470]</span></td></tr> -<tr><td>Dog -</td> -<td class="bl">Quhay -</td> -<td class="bl">Mah -</td> -<td class="bl">Quhoee -</td> -<td class="bl">Annah -</td> -<td class="bl">Sŏw.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Cat -</td> -<td class="bl">Ningyoueh -</td> -<td class="bl">Myew -</td> -<td class="bl">Kollaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Urrah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yewh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Cock -</td> -<td class="bl">Oorang -</td> -<td class="bl">Kiephoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Capaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Urupah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yehcrow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Duck -</td> -<td class="bl">Oopyaet -</td> -<td class="bl">Pyet -</td> -<td class="bl">Pāy -</td> -<td class="bl">Ah -</td> -<td class="bl">Pyet.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Ass -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Mahlee -</td> -<td class="bl">Khyamyeh -</td> -<td class="bl">Myonglee.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Bird -</td> -<td class="bl">Nhoopyen -</td> -<td class="bl">Loak -</td> -<td class="bl">Ghnaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Nga -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Mule -</td> -<td class="bl">Latsayla -</td> -<td class="bl">Mālaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Mālaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Teemee -</td> -<td class="bl">Tolelaw.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Bamboo -</td> -<td class="bl">Kawah -</td> -<td class="bl">Myēh -</td> -<td class="bl">Chewgen -</td> -<td class="bl">Wahmah -</td> -<td class="bl">Khyang.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Stone -</td> -<td class="bl">Loong -</td> -<td class="bl">Heen -</td> -<td class="bl">Leekaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Takhee -</td> -<td class="bl">Maou.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Elephant -</td> -<td class="bl">Maguay -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsang -</td> -<td class="bl">Khyang -</td> -<td class="bl">Hamāh -</td> -<td class="bl">Chang.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Buffalo -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngā -</td> -<td class="bl">Why -</td> -<td class="bl">Noloway -</td> -<td class="bl">Annaga -</td> -<td class="bl">Kha.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Flea -</td> -<td class="bl">Wahkaree -</td> -<td class="bl">Mat -</td> -<td class="bl">Ghlu -</td> -<td class="bl">Catteuh -</td> -<td class="bl">Khang.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Louse (body) -</td> -<td class="bl">Sakhep -</td> -<td class="bl">Mien -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Chinutah -</td> -<td class="bl">Oo.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Louse (head) -</td> -<td class="bl">Chee -</td> -<td class="bl">How -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Deer -</td> -<td class="bl">Po -</td> -<td class="bl">Pangdai -</td> -<td class="bl">Twing -</td> -<td class="bl">Myloo -</td> -<td class="bl">Ahjaw.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Goat -</td> -<td class="bl">Painam -</td> -<td class="bl">Pay-yah -</td> -<td class="bl">Pa -</td> -<td class="bl">Utchee -</td> -<td class="bl">Mēh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Sulphur -</td> -<td class="bl">Khan -</td> -<td class="bl">Khan -</td> -<td class="bl">Khanteuk -</td> -<td class="bl">Khang -</td> -<td class="bl">Khan.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Salt -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsoom -</td> -<td class="bl">Khu -</td> -<td class="bl">Khaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsabow -</td> -<td class="bl">Sĕh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Sugar -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsantang -</td> -<td class="bl">Khuwan -</td> -<td class="bl">Saow -</td> -<td class="bl">Shantah -</td> -<td class="bl">Mahmoilooay.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Milk -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Loam -</td> -<td class="bl">Nonow -</td> -<td class="bl">Atchee -</td> -<td class="bl">Emboo.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Sheep -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Toe -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Atchumew -</td> -<td class="bl">Atchaw.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Turban -</td> -<td class="bl">Poonkaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Khynhoe -</td> -<td class="bl">Wootoop -</td> -<td class="bl">Wootew -</td> -<td class="bl">Kameh.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_471">[Pg 471]</span></td></tr> -<tr><td>Jacket -</td> -<td class="bl">Polong -</td> -<td class="bl">Seu -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsay -</td> -<td class="bl">Bucheu -</td> -<td class="bl">Kayeup.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Trousers -</td> -<td class="bl">Teboo -</td> -<td class="bl">Pa -</td> -<td class="bl">Ghlaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Meekee -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Woman’s Jacket -</td> -<td class="bl">Polong -</td> -<td class="bl">Sou -</td> -<td class="bl">Eenawtsay -</td> -<td class="bl">Samen buchee -</td> -<td class="bl">Kayeup yebaw.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Woman’s Turban -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Klynhoe -</td> -<td class="bl">Eenaw ootoop -</td> -<td class="bl">Samen wootew -</td> -<td class="bl">Kameh yebaw.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Petticoat -</td> -<td class="bl">Soomboo -</td> -<td class="bl">Shin -</td> -<td class="bl">Eenaw tungaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Meekyee -</td> -<td class="bl">Kalang yebaw.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Shoes -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Whyepteen -</td> -<td class="bl">Khyapteen -</td> -<td class="bl">Khynee -</td> -<td class="bl">Khypteen.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Earring -</td> -<td class="bl">Lakan -</td> -<td class="bl">Pehwho -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneechaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Knockaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Paywhoo.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Rice -</td> -<td class="bl">Shat -</td> -<td class="bl">How -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsen -</td> -<td class="bl">Dthapoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Lakow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Opium -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeepyen -</td> -<td class="bl">Phey -</td> -<td class="bl">Yappingyen -</td> -<td class="bl">Yappay -</td> -<td class="bl">Yapping.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Serpent -</td> -<td class="bl">Laboo -</td> -<td class="bl">Moo -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowee -</td> -<td class="bl">Who -</td> -<td class="bl">Hhan.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Frog -</td> -<td class="bl">Shoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Koap -</td> -<td class="bl">Pāw -</td> -<td class="bl">Oopah -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Grass -</td> -<td class="bl">Nam -</td> -<td class="bl">Yāh -</td> -<td class="bl">Sieaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Shi -</td> -<td class="bl">Mat.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Tree -</td> -<td class="bl">Poonsaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Tonemai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsidsaing -</td> -<td class="bl">Shidzee -</td> -<td class="bl">Hoi.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Leaf -</td> -<td class="bl">Poonlap -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowmai -</td> -<td class="bl">Skihow -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsibeeyah -</td> -<td class="bl">Phooan.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Wood -</td> -<td class="bl">Poon -</td> -<td class="bl">Mytsing -</td> -<td class="bl">Shake -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsidzee -</td> -<td class="bl">Hoi.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Fish -</td> -<td class="bl">Nga -</td> -<td class="bl">Pa -</td> -<td class="bl">Mushaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngwa -</td> -<td class="bl">Kā.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Cold -</td> -<td class="bl">Kachee -</td> -<td class="bl">Kat -</td> -<td class="bl">Kamlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Gyaddah -</td> -<td class="bl">Kaw.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Warm -</td> -<td class="bl">Katetai -</td> -<td class="bl">Oonai -</td> -<td class="bl">Poolai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsaddah -</td> -<td class="bl">Myahcaeeai.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Ice -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsin -</td> -<td class="bl">Ghonlam -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..<span class="pagenum" id="Page_472">[Pg 472]</span></td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Snow -</td> -<td class="bl">Khen -</td> -<td class="bl">Lie -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Rain -</td> -<td class="bl">Marangto -</td> -<td class="bl">Phoontoak -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowrowbaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Mahă -</td> -<td class="bl">Qnoi.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Wind -</td> -<td class="bl">Umboong -</td> -<td class="bl">Loom -</td> -<td class="bl">Ghli -</td> -<td class="bl">Mayhee -</td> -<td class="bl">Koo.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Thunder -</td> -<td class="bl">Mahmoomooai -</td> -<td class="bl">Phasowai -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowrow -</td> -<td class="bl">Mooggoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Polong.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Lightning -</td> -<td class="bl">Meeprap -</td> -<td class="bl">Phamypai -</td> -<td class="bl">Shapmyng -</td> -<td class="bl">Bhyyeh -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Sky -</td> -<td class="bl">Moo -</td> -<td class="bl">Bhă -</td> -<td class="bl">Annyow -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneerueetchee -</td> -<td class="bl">La.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Day -</td> -<td class="bl">Sheenee -</td> -<td class="bl">Khangwan -</td> -<td class="bl">Knee -</td> -<td class="bl">Myeemalaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsungai.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Night -</td> -<td class="bl">Shenah -</td> -<td class="bl">Khanghŭm -</td> -<td class="bl">Tmoot -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeetah -</td> -<td class="bl">Keisin.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Light -</td> -<td class="bl">Shenee -</td> -<td class="bl">Phalaing -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowbowbaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneeowmah -</td> -<td class="bl">Qneh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Darkness -</td> -<td class="bl">Insin -</td> -<td class="bl">Lapsing -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowchootbaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Nayaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsaymawchoak.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Cloud -</td> -<td class="bl">Soomoay -</td> -<td class="bl">Moay -</td> -<td class="bl">Hangeen -</td> -<td class="bl">Mookoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Mok.</td></tr> -<tr><td>River -</td> -<td class="bl">Mereeha -</td> -<td class="bl">Lamkew -</td> -<td class="bl">Kaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeegyah -</td> -<td class="bl">Emhongfie.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Hill -</td> -<td class="bl">Boom -</td> -<td class="bl">Loiloo -</td> -<td class="bl">Boom -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneekee -</td> -<td class="bl">Panang.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Insect -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Pieta -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Biddee</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_473">[Pg 473]</span></td></tr> -<tr><td>Heart -</td> -<td class="bl">Mashin -</td> -<td class="bl">Hosow -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">See -</td> -<td class="bl">Hogiow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Go -</td> -<td class="bl">Samo -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Kawda</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Eat -</td> -<td class="bl">Shamo -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneeah</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td></tr> -<tr><td>Sit -</td> -<td class="bl">Domo -</td> -<td class="bl">Laugda -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneesh -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Come -</td> -<td class="bl">Wamo -</td> -<td class="bl">Mada -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">La -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Beat -</td> -<td class="bl">Tookmo -</td> -<td class="bl">Tainda -</td> -<td class="bl">Tayda -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Stand -</td> -<td class="bl">Rotmo -</td> -<td class="bl">Lookda -</td> -<td class="bl">Yapda -</td> -<td class="bl">Hatesa</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td></tr> -<tr><td>Lie -</td> -<td class="bl">Karengmo -</td> -<td class="bl">Einlengda -</td> -<td class="bl">Ayda -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeeta -</td> -<td class="bl">Ee.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Die -</td> -<td class="bl">Seesa -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Call -</td> -<td class="bl">Shegah -</td> -<td class="bl">Ma -</td> -<td class="bl">Lawah -</td> -<td class="bl">Kooyay -</td> -<td class="bl">Tayau.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Throw -</td> -<td class="bl">Shedeng -</td> -<td class="bl">Tim -</td> -<td class="bl">Koondah -</td> -<td class="bl">Law -</td> -<td class="bl">Vuneh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Drop -</td> -<td class="bl">Hatsa -</td> -<td class="bl">Toak -</td> -<td class="bl">Tahyoudab -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsayloho yeuk -</td> -<td class="bl">Oonsayau.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Place -</td> -<td class="bl">Sherah -</td> -<td class="bl">Teayou -</td> -<td class="bl">Anhedah -</td> -<td class="bl">Takyah</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Lift -</td> -<td class="bl">Ta -</td> -<td class="bl">Yōng -</td> -<td class="bl">Koobawdah -</td> -<td class="bl">Qnaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Tayan.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_474">[Pg 474]</span></td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Pull -</td> -<td class="bl">Rung -</td> -<td class="bl">Teat -</td> -<td class="bl">Shãybawdah -</td> -<td class="bl">Gho -</td> -<td class="bl">Tutanlaybeneen.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Smoke -</td> -<td class="bl">Loo -</td> -<td class="bl">Lŭt -</td> -<td class="bl">Gnawsheubawdah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yehbeckshe -</td> -<td class="bl">Owkynowkuloak.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Love -</td> -<td class="bl">Nheyrai -</td> -<td class="bl">Hachlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Nawnoilawdah -</td> -<td class="bl">Nguanah -</td> -<td class="bl">Owingau.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Hate -</td> -<td class="bl">Neimcome -</td> -<td class="bl">Hhanhau -</td> -<td class="bl">Cachencachaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneemahandau -</td> -<td class="bl">Owchungkakai.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>What is your name? -</td> -<td class="bl">Nung meing ganging sagaieh -</td> -<td class="bl">Nong day pay cainay -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>How old is this horse? -</td> -<td class="bl">Daiee comerang kadeh tinglaeh goon -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Myang honehyay mang laybounay -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>I do not know -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngai inchengai -</td> -<td class="bl">Cow mhahow shay -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngaw masa -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>How far is it to Sanda? -</td> -<td class="bl">Sanda mying kadeh sanai -</td> -<td class="bl">Muang Sanda kai halow -</td> -<td class="bl">Chanda quhonhay wenenay -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>It is a journey of one day -</td> -<td class="bl">Intwey langai toosa -</td> -<td class="bl">Lam wan qua tenglai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tanyen samhet tah -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .</td></tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_475">[Pg 475]</span></p> - -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst"><h2 class="nobreak" id="INDEX">INDEX</h2></li> -</ul> - -</div> - - -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Agriculture:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Kakhyen, <a href="#Page_129">129</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Shan, <a href="#Page_299">299</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">Alekyoung, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">Amulets, <a href="#Page_409">409</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">Ashan, <a href="#Page_316">316</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">Attack on mission of 1868, <a href="#Page_167">167</a>, <a href="#Page_185">185</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">Attack on mission of 1875, <a href="#Page_429">429</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst"><span id="bhamo">Bhamô:—</span></li> -<li class="isuba">Early notices, <a href="#Page_5">5</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Town, <a href="#Page_41">41</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Old, <a href="#Page_69">69</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Chinese, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>, <a href="#Page_337">337</a>, <a href="#Page_377">377</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">British Residency, <a href="#Page_333">333</a>, <a href="#Page_362">362</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">Burma, king of, <a href="#Page_335">335</a>, <a href="#Page_347">347</a>, <a href="#Page_357">357</a>, <a href="#Page_359">359</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">Burmese—</li> -<li class="isuba">Treaty, <a href="#Page_6">6</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Costume, <a href="#Page_10">10</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Pooay, <a href="#Page_352">352</a>, <a href="#Page_379">379</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Sabbath, <a href="#Page_378">378</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Bells, <a href="#Page_455">455</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Frontier guard-houses, <a href="#Page_336">336</a>, <a href="#Page_413">413</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Chalktaw river, <a href="#Page_263">263</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Chang-see, <a href="#Page_344">344</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Chinese—</li> -<li class="isuba">Frontiers, <a href="#Page_80">80</a>, <a href="#Page_318">318</a>, <a href="#Page_416">416</a>, <a href="#Page_441">441</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Plays, <a href="#Page_198">198</a>, <a href="#Page_372">372</a></li> -<li class="isuba">The, of Bhamô, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>, <a href="#Page_377">377</a></li> -<li class="isuba">The, of Mandalay, <a href="#Page_454">454</a></li> -<li class="isuba">The, of Manwyne, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>, <a href="#Page_268">268</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Chinese Shans, <a href="#Page_285">285</a>, <a href="#Page_293">293</a>, <a href="#Page_374">374</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Chowkyoung, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Climate of Bhamô, <a href="#Page_40">40</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Climate of Momien, <a href="#Page_206">206</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Coal mines, <a href="#Page_25">25</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Deebay mountains, <a href="#Page_187">187</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Divination, <a href="#Page_79">79</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Dolphins, <a href="#Page_395">395</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Eclipse of the sun, 1868, <a href="#Page_308">308</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Elias’, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr>, journey to Muangmow, <a href="#Page_440">440</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Fish, sacred, <a href="#Page_24">24</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Fishes of the Irawady, <a href="#Page_29">29</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Forged royal letter, <a href="#Page_447">447</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">French expedition, the, <a href="#Page_238">238</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Gaudama, footprints of, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_263">263</a>, <a href="#Page_264">264</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_476">[Pg 476]</span></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Hantin, <a href="#Page_412">412</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hawshuenshan, <a href="#Page_186">186</a>, <a href="#Page_213">213</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hentha, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>, <a href="#Page_412">412</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hlepét, <a href="#Page_15">15</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hoetone, <a href="#Page_321">321</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Horse worship, <a href="#Page_309">309</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hot springs of Nantin, <a href="#Page_182">182</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hot springs of Sanda, <a href="#Page_262">262</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hotha:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Valley of, <a href="#Page_244">244</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Town, <a href="#Page_279">279</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Old, <a href="#Page_303">303</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Chief of, <a href="#Page_176">176</a>, <a href="#Page_280">280</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hteezeh, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Irawady:—</li> -<li class="isuba">First defile of, <a href="#Page_36">36</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Second defile of, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_452">452</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Third defile of, <a href="#Page_23">23</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Steamers on, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>, <a href="#Page_335">335</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Dolphins of, <a href="#Page_395">395</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Fishes, <a href="#Page_29">29</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Jade manufacture, <a href="#Page_201">201</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Kabyuet, <a href="#Page_25">25</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kad-doung mountain, <a href="#Page_316">316</a>, <a href="#Page_326">326</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kakhyen hills, <a href="#Page_67">67</a>, <a href="#Page_315">315</a>, <a href="#Page_369">369</a>, <a href="#Page_402">402</a>, <a href="#Page_413">413</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kakhyens, <a href="#Page_32">32</a>, <a href="#Page_45">45</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Manners and customs of, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>-<a href="#Page_150">150</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Deities of, <a href="#Page_457">457</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Language of, <a href="#Page_464">464</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kambanee, <a href="#Page_405">405</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst"><span id="kakhyen">Kara Kakhyens</span>, <a href="#Page_440">440</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Karahokah, <a href="#Page_167">167</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Katha, <a href="#Page_31">31</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kaungtoung, <a href="#Page_35">35</a>, <a href="#Page_447">447</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kethung, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Khanloung Kakhyens, <a href="#Page_439">439</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Khyan-Nhyat, <a href="#Page_26">26</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Khyto, <a href="#Page_244">244</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kingdoung, <a href="#Page_157">157</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kowlie Kakhyens, <a href="#Page_126">126</a>, <a href="#Page_434">434</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kuttha, <a href="#Page_48">48</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kwotloon, <a href="#Page_441">441</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Lakone Kakhyens, <a href="#Page_126">126</a>, <a href="#Page_434">434</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Lakong mountain, <a href="#Page_85">85</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Lankon, <a href="#Page_414">414</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Lasee, <a href="#Page_317">317</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Latha, <a href="#Page_314">314</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Lay-myo, <a href="#Page_344">344</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Leesaws or Leisus, <a href="#Page_257">257</a>, <a href="#Page_265">265</a>, <a href="#Page_276">276</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Lenna Kakhyens, <a href="#Page_440">440</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Li-sieh-tai, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_338">338</a>, <a href="#Page_368">368</a>, <a href="#Page_442">442</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Loayline, <a href="#Page_320">320</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Loaylone, <a href="#Page_318">318</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst"><span id="mahom">Mahommedans</span>, Chinese:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Origin of, <a href="#Page_224">224</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Revolt of, <a href="#Page_233">233</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Conquest of, <a href="#Page_338">338</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Makouk, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Malé, <a href="#Page_3">3</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Maloolah, <a href="#Page_4">4</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Mandalay, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>, <a href="#Page_351">351</a>, <a href="#Page_358">358</a>, <a href="#Page_453">453</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_477">[Pg 477]</span></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Manhleo, <a href="#Page_256">256</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Manloi, <a href="#Page_279">279</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Manloung lake, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>, <a href="#Page_399">399</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Mansay, <a href="#Page_374">374</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Mantai, <a href="#Page_323">323</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Manwyne, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>, <a href="#Page_268">268</a>, <a href="#Page_368">368</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Margary, A. R.:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Overland journey of, <a href="#Page_365">365</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Murder of, <a href="#Page_429">429</a>, <a href="#Page_449">449</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Mattin, <a href="#Page_320">320</a>, <a href="#Page_446">446</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Mawphoo, <a href="#Page_177">177</a>, <a href="#Page_252">252</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Mengoon, <a href="#Page_18">18</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Mentone, <a href="#Page_16">16</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Molay river, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>, <a href="#Page_256">256</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Momeit, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst"><span id="momien">Momien:—</span></li> -<li class="isuba">Valley of, <a href="#Page_187">187</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Town of, <a href="#Page_190">190</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Capture of, <a href="#Page_343">343</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Momouk, <a href="#Page_322">322</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Moonam river, <a href="#Page_414">414</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muang-gan, <a href="#Page_157">157</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangkak, Shan state, <a href="#Page_375">375</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangkha river, <a href="#Page_318">318</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangkwan, <a href="#Page_375">375</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangla, <a href="#Page_173">173</a>, <a href="#Page_253">253</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muanglong, <a href="#Page_346">346</a>, <a href="#Page_374">374</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangmow, <a href="#Page_374">374</a>, <a href="#Page_442">442</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangtee, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>, <a href="#Page_252">252</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangtha, <a href="#Page_289">289</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangwan, <a href="#Page_311">311</a>, <a href="#Page_327">327</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangwye, <a href="#Page_317">317</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Myadoung, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>, <a href="#Page_361">361</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Myait-loung hills, <a href="#Page_19">19</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Myit-ngé river, <a href="#Page_16">16</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Namboke, <a href="#Page_315">315</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Namkai, <a href="#Page_441">441</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Namkhan, <a href="#Page_375">375</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Nampoung river, <a href="#Page_80">80</a>, <a href="#Page_416">416</a>, <a href="#Page_421">421</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Namsa river, <a href="#Page_276">276</a>, <a href="#Page_314">314</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Namthabet river, <a href="#Page_324">324</a>, <a href="#Page_344">344</a>, <a href="#Page_403">403</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Namwan river, <a href="#Page_441">441</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Nantin, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>, <a href="#Page_250">250</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Nantin valley, <a href="#Page_182">182</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Nats:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Sacrifice to, <a href="#Page_329">329</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Shan fear of, <a href="#Page_260">260</a>, <a href="#Page_308">308</a></li> -<li class="isuba"><em>See</em> <a href="#kakhyen">Kakhyens</a>.</li> - -<li class="ifrst">Nattoung hills, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Opium, <a href="#Page_135">135</a>, <a href="#Page_300">300</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Overland trade, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>, <a href="#Page_335">335</a>, <a href="#Page_391">391</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Pagan, Old, <a href="#Page_28">28</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Pagoda:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Seebyo, <a href="#Page_18">18</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Stone, <a href="#Page_23">23</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Votive, <a href="#Page_52">52</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Yethaycoo, Sessoungan, <a href="#Page_34">34</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Pagodas:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Shuaybaw, <a href="#Page_33">33</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Shuaykeenah, <a href="#Page_51">51</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Hotha, <a href="#Page_310">310</a>, <a href="#Page_380">380</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Paloungto, <a href="#Page_441">441</a>, <a href="#Page_442">442</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Paloungto chief, <a href="#Page_384">384</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Pamkan, <a href="#Page_441">441</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Panthays, <em>see</em> <a href="#mahom">Mahommedans</a>.</li> - -<li class="ifrst">Payto, <a href="#Page_413">413</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Peetah, <a href="#Page_440">440</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Phonkan, <a href="#Page_327">327</a>, <a href="#Page_387">387</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Ponline, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>, <a href="#Page_414">414</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Ponline chief, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>, <a href="#Page_87">87</a>, <a href="#Page_405">405</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Pong, <a href="#Page_286">286</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Ponsee, <a href="#Page_85">85</a>, <a href="#Page_316">316</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_478">[Pg 478]</span></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Ponwah, <a href="#Page_422">422</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Potatoes, <a href="#Page_209">209</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Queyloon, <a href="#Page_394">394</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">River steamers, <a href="#Page_359">359</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">River terraces, <a href="#Page_182">182</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Routes (<em>see</em> <a href="#map">Map</a>):—</li> -<li class="isuba">Theinnee, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_16">16</a>, <a href="#Page_347">347</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Shuaylee, <a href="#Page_35">35</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Ancient, <a href="#Page_4">4</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Embassy, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_250">250</a>, <a href="#Page_319">319</a>, <a href="#Page_373">373</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Sawady, <a href="#Page_374">374</a>, <a href="#Page_390">390</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Ponline, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>, <a href="#Page_393">393</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Sprye’s, <a href="#Page_2">2</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Sanda:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Town, <a href="#Page_168">168</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Valley, <a href="#Page_255">255</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Temples, <a href="#Page_259">259</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Sawady, <a href="#Page_35">35</a>, <a href="#Page_383">383</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Sehfan, <a href="#Page_374">374</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Seray, <a href="#Page_425">425</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Seray chief, <a href="#Page_98">98</a>, <a href="#Page_419">419</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst"><span id="shan">Shan—</span></li> -<li class="isuba">States, <a href="#Page_286">286</a></li> -<li class="isuba">People, <a href="#Page_287">287</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Manners and customs, <a href="#Page_288">288</a>-<a href="#Page_300">300</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Buddhism, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>, <a href="#Page_306">306</a>, <a href="#Page_308">308</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Sheroo, <a href="#Page_138">138</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shienpagah, <a href="#Page_21">21</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shitee Meru, <a href="#Page_316">316</a>, <a href="#Page_420">420</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shuaybaw, <a href="#Page_33">33</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shuayduay, <a href="#Page_210">210</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shuaygoo, <a href="#Page_32">32</a>, <a href="#Page_361">361</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shuaykeenah, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>, <a href="#Page_381">381</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shuaylee river, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>, <a href="#Page_345">345</a>, <a href="#Page_374">374</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shuay-mein-toung hills, <a href="#Page_29">29</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shuemuelong mountains, <a href="#Page_177">177</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Silver currency, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>, <a href="#Page_377">377</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Silver mines, <a href="#Page_105">105</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Singnew, <a href="#Page_413">413</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Singpho, <em>see</em> <a href="#kakhyen">Kakhyens</a>.</li> - -<li class="ifrst">Stone celts, <a href="#Page_204">204</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Tagoung, <a href="#Page_27">27</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tagoung-toung-daw hills, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tahmeylon, <a href="#Page_398">398</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Taho river, <a href="#Page_172">172</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Suspension bridge, <a href="#Page_178">178</a>, <a href="#Page_252">252</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Fall of, <a href="#Page_208">208</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tai, <em>see</em> <a href="#shan">Shans</a>.</li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tali-fu, <a href="#Page_235">235</a>, <a href="#Page_367">367</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tali-fu, capture of, <a href="#Page_341">341</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Talone, <a href="#Page_71">71</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tapeng river, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>, <a href="#Page_394">394</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Gorge of, <a href="#Page_324">324</a>, <a href="#Page_404">404</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Valley of, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>, <a href="#Page_272">272</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Source of, <a href="#Page_175">175</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Floods of, <a href="#Page_270">270</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tayshan mountains, <a href="#Page_187">187</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Teng-yue-chow, <em>see</em> <a href="#momien">Momien</a>.</li> - -<li class="ifrst">Theehadaw, <a href="#Page_23">23</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Thigyain, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Thingadaw, <a href="#Page_24">24</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Thubyo-budo hills, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Trade:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Burma and China, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_335">335</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Of Rangoon, <a href="#Page_1">1</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Of Momien, <a href="#Page_199">199</a></li> -<li class="isuba">In salt, <a href="#Page_21">21</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsagain hills, <a href="#Page_19">19</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_479">[Pg 479]</span></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsampenago, <a href="#Page_26">26</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsampenago, Old, <a href="#Page_48">48</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsaycow, <a href="#Page_303">303</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsihet, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>, <a href="#Page_412">412</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsing-gai, <em>see</em> <a href="#bhamo">Bhamô</a>.</li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsingu, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsinuhat, <a href="#Page_26">26</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsitgna, <a href="#Page_326">326</a>, <a href="#Page_398">398</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsitkaw, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_400">400</a>, <a href="#Page_438">438</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Wacheoon chief, <a href="#Page_422">422</a>, <a href="#Page_429">429</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Woonkah chief, <a href="#Page_431">431</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Woonkah village, <a href="#Page_437">437</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Woosaw, <a href="#Page_344">344</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Wurrabone, <a href="#Page_440">440</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Yay-law, <a href="#Page_210">210</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Yunnan:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Present state of, <a href="#Page_366">366</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Minerals of, <a href="#Page_202">202</a></li> -</ul> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_480">[Pg 480]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="center p0 small"> -LONDON:<br /> -<br /> -PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS,<br /> -STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.<br /> -</p> -</div> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter transnote"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="Transcribers_Notes">Transcriber’s Notes</h2> - -<p>In a few cases, obvious errors in punctuation and spacing have been -corrected.</p> - -<p>Some inconsistent hyphenization has been corrected.</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_xii">Page xii</a>: “Friendly tsawbas” changed to “Friendly tsawbwas”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_41">Page 41</a>: “built of sun-drie bricks,” changed to “built of sun-dried -bricks,”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_94">Page 94</a>: “Ponline tswabwa” changed to “Ponline tsawbwa”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_72">Page 72</a>: “stream of the Tpeng” changed to “stream of the Tapeng”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_238">Page 238</a>: “a treaty of partitition” changed to “a treaty of partition”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_277">Page 277</a>: “and, thorougly tired,” changed to “and, thoroughly tired,”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_308">Page 308</a>: “on the the 13th of August” changed to “on the 13th of August”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_460">Page 460</a>: “found not unfrequantly” changed to “found not unfrequently”</p> -</div> -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MANDALAY TO MOMIEN ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Mandalay to Momien - A narrative of the two expeditions to western China of 1868 and - 1875 under Colonel Edward B. Sladen and Colonel Horace Browne - -Author: John Anderson - -Release Date: April 2, 2022 [eBook #67758] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Brian Wilson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team - at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MANDALAY TO MOMIEN *** - - - - [Illustration: MANDALAY, THE CAPITAL OF INDEPENDENT BURMA; FROM MANDALÉ - HILL. _Frontispiece._] - - - - - MANDALAY TO MOMIEN: - - A NARRATIVE - - OF THE - - TWO EXPEDITIONS TO WESTERN CHINA - - OF 1868 and 1875 - - UNDER - - COLONEL EDWARD B. SLADEN - - AND - - COLONEL HORACE BROWNE. - - BY - - JOHN ANDERSON, M.D.EDIN., F.R.S.E., F.L.S., F.Z.S. - - FELLOW OF CALCUTTA UNIVERSITY; - CURATOR OF IMPERIAL MUSEUM AND PROFESSOR OF COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, - MEDICAL COLLEGE, CALCUTTA; - MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC OFFICER TO BOTH EXPEDITIONS. - - WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. - - London: - MACMILLAN AND CO. - 1876. - - - - - LONDON: - PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, - STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -Seven years have elapsed since the date of the expedition which -furnishes the subject of the larger portion of this work. Its results -have been recorded, but can hardly be said to have been published, in -the official reports of the several members, printed in India, and not -accessible to the general reader. - -The public interest in the subject of the overland route from Burma -to China, called forth by the repulse of the recent mission and the -tragedy which attended it, has suggested the present publication. It is -hoped that a compendious and popular account of the expedition of 1868 -will be acceptable, if only as an introduction to the simple narrative -of the mission of this year, commanded by Colonel Horace Browne. The -statement of the difficulties which beset our advance in 1868 will -prepare the reader to estimate the opposition which, under a changed -political condition of the country, compelled the mission under Colonel -Browne to return without accomplishing its object. - -The narrative of our experiences of the border country between Bhamô -and Yunnan, and its motley population, has been supplemented from -materials collected by Colonel Sladen, including a catalogue of Kakhyen -deities obtained by him, and which will be found in the Appendix, along -with a Panthay account of the origin of the Chinese Mahommedans. To -him, as well as to my fellow travellers, Captain Bowers and Mr. Gordon, -I gladly record my obligations for the information that has been -derived from them. - -For many details illustrating the condition of Yunnan and the -Mahommedan revolt in that province, I am indebted to the volumes, -issued by the French government, which contain the results of the -French expedition from Saigon to Yunnan, under Lagrée, Garnier, and -Carné, whose premature loss their country has to deplore, and to the -travels of that enterprising pioneer of commerce, Mr. T. T. Cooper. - -No one can treat of the border lands of Cathay without deriving -assistance from the stores of knowledge collected and arranged by the -erudite editor of ‘Marco Polo,’ Colonel Yule, to whom I tender my -tribute of admiration and indebtedness. - -My observations on the Kakhyens are confirmed by the learned Monsig. -Bigandet, the annotator of the ‘Life of Gaudama,’ who was the first -European to visit those hill tribes, and who communicated his -experiences to the columns of the leading Rangoon journal. The reader -will find among the appendices a valuable note by the same author, on -Burmese bells, especially those of Rangoon and Mengoon. - -The list of Chinese deities given in the Appendix has been translated -from the original by the well-known Chinese scholar, Professor Douglas, -of the British Museum, who has kindly added an explanatory note. The -appended vocabularies may prove interesting to philologists. - -The illustrations of the country and people as far as Ponsee have been -executed from photographs taken by Major Williams and myself, while the -views of the country to the east are reproductions of sketches which -fairly claim the merit of accurate delineation of its features. - -The map illustrating the topography of the district travelled has -been based upon surveys made during the expedition by Mr. Gordon and -a Burmese surveyor, and a second has been added to show the general -relations of our Indian empire to Western China, with the various -routes which have been explored or projected, including those followed -by the French expedition, and by Margary from the terminus of the boat -journey to Bhamô. - -The journal of our ill-fated companion, recently published in -China, and received in this country when this work was completed, -unfortunately does not carry him on to Tali-fu, but his impressions of -the country beyond this point have been briefly summarised in these -pages. - -The scientific reader will perhaps be inclined to complain that the -following pages do not contain more of the results of the proper work -of a naturalist. Of these, a full and illustrated report, unavoidably -delayed by absence from this country, is in active preparation. This -will be published by the aid of the Indian government, given at the -instance of the Chief Commissioner of British Burma, the Hon. Ashley -Eden, by whom the opening up of the overland route to China, as a -measure beneficial to the province administered by him, has ever been -strongly advocated. - - J. A. - - 6 ROYAL TERRACE, EDINBURGH, - _December 31, 1875_. - - - - - TABLE OF CONTENTS. - - - FIRST EXPEDITION:--CHAPTERS I. to XI. - - SECOND EXPEDITION:--CHAPTERS XII. to XVI. - - - PAGES - CHAPTER I. - - MANDALAY TO BHAMÔ. 1-36 - - Overland trade of Burma and China--Early notices--English - travellers--Burmese treaty of 1862--Dr. Williams--Objects of the - expedition--Its constitution--Arrival at Mandalay--Second coronation - of the king--The suburbs--The bazaars--Mengoon--Burmese - navigation--Shienpagah--Coal mines--The third defile--Sacred - fish--Tagoung and Old Pagan--Ngapé--Katha--Magnetic battery--The - first Kakhyens--The Shuaybaw pagodas--The second defile--View of - Bhamô - - - CHAPTER II. - - BHAMÔ. 37-66 - - Arrival at Bhamô--Our quarters--The town--The Woon’s house--The - Shan-Burmese--Kakhyen man-stealing--The environs--Old - Tsampenago--Legendary history--The Shuaykeenah pagodas--The Molay - river--The first defile--Delays and intrigues--Sala--The new Woon--Our - departure--Tsitkaw--Mountain muleteers--The Manloung lake--The - phoongyee’s farewell - - - CHAPTER III. - - KAKHYEN HILLS. 67-86 - - Departure from Tsitkaw--Our cavalcade--The hills--A false - alarm--Talone--First night in the hills--The tsawbwa-gadaw--Ponline - village--A death dance--The divination--A meetway--Nampoung gorge--A - dangerous road--Lakong bivouac--Arrival at Ponsee--A Kakhyen coquette - - - CHAPTER IV. - - PONSEE CAMP. 87-124 - - Desertion of the muleteers--Our encampment--Visit of hill - chiefs--Sala’s demands--A mountain excursion--Messengers from - Momien--Shans refuse presents--Stoppage of - supplies--Ill-feeling--Tsawbwa of Seray--St. Patrick’s Day--Retreat of - Sala--The pawmines of Ponsee--A burial-ground--Visit to the - Tapeng--The silver mines--Approach of the rains--Hostility of - Ponsee--Threatened attack--Reconciliation--A false start--Letters from - Momien--A hailstorm--Circular to the members of the mission--Beads and - belles--Friendly relations with Kakhyens--Their importance - - - CHAPTER V. - - THE KAKHYENS. 125-154 - - The Kakhyens or Kakoos--The clans--Their chiefs--Mountain - villages--Cultivation and crops--Personal appearance--Costume--Arms - and implements--Female dress and ornaments--Women’s - work--Sheroo--Morals--Marriage--Music--Births--Funerals--Religion-- - Language--Character--How to deal with them--Our party - - - CHAPTER VI. - - MANWYNE TO MOMIEN. 155-188 - - Departure from Ponsee--Valley of the Tapeng--A curious crowd--Our - khyoung--Matins--The town of Manwyne--Visit to the haw--The - tsawbwa-gadaw--An armed demonstration--Karahokah--Sanda--The chief and - his grandson--Muangla--Shan burial-grounds--The Tahô--A murdered - traveller--Mawphoo valley--Muangtee--Nantin--Valley of Nantin--The hot - springs--Attacked by Chinese--Hawshuenshan volcano--Valley of - Momien--Arrival at the city - - - CHAPTER VII. - - MOMIEN. 189-222 - - Momien--The town of Teng-yue-chow--Aspect and condition--An official - reception--Return visit--Government house--A Chinese tragedy--The - market--Jade manufacture--Minerals--Mines of Yunnan--Stone - celts--Cattle--Climate--Environs--The waterfall--Pagoda - hill--Shuayduay--Rock temples--Ruined suburbs--City - temples--Four-armed deities--Boys’ school--A grand feast--The - loving-cup--The tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee--Keenzas--The Chinese poor - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE MAHOMMEDANS OF YUNNAN. 223-247 - - Their origin--Derivation of the term “Panthay”--Early - history--Increase in numbers--Adoption of children--The - Toonganees--Physical characteristics--Outbreak of the - revolt--Tali-fu--Progress of revolt--The French expedition--Overtures - from Low-quang-fang--Resources of the Panthays--Capture of - Yunnan-fu--Prospects of their success--Our position--The governor’s - presents--Preparations for return - - - CHAPTER IX. - - THE SANDA VALLEY. 248-273 - - Departure from Momien--Robbers surprised--At Nantin--Our ponies - stolen--We slide to Muangla--A pleasant meeting--The Tapeng - ferrymen--A valley landscape--Negotiations at Sanda--The Leesaws--A - Shan cottage--Buddhist khyoungs--For fear of the nats--The limestone - hill--Hot springs of Sanda--The footprint of Buddha--A priestly - thief--The excommunication--The chief’s farewell--Floods and - landslips--Manwyne priests--A Shan dinner party--The - nunnery--Departure from Manwyne--The Slough of Despond - - - CHAPTER X. - - THE HOTHA VALLEY. 274-312 - - The mountain summit--A giant glen--Leesaw village--The wrong - road--Priestly inhospitality--Town of Hotha--A friendly chief--The - Namboke Kakhyens--The Hotha market--The Shan people--The - Koshanpyi--The Tai of Yunnan--Their personal - appearance--Costume--Equipment--The Chinese Shans--Silver hair - ornaments--Ear-rings--Torques, bracelets, and rings--Textile - fabrics--Agriculture--Social customs--Tenure of land--Old Hotha--A - Shan-Chinese temple--Shan Buddhism--The fire festival--Eclipse of the - sun--Horse worship--Ancient pagodas--Roads from Hotha - - - CHAPTER XI. - - FROM HOTHA TO BHAMÔ. 313-332 - - Adieu!--Latha--Namboke--The southern hills--Muangwye--Loaylone--The - Chinese frontier--Mattin--Hoetone--View of the Irawady plain--A - slippery descent--The Namthabet--The Sawady route--A solemn - sacrifice--A retrospective survey - - - CHAPTER XII. - - INTERMEDIATE EVENTS. 333-349 - - Appointment of a British Resident at Bhamô--Increase of native - trade--Action of the king of Burma--Burmese quarrel with the Seray - chief--British relations with the Panthays--Struggle in - Yunnan--Li-sieh-tai--Imperialist successes--European gunners--Siege of - Momien--Fall of Yung-chang--Prince Hassan visits England--Fall of - Tali-fu--Sultan Suleiman’s death--Massacre of Panthays--Capture of - Momien--Escape of Tah-sa-kon--Capture of Woosaw--Suppression of - rebellion--Imperial proclamation--Li-sieh-tai, commissioner of Shan - states--Re-opening of trade routes--Second British mission--Action of - Sir T. Wade--Appointment of Mr. Margary--Members of - mission--Acquiescence of China and Burma - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - SECOND EXPEDITION. 350-378 - - Start of mission--Arrival at Mandalay--The Burmese pooay--Posturing - girl--Reception by the meng-gyees--Audience by the king--Departure of - mission--Progress up the river--Reception at Bhamô--British - Residency--Mr. Margary--Account of his journey--The Woon of - Bhamô--Entertains Margary--Chinese puppets--Selection of route--Sawady - route--Bullock carriage--Woon of Shuaygoo--Chinese surmises--Letters - to Chinese officials--Burmese worship-day - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - SAWADY. 379-399 - - The _hun pooay_--Mission proceeds to Sawady--Visit from Woon--Rumoured - opposition--The Woon as a musician--Sawady village--Royal - orders--Baggage difficulties--Arrival of Mr. Clement Allan--Paloungto - chief--Kakhyen pilfering--Abandon route--Adopt Ponline route--Reasons - for change--Tsaleng Woon--Departure of mission to Tsitkaw--Elias and - Cooke proceed to Muangmow--Dolphins--Up the Tapeng--Tahmeylon--Arrive - at Tsitkaw - - - CHAPTER XV. - - THE ADVANCE. 400-427 - - Residence at Tsitkaw--View from our house--The Namthabet--Junction - of the rivers--Arrival of the Woon--Conference of - tsawbwas--Hostages--Kakhyen women--Rifle practice--A night alarm--A - curious talisman--We leave Tsitkaw--Camp at Tsihet--Burmese - guard-house--Lankon, Ponline--Camp on the Moonam--Hostile - rumours--Camp on the Nampoung--Departure of Margary for - Manwyne--Escape of hostages--Letter from Margary--We enter China--Camp - on Shitee Meru--Burmese vigilance--Visit to Seray--Conference with - Seray tsawbwa--Suspicious reception--Return to camp--Burmese - barricades - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - REPULSE OF MISSION. 428-454 - - Appearance of enemy--Murder of Margary--Friendly tsawbwas--Mission - attacked--Woonkah tsawbwa bought over--The jungle fired--Repulse of - attack--Incidents of the day--Our retreat--Shitee--Burmese - reinforcements--Halt at guard-house--Retreat on Tsitkaw via - Woonkah--Elias and Cooke’s visit to Muangmow--Li-sieh-tai--Return of - Captain Cooke--Elias at Muangmow--Father Lecomte and the Mattin - chief--A forged letter--The Saya of Kauntoung--Reports regarding - Margary--The commission of inquiry--Return of Elias--Visit to the - second defile--Mission’s return to Rangoon - - - APPENDICES. - - I. A Note by Bishop Bigandet, on Burmese Bells 455 - - II. Origin of Mahommedanism in China; from Chinese Document 456 - - III. Deities worshipped by Kakhyens 457-459 - - IV. Deities in a Hotha Shan Temple 460-463 - - V. VOCABULARIES:--Kakhyen, Shan, Leesaw, and Poloung 464-473 - - - INDEX 475-479 - - - - - LIST OF MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. - - - MAP OF COUNTRY TRAVERSED. - - GENERAL MAP, WITH ROUTES. - - PLAN OF MOMIEN; BY BURMESE SURVEYOR. - - - MANDALAY, THE CAPITAL OF INDEPENDENT BURMA; FROM - MANDALÉ HILL _Frontispiece._ - _From a photograph by_ COLONEL SLADEN. - - _To face page_ - THE DEVA-FACED CLIFF, SECOND DEFILE OF THE IRAWADY 34 - _From a photograph by the_ AUTHOR. - - ROCKY BARRIER ON THE FIRST OR UPPER DEFILE OF THE IRAWADY 55 - _From a photograph by_ MAJOR WILLIAMS. - - KAKHYEN WOMEN 74 - _From a photograph by_ MAJOR WILLIAMS. - - OUR CAMP AT PONSEE 89 - _From a photograph by_ MAJOR WILLIAMS. - - KAKHYEN MEN--KAKHYEN MATRONS 125 - _From photographs by_ MAJOR WILLIAMS. - - KAKHYEN AND SHAN PIPES, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, ETC. 134 - _From photographs._ - - NANTIN VALLEY, TOWN OF MUANGTEE TO THE LEFT 178 - _From a sketch by the_ AUTHOR. - - EXTINCT VOLCANO OF HAWSHUENSHAN; FROM SUMMIT OF MOMIEN HILL 186 - _From a sketch by the_ AUTHOR. - - WITHIN THE WALLS OF MOMIEN OR TENG-YUE-CHOW 192 - _From a sketch by the_ AUTHOR. - - WATERFALL OF THE TAHÔ; MOMIEN IN THE DISTANCE 208 - _From a sketch by the_ AUTHOR. - - VALLEY OF SANDA, LOOKING WESTWARD FROM THE HILL BEHIND THE TOWN 254 - _From a sketch by the_ AUTHOR. - - SHAN HEAD-DRESS, BRACELETS, AND EAR ORNAMENTS 296 - _From photographs._ - - POSTURING GIRL AT MANDALAY 354 - _From a photograph by the_ AUTHOR. - - VIEW IN BHAMÔ 364 - _From a photograph by_ MAJOR WILLIAMS. - - TSITKAW, ON THE TAPENG, LOOKING TOWARDS THE KAKHYEN HILLS 401 - _From a photograph by the_ AUTHOR. - - [Illustration: A MAP OF the ROUTES TRAVERSED BY THE EXPEDITIONS OF - 1868 AND 1875 - _Stanford’s Geographical Estabᵗ 55 Charing Cross._ - London; Macmillan & Cᵒ.] - - [Illustration: A MAP OF SOUTH-WESTERN CHINA Showing routes TRAVERSED & - PROPOSED. - _Stanford’s Geographical Estabᵗ. 55 Charing Cross._ - London; Macmillan & Cᵒ.] - - [Illustration: PLAN OF MOMIEN (TENG-YUE-CHOW) - _Stanford’s Geogˡ. Estabᵗ. 55 Charing Cross, London._ - London; Macmillan & Cᵒ.] - - - - - MANDALAY TO MOMIEN. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -MANDALAY TO BHAMÔ. - - Overland trade of Burma and China--Early notices--English - travellers--Burmese treaty of 1862--Dr. Williams--Objects of - the expedition--Its constitution--Arrival at Mandalay--Second - coronation of the king--The suburbs--The bazaars--Mengoon--Burmese - navigation--Shienpagah--Coal mines--The third defile--Sacred - fish--Tagoung and Old Pagan--Ngapé--Katha--Magnetic battery--The first - Kakhyens--The Shuaybaw pagodas--The second defile--View of Bhamô. - - -For some years previous to the date of the expedition of which the -progress is narrated in these pages, the attention of British merchants -at home and in India had been directed to the prospect of an overland -trade with Western China. Most especially did this interest the -commercial community of Rangoon, the capital of British Burma, and the -port of the great water highway of the Irawady, boasting a trade the -annual value of which had increased in fifteen years to £2,500,000. -The avoidance of the long and dangerous voyage by the Straits and -Indian Archipelago and a direct interchange of our manufactures for -the products of the rich provinces of Yunnan and Sz-chuen might well -seem to be advantages which would richly repay almost any efforts to -accomplish this purpose. - -One plan, then as now, zealously insisted upon by its promoter, Captain -Sprye, was the construction of a railway connecting British Burma and -China via Kiang-Hung, on the Cambodia river, and the frontier position -or reputed town of Esmok. - -But as it was, and still is, necessary to send a surveying expedition -over an unknown and alien country, as a preliminary, this project, -whether chimerical or not, could not compete with the immediate -possibility of opening a trade by way of the river Irawady and the -royal city of Mandalay. - -Although before 1867 but four English steamers with freight had -ascended the river to the capital, harbingers of the numerous flotilla -now plying on the Irawady, it was known that a regular traffic existed -between Mandalay and China, especially in the supply of cotton to the -interior, which was reserved as a royal monopoly. - -This trade was reported to be mainly carried on by caravans traversing -the overland route via Theinnee to Yunnan. According to the itineraries -of the Burmese embassy in 1787, the distance is six hundred and -twenty miles, and forty-six hills and mountains, five large rivers -and twenty-four smaller ones, had to be traversed in the tedious -journey of two months. But an unbroken chain of tradition and history -indicated the natural entrepot of the commerce between Burma and China -to be at or near Bhamô,[1] on the left bank of the upper Irawady, and -close to the frontier of Yunnan. - -The Burmese annals testified that during several centuries this had -been the passage from China to Burma either for invading armies or for -peaceful caravans. The most recent Burmo-Chinese war had arisen out -of the grievances of Bhamô Chinese merchants, and the treaty of peace -that was signed at Bhamô in 1769 stipulated that the “gold and silver -road” between the two countries should be reopened. Mutual embassies -had consequently journeyed between Pekin and Ava, and almost all had -proceeded by way of the Irawady and Bhamô. - -European travellers and traders had early discerned the importance of -this channel of intercourse, which seems to have been alluded to by the -great Venetian, Marco Polo, under the name of Zardandan. - -The old documents of Fort St. George record that the English and -Dutch had factories in the beginning of the seventeenth century at -Syriam, Prome, and Ava, and at a place on the borders of China, which -Dalrymple supposes to have been Bhamô. According to this authority, -some dispute arose between the Dutch and Burmese, and on the former -threatening to call in the aid of the Chinese, both the English and -Dutch were expelled from Burma. In 1680 the reputation of this field -for mercantile enterprise seems to have again attracted the attention -of the authorities at Fort St. George, and four years afterwards one -Dod, trading to Ava, was instructed to inquire into the commerce of -the country, and to request that a settlement might be sanctioned at -Prammoo, on the borders of China. This mission was unsuccessful, and -Prammoo cannot with certainty be identified, but the strong similarity -of the name seems to point to Pan-mho or Bhamô. - -Coming down to more recent and certain data, we find that Colonel -Symes, H.E.I.C.’s envoy to Ava in 1795 (and who was accompanied by -that able geographer, Dr. Buchanan), states that an extensive trade, -chiefly in cotton, existed between Ava and Yunnan. “This commodity was -transported up the Irawady to Bhamô, where it was sold to the Chinese -merchants, and conveyed partly by land and partly by water into the -Chinese dominions. Amber, ivory, precious stones, betel-nut, and the -edible birds’ nests from the Eastern Archipelago, were also articles -of commerce. In return, the Burmans procured raw and wrought silks, -velvets, gold-leaf, preserves, paper, and utensils of hardware.” Both -the researches of Wilcox and the journal of Crawford’s embassy to Ava -in 1826 referred to the trade and routes by Bhamô, and the Bengal -government in 1827 published a map containing the best procurable -information about the Burmo-Chinese frontier. - -Colonel Burney, who was Resident at the court of Ava in 1830, published -a large number of valuable contributions to the history, geography, -and resources of Upper Burma, and accurate itineraries of the Theinnee -and Bhamô routes to China. Our experience demonstrated the accuracy of -the latter as far as Momien, and it may be inferred that the remainder -will be found equally exact. Pemberton[2] seems to have been the -first to fully realise that--to use his own words--“the province of -Yunnan, to which the north-eastern borders of our Indian empire have -now so closely approximated, has become from this circumstance and -our existing amicable relations with the court of Ava an object of -peculiar interest to us.” In the same year Captain Hannay accompanied -a Burmese mission to Mogoung, and for the first time Bhamô was -accurately described by an eye-witness, and much valuable information -gained respecting the trade then carried on between Ava and China. His -description of the importance of the town, however, differed widely -from that of Drs. Griffiths and Bayfield, who visited it two years -later.[3] - -Hannay gives the reported number of houses as one thousand five -hundred, while the latter travellers estimated town and suburbs as -containing five hundred and ninety-eight houses, “neither good nor -large,” which latter description is more in keeping with the present -condition of the town. - -In 1848 Baron Otto des Granges published a short survey of the -countries between Bengal and China, showing the great commercial and -political importance of Bhamô, and the practicability of a direct trade -overland between Calcutta and China. - -In this paper the far-seeing author advocated the equipment of a small -expedition to ascertain the mercantile relations of the country about -Bhamô, to examine the mineral wealth of Yunnan, and to enter into -negotiations with the Chinese merchants. - -In 1862 the government of India, in the prospect of a treaty being -negotiated with the king of Burma, directed their Chief Commissioner, -Sir A. Phayre, to include in it, if possible, the reopening of the -caravan route from Western China by the town of Bhamô, and the -concession of facilities to British merchants to reside at that place, -or to travel to Yunnan, and for Chinese from Yunnan to have free access -to British territory, including Assam. The first of these objects was -to be effected by obtaining the king’s sanction to a joint Burmese and -British mission to China. A treaty was concluded whereby the British -and Burmese governments were declared friends, and trade in and through -Upper Burma was freely thrown open to British enterprise. It was -further stipulated that a direct trade with China might be carried -on through Upper Burma, subject to a transit duty of one per cent. -_ad valorem_ on Chinese exports, and _nil_ on imports. The proposal, -however, as to the joint mission was unsuccessful. - -In the following year, Dr. Williams, formerly resident at the court of -Mandalay, obtained the royal permission to proceed as far as Bhamô, -where he arrived in February, after a journey of twenty-two days. His -object was to test the practicability of a route through Burma to -Western China, and the results of his experience led him to strongly -advocate the Bhamô routes as politically, physically, and commercially -the most advantageous. - -His energetic advocacy led the mercantile community of Rangoon to -appreciate the importance of their own position, commanding, as it -does, the most ancient highway to Western China. His claim, however, -to have been the first to suggest this trade route must yield to -that of Otto des Granges; and the assertion that he was the first -Englishman who visited Bhamô could only have been made in ignorance or -forgetfulness of the labours of Hannay, Bayfield, and Griffiths. - -When the commercial acuteness of the merchants was thus directed to the -possibilities of the overland trade, it might seem at first sight that -the stream could be tapped at Mandalay without following it up to the -borders of Yunnan. - -But our growing intercourse with the capital of Burma made it known -that for twelve years the Burmo-Chinese trade via Bhamô, which in -1855 represented £500,000 per annum, had almost entirely ceased. -Whether this were owing to the effects of the Mahommedan rebellion -in Yunnan, or, as some alleged, to Burmese policy, was uncertain. It -was an additional problem, and the then Chief Commissioner, General -Fytche, anxiously pressed upon the government of India the importance -of solving it, and under the treaty of 1862 of thoroughly examining the -possibility and probable results of reopening the Bhamô trade route. - -This enterprise might be deemed one of hereditary interest to the -descendant of that enterprising merchant-traveller, Mr. Fitch, who has -left an account of his visit to Pegu in 1586. The proposed expedition -was sanctioned by the government of India in September 1867, and the -consent of the king of Burma having been duly obtained, arrangements -were forwarded for the departure of the mission from Mandalay in -January 1868. The chief objects of the expedition were, to use the -words of General Fytche, “to discover the cause of the cessation of the -trade formerly existing by these routes, the exact position held by -the Kakhyens, Shans, and Panthays, with reference to that traffic, and -their disposition, or otherwise, to resuscitate it, also to examine the -physical conditions of these routes.” - -Thus the duties to be discharged were multifarious, pertaining -to diplomacy, engineering, natural science, and commerce. These -accordingly were all represented among the members of the mission, -which consisted of Captain Williams, as engineer; Dr. Anderson, as -medical officer and naturalist; with Captain Bowers and Messrs. Stewart -and Burn as delegates from the commercial community of Rangoon.[4] A -guard of fifty armed police, with their inspector and native doctor, -formed an escort, while the command of the whole was entrusted to Major -Sladen, Political Resident at Mandalay. It is saying scarcely enough -to add that to the foresight, tact, and resolute patience displayed -by him as leader was due whatever measure of success was obtained. He -had already secured not only the consent but the co-operation of the -king. Written orders had been despatched to the _woon_, or governor, -of Bhamô, and to other places, to render all assistance. Besides these -verbal aids, the king placed at his disposal a royal steamer, named the -_Yaynan-Sekia_, better known as “The Honesty,” to convey the party to -Bhamô. On no former occasion had it been deemed prudent for steamers -to ascend save for a few miles above Mandalay; and great difference of -opinion existed as to the navigability of the upper Irawady in the dry -season by a steamer, though only drawing three feet of water. - -In the morning of January 6, 1868, the steamer _Nerbudda_, which had -conveyed the party from Rangoon, made fast alongside the landing-place -of the present capital of Burma, three miles from the city, of which -only the golden spires could be seen above the trees. As our stay was -not to exceed three or four days, all the party remained on board until -it should be time to embark on the _Yaynan-Sekia_. Beyond a jetty used -by the Burmese in the floods, lay the royal steamer undergoing thorough -painting and cleaning for our reception. She was moored in a creek, the -royal naval depot, where numerous war-boats of the past and the present -fleet of royal steamers are laid up in ordinary. For nearly three miles -the river banks presented a busy scene. Native boats were loading or -discharging cargo; houses extended the whole distance, those nearer the -river being tenanted by fishermen. A large suburb stretched inland from -the shore; each house was surrounded by a vegetable garden enclosed -in a bamboo fence eight to ten feet high, while all were embosomed in -magnificent tamarind, plantain, and palm trees. The women were busily -engaged weaving silk putzos and tameins in various patterns.[5] Beyond -this suburb lay a large flat of alluvial land, devoted to rice fields, -some in stubble, from which the grain had just been reaped; in others -men and women were irrigating the young crop, now about six inches -high, three crops yearly being raised from these lands, which formed, -as it were, an island of cultivation, surrounded by houses. - -The leader of the expedition, Major Sladen, came down to welcome us, -and we rode with him to the Residency, situated on the banks of a -canal, which runs parallel with the river, and halfway between it and -the city. The bank of the canal is lined with houses, and broad streets -lead to the city, over numerous strongly built timber bridges, the only -defect in which is that the alluvial banks of the canal frequently -give way, to the destruction of the bridges and interruption of the -traffic. Our road lay through a populous suburb of houses built of teak -and supported on piles. To the right lay a quarter occupied by the -_demi-monde_; to the left numerous khyoungs, or monasteries, reared -their graceful triple concave roofs. Phoongyees, or Buddhist monks, -abounded; so did pigs and dogs, both of which are fed daily by a dole -from the king, who, as a pious Buddhist, lays up a store of good works -by thus preserving animal life. These ubiquitous pigs have given rise -to a well-known saying, which tersely expresses the first impression -made on the European visitor by the precincts of the capital. Our stay -was too short to admit of more than a flying visit to Mandalay, its -palace and countless pagodas. - -The city properly so-called lies about three miles from the Irawady, -on a rising ground below the hill Mandalé. It was founded, on his -accession in 1853, by the present king; and one of his motives for -quitting Ava, and selecting the new site, was to remove his palace -from the sight and sound of British steamers. The city is built on -the same plan as the old capital, described by Yule, and consists -of two concentric fortified squares. The outer is defended by lofty -massive brick walls, with earthworks thrown up on the inside. There -are four gates, over each of which rises a tower with seven gilded -roofs. Similar smaller towers adorn the wall at intervals. A deep moat -fifty yards broad has been completed since the date of our visit, -and now surrounds the walls. During the night, guard-boats, with -gongs beating, patrol its waters. When the king, in compliance with a -prophecy, was crowned a second time in 1874, he made the circuit of the -city in a magnificent war-boat, the splendour of which eclipses the -traditionary glory of the Lord Mayor’s barge. The actual ceremony of -the re-coronation took place on the 4th of June, at 8 P.M., the hour -pronounced propitious by the court of Brahmins.[6] Captain Strover -describes the ceremony as being to a great extent private, only the -various ministers of state and about eighty Brahmins being present. -Incantations and sprinkling of holy water brought from the Ganges -formed the chief part of the ceremony, after which his majesty was -supposed to have become a new king, barring the difficulty of years. -Seven days afterwards, the king went through the ceremony of taking -charge of the royal city. At nine in the morning a gun announced that -he had left the palace, and at half past another was fired, intimating -that he had entered the royal barge. The procession round the city -moat commenced from the east gate, and was led by the two principal -magistrates of Mandalay in gilded war-boats; then followed all the -princes in line, a short way in front of the state barge, and behind -the king came the ministers and officials. Troops lined the walls all -round the city, and cannon were placed every here and there at the -corners of the streets. Bands of music played as the procession passed, -and, altogether; the sight was most effective and unique. Having gone -right round the city, he left the royal barge at the east gate, and a -salute announced that he had re-entered the palace, and the ceremony -was finished. According to his majesty’s own statement, the ceremony -was a purely religious act. - -The first square is inhabited by the officials, civil and military, -and the soldiers of the royal army. All the houses are in separate -enclosures, bordering broad, well kept streets; along the fronts -is carried the king’s fence, a latticed palisade, behind which the -subjects hide themselves when his majesty passes. During the day, -stalls are set up in the streets, and the various Burmese necessaries, -even to cloth, are sold, but at night all are cleared away and the -gates closed. The central or royal square is surrounded by an outer -stockade of teak timber twelve feet in height, and an inner wall. -Entrance is given by two gates opposite each other, opening into a -wide place, containing the government offices and the royal mint, -on one side; on the other, a wall runs across, and a large gateway, -opened only for the king, and a small postern give access to the palace -enclosure. All Burmese entering this take off their shoes. Within is a -wide open area, as large as a London square. On the opposite side rises -a building crowned by nine roofs richly gilded, and surmounted by a -golden _htee_, or umbrella, with its tinkling coronal of bells. This -marks the audience hall. All entering this are required to take off -their shoes, for the royal abode is sacred. The same rule applies to -all temples, and this unbooting is really a mark of religious respect, -due as much to the meanest khyoung as to the residence of the king. -This fact perhaps, if borne in mind, might soothe the ruffled feelings -of those who see in this unbooting a mark of degrading homage. To the -left is the abode of the white elephant, which, it may be said, is -scarcely distinguishable from any other elephant save by the paler hue -of the skin of the head. To the right is the royal arsenal, outside of -which the visitor would be now surprised by the sight of a completely -armed and equipped deck of a vessel, which serves as a school for naval -gunnery. - -We were not admitted to an audience, nor did we see the royal gardens, -which, with the other palace buildings, lie to the rear of the central -hall. Dr. Dawson, as quoted in Mason’s ‘Burmah,’ describes the gardens -in glowing language, as “truly beautiful, and as picturesque as they -are grand.” Outside the walls of the city the suburbs, or unwalled -town, stretch away southward in broad streets, which converge towards -the Arracan pagoda; and in the distance the spires of pagodas mark the -site of Amarapura. - -It is impossible to estimate the population, but it must exceed one -hundred thousand, to judge by the extent of ground covered by houses. -Between the city and Mandalay hill numerous khyoungs have been erected -by the queens and other members of the royal family, the teak pillars -and roof timbers of which are magnificently carved and richly gilt. - -In passing through the enclosures of these monasteries, it is necessary -for equestrians to dismount and walk slowly through the sacred -precincts. On this side also there is a large stockaded enclosure, to -which the Shan caravans always resort. Here their wares, principally -_hlepét_, a sort of salted tea--not, however, made from the true tea -plant[7]--are disposed of by means of brokers. At the foot of Mandalay -hill is a temple with a large seated statue of Buddha, carved from -the white marble of the Tsagain hills. The hill itself is crowned by -a gilded pagoda, and a statue of Buddha. The Golden King stands with -outstretched finger pointing down to the golden htee that marks the -royal abode, the centre of the city and of the Burman kingdom. - -On the hill is a vast colony of fowls, numbers of which are purchased -by the royal piety every morning, and maintained at the king’s expense. -The eastern side of the city is skirted by a long swamp, which forms a -lagoon in the rains. The Myit-ngé river, six miles to the south, may -be said to complete the insulation of the environs of the capital. Not -far from the Residency, but on the other side of the canal, there is -a large bazaar, enclosed with brick walls, which presents a most busy -scene. This may be said to be the principal enclosed market-place; but -there are other smaller cloth bazaars; and several quarters or streets -are occupied by special trades, a very noisy quarter being that of the -gold-beaters. The fondness for gilding which characterises the Burmese -causes an immense demand for gold-leaf, the gold used being principally -brought by the caravans from Yunnan. Another quarter is tenanted by -Chinese. By a curious coincidence, on the day of our arrival, a Chinese -caravan of two hundred mules arrived from Tali-fu. They had come by the -long overland Theinnee route, bringing hams, walnuts, pistachio-nuts, -honey, opium, iron pots, yellow orpiment, &c. We noticed many Suratees -among the inhabitants of the city. These acute and enterprising -traders come to Burma in great numbers, and are found everywhere busily -engaged in money-making. European adventurers of various nationalities -form an element in the population, small, but mischievous; it is hardly -to be wondered at if an ill impression of _kalas_[8] is formed by the -Burmese nobility and gentry, judging from the conduct of some of these -foreigners; while again they spread monstrous reports about the king, -his social and political habits and ideas, which find their way into -the Indian and English press. - -The transshipment of ourselves and followers and baggage was -duly effected, and in the afternoon of the 18th of January the -_Yaynan-Sekia_ left her moorings. We only proceeded as far as Mengoon, -on the right bank, a few miles from the capital. Thus far we had the -company of Mr. Manouk, an Armenian gentleman, who held the office -of _kala woon_, or foreign minister. We duly visited the huge ruin -of solid brickwork, which, as Colonel Yule says, represents the -extraordinary folly of King Mentaragyi, the founder of Amarapura in -1787. - -Intended for a gigantic pagoda, it was left unfinished, in consequence -of a prediction that its completion would be fatal to the royal -founder; the earthquake of 1839 split the huge cube of solid brickwork, -and it is now a fantastic ruin. - -Yule gives the dimensions of the lowest of the five encircling -terraces as four hundred feet square; if completed, the whole edifice -would have been five hundred feet high. Near this is the great bell, -twelve feet high, and sixteen across at the lips, and weighing ninety -tons.[9] - -The most interesting object is the Seebyo pagoda, built by the -grandson and successor of Mentaragyi in 1816, and named after his -wife. The substructure from which the pagoda rises is circular, and -consists of six successive concentric terraces. Each terrace is five -feet above the one below, and six feet in breadth, and is surrounded -by a stone parapet of a wavy design. In the niches of each terrace -are images, fabulous dragons, birds, and _beloos_, or monsters. By -a rough measurement the walled enclosure is four hundred yards in -circumference, but an open space of thirty-five yards deep intervenes -between the wall and the first terrace. The design of the pagoda is -intended to represent the mythical Myen Mhoo Doung, or Meru Mountain, -the central pillar of the universe, and the seven encircling ranges -of mountains, or the six continents, each of which is guarded by a -monster, the first by the dragon, the second by the bird Kalon. It -might be also suggested that those terraces may represent the six happy -abodes of nats which form successive Elysiums below the seat of Brahma. - -From the rising ground above Mengoon a magnificent panorama unfolds -itself: the valley from the dry and treeless Tsagain hills, a few -miles to the rear, spreads out for fifteen miles in width to the -eastern line of mountains, which, emerging from the north bank of the -Myit-ngé, stretch away as far as the eye can reach to the north-east. -The long flowing sweep of these summits singularly contrasts with the -irregularly peaked outline of the Myait-loung hills, south of the -Myit-ngé. Immediately beneath the spectator, the Irawady, curving under -the western hills, broadens, till opposite to the capital its main -banks are nearly three miles and a half apart. - -The river is broken up into channels by large islands, on one of -which the royal gardens are situated, and numerous sandbanks, exposed -in the dry season, and cultivated with tobacco and other crops. In -the foreground the various channels of the splendid river present an -animated spectacle of numerous canoes, timber rafts, and boats of -every form and size. In the middle distance, the golden roofs of the -city gates and of the many monasteries which cluster outside the red -city walls flash back the sunbeams. The fantastic forms of the many -roofed spires of the zayats and rest-houses, and the sparkling htees of -pagodas, everywhere perplex and please the eye, which looks from the -picturesque hill to the north, crowned by the gilded temple, to the -irregular outlines of the bazaar, stretching far down to the successive -line of the abandoned capitals. A glorious picture, especially when -the glowing orange tints of sunset are relieved by the rich purple of -the cloudlike distant hills! - -From Mengoon the steamer made its unaccustomed way under the right -bank, passing sandbanks covered with numerous flocks of whimbrel, -golden plover, and snake-birds. Although at the present time both royal -and private steamers ply regularly between Mandalay and Bhamô, at the -dry season frequent delays, caused by grounding on sandbanks, make -the upward voyage of very uncertain duration. We as the pioneers had -to feel our way most cautiously, the water being very low. Our crew, -from captain to firemen, were to a man Burmese, and great was our -admiration of the coolness and skill shown by the skipper in navigating -the narrow channels; he seemed to have an almost instinctive intuition -of the depth of the water. It was no work of love on his part, as he -took no pains to disguise his dislike of the _kalas_, or foreigners, -and was devoid of the jovial openheartedness generally characteristic -of Burmese. A rich illustration of the character of the Burmese crew -was afforded us by the leadsman, who quitted his post, unobserved by -the captain. He provided, however, for the navigation, by telling -one of his fellows to sing out for him in his absence, and imaginary -depths, varying several feet, were accordingly shouted at intervals to -the unconscious captain, who steered accordingly--fortunately without -mishap. A court official accompanied us to see that the orders for -provision of firewood were duly obeyed, and to purvey boats in case -of the river proving unnavigable; but as no difficulties arose, he -had nothing to do save that he once showed his zeal by inflicting an -unmerciful beating on a village headman who failed to supply milk. - -The banks of the river presented a succession of picturesque headlands, -fifty to sixty feet high, separated by luxuriant dells, each containing -a village. Between two such heights, covered with pagodas accessible -only by flights of steps, lay Shienpagah, a thriving town of some four -hundred houses. A brisk trade is here carried on in fish and firewood -for the capital, and salt procured from the swamps behind the sterile -Tsagain hills.[10] Above Shienpagah we changed our course to the other -side. The villages on the eastern bank seemed small and few, each -embowered among tall trees and groves of palmyra, mixed with a few -cocoa-nut palms, relieved by the bright, pale, tropical green of the -plantain. A broad alluvial flat extended to the low broken ranges of -the Sagyen and Thubyo-budo hills, from the former of which comes nearly -all the marble used in Mandalay. The distant Shan mountains rose beyond -another plain sparsely covered with lofty trees and richly cultivated. - -Our course lay up a channel, skirting the long island and town of -Alékyoung, till the rounded hill of Kethung, dotted with white pagodas, -rose over the dense greenery in which nestled the village so called. On -the opposite bank lay Hteezeh, the village of oil merchants. A belt of -bright yellow sand, and then a fine green sward, led up from the river -to the village, shaded by noble palmyras and gigantic bamboos, which -formed a background to a river scene of exquisite colouring and beauty. -A mile or two above Alékyoung, the river narrowed, flowing in a stream -unbroken by islands or sandbanks. Soon the short well wooded Nâttoung -hills abutted on the right bank, in a pagoda-crowned headland, with -Makouk village at its base. On the opposite side, the small town of -Tsingu, once fortified, and still showing fragments of the old walls, -occupied another headland, marking the entrance of the third defile of -the Irawady. - -From this point, for thirty miles, as far as Malé and Tsampenago, the -country on either bank is hilly, and covered to the water’s edge with -luxuriant forest. Winding in a succession of long reaches, the river -presents a series of lovely lake landscapes. The stream, one thousand -to fifteen hundred yards wide, flows placid and unbroken, save by the -gambols of round-headed dolphins. As, preceded by long lines of these -creatures, we steamed slowly along, each successive reach seemed barred -by wooded cliffs. Reminiscences of the lake scenery of the old country -were vividly awakened as we passed from one apparently land-locked -scene of beauty to another. The high irregular hills were clothed with -forest trees almost hidden by brilliant orchids and gigantic pendant -creepers. Palms of various kinds feathered the water’s edge. Here and -there fishing-villages peeped out, and everywhere graceful pagodas -and priests’ houses gleamed amid the foliage. Parroquets darted and -hornbills winged their heavy flight across the stream, while chattering -troops of long-tailed black monkeys escorted the unusual visitors along -the banks. - -The chief object of interest is the little rocky island of Theehadaw, -which boasts the only stone pagoda in Burma, and is resorted to by -numbers of pilgrims at the great Buddhist festival in March. The -pagoda is of no great size, but is substantially built of greyish -sandstone admirably cut and laid in mortar. The building rises from -a quadrangular base, with a chamber facing the east and closed with -massive doors. The three other faces have false doors, and the sides -of all, as well as the angles, are adorned with quasi-Doric pilasters. -Our attention, like that of most pilgrims, was chiefly given to the -famous tame fish. Having supplied ourselves with rice and plantains, -the boatmen, called “Tit-tit-tit.” Soon the fish appeared, about fifty -yards off, and after repeated cries, they were alongside, greedily -devouring the offering of food. In their eagerness they showed their -uncouth heads and great part of their backs, to which patches of gold -leaf, laid on by recent devotees, still adhered. So tame were they that -they suffered themselves to be stroked, and seemed to relish having -their long feelers pulled. One fellow to whom a plantain skin was -thrown indignantly rejected it, and dived in disgust. - -For three miles above and three below the island fishing is prohibited -by royal order, and the priests, who feed them daily, assured us that -the fish never stray beyond the boundaries of their sanctuary. An offer -of fifty rupees failed to secure a single specimen, but it may be -here told that on another occasion, under cover of night, and without -Burmese observation, one was hooked, and, though not easily, landed, -photographed, and duly preserved. Two miles above the island we stopped -at Thingadaw to coal. This is a depot for the produce of the coal -mines, which having been accidentally discovered by some hunters were -being worked by the king. - -We set out to visit a newly opened mine, said to be two miles distant, -but failed to find it after a walk of two hours over a broken -undulating country covered with dense tree and bamboo jungle. The -soil is poor and sandy, save in hollows, which afford good grazing -to ponies and cattle. Fossilised wood abounds all over the surface, -and soft white and reddish sandstones crop out, so soft that the cart -wheels cut them into deep ruts. In these places the surface presented a -remarkable appearance, being covered with symmetrical pillars of soft -reddish sand, two inches high, and capped by a hard ashen-grey top of -the consistence of stone, and as large as a penny piece. The little -pillars in many places had crumbled away, and the soil was strewed -with the little caps, giving it the appearance of an ash heap. In a -later visit to the coal district, made from Kabyuet, a little south of -Theehadaw, we had the assistance of the headman of the mines, who was -most anxious to show us everything and secure a good report to the king. - -At the first mine, called Lek-ope-bin, five miles from the river, the -coal-bed, six feet thick, crops out in a hollow, and dips south-west -at an angle of thirty-five degrees. A little to the north-east is the -Ket-zu-bin mine, said to yield the best coal. During our visit a few -men were quarrying the coal with common wood axes and wooden-handled -chisels, so that they could only win a small quantity of broken coal. -Under proper management these mines could give an abundant supply of -useful fuel. We learned that the sand of an adjacent stream is washed -for gold, and a single worker can make 303 _yuey_ = 3_s._ per diem. - -The black sand of the Pon-nah, a stream falling into the Irawady, is -also washed for gold, which it is said to yield in large quantities at -a place two days’ journey up the stream. - -On the 17th of January, we reached the northern entrance of the defile, -marked by two prominent headlands--the western one crowned by the -pagoda of Malé, or Man-lé, formerly Muang-lé, and the eastern by those -of the old Shan town of Tsampenago, above which none but Chinese could -formerly trade.[11] - -Malé contains about three hundred houses, and is the customs port -for clearing boats bound from Bhamô to Mandalay, and the centre of a -considerable trade in bamboo mats, sesamum oil, and jaggery. From it we -beheld rising to the eastward the fine peaked mountains of Shuay-toung, -about six thousand feet high, on which snow is said to lie in the -winter. - -Above Malé the river widens to a great breadth, with numerous islands, -as far as Khyan-Nhyat. Thence it contracts to an unbroken stream about -one hundred yards wide, flowing for twenty-two miles between high, well -wooded banks. - -Having halted at Tsinuhat, a little village to the south of a long -promontory, on which are the ruins of Tagoung and Old Pagan, we made -a short excursion to the sites of these ancient capitals. According -to the Burmese chronicles, Tagoung was founded by Abhi-rája--of the -Shakya kings of Kappilawot--who fled before the invasion of his -country by the king of Kauthala or Oudh. After the death of Abhi-rája -the succession was disputed by his two sons. They agreed that each -should endeavour to construct a large building in one night, and that -the crown should belong to him whose building should be found completed -by the morning. As usual in legends, the younger son outwitted the -elder. He artfully set up a framework of bamboos and planks, covered -with cloth and whitewashed over, so as to present the semblance of a -finished building. The elder brother, believing himself to have been -vanquished by the aid of nats or demons, migrated to Pegu, and finally -settled in the city of Arracan (Diniawadee). - -The younger son assumed the throne at Tagoung, and was succeeded by -thirty-three kings. An inroad of Tartars and Chinese, said to have -come from Kandahar,[12] destroyed the city and expelled the last of -the dynasty, who had married Nagazein, whose name indicates one of -the mythical serpent race. This event may be referred to the century -preceding the Christian era, and, according to the late Dr. Mason, must -have occurred after the Tartar conquest of Bactria.[13] - -After the death of the Tagoung king, one portion of his people migrated -eastwards and founded the Shan states. Another, under the widowed -queen Nagazein, settled on the river Malé. After the advent of Gaudama -and the second overthrow of the cities of the Shakya kings, one of -their race, named Daza-Yázá, migrated to Malé, and, having there found -and married Nagazein, founded Upper or Old Pagan. A dense forest of -magnificent timber and thousands of seedling eng trees surrounds and -covers the sites and ruins of the ancient cities, of which nothing -now remains but low lines and shapeless masses of brickwork. Near -them stand pagodas of later date, still in tolerable preservation. Of -the most ancient within the bounds of Old Pagan, only a single wall -remained, behind a seated Buddha eight feet high. From the former we -obtained small metal images of Buddha, and from the pagoda in Old Pagan -bricks bearing in relief an image of Gaudama as the preceding Buddha. -One of these was exactly the same as that described by Captain Hannay. -Each bears an inscription in the old Devanagari character, beginning, -“Ye Dhammá.” - -The ancient name of Tagoung is now borne by a little fishing-village -of forty houses. At the time of our passage the villagers were located -in temporary huts on a long sandbank, and busily engaged in preparing -ngapé or mashed salt-fish. The fishing stakes were fixed athwart a -deep narrow channel separating the sandbank from the village. Such -fishing-stations are numerous all along the river. Every morning -large quantities of fish are taken, and sold by weight to the makers -of ngapé. The fish, when cleaned, are packed between layers of salt -and trodden down by the feet in long baskets lined with the leaves of -the eng tree. While this narrative was being prepared for the press, -a suggestion was made in the columns of a most able weekly paper -that in the event of difficulties with Burma the Viceroy of India -should prohibit the exportation from British Burma of ngapé, “which -must be imported from the seaboard.” Undoubtedly there is a large -exportation from our territories, but the fish composing that curious -Burmese condiment, which, as Yule says, resembles “decayed shrimp -paste,” are caught in the Irawady. The upper river teems with fish; -fourteen species[14] were purchased by us at Tagoung, and the numerous -fishing-villages could probably render the capital independent of the -supply from British Burma. - -The Shuay-mein-toung hills, on the right or western bank, opposite -Tagoung, are very high, and wooded to their summits, with white pagodas -peeping out amidst the dense foliage. A few miles to the north they -recede from the river, where, on the eastern bank, the isolated range -of the Tagoung-toung-daw, about twenty miles long and one thousand -feet high, runs almost parallel to the river, in its intervening -valley six miles wide. The Irawady is here studded with large islands, -covered with long grass and forest trees; during the rains they are -submerged, and become very dangerous to descending boats. A serpentine -course, following a broad deep channel to the east of the large island -of Chowkyoung, brought us to the town of Thigyain on the right bank, -opposite to the village of Myadoung on the left. This latter gives its -name to the district south of Bhamô. Here we were startled by the news -that the Woon of Bhamô, to whom we were accredited, had been killed -during a riot at Momeit, about thirty-six miles south-east of Myadoung. -The Woon had proceeded thither with a force of three hundred men to -collect taxes, when the Shans and Kkahyens broke out into revolt and -surrounded the royal troops, many of whom, with their leader, had been -killed. It was impossible not to feel a presentiment that this untoward -event would prove a source of delay, by compelling us to deal with -subordinates who would be timid, even if well disposed to assist. We -passed, hidden by an island, the mouth of the Shuaylee, three miles -above Myadoung, and halted at Katha, on the right bank, the largest -place met with since Shienpagah. It is a long town, containing at -least two hundred well-built timber houses, disposed in two parallel -streets, and surrounded by bamboo palisades with three gates. It is -the head-quarters of the woon of a considerable district, inhabited -by Shan-Burmese. Long hollows of rich alluvium cultivated for rice, -and closed in by undulating land covered with valuable forest trees, -including teak, separate the town from the western hills. Some cotton -is grown and tobacco largely raised on the islands and sandbanks. At -the time of our visit, a number of Shan merchants had arrived with -salted tea-leaves and other commodities. A few Yunnan Chinese, who had -probably come down the Shuaylee, were also in the town. The people -seemed well-clad and well-to-do, and the women were busily employed -in weaving and preparing coloured cotton yarns for the manufacture of -putzos and tameins. - -A dense morning fog delayed our departure from Katha, and the whole -population of the town swarmed on board the steamer. After satisfying -their curiosity with the novelties of machinery, &c., we bethought -ourselves of amusing them with a magnetic battery. At first all held -back, but a few more venturous spirits leading the way, the operators -were speedily besieged by eager candidates for a shock. The grimaces -of each patient produced shouts of laughter. The good-humoured Shans -discovered or fancied that the shock was good for would-be parents; -some coaxed their timid wives to the front, while the matrons brought -up their pretty young daughters to obtain a share of the benefits -going. Above Katha the river is broken up by large islands into -tortuous, deep, and narrow channels. Large flocks of geese kept passing -us for nearly an hour, and the sandbanks and shores of the islands -were covered with varieties of wild ducks. As evening closed in, at -Shuaygoo-myo, immense flocks of _Herodias garzetta_, or the little -egret, were seen roosting in the tall grass and on the high trees, -which seemed illuminated by their white forms. - -In this neighbourhood we saw several villages deserted for fear of the -Kakhyens, who had occupied some of the abandoned houses. - -Two of our party set out to visit and make their first acquaintance -with those wild highlanders, who reminded them of the East Karens; they -were civil, but declined an invitation to the steamer, pleading that -they must rejoin their chief, but really fearing reprisals from the -Burmese. Of their kidnapping habits, several proofs were given, one -being in the person of a boy of Chinese extraction, who had been sold -by them to the village headman for twenty-five rupees. At our departure -in the morning, young women and boys raced along the river-side, -keeping up with us, to secure protection from the hillmen on the way -to their villages. We were also informed that the priests’ pupils who -collected food from village to village were obliged to creep along -under the high banks to escape the kidnappers. Subsequent experience -has shown that the villagers on the eastern shore, as far as Bhamô, are -in the habit of sleeping in boats moored in the river; only thus can -they be secure from the nocturnal raids of their dangerous neighbours. - -Leaving Shuaygoo-myo, we passed the large island of Shuaybaw, with its -thousand pagodas, their bright golden htees strikingly contrasting with -the rich green massive foliage, above which they rose. The great pagoda -is about sixty feet high, enclosed on two sides by a richly carved -zayat of teak with an elaborately decorated roof, and a cornice of -small niches, containing seated marble Buddhas. Two broad paved ways, -one known as the Shuaygoo-myo and the other as the Bhamô entrance, -approach the pagoda, which is three quarters of a mile distant from -the river. Numerous zayats cluster round the central shrine, piled to -the ceiling with Buddhistic figures in metal, wood, and white marble, -offered by the worshippers who yearly throng this holy place sanctified -by the footprint of Gaudama. - -Three miles above the island is the entrance to the second defile, -where the Irawady flows through a magnificent gorge piercing a range -of hills at right angles. For five miles the deep dark green current, -narrowed to three hundred yards, but deepening to one hundred and -eighty feet and more, is overhung by gigantic precipices. Their summits -are mostly covered with scanty stunted trees, but some rise bare, with -splintery peaks, and red, rocky escarpments; lower down their bold -sides are mantled in dark green forest, picked out here and there with -the fresher green of festooned clumps of bamboos, palms, and luxuriant -musæ. Little fishing-villages enclosed in bamboo palisades lie snugly -in the hollows. Entering the defile, we rounded a many-peaked hill on -the left bank, which rose precipitously four hundred feet, its outline -broken by huge black rocks standing out against the blue sky. The -little white pagoda of Yethaycoo, in front of a cave, and dominating -a grey limestone precipice one hundred and fifty feet in height, -looked across the gorge to a phoongyee’s house perched on high, and -accessible only by bamboo ladders. The most striking feature was the -great limestone precipice which rose like a gigantic wall eight hundred -feet from the water’s edge. This is the Deva-faced cliff celebrated in -the mythical history of Tsampenago. At its base the little pagoda of -Sessoungan was perched on a detached pyramid of limestone embowered -in fine trees. During the March festival many devotees scale the long -bamboo ladders which form the only access to the shrine. The Buddhist -love for preserving animal life is here manifested towards the large -monkeys (_Macacus assamensis_, M’Lelland), which, like the tame fish, -come when called, and devour the offerings of the devotees. Projecting -and depending from the precipice were huge masses of stalagmite -formation, seemingly liable to fall at any moment. Water was dripping -over them, and the natives say that during the rains the water pours -over the face of the precipice in a tremendous cascade, the roar of -which is deafening. It may well be so, for the echoes in the defile -are most wonderful, echoing and re-echoing in almost harmonious -reverberations. In the earliest morning the loud shouting of the -hoolock monkeys in the forest made the whole air resonant, as it was -taken up by another troop on the opposite bank, and echoed along the -hills and from cliff to cliff in a constant wave of sound, curiously -blended with which rang the shrill crowing of jungle cocks. As the -sun rose higher, a deep bass was supplied by the hum of innumerable -bees, whose pendant nests thickly studded the rocky projections of -the precipice. At the next turn of the river another pagoda, with a -handsome many-roofed zayat by its side, high on the western hills, -marked the northern entrance of the defile, and we soon passed the -ancient mart of Kaungtoung, celebrated for the repulse of the Chinese -invading army in 1769, and the treaty which thenceforward secured peace -and commerce between Burma and China. Subsequently it became a rival of -Bhamô as an emporium of Chinese trade by the valley of the Shuaylee and -the Muangmow route. The river now spread itself into a broad stream, -broken up by islands and sandbanks, but in some places not less than -a mile and half wide between the main banks. In front of the village -of Sawady a long stretch of sand was occupied by a large encampment of -Shan, Chinese, and other traders, a large fleet of boats lying ready to -convey the goods down the river. - -[Illustration: THE DEVA-FACED CLIFF, SECOND DEFILE OF THE IRAWADY.] - -Here we sighted Bhamô in the distance, situated on an elevated bank -overlooking the river, the htees of its few pagodas glistening brightly -in the setting sun. To the right the high range of the Kakhyen hills -was seen stretching away in an unbroken line to the east-north-east, -and on the left a low range of undulating tree-clad hills bent round to -join the western heights of the defile. - -The almost level sweep of country, about twenty-five miles broad -between these limits, was closed in, about ten miles to the north, by -another low range, marking the upper _khyoukdwen_, or first defile, of -the Irawady. - -[1] Pronounced “Bhamaw.” - -[2] ‘Report on Eastern Frontier of British India,’ 1835. - -[3] _Vide_ ‘Selection of Papers on the Hill Tracts between Assam and -Burmah,’ Calcutta, 1873. - -[4] The Chamber of Commerce, under the able president, Mr. M’Call, -had been most active in urging the despatch of the mission, and had -subscribed £3000 for all expenses of their representatives, and for the -purchase of specimens of manufactures. - -[5] The _putzo_ is a long narrow silken cloth of a chequered pattern, -which a Burman winds round him to form a suit of clothes. The _tamein_ -is the feminine equivalent, partly of cloth, partly of silk, with a -zigzag pattern, the silken portions forming the skirt, which, according -to ancient custom, exposes one leg almost completely in walking. - -[6] These Brahmins act as royal astrologers, who are consulted on all -great occasions. The Buddhist priests took no part in the ceremonial. - -[7] It appears to be made from the leaves of _Elæodendron persicum_, -Persoön. - -[8] _Kalas_, Burmese word for “foreigners.” - -[9] See Appendix I. - -[10] At this time about one million viss of salt were annually exported -up the river from Shienpagah, finding its way chiefly to Bhamô and to -Tsitkaw, for the supply of the Kakhyens and Shans. Lately, however, -English salt is beginning to take its place, and on my last voyage -up the Irawady, one flat from Mandalay carried nothing but salt. In -order to proceed to Tsitkaw, it is transshipped at Bhamô into small -boats, which carry only five thousand viss each, as the Tapeng is a -rapid river, and rather shallow during the dry weather. On salt from -Shienpagah, a duty is levied at Malé, Yuathét, and Bhamô, in addition -to a boat tax, and when it proceeds up the Tapeng, an additional impost -has to be paid at Tsitkaw, and a boat tax at Haylone and Tsitgna. (A -_viss_ = about 3 lbs.) - -[11] Hannay, ‘Selection of Papers,’ Calcutta, 1873. - -[12] In the ecclesiastical translation of the classical localities of -Indian Buddhism to Indo-China, which is current in Burma, Yunnan is -represented by Gandhara or Kandahár. Yule’s ‘Marco Polo,’ ii. p. 59, -edition of 1874. - -[13] Colonel Yule remarks that “Tartars on the Indian frontier in those -centuries are surely to be classed with the Frenchmen whom Brennus led -to Rome” (‘Marco Polo,’ i. p. 12). - -[14] _Wallago attu_, Bloch and Schn.; _Callichrous bimaculatus_, -M’Lelland; _Macrones cavasius_, H. B.; _Macrones corsula_, H. B.; -_Labeo calbasu_, H. B.; _Labeo churchius_, H. B.; _Cirrhina mrigala_, -H. B.; _Barbus sarana_, H. B.; _Barbus apogon_, C. and V.; _Carassius -auratus_, Linn.; _Catla buchanani_, C. and V.; _Rhotee cotio_, H. B.; -_Rhotee microlepis_, Blyth; _Notopterus kapirat_, Bonn. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -BHAMÔ. - - Arrival at Bhamô--Our quarters--The town--The Woon’s house--The - Shan-Burmese--Kakhyen man-stealing--The environs--Old - Tsampenago--Legendary history--The Shuaykeenah pagodas--The Molay - river--The first defile--Delays and intrigues--Sala--The new Woon--Our - departure--Tsitkaw--Mountain muleteers--The Manloung lake--The - phoongyee’s farewell. - - -We found some difficulty in steering the long steamer through the -channels, but anchored about 5 P.M. on the 22nd of January off the -river front of Bhamô, in a very deep and broad channel. Our arrival -attracted crowds, but the whistle and rush of steam drove many into a -precipitate retreat. We had now reached our true point of departure. -Whatever had been the uncertainties of the untried navigation of the -river, the real dangers and difficulties of the attempt to penetrate -Western China were now to begin. We bore the proclamation of the king -commanding all Burmese subjects to aid us. But there was no governor -of Bhamô to execute the royal orders, and the secret intentions or -inclinations of the Burmese were yet to be tested. The difficulties -of the unknown road over the Kakhyen mountains, the hostility or -friendship of the mountaineers, and of the Shan population between them -and Yunnan, were equally untried. Moreover, though it had scarcely -been realised in all its bearings by our own British officials, -Yunnan was no longer a well ordered province of the Chinese empire; -it was disorganised by the successful rebellion of the Mahommedan -Chinese, called Panthays by the Burmese, who had established a partial -sovereignty, extending from Momien to Tali-fu. The frontier trade had -been materially interrupted, partly by the desolation caused by the -internecine warfare, and partly by the depredations of imperial Chinese -partisans. Of these, the most dreaded leader was a Burman Chinese, -known as Li-sieh-tai, a faithful officer of the old _régime_, who had -established himself on the borders of Yunnan, and waged a guerilla -war against the Panthays and their friends. His name is Li, and his -so-called small name is Chun-kwo, while from his mother having been a -Burmese, he is also known as Li-haon-mien, or Li the Burman. As having -been raised to the rank of a Sieh-tai in the Chinese army, he was -called Li-sieh-tai or Brigadier Li.[15] - -In Bhamô itself there were a number of Chinese merchants, who were -unlikely to favour any project which threatened to admit the hated -barbarians to a share of their monopoly and profits. This may give -some idea of the state of things which we found on our arrival. Our -illusions as to a speedy or easy progress were soon dissipated, and -after a formal visit from the two tsitkays, or magistrates, ruling -the northern and southern divisions of the town, it became evident -that we must prepare for a long stay at Bhamô. The royal order to -provide transport had only been received by the Woon on the eve of -his departure on his fatal expedition to Momeit. Nothing, therefore, -had been done; nor could they venture to act until the new governor -arrived. The next best thing was to insist on their carrying into -effect the royal order to build a house for us, which had not been -done. This they reluctantly performed, and in a few days a bamboo -edifice was run up close to the Woon’s house, consisting of a central -hall, with three bedrooms on either side, and a verandah at each end of -the house. A small outhouse accommodated the servants and baggage, and -the guard was quartered in an adjacent zayat; a tent pitched in front -of the house served as a refectory. Till these quarters were prepared, -we remained on board the steamer, receiving crowds of visitors. In -the press a heavy log of timber fell on a little girl and fractured -her thigh; she was at once carried on board, and the broken limb duly -set. This incident speedily established the reputation of the foreign -doctor, and for the rest of our stay patients flocked in every day, -some coming from long distances, and blind and lame eagerly expecting -to be made young and whole. A great deal of blindness had resulted -from small-pox. Ophthalmia was also prevalent. A common affection was -a form of ulcerous inflammation, chiefly on the legs, amongst those -whose occupation led them into the jungles. This was so intractable -as to incline one to attribute it to poisonous thorns; but subsequent -personal experience proved that slight bruises and abrasions are most -apt in this country to become painful and tedious. During the whole -time no case of fever was treated, nor did any occur among our party -of one hundred men. This speaks volumes for the salubrity of the place -during the dry season. The highest temperature experienced was 80° -Fahrenheit, the average maximum being not more than 66° Fahrenheit, -while the nights were very pleasant, cooling down, if we may put it -so, to fifty or forty-five degrees. Fever is rather more prevalent -during the rains, when the Irawady rolls down a huge volume of water, a -mile and half broad, and the low lands are submerged twelve to fifteen -feet.[16] - -But this is a digression somewhat professional, and it is needful to -revert to the narrative and try to give the reader some notion of our -surroundings and proceedings until we got away fairly on the march. - -Bhamô, known by the Chinese as Tsing-gai, and in Pali called Tsin-ting, -is a narrow town about one mile long, occupying a high prominence on -the left bank of the Irawady. Instead of walls, there is a stockade -about nine feet high, consisting of split trees driven side by side -into the ground and strengthened with crossbeams above and below. -This paling is further defended on the outside by a forest of bamboo -stakes fixed in the ground and projecting at an acute angle. However -formidable to barefooted natives, the stockade does not always exclude -tigers, which pay occasional visits, and during our stay killed a woman -as she sat with her companions. There are four gates, one at either end -and two on the eastern side, which are closed immediately after sunset; -a guard is stationed at the northern and southern gates, while several -look-out huts perched at intervals on the stockade are manned when -an attack of the Kakhyens is expected. The population numbers about -two thousand five hundred souls, occupying about five hundred houses, -which form three principal streets. There are many thickly wooded -by-paths, and bridges over a swamp in the centre of the town, leading -to scattered houses, dilapidated pagodas, zayats, and monasteries. - -The street following the course of the bank, with high flights of steps -ascending from the river, has a row of houses on either side, with a -row of teak planks laid in the middle to afford dry footing during the -rains. The houses of the central portion are all small one-storied -cottages, built of sun-dried bricks, with tiled concave roofs with -deep projecting eaves. Through an open window the proprietor can be -seen calmly smoking behind a little counter, for this is the Chinese -quarter, and the colony of perhaps two hundred Celestials here offer -for sale Manchester goods, Chinese yarns, ball tea, opium, Yunnan -potatoes, lead, and vermilion, &c. They also regulate the cotton -market, and the traffic in this product, which is brought both from -the south and the north, is carried on even during the rains. The head -Chinaman, who is responsible for order amongst his compatriots, is a -man of great influence. He and his fellow merchants, professing great -friendship, invited us to a grand feast and theatrical entertainment -given in the Chinese temple, or rather in the theatre which formed a -portion thereof. We entered through what was to us a novelty in this -country, a circular doorway, into a paved court. The theatrical portion -of the building was over the entrance to a second court, facing the -sanctuary, which is on a higher level. A covered terrace surrounded -the holy place on three sides, with recesses containing seated figures -nearly life size, with rubicund faces and formidable black beards and -moustaches. Each of these was carefully protected from dust by being -enshrined in a square box closed in front with gauze netting. Besides -the theatrical entertainment, which was interminable, we were regaled -with preserved fruits and confectionery, with tea and _samshu_, or rice -spirit, followed by numerous courses of pork, fowls, &c. The staple -of conversation was the dangers and impossibilities of getting through -to Yunnan; every argument they could think of to induce us to abandon -the idea of progress was then and afterwards employed. It can readily -be imagined that the Bhamô Chinese traders viewed with utter dismay -the prospect of Europeans sharing their trade; to their schemes of -hindrance we shall again recur. - -The rest of the townspeople are exclusively Shan-Burmese, living in -small houses built of teak and bamboo, all detached and raised on -piles. The Woon’s house, on a low promontory running out into the swamp -behind the Chinese quarter, was a large tumbledown timber and bamboo -structure; but its double roof and high palisade covered with bamboo -mats marked the dignity of its occupier. A small garden overrun with -weeds contained the remains of a rockery and fish-pond, and a neglected -brass cannon, under a low thatched shed, guarded either side of the -gate; in a large adjacent space stood the court-house. All the public -buildings were then in a state of dilapidation and decay; this the -inhabitants attributed to Kakhyen raids, destructive fires, decay of -trade since the Panthay wars, and misrule. Evidence was not wanting in -the numerous neglected pagodas and timber bridges, and in the ruinous -and charred remains of what must have been handsome zayats, that Bhamô, -in palmier days, deserved the eulogiums passed on it by Hannay and -other travellers. - -The Shan-Burmese seemed a peaceful, industrious class. In each house a -loom is found in the verandah, and the girls are taught to weave from -an early age. The women are always busy weaving silk or cotton putzos -and tameins, preparing yarns, husking rice, or feeding and tending -the buffaloes, besides doing their household duties. The men till -the fields, but are not so industrious as the softer sex. A few are -employed in smelting lead, and others work in gold, or smelt the silver -used as currency. To six tickals[17] of pure silver purchased from the -Kakhyens, one tickal eight annas of copper wire are added, and melted -with alloy of as much lead as brings the whole to ten tickals’ weight. -The operation is conducted in saucers of sun-dried clay bedded in paddy -husk, and covered over with charcoal. The bellows are vigorously plied, -and as soon as the mass is at a red heat, the charcoal is removed, and -a round flat brick button previously covered with a layer of moist clay -is placed on the amalgam, which forms a thick ring round the edge, to -which lead is freely added to make up the weight. As it cools, there -results a white disc of silver encircled by a brownish ring. The silver -is cleaned and dotted with cutch, and is then weighed and ready to be -cut up. Another industry is confined to the women, who make capital -chatties from a tenacious yellow clay, which overlies this portion of -the river valley, in some places forty feet thick; the earthenware is -coloured red with a ferruginous substance found in nodules embedded in -the clay. - -From the same clay, a number of Shan-Chinese from Hotha and Latha make -sun-dried bricks outside the town, and a colony of the same people -sojourn every winter at Bhamô, making _dahs_, or long knives, which -are in great demand. A number of Kakhyens are often to be seen near -the town, bringing rice, opium, silver, and pigs for sale. Their chief -object is to procure salt, for which necessary they are dependent -on Burma. They are not allowed to encamp within the town, but are -compelled to shelter themselves outside the gates, in miserable -wigwams. The Burmese assigned as a reason for their exclusion their -dread of the Kakhyen propensity for kidnapping children and even men, -and also because a small party might be the precursors of a raid.[18] -A few days after our arrival, four children who had been stolen were -recovered. One of them was brought by her mother, to show the large -round holes bored in the back of the ears as a sign of servitude. The -other three were little fat Chinese children, and adopted by the head -tsitkay. A curious illustration of their habits of man-stealing was -also afforded us. - -The Burmese interpreter found among the Kakhyens outside the town a -man who privately told him that he was a _kala_, or foreigner, who -had been ten years in slavery; having heard of the arrival of the -kalas, he anxiously desired an interview. His features showed that he -was a native of India, and his history, given in a jumble of Burmese, -Kakhyen, and Hindostani, was as follows. Deen Mahomed, a petty trader -from Midnapore, had come to Burma with nine others ten years before. -They stayed a year at Tongoo, thence making their way up as far as -Bhamô. In this neighbourhood, during a halt for cooking, all had gone -to seek firewood save Deen Mahomed and another, who were in charge -of the goods. A party of Kakhyens suddenly rushed out of the bush, -and seized both men and goods. His comrade was taken away he knew not -where, and he was carried off as a slave. A log of wood was fastened to -one of his legs, and he was further secured by ropes fastened to this, -and braced over his shoulders. This he wore for two months, during -which time he was not made to work, but was guarded by a Kakhyen. He -was then released on his promise to remain. A few days after, the -village was plundered by a hostile tribe, but he and his master escaped -to another village, where he was bartered for a buffalo to another -man. His new master treated him well, but did not allow him to leave -the hills, and after two or three years gave him a Kakhyen wife. He -had almost forgotten his native language, but not his native country. -As soon as he heard of our arrival, he resolved to ask our aid in his -deliverance. We sent him among his fellow-countrymen of the guard, who -clothed him, and he was installed as a groom, and taken with us as -an interpreter. That his story was true, we had confirmation, as his -quondam master preferred a claim for compensation for his loss. - -The country behind Bhamô runs up to the base of the mountain wall in -undulations so long as to present the general aspect of a level slope, -covered with eng trees and tall grass. For about a mile outside the -stockade, the surface is cut up by numerous deep jheels, evidently old -backwaters of the Irawady, which once flowed in a long curve, marked -by an old river bank, south-east of the town. The soil, especially in -the hollows, is very rich, giving two crops of rice annually. Numerous -legumes, yams, and melons, and a little cotton are grown, and the sandy -river islands yield capital tobacco. - -The edible fruits procurable are jacks, tamarinds, lemons, citrons, -peaches, &c., and plantains are plentiful. - -About a mile north of the town, the Tapeng river debouches into the -Irawady, after flowing twenty miles through the plain as a quiet -navigable stream, hardly recognisable as the furious torrent which -rushes through the neighbouring gorge. During the dry season, it is -one hundred and fifty to two hundred yards wide, and navigable only by -boats, which convey a constant traffic between the Irawady and Tsitkaw, -where the merchandise is transferred to and from mules. During the -rains, the Tapeng is at least five hundred yards wide, and navigable -for small river steamers up to this place. - -Occupying the angle between the two rivers, the remains of an ancient -city are still discernible, though completely overgrown by magnificent -trees and thickets of bamboo and elephant grass. The broad wall, -composed of bricks and pebbles, can be traced from the river banks -at its northern and southern extremities, which are a mile apart. We -followed one section for three quarters of a mile, and found it in some -places thirty feet high from the bottom of the moat, which is still -traceable. The ruins, which, to judge from appearances, are coeval -with those of Tagoung, mark the site of the oldest Tsampenago. This -city, according to tradition, quoted by the old phoongyee at Bhamô, -flourished in the days of Gaudama. There is yet another ruined city of -the same name on the other side of the Tapeng, which does not present -the same appearance of great antiquity. Twelve miles to the east of -Bhamô are the ruins of another city named Kuttha, while Bhamô itself -has a predecessor in the village called Old Bhamô, near the foot of -the Kakhyen hills, the former importance of which is witnessed by its -ruined pagodas. Here too is that old brick building mentioned by Dr. -Bayfield as probably the remains of the old English factory erected in -the beginning of the seventeenth century. We have little but conjecture -to guide us as to the vicissitudes of these ancient cities of the -Shan kingdom of Pong. As elsewhere in Burma, each new founder of a -dynasty seems to have transferred the seat of power to a new site. But -the legend of the origin of Tsampenago, of which the history of Bhamô -is a continuation, may be more interesting than dryasdust details of -antiquity.[19] - -Tsampenago is the Burmese form of a Pali name, Champa-nagara, from -_nagam_, town, and Champa, the seat of a powerful kingdom, flourishing -in the era of Gaudama, the ruins of which are still visible near -Bhaugulpore, on the Ganges. Tsampenago, then, means the city of Champa. - -The founder and first king of Tsampenago was Tsitta, and his queen’s -name was Wattee. They were childless, which was a cause of great -grief, and the queen prayed earnestly for an heir. A son was promised -to her by a dream, in which the king of the Devas presented her with -a valuable gem. Soon after this, the king’s brother Kuttha rebelled, -and attacked the city with a great army. The king and queen fled for -their lives to Wela, a mountain three thousand feet high, a day’s -journey north of Tsampenago. They were pursued, but the queen escaped -and was preserved by the nats, on the mountain, where her son was -born and named Welatha. The king was taken prisoner and confined in -chains. When Welatha was six years old, he saw his mother in tears, -and by questioning her learned that he was a prince, and his father -a captive. When he was seven, his mother yielded to his importunity, -and sent him, with her royal ornaments, to visit his father. On -approaching Tsampenago, he met his father being led out to execution. -The brave boy stopped the procession, and revealed himself, offering -to die instead of his father. Kuttha ordered him to be thrown into -the Irawady. But the river rose in tremendous waves, the earth shook, -and the executioners could not, for terror, obey the royal order. -This being reported to Kuttha, he ordered that the prince should be -trodden to death by wild elephants, but the beasts could not be goaded -to attack him. A deep pit was dug and filled with burning fuel, into -which the prince was cast, but the flames came on him like cool water, -and the burning fagots became lilies. When Kuttha heard this, in his -fury he had the young prince taken down to the Deva-faced mountain -(second defile), and cast from the great precipice into the river, but -he was caught up by a naga, and carried away to the naga country. The -earth quaked, many thunderbolts fell, the Irawady rolled up its waves, -and broke down its banks. Kuttha was seized with terror, and as he -fled forth of the city gate, the earth opened and swallowed him up. -Thereupon, the nagas brought back the young prince and his father, and -they reigned jointly. Their first care was to seek for the queen, but -on approaching the mountain of Wela, the flowers were few, and their -fragrance gone, and the queen was found dead. History says nothing of -their after reign, but records that in the 218th year of the Buddhist -sacred era, in obedience to the command of the universal monarch, four -pagodas were built in the kingdom of Tsampenago--the Shuaykeenah, -the Bhamô Shuay-za-tee; Koung-ting, and two others. The next item of -history states that in the year 400 of the era (probably the vulgar -era of 638 A.D.) the succession of kings being destroyed, and the -glory of the former rulers having departed, the tsawbwa Tholyen did -not dare to live in the city; so he founded a new one at the village -of Manmau, and made it his capital. Now _man_ is Shan for village, and -_mau_ for a pot; thus Bhamô, or Manmau, signifies Potters’ Village, a -name still justified by the pottery there manufactured. How Tsampenago -was destroyed, is not historically certain, but a tradition exists -among the Shans, that it was overthrown by an army of Singphos from -the north-west. After Tholyen, twenty-three tsawbwas are said to have -ruled in succession at Bhamô over a district comprising one hundred and -thirty-six villages. The succession was then broken, and the country -was ruled by Shan deputies. After this, tsawbwas were obtained from -Momeit, who ruled over Bhamô till Oo-Myat-bung and his family were -made slaves by the great Alompra about 1760. Ever since, the district -has been governed by myo-woons appointed by the king of Burma. The -first, Thoonain, settled the boundaries of the district, including only -eighty-eight villages, the eastern and north-eastern boundaries being -given as China. - -The legend of Tsampenago records the erection of the Shuaykeenah -pagoda, the name of which at least is preserved to the present day -by the group of pagodas situated on an eminence north of Tsampenago. -These are still the holy places of the neighbourhood, and are thronged -with pilgrims at the March festival. The great gilded pagoda has been -re-edified by royal bounty and popular offerings, but others are from -time to time added by private votaries. Thus it was our good fortune to -witness the laying the foundation of a votive pagoda at Shuaykeenah. -A small square of ground, the exact size of the base of the intended -pagoda, was railed off by a fantastic bamboo fence, two feet high, -decorated with flowers and paper flags. A wooden pin, covered with -silver tinsel, and bearing a lighted yellow taper, was fixed in the -centre, and another about two feet from the south-eastern corner of the -level plot; round the first a quadrangular trench, and a deep hole by -the side of the other were dug and sprinkled with water. Eight bricks, -each the exact size of one side of the trench, were prepared. On four -the name of Gaudama was inscribed in black paint; on the others, a -leaf of gold was placed on the centre of one, silver on the second, a -square of green paint on the third, and red on the fourth, each having -a border of green. A round earthen vase containing gold, silver, and -precious stones, besides rice and sweetmeats, was closed with wax in -which a lighted taper was stuck, and deposited in the south-east hole, -by the builder of the pagoda, who repeated a long prayer, while the -earth was filled in and sprinkled with water. This was an offering to -the great earth serpent, in the direction of whose abode the south-east -corner pointed. It is an interesting relic of the snake worship once so -prevalent among the Shan race to the south, which, like nat worship, -has been incorporated in Buddhism. Another instance is afforded in -some of the Yunnan shrines, where the canopy over Buddha is supported -by many-headed snakes, as occurs in some Indian temples. In the next -part of the ceremony, the depositing of the bricks in the trench, the -Shan was assisted by his grandmother, wife, and daughter; he knelt -at the north, faced by his wife, his daughter on his right hand, and -the grandmother on the left. The silvered brick, with a lighted taper -on it, was handed to the old woman, who raised it over her head, -and, devoutly murmuring a long prayer, placed it in the trench; the -wife did the same with the red brick and its taper, and the daughter -followed with the green, while her father took the gold one. The -girl, in raising her brick, burst out laughing, amused, as we were -told, at having forgotten her prayers. The four bricks having been -properly deposited, the others were next laid in order, the sacred name -downwards, and a layer of cloth spread over all. Earth was then thrown -in and sprinkled with water, and the hole having been filled up, the -ceremony was over. - -Four miles above Shuaykeenah and the mouth of the Tapeng, the Irawady -receives the waters of the Molay. It is a narrow stream, rising in the -Kakhyen hills, with a course of ninety-six miles, for thirty of which -it is navigable during the rains, and a small boat traffic exists, -chiefly for the conveyance of salt. - -While our leader was engaged planning for our departure with the -officials, three of us made a hurried excursion to the first -_khyoukdwen_, or defile. This portion of the river commences a few -miles above Bhamô, and extends for twenty-five miles, nearly to Tsenbo. - -Between these two points the river flows under high wooded banks. -At the lower entrance, the channel is one thousand yards broad, but -gradually narrows to five hundred, two hundred, and even seventy yards, -as the parallel ranges approach each other. As we ascended, the hills -rose higher and closed in, rising abruptly from the stream and throwing -out a succession of grand rocky headlands. We moored for the night off -a Phwon village standing on a cliff eighty feet high, just above the -first so-called rapids. The next day, after we had proceeded about -seven miles, we came to a reach in which the river flowed sluggishly -between two high conical hills, which seemed to present no outlet. The -quiet motion and deep olive black hue of the water suggested great -depth.[20] - -[Illustration: ROCKY BARRIER ON THE FIRST OR UPPER DEFILE OF THE -IRAWADY.] - -This reach extended about one mile and a half, with a breadth of two -hundred and fifty yards, closing in at the upper end, where the channel -is broken up by rocks jutting out boldly, and approaching each other -within eighty yards. A pagoda, apparently of great age, perched on a -small isolated rock, rising about forty-five feet from the stream, -seemed to indicate the limit of the rising of the waters, as it could -not have withstood the flood. This rocky reach stretches a mile in a -north-north-westerly direction, and terminates abruptly in an elbow, -from which another clear reach, overhung by precipitous but grassy -hills, extends east-north-east. - -This bend of the river is one of the most dangerous parts, owing to -numerous insulated greenstone rocks which stretch across it, exposed -twenty feet and more in February. Owing to the sudden bend, the current -rushes between them with great violence, but we found no difficulty in -effecting a passage for our boats. Telling evidences were not wanting -in the high-water mark, twenty-five feet above the then level, and in -the shivered trunks of large trees and debris of branches heaped in -wild confusion among the rocks, that the body of water pouring through -the narrow gorge must in the rains be enormous and of terrific power. -The navigation, with the present obstructions unremoved, would be -impossible for river steamers, but engineering skill could speedily -render the water way practicable if desired for traffic. We had not -time to ascend to the northern entrance of the defile, where the river, -unconfined by the hills, is again a majestic stream half a mile in -width. We could only look, and long for an opportunity of exploring its -course upwards to the unknown regions whence it rolls down its mighty -flood. The problem of the Irawady’s source and course has yet to be -solved; but we had to return to Bhamô, expecting the solution of our -perplexities, as to how and when we should reach Yunnan. - -Four weeks had now been spent by our leader in a fruitless attempt -to get the tsitkays to assist in making the necessary arrangements. -What between the novelty of their first introduction to enterprising -Englishmen, their dread of acting till the Woon arrived, and last, -though not least, their fear of offending the influential Chinese, -they could do nothing, nor give any information. As the arrival of -large Shan caravans and companies of trading Kakhyens proved, all -routes were not closed. The magistrates admitted a small trade existed -by the Tapeng and Ponline route; by this route it was decided that -we should go. It soon became known to our leader that the Chinese -merchants, failing to deter us from proceeding, had taken more active -measures. They had written to the Kakhyen tsawbwas, desiring them to -withhold assistance, and they further intrigued with the imperialist -officer Li-sieh-tai, who at this time threatened the road to Momien -and Tali-fu, entreating him to cut off the expedition _en route_. The -turning-point of our fortunes had now arrived. We could gain no exact -information as to the political relations of the Shans, and only knew -that the Panthay government extended to Momien, which was believed to -be the residence of Mahommedan chiefs of importance. - -Major Sladen, with promptness and decision, resolved, unknown to all, -to outwit the Chinese. He despatched letters to the chiefs of Momien, -explaining the peaceful objects of the mission, and the approbation -given to it by the Burmese government under our treaty, and pointing -out the advantages of opening the direct trade. These letters, with -copies of the treaty and proclamation, were secretly sent off by three -Kakhyens from the southern hills, who had attached themselves to our -interest. - -The next character claiming our attention was Sala, the Kakhyen chief -of Ponline, who came to Bhamô at the request of Sladen, after refusing -to comply with the order of the tsitkays. He visited us attired as -a mandarin of the blue button, and attended by six or eight armed -followers. He carried a gold umbrella, which he had received from the -king of Burma, with the title of _papada raza_, or mountain king. There -was nothing regal in his aspect or bearing. He was a tall, thin man, -with a contracted chest, long neck, very small and retreating forehead, -while his oval and repulsive visage was adorned with high cheek-bones, -oblique eyes, and a depression instead of a nose. During the interview, -when all the Burmese officials were present, he sat ill at ease, -with his eyes bent on the floor. We received him as an independent -chief, with the escort drawn up under arms in his honour. But little -information was procured, as the interpreter, a village tamone, could -not be persuaded to give correct versions of the chief’s short and -almost monosyllabic answers. So Sladen brought the interview to a -pleasant close by offering a friendly cup of _eau de vie_. This seemed -to suit the chief, and he and his retinue finished a bottle of brandy, -and asked for more. His parting words were, “Remember the brandy, and -send it to me quickly.” - -The following day, at a private interview, the chief threw off his -former reserve, which he said had been forced on him, as he could not -afford to offend the Bhamô Chinese. It was his own wish to assist the -mission, but he stipulated for a small Burmese escort, to show that -we had the full support of the king. He engaged to assemble a hundred -mules at Tsitkaw, a village on the right bank of the Tapeng twenty-one -miles distant; thence he undertook to conduct us safely to Manwyne, the -first Chinese Shan town, and boasted himself as the greatest chief on -the route, and on good terms with all the tsawbwas. - -The new Woon arrived on the 20th of February, but declined to land for -three days, as they were _dies nefasti_. In the meantime he sent word -that we might have boats to take the baggage to Tsitkaw, but advised -us to wait until he had fired his guns, and brought in the various -Kakhyen chiefs. The day after his landing, Sladen, with Sala, visited -him, and the Ponline chief asked for a Burmese guard, alleging as a -precedent that a guard had been sent up with the king’s cotton. The -Woon, however, declared it to be quite unnecessary and uncalled for, -and told the chief that the cases were quite different. The tsawbwa -then consented to take us on without the guard, but told the Woon that -he had received threatening letters from the Chinese. The Woon admitted -his knowledge of the Chinese opposition, and promised to admonish -the head Chinaman at Bhamô that he would be held responsible for our -safety. The morning after the Woon arrived, he proceeded in state to -the court-house, escorted by two hundred men. He wore the fantastic -dress of a Burmese prince, a short tight richly coloured coat covered -with gold tinsel, with two enormous wing-like epaulettes, and a tall -gilt hat like a fireman’s helmet, surmounted by a pagoda-like spire. -His appointment was read, and the guns fired, after an hour had been -spent in driving home the powder and cartridge of green plantain -leaf. Our baggage was despatched the next day, but two difficulties -remained. We had no Kakhyen interpreters, and the rupees, which were -said to be useless in the Shan country, had not been changed, for no -country silver was to be found in Bhamô, a mysterious and suggestive -fact. But these were not held sufficient to delay our departure, -which took place on the morning of the 26th of February. Our want -of a guide was removed by an accidental meeting in the street with -the head jailor, a good-natured Shan, whom Sladen induced to guide -us to Tsitkaw, promising to screen him from any displeasure of the -authorities. Although the distance is only twenty-one miles, the loss -of time caused by ferrying our party of one hundred men over the Tapeng -compelled us to halt at the village of Tahmeylon, where we put up in a -small monastery. Early the next morning we started, skirting the Tapeng -through tall grass, with occasional rice clearings. At the junction of -the Manloung river with the Tapeng, a number of ruined pagodas marked -the site of the second town of Tsampenago, built at a much later date -than that near Bhamô. - -By noon we reached Tsitkaw, and were received inside the low stockade -by the Burmese officials and a miserable guard armed with rusty flint -muskets, who garrison this as a customs station. We were conducted -to a small barn-like zayat, which had been cleaned out for our use. -Inquisitive natives speedily sought to force their way in, and had -to be kept at bay by armed sentinels, though with caution. And we -were requested to have a guard under arms all night, to protect our -property against thieves, and perhaps ourselves against tigers, which -occasionally overleap the stockade. In the morning, the Kakhyen -_tsawbwas_, or chiefs, and _pawmines_, or headmen, of Ponline, Tahlone, -Ponsee, and Seray, through whose lands lay the route to Manwyne, -appeared to take charge of ourselves and baggage. As the Shan-Burmese -of Tsitkaw and other villages near the hills keep on good terms -with the highlanders, the chiefs showed no timidity of the Burmese -officials; they made themselves quite at home, and asked for brandy; -under its genial influence a formal assent was soon given to our -passage through their territories. - -The first process was to collect all our baggage, that it might be -passed in review, and divided into small loads. Outside Tsitkaw, we had -passed an enclosure in which were about a hundred men, chiefly Shans, -with a few Kakhyens. These fellows had jeered at us in passing, and it -was by no means reassuring to learn that this unmannerly mob consisted -of the mule owners, as restive and untractable as their beasts. Each -man owned from one to a dozen mules, and looked after his own interests -without regard either to his employer’s or the rest of the caravan. -The consequent shouting, disputing, and almost fighting that ensued -as each helped himself to the packages that seemed desirable baffled -description. At last all the baggage was distributed in little heaps, -and each man marked off the number of mules required on a primitive -tally, formed from a piece of bamboo, which he broke across into a -corresponding number of joints, and put up carefully against the day of -reckoning. - -The next morning witnessed another scene of confusion and quarrelling, -as the panniers or pack-saddles were brought in order to have the -loads adjusted. The packs are secured to cross-trees, which fit into -transverse pieces of wood, fixed in the saddles; and a band passed -in front of the mule’s shoulders keeps all firm in its place. When -the burdens had been arranged, it appeared that there were more mules -than loads, and the disappointed proprietors furiously disputed the -possession of their lots with their more fortunate competitors; hands -were repeatedly laid on the hilt of the dah, but all ended in bluster, -and finally the loads were arranged. When all seemed ready for the -morrow’s starting, the _choung-oke_, or bailiff of the river, appeared -on the scene, accompanied by several Kakhyens, and informed us that -March 1st, being the 9th of some Kakhyen month, was an altogether -ill-omened day to commence any undertaking. This Burmese official -further confidentially informed Sladen that there was a quarrel brewing -between the muleteers and the chiefs, which would break out before -long; but he was disconcerted by the prompt action of the leader, who -sent for the chiefs, and, assuring them of his confidence, said that -he would abide by their arrangements for the transport. To this they -replied that we were their brothers, and that they would be true to us -for ever. The enforced delay at this place enabled us to make a short -excursion to the Manloung lake, about one mile and a half distant. -I went all round it in a small canoe, which held three people with -difficulty. The western bank is high and wooded, but broken by two -channels, through which the Manloung stream issues, uniting below a -small island, on which stands a Shan village of the same name. Besides -this, there is another island, and a village named Moungpoo. The high -bank is continued on the north, beyond the lake, as a prominent ridge -covered with tall trees, extending in a bold sweep to the foot of the -hills; it appeared evidently to be an old river bank, and that the -lake marks what was once the course of the Tapeng. The Manloung stream -falls into a remarkable offshoot of the main river, which afterwards -rejoins the Tapeng by several channels. This stream is deep and rapid, -and supplies several irrigating water-wheels. The lake is two miles -long and a mile broad, and according to native accounts very deep. To -the east extended a succession of swamps, hidden under a luxuriant -growth of high grass; careful search discovered no springs or streams -as sources of supply, although doubtless the former exist, as there is -a constant outflowing of water. It is probably also a reservoir, filled -annually by the overflow of the Tapeng, which during the rainy season -frequently floods the level plain to a depth of two feet for some days -at a time, the flood suddenly rising and as suddenly subsiding. - -Manloung contained about eighty houses, and the women at this time were -all busily engaged in weaving cloth from cotton procured from the -Kakhyens, who grow it on the hills. The village boasted of a large and -flourishing monastery, far superior to any to be seen at Bhamô, and -with a large number of resident pupils. The dormitory was exhibited -with pride by the chief phoongyee; the beds were neatly arranged -along one side of the room, each possessing a nice clean mattress and -coverlet and superior mosquito curtains. - -Thence we returned to Tsitkaw, where the filthy disregard of decency -exhibited by the drunken highland chiefs, which we were obliged to -tolerate, made our enforced sojourn still more insupportable; and an -additional source of anxiety was furnished by the information, imparted -by Sala, that Moung Shuay Yah, our Chinese interpreter, was really in -collusion with the hostile Chinese. - -Daylight on the 2nd of March saw us all on the _qui vive_ in -expectation of an early start, but the mule-men, at nine o’clock, had -not eaten their rice, and then came a demand for an advance of mule -hire; a previous request for salt to be distributed to the people of -villages _en route_ had been complied with, but no sooner had the -baskets containing it been brought in front of the house than the -men helped themselves at discretion, and no more was heard of it. An -hour was now spent in the distribution of five hundred rupees, which -were laid out on a mat, while the eagerness with which the recipients -gathered round and handled the silver spoke volumes as to their greed -for coin. One of the tsawbwas had been seen eagerly watching Sladen’s -private cash-chest, and asked in the most pressing manner to be allowed -to take charge of it, while another dogged the footsteps of Captain -Bowers’ servant, endeavouring to coax him into entrusting his master’s -fowling-piece to his care. - -During the morning the phoongyee of an adjoining khyoung arrived to -say farewell. He had been a constant visitor, and the kind reception -given him, and the toleration of his curiosity, which showed itself by -wandering about and prying into everything, had quite won his heart. He -was far superior to the usual run of Shan phoongyees, who, according -to Burmese Buddhism, are lax and unorthodox in practice and doctrine. -He spent much of his time in missionary visits to the ruder villages, -whose inhabitants he hoped to convert to conformity with stricter -religious rules. By way of a parting gift he presented each of us with -some sweet scented powder and a few fragrant seeds or pellets, which he -declared to be a sovereign remedy for headache or fever, “contracted by -smelling culinary operations!” His advice to Sladen at parting was so -shrewd and characteristic as to deserve quoting. “We have met before in -a former existence, and it is by virtue of meritorious acts there done -that I am privileged to meet you again in the present life, and advise -you for your welfare. Wisdom and prudence are necessary in all worldly -undertakings; use then special care and circumspection in your present -expedition; your enemies are numerous and powerful. We shall all hail -the reopening of the overland trade with China. The prosperity of the -priesthood depends on the condition of the country and the people; what -is good for them is also good for religion.” - -[15] A distinguished continental Chinese scholar has informed me that -this title is a civil one, denoting commissioner. In the absence of the -Chinese characters, the exact title of this functionary cannot be given. - -[16] The meteorological registers kept at the British Residency show -the annual rainfall at Bhamô to be 65 inches. - -[17] One _tickal_ = rather more than half an ounce troy. - -[18] Since the date of this visit, rest-houses have been erected for -the Kakhyens by the Burmese authorities, and also by the British -Resident; and some of these natives are always to be found temporarily -occupying them. - -[19] For this the writer is indebted to the learning and industry of the -late Rev. Dr. Mason. - -[20] Bayfield found no bottom at twenty-five fathoms. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -KAKHYEN HILLS. - - Departure from Tsitkaw--Our cavalcade--The hills--A false - alarm--Talone--First night in the hills--The tsawbwa-gadaw--Ponline - village--A death dance--The divination--A meetway--Nampoung gorge--A - dangerous road--Lakong bivouac--Arrival at Ponsee--A Kakhyen coquette. - - -Almost at the last moment before setting out, while lists of the -muleteers were being taken, in order to ascertain their respective -chiefs, so as to know who should be held responsible, in case of -default or robbery, the tsawbwas of Ponsee and Talone discovered -that Sala, when at Bhamô, had received a musket as a present. Their -informant was the treacherous Moung Shuay Yah, who instigated them -to stand on their dignity and demand a similar gift. Compliance was -impossible, so they refused their services, and prowled about in -sneaking silence, ostentatiously taking lists of ourselves and of our -baggage. By two o’clock a start was fairly effected, although our -arrangements were by no means as complete as they might have been; -but as it was settled that we should only proceed as far as Ponline -village, about twelve miles distant, it was better to start than risk -further delay. There was something outrageously wild in the irregular -confusion of our exodus from Tsitkaw, which, though perhaps orderly -according to Kakhyen ideas, presented no trace of system to our -uninformed minds. The three Kakhyen chiefs led the way, followed by the -unwieldy cash-chest, borne by eight men, and guarded by four sepoys; -then came the long straggling caravan of a hundred and twenty mules, -travelling just as it suited the peculiarities of each beast and its -driver. Our police escort marched steadily on, headed by the jemadar, -at whose side appeared his wife, looking like a true _vivandière_, -her slim figure becomingly attired in a blue silk padded jacket, and -trousers tucked up to the knee, with a red silk handkerchief for -head-dress; with a Burmese dah and bag slung over her shoulders, and -her shoes tied behind her back, she was evidently prepared for all -dangers and fatigues. - -We mounted our ponies and rode forward over the level plain before -us; stretching north-east and south-west, rose the long undulating -outline of the Kakhyen mountains, broken here and there by huge domes -or pointed peaks, rising to five and six thousand feet. On our right -flowed the Tapeng, gradually calming its waters into a placid stream, -after having emerged as a foaming torrent from the mountain barrier. -At the village of Hentha the route diverged from the river, and half -a mile further we passed the long, straggling, but populous village -of Old Bhamô, embosomed in a dense grove of bamboos and forest trees. -Outside the village stood a solitary and almost ruined pagoda, the -advanced outpost, on this side the river, of Burmese Buddhism, for none -of these religious edifices are found among the Kakhyen hills. - -Four miles’ ride through a succession of level swampy patches of paddy -clearings, and grassy fields intersected by deep nullahs, brought us to -the village of Tsihet, on slightly undulating ground. At this point the -route turned almost at right angles, to ascend the hills, and here the -three tsawbwas were seated in deep and excited consultation, apparently -waiting for us. We had outstripped most of the convoy, and as Sladen -rode up, Sala exclaimed, pointing to the hill-path, “All right, go on, -and don’t be afraid.” His words were less intelligible than those of -the Talone tsawbwa, who asked in an injured tone, “When are you going -to give me that gun?” - -We ascended about five hundred feet, over a series of rounded hills, -distinct from the main range, but connected with it by spurs, up the -slope of one of which we were slowly climbing, when a shot was heard -in front. Sladen, the superior powers of whose pony had taken him -ahead, waited until the others joined him, and another shot and then -four reports together were heard, but no bullet whizzed near. A spear -was picked up in the path, which a Burmese syce alleged to have been -thrown from the jungle at the passing travellers; but his evidence was -doubtful. - -We all proceeded as if nothing had happened, but our Kakhyens, some -fifty of whom were ahead, gathered round, flourishing their dahs and -yelling like fiends, to assure us of their determination to protect us. -A little further on we came upon two Kakhyens of our party, standing -in an open by the roadside, one armed with a cross-bow and poisoned -arrows, and the other with a flint musket. By signs they tried to -convey to us that some evil-disposed mountaineers had hidden themselves -at this spot, and had fired on them, but that on their returning the -fire, the enemy had “bolted” down the hillside. We had our own opinion -that the supposed attack was an ingenious ruse to try our mettle, and -that most of the shots were fired by our half intoxicated muleteers, -who evinced no sort of fear or misgiving. One of them, mounted on a -mule, and armed with a long dah and matchlock, proved himself more -dangerous as a friend than all the supposed enemies. He kept rushing -backwards and forwards on a path scarcely wide enough in some places -for a single pony; now he flourished his long sword in a reckless -manner, and then fired his matchlock over the head of Sladen, who -was in front, reloading and firing over his shoulder with a rapidity -wonderful in a man so drunk as to be beyond reason. Judicious praises -of his dexterity and a promise to refill his powder-horn at the -next village were necessary to prevent him from becoming suddenly -quarrelsome and dangerous. - -From the summit of the spur fifteen hundred feet high, we descended -by a rough, slippery path, the bed of a dried-up watercourse, to a -level glen of rich alluvial land, and thence climbed another spur to a -height of two thousand feet, whence a slight descent brought us to a -long ridge, on which were situated the villages of Talone and Ponline. -Approaching the first-named, we were requested to dismount, as Kakhyen -etiquette does not admit of riding past a village. We led our ponies -through a grassy glade, surrounded by high trees, and sacred to the -nats. At one side stood a row of bamboo posts, varying in height from -six to twenty feet, split at the top into four pieces, supporting small -shelves to serve as altars for the offerings of cooked rice, fowls, -and sheroo, wherewith the demons are propitiated. Before each altar -were placed large bundles of grass, and a few old men were kneeling, -muttering a low chant. - -Leaving Talone on an eminence to our left, we remounted and descended -a little distance through deep ravines, in secondary spurs, and, after -a short ascent, traversed a tolerably level pathway, and another short -rise brought us to our halting-place, the village of Ponline, lying -two thousand three hundred feet above the sea. The rocks exposed were -all metamorphic, consisting chiefly of a grey gneiss or red granite, -and a hornblendic mica schist, huge rounded boulders of which latter -were strewn on the hillsides. The hills were covered with a dense tree -forest, largely intermixed with bamboos. It was already dusk when we -arrived, but the moon shone brightly, and a pawmine conducted us to a -house, swept and made ready for us. Like all Kakhyen houses, it was an -oblong bamboo structure, with closely matted sides, raised on piles -three feet from the ground. The roof thatched with grass sloped to -within four feet from the ground; the eaves, propped by bamboo posts, -formed a portico, used as a stable at night for ponies, pigs, and -fowls, and as a general lounge by day. Notched logs served as stairs -to ascend to the doorway in the gable end. On one side of the interior -was a common hall, running the whole length of the building. On the -other was a series of small rooms, divided from each other by bamboo -partitions; a second doorway or opening at the further end was, as we -afterwards learned, reserved for the use of members of the family, -or household, none others being allowed to enter thereby, on pain of -offence to the household nats. Chimneys and windows there were none, -and the walls and roofs were blackened with smoke. In the common hall -and in each room there was an open hearth sunk a little below the -flooring, the closely laid bamboo work being covered with a layer of -hard-pressed earth. - -Only a portion of the baggage mules had arrived, and the bedding of -several members of the party was among the missing property. Rumours -were also afloat that robbers had succeeded in driving off eight -mules, if not more, and altogether the first night in Kakhyen land -seemed to some of the party inauspicious; but we made the best of it, -and, having taken possession of our strange quarters, were presently -joined by Williams, who had been detained taking the altitudes. He -contributed the news that after leaving Talone a shot had been fired at -Sala, who was in front of him. We strolled out in the pleasant night -air, and admired an animated group of fair Kakhyens, busily pounding -rice by moonlight. The paddy was placed in a rude mortar, or rather a -cavity hollowed out in a log, and two girls stood opposite each other -wielding heavy poles, four feet long. These were plied alternately, the -heavy dull thud of the pestle forming a bass to the treble of a low -musical cry, emitted at each stroke by the fair operators, while their -bell girdles tinkled a pleasant accompaniment. These girdles marked -their rank, only the daughters of chiefs being allowed to wear these -musical ornaments. - -An old woman beckoned Sladen to follow her, and conducted him to -a house, which proved to be that of Sala, who received him most -hospitably, making him share his carpet, while his guide, the tsawbwa’s -wife, and her family brought successive relays of bamboo buckets, -filled with _sheroo_, or Kakhyen beer. - -At last, having divided what bedding there was, we settled ourselves -to sleep, leaving it for the morrow to confirm or dissipate the fears -excited by the non-arrival of guard, cash-chest, and baggage. - -Our slumbers were, however, disturbed by loud shouts, repeated from -height to height, which seemed to be the “All’s well!” of native -guards, posted round the village to watch over our safety. - -In the morning a large capon and a supply of beer arrived, as a present -from the chieftainess, and later on she herself with her daughters and -retinue came in state. She was a short matronly-looking woman, with -an intelligent expression of countenance and good features, but for -her high cheek-bones and slightly Chinese eyes. Her costume was of -course the perfection of highland full dress, and, though singular, by -no means unbecoming. The head-dress was the most striking part of it, -consisting of blue cloth, wound round and round in a sort of turban, so -as to form an inverted cone, towering at least eighteen inches above -her head. Her upper garment was a sleeveless black velvet jacket, -ornamented with a row of large embossed silver buttons running round -the neck and continued down the front; besides these, circular plates -of chased and enamelled silver, three inches in diameter, arranged -in rows down the front and back seams and around the skirt, made the -garment almost resemble a cuirass. The dress was completed by a single -kilt-like petticoat, composed of a dark blue cotton cloth, with a broad -red woollen border, wound round the hips, and reaching a little below -the knee. One end was tastefully worked with deep silken embroidery, -and carefully disposed, so as to hang gracefully on one side. A -profusion of fine ratan girdles round the waist supported the kilt and -filled up the void between it and the jacket; and, by way of stockings, -a close-fitting series of black ratan rings encircled her legs below -the knee. Her rank was marked by two large silver hoops round her -neck, and a necklace of short cylinders of some red clayey material, -intermixed with amber and ivory beads. These cumbrous ornaments are -permitted only to the wives and daughters of tsawbwas and pawmines. -Two silver bracelets on each arm, and long silver tubes worn in the -lobes of the ears, completed her splendour. Her little daughters, -besides the distinctive girdles of black beads, and silver bells, each -containing a small free pellet, which tinkled pleasantly to every -motion of the wearer, wore broad waist-belts ornamented with several -rows of cowrie shells. Our visitor brought us goose eggs and sheroo, -and apologised for not having more to offer, but promised to send us -every day something to eat. Her goodwill was rewarded by presents of -silk handkerchiefs and red cloth, and a gorgeous table-cloth, the -splendour of which and her joy, when Sladen presented it to her, left -her perfectly speechless. - -[Illustration: KAKHYEN WOMEN.] - -During the day the missing mules and baggage began to arrive, -the drivers having camped for the night at various places in the -neighbourhood, and early in the afternoon the guard marched in, but -without the cash-chest. The jemadar reported that he had remained -in charge of it at Talone, where he had been obliged to leave it, -together with the missing eight mules and their loads. The tsawbwa, who -with his people and the Chinese interpreter, Moung Shuay Yah, had spent -the night in drinking, refused to let either cash-chest or baggage -proceed. The guard had been unable to obtain any food till before -starting this morning, and one of the sepoys who had rashly indulged in -excessive draughts of water had been seized with sickness, and died in -two hours. - -On the receipt of this news of the unaccountable conduct of the -Talone chief and Moung Shuay Yah, Sala despatched his own son with -positive orders for the instant release of the porters and drivers, -and pending their arrival, we sallied forth to view the village and -its surroundings. The houses were situated at short distances from -each other in a deep hollow, thickly wooded with magnificent oaks and -a few palms (Corypha), and very fine screw-pines, or _pandani_, one -fallen stem of the former being fully sixty feet in length. Immediately -over the village towered a bold rounded summit of the main range two -thousand feet above us, halfway up the side of which a large conical -Khakyen grave formed a prominent object; in shape it so strongly -resembled a Burmese pagoda as to suggest an imitation. In the village -very fine plantains were cultivated, and the sides of the spurs below -were extensively cleared for rice and other crops. From the ground -behind the tsawbwa’s house, we obtained a splendid view of the lofty -hills on the southern side of the Tapeng valley, many of which -appeared to rise to a height of six thousand feet above the river, -cultivated and dotted with villages almost to the very summits. - -In the course of our ramble we were attracted to one house by the -sound of drumming; outside the portico, some men were sitting cooking -chickens, which had been merely stripped of their feathers, but not -otherwise cleaned. Having asked and obtained permission, we entered -the common hall, round which men, women, and children were dancing, -each carrying a small stick, with which they beat time, as they circled -round with measured steps, curiously combining a prance and a side -shuffle. The instrumentalists were a man and a girl, who vigorously -beat a pair of drums, while ever and anon the dancers burst out into -loud yells, and quickened the speed of their evolutions. We at first -sat gravely on the logs, brought by a smiling girl, but were presently -invited by signs to take our places in the dance; accordingly we stood -up and went round, but had scarcely taken two turns when the whole -party rushed, yelling loudly, out of the house, the leader flourishing -his stick wildly, as though clearing the way. Much puzzled, we returned -into the house, and found the corpse of a child, laid in a corner -carefully screened off, and the poor mother wailing bitterly by its -side. The festivity turned out to be the death dance, to drive away -the departed spirit from hovering near its late tenement, and our -exertions were believed to have mainly contributed to the speedy and -happy result; so at least we were made to understand by our hosts, -who hastened to refresh us with sheroo, served in cups ingeniously -improvised out of plantain leaves. We paid our footing in silver, and -departed with a feeling that even the _entente cordiale_ we desired to -establish with the Kakhyens hardly demanded an active participation in -death-dances. - -The next day Sala’s son arrived with the cash-chest and the missing -mules from Talone; but the boxes had been opened, Sladen and Bowers -had each lost a canteen, well stocked with knives and forks, and the -mule-men had further helped themselves to all eatables. They had, -however, shown a laudable consideration, for in one of Stewart’s cases -was a bottle of port wine, which they had opened by pushing in the -cork; not relishing the contents, they had carefully cut and fixed in a -wooden stopper to prevent waste! - -Sladen assembled Sala and the other chiefs, and distributed salt, -cloth, and some yellow silk handkerchiefs, which were highly prized. -Sala delivered a public exhortation, enjoining fidelity on all; in -private he communicated the necessity of propitiating the nats, and -requested our attendance at a ceremony which was to take place that -night, for the purpose of ascertaining the will of the demons, by the -medium of a _meetway_, or diviner. - -Accordingly after dinner we all adjourned to the hall of the tsawbwa’s -new house, and, reclining on mats brought by his wife, chatted for -some time with the chiefs and headmen assembled round the fire. - -The meetway now entered, and seated himself on a small stool, in one -corner, which had been freshly sprinkled with water; he then blew -through a small tube, and, throwing it from him with a deep groan, at -once fell into an extraordinary state of tremor, every limb quivered, -and his feet beat a literal “devil’s tattoo” on the bamboo flooring. He -groaned as if in pain, tore his hair, passed his hands with maniacal -gestures over his head and face, then broke into a short wild chant -interrupted with sighs and groans, his features appearing distorted -with madness or rage, while the tones of his voice changed to an -expression of anger and fury. During this extraordinary scene, which -realised all one had read of demoniacal possession, the tsawbwa and his -pawmines occasionally addressed him in low tones, as if soothing him or -deprecating the anger of the dominant spirit; and at last the tsawbwa -informed Sladen that the nats must be appeased with an offering. -Fifteen rupees and some cloth were produced. The silver, on a bamboo -sprinkled with water, and the cloth, on a platter of plantain leaves, -were humbly laid at the diviner’s feet; but with one convulsive jerk of -the legs, rupees and cloth were instantly kicked away, and the medium -by increased convulsions and groans intimated the dissatisfaction -of the nats with the offering. The tsawbwa in vain supplicated for -its acceptance, and then signified to Sladen that more rupees were -required, and that the nats mentioned sixty as the propitiatory sum. -Sladen tendered five more with an assurance that no more would be -given. The amended offering was again, but more gently, pushed away, -of which no notice was taken. After another quarter of an hour, during -which the convulsions and groans gradually grew less violent, a dried -leaf rolled into a cone, and filled with rice, was handed to the -meetway. He raised it to his forehead several times, and then threw it -on the floor; a dah, which had been carefully washed, was next handed -to him and treated the same way, and after a few gentle sighs he rose -from his seat, and, laughing, signed us to look at his legs and arms, -which were very tired. The oracle was in our favour, and predictions of -all manner of success were interpreted to us as the utterances of the -inspired diviner. - -It must not be supposed that this was a solemn farce, enacted to -conjure rupees out of European pockets; the Kakhyens never undertake -any business or journey without consulting the will of the nats as -revealed by a meetway, under the influence of temporary frenzy, or, -as they deem it, possession. The seer in ordinary life is nothing; -the medium on whose word hung the possibility of our advance was a -cooly, who carried one of our boxes on the march, but he was a duly -qualified meetway, belonging to Ponsee village. When a youth shows -signs of what spiritualists would call a “rapport” or connection with -the spirit world, he has to undergo a sufficiently trying ordeal to -test the reality of his powers. A ladder is prepared, the steps of -which consist of sword blades, with the sharp edges turned upwards, and -this is reared against a platform thickly set with sharp spikes. The -barefooted novice ascends this perilous path to fame, and seats himself -on the spikes without any apparent inconvenience; he then descends by -the same ladder, and if, after having been carefully examined, he is -pronounced free from any trace of injury, he is thenceforward accepted -as a true diviner. Sala improved the occasion by warning Sladen that a -powerful combination had been formed to oppose our advance, and that -many evil reports had been circulated, but concluded by saying that a -liberal expenditure of silver would remove many, if not all, obstacles. -The practical application of this was made next morning. When all was -ready for a start, the tsawbwa would not appear: Sladen paid him a -visit, and was informed that six hundred rupees must be paid nominally -as an advance for the mule-men, or else he had better go back. This -extortionate demand was reduced after some debate to three hundred, -which were paid, and then an additional sum of three hundred rupees was -demanded for the carriage of the troublesome and tempting cash-chest. -An offer of one rupee per diem each to twenty bearers was refused, and -we then decided to divide the cash into parcels of three hundred rupees -to be carried by the men of the escort. By this means the liability -to continual “squeezes” on the part of the chiefs, or robbery by the -porters, was avoided. At length we set out from Ponline, and, after -proceeding a mile over an easy road along the high ground, commenced -the descent to the gorge, down which, fifteen hundred feet below, the -Nampoung flowed into the Tapeng, dividing the hills into two parallel -ridges. The descent, at first easy, gradually became steeper, and at -length precipitous; the path was cut into zigzags, but as slightly -deviating from the straight line as the steepness of the declivity -allowed. The weathered and disintegrated surface of metamorphic rock -had been worn down by traffic and torrents, so that it often was a -deep =V= shaped groove with but nine or ten inches of footway, and the -loaded mules found it difficult to round the abrupt turns in these deep -cuttings; huge boulders, stones, and sharp-pointed masses of exposed -quartz, made the travelling still more hurtful and dangerous to man and -beast. The beds of the streams were filled with fine granite, and in -the largest watercourse crossed, a small section was observed, showing -a mass of greyish micaceous schist, with large veins of quartz; it was -tilted up vertically, and there were distinct indications of bedding -in a nearly north and south direction. The Nampoung, whose source lies -among the hills to the north-east, is the limit between the districts -of Ponline and Ponsee, and was formerly, and must be considered still, -the boundary between Burma and the Chinese province of Yunnan, the -ruined frontier fort being pointed out on a height commanding the ford. -We forded the Nampoung on our ponies, where the stream was a hundred -feet wide, and three feet deep. The beasts could scarcely stem the -rapid current, which in the event of a fall would have soon swept horse -and rider into the foaming Tapeng. The road wound up the face of a -precipice, below which the Tapeng rushed down a succession of rapids, -with a deafening roar, and a force which nothing could resist, save the -prodigious masses of granite which encumbered its bed, while others -leaned from the banks as if ready to topple into the raging torrent. - -The occasional glimpses of the distant landscape were glorious; on -either hand hills towered up into mountains, and range succeeded range, -till lost in the blue distance. Our enjoyment of the grandeur of the -mountain scenery was, however, somewhat marred by the difficulty of the -path, which compelled us frequently to dismount, and let the goat-like -ponies scramble as best they could up the deep narrow cuttings. The -road contoured the hillside, cut into the face of the rock for some -ten feet, presenting every now and again turnings at a sharp angle. -On the verge of a precipice of one thousand feet deep, the outer edge -gave way under the hind hoofs of Williams’ pony, and he was only saved -from destruction by the pony recovering itself with a vigorous effort. -Kakhyen roads seem to be purposely designed with a view to reaching -the highest points on the given route, and after leaving the river -banks, we thus ascended and descended over a succession of lofty -spurs abutting on the river from the main range; precipitous ridges, -connecting them at right angles, presented tolerably level ground, but -with a surface so confined that the traveller looked down into the deep -gorges on both sides. Patches of rich loamy soil in the valleys, and on -the slopes of the spurs, were cleared for paddy, and in each clearing -a small thatched hut raised on poles served as a watch-tower. Near -some of the villages perched on heights, limited efforts at terrace -cultivation were visible, and in one place a small stream had been -diverted for irrigation. Magnificent screw pines and large tree ferns -displayed their exquisite foliage, relieved by the blossoms of various -flowering trees. - -By two o’clock the baggage mules were so jaded that, although we had -not made more than eight or ten miles, it became necessary to halt in -the jungle. Behind our bivouac towered an enormous shoulder of the -mountains, rising four thousand feet above us, and called Lakong. The -air was genial and temperate, the thermometer marking sixty-three at -9 P.M., and, with our lamps strung up on bamboos, our followers and -servants surrounding the bivouac, we dined and slept comfortably and -securely _al fresco_, while the drivers picketed their mules above -and below. Close to our camp were some old Kakhyen burial-places on -a rounded hill. Each consisted of a circular trench, thirty-eight -feet in diameter, and about two feet deep, surrounding a low mound, -containing only one body. The high conical thatched roof which covered -newer graves, elsewhere observed, had disappeared, but some of the -bamboo supports were still standing. The trenches of some other graves -were built round with slabs of stone, the form of the grave and manner -of interment reminding one involuntarily of the megalithic burial -structures. - -Before resuming our march to Ponsee, Sala intimated that caution would -be required, as the Ponsee tsawbwa was very indignant at not having -received the desired musket. The nats also had signified through the -meetway that before starting the guard should fire a volley, and the -tsawbwa added a recommendation to use double charges of powder, so that -the nats might be doubly pleased. The road lay along tolerably easy -ground, as we were now almost on a level with the origin of the main -spurs, and by noon of March 6th we had reached the village of Ponsee, -three thousand one hundred and eighty-seven feet above the sea-level, -and forty-three miles from Bhamô. As the tsawbwa did not appear, and -had made no preparation to house our party, the camp was pitched under -a clump of bamboos, in a hollow below the village. Ponsee, with its -twenty scattered houses, and terraced slopes of cultivated ground, -occupied one side of a mountain clothed to its summit, two thousand -feet above, with dense jungle and forest, save where clearings -betokened the vicinity of other villages far above us. - -Our muleteers dispersed themselves and their mules on the upper -terrace of a tumulus-shaped knoll overlooking the road, and cultivated -on one side in a succession of regular and equidistant terraces. In -the afternoon we were visited by a pawmine, accompanied by his wife -and several female relatives, who brought presents of sheroo and -vegetables. One of the young ladies was inclined to be merry and -communicative, in order to attract attention and secure a present of -beads. Although she was a wife, her hair was cut straight across her -forehead, and hung down behind in dishevelled locks, uncovered by the -head-dress which Kakhyen wives wear. An offer of a puggery to supply -the defect was received with a peal of laughter, at which the pawmine -seemed startled and scandalised, and he reproved his fair cousin in a -way that caused her to shrink into abashed silence. During the evening -the dangerous temper of the Kakhyen was shown by an unprovoked attack -made by one of the Ponsee tsawbwa’s followers upon a Burmese servant, -but Sala promptly interfered to protect our man, and declared that he -would resent an insult offered to any of our people as if offered to -himself. Thus, as in other matters, he so far showed himself honest, -though his constant demands for money began to make the leader think -his friendship might be too dearly purchased. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -PONSEE CAMP. - - Desertion of the muleteers--Our encampment--Visit of hill - chiefs--Sala’s demands--A mountain excursion--Messengers - from Momien--Shans refuse presents--Stoppage of - supplies--Ill-feeling--Tsawbwa of Seray--St. Patrick’s Day--Retreat - of Sala--The pawmines of Ponsee--A burial-ground--Visit to the - Tapeng--The silver mines--Approach of the rains--Hostility of - Ponsee--Threatened attack--Reconciliation--A false start--Letters from - Momien--A hailstorm--Circular to the members of the mission--Beads and - belles--Friendly relations with Kakhyens--Their importance. - - -On the first night of our sojourn at Ponsee, we were roused from our -beds in the open air by a violent thunderstorm, which threatened a -drenching, but fortunately let us off with only a few heavy drops. One -of the party drew his bed under a small thatched shed close by, and -slept soundly, to awake in the morning and find that he had shared -his shelter with a deceased Kakhyen, on whose grave he had been -reposing. At an early hour, Sala came to inform Sladen that a small -army of Shans and Kakhyens had collected to oppose our progress, but -that two thousand rupees might purchase their goodwill. When informed -that the disposable funds would not admit of such costly travelling, -he significantly remarked that the Panthays were rich, and would be -glad to assist us. This obstacle might be imaginary, but a most real -difficulty left us no time to reflect on it, for instead of preparing -for a start, the muleteers, without a word of complaint, or indeed -any communication with us, proceeded to unpack their loads, flinging -all the baggage on the ground. I went to look after my boxes, but was -warned off by a Kakhyen, who flourished his dah, and worked himself up -into such a fury that retreat appeared the wisest course. In a short -time the mules and drivers marched away, taking the road to Manwyne, -leaving us and our baggage destitute of any means of transit. A few -beasts remained, belonging to Ponline, but too few to be taken into -account. Here was an unexpected dilemma, such as would have delighted -Sir Samuel Baker, who says he “finds pleasure in a downright fix.” -Sladen set off to find out, if possible, the meaning of it all from -Sala, who was seated comfortably drunk in the chief’s house. He -declared that the muleteers had been influenced by messages from the -Shan tsawbwas of Sanda and Muangla, threatening them with death if they -brought us on. He advised threats of exclusion of the Shans from the -Burmese fairs by way of reprisals, but Sladen indignantly told him that -he came to promote peace, and not dissension, and that he would write -conciliatory letters, explaining the object of the expedition to those -chiefs who had been misled. Thereupon Sala grew confidential, and -let out what certainly seemed the truth, _in vino veritas_, about our -missing interpreter Moung Shuay Yah, who had been last seen or heard of -at Ponline. It appeared that this half Chinese scoundrel had finally -endeavoured to persuade Sala, and on his refusal the Talone tsawbwa, to -murder Sladen and plunder the cash-chest. Thwarted in his villainous -projects, he had returned to Bhamô, of which latter fact confirmation -was afforded a few days later. Matters looked unpromising; it was -whispered that the muleteers had become aware that our detention at -Ponsee was certain, and were unwilling to hazard a delay, the profits -of which would go into the greedy pockets of the Ponline chief. Besides -the dark aspect of affairs, the natural atmosphere was overcast, heavy -clouds presaging storm, and to be prepared against all consequences, -we removed our quarters to the plateau vacated by the muleteers, where -the three sepoy palls, or small tents, accommodated the Europeans, -while the sepoys and followers set to work to construct bamboo tents, -thatched with leaves and grass for their protection, and speedily a -regular camp was established in a favourable position. Sala showed -himself in a new light, later on in the day, when he came down very -drunk, and dressed in a yellow silk cloth which he had stolen from -Sladen’s servant. He was at first inconveniently affectionate, and, -seizing Sladen by both hands, vowed eternal friendship; he then grew -inquisitive about our rifles and revolvers, and required Sladen to -show his marksmanship by splitting a bamboo forty yards off. A refusal -to gratify him changed him at once into a violent savage, pouring out -a flood of the foulest abuse in Burmese. With tact and patience, he -was restrained from violence, but the real treacherous nature of the -animal had shown itself unmistakably. He finally assured Sladen that -he might make up his mind not to quit Ponsee until he had paid two -bushels of rupees. More agreeable visitors arrived, in the persons -of the Kakhyen chiefs of Nyoungen, Wacheoon, and Ponwah, small hill -districts on the road to Manwyne. These tsawbwas all brought presents -of fowls and rice, for which they received cloth as a return. The chief -of Ponwah was a wiry little highlander, with oblique eyes, and strongly -marked features of a Tartar type, adorned with two scanty tufts by way -of moustache, and a sparse beard carefully restricted to the front of -his chin. His dress was different from that of the other tsawbwas, and -argued a higher social condition. It consisted of a blue turban, blue -padded woollen jacket, a kilt of the same material and colour, with a -red and blue border, finished off with richly embroidered leggings, -and short blue woollen hose with thick soles. A leopard’s fang adorned -his dah, and a cloth bag contained his metal pipe and bamboo flask of -samshu, which frequently found its way to his thirsty lips; before each -draught he dipped his finger into the liquor, and poured a few drops on -the ground as a libation to the earth nats. The mother of the young -Ponsee tsawbwa also came down, attended by a number of girls, bringing -_sheroo_, or beer, cooked rice, eggs, and vegetables. Beads were -distributed, but they begged for rupees; and a few four-anna pieces -hardly contented them. One of us gallantly presented an importunate -damsel with a pretty little bottle of perfume, and to make her -appreciate it, poured a little on her hand, and signed to her to rub it -on her face, but having done so, she evinced her disgust by wry faces, -spitting at and abusing the donor, as though he had insulted her, to -his extreme confusion. - -[Illustration: OUR CAMP AT PONSEE.] - -The day of anxiety was followed by a night of rain and storm. Heavy -gusts of wind, sweeping down the lofty shoulder of the mountain, -threatened to carry away the light tents, and it required all our -efforts to prevent this catastrophe by holding stoutly on to the -tent poles. The interior was of course inundated, and beds and -bedding saturated with water, but some of the followers were worse -off, having no shelter of any sort. Our troubles, however, were only -beginning. The Nanlyaw tamone,[21] who had been ordered to accompany -us as interpreter, and had failed to do so, arrived with orders from -the Woon of Bhamô to the tsawbwas of Ponsee and Ponline to repair at -once to Bhamô, and assist in an inquiry about reopening the silver -mines. The message and the messenger were both suspicious, and some -obstructive influence speedily showed itself. A demand was set up for -three hundred rupees, compensation for five houses said to have been -destroyed by a jungle fire, originating in the embers of our camp-fire -at Lakong. Sala evidently thought that any demands would be complied -with to prevent his deserting us, and talked much about the imperative -orders of the governor. By way of relief from the discussion, we made -an excursion up the mountain to a height about six hundred feet above -our camp, whence a splendid panorama unrolled itself of the Burmese -plain as far as Bhamô, and the junction of the Tapeng with the majestic -Irawady. We passed numerous oaks, and a grove of trees bearing nuts -exactly like our own hazels. At the highest point reached, a Kakhyen -village was found, snugly nestled in a beautifully cool hollow, with a -small stream flowing down the hillside. - -Our appearance startled three women, proceeding to fill the bamboos, -which serve as water pitchers, carried in a wicker basket at the back; -they darted into a hollow below the road, and, turning their backs to -us, waited till we had passed by. A thousand feet below us, a deep -ravine resounded with the cry of hoolock monkeys, howling at the full -pitch of their voices. Shooting, either for sport or purposes of -science, was rendered extremely difficult by the dense jungle and the -steep sides of the deep gorges, where the birds are mostly found, for -a bird, when shot, dropped down a steep declivity, into long grass or -tangled shrub, where search was useless. - -On our return, a cock and hen partridge, of a new species, belonging -to the genus Bambusicola, were shot in the cleared ground, and in -the woods the cry of an oriole was often heard, but the birds were -invisible. Descending by another route, passing the rice clearings, -where wild strawberries carpeted the ground with flowers and fruit, -and two sorts of violets and various brambles were also in flower, we -reached the camp, and were soon plunged again into debate with Sala. -The fellow was sulky and angry, demanding six hundred rupees blackmail, -and three hundred as compensation for the village fire, threatening -as an alternative to leave us to “be lost in the hills and never more -heard of.” Sladen temperately refused to submit to such extortionate -demands, but, to prove his friendly intentions, offered to compensate -for any actual damage, and to send presents to the chiefs _en route_. -His arguments had such an effect on Sala that he was content to ask for -one hundred rupees to settle the “fire.” - -At this stage of the interview all were surprised by the sudden -appearance on the scene of three strangers, dressed in gorgeous Chinese -costume, and attended by half a dozen others; two of their faces were -familiar, and they saluted Sladen with an air of recognition, but Sala -and he were at first equally puzzled as to their identity. The two -foremost were arrayed in blue satin skull-caps embroidered with gold, -padded and embroidered jackets of fine blue cloth, and wide trousers -of yellow silk. They wore new broad cane hats and gold embroidered -Chinese shoes. The hilts of their dahs were each enriched with half -the lower jaw of a leopard, and suspended from their button-holes was -a decoration consisting of a pink and blue square of cloth, with a -cipher embroidered in the corner. This was full dress Panthay uniform, -which one of them proceeded to divest himself of, and exhibited his -ragged Kakhyen garb underneath, and then Sladen recognised Lawloo, -the scout despatched by him from Bhamô to the governor of Momien. -He produced, carefully rolled up, a packet addressed in Arabic on a -strip of red paper, which contained an envelope stamped with Chinese -hieroglyphics in red, and a letter written in Arabic, and stamped with -Chinese devices in red and blue; attached to this was another letter in -Chinese. The latter no one could read, and a combined attempt made by -the native doctor and the jemadar to decipher the former also failed, -but Lawloo assured us that the governor of Momien was most friendly. -He had received the messengers with all respect, and had equipped them -in the gorgeous dresses which had disguised them from our recognition. -He had also sent with them Shatoodoo, an officer in the Mahommedan -service, a tall, fair-skinned, well-built man, dressed in blue -uniform, with a fine intelligent face and the quiet self-possession -of a well-bred gentleman. Our couriers, men belonging to the Cowlie -tribe, bore their new honours with great composure; they completely -ignored the presence of the Ponline tsawbwa, while they told of -their kindly reception, and explained the purport of the letters. The -governor had expected us by the “ambassadors’” route, which leads from -Bhamô into Hotha, where he had arranged to meet us. They said we were -not to advance at present via Manwyne, unless we were strong enough -to fight our way past Mawphoo fort, the stronghold of Li-sieh-tai. -The messengers, on their return, though conspicuous by their Panthay -uniform, had travelled openly and unmolested through the Shan states, -which had been declared to be hostile to our advance. The immediate -effect was to cause Sala and the pawmines to withdraw from our tents, -which was a great relief, as they had infested them, squatting on the -beds for hours together, smoking, and chewing tobacco and betel, while -any remonstrance was at once replied to with an angry scowl and a -flourish of the naked dah. But the peace did not last long. The tsawbwa -soon recommenced his demands, and day after day the fire question was -discussed, and terms of settlement agreed upon, only to be insolently -repudiated on the first occasion. - -The next day more practical preparations for opening the route were -made by the despatch of letters and presents to the Kakhyen chief of -Seray, and to the Shan chiefs or headmen of Manwyne and Manhleo. Two -of the Ponline pawmines and the interpreter Moung Mo, the tamone of -Hentha village, whose services and goodwill we had secured, went in -charge of the presents, and Sladen’s Burmese writer was also sent, -by way of check on the pawmines. They returned in a few days with the -presents, which the chiefs had declined to accept, as the tsawbwa of -Sanda had refused his consent to our passage, and the Manwyne people, -though favourably disposed, were afraid of the _poogain_, or headman, -of Manhleo, a town situated on the south bank of the Tapeng, opposite -Manwyne. This official was an inveterate enemy of the Panthays, -and a few years before had massacred a Panthay caravan of peaceful -merchants. The character and intentions of the expedition had been so -misrepresented by the Chinese traders at Bhamô that the Shans were -naturally indisposed to run any risks from our presence among them. - -The refusal of the presents caused Sala to raise his demands; “all -the people, Burmese, Chinese, and Shans,” he declared, were leagued -against us, and if we did not secure his protection, we should have our -heads cut off. This was his usual argument, illustrated by holding an -imaginary head with his left hand, and making the motion of sawing at -the supposed neck with his right. - -A more practical result of the secret opposition was the stoppage of -supplies. Soon after our arrival the Shans from the Manwyne district -had discovered that there was a sure market for their provisions, and -a regular bazaar had been established in our lines. Kakhyen villagers -as well as Shans brought in fowls, rice, salt, vegetables, &c., and -competition had kept prices down; empty beer bottles were found to be -highly prized, and one bottle was worth twelve measures of rice. Among -other things, the Manwyne Shans brought in sugar candy, and preserved -milk in the form of thin cakes of paste like a film of coagulated -cream, which placed in a cup of water over night supplied a cup of -excellent milk in the morning. The method of preparation we could not -learn, but the result was undeniably successful. The attendance of -Shans, however, fell off, owing to the ill-usage received by many of -them from the Kakhyens, who helped themselves to their goods, and paid -them with abuse and blows. Hence supplies fell short, and prices rose -accordingly, and it became unsafe moreover to wander for any distance -from the camp. On one occasion one of us was tempted to indulge in a -bath in the small stream which flowed immediately below. There was -a most perfect douche, where the water leapt over a huge boulder, -embowered in gigantic bamboos and splendid ferns, as though contrived -for the secret bath of a Kakhyen sylvan nymph: but the unhappy European -invader was scarcely in full enjoyment of the refreshing douche than -he was saluted with a shower of stones and broken branches from some -villagers who had watched him. This was a ludicrous side of popular -hostility, but as the “fire” question continued to be discussed, almost -daily warnings were brought to us that ill-disposed Kakhyens were -collected on the heights above, intending to attack the camp under -cover of night. - -A slight change in affairs was effected by the arrival of the tsawbwa -of Seray, a village four miles distant, who made his appearance on the -13th, attended by his pawmines and a numerous retinue. He was a rather -short stout man of about forty-five, dressed in blue from turban to -shoes; his manner was serious and respectful, and his remarks sensible, -but evincing great curiosity about all the novelties that presented -themselves. When he found leisure to discuss business matters, he -asked us the particulars of the fire question, saying that if it were -settled, he would undertake to guide us by a hill route to Momien, so -as to avoid the necessity of passing through Sanda. Sladen explained -to him that though the fire question had been settled three times, -he would now submit it finally to his arbitration, and the demand, -which had risen to five hundred rupees, was by his award satisfied by -a promise of two hundred and sixty. Notwithstanding this settlement, -that evening both the tsawbwas came down to request us to keep fires -burning, and maintain a careful watch all night, as over a hundred -men had collected on the hillside commanding the camp, intending to -try their chance in a night attack, according to their usual tactics. -Sala had endeavoured, he said, to dissuade them, and had finally told -them he would look on while they were shot down by our men. The night, -however, passed off more quietly than the days, which were occupied -in ceaseless discussions; the question of mule hire being again in -debate. Sala brought forward the preposterous demand of twenty rupees -a piece for one hundred and sixty mules, those, namely, whose owners -had deserted at this place. This demand was supported by fictitious -tallies, and his disgust at finding we had kept an accurate account -was great, while his fury at the laughter with which his attempts at -extortion were met found vent in the usual pantomimic prophecy of our -decapitation. The party of tsawbwas was increased by the arrival of the -chief of Wacheoon, who brought a present of rice and sheroo; the object -of his visit being to make the pertinent inquiry as to what still -detained us at Ponsee. - -On St. Patrick’s Day, matters came to a crisis. All the morning the -tsawbwas and pawmines were assembled in our tent, arguing about the -mule hire; even the respectable chief of Seray had caught the infection -of covetousness, and demanded twenty rupees a mule for a journey of -a few hours. The Seray chief was attended by a Chinaman who had been -in his employment from his youth, and now acted as his chief trader. -He had interpreted the Momien letters, and seemed to desire to be -useful, but it was plain that he regarded the expedition as a military -one, designed to assist the Panthays. He declared that the Sanda -people were willing to receive us, but were restrained by fear of -Li-sieh-tai. Sladen offered five hundred rupees, in addition to the -money already paid, for sufficient carriage to Manwyne, where he would -await the answer to his letters despatched the day before by the former -messengers to Momien and to the tsawbwa of Sanda, as he was determined -not to advance without the full consent of all the Shan chiefs. He -then, by a happy thought, recounted to the assembled tsawbwas the sums -of money and presents that the arch robber Sala had received from him -for distribution. At this startling revelation, the chief of Ponsee was -evidently exasperated, and a storm was brewing, when suddenly a shot -was fired from a house on the hill above us, and a bullet, or slug, -whizzed over the tent in which we were sitting, and presently another -struck the head of a camp cot inside. All were naturally startled, but -no one believed the first shot to have been intentionally aimed until -the second was fired after the lapse of a few minutes. Sala and the -pawmines sprang out, and vociferated frantically to the people in the -village above. The chief of Seray sat silent, and presently announced -that he should return to his own home, and the meeting was forthwith -dissolved. - -True to his word, the Seray chief departed the next day, leaving the -message that he would return as soon as we were rid of Ponline; and the -next news was that the Ponsee chief had threatened Sala with instant -vengeance, and that our friend and protector had decamped to his own -village, taking with him all the presents entrusted to him for the -officials of Manwyne, &c., and forcibly carrying off our Burmese -interpreter Moung Mo. - -The tsawbwa and pawmines of Ponsee, who now came to the front, as -self-appointed arbiters of our destinies, so far as progress was -concerned, have not yet been introduced. - -The tsawbwa was a youth of eighteen, who possessed no influence. What -natural intelligence he might possess was obscured by his habits of -continual intoxication and debauchery, in company with a number of -“fast” young Kakhyens. He had hitherto preserved a sort of sullen -neutrality, occasionally, however, conveying to us useful warnings, -but acting neither for nor against us. The real power seemed to be -exercised by his pawmines, four brothers who had generally shown -themselves friendly. The eldest was a good-for-nothing merry-andrew, -in a chronic state of intoxication. The next in age was a quiet, -sensible man, who seemed fully to appreciate the advantages that would -accrue to his people from the reopening of the trade between Yunnan -and Burma, and he frequently declared that he was ready to give us all -the help in his power. He was nicknamed by us the “Red Pawmine;” and -his next brother and constant companion, a little spare man, with high -cheek-bones, deeply sunken eyes, and features sharpened and worn by -bad health, was appropriately styled “Death’s Head.” He was by far the -ablest, but his quick, nervous temperament and violent temper rendered -him a difficult man to deal with. The youngest, as excitable, but far -less intelligent, was regarded with jealous eyes by his three elder -brothers. - -The young tsawbwa for about a week subsequent to Sala’s departure -professed himself our friend, and a few days of tranquil and almost -patient expectation ensued, during which we endeavoured to extend our -acquaintance with the hill country about us, of which we had as yet -been able to see no more than the outskirts of our camp or rather -prison. - -Accordingly, Stewart and I started on our ponies to ascend the -mountain, taking Deen Mahomed as interpreter and a native boy to act -as guide. No sooner had the party passed the tsawbwa’s house than a -hue and cry was raised by one of the pawmines, who shouted orders to -the lad to return at once. Disregarding the outcry, we pushed on along -a narrow bridle-path, but were delayed by the obstinacy of a pony who -declined to face a difficult bit of road, and the villagers overtaking -us, the guide was dragged away by the pawmine. The tsawbwa was appealed -to, but he declared that it was not safe to go up, as there was a -village of “bad Kakhyens” on the mountain, and Deen Mahomed was warned -with gesture symbolical of throat-cutting of what would happen to him -if he got another guide. We consoled ourselves for this failure by a -visit to a burial-ground, on the top of a thickly wooded height, which -lay to the east of the camp. The path leading to it was sprinkled at -intervals with ground rice, as an offering to the nats, and on two of -the graves, which were quite recent, lay a little tobacco and a small -cylindrical box containing chillies, while outside the surrounding -trench the skull of a pig, with some more tobacco, had been placed. The -conical roof of bamboos and grass was decorated with a finial of wood -cut into two flag-like arms, painted with rosettes in black and red, -which ridiculously resembled guide-posts. - -The tsawbwa proved more obliging a day or two afterwards, when a -request was sent to him for a guide to conduct us to the Tapeng -river. The path led along the saddle of the long spurs running down -to the valley, and the climate as we descended changed from temperate -to tropical; the upper forest consisted of oaks, cherry, apple, and -peach trees, especially in a magnificently wooded glen, while a large -mountain stream made its way over a rocky channel, forming at one -place a splendid waterfall over a perpendicular cliff of gneiss. Along -the tops of the fruit trees a large troop of monkeys _(Presbytis -albocinereus_) were leisurely wandering. - -In descending we could only keep our footing by clutching at the -overhanging branches, as our feet slipped on the fallen leaves and -bamboo spathes which lay heaped in the steep and narrow path. The -roots which projected every now and then were another and even worse -impediment. Where, as often happened, the path turned a sharp angle on -the crests of the precipitous spurs, great caution was needful, for if -one had lost his equilibrium in such a place, he would have certainly -sent all in front of him down the almost perpendicular declivity. As -the lower level was reached, the trees became essentially tropical, -intermixed with musæ, bamboos, ratans, and splendid ferns, while huge -cable-like creepers intertwined their leafy cordage, and orchids of -various and novel species displayed their fantastic beauties, and -loaded the air with perfume. - -After a long scramble down, we climbed over a secondary spur, and at -its foot reached a sandy strand shaded by a magnificent banyan covered -with the fragrant blossoms of a large yellow orchid (_Dendrobium -andersoni_, Scott). Before us the roaring Tapeng rushed in a torrent -forty yards wide, over a rocky bed, in a succession of foaming rapids -and deep smooth reaches. At this point its bed was about thirteen -to fourteen hundred feet above the plains at Tsitkaw, twenty miles -distant, so that its descent is nearly seventy feet in the mile, the -water mark indicating the highest rise of the flood to be twelve feet -above its present level. - -The only birds visible were two water wagtails flitting from boulder -to boulder in the middle of the torrent. The rocks in position were -gneiss, with veins and large embedded oblong pieces of quartzite; the -quartz often standing out in bold relief where the gneiss surface had -been worn away by the action of the water. Huge boulders of the same -rock and pure white crystalline marble were strewn along the river -bed. Along the bank a footpath led to a spot where a raft lay ready, -in the deep smooth water above a rapid, to ferry over passengers to -the silver mines. The raft was attached by a loop to a bark rope, -stretched across the river. Our guide expressed his readiness “for a -consideration” to conduct us across, but not “that day;” so we made -our way back again, and if the descent had been difficult, it may be -imagined how much more so was the return journey, which, however, was -safely accomplished. - -A few days after this trip, we started, accompanied by two of the -Ponsee pawmines, for a visit to the silver mines. We reached the river -by the next spur, to the west of the path followed on the former -excursion, and, leaving the servants to prepare breakfast under the -banyan tree, made for the raft. The guide rope was fastened to a fallen -tree, six feet above the river on the opposite bank, while on our side -it was carried over forked branches, firmly fixed in the ground and -secured to a huge boulder. The raft proved to be on the other side, -and one of the Burmese followers caught hold of the rope, and hand -over hand succeeded in making his way across the strong current. He -was followed by one of the pawmines, who evinced a careful dexterity -which argued him to be well accustomed to what seemed a dangerous task. -The raft was then brought across, one man in front running the loop -along the rope, and the other sitting behind with a paddle to keep it -stemming the stream. It was a simple wedge-shaped platform of bamboos -lashed together, presenting a sort of prow which is kept against the -rush of the stream. Bamboos at each side supported seats of split -bamboo, and when the raft, which carried six persons, was loaded, the -“deck” was a couple of inches under water. - -Arrived at the other side, we were struck by the prevalence of white -marble, and the extraordinary contorted folds of an abrupt cliff of -blue crystalline quartzite rock, about fifty feet high, overlooking -the ferry. A narrow footpath to the north-east of this cliff led to a -ridge of pure white crystalline marble, of the same structure as the -marble of the Tsagain hills. The ridge, which was destitute of trees, -was about six hundred feet above the level of the river, running almost -parallel with its course for about a mile. A small watercourse dividing -the ridge from a rounded hill covered with waterworn boulders of the -quartzite rock marked the limits of the marble, which terminated so -abruptly as to be at once noticeable, and the pawmine said there was no -silver beyond this limit. We walked along the almost level top of the -treeless ridge, and found at the eastern side a pleasant valley, where -the cultivated terraces showed signs of the neighbourhood of a village, -and a Bauhinia in full bloom of white flowers with violet centre -occurred in great profusion. - -The mines consisted of a series of galleries about four feet in -diameter, run horizontally into the slope of the ridge facing the -river. Our conductors led us along the steep hillside, strewn with -large masses of iron pyrites, and overgrown with grass and low jungle, -so thick that each man had to cut his way with a dah. We passed about -thirty of these adits, which penetrated the hillside for two or three -hundred feet, sloping slightly downwards, and with passages opening at -right angles. I crawled into one of them, preceded by a guide with a -lantern, and made my way for a considerable distance along the tunnel, -the sides of which showed red earth mixed with masses of marble and -quartzite, but my progress was stopped by finding the passage blocked -by the fallen roof, the bamboo props used when the mine was worked -having given way. No detailed information regarding the productiveness -of these mines could be obtained, and since the outbreak of the civil -war in Yunnan they had not been worked, save to a very small and -intermittent extent by the Kakhyens. The heaps of slag in the glen -near the small watercourses, where all smelting operations had been -conducted, showed that a very considerable quantity of ore used to be -raised. Specimens of the ore assayed by Professor Oldham have been -found to contain 0·191 per cent. of silver in the galena. The mines are -of easy access, and from their close proximity to the borders of China, -little or no difficulty would be experienced in finding labourers to -work them. Silver is also said to be found on the right bank of the -river, at a great elevation on the hillsides to the west of Ponsee; -and gold is asserted to occur near the same locality, and specimens -were shown to me at Bhamô in grains some of which were as large as -small peas. - -From the mines we returned across the river, and breakfasted on the -bank of the Tapeng, treating our Kakhyen companions to some of the -eatables, their approval of which was indicated by jerking their fists -with the thumb extended, which emphatically signifies that anything is -very good. The forefinger is held straight to indicate that a man is -good, and crooked to denote one who is not to be trusted. - -So we returned to Ponsee, where we must again take up the tangled -thread of events bearing on our progress. A month had passed since our -arrival, and the advance of the season was marked by the call of the -cuckoo, which was often heard in the eastern woods. The jungle had -all been felled in the new clearings, and nightly fires illuminated -the opposite hills, caused by the burning of the jungle over acres of -ground. Heavy thunder showers almost every night did not add to our -comfort, and heralded the speedy setting in of the south-west monsoon. - -But we were apparently as far off from any extrication from our -detention as ever. - -The Seray tsawbwa had on March 22nd returned with news that a Panthay -official had arrived at Sanda, and that the country so far was open. He -also produced a letter addressed to himself by the governor of Momien, -requesting him to give us all the help in his power, and promising to -reimburse any expense he might be put to in our service. The chief -seemed fully disposed to help, and started for his own village to -procure mules, with which he promised to return in two days, leaving -his Chinese clerk to help us as an interpreter. - -This was pleasant, and the improved temper of the people was shown -by the arrival of messengers from the widow of a tsawbwa ruling a -district on the road to Manwyne, with a present of fowls, eggs, and an -uninviting compound of flour and chillies; accompanied by a message -that she and her people would come and escort us to Manwyne. The -dowager of the late chief of that town also sent Sladen the gift of -two Kakhyen bags, and a curious implement forming a toothbrush and -tongue-scraper combined. - -The Seray chief, however, did not show according to promise, and a week -after his departure news came that two Chinamen had arrived from Bhamô, -with a party of fifty armed Burmese. These men gave out that they had -been sent to recommence mining operations at the silver mines. The -immediate result was that the Seray chief, first by a messenger, and -then in person, repudiated his engagement to procure mules, alleging -that the Ponsee chief had threatened to kill him if he assisted us to -quit the Ponsee territory. Argument and expostulation were useless, -and he nodded assent when Sladen attributed his change of purpose to -private instructions received from Bhamô. He departed, after warning -us to be on our guard against the Ponsee chief, who had resolved to -attack the camp. - -The hostility of the Ponsee chief was soon shown, for the day after -the arrival of the Burmese his Kakhyens drove off all the Shans from -our little bazaar; the chief himself came down with his dah drawn, and -cut down one of the traders, which act of violence made him liable to -pay an indemnity to the Manwyne people. His pawmines came next with -the intelligence that he had summoned two neighbouring tsawbwas to -his assistance, that two buffaloes had been slaughtered, and a grand -sacrificial feast was to be held that night, after which the nats -would be consulted as to our fate, when, if the oracle commended it, -the Kakhyens, drunk with sheroo and samshu, would attack the camp. One -of the buffaloes had been supplied by the Burmese, and the symbolic -present of a pound of flesh, the acceptance of which signified consent, -had been offered to and accepted by the _tsare-daw-gyee_, or Burmese -royal secretary, in charge of the party. The pound of flesh had been -also sent to the pawmines, but rejected by them, and they loudly -denounced their chief as an uncontrollable madman. - -A wholesome fear of the European strangers had gradually grown up; they -were believed to possess supernatural powers. Breech-loading rifles -and revolvers, and “Bryant and May’s matches,” which ignited only on -the box, and defied wind and rain, argued a close alliance with the -nats of the elements; while the photographic apparatus appeared in -Kakhyen eyes to be the instruments of conjurers, who could control the -sun himself. Hence but few of the Kakhyens would join the chief, whom -they considered bent on his own destruction. While the conspirators -were revelling and consulting, our police escort was drawn out and -exercised, and the ominous sound of three volleys from fifty guns, -which to their universal astonishment and awe all went off at once, -terrified them, and gave a significant hint that assailants would meet -a warm reception. The pawmines prayed that they and their houses might -be spared in the general destruction that must overtake our enemies, -and the news soon reached us that the meetway, who was secretly in our -pay, had announced that the nats disapproved of the conspiracy. - -The pawmines then requested permission to introduce the two hostile -tsawbwas, who accordingly arrived; their naturally villainous faces -were not improved by an expression of sheepish fear, but they lightened -up when Sladen received them kindly, and without upbraiding them -explained the advantages that would arise to all if our plans should -be carried out. A present of an empty biscuit tin and a beer bottle -quite won their hearts, and converted them into fast friends. The -pawmines then represented that the young chief, with whom, on his -repentance, they had made friends, desired to be forgiven and received -into favour. It was argued that he felt very sore at Ponline having -defrauded him of his rightful gains, and it was agreed that by way -of making up for all neglect he should receive one hundred rupees! -He swore eternal friendship, and vowed that henceforth we were his -relations. Sladen asked him why he had omitted his relations in the -late distribution of beef, at which he grinned, and went off awkwardly -enough, but still in good humour. - -During the first few days of April, the situation was hopeful -and exciting, but the tsawbwa and his pawmines, though outwardly -reconciled, soon made it evident that their respective interests -clashed too much for united action. The chief volunteered to go and -procure mules, the pawmines offered to supply any number of coolies. -The amount to be paid on our arrival at Manwyne was fixed at five -hundred rupees, and this was eagerly coveted by the rivals; each -in turn denounced the other as entertaining designs of looting the -baggage, and the pawmines declared that the chief dared not show his -face in Manwyne on account of a private feud. - -Sladen refused to accept the separate services of either the chief or -his subordinates, and this straightforward policy compelled a seeming -reconciliation. The Seray tsawbwa sent his pawmines with sixty men and -six mules, far too few for the baggage of the party; his men, however, -declared they could carry it all, and facetiously advised us to build -houses for permanent residence at Ponsee, as the latter chief would -never be able to procure mules. - -An amusing interlude was afforded by the arrival of a half-caste, -professing to be one of the chief men of the _tsawbwa-gadaw_, or -dowager chieftainess, of Manwyne. He came in a breathless state of -excitement, and announced that he had succeeded in hiring two hundred -mules, but that the caravan had been detained by the Kakhyen chiefs -on the road, who had sent him to say that they would allow them to -pass for one hundred rupees, and as a pledge of their sincerity had -entrusted him with an amber chain worth that sum. The fellow must have -had a high opinion of our credulity, for the chain, when produced, was -valued at about eight annas, and he was summarily dismissed. - -At last, terms were arranged; the pawmines were to supply coolies, -while the tsawbwa was to find carriage for forty mule-loads, and the -7th of April was appointed for the start. We were up with daylight, -tents were speedily struck, and baggage packed for the march. The -coolies soon assembled, and the area of our little camp was covered -with wild-looking Kakhyens armed to the teeth with matchlocks, spears, -and dahs, looking much more like a horde of banditti than peaceful -porters. Their demeanour was in keeping with their appearance, and -their dishonest purpose was evidenced by the bare-faced rivalry -displayed by the different parties in seizing upon the packages which -seemed most valuable, irrespective of size or weight. The precaution -had been taken of telling off the escort into parties, with strict -orders to prevent the exit of any baggage until all were in readiness -for a start. The crisis was brought on by Sladen’s japanned tin cases. -The youngest pawmine, who was first on the field, had appropriated -them for his coolies, but when his brother, “Death’s Head,” appeared, -very much excited, early as it was, with drink, he claimed them for -his men. On his brother’s refusal to give them up, he lost all command -over himself. After a violent outburst of passion, he made a dash at -the gold sword which the king had presented to Sladen, and snatched -it from the Burmese servant in charge. This attempt was frustrated by -Williams, who with a vigorous wrench rescued the sword from “Death’s -Head’s” grasp. Thus foiled, he attacked the Burmese clerk, who was -taking down the names of the coolies, and threatened to cut him down. A -general hubbub ensued, during which he rushed off to a camp fire, lit -his slow-match, and advanced priming his matchlock, till he was close -to Sladen, when he fired off his piece in the air. The consternation -which ensued reached its climax when an assistant surveyor in a foolish -panic fired his revolver. The Kakhyens showed that they had no relish -for a fight, and, throwing down their loads, bolted in all directions. -We of course remained quiet, while the tsawbwa showed more sense than -could have been expected, calling upon the Kakhyens not to fly, and -after a time order was restored. One of us followed “Death’s Head,” -who had sat down at the end of the camp to reload his gun, and by a -little persuasion got him to send his gun up to the village, and return -to his duties. The loads were all arranged, and the escort had been -so distributed that each set of coolies could be under surveillance, -with a chain of communication between the van and rear-guard, while -the coolies carrying the japanned tin cases were placed under the -immediate supervision of armed followers, so that they could not “bolt” -without creating an alarm. It was high noon before all was ready, and -then the tsawbwa and pawmines, perhaps disgusted with these salutary -precautions, announced that, as Manwyne could not be reached that day, -our departure must be postponed till the morrow. This was pleasant -after toiling six hours under a broiling sun, but we had nothing -to oppose to native caprice save patience, strongly tempered with -misgivings, which proved to be correct. The next morning no coolies -appeared, and the pawmines came down to say that they could not fulfil -their promise, as the tsawbwa had refused his co-operation. The chief -himself soon afterwards arrived to lay the onus of the failure on the -pawmines. A probable instigator of the whole scheme was the Nanlyaw -tamone, who, after a long absence, suddenly presented himself in our -camp, and whom Sladen, having had repeated proofs of his machinations, -at once arrested as a spy; but at the urgent intercession of his -friends, the pawmines, he was dismissed with a strong caution not to -show himself again in our vicinity. - -At this juncture, when all hope of extrication from our Ponsee prison -seemed to have vanished, letters arrived from the governor of Momien, -informing Sladen that he was about to take the field in person, with a -strong force, to attack Li-sieh-tai, and drive him from his stronghold -of Mawphoo. The letters further recommended us not to attempt to -advance beyond Manwyne until advices should reach us of the defeat -of the Chinese partisan. A second letter was a circular addressed to -the Kakhyen chiefs, exhorting them to give all possible aid to the -expedition. This at once gave a vantage ground, from which to deal -with our highland friends, and it was improved by Sladen. Kakhyens, -Burmese, and Shans had alike conceived extravagant ideas of the value -of our baggage, and showed beyond doubt that the hope of getting -possession of all, or a part of it, was a strong motive of their action -or inaction. The leader therefore began to proclaim on all sides that -though we had cheerfully endured privations and delays, in the hope -of thoroughly conciliating the natives, they were not to imagine our -patience to be inexhaustible. If we should be compelled to abandon all -or any part of our baggage, it would be piled up and burned before -our departure; thus they would lose their expected plunder, and incur -the risk of future reprisals, or demands for compensation, and, above -all, certainly alienate those who sought to be their friends. To this -the chiefs replied in substance as follows: “Do not blame us for your -misfortunes; we have been always in doubt how to act, on account of the -many warnings we have received against aiding your progress. _Now_ we -know you. You have always been kind to us, and are a powerful people.” - -Vexatious and harassing as had been our detention at Ponsee, it is -certain that it would have been before this period quite impossible -to proceed beyond Manwyne, and our residence among these semi-savage -tribes served to convert their first suspicions into confidence, and -to impress them with the value of our friendship. The uniform kindness -with which all just services were requited, as contrasted with the -treatment to which they had hitherto been subjected in their dealings -with other races, especially with the Burmese, gradually worked its -effect. - -At this time letters were received through Burmese agency, from no less -a person than Moung Shuay Yah, who since his treacherous desertion -had never been heard of. Now all of a sudden his name was mentioned -_ad nauseam_ by the Burmese followers, and two Kakhyens arrived with -letters purporting to have been written at some halting-place in the -Shan country; but the bearers contradicted each other, and could not -tell when, or from whom, they had received the letters. Next day, -another letter was brought by one of the silver mining party, which, he -said, Moung Shuay Yah had given him fourteen days before, but which he -had _forgotten_ to deliver. The fact was the interpreter had started -for Momien, having heard of the change of our prospects, and our -probable advance to that city. As it was needful, if possible, to save -appearances, Moung Shuay Yah in his letter declared that he had been -obliged to fly to save his life from the anger of Sala. Fortunately -his place was by this time well supplied by Moung Mo, whom, it may be -remembered, Sala had carried off with him, but who had returned and -placed himself at Sladen’s disposal. He amply corroborated all that had -been before told us of the efforts of the Bhamô people to obstruct our -progress. Orders had been received from Mandalay, conveying the king’s -displeasure at our detention at Ponsee, and authorising Sala to take us -to Manwyne, but he had replied that after being induced by the Burmese -of Bhamô to compromise himself with us, he would have nothing further -to do with it. - -It was supposed by our leader that the express object of stationing the -armed miners at Ponsee was to deter the Kakhyens from helping us. Moung -Mo, in addition, assured us that he had ascertained that Li-sieh-tai -had sworn to oppose any attempt on our part to penetrate the Shan -states, and he advised us on no account to proceed to Manwyne without -an intimation from the Panthays that the road was open. An important -circumstance occurred at this time in the arrival of messengers and a -Chinese interpreter from Momien. They brought no letters, but were -charged by the Tah-sa-kon[22] to make personal inquiries into the real -objects of the mission and our circumstances at Ponsee. It transpired -that letters from Bhamô had informed the governor that we represented -a powerful nation in alliance with the Chinese, and foes to the -Mahommedans all over the world, and that our real object was to destroy -the Panthay dominion in Yunnan. - -Sladen thoroughly dispelled these suspicions, and sent away the envoys -completely satisfied as to the genuineness of our pacific intentions. -The probabilities of an advance were, however, still remote and -uncertain, and the wet season had fairly set in, marked by a constant -succession of thunder and heavy rains. Dense masses of mist rolled -up the valley like vast advancing curtains, shrouding the mountains -in their gigantic folds, and producing an artificial twilight, and -torrents of rain descended for three or four hours incessantly, soaking -the tents; our waterproof blankets alone saving the inmates from -complete saturation, but not from the utter discomfort of living in a -puddle. - -One storm deserves accurate description. Up to 4 P.M. of April 12th, -the wind had been blowing in fitful cool gusts from the south-west, -but at that hour there was a sudden lull; distant thunder was heard -echoing among the mountains, and heavy black clouds came rolling up; -a few drops of rain gave, as it were, the signal for a discharge of -hailstones, or rather flakes of ice. The wind blew in violent gusts, -and thunder rumbled over head, but the flashes of lightning were very -faint. The hailstones were circular discs about the size of a shilling, -flat on one side, and convex on the other. A white nucleus two-eighths -of an inch in diameter, and in many cases with a prominent boss of -clear ice on the convex side, formed the centre of a pellucid zone -surrounded by an opaque one, in its turn encased in clear ice; the -inner margin of this external zone was filled with a dark substance, -resembling mud combined with delicate ice crystals; the whole disc -strongly resembling a glass eye; when fractured, the nucleus separated -itself as a small short column, flat at one end, and convex at the -other. - -During the storm, which lasted for twenty minutes, the aneroid rose -from 26·62 to 26·65, and the attached thermometer registered 67°, the -maximum heat during the day having been 84°. - -It was evident that the season was closed for purposes of engineering -survey and exploration, and this, combined with the reduced state -of the exchequer, induced the leader of the expedition to address a -circular to the members of the party, placing before them the facts, -and suggesting that it would be for the interests of the public service -that the numbers should be reduced in order to curtail the future -expense of transport. It was necessary in fact to lighten the ship, and -each was invited to consider how far he could assist in this needful -work. Sladen had determined to remain, _if necessary_, for some months, -until the opportunity should arrive to visit Momien, and at all hazards -personally communicate with the Panthays; but he felt that he ought to -place it in the power of the other members of the expedition to return, -especially as the work which some of them had been despatched to effect -could not be performed. This circular was sent round on the 17th, and -the news of the fall of Mawphoo and the utter defeat of Li-sieh-tai -reached us on the 18th of April, and was afterwards fully confirmed by -despatches from the Tah-sa-kon, announcing his victory and writing to -us to advance under the protection of all the chiefs _en route_. Our -friends the tsawbwa and his pawmines, who had been day by day “making -believe,” as children say, to discuss plans for procuring mules, were -evidently much influenced by this; but they could not help showing -their greed for rupees, and their continual demand was that three -hundred should be paid before starting. - -It was only later on that we learned that all these Kakhyens, -especially Sala, had always been steady adherents of Li-sieh-tai, and -that his utter defeat made them thoroughly anxious to conciliate the -victorious Panthays. - -The tsawbwa presented himself in a very penitent mood, and, confessing -all his past misconduct, averred his determination to give up drink and -debauchery and do his duty as a chief. Linking his fingers together -with an expressive shake, he vowed leal service to his English friends, -and then started off in company with his head pawmine on the road to -Manwyne, where he expected to meet the Seray chief, and arrange means -for our transport. - -As if a new order of things had set in, our camp now was daily crowded -by Kakhyens, all in the highest good humour. The women of the village -came down _en masse_, bringing presents of fowls, eggs, sheroo, and -rice, but the fair ones had an eye to business; beads, looking-glasses, -bright new silver coins, and what they seemed most to prize, red -cloth, were in great demand. A brisk trade was driven in the various -ornaments, and they stripped off their bead necklaces and ratan girdles -and leggings with great glee, and even a bell-girdle, the distinctive -ornament of Kakhyen aristocracy, which hitherto even rupees had failed -to secure, was now acquired in return for red cloth; indeed, it seemed -quite possible to purchase a Kakhyen _belle_, ornaments, and all, -for a few yards of the much prized material; and they returned home -with great glee, shorn of their decorations, but rich in beads and -cloth. Some came to solicit medical aid; cases of severe ulcerations, -caused probably by their labour in the jungle, and aggravated by -dirt, being common. The gratitude evinced for the relief given was -touchingly shown by the presents, deposited with a fearful humility -that showed the donor’s belief in the intimate connection between -the doctor and the nats. Every day both chiefs and people from the -more distant villages flocked in, and none came empty-handed. Gifts -of rice, vegetables, tobacco, and sheroo, were brought not merely in -the hope of return presents, but evidently as signs of amity. There -could be no mistaking their feeling, that strangers who behaved with -kindness and justice were welcome. These poor hill people had hardly -ever known what it was to be treated with confidence; on either side, -Burmese and Chinese had wronged and oppressed them. Monsig. Bigandet -states that they had formerly been characterised by a genial kindliness -and ready hospitality to strangers, but that the cruel treatment they -experienced in Burmese towns, and the fraudulent evasion of payment for -their services, had rendered them suspicious, greedy, and treacherous. -It is not to be wondered at if the presence among them of strangers -of an unknown race, escorted by an armed force, should at first have -been regarded by them with fear and dislike, and it is with a modest -pride that we recall the kindly confidence in the strangers which had -sprung up towards the end of our long detention at Ponsee. The people -from the distant villages continually asked, “Why did you not come our -way? we should have then had some of the good things that you have -brought for the Ponsee people.” The camp was perpetually full; the men, -after curiously inspecting the many wonders that presented themselves, -chatted and smoked with our followers; and the women, old and young, -eagerly petitioned for small hand glasses, and black or green beads, -the latter being most valued, and straightway converted their prizes -into personal decorations. The young women formed in lines, each -clasping her neighbour in a coquettish embrace, their shyness had -vanished, they chatted and flirted freely, and did not even flinch from -being photographed. - -The friendly intercourse with these visitors gave us most welcome -opportunities of inquiry into their customs, their national and social -life. There was no backwardness in answering any questions, and the -record of delays and difficulties may be well interrupted by a few -pages devoted to these mountaineers. Those of whom we saw the most were -all dwellers to the north of the Tapeng, but some of the visitors came -from the southern hills, and the general characteristics distinguish -both these and the clans visited by us on the return journey, who seem -to be more civilised than their northern congeners. It is right here -to acknowledge that the following account of this people has been -rendered fuller and more accurate by the use of some notes furnished -by Major Sladen from accounts given by natives, and by the use of -a valuable memoir on the territories written by the learned and -indefatigable missionary, Bishop Bigandet, whose warmest sympathies -have been called out for these poor mountaineers, of whom he said, “It -is of the utmost importance to know them, their character and habits, -and to be prepared to secure their good will, whenever the thought of -opening communications with Western China shall have been seriously -entertained.” - -[Illustration: KAKHYEN MEN.] - -[Illustration: KAKHYEN MATRONS.] - -[21] _Tamone_, a Burmese headman of a village. - -[22] _Tah-sa-kon_, a civil title equivalent to Commissioner or -Administrator. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -THE KAKHYENS. - - The Kakhyens or Kakoos--The clans--Their chiefs--Mountain - villages--Cultivation and crops--Personal appearance--Costume--Arms - and implements--Female dress and ornaments--Women’s work--Sheroo-- - Morals--Marriage--Music--Births--Funerals--Religion--Language-- - Character--How to deal with them--Our party. - - -From the summit of the lofty hill, fully two thousand feet above our -camp, called Shitee-doung, which it became possible to ascend during -the latter part of our stay, an extensive view was obtained. From it to -the north a sea of hills extended as far as the eye could reach; to the -south stretched ranges of hills covered with forest, save where little -clearings showed the presence of villages; to the north-east lofty -parallel ranges closed in a narrow valley with a river winding down -it. These hills are the country of the Kakhyens. These mountaineers -belong to the widely spread race that under the name of Singphos, -Kakoos, &c. occupy the hills defining the Irawady basin, up to the wall -of the Khamti plain, and are probably cognate with the hill tribes of -the Mishmees and Nagas. The name Kakhyen is a Burmese appellation; -they invariably designating themselves as Chingpaw, or “men.”[23] By -their own account the hills to the north of the Tapeng, for a month’s -journey, are occupied by kindred tribes. South of the Tapeng, they -occupy the hills as far as the latitude of Tagoung, and, as mentioned, -were met with on our voyage near the second defile. To the east, they -are found occupying the hills, and, intermixed with the Shans and -Chinese, almost to Momien. Here they, as it were, run into the Leesaws, -who may be a cognate, but are not an identical, race. The two chief -tribes in the hills of the Tapeng valley are the Lakone and Kowrie or -Kowlie, but numerous subdivisions of clans occur. All are said to have -originally come from the Kakoos’ country, north-east of Mogoung; and -Shans informed us that two hundred years ago Kakhyens were unknown in -Sanda and Hotha valleys. To give one instance of their migrations. The -Lakone tribe have at a very recent period driven the Kowlies from the -northern to the southern banks of the Tapeng. A Lakone chief, having -married the daughter of a Kowlie, asked permission to cultivate land -belonging to his father-in-law; receiving a refusal, he took forcible -possession, and drove the Kowlies across the river to the hills where -they now dwell. - -Among these hill tribes the patriarchal system of government has -hitherto universally prevailed, although a certain, or rather -uncertain, obedience is nominally due to Burmese or Chinese -authorities. Thus the Ponsee and Ponline chiefs had each received a -gold umbrella and the title of papada raza from the king of Burma. -Each clan is ruled by an hereditary chief or tsawbwa, assisted by -lieutenants or pawmines, who adjudicate all disputes among the -villagers. Their office is also hereditary, and properly limited to the -eldest son, whereas the chieftainship descends to the youngest son, or, -failing sons, to the youngest surviving brother. The land also follows -this law of inheritance, the younger sons in all cases inheriting, -while the elder go forth and clear wild land for themselves. Between -Tsitkaw and Manwyne seven clans under separate chiefs are met with, -each chief considering himself entitled to exact a toll of four annas -per mule-load from travellers through his district. The chieftain’s -goodwill being secured by payment of his toll or blackmail, that of -the people follows as a matter of course. When the traveller quits the -lands of one chief, he is handed over by his guide to the next headman, -and is as safe with him as with the former. The tsawbwa is the nominal -owner of the land, but a suggestion to a villager that the chief might -evict him from his holding was replied to by a significant sawing -motion of the hand across the throat. As a general rule, the chief -owns the slaves found everywhere among these people. Most have been -stolen as children, but adults are also kidnapped. The women become -concubines, the men are well treated if industrious and willing. The -children of slaves belong to the owner, but really are as well treated -as the members of his family. When a tsawbwa marries, he is expected to -present a slave to his father-in-law, among the other gifts. The market -value of a boy or girl is about forty rupees, but that of a man not -more than twenty to thirty rupees, or a buffalo. - -Every house pays the chief an annual tribute of a basket of rice. -Whenever a buffalo is killed, a quarter is presented to him. He is -usually a trader, and, besides the receipt of tolls, derives a profit -from the hire of mules or coolies for transport. Save in this respect, -it was impossible to help being reminded of Scottish highland clans of -the olden time, so many were the points of resemblance that occurred -in the customs and indeed character of these mountaineers, though, to -avert all possible indignation, I hasten to add that no parallel is -intended to be drawn, especially as regards their morals or social life. - -The Kakhyen villages are always situated near a perennial mountain -stream, generally in a sheltered glen, or straggling with their -enclosures up a gentle slope, covering a mile of ground. The houses, -which usually face eastwards, are all built on the same plan as that -tenanted by us at Ponline. The most usual dimensions are about one -hundred and fifty to two hundred feet in length, and forty to fifty -feet in breadth. These large bamboo structures are veritable barracks. -The first room is hospitably reserved for strangers; the others form -the apartments of several families, connected by blood or marriage, -which compose the household community. The back entrance is reserved -for the use of the members of these families. A serious demand for -compensation arose out of the inadvertence of one of our servants who -entered by the family door, and thus provoked the domestic nat. The -projecting eaves, supported by posts which are adorned with the skulls -of buffaloes and pigs, form a portico, where men and women lounge or -work by day, and at night the live stock--buffaloes, mules, ponies, -pigs, and poultry--are housed, while a bamboo fence guards them from -possible thief or leopard. - -Near the houses are small enclosures, where white-flowered poppies, -plantains, and indigo are cultivated; paddy and maize are grown -together on the adjacent slopes and knolls, which are carefully scarped -in terraces, presenting often the appearance of an amphitheatre. The -stream is dammed near the highest point, and directed so as to overflow -the terraces and rejoin the channel at the base. Bamboo conduits are -sometimes used to convey the water to paddy fields or distant houses. -Fresh clearings are also made every year by felling and burning the -forest on the hillsides. Near every village disused paths may be seen, -which have been cut to former clearings, and along which a little canal -has been carried. The cleared ground is broken up with a rude hoe, but -in the cultivated terraces wooden ploughs are used. Excessive rain, -which makes the paddy weak and the yield scanty, is most dreaded. -Generally, the natural fertility of the soil more than repays the rude -husbandry with beautiful crops of rice, maize, cotton, and tobacco, of -excellent quality. Near the villages, peaches, pomegranates, and guavas -are grown; and the forests abound with chestnuts, plums, cherries, and -various wild brambleberries. On the higher slopes, oaks and birches -grow in abundance, and large areas are covered with _Cinnamomum -caudatum_ and _C. cassia_, the oil of which is commonly sold as oil -of cinnamon. Thousands of these trees are annually felled to clear -new ground for cultivation and burned where they lie. Another natural -production is the tea plant (_Camellia thea_), which grows freely on -the eastern side of the hills, and suggested dreams of future tea -plantations, cultivated by improved Kakhyens or imported Shans and -Paloungs. - -Among the inhabitants of the villages, both those who visited our camp -and the southern hillmen seen on the homeward route, the variety of -faces is striking. This may be probably owing to admixture of Shan -and Burmese blood, but two types may be said to predominate; the one -with a fine outline of features, which recalled the womanly faces of -the Cacharies and Lepchas of Sikkim. In it the oblique eye is very -strongly marked, and the face is a longish, rather compressed oval, -with pointed chin, aquiline nose, and prominent malars. One Kakhyen -belle met with at Bhamô, with large lustrous eyes and fair skin, might -almost have passed for a European. The other and by far the most -prevalent type is probably the true Chingpaw, presenting a short, round -face, with low forehead and very prominent malars. The ugliness of -the slightly oblique eyes, separated by a wide space, the broad nose, -thick protruding lips, and broad square chin, is only redeemed by the -good-humoured expression. The hair and eyes are usually a dark shade -of brown, and the complexion is a dirty buff. The average height for -men is from five feet to five feet six inches, and four feet six inches -to five feet for women. The limbs are slight, though well formed, one -peculiarity being the disproportionate shortness of the legs. This is -also observable among the Karens, to whom the Kakhyens bear a general -resemblance, suggesting a common origin, which is further indicated -by their language. Though not muscular, they are very agile, and the -young girls bound like deer along the hill-paths, their loose dark -locks streaming behind them. They bring down from the hills loads of -firewood and deal planks which we found as much as we could lift. -However interesting and picturesque their appearance may be, closer -inspection dissolves the enchantment lent by distance. Both persons -and clothes appear never to have been washed, and the dress, once put -on, is never changed till it is worn to pieces. Neither men nor women -use combs, and the state of the thick matted felt of hair can better -be imagined than described. Although they never seemed to wash except -faces, hands, and feet, some of the men were good swimmers and divers, -and proudly exhibited their skill, disclosing thereby the fact that -their bodies were tattooed with blue dots, chiefly on the chest and -back. The dress of the men usually consists of a Shan jacket and short -breeches of blue cotton cloth, supported by a cotton girdle. The hair -is coiled in a blue or sometimes a red turban; the moustache and beard -are very scanty, but their custom of eradicating the natural growth -renders it hard to judge. They insert in the lobe of the ear a piece -of bamboo, or a lappet of embroidered red cloth, a leaf or flower, or -a piece of paper, our old newspapers being in great request; and a -number of fine ratan rings encircle the leg below the knee. It seemed -to us that the Kakhyen men were ready to adopt any dress; some even -wore their hair in the Chinese pigtail. The “Red Pawmine,” on grand -occasions, turned out in a bright red turban, rose-checked breeches, -and a red blanket over his shoulders. The chiefs usually wear Chinese -padded jackets, leggings made of rolls of blue cloth, and Shan shoes. -They are distinguished, especially in the case of those who rigidly -adhere to the ancient Kakhyen costume, by neck-hoops of silver, -resembling Celtic torques, and the necklace of beads or cylinders of -an ochreous earth. These are found in the Mogoung district, and are -highly valued, being reputed to be the authentic handiwork of the -earth nats. Some Kakoos met with at Sanda wore a broad piece of blue -cotton cloth, with a red embroidered border of woollen stuff, like a -kilt, reaching to the knee. This seems to be the true Kakhyen dress; -and they also wore their hair uncovered, and cut straight across the -forehead, like the Kakhyen maidens. No hillman is ever seen without -his _dah_, or knife; it is half sheathed in wood, and suspended to a -ratan hoop covered with embroidered cloth and adorned by a leopard’s -tooth. This is slung over the right shoulder, so as to bring the hilt -in front ready to the grasp of the right hand. Two sorts of dahs are in -use: one the long sword, such as the Thibetans use, two feet and a half -in length, with a long cylindrical wooden hilt, bound with cord and -finished with a red tassel. The other is shorter and broader, widening -from the hilt to the truncated tip. This knife the Burmese call “the -Kakhyen’s chief”; it is wielded with great dexterity either to cut -down trees or men, or to execute the fine lineal tracery with which -their bamboo opium pipes and fan cases are decorated. It is appealed to -in every argument, and drawn on visible foes and invisible nats with -equal readiness. On one occasion we espied a woman on the hillside -writhing on the ground in evident pain. A passing villager came to her -assistance, and at once out flashed his dah, with which he executed -several cuts in the air over the prostrate woman. This was to drive -away the nat who had taken possession; he then threw earth over her -head, and ran off to the village to procure help to carry her home. -During the latter part of our stay, one of the police escort, during a -chaffing argument with a Kakhyen visitor, was without warning felled -by a blow of the dah. The savage decamped to the jungle, leaving the -sepoy bleeding from a gash on his head, and another on the arm, with -which he had warded off the blow and so saved his skull from being -split. These dahs are made by the Shans of the Hotha valley, who are -the itinerant smiths of the country. Other arms are a long matchlock, -and a cross-bow, with arrows poisoned with the juice of an aconitum. -They are much used in hunting; the flesh round the wound being cut out, -the rest of the animal is eaten without danger. An invariable article -of equipment is an embroidered bag worn over the right shoulder, -containing pipe, tobacco, lime and betel box, money, and a bamboo flask -of sheroo. A most ingenious apparatus supplies a light for the constant -pipe. It resembles a child’s popgun, and consists of a small cylinder -four inches long, open at one end, into which is very tightly fitted -a piston, with a cup-shaped cavity at the lower end. In it, a small -pellet of tinder is placed, the piston is driven down smartly, and as -quickly withdrawn, when the tinder is found to be ignited. - -[Illustration: KAKHYEN AND SHAN PIPES, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, ETC. - - Fig. 1. Kakhyen ladle for preparing opium. - - 2. Kakhyen opium forceps. - - 3. 4. Kakhyen cylinder and piston for striking fire. - - 5. Shan flute with gourd mouthpiece. - - 6. Kakhyen double flute. - - 7. Kakhyen opium hookah (bamboo). - - 8. Kakhyen opium pipe. - - 9. Kakhyen opium hookah, the mouthpiece made of the underground stem - and the water receptacle of the segment of a remarkable bamboo with - swollen internodes. - - 10. Chinese bamboo lamp. - - 11. Shan powder flask. - - 12. Shan violin. - - 13. Bow for ditto. - - 14. Shan guitar.] - -It is worth recording that the men invariably smoke opium, but not -to excess; rarely, if ever, did we see them use tobacco for smoking, -though they were addicted to chewing it. The juice of the poppy, -exuding from incisions made in the green capsules, is collected on -plantain leaves, which are dried, and in this form the opium is smoked -either in hookahs made of the segment of a peculiarly shaped bamboo -or in brass pipes of Chinese manufacture. Whether the cultivation and -use of opium have spread from Assam or from Yunnan is uncertain, but -we found it universal from the Burmese plain to Momien, although the -method of smoking it among the Kakhyens differs altogether from that -of the Chinese. Dr. Bayfield, in 1837, observed of the Singphos, on -the western side of the Irawady valley, that, “from whatever source -derived, the cultivation of the poppy is now universal;” and he -describes the methods of collection and use as the same, save that -coarse cloth was used instead of leaves. - -The men rarely employ themselves in manual labour; a few of the more -industrious assist the women to fell the jungle and set it on fire, -but most of this labour is left to the women. In general, the men till -the land; but between the seasons, they wander from house to house, -and village to village, gossiping, drinking, or smoking. Journeys to -dispose of produce, or carry goods, hunting excursions, and occasional -fights or forays, are not reckoned labour. They do not work in metals, -but are very skilful in adorning bamboos or wooden implements with -carving. The designs of their tracery are the simplest combinations of -straight lines, and rude figures of birds and animals, characteristic -of the most primitive art. - -The Kakhyen women have adopted the short loose Shan jacket of blue -cotton, slashed with red cloth, variously ornamented, according to the -means of the wearer, with cowries and silver. This covers the arms and -breast, but leaves the waist exposed, save for a profusion of ratan -girdles, adorned with lines of white seeds. These also support the -kirtle or kilt, which reaches from the hips to the knee, the border -of the skirt being chequered in red, blue, and yellow. Cowries form a -favourite ornamentation of every part of the dress, and the daughters -of chiefs wear broad belts of these shells. Besides the distinctive -bell-girdle, fine ratan rings encircle the leg below the knee, but no -shoes are worn. Most of the matrons coil their hair in the folds of -the Shan turban, but the original Chingpaw head-dress is a puggery -of embroidered cloth, twisted round the head, while the end, fringed -with beads, falls gracefully on the shoulder. Unmarried women wear no -head-dress, and cut their hair square across the forehead in a fashion -not unknown in England, while their back hair, unrestrained by any -fastening, streams down behind. The ears are pierced both through the -lobes and upper cartilage. In the latter orifice is inserted a lappet -of embroidered cloth tasselled with small green and black beads; -silver tubes, reaching to the shoulder, are also worn by the wealthier -_belles_, while the poorer display fresh flowers or leaves. Anything -seems convertible into an ear-ring: thus a cheroot, or, as seen by -us, a freshly plucked leek, is stuck into the ear. All who can, wear -necklaces of beads, but silver hoops called _gerees_, and the komoung -of red ochreous beads, are peculiar to the necks of high-born damsels. - -It has been remarked that the men are averse to labour, but the lot of -all women irrespective of rank is one of drudgery. They are not allowed -to eat with the men, and are looked on as mere beasts of burden, valued -only for their usefulness; but they seem contented with their lot, and -are always cheerful and light-hearted. Their brisk activity forms a -pleasing contrast to the lounging idleness of their lords. Much, if not -most, of the field-work falls to their share, and their daily routine -is one of incessant and hard labour. Their first duty in the morning -is to clean and crush the rice for the daily consumption, and late at -night the dull thud of the heavy pestle, with the accompaniments of -their regular wild cry and the jingling of the bell-girdles, was to be -heard. They fetch water from the stream, and firewood from the jungle. -This latter is a most laborious task, as the girls have to search for -dry wood, cut it into faggots, and bring it home on their backs. Their -bare legs are often lacerated in the jungle, and the wounds, aggravated -by dirt and neglect, form intractable ulcers. Many such cases were -brought to our camp for treatment. Another effect of the hard work and -exposure is to be observed in the frequency of grey hair among the -young women, the matted locks of even girls of ten and twelve years -being abundantly silvered as if by premature old age. - -Their ordinary house labours include the preparation of _sheroo_, -or Kakhyen beer, a beverage always in demand. This is regarded as a -serious, almost sacred task, the women, while engaged in it, having to -live in almost vestal seclusion. Certain herbs and roots dried in the -sun are mixed with chillies and ginger, to avert the interference of -malignant nats; the mixture is pulverised with some rice in a mortar, -and reduced to a paste which is carefully preserved in the form of -cakes, wrapped in mats. Crushed rice mixed with fresh plantains is -steeped for half a day, and allowed to dry. It is next boiled, or -“mashed,” with a due proportion of the “medicine” or powdered cake in -a _paungyaung_, or wooden tub, placed within a copper caldron, from -which it is, after cooling and fermenting for a week in a leaf-covered -basket, transferred to a closely covered earthen jar. After twenty days -the sheroo is fit to drink, but is better if left for six months. This -forms the stock, to which water is added, and the beverage is offered -in a bamboo, closed with a fresh plantain leaf. This liquor resembles -very small beer, but is pleasant and refreshing. A similar beverage is -found among the Lepchas of Darjeeling, who imbibe it through a reed, -the Looshais and Nagas. The Khyens and Karens also prepare a rice-beer -like the _congee_ of the Burmese; the Nagas also prepare “moad” from -rice, and the Khamtis and Singphos of the Hoo-kong valley distil a -spirit which the latter call _sahoo_; but the Kakhyens procure all -their supplies of _samshu_, or rice-spirit, from the Shan-Chinese. - -It is naturally the business of the women to spin, dye, and weave the -home-grown cotton. Their loom is of a primitive form, the same as -that used among the Khyens, the Munipoories, and other tribes on the -north-east of Assam. One end of the warp is held in position by pegs -driven into the ground, and the other is kept on the stretch by a -broad leather strap fastened round the back of the woman as she sits -on the ground with her legs straight before her. A long piece of wood -keeps the threads of the warp open, so that the shuttle, which is -thirty inches long, and worked by both hands, can pass easily. With -this they produce a strong thick cloth, and weave fanciful patterns -of red, green, and yellow. They are also adepts at embroidery in silk -and cotton, which is only applied to the decoration of the bags or -havresacks worn by the men. - -The code of morality of the Kakhyens has been variously represented. -Unchastity before marriage is certainly not regarded as a disgrace. If -possible, the parents of the girl endeavour to get the lovers married, -but it is not an imperative duty. Should, however, an unmarried -girl die _enceinte_, the father of the child is bound to compensate -her parents by the present of a slave, a buffalo, a dah, and other -articles, and to give a feast to the inmates of the house. Failing -this, he is liable to be sold as a slave. This arises from the value -set upon a marriageable daughter, both as regards her present working -power and her future price as a wife, which is not lessened by an -indiscretion. - -Infidelity after marriage is a crime which the husband may punish on -the spot by the death of both the offenders. In case of elopement of -a wife, the husband is entitled to recover damages, fixed at double -the amount expended by him at his marriage. For this the relatives and -clansmen of the lover are held liable on pain of a feud. - -The ceremony of marriage, besides the religious rites, combines the -idea of purchase from the parents with that of abduction, so frequently -found to underlie the nuptial rites of widely separated races. An -essential preliminary is to get the diviner to predict the general -fortune of the intended bride. Some article of her dress or ornaments -is procured, and handed to the seer, who, we may suppose, being thereby -brought _en rapport_ with her, proceeds to consult omens and predict -her _bedeen_ or destiny. If auspicious, messengers bearing presents -are sent to make proposals to the girl’s parents, who specify the -dowry required and agreed to by the envoys. All being adjusted, two -messengers are sent from the bridegroom to inform the bride’s friends -that such a day is appointed for the marriage. They are liberally -feasted, and escorted home by two of her relatives, who promise to be -duly prepared. When the day comes, five young men and girls set out -from the bridegroom’s village to that of the bride, where they wait -till nightfall in a neighbouring house. At dusk the bride is brought -thither by one of the stranger girls, as it were, without the knowledge -of her parents, and told that these men have come to claim her. They -all set out at once for the bridegroom’s village. In the morning the -bride is placed under a closed canopy, outside the bridegroom’s house. -Presently there arrives a party of young men from her village, to -search, as they say, for one of their girls who has been stolen. They -are invited to look under the canopy, and bidden, if they will, to take -the girl away; but they reply, “It is well; let her remain where she -is.” - -While a buffalo, &c. are being killed as a sacrifice, the bridegroom -hands over the dowry, and exhibits the trousseau provided for his -bride. A wealthy Kakhyen pays for his wife a female slave, ten -buffaloes, ten spears, ten dahs, ten pieces of silver, a gong, two -suits of clothes, a matchlock, and an iron cooking pot. He also -presents clothes and silver to the bridesmaids, and defrays the -expense of the feast. Meanwhile the _toomsa_, or officiating priest, -has arranged bunches of fresh grass, pressed down with bamboos at -regular intervals, so as to form a carpet between the canopy and the -bridegroom’s house. The household nats are then invoked, and a libation -of sheroo and water poured out. Fowls, &c. are then killed, and -their blood is sprinkled on the grass path, over which the bride and -her attendants pass to the house, and offer boiled eggs, ginger, and -dried fish to the household deities. This concludes the ceremony, in -which the bridegroom takes no part. A grand feast follows. Besides the -ordinary fare of rice, plantains, and dried fish and pork, the beef of -the sacrificed buffalo and the venison of the barking deer, all cooked -in large iron pots, imported from Yunnan, are the viands. Abundant -supplies of sheroo and Chinese samshu prepare the guests for the dance. - -The orchestra consists of a drum formed of a hollowed tree stem, -covered at both ends with the skin of the barking deer, a sort of -jews-harp of bamboo, which gives a very clear, almost metallic, tone, -and a single or double flute, with a piece of metal inside a long -slit, which the performer covers with his mouth. He also accompanies -the strain with a peculiar whirring noise, produced in his throat. The -marriage feast ends, like all their festivities, in great drunkenness, -disorder, and often in a fight. - -Breach of promise is made a cause of feud, the friends of the aggrieved -fair one making it a point of honour to attack the village of the -offender. The curious custom obtains that a widow becomes the wife of -the senior brother-in-law, even though he be already married. The day -after the birth of a child, the household’s nats are propitiated by -offerings of sheroo and the sacrifice of a hog. The flesh is divided -into three portions, one for the toomsa, another for the slayer and -cook, and the third for the head of the household. The entrails, with -eggs, fish, and ginger, are placed on the altars, all the villagers are -bidden to a feast, and sheroo is handed round in order of seniority. -After all have drunk, the oldest man rises and, pointing to the infant, -says, “That boy, or girl, is named so and so.” When a Kakhyen dies, the -news is announced by the discharge of matchlocks. This is a signal for -all to repair to the house of death. Some cut bamboos and timber for -the coffin, others prepare for the funeral rites. A circle of bamboos -is driven into the ground, slanting outwards, so that the upper circle -is much wider than the base. To each a small flag is fastened, grass -is placed between this circle and the house, and the toomsa scatters -grass over the bamboos, and pours a libation of sheroo. A hog is then -slaughtered, and the flesh cooked and distributed, the skull being -fixed on one of the bamboos. The coffin is made of the hollowed trunk -of a large tree, which the men fell with their dahs. Just before it -falls, a fowl is killed by being dashed against the tottering stem. -The place where the head is to rest is blackened with charcoal, and a -lid constructed. The body is washed by men or matrons, according to -sex, and dressed in new clothes. Some of the pork, boiled rice, and -sheroo, are placed before it, and a piece of silver is inserted in the -mouth to pay ferry dues over the streams the spirit may have to cross. -It is then coffined and borne to the grave amidst the discharge of -fire-arms. The grave is about three feet deep, and three pieces of -wood are laid to support the coffin, which is covered with branches of -trees before the earth is filled in. The old clothes of the deceased -are laid on the mound, and sheroo is poured on it, the rest being drunk -by the friends around it. In returning, the mourners strew ground rice -along the path, and when near the village, they cleanse their legs -and arms with fresh leaves. Before re-entering the house, all are -lustrated with water by the toomsa with an asperge of grass, and pass -over a bundle of grass sprinkled with the blood of a fowl sacrificed -during their absence to the spirit of the dead. Eating and drinking -wind up the day. Next morning an offering of a hog and sheroo is made -to the spirit of the dead man, and a feast and dance are held till late -at night, and resumed in the morning. A final sacrifice of a buffalo -in honour of the household nats then takes place, and the toomsa -breaks down the bamboo fence, after which the final death dance[24] -successfully drives forth the spirit, which is believed to have been -still lingering round its former dwelling. In the afternoon a trench -is dug round the grave, and the conical cover already described is -erected, the skulls of the hog and buffalo being affixed to the posts. - -The bodies of those who have been killed by shot or steel are wrapped -in a mat and buried in the jungle without any rites. A small open hut -is erected over the spot for the use of the spirits, for whom also a -dah, bag, and basket are placed. These spirits are believed to haunt -the forests as _munla_, like the Burman _tuhsais_, or ghosts, and to -have the power of entering into men and imparting a second sight of -deeds of violence. Funeral rites are also denied to those who die of -small-pox and to women dying in child-birth. In the latter case, the -mother and her unborn child are believed to become a fearful compound -vampyre. All the young people fly in terror from the house, and -divination is resorted to, to discover what animal the evil spirit -will devour, and another with which it will transmigrate. The first is -sacrificed, and some of the flesh placed before the corpse; the second -is hanged, and a grave dug in the direction to which the animal’s head -pointed when dead. Here the corpse is buried with all the clothes and -ornaments worn in life, and a wisp of straw is burned on its face, -before the leaves and earth are filled in. All property of the deceased -is burned on the grave, and a hut erected over it. The death dance -takes place, to drive the spirit from the house, in all cases. The -former custom appears to have been to burn the body itself, with the -house and all the clothes and ornaments used by the deceased. This also -took place if the mother died during the month succeeding child-birth, -and, according to one native statement, the infant also was thrown into -the fire, with the address, “Take away your child;” but if previously -any one claimed the child, saying, “Give me your child,” it was -spared, and belonged to the adopting parent, the real father being -unable at any time to reclaim it. - -These ceremonies show the character of the religion of the people. -Hemmed in as they are by Buddhist populations, they adhere to -the ancient form of worship of good and evil spirits. The French -missionaries have been unable to produce any effect upon them. A vague -idea of a Supreme Being exists among them, as they speak of a nat in -the form of a man named Shingrawah, who created everything. They do -not worship, but reverence him, “because he is very big.” As their -funeral rites show, they believe in a future existence. Tsojah is the -abode of good men; and those who die violent deaths, and bad characters -generally, go to Marai. To questions as to the place and conditions of -these, an intelligent Kakhyen answered, “How can I tell? no one knows -anything.” - -The objects of worship are the nats benign or malignant; the first -such as Sinlah, the sky spirit, who gives rain and good crops; Chan -and Shitah, who cause the sun and moon to rise. These they worship, -“because their fathers did so, and told their children that they were -good.” Cringwan is the beneficent patron of agriculture, but the -malignant nats must be bribed not to ruin the crops. When the ground is -cleared for sowing, Masoo is appeased with pork and fowls, buried at -the foot of the village altars; when the paddy is eared, buffaloes and -pigs are sacrificed to Cajat. A man about to travel is placed under -the care of Muron, the toomsa, after due sacrifices, requesting him to -“tell the other nats not to harm that man.” - -Neglect of Mowlain will result in the want of _compraw_, or silver, the -great object of a Kakhyen’s desire, and if hunters forbear offerings -to Chitong, some one will be killed by stag or tiger. Chitong and -Muron are two of ten brothers, who have an especial interest in -Kakhyen affairs, and another named Phee is the guardian of the night. -Every hill, forest, and stream, has its own nat of greater or less -power; every accident or illness is the work of some malignant or -vindictive one of “these viewless ministers.” To discover who may be -the particular nat, or how he is to be appeased, is the business of -the toomsa. He prescribes and assists in all sacrifices, and calls the -nats to receive their share, which with economical piety generally -consists of the offal. The extraordinary method of consulting the will -of the nats by a possessed medium has been already described. The -meetway is distinct from a toomsa, or regular priest, but there is no -sacerdotal caste, the succession being kept up by a natural selection -and apprenticeship. The village toomsa practises augury from fowl -bones, omens, and the fracture of burned nul grass, besides holding -communication with the spirit world. Besides the occasional sacrifices, -at seed-time a solemn sacrifice is offered to Ngka, the earth spirit. -In this the whole community participates, and the next four days are -observed as a strict sabbath, no work or journey being undertaken. - -At harvest-time Sharoowa and his wife are worshipped in a similar -manner by the chief and villagers. All animals sacrificed must be -males, but a woman’s dress and ornaments are offered to the female -nat. The _namsyang_, or tutelary nats of the village, are also husband -and wife; he ruling the western and she the eastern portion; they are -venerated twice a year with other nats by the tsawbwa. All the people -repair to the head village, and the chief offers buffaloes, &c., and a -grand feast is held. The skulls of the animals offered and eaten are -affixed to the tsawbwa’s house, where they remain as memorials of his -piety and hospitality. - -These recurring seasons of seed-time in May and June and harvest-time -in December seemed to us to be the only divisions of time known -to these mountaineers, but they were said to have a succession of -months.[25] - -The language of the Kakhyens is monosyllabic, and is spoken in an -ascending tone, every sentence ending in a long-drawn “ee,” in a -higher key, thus--“Chingpaw poong-doon tan-key-ing _eee_?” “Do the -Kakhyens dance?” Monsig. Bigandet says: “It is the same as used by -all the Singpho tribes, and bears a great resemblance to that of the -Abors and Mishmees, and other tribes of the south-western spurs of the -Himalayas. The pronunciation is soft and easy, and the construction of -sentences simple and direct as in English. It is totally different from -the Burmese, and belongs to a completely different group.” We found -very few that could speak Burmese, except the Ponline and other chiefs -bordering the plain; but almost all the chiefs both north and south of -the Tapeng, and many of their clansmen, could speak Chinese, and a few, -such as the chiefs of Mattin, Seray, &c., could write Chinese; but the -Kakhyens possess no written characters of their own. - -As warriors the Kakhyens cannot be ranked high. Quarrelsome and -revengeful as they are, prone to exact atonement for a wrong or feud -to the last, their attacks are always made stealthily, and generally -at night--they may be said to crouch and spring like the tiger. As -hunters, so far as we could learn, they are not very daring, but our -opportunities of observation were limited, and the hills about Ponsee -did not seem to contain much animal life. Their chief quarry is the -barking deer, but leopards and porcupines are said to be sometimes -found, and wild elephants were reported as occasional visitors. The -fierce and pugnacious bamboo rat is esteemed a dainty and valuable -prize. The young lads set ingenious traps for jungle fowl and -pheasants. A miniature fence of the stems of tall jungle grass is -constructed down the hillside for two hundred feet, through which -little runs are opened. At each a pliable bamboo is firmly fixed at -one end, while the other is lightly fastened to the ground. A noose -fixed to this end snares the birds, which are hoisted in the air like -moles in the familiar trap. We also observed boys liming small birds -in an ingenious manner, with a bird-lime obtained from the root of -some plant. This was smeared on the prongs of a wooden trident fixed -in a bamboo handle, which was hidden in the jungle bordering a path. -On a cord across the trident, a number of ants were so fixed that they -could move their wings; the constant flutter allured the birds to perch -on the trident and be caught. The small boys were stimulated in the -pursuit of “small deer” and all sorts of birds by the rewards given for -any specimens. The collection and preservation of all manner of living -things was a constant source of wonder to the Kakhyens, as well as of -gain. Even the young tsawbwa caught the infection, and, moved either by -greed or gratitude for medical help, brought in a young example of a -red-faced monkey, closely allied to _Macacus tibetanus_ (Milne-Edwards). - -It will be evident that they are a perfectly wild race of mountaineers, -supplying themselves with most of the necessaries of life by rude -cultivation. They are altogether dependent on their neighbours for -salt and dried fish; and as their own scanty crops furnish little -superfluity, their great object is to obtain _compraw_, wherewith -to purchase what they need. They rear no animals but pigs; and the -buffaloes they own have been stolen from the plains. This habit of -“cattle-lifting” causes them to be regarded as natural outlaws by the -Burmese; hence the constant state of hostility and reprisals on both -sides. Since the time of our visit the mountaineers have been better -treated at Bhamô, and a zayat has been erected for their use outside -the stockade, besides one built for them near the British Residency; -but no Kakhyen can enter or leave the town without a pass, for which he -has to pay toll, this licence-duty being farmed by residents in Bhamô. -It must be owned that, whether their character has been deteriorated -by knavish injustice on the part of Chinese traders, or high-handed -extortion and wrong on the part of Burmese, they are at the present -time lazy, thievish, and untrustworthy. Their savage curiosity leads -them to pry into every package entrusted to them. During the return -journey all the collecting-boxes were opened, and every specimen -unrolled and examined, with what results of utter confusion may be -imagined. They consider themselves entitled to levy blackmail on -all passing through their districts, and each petty chief tries to -represent himself as an independent tsawbwa, with a full control of the -portion of route near his village. - -As any mission or trade-convoy must, however, pass through their -hills, and strong and impartial justice should characterise all our -relations with them, it will not be thought presumption to suggest -what appears to be the best and fairest method of dealing with them. -It is thoroughly well established that the Kakhyens themselves -possess no mules, or at least so few as to be insufficient for the -carriage of any large amount of baggage or goods. When the chiefs -have been employed to procure mules, they hire them from the Shans, -acting thus as middle-men, and in our case making an exorbitant -profit. Their incurable habits of pilfering and meddling curiosity -render them unfit to be employed as porters. All beasts of burden, -and coolies, if required, should be procured either in Burma or by -direct agents, hiring them in the Shan districts subject to China; -in the latter case no payments in advance should be made. The chiefs -of the Kakhyens occupying the portion of the route lying within the -Burmese frontier line should be summoned to Bhamô by the Burmese -authorities at the instance of the British Resident, and, a proper -sum, in recognition of their territorial dues, being fixed, should be -informed that this will be paid at the Residency on the safe passage -through their territory being accomplished and certified. A similar -course can be pursued by communication with the Chinese authorities -with regard to those who live within the Chinese frontier. The duties -to be performed by the chiefs should be limited to guaranteeing an -undisturbed passage, and providing such accommodation or supplies as -may be required. With regard to provision for an open trade route, a -fair tariff should be fixed upon: this has been done by the Chinese, -and could be accomplished by the Burmese also. The mountain chiefs may -then be required to keep the roads open and in repair, and to suppress -any attempt at brigandage, on pain of being fined, and otherwise -punished. It must be remarked, however, with all deference to the -political branch of our service, that one cannot help thinking that -it will be needful in all cases that our Residents should not issue -independent summonses and orders to the hill chiefs. The ill-feeling -of the Burmese has not unnaturally been excited by British officers -dealing, independently of the Woon, with the chiefs, nominally at -least, subordinate to him as the officer of the king of Burma. It is -surely incumbent on the British Resident in the town of an independent -foreign power to co-operate with and recognise the local authorities, -and cultivate an _entente cordiale_ with them. If this policy be -systematically observed, the Burmese will be most fairly and properly -held responsible for the conduct of the chiefs whom they claim to be -dependent on their authority, and who have accepted titles and insignia -from the king of Burma. It may seem fanciful to suggest ways and means -of removing the difficulties of the route for a future trade; but -the passage of a mission, or of future explorers of the interesting -country beyond the Kakhyen hills, will be only thus made possible. -The arrangements must be made with the Burmese and the Chinese; the -Kakhyens, being only regarded as outlying people, paid their dues, not -from fear, but from generous justice; while they are sternly repressed, -and taught their own insignificance and almost inutility. These remarks -may seem an example of shutting the door after the steed is stolen; -but if the plan proposed widely differs from that pursued by our -expedition, let it be remembered that we were pioneers in an unknown -country, feeling our way through tribes and populations, the political -relations of which were at that time as little known as were the -physical difficulties of the route we had been commissioned to explore -through their midst. - -These observations are the result of the experience gained in the -course of this first attempt, and the opinions then formed have been -confirmed on a more recent occasion, when it was not in my power to -make any practical application of the knowledge of the ways and habits -of the mountaineers which had been formerly gained. - -If the reader is somewhat tired of the Kakhyens, he can better -understand the wearisome and anxious time passed by us at Ponsee, as -all through April we alternately hoped and despaired of escaping from -our open-air prison. At the end of that time our party was reduced in -numbers by the departure of Williams and Stewart, who acted upon the -circular already mentioned as issued by the leader of the mission. They -started, under the guidance of Moung Mo, on April 29th, and reached -Bhamô without delay or difficulty. - -[23] “En langue Mou-tse et Kong un homme se dit _Ho-ka_, en langue Kho -il se dit _Ka-sya_.”--‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. p. 378. - -[24] See _supra_, page 77. - -[25] At a later visit the tsawbwa of Mattin declared the year 1874 to -be the Kakhyen year 1320; and the following list of months was given to -Père Lecomte:--(February) Ra, Wot, Shila, Cheetung, Shenan, Shimerray, -Kopes-hay, Kopetang, Kala, Majea, Mahah, Hro (January). - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -MANWYNE TO MOMIEN. - - Departure from Ponsee--Valley of the Tapeng--A curious crowd--Our - khyoung--Matins--The town of Manwyne--Visit to the haw--The - tsawbwa-gadaw--An armed demonstration--Karahokah--Sanda--The chief - and his grandson--Muangla--Shan burial-grounds--The Tahô--A murdered - traveller--Mawphoo valley--Muangtee--Nantin--Valley of Nantin--The - hot springs--Attacked by Chinese--Hawshuenshan volcano--Valley of - Momien--Arrival at the city. - - -After various reports and interchange of letters between ourselves -and the Panthays, tending to the removal of any doubts in the minds -of the latter, we learned that the representatives of the Shan states -had come to Manwyne. A slight hint of the unchanged ill-feeling of the -Bhamô people was given in the imprisonment of Moung Mo, who had acted -as guide to Williams and Stewart; a vigorous remonstrance, however, -forwarded to the Woon, was followed by his liberation and return to the -camp. - -On the 8th of May, the Shan representatives arrived. The appearance -of these fair, civilised, intelligent men, dressed in dark blue from -shoe to turban, was a great relief. They assured us that we might go -forward, and disowned having entertained any hostile feeling. Men were -sent to Manwyne to bring mules, and our departure for that town on the -next day but one was resolved on. - -It was amusing to see the pawmine acting as cicerone, and exhibiting -the wonders of our camp furniture to the inquiring Shans. They -complained bitterly of the unsettled state of the country, and declared -that our presence had already contributed to restore order. One of -their complaints was that they could not trade with Bhamô on account of -the extortion and plunder practised by the Woon and his people on the -traders resorting thither. - -The Ponsee pawmines were on their best behaviour, and even the vexed -question of the mule hire was at last settled. The tsawbwa declared -that every man, woman, and child, was the better for our stay, and -entreated us to favour him by choosing this as the return route, and to -make what use we liked of him. - -The Shans came down very early on the morning of May 11th to announce -that sufficient mules had arrived. We packed up with right good will, -and at eight o’clock the mules actually appeared. At the last moment, -“Death’s Head” pawmine attempted to create a disturbance about a -photograph taken of his house. He declared his wife and son had been -sick ever since, and that the photographer had bewitched them, in -revenge for his having stolen our cow. Another pawmine demanded a toll -of two rupees per mule, and threatened an embargo. This was too much. -A short and sharp refusal, emphasized by a revolver, acted like magic, -and the pawmines sneaked off, thoroughly crestfallen. - -At half past eleven we started from the scene of our long detention. -Scarcity of mules compelled us to leave our tents behind, and trust for -future shelter to the hospitality of the townspeople _en route_. - -The road was tolerably level for a mile or so, as far as Kingdoung, -whence a steep descent led to a comparatively flat glen, closed in by -hills on all sides but one, covered with flooded rice terraces, while -here and there the ground was being broken up by men and boys with -large hoes. - -The steep descent to this alluvial hollow could be easily avoided by -a road skirting a spur to the east, sloping down to the Tapeng. Here -numerous small streams drain into the Tapeng, from both south and -north, the largest of which is called the Thamô. From the north-eastern -watershed, we obtained a fine view of the Tapeng valley, stretching -away to the east-north-east, and then descended to the level of the -river by a gradual slope, over rounded grassy hills and dried-up -watercourses. On the way we were met by the tsawbwa-gadaw of Muang-gan, -accompanied by a bevy of damsels offering cooked rice, fresh sheroo, -and flowers. After a short halt for refreshment and friendly talk -with the old lady, whose hospitality was duly rewarded with beads, -we proceeded over a fair road six feet broad. From an eminence we -viewed the Tapeng entering the hills through a narrow gloomy gorge, -which swallowed up the broad placid stream, descending from the -north-east between low white sandy banks. Looking up the river, the -level valley stretched away, till in the far distance the border -ranges, three or four miles apart in the foreground, seemed almost to -meet. These defining mountains rose three thousand feet, and others -of still greater height towered in the background, while a loftier -range, running almost at right angles to them, crowned the far horizon. -The level ground on either side of the river was parcelled out into -innumerable rice fields, which, with the numerous villages situated on -the higher undulations amid clumps of bamboo and fruit trees, attested -the presence of a numerous and industrious population. The exposed -reaches of sand within the river banks suggested heavy floods during -the wet season; but at this period the water was drawn off by many -canals, and glistened in little lakes, from which the green blades of -the young rice crop were just raising their heads. The gentle slopes -running up to the base of the hills and the lower hillsides afforded -rich pasture to large herds of cattle and buffaloes. At the various -villages large crowds of Shans and Chinese were gathered, awaiting the -strangers. At one of some importance, mats were laid out for us under -the trees, and we were challenged by the officials of Manwyne, who -addressed our leader somewhat to this effect: “You say you are a man -of authority, therefore we allow you to pass.” It was not etiquette -to take any notice of them, and mounting their ponies, they fell into -the rear of the cavalcade, with a crowd of boys behind them. Outside -Manwyne itself a dense crowd of men, women, and children surrounded our -baggage, which had been unloaded pell-mell on a stretch of sand where -we were expected to encamp. No sooner had we dismounted than the crowd -pressed around. They appeared by no means friendly, and the Chinese -especially jeered and hooted, and one fellow had the impudence to -feel the texture of the beard of one of our party. A more inquisitive -set of sightseers it is impossible to conceive, and for some time -they regularly blockaded us, almost to suffocation. While impatiently -waiting for the officials in the full blaze of the afternoon sun, both -parties found ample interest in surveying each other. To us the first -sight of the peculiar but picturesque dress of the good-looking Shan -women was probably as attractive as our physiognomies and attire seemed -to be to the natives. The head-dress was a long blue turban, curled -in crescent-shaped folds with neat precision, towering nearly a foot -above the head, and inclined backwards in an inverted cone, displaying -the back of the head adorned with large silver discs. Add to this, -neat little white or blue jackets slashed with red, fastened with -enamelled silver brooches, and exposing plump little arms adorned with -heavy silver bracelets, blue petticoats with deeply embroidered silken -borders, fanciful gaiters, and blue shoes, and the reader can imagine -that the curious crowd of Manwyne was picturesque. - -There was a good sprinkling of Chinese women with dwarfed feet, but -they were much more poorly clad than the prosperous-looking Shans. - -The men, Shan and Chinese, were all dressed in dark blue jackets and -trousers, the Shans being distinguished by blue turbans with the -pigtail wound into their coils, while the Chinese wore skull-caps. -Almost all carried long-stemmed pipes. After some delay and -expostulation with the headmen, we were inducted into a Buddhist -khyoung or temple, standing in a separate courtyard just within the -town, but entered through a gate of its own in the town wall. It was -a low square building, facing the river, built partly of bricks and -partly of wood, on a rubble foundation, and roofed with fired tiles. - -It had two roofs, the upper in itself somewhat like a smaller khyoung -perched on the top of the larger, with two latticed windows in each -of its curved sides, and borne up by strong teak pillars. At either -end two wooden partitions shut off the cells of the priests and their -pupils. A kitchen in one corner completed the domestic arrangements, -unless we may include two or three new coffins, and materials for -more, piled ready in one corner of the verandah. A long table was -covered with models of pagodas, enclosing seated figures of Gaudama, -one principal Buddha occupying the centre, with an umbrella suspended -over his head. This seemed to serve as an altar, on which two large -candles were placed during the evening prayers, intoned with bell -accompaniments, strongly reminding us of the Catholic mass. In the -verandah three square niches faced this altar, one containing the image -of a horse. - -As soon as we had taken up our quarters, the temple was thronged inside -and out by a curious crowd, who favoured us with their presence till -we retired for the night. The ill-feeling of certain of the Chinese -inhabitants was so dreaded by the headmen that an armed Shan guard was -stationed round the khyoung, in addition to our own police sentries, -who were requested by the authorities to be on the alert against an -attack. - -In the early morning the matin bell and chanting awoke us to find the -apartment filled with precise old matrons and buxom Shan girls busy at -their devotions. Each carried a little basket filled with rice, and a -few brought offerings of flowers. As they entered, they first knelt -in front of the principal Buddha, but did not venture on the raised -platform. After a short prayer, they turned to the niche containing -the horse, before which they repeated a prayer standing, and then -deposited an offering of cooked rice in front of the quadruped. We next -became the objects of their attention, but they were too timid to give -us much of it on the first occasion. After the priests had finished -their prayers, all the women arranged themselves in a row outside the -khyoung. Presently the burly chief priest, draped in yellow, appeared. -With downcast eyes and grave face he walked slowly down the line, -holding a large bowl, in which each placed an offering of cooked rice. -This done, the congregation dispersed to their homes. - -This practice of the phoongyees gathering their daily food from the -worshippers, instead of begging it from house to house, _patta_, or -alms-bowl, in hand, is an instance of the unorthodox laxity prevailing -among the Shan Buddhists. - -A delay of two days was made necessary by consultations as to the -route to be followed. The choice lay between crossing the river into -the Muangla territory, or continuing along the right bank, through the -Sanda state, to the town of that name. The latter was finally decided -on, despite the opposition of a Muangla deputy named Kingain. - -The town of Manwyne, or Manyen, was itself formerly a dependency of -Sanda, but had been ceded to one of the Muangla family as the dowry of -a Sanda princess. It is surrounded by a low wall of sun-dried bricks, -raised on a lower course of rough stones. The population of Shans and -Chinese might be reckoned at seven hundred, and the district contains -about five thousand. At this time numerous fugitives from the more -disturbed districts had taken refuge there, the war not having extended -so far down the valley. The people, though prosperous, were lawless -and independent, the nominal authority of the dowager tsawbwa-gadaw, -or princess, being little regarded, and the Chinese power being in -abeyance. We visited the bazaar held every morning outside the wall. -The vendors were mostly girls, each sitting in front of a small basket, -supporting a tray on which her stock was laid out. The eatables -comprised a curious curd-like paste made from peas and beans, and in -great request; peas which had sprouted, beans, onions, and various -wild plums, cherries, and berries, while maize, rice, and barley, and -several sorts of tobacco, were also on sale. One end of the bazaar was -devoted to unbleached home-made cotton cloth, with a small stock of -English piece goods, and red and green broadcloth. - -Many Kakhyens, chiefly young women, were present, with firewood and -short deal planks for sale, and we were struck by the perfect freedom -enjoyed by these people as contrasted with their treatment in Burmese -territory. The town gate led into a filthy narrow street, or rather -lane, about nine feet wide. It was paved with boulders, and bordered -on either side by a deep open gutter close under the windows, and -alive with swine. The one-storied houses were built of bricks, with -one room opening on the street, the sill of the open window serving as -a counter, mainly for the sale of pork. This was the Chinese quarter; -beyond it lay the clean Shan division, every house detached and -surrounded by a neat little courtyard, with ponies, buffaloes, and -implements, housed under substantial sheds. A few villages formed, as -it were, suburbs of the so-called town, each enclosed in its bamboo -fence, and intersected by narrow railed paths. None of the houses were -raised on piles, as in Burma; the better sort were built of bricks -and tiled, and the smaller ones were mere mud hovels. In one village -we saw a man cutting tobacco for the use of the ladies, and were -politely invited to be seated while we were instructed in the art of -the tobacconist. The fresh leaves rolled firmly together were pushed -through a circular hole in a wooden upright, and thin slices rapidly -cut off; these are only partially dried and smoked while still green. -Some was brought to fill the visitors’ pipes, and for half an hour we -sat chatting to these homely Shans. Returning to the khyoung, we found -it crowded with numerous patients, all entreating medical aid. The -poor people were intensely grateful, though some of the old and infirm -seemed to expect miracles, and went away evidently doubting the will, -rather than the power, of the physician. - -During this time our leader had been busily engaged adjusting the -division of three hundred rupees among the Kakhyen pawmines; they were -most demonstrative in their expressions of friendship, and urgently -pressed us to confide ourselves to their escort on the return route. -Presents were also distributed to the headmen of the town, and those -of Sanda and Muangla, and the officials escorted us on a visit of -ceremony to the tsawbwa-gadaw. Her _haw_, or palace, built in the -Chinese style of telescopic courtyards, formed an enclosure in the -centre of the town. We passed through two courtyards, the sides of -the outer one forming the stables, and those of the inner one the -kitchen and servants’ rooms, with the residence filling up the end. -The entrance from the first to the second court formed a waiting-room, -where a bench covered with silken draperies had been placed. After a -few minutes we were invited to proceed through the second court to the -house, which was raised about three feet from the ground, with an open -reception hall, apparently off a third court, containing the private -apartments. The reception court was laid out with flowers, dwarf yews, -and a vine trained over a trellis. High-backed chairs with red cushions -were set out, and presently the dowager appeared from her apartment, -accompanied by some white-robed Buddhist nuns, or _rahanees_, and -attended by three maids. One of the nuns was her daughter; the others -had visited Rangoon, as pilgrims to the great pagoda, and brought back -strong impressions of the excellence of British rule; both in Manwyne -and elsewhere these pious ladies subsequently did good service by -spreading favourable reports of the English visitors. - -But we are forgetting the tsawbwa-gadaw. She was a stout little woman -of fifty summers, of quiet self-possessed carriage. Above her round -fair face towered a huge blue turban eighteen inches in height. Her -costume consisted of a white jacket fastened with large square -enamelled silver clasps, and a blue petticoat with richly embroidered -silken border and broad silken stripes; her leggings and shoes were -also covered with exquisite embroidery. She entered smoking a long -silver-stemmed pipe, and received us with pleasant affability. Sladen -held a long conversation with her concerning the mission, and she -greatly rejoiced in the prospect of reopening Burmese trade, and -promised her hearty support. Small cups of bitter tea, and saucers -furnished with all requisites for betel-chewing, were handed round, the -style of everything being thoroughly Chinese, and we took our leave, -having evidently won her esteem. - -The next morning, May 13th, the entire population of the neighbourhood -assembled to see the visitors depart. The fair ones were in their -holiday attire, their head-dresses decorated with sweet-smelling -flowers. Many parting presents of these, accompanied with good-natured -nods and smiles and kind wishes, were bestowed on the travellers. -Several Shan officials accompanied us, perched high on huge red-cloth -saddles and padded coverlids heaped on their small ponies. The route -lay along the undulating right bank of the river, over a tolerable -but narrow track, which crossed the mountain streams flowing into the -Tapeng by substantial granite bridges, built of long slabs laid side by -side, so as to form an exact semicircular arch. - -About four miles from Manwyne, our attention was called to a number of -men who rushed out of a village on the opposite bank of the river. -Although they were all armed, and indulged in threatening shouts and -gesticulations, we did not suspect any really hostile intentions. -Presently, however, we found ourselves exactly opposite to them, when, -whiz! came a bullet, passing close to Sladen’s pony, which plunged -violently. At this they yelled, and fired some more shots, accompanied -by furious brandishing of dahs. We took no notice, and this apparent -indifference cooled their ardour, and the road, diverging from the -river, soon took us out of sight. The fact that small but well-armed -parties of Shans were posted at intervals suggested that the officials -had expected an attack. - -Beyond this the march to Sanda was an ovation, the people lining the -road, and waving us on with shouts of _Kara! kara!_ “Welcome! welcome!” -Most striking was the panorama of the fertile and populous valley, -with the broad Tapeng winding through it, and the magnificent wall of -mountains towering on either hand. Village succeeded village, and every -available acre was cultivated, the young rice now rising about two -inches above the water, and tobacco plantations on the higher ground -displaying their delicate verdure. - -Halfway between Manwyne and Sanda, the road passes through Karahokah, -the chief Chinese market-town of the valley. The village consists -of two long parallel lines of houses separated by a broadway, down -the centre of which the booths and stalls are placed on the weekly -market-day. It was full market when we passed, so by advice we went -round outside the village, but the curious crowd streamed out and -nearly closed the road. A striking feature was added to the landscape -by the bright red soil of the lower spurs jutting out from the higher -range. In contrast to the dense forests above, they were almost -destitute of trees, except at the extreme points, and clothed as -they were with rich short grass, their strongly marked red and green -colouring completed the unique beauty of the Sanda valley. At five -o’clock P.M. we reached Sanda or Tsandah, seventy-five miles from -Bhamô, and were conducted to a small temporary Buddhist khyoung built -on the site of one wrecked by the Panthays. - -It was little better than a thatched hut, with the ground for a floor. -Here, as in other Shan towns, a striking difference was observed -between the phoongyees and those seen in Burma. Their huge yellow -turbans, coiled round yellow skull-caps, stood out each like a solid -nimbus or glory. They wore white jackets and yellow trousers, girdles, -and leggings, and shoes contrary to the precepts of their religion. -Each carried on his back a broad-brimmed straw hat covered with green -oiled silk. Their profusion of silver ornaments, buttons, rings, and -pipes, was utterly at variance with the vows of poverty taken by Rahans. - -The town of Sanda, marked on maps as Santa-fu, occupies the end of a -ridge in a northerly bend or bay of the valley, a mile and a half from -the Tapeng. The remains of a thick loopholed wall enclose an irregular -area about six hundred yards square, over which are scattered eight -hundred to one thousand houses, with a population of four to five -thousand. We saw neither towers, pagodas, nor public buildings, save in -ruins, excepting the tsawbwa’s house. The Panthays stormed the town in -1863, and the ruined defences and buildings had not yet been restored. -Indeed the dejected and poverty-stricken inhabitants had only partially -repaired their own brick-built dwellings. - -Four hundred yards from the north-east gate was the bazaar, a village -in itself, inhabited solely by Chinese, consisting, like Karahokah, of -two lines of houses, the broadway between being closed at either end -by a wall. A Chinese joss house, the ruins of which showed its former -importance, stood near the entrance. In our wanderings through the -bazaar, we met two women from the hills to the north of Sanda, of an -entirely different race from Shans, Chinese, or Kakhyens, who called -themselves Leesaws. - -The next day was devoted to a ceremonious visit to the old tsawbwa. -We entered his haw, a handsome structure of blue gneiss, through a -triple archway, and passed through the courtyards, the whole building -being arranged on the same plan as the Manwyne palace, but on a much -larger and handsomer scale. High-backed Chinese chairs were duly set -out in the vestibule of a building leading directly to the private -apartments, and the courtyard in front was crowded with the leading -townsmen. The tsawbwa, a frail old man with an intelligent face and -polished manners, was dressed in a long coat of sombre Shan blue -and a black satin skull-cap. He was nervous and silent, nearly all -the talking being done by his officials, who seemed to be gentlemen -of education and considerable intelligence. They were unanimous in -expressing their hopes that our mission would result in settling the -country and restoring the trade. - -The little grandson and heir of the tsawbwa was brought to be -introduced. The old chief evidently doated on the boy, and made a most -urgent request, that Sladen would consider him as his son. When he -learned that he already possessed a little boy, the chief exclaimed, -“Then let them be brothers.” It appeared that the astrologers, in -forecasting the event of our mission, had divined that this adoption by -our leader was essential to the future welfare of the heir of Sanda. -The interview closed with the circulation of tea and betel, and after -we had requested the chief’s acceptance of a handsome table-cloth and -other presents, we took our leave, but were followed to our quarters -by servants of the tsawbwa bearing supplies of rice, ducks, fowls, and -salted wild geese. The next morning the tsawbwa made his appearance, -accompanied by his grandson, and bringing presents of a silken quilt -and handsome embroidered Shan pillows. A richly enamelled silver pipe -stem was given to Sladen in the name of his newly adopted son, for -whom the grandfather earnestly besought his affection and care. At -his request it was arranged that in leaving the town we should pass -in front of the tsawbwa’s house. As the cavalcade neared the gates of -the enclosure, two trumpeters stationed there blew a lusty flourish on -their long brass trumpets. The chief himself stood on the steps, shaded -by two large umbrellas, one a gold _chatta_ and the other red, with -heavy fringes. His chief men surrounded him, and the little grandson -was held in the arms of an attendant. We dismounted to shake hands, -which rather puzzled the chief. After a cordial parting, a salute of -three guns was fired, and the trumpeters preceded us, blowing sonorous -blasts till we passed through the south-eastern gate. - -The road followed the embankments of the paddy fields, across the -entrance to the high steep glen down which flows the Nam-Sanda stream, -which was forded. A low red spur from the north-west range, nearly -meeting another from the opposite range, here confines the Tapeng -to a narrow deep channel, and divides the valley into two basins, -one of Sanda and the other of Muangla. Having crossed this spur, we -forded a small stream, which was quite warm, from its being fed by -the hot springs of Sanda. The Muangla valley is a repetition of that -of Sanda, with the same direction, and flanked by similar parallel -heights, until the head of the basin is reached. There the valley, -as it were, bifurcates: down the northerly division, the main stream -of the Tapeng flows from the north-east through a fine valley, shut -off from the Muangla basin by an intervening range of grassy hills. A -large affluent, called the Tahô, or by the Chinese Sen-cha-ho, comes -down from the east-north-east, between the high hills which appeared to -bound the valley before us, but, opening farther on, enclose the valley -of Nantin. - -Numerous villages were passed, the inhabitants of which gave us a most -hearty welcome. Near the head, or fork, of the valley, the Tapeng, even -now a hundred yards wide, runs nearly across it, from one side to the -other. We forded it at a village called Tamon, where a large bazaar was -being held. Having crossed a slightly elevated flat peninsula on the -left bank, and above the junction of the rivers, covered with charming -villages embowered in high trees and splendid bamboo topes, we came -to the Tahô flowing in broken streams in an old channel, a mile wide, -between lofty banks. A great portion of the level ground is covered -with rice fields, for the irrigation of which the streams are diverted. - -A very neat bamboo pavilion had been erected for us on the high bank -overlooking the Tahô, and after a rest, we crossed the channel to -Muangla, which was visible on the opposite side, below a range of low -red hills. We ascended the old river bank, and passed through the -southern gateway, screened by a brick traverse, into a short broad -street closed by a stone wall. Here we were conducted to a ruined -Chinese temple, which had been hastily repaired for our occupancy, and -were speedily invested by a crowd of curious folk, who seemed never -satiated with staring. - -Muangla, or Mynela, nearly ninety miles from Bhamô, stands on a high -slope on the left bank of the Tapeng, enclosed by a brick wall nine -feet high, with numerous loopholes and occasional guard-houses. The -wall, with its six strong gateways, protected by traverses, appeared -to be in much better condition than that of Sanda. With the exception -of the broad bazaar street, the various roadways were mere lanes paved -with boulders. The population within the walls could not exceed two -thousand, which might be doubled by the addition of the large suburban -villages close to the town. One of these contained the remains of some -handsome Chinese temples, destroyed by the iconoclastic Panthays. One -temple, built in a picturesque series of terraces, still retained -evidence of its former grandeur in elaborate carving and colouring, -a number of life-sized figures, and a large sweet-toned bell on the -highest terrace. In still another, one of the courts contained a -symbolic representation of the passage of souls into the future life. -A miniature bridge with many passengers was depicted, guarded by two -human forms, and spanning a miry hollow. In the latter, human beings -were being tortured by monstrous dogs and serpents. Some of the -passengers were represented being thrown from the bridge into this -abyss; others had passed to Elysium, or Neibban, on the further bank. -In another recess stood a low square hollow pillar with an opening on -one side, facing a structure resembling a small brick stove with a -chimney-like orifice, over which, as issuing from it, were depicted men -and animals. This seemed intended to figure the transmigrations of the -soul in the whirlpool of existences, from which every good Buddhist -desires to escape into Neibban. - -Close to the town, but out of sight of the buildings, we came upon the -burial-ground of the tsawbwas, overlooking a desolate sea of hills. -Over handsome horseshoe tombs with broad terraces and lofty portals of -well-hewn gneiss, a few scattered pines stood sentinels. In the common -graveyard, between the town and the junction of the river, as in many -others passed in the valley, the graves are all raised and rounded as -in old churchyards at home, lying to all points of the compass, with a -broad stone slab at the head, but little care is shown except for the -burial-places of the chiefs, in this particular the Shans differing -altogether from the Chinese. - -Viewed from Muangla, the western range of the valley culminates in -a bold precipitous mountain, frowning above the Tapeng, which comes -down through a narrow gorge between it and the hills which rise behind -the town, and wall the valley of the Tahô. Above this narrow gorge, -the Tapeng flows down a broad level valley, from its source reported -to be three days’ journey distant. At its exit from the gorge, it is -a quiet deep stream; at this spot a boat ferry was plying, and the -view reminded us forcibly of Scottish mountain scenery. A long deep -valley ran along the eastern face of the opposite hill, dotted on -both sides by Kakhyen and Poloung villages and dark green forest. Its -stream was conveyed across the Tapeng gorge by a wooden aqueduct, to -irrigate the fields on the further bank. We were warned not to venture -far from the town, so could not explore as much as we wished and had -leisure for. A ceremonial visit had been duly paid on our arrival to -the youthful tsawbwa, a lad of fifteen, who, under the regency of his -mother, governed the extensive district of Muangla, paying a tribute -of five thousand bushels of rice to the Panthays. The officials, who -evidently favoured the old Chinese imperialist regime, demurred to our -proceeding, for fear of the banditti infesting the road to Mawphoo. In -this they were supported by the tsawbwa of Hotha, who joined us here, -on his road to Momien, with a caravan of one hundred and fifty mules -laden with cotton. He was a man of energy and education, speaking and -writing both Shan and Chinese. As one of the largest traders between -Bhamô and Momien, he possessed the respect and confidence of both -Shans and Panthays. Sladen sent letters to the governors of Nantin -and Momien, to which replies were brought on May 21st by our missing -interpreter, Moung Shuay Yah, who was accompanied by three well-dressed -and fine-looking Panthay officers, also by a guard sent to escort us to -Momien. - -On the 23rd of May, we left Muangla, and crossed the muddy flat to the -Tahô, where the valley contracted to a breadth of scarcely two miles. -Here we were joined by the Hotha chief with his well-appointed caravan, -but a halt was called, as a report came in from the front that three -hundred Chinese were ahead ready to attack us. Advancing to Nahlow, -a little further on, a fresh report raised the numbers of the enemy -to five hundred, and we were pressed to order a volley, which would -frighten them away! At Nahlow the villagers pointed out a hill as the -post of the Chinese, who had killed two men, but careful examination -with field-glasses could detect no signs of the enemy. Some men were -now observed a thousand yards ahead, and the Panthay officers galloped -forward to reconnoitre. The mules were unloaded, and the villagers -brought buckets of pea curd and fried peas strung on bamboo spathes. -Our scouts having reported all clear, we proceeded over undulating -boggy ground, and descended about eighty-five feet to the bed of the -Tahô in a long oval basin, covered with gravel and boulders, and closed -in on three sides by grassy hills. We presently came upon a man lying -by the stream, with a frightful gash in his head, and a wound in his -chest. He was a poor trader, who had been attacked, robbed, and, as -it proved, murdered, for despite our help he died in a short time. At -the head of the valley, a slippery zigzag path led up the steep face -of a great spur of the Mawphoo mountain, the summit of which commanded -a splendid prospect of the rich valley of the Tapeng, mantled with -green paddy, and of the wild barren gorge below us. The sides of the -parallel ranges, here a few hundred yards apart, were marked by large -landslips, many of them white as snow. Our path lay along one which -formed a perpendicular precipice five hundred feet above the Tahô. A -high mountain facing Mawphoo was pointed out as the Shuemuelong, famous -in the wars between Burma and China. From the summit, a level path -turning north-east led us to Mawphoo, situated at the extremity of a -high level basin, marked by two terraces on the northern side, with the -Tahô flowing invisibly in a deep cleft, or ravine, at the base of the -southern hills. At first sight one is inclined to regard it as an old -lake basin, for it is so closed in by hills that the presence of the -river could not be even suspected by a spectator who had not previously -traced its course. - -Mawphoo, which was said to have been recently the stronghold of -Li-sieh-tai, was a wretched walled village in ruins, garrisoned by a -few Panthay soldiers. The crumbling walls and ruins were overgrown -with weeds and jungle, and it was hard to believe that this place -had been held by an enemy and stormed only a few weeks before. From -this the road skirted the level ground of the valley, but numerous -deep watercourses presented frequent difficulties, while the rain of -the last few days had rendered the path dangerously slippery. There -was evidence however in the paved roadway, the numerous substantial -stone bridges, and the frequent ruins of villages, that this must have -been a considerable highway in peaceful times; now the whole country -seemed to be a desolate waste. For some miles the heights along the -road were manned by strong Panthay and Kakhyen guards, who carried a -profusion of yellow and white flags, striped with various colours. All -were armed with matchlocks, as well as spears and tridents mounted on -shafts twelve feet long. Each picquet, as we passed, discharged their -pieces, and then followed in our rear beating their gongs. At the end -of this remarkable valley, we made a rapid descent to the treeless -valley of Nantin, which now opened to view curving to the north-east or -rather almost north. At the foot of the descent, the Tahô, which leaves -the valley through a deep rocky gorge, is spanned by an iron chain -suspension bridge, with massive stone buttresses, and an arched gateway -on either bank. The span is about one hundred feet, and planks laid -across the chains, covered with earth and straw, serve as a roadway, -while one of the chains sweeps down from the top of the gateway, to -serve as a railing. A small circular fort on an eminence was garrisoned -by a few men, who guarded the bridge. We continued along the right -bank through the Nantin valley, the sides of which presented three -distinctly marked river terraces, and, having forded the river, entered -the little Shan town of Muangtee, or Myne-tee, one hundred and eight -miles from Bhamô. The walls were crowded, and the short narrow street -through which we passed was thronged with women and children. Very -few men were visible, owing, as we were informed, to the incessant -fighting, which had killed off most of the male population. - -[Illustration: NANTIN VALLEY, TOWN OF MUANGTEE TO THE LEFT.] - -A mile beyond we reached the small walled Chinese town of Nantin, -now held by the Panthays. Two officers on ponies met and conducted -us through the gate to a ruined Chinese temple. This had once been a -handsome structure, but the walls were riddled with shot, the images -defaced, and broken open in search of plunder. Nantin itself showed all -the signs of having been once a thriving Chinese town. Now one-half -of it was in ruins, and the other tenanted by a scanty and miserably -poor population. By its position on a triangle of land between the Tahô -and a swift deep affluent, with the hills rising close behind it and -forming the base line, it completely commands the main road to Momien -and Yunnan. It was accordingly held by a strong Panthay force, under a -governor bearing the title of Tu-tu-du. - -The governor visited us, accompanied by a Chinese chief named -Thongwetshein, who had recently joined the Panthay cause. They -demanded either a list of the presents intended for Momien or -permission to search our baggage, both of which requests Sladen stoutly -refused, and referred them to Momien for instructions. In the course -of the day it came out that reports had been circulated that our boxes -contained live dragons and serpents and fearful explosives. The fears -of the Tu-tu-du were quieted by a peep at some bottled snakes and -frogs, and he begged us to pay him an official visit. This, he said, -would strengthen his influence over the townspeople, whom he described -as thieves and ruffians. - -A veritable Mahommedan Hadji was resident in the town. Knowing a little -Persian and Arabic, he led the devotions of the faithful, the Musjid -being held in his house. Our jemadar visited it, and described it as -miserably appointed, without water for ablutions, and the worship as -very lax. - -The next day, we set out in state with a guard of eight sepoys, and -preceded by two gold umbrellas. We passed through the bazaar, a narrow -dirty street, with a double row of stalls, displaying hoes and ploughs, -a little cloth, thread, paper, and eatables, including almost ripe -peaches. At the residence, we were received with a salute of three -guns; and the centre gates being thrown open for our admission, as a -mark of special honour, we rode forward to the second courtyard. In -the reception room the governor led us to a raised dais, he himself -occupying a low place on a bench at the side of the room. After a few -compliments, he suddenly vanished, only to reappear in a few minutes -in full mandarin costume. The explanation was that, seeing Sladen in -full staff uniform, he felt it incumbent on him to assume his official -robes. Tea in beautiful porcelain cups and betel-nut were served; and -Sladen having presented him with a musket and one hundred and fifty -rounds of ammunition, the governor escorted us to the outer court, and -dismissed us under a salute of three guns. - -Instructions having come from Momien that we were to proceed without -delay, we started the next morning. The Panthay garrison lined the -street, and at a neat stone bridge spanning a burn which runs through -the town the governor and Thongwetshein with their staff awaited us to -say farewell, while the band struck up a lively air on the gongs. A -guard preceded us, commanded by a nephew of the governor of Momien, and -a more indescribable lot of irregulars were never seen. The officers, -however, were fine intelligent men, well dressed in Panthay garb. So -little fear of danger seemed to exist that they were accompanied by -some female relatives in full Chinese costume, who rode in the advance -guard. The valley, or rather glen, as it is only a mile wide, which -stretched to the north before us, seemed to be a remarkable instance of -the changes effected by water. Throughout its length of about twenty -miles, its sides are marked by two well defined river terraces, and -indications of a third higher one corresponding to the highest of the -Mawphoo glen. These terraces close in at the head, while the entrance -into the deep ravine of the Mawphoo glen terminates it. This whole -length of area, lying one thousand feet above the level of Sanda, has -been denuded by the Tahô; the second terrace, which corresponds with -the lower one of the Mawphoo glen, is almost on the same elevation with -a level platform which extends from the head of the valley. From this -to the foot of the Mawphoo gorge seems to have been once a level flat, -perhaps a lake, like that of Yunnan, from which the Tahô precipitated -itself as a waterfall into the Sanda valley. The hills to the east, -at the base of which our route lay, instead of the bold precipitous -mountains of metamorphic rocks, were rounded trappean hills, occasional -glimpses of which reminded us of home scenery, as they swept up in -grassy curves, with dense clumps of trees on or near their summits. -Numerous watercourses seamed their sides, the channels strewn with -waterworn granite boulders, rounded lava-like masses of cellular -basalt, and large fragments of peat. - -The hills to the north-west rose much higher, in a lofty, well wooded -mountain wall, with grander peaks soaring beyond. Seven miles from -Nantin we halted to visit the famous hot springs. The steam rising from -them had been visible nearly a mile off; and the Nam-mine, a rather -large stream fed by them, was hot enough to startle both men and mules -while fording it. The rocks composing the side of the hill whence the -springs issue consisted of a cellular basalt and a hard quartzose rock, -the former being partially superficial, and the latter that through -which the springs issued. - -Seen from the west, the south-eastern side of the hill is marked by an -apparently deep, crater-like hollow, forcibly suggesting that it was -once a volcanic vent, the neighbouring rocks being almost scoriaceous, -and the internal heat being still evidenced by the boiling springs. -Besides those on the western face, others still larger occur on -its other side, some miles to the east. Of those visible, the most -important is an oval basin about three yards long, with a depth of -eight inches; about six yards from it are a number of funnels, six -inches in diameter, in the quartz rock, emitting steam. Higher up, and -fifty yards off, another strong jet of steam occurs, and on the other -side of a narrow gully are two other springs, which emit a considerable -body of boiling water through the earthy face of the hill. The water -in the principal spring comes up with great force through circular -apertures, about three inches in diameter, and the bottom of the basin -is covered with thick impalpable white mud. Owing to the heat and -volume of steam, it was only accessible on the leeward side, and the -ground was so hot that our barefooted followers could not approach by -some yards. It vibrated in a remarkable way, and the sensation was as -if one were standing over a gigantic boiler buried in the earth, which -was increased by the loud roar of the steam from the funnels, and the -indistinct rumbling noises in the hidden inferno. - -It is remarkable that, although the steam is at scalding heat, the -stones in it are covered with masses of green jelly, which thrive at -a temperature only ten degrees below boiling-point. The analysis of -a gallon of the water is as follows: 120 grains of solid matter; 112 -salts of alkalis, almost entirely chloride of sodium; 80 earthy salts, -silica, and oxide of iron. No nitric and but very little sulphuric -and carbonic acids were present, but traces of phosphoric acid were -detected. We were informed that the springs are much resorted to by -patients from all parts, who use the spring to cook their food, and -cure themselves in the vapour or the Nam-mine stream. After enjoying -our halt, which had been made with the full approval of the Panthay -officers and the Hotha chief, we started to overtake the cavalcade, -which had marched forward. Just as we rejoined the rear-guard, four -shots were fired in front, but as the road only admitted of single -file, and lay along a thickly wooded hillside, marked by the ruins of -many villages, no one could advance to reconnoitre. Word was presently -passed down that the mules had been attacked and two Panthay officers -wounded; but on proceeding onwards, we discovered that the affair -was more serious, and that the two officers and another man had been -killed. We soon came up to the bodies of the officers wrapped in their -large turbans and tied to bamboos, ready to be carried back to Nantin. -The poor fellows had both been great favourites with their comrades -and the governor of Momien; and a sad group surrounded the bodies, -including their female relatives, who had ridden out from Nantin only -to lament their murder, for so it was. As they were riding at the -head of the mules, at a corner in the narrow path, a lurking body of -Chinese rushed out from the trees, shot down the first, and the second, -hurrying to the rescue, was shot through the leg and cut down with a -dah. Eight mules had their loads thrown off and looted, and were then -driven up the hills. A little further on, the scene of the disaster was -marked by the ransacked packages lying on the roadside, and among them -two boxes containing my clothes and notebooks. One of these had escaped -unopened, and was left in charge of a Panthay officer, who promised -to see it brought on. At the head of the valley a halt was called, to -enable all the Panthays to come up, as a second ambuscade was suspected -in a thickly wooded hollow in the steep hillside above. - -At this point the river terraces sweep round to form the head of the -valley, but the Tahô has cut a deep gorge through them. The second -terrace could be seen continuing to the north in a long upward -slope, thrown into rounded mounds, the sites of small villages, and -terminating in a distant broad plain. The hillsides were covered with -pines, and the road ran through a belt of dense forest, over the -shoulder of a spur from the main range of hills. Here the attack -was expected to be made, so we advanced with vigilant attention to -the jungle on either hand, passing ruined villages, buried in dense -vegetation, consisting chiefly of fruit trees and garden plants run -wild. We were unmolested, and, after a short descent, came upon the -Tahô foaming along its rocky channel, spanned by a broad parapeted -bridge of gneiss and granite. The roadway exactly followed the curve -of the arch, and the ponies could scarcely keep their footing on the -smooth slabs, worn almost to a polish by the constant traffic of bygone -centuries. On the right bank a small Panthay guard met us, and reported -that they had chased a body of Chinese, lurking in the dreaded hollow. -We soon gained the level of the plain, seen in the distance as the -upward termination of the Nantin valley. From its eastern side rose -a long conical hill, stretching nearly north and south, in a black -sterile mass of lava, with the exception of its rounded grassy summit. -This remarkable extinct volcano of Hawshuenshan, rising abruptly from -the plain, stands out in striking contrast to the tumulus-shaped grassy -hills which cluster round it on all sides. A few small plants rooted -in the interstices of the rocks do not, in the distance, impart even -a trace of verdure to its barren sides, which are thrown into long -rocky curves, evidently old lava streams. We rode over the eastern -extremity of this volcano, by a broad path paved with long slabs of -gneiss and granite, and again came upon the Tahô, as a narrow rapid -stream running between it and the abrupt sides of the grassy hills to -the east. We crossed the river over another handsome stone bridge, and -passed the ruins of a rather large village. The Tahô issues at this -point from between a high spur and the volcano, through a very narrow -gorge; and the road wound up the side of the spur, and was laid with a -double line of stone flags to facilitate the ascent. From the top we -gained a fine view of the small circular lake-like valley, from which -the Tahô issued below, and looked down on numerous villages encircling -the irrigated level in its centre, which was covered with young rice. -Continuing a slight ascent over the grassy hills, by a good broad road, -we turned the flank of a lofty hill crowned with a white pagoda; and -the valley of Momien lay before us, shut in on all sides by rounded -hills, treeless, but covered with pasture. - -[Illustration: EXTINCT VOLCANO OF HAWSHUENSHAN; FROM SUMMIT OF MOMIEN -HILL.] - -The hills seemed to slope almost to the walls of the city in the -centre, but the intervening area was sufficient for an almost unbroken -ring of large villages, either in ruins or deserted. To the right -rose the Deebay range, beyond which lay the road to Tali-fu, and in -the far distance the lofty Tayshan ranges, running north and south, -formed a noble background of black rugged mountains. A long narrow -valley stretched in a northerly direction, marking the course of the -Tahô, from its source in the Sin-hai or Pai-hai watershed, sixty miles -distant. Between the foot of the hill and the city wall, a long line -of flags of all shapes and colours, and glittering spears, marked -the presence of the Tah-sa-kon of Momien. An aide-de-camp presently -arrived with a request that we would dismount and greet the governor, -who had come out to meet us. We were a motley group, not improved in -appearance by twenty-one miles’ march over muddy flats and dusty hills, -but, preceded by the most presentable sepoys, with the jemadar carrying -a gold sword in front, the three Europeans advanced under the canopy -of two gold umbrellas, through a long line of officers and banner men, -to the Tah-sa-kon, who, dressed in full mandarin costume, occupied a -richly cushioned chair, with three huge red silk umbrellas, fringed -with gold lace, held over him. He rose to welcome us with handshaking -and courteous greeting, and then escorted us to a large, well-built -temple outside the town wall, but close beneath the angle where the -governor’s palace stood. Here we took up our quarters with a sense -of profound satisfaction at having at last, after so many delays and -difficulties, reached a city of Western Yunnan. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -MOMIEN. - - Momien--The town of Teng-yue-chow--Aspect and condition--An - official reception--Return visit--Government house--A Chinese - tragedy--The market--Jade manufacture--Minerals--Mines - of Yunnan--Stone celts--Cattle--Climate--Environs--The - waterfall--Pagoda hill--Shuayduay--Rock temples--Ruined suburbs--City - temples--Four-armed deities--Boys’ school--A grand feast--The - loving-cup--The tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee--Keenzas--The Chinese poor. - - -A retrospect of the journey thus far showed that since our departure -from the Burmese plain we had been steadily ascending. Although -the altitudes could not be taken with accuracy, owing to the -inefficiency of the instruments which had been supplied at Rangoon, -such observations as it was in our power to make were made; they were -subsequently reduced by the surveyor’s department at Calcutta, and the -results are approximately correct. Where it was necessary to depend on -speculation, care was taken to under-estimate the apparent altitudes. -The natives always speak of ascending to Momien and descending from -it, and, applied to the western approaches, this expression is -fully justified. From Bhamô, four hundred and fifty feet above the -sea-level, we had climbed over the Kakhyen hills to the Sanda valley, -which, at Manwyne, lies at least two thousand feet above Bhamô. -Throughout the forty-eight miles of its length, this valley rises so -gradually as to present the appearance of a long level avenue, divided -into three stages, till the head of the Muangla division is reached. -From this it is requisite to ascend by a detour over the Mawphoo -height, to attain the fourth stage, or the valley of Nantin, lying one -thousand feet above Manwyne. From the upper extremity of the Nantin -valley, the long steps, so to speak, of the Hawshuenshan glen rise -fourteen hundred feet to Momien. Thus, the latter city, one hundred and -thirty-five miles from Bhamô, occupies a site on a plateau elevated -more than five thousand feet above the level of the sea, which is -declared by native reports to be the highest inhabited position in the -mountainous region of Western Yunnan. - -The Chinese city of Teng-yue-chow, better known by its Shan name of -Momien, is said to have been built four hundred years ago by a governor -of Yung-chang, obeying the king of Mansi or Yunnan, which the Shans -call Muangsee. It was probably built as a frontier garrison, to hold -in check the recently conquered territories of the Shan kingdom of -Pong. It thus became, as it still is, the ruling head-quarters of the -tributary Koshanpyi or Nine Shan States, now represented by those of -the Sanda and Hotha valleys, with Muangtee, Muang-mo, and Muangmah. -We were able to procure a Chinese history of Momien as well as of -Tali, though both had become rare, as the rebels had destroyed the -woodblocks. These copies were brought by Major Sladen to England, in -order to be deposited in the British Museum. It is to be hoped that -some one of our Chinese scholars will find leisure to translate these -works, which would probably throw valuable light on the little known -history of these regions. - -The plan and construction of the city show that it was built as a -fortress. It occupies an area of five furlongs square, enclosed by a -strongly built stone wall, battlemented or crenellated, twenty-five -feet high. Twenty yards from the walls a deep moat surrounded the -once city; it was still perfect on the eastern and southern faces, -but had degenerated into a broad puddle, the favourite wallow for the -bazaar pigs, on the western. The masonry is admirable, the well hewn -slabs of lavaceous rock, two to four feet long, being laid in mortar, -hardened almost to the consistency of the stone, while the moat is -faced with stones laid together without mortar, so close and true that -a penknife can scarcely be inserted between them. Inside the wall, an -earthen rampart, about thirty feet wide and eighteen feet high, serves -as a battery, or parade ground, as well as a promenade. There are no -bastions, but at intervals turrets rise from the rampart, built of -blue burned bricks, the smooth surface and sharp edges of which are -uninjured by the wear and tear of centuries. The four gateways, to -each of which corresponds a substantial bridge spanning the moat, are -lofty and well built; but at the time of our visit, two of these gates -had been built up. The south-western or bazaar gate was especially -fortified by a semicircular traverse, an entrance in the side of which -led into a tunnel-like archway, over which rose a lofty watch-tower, -with concave roof, supported by strong pillars. The inner doorway was -closed by heavy ironclad wooden valves, which were carefully shut at -nightfall. Viewed from a distance, the walls and turrets, with a lofty -pagoda and the roof of the watch-tower, seemed to indicate a populous -and thriving town; but within the walls was almost emptiness. The -broad rectangular streets were comparatively deserted, save by a few -Panthay soldiers, who with their families formed the sole intramural -population. But few houses remained uninjured, the best of these being -the dwellings of the governor and his officers. The numerous temples -had been gutted and half demolished. The images and huge stone incense -vases had been overthrown and broken, while the ruined walls pitted -with bullets showed the fierceness of the struggle which had taken -place. The absence of all the wonted bustle and noise of a crowded -city was made more striking by the evidence on all sides of the former -prosperity and population. - -Our stay at Momien extended over six weeks; but the state of the -country, combined with the weather, reduced us almost to inaction. -The depressing monotony of life under these circumstances was, however, -relieved by the unvarying kindness of the hospitable Panthays. Our -first day was devoted to arrangement of ourselves and baggage, in which -a crowd of curious visitors assisted by uttering astonished “Iyaws!” at -everything possessed by the foreigners, whose persons and goods each -was anxious to inspect. - -[Illustration: WITHIN THE WALLS OF MOMIEN OR TENG-YUE-CHOW.] - -The following day having been appointed by the governor for our -reception, we entered the town in state, preceded by twenty Mahommedan -sepoys of the escort, carrying the presents. These consisted of -green and yellow broadcloths, muslins, gaudy rugs and table covers, -double-barrelled guns and revolvers, with all appliances, powder -and shot, penknives, scissors, a binocular glass, telescope, and -musical-box, and a quantity of Bryant and May’s matches. - -A large but well-behaved crowd of poverty-stricken Chinese had -assembled, who matched well with the ruinous houses of the suburb. We -entered by the south-western gate into a narrow dirty street, from -which a lane led to the governor’s house, surrounded by a low wall. The -gateway, about fifteen feet high, was formed of plain squared stone -pillars, with others laid horizontally across them, like the cross -beams of a doorway. This led into the usual Chinese succession of -quadrangular courts. In a small circular pavilion were stationed some -ragged musicians, who struck up a lively air on gongs and cymbals. -As we crossed the court to the house, a salute was fired from three -small cannon that were stuck into the ground, with muzzles upwards. A -rabble followed into the doorway leading to the inner court, at the end -of which, in the reception hall, sat the governor. He rose to receive -us, and motioned us to sit on his left hand, at a long table, on which -the presents were laid before him. Behind his seat there was a raised -recess, covered with red cloth, in which stood a small chair of state. -The sides of the room were hung with long narrow strips of blue and -red cloth, covered with Chinese characters in gold-leaf. The superior -officers occupied chairs along each side of the room, and a crowd of -underlings blocked up the entrance. The governor was a powerful man, -fully six feet three inches high, with prominent cheek-bones, heavy -protuberant lips, slightly hooked nose, and faintly oblique eyes. His -face was bronzed by exposure, and a deep indentation between the eyes, -with other scars, told of campaigns, in which he was said to be ever -foremost in the fight. He wore a grey felt hat, resembling a helmet -placed sideways, the front half of the rim being turned up, and the -back part downwards. A gold rosette, set with large precious stones, -formed a handsome ornament in front, and a long blue silk topknot hung -down behind. A pale blue silk coat, richly figured, exactly resembling -a dressing-gown, completed his costume. Sladen expressed our deep -regret at the death of the two officers, and promised to suggest to -our government to compensate their families. The governor replied that -we were not to distress ourselves, as they considered it an honour to -die as those men had done. As to the opening of trade, he declared -that any number of English merchants might visit Momien in the ensuing -November; that he had arranged with the Shan tsawbwas, and could manage -the Kakhyens, so that caravans should pass safely; but he hinted that -there were too many people then present to admit of this question -being discussed. He expressed great pleasure at the presents, and the -musical-box being set agoing excited universal admiration; the matches -astonished the company; but the sincerest satisfaction was called -forth by the guns and powder. Tea, preserved oranges, jujubes, and -sugar-candy were served round. In the course of general conversation -the governor stated that the Sultan had been pleased to hear of our -intended visit to Momien; but he feared that the road to Tali-fu was -too infested with Chinese bands to allow of our proceeding further. - -The governor, attended by an armed retinue, paid his return visit of -ceremony the next day, carried in a gorgeous chair, and dressed in -full mandarin robes, while his officers were gaily attired in white -cotton jackets, braided, and adorned with silver buttons. They made -a gallant show of gold swords, silver spears, banners, and other -insignia. Presents were brought in, consisting of a bullock, sheep, -trays of confectionery, and forty thousand cash. The latter were at -first declined, but the courteous Tah-sa-kon would take no refusal, and -the cash furnished an acceptable largess to the escort and followers, -giving each about one rupee. The mission funds were, in truth, rather -low about this time, which, it may be noted, operated against the -acquisition of specimens of the local manufactures, save to a very -limited amount. Among the confectionery sent was a quantity of fine -white granulated honey, and a strong warning was given against the use -of onions, as the combination of onions and honey in the system would -be a certain poison. - -When taking leave, the governor suggested that now the claims of -etiquette had been satisfied, we should consider ourselves free of -government house, as well as the town in general, and come and go as we -liked, and promised that he would visit us _sans cérémonie_. Our guard -and the Panthays fraternised completely, their common faith uniting -them, and the Chinese Mahommedans treated the true believers from India -with great respect. The jemadar was indeed in constant request to -officiate at the mosque, till he lost his voice by over-exertion. - -True to his promise, the governor appeared bent on carrying us off -to an entertainment at his house. We were received in the same room -as before, but were invited to sit with our host on the dais at the -further end; constant relays of tea-cakes and sweetmeats were brought -in, to all of which each man was expected to do his duty. Shouts of -laughter reached our ears from time to time, as the ladies, our -host’s four wives and their maids, amused themselves in the adjacent -zenana with the magnetic battery. Our circle was presently joined by -the tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee, who was on a visit to the governor. She -was attended by several well-dressed Shan ladies, and they chatted and -laughed with that charming good humour which seems characteristic of -the Shans. - -We were then shown over the private apartments by the governor himself, -who led us first to his bedroom, a snug little windowless room, lighted -by two doors facing each other, containing a large four-post bed, with -blue silk curtains looped up by silver chains, and a comfortable couch, -while the walls were decorated with an English eight-day clock, and -Chinese pictures and old armour. Passing through the room, we entered -a small court, where a number of tailors sat busily at work in a -verandah. This led to the zenana, or women’s apartments, a pretty range -of buildings, surrounding a small garden, ornamented with large vases, -containing dwarfed fruit and pine trees, and stone tanks filled with -goldfish. The trees included peach, plum, orange, box, &c., about two -to four feet in height, which had been dwarfed by tying knots in the -stem of the sapling. On our way back, we passed through a room hung -round with war hats gorgeously decorated with the tail feathers of the -Lady Amherst and golden pheasants, and with the handsome fox-like -brush of the _wah_ (_Ailurus fulgens_, F. Cuv.). After this inspection, -we were conducted to an open hall, in which a theatrical entertainment -was to take place. More tea and cakes were produced, while large copper -vases of incense burned close to us, and the heavy fumes produced -a drowsy feeling. The stage was a pavilion about twenty feet long, -closed on three sides, with two doors behind it, one for the entrance -and the other for the exit of the players. The orchestra of violins, -gongs, and cymbals, occupied the back of the stage, and discoursed most -monotonous music, like the clatter of crockery, with occasional bangs -and screeches. A small panelled picture of birds and flowers served -as scenery, and the properties were a table like an inverted pyramid, -with a chair on either side of it. The characters were all sustained by -male performers, who, on this occasion, presented a tragedy, turning -on the Chinese virtue of filial obedience. This required the hero to -obey his mother by rebelling against his father-in-law and killing the -princess, his wife; but the latter solved the difficulty by suicide, -and mother and son joined in lamentation over her. The hero had his -face painted red, and adorned with a long black beard and moustache; -he was accoutred in a gorgeous coat, richly embroidered with dragons -and flowers, a hat with a fine bushy tail of _Ailurus fulgens_, red -trousers, and black satin boots. He bellowed and blustered, and strode -about the stage as if practising the goose-step; the close of every -speech being emphasized by a bound in the air. While the play was going -on, we were expected to consume the contents of eight bowls containing -fowl chopped up with salted goose, dried prawns, mushrooms, vegetables, -&c., each dish being evidently a choice specimen of Chinese cuisine. -_Ahyek_, or samshoo, was then served round, but the governor, as a good -Mussulman, abstained from the forbidden liquor; small saucers of rice -and condiments came next, but after three hours of eating we beat a -retreat from the still interminable feast and drama. - -The hospitable governor renewed his invitation the next afternoon, when -a farcical comedy was played, which was very broad, but fortunately -brief. As this was the market-day, two officers were detached to -escort us through the bazaar, the principal street of which extended -half a mile straight from the south-western city gates. Each side was -occupied by permanent shops, and a double row of stalls, protected by -huge umbrellas, lined the whole length of the street. A dense crowd of -Chinese, Shans, and Panthays, with a small sprinkling of Leesaws and -Kakhyens, thronged every avenue; the people were quite good-humoured, -but their curiosity would have been very troublesome but for the -presence of the officers. This, however, was only at first; during our -stay we roamed at will through the streets of the bazaar suburb, as -well as within the walls. The shops were small, one-storied cottages, -each devoted to a particular trade. Drapers, booksellers, druggists, -dealers in tobacco and nuts, provision merchants, displayed their -several wares, but, except on the market-day, with little custom. -Numerous eating-houses were crowded by the better class of customers, -while the poorer villagers were supplied by lads hawking comestibles. -The stalls made a rich display of vegetables and fruit; among the -former were peas, green and dried beans, potatoes, celery, carrots, -onions, garlic, yams, bamboo shoots, cabbage and spinach, and ginger; -the fruit comprised apples like golden pippins, pears, peaches, -walnuts, chestnuts, brambleberries, rose-hips, and three sorts of -unknown fruit. Mushrooms were in great demand, as well as a dried, -almost black lichen; black pepper, betel-nut, and poppy capsules -were seen on almost every stall, and salt sold in compressed balls, -marked with a government stamp. Other departments contained coloured -Chinese cloths and yarns, and buttons, English long and broad cloth, -needles, and brass buttons, Mahommedan skull-caps, embroidered in gold -thread, rings, mouth-pieces and brooches of amber and jade, opium -pipes, and Chinese hookahs. Running at right angles to the principal -street is another devoted to tailors and ready-made clothes stores, -and coppersmiths, who supply all kitchen appliances, and manufacture -the copper discs used in cutting jade. Along this street we came to -the store of the principal Chinese merchant, who invited us in, and -was very hospitable. His laments over the decay of the former trade -with Burma, caused by the civil war, showed clearly to which side his -sympathies inclined; and it was evident that he, as well as all the -non-Mahommedan Chinese, were only kept to their present allegiance by -the strong hand. The whole bazaar suburb was surrounded by a low brick -wall with several gates, each guarded by a sentinel at night, and the -Chinese resided here, being evidently excluded from the city. Although -the manufactures seemed to be in a very depressed state, the quarters -of the various artificers were still traceable; in a by-street we -had an opportunity of viewing the manufacture of jade ornaments. The -copper discs employed, a foot and a half in diameter, are very thin -and bend easily; the centre is beaten out into a cup, which receives -the end of the revolving cylinder. We watched two men at work, one -using the cutter, and the other a borer tipped with a composition of -quartz and little particles resembling ruby dust. Both were driven by -treadles; the stone is held below the disc, under which is a basin of -water and fine, silicious mud, into which the stone is occasionally -dipped, the operator taking handfuls of the mud. The stones are cut -into discs one-eighth of an inch thick, when intended for ear-rings, -and handed over to the borer to be perforated. The most valuable jade -is of an intensely bright green, something like emerald; but red and -pale pink qualities are highly prized. In the extensive ruins outside -the bazaar there was ample evidence, in the rejected fragments of -jade, that the manufacture must have been formerly carried on on a -much more extensive scale. The jade is obtained from the mines in the -Mogoung district, where large masses in the form of rounded boulders -are dug out of the pits; in former times a large quantity was yearly -imported to Momien. One hundred rupees was the price asked for a pair -of bracelets of the finest jade, and at Bhamô four rupees purchased -rings worth £2 at Canton. - -Of amber-workers, who manufactured rosaries, rings, mouth-pieces, -&c., from the amber brought from the mines in the Hukong valley, near -Mogoung, but few remained at the time of our visit. The amber most -prized is perfectly clear, and the colour of very dark sherry. A -triangular specimen, one inch long, and one across, cost ten shillings. - -At the bazaar there was a plentiful display of the mineral wealth of -Western Yunnan, which is rich in gold, silver, lead, iron, copper, tin, -mercury, arsenic, and gypsum; and we obtained small specimens of most -of these minerals, including a yellow orpiment, exported in quantities -from Tali to Mandalay, whither a large amount of tin also is annually -sent. The copper is brought from a range of hills near Khyto, three -days’ march to the north-east. It is smelted on the spot, and brought -in flattish pigs. The same hills are said to yield all the iron and -salt used in Western Yunnan; but the most precious product of the -Khyto mines is galena. Of this, a small specimen has been assayed by -Dr. Oldham, who has pronounced it to be among the richest that he has -ever seen; it yields 0·278 per cent., or 104 oz. of silver to the ton -of lead. Flints and large quantities of lime are brought from Tali-fu, -where large quarries of fine white marble exist. Sulphur is procured -in the neighbourhood, but we could not learn the locality. Li-sieh-tai -was subsequently reported to be raising sulphur to the south-west, and -an Old Resident[26] in Western China mentions a rich mine of sulphur -belonging to the northern frontier town of Atenze, behind a little mine -of saltpetre. The Chinese report on the mines of Yunnan, appended to -the records of the French expedition, states that in 1850 the copper -mines of Yunnan, of which Tali-fu is the principal depot, produced -over eleven thousand tons, and the silver amounted to two millions -of francs. The Old Resident, however, says that before the outbreak -of the rebellion there were one hundred and thirty-two copper mines, -government knowing only of thirty-seven; and as the above account was -calculated on the returns made to the government, who exact from thirty -to fifty per cent. of the produce, it is plain that the mineral wealth -of Yunnan is even greater than it is set forth in that report. Gold is -brought to Momien from Yonephin and Sherg-wan villages, fifteen days’ -march to the north-east; but no information could be obtained as to the -quantity found. It is also brought in leaf, which is sent to Burma, -where it is in extensive demand. - -In the drug-shops a powder was vended as a nervous restorative, made -of the horn of an antelope ground down, and sold at one rupee per -tickal;[27] and the pharmacopœia also included the powdered shells of -a tortoise (_Testudo platynotus_, Blyth), imported from Upper Burma, -and snuff made of sambur horn, used as a styptic for bleeding from the -nose. We were much surprised to find stone celts openly offered for -sale. When it was known that we would purchase, numbers were brought -in, and we acquired a collection of one hundred and fifty specimens, -at prices varying from two shillings to sixpence. Their poverty and -not their will constrained the owners to part with them, for they are -believed to confer good luck on the owner, and to possess curative -properties if dipped in medicine, and are exhibited to procure easy -parturition. They are usually turned up by the plough; and the popular -belief is that they fall from the sky as thunderbolts, and take nine -years to work up to the surface. The high estimation in which they are -held suggests that a Chinese Flint Jack made a profitable business -of imitating the real implements, or manufacturing amulets of the -same type. A large number of those purchased are small, beautifully -cut forms, with few or no signs of use, and made of some variety of -jade; but there is no reason to doubt the authenticity of the larger -forms which were brought to us. Bronze celts are also found, but are -valued at their weight in gold; we managed, however, to purchase one at -Manwyne on the return journey. It belongs to the socketed type of celts -without wings. The composition of the bronze is the same as that of the -celts found in Northern Europe--tin 10, copper 90. - -In consequence of a long period of drought preceding our arrival, -the slaughter of animals had been forbidden, as it was feared that -the rain would be withheld as a punishment, a curious instance of -Buddhist superstition affecting the Panthays and Chinese; but in two -days the rains set in, and the prohibition was removed. The markets -were thenceforward well supplied with bullocks, buffaloes, sheep, -goats, and pigs. The buffaloes are chiefly used for agriculture; -the beeves have no hump, and are small but well made, generally of -reddish-brown colour, deepening to black. The numerous sheep belong to -a large blackfaced breed, with convex profiles. Two kinds of goats are -common; one with long shaggy white hair nearly sweeping the ground, and -flattened spiral horns, directed backwards and outwards; the other kind -has very short dark brown hair, short shoulder list, and full beard, -with similar flattened spiral horns, but not so procumbent. The pigs -seemed to be all black. Remarkably fine ponies were common; but the -mules, which were much more numerous, are more prized. Fowls, ducks, -and geese are abundant and large; and last, though not least, cats, all -of a uniform grey, with faint darkish spots, made themselves at home -everywhere. But we noticed very few dogs, those seen being black with -shaggy coats, resembling the shepherd dogs of the south of Scotland. - -It has been mentioned that the rains set in soon after our arrival. -From June 1st the south-west monsoon prevailed, with very few fair -intervals. The sky was obscured by thick, misty clouds, that wrapped -the hills in dense folds. As a rule, the rain fell very heavily; but -there were days together when it was little more than a thick Scotch -mist in a dead calm. Occasional thunderstorms of terrific grandeur -burst over the valley, accompanied by strong gusts from the south-west; -but the most characteristic feature of the weather was the generally -perfect stillness of the atmosphere, while low leaden clouds poured -down incessant rain, generally heavy, but sometimes only a gentle -drizzle, all which combined had a sufficiently depressing effect on -us. The temperature was by no means oppressive, the mean maximum in -June being seventy-four degrees, and the minimum sixty-two degrees. The -natives strongly assert that the climate is unhealthy for strangers, -and we all suffered more or less from intractable diarrhœa. Smallpox, -too, was prevalent; and one of our collectors and a Kakhyen sub-chief, -who had accompanied us, died from it. We were strongly cautioned -against the use of the river water, to which the natives attribute the -prevalence of goitre, which is most unpleasantly remarkable among men -and women and children, some goitres being so large as to require -special support; even young infants were observed affected by it, and -in their case it must have been congenital. Otherwise the children -seemed very healthy, notwithstanding their rags and dirt, and not -a single case of fever was observed, though about sixty or seventy -patients were treated for other diseases. - -The fact that by far the greater part of the valley is under water for -six or seven months, during three of which it is little better than a -huge morass, would not seem to recommend it as salubrious; but it must -be remembered that it lies more than five thousand feet above the level -of the sea, in the twenty-fourth parallel of north latitude, and is a -comparatively dry and temperate country, singularly destitute of trees, -which conditions would combine to place it beyond the range of miasma. - -The worthy governor showed great anxiety about our health. He refused, -on the score of security against prowling robbers, to let us shift our -quarters, but sent guards to accompany us in an occasional ramble round -the precincts of the city. So great was the insecurity that we dared -not venture more than a few hundred yards from the walls unattended. -A favourite walk was to a place less than a mile to the north-west of -the town. Here the Tahô, after flowing through the valley, precipitates -itself, in an all but unbroken sheet of water, over a cliff one hundred -feet high; thence it foams down a steep glen to the little valley -of Hawshuenshan. Immediately above the fall the stream is spanned by -a substantial stone bridge of three arches with roofed approaches. -Below this the thick bed of basaltic trap, over which the river leaps, -is worn into a miniature horseshoe; and the overhanging luxuriant -vegetation of ferns and brambles, and wild roses with double flowers, -formed a strikingly beautiful scene. In the rains the body of water was -so great that a column of spray ascended which was visible two miles -off. From this point the crenellated walls of Momien, with the distant -background of lofty ranges, completed a striking picture. Above the -bridge the Tahô flows down in a tortuous stream twenty yards broad, -well stocked with large gold carp (_Cavassius auratus_, Lin.), between -banks ten feet high; and the rice fields on either side are irrigated -by large wheels raising the water in long bamboo buckets, which -discharge themselves into wooden pipes leading to the fields. These -wheels are numerous in the valley. - -[Illustration: WATERFALL OF THE TAHÔ; MOMIEN IN THE DISTANCE.] - -After visiting the waterfall, we ascended the pagoda hill, about one -thousand feet above the town. The path led through potato-fields now -in full bloom, the plants grown in ridges, and earthed up with a -home-like effect. The leaf is smaller than that of the home plant, -and the tubers in the market had a thin red skin; but they were very -good, and in great demand at fourpence for three pounds and a half. -Nothing could be learned of the introduction of this plant, nor of -the celery, which is also largely cultivated, and seemed quite as -out of place. The potato, however, is called _yan-gee_, evidently the -same as _yang-yu_, foreign root, which, according to Mr. Cooper,[28] -is its name in Sz-chuen, where it is said to have been introduced by -the foreign teachers, i.e. the French missionaries, long ago. The -lower slope of the hill was covered with stone tumulus-shaped tombs, -the arched head of each containing a tablet with an epitaph. Ruder -graves were simple earthen tumuli, each with its arched opening blocked -by a large stone. The slopes of the hills surrounding the valley are -dotted with similar graveyards--mute records of the population that -once thronged the ruined villages lying below. Near the summit stood -a pagoda, a whitewashed round brick tower on a stone base with six -projecting rings. The hill itself, like all the eminences around, was -covered with fine grass, and a number of mules were grazing under -the protection of a Panthay guard. A pleasant illustration of the -prevailing insecurity was given a few days later, when this guard was -attacked and forty mules driven off by imperialist Chinese. We were -unmolested, and climbed to the summit, flushing from the bracken beds -a magnificent cock pheasant (_Phasianus sladeni_, And.), with long -tail feathers, resembling some noticed in a Panthay head-dress. Sladen -afterwards bagged the hen; and we also obtained a young fox with a -golden-yellow coat and white-tipped brush, apparently of the Himalayan -race. Returning, we observed a large arched cavern, which proved to be -an old quarry of trachytic rock, which had probably furnished the city -walls. On one occasion we were permitted to make a longer excursion -to the valley of Hawshuenshan. Our party must have consisted of -thirty-five men, all armed, the Panthay guard, equipped with spears and -muskets, being commanded by the governor’s nephew, with several other -officers: all this being necessary for safety during a mere suburban -stroll. Turning southerly from Momien, we soon came in sight of the -town of Yay-law, the deserted ruins of which stretched for more than a -mile along the foot of the Deebay range. We skirted the pagoda hill, -remarking a curious isolated heap of lava; no other rock was visible -for miles around, and it had all the appearance of a small volcanic -vent, and the rock was identical with that of the extinct volcano. - -Rounding the hills two miles from Momien, a slight westerly descent -led to a short narrow gorge, at the south-eastern angle of the little -circular valley of Hawshuenshan. The once wealthy village of Shuayduay -occupies an abrupt slope at the head of the gorge, rising in a series -of terraces faced with mortarless walls of very porous lava, laid as -closely as the facing of the Momien ditch, and protected by parapets -of sun-dried brick. A small stream runs down the ravine, which is -not more than a quarter of a mile long and fifty yards broad, to a -substantial tank crossed by a broad stone platform, arched on one -side to allow the overflow to escape. Facing Hawshuenshan valley, the -platform expands into a handsome, crescent-shaped terrace, enclosed by -an elegant stone balustrade, which forms the entrance to a temple built -on the southern slope, opposite to Shuayduay. This temple, rising in -terraces on the steep hillside, standing out beautifully against the -background of green hills, was the only one spared by the Mahommedans, -whose stern bigotry could not resist its beauty. The approach to the -temple buildings lay through two curved courtyards with handsome arched -gateways. The first enclosure was an open square with three sides built -on the same level, the nearest one of which contained the priests’ -apartments; to the right and left lay a neat garden of dwarfed fruit -trees, the centre of which was occupied by a few stunted trees covered -with a profusion of yellow orchids in full flower, and a magnificent -hydrangea in a colossal vase; the furthest side next the hill was -raised on a stone terrace four feet above the level of the rest. On -this higher platform stood life-sized gilded figures of deities, with -incense always burning in small black stone vases, and on a table -in front of the images lay a large drum and grotesque hollow wooden -fishes, which the priests and worshippers beat with short sticks. -A passage led through each side of the court to stone staircases -proceeding to the terrace above, and converging in its centre in -an hexagonal tower, supported on stone pillars seven feet high; -these formed an archway from which ascended a short flight of steps, -dividing to the right and left to reach the highest terrace, nearly -on a level with which was a chapel forming the upper chamber of the -hexagonal tower. The upper temple occupied the whole of its terrace, -built entirely of wood, except the back and end walls. The front was -panelled with richly gilt lattice work, while the eaves and ceilings -were coloured in imitation of porcelain. Behind a screen, adorned with -richly coloured carvings of birds and flowers, sat three life-sized -gilded figures on altars, apparently of porcelain. The central figure, -of marble, represented a woman seated on a lotus, with a flower of -the lily beneath her feet; she held forth a naked male child, seated -on one hand, and supported by the other in front, the child’s sex -being strongly marked. This was the goddess Kwan-yin, goddess of mercy -and conception, and her presence would seem to mark the shrine as a -Taouist temple. These terraced rock temples resembled those described -by Mr. Cooper as visited by him at Chung Ching. The stone walls of -the shrine were not carried to the roof, but finished with wooden -panelling, pierced with circular windows of elegant tracery. These were -so arranged that the light fell full on the seated figures. From the -centre of this terrace a narrow stair led down to the chapel on the top -of the hexagonal tower, within which sat a fine Buddhistic figure, with -the head in white marble tinted brown. - -Following a well-paved track along the hill to the east of the valley, -a ride of a quarter of a mile brought us to the walled Chinese town of -Hawshuenshan, built on the slope of the hill. The valley is abruptly -closed in on three sides by rounded grassy hills rising suddenly round -the dead level of the centre, then inundated for the rice crop. The -south-west side is closed by the long low range of the extinct volcano, -with a white pagoda standing out in strong relief from its black and -barren side. - -Hawshuenshan had evidently been a place of great importance, being a -much larger town than Shuayduay, and must have contained at least three -thousand inhabitants. At this time a considerable number of refugees -had here found an asylum, who had fled from the deserted villages of -Shangnan, Tahinshan, &c. We were shown an open grassy plot on the -southern outskirts of the town which had, only a few months previously, -been strewn with the corpses of imperialist Chinese. The people of -Hawshuenshan had declared against the Panthays, and joined the Chinese -partisan Low-quang-fang; on this plot they had been attacked and -defeated. As usual, no quarter was given, and all who failed to fly -were massacred, and afterwards buried where they fell. A fine temple -overlooked a small stream running down from Shuayduay, and which now -formed a small lake just outside the town. This water was crossed by a -handsome stone bridge, with picturesque archways. From this we followed -a raised causeway to the head of the valley, and, passing the Tahô -waterfall on the left, ascended gradually four hundred feet to Momien. -This vale of Hawshuenshan, though not more than two miles long by one -broad, had been once encircled by large villages, the ruins of which -still attested that before the war they must have been places of no -little wealth. - -With the exception of the walled bazaar, the once populous _faubourgs_ -of Momien had been laid in ruins; the heaps of bricks, the stone -sides of the ancient wells deeply grooved by rope marks, and the long -rows of detached mounds, with little grass-grown squares, defined the -position of the southern and north-eastern suburbs. The houses of the -north occupying a smaller area, surrounded by fine gardens, and shut in -between the river and the city wall, seemed to have escaped demolition. - -Amidst the general desolation within the city walls, two remarkable -objects of art and nature stood, as it were, memorials of the past. One -was a tall whitewashed pagoda seven stories in height, of the usual -and familiar Chinese form. The other was a magnificent fir tree, which -towered fully one hundred feet, although its top had been broken by a -storm; at the height of four feet from the ground, the trunk measured -fifteen feet in circumference. - -In default of other resources, we spent a good deal of time strolling -among the ruined temples and monasteries, which were numerous both in -the city and suburbs; by far the greater majority were in ruins, but a -few only partially destroyed were still tenanted by a few poor priests -who, in spite of the Mahommedans, kept the incense burning before the -gods of their forefathers. The massive stone gateways, richly carved -roofs, and the elaborate decorations of the altars and images, afforded -proofs of a high proficiency in art. Combinations of plants and birds -furnished many of the designs of the decorations, executed either in -well chiselled carvings or richly coloured paintings. In the carvings, -dragons and monsters are frequent; all are generally coloured, the -standard tints being red, blue, green, and yellow. The outsides of the -principal walls are frequently decorated with medallion pictures of -small animals and birds in black, grey, and white, alternating with -squares or circles of complex geometrical figures. As far as could be -judged from the images of the various deities, these temples appeared -to be shrines of a compound of Buddhism, Taouism, and Confucianism, -though no Buddhist priests were to be seen--or at least their yellow -religious garb was nowhere visible--the priests having no distinctive -costume, and living generally in their own houses in the suburbs. -The images of the deities are nearly all life-sized, the place of -honour being occupied sometimes by one, sometimes by three, seated on -a pedestal in the centre of the principal hall. Around the central -figures are disposed the statues of lesser deities, sages and scholars. -In one temple where the central images were undoubtedly Buddhistic, -the walls of the outer court were surrounded by fifty life-sized male -and female figures, all seated, which seemed to represent the army -of the Thagyameng. In another the chief deity was a colossal seated -image, with a dragon at each knee, and the body of a snakelike dragon -passing up under the double girdle, and breaking on the breast into a -number of heads, recalling the seven-headed cobras of Hindoo mythology; -the head and neck of a serpent-formed dragon issued, too, from under -each armpit. Some of the female figures are seated on lions, other -forms have the heads of bulls and birds, while four-armed figures also -occur. In the khyoung, which formed our residence, there was a figure -of Puang-ku, the creator, seated on a bed of leaves resembling those -of the sacred _padma_ or lotus. This remarkable four-armed figure was -life size, and naked, save for garlands of leaves around the neck and -loins. He was seated cross-legged like Buddha, the two uppermost arms -stretched out, forming each a right angle. The right hand held a white -disc and the left a red one. The two lower arms were in the attitude -of carving, the right hand holding a mallet and the left a chisel. -Except the Shuayduay images, which were of stone, almost all were -constructed in the following manner: a frame of wood, making a sort -of lay figure, is roughly put together, and afterwards padded to the -proper proportions with layers of straw wound tightly over it; a layer -of clay is plastered over the whole, and when dry, the flesh tints are -laid on with marked realistic truth, and the garments duly coloured. -The fact that the breast of every image of importance had been broken -open seemed to show that a jewel or gold had been deposited therein, as -is the custom in Burma. - -During our stay the festival of the Goddess of Agriculture occurred. -The stem of an iris and a branch of wild indigo were hung up over every -door, and a general holiday observed; but nothing else marked the -occasion, save that the priests insisted on kindling the incense in our -khyoung, which act of devotion had been on other days pretermitted for -the sake of our lungs. In one of the few khyoungs still inhabited by -priests--all of which were situated in out-of-the-way places outside -the town--I found a boys’ school conducted by an intelligent priest. A -heavy shower of rain drove me in for refuge, and the master, who was -seated at a low black desk, politely invited me to a seat. The pupils -at once left their desks and crowded round us. A sign directing them -to resume their desks and tasks was only so far obeyed that all began -shouting their lessons at the full pitch of their voices; a word from -the master, however, quickly dispersed them. I produced cheroots, and -the priest sent for tea, and we chatted for an hour. Lying on the desk -was a flat piece of wood like a gigantic paper-cutter. To explain its -use, he called up a small boy, and, taking one of his hands, rubbed the -palm with the instrument in a mysterious way. Suddenly, however, the -paper-cutter rose and descended rapidly, tears started to the boy’s -eyes, but were dried by a kindly word from the master, explaining -that it was only an exhibition, not a punishment. The boys, whose -ages varied from six to fifteen, seemed to enjoy their lessons there. -The school hours lasted from nine to five o’clock, with an hour and -a half’s interval, during which each boy purchased his dinner from a -hawker of small bowls of Chinese dainties. Every boy has his own books, -and, seated at a table, shouts his lesson aloud till he thinks he knows -it, and then proceeds to attempt to recite it to the master, on whom -he turns his back during the repetition. They learn to write at the -same time as to read, for each boy first copies his lesson, getting -the exact pronunciation of each letter and word from the master--thus -whole books are committed to memory; but the babel of voices during -the process is deafening, and the plan is not recommended for adoption -to our school boards, although the punishment of the paper-knife might -offer them a good model for imitation. - -One bright little Momien boy was a great favourite; he was the pet -son of the chief military officer, who brought him, as being deaf and -dumb, in order to see what could be done. As the child attempted to -imitate sounds, he was not deaf, and careful examination discovered -that he was tongue-tied. A successful operation removed the impediment, -much to the astonishment and delight of his father. The latter, whose -title was Tah-zung-gyee, was a fine young Panthay soldier, of rather -a jovial temperament. He invited us to a grand feast at his house, -which was one of the few remaining uninjured within the walls. The -invitation was duly conveyed to each on a piece of pink paper; and at -the hour appointed--about 1 P.M.--a messenger arrived to inform us that -the feast was ready. The house was approached through an outer court -containing the stables. It formed a large square enclosing a central -court. The principal building, facing the entrance, was raised on a -terrace about four feet high, with a flight of steps at either end, -each leading into an open hall. From this two doors led to the women’s -apartments. The buildings on the other three sides of the square -suggested Swiss cottages by their deep eaves and the large latticed -windows of the second floor. A kitchen and store-rooms occupied the -ground floor, and on one side was a dovecot. The eaves of the house -were richly decorated with carvings representing landscapes with -running water, bridges, and trees. A court outside contained a very -choice garden filled with dwarf trees in vases; besides which, there -were tall crimson hollyhocks and passion flowers. Two small stone -tanks contained gold fish with remarkable doubly divided tails; and in -one corner there was a model roughly carved in stone of a hillside, -with caves and a pagoda. The walls of the rooms were decorated with -Chinese landscapes and pictures of birds, in sepia and colours, -which were mounted on rollers, like maps on a school-room wall. The -entertainment, as usual, commenced with tea and cakes, followed by -delicious nectarines and plums; after which came the more solid items -of the repast. A decoction of samshoo seasoned with aromatic herbs was -handed round like a loving-cup, our host first taking a vigorous pull, -and passing it round till the jug was emptied. The liquid was warm and -rather agreeable; but it fell to my lot to finish the contents, and, -much to my disgust, I observed unmistakable pieces of pork fat among -the herbs and spices. Our Mahommedan host not only drank samshoo, but -allowed his drink to be thus flavoured with pork! He was most genial, -and declared he would most willingly bestow his sisters on us as wives; -and, in token of friendship, presented each with a jade ring and -camellias. The women were curiously watching the strangers from the -curtained doors; and towards the close of the evening the host asked -for remedies for barrenness, with which some females of his household -were affected. After some hesitation, the three patients mustered -courage to show themselves, and were fine, young buxom women, with -dwarfed feet. Some disappointment was evidently experienced at the -refusal to prescribe for such patients as these. - -The jealous reserve of the Chinese ladies was always pleasantly -contrasted by the Shan manners, which united perfect modesty with -a frank and pleasant demeanour. Thus the tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee -visited us with her retinue of ladies. The old lady was splendidly -attired, her towering turban being ornamented in front with the Panthay -rosette of green, blue, and pink stones set in gold, and at the sides -with little silver triangles set with small enamelled flowers. Her -skirt was richly embroidered in silk and gold thread, and her light -blue silk jacket was trimmed with black satin, which contrasted well -with her massive gold bracelets. She wore amber and jade finger-rings, -and a handsome silver chatelaine and richly embroidered fan-case -hanging by her side. One of her maidens carried a small Chinese hookah, -and another her embossed silver boxes of betel-nut, &c. She was greatly -pleased with a present of a handsome carpet, needles, scissors, &c.; -and her maids were charmed with small circular mirrors, which they at -once fastened to their jackets as ornaments. These _keenzas_, as they -called them, were immensely prized; and a few days after, as I was -engaged in searching for land shells below the city wall, one of the -Shan ladies hailed me from the battlements. The owner of the pretty -face peering over the wall was evidently begging for something, which -at first I thought was cheroots, and bade her by signs lower down -her long head-dress, in the corner of which I tied a few cheroots, -but these proved unsatisfactory; and the word _keenza, keenza_, at -last made it plain that the young Shan lady wanted a mirror, and one -had to be brought and sent up to her; and her glee was most amusing -when she pulled up the cloth and found the keenza and a packet of -needles. Compared to the pretty faces and picturesque attire of these -Shan maidens, the dress and appearance of the Chinese women was very -miserable. All the women who appeared in the streets were ugly and -ill-clad, though the children had chubby, red cheeks. The majority -wore pork-pie hats. All except the slaves had their feet dwarfed, and -wore Dutch-like clogs in the rainy weather. The costume consisted of -trousers, drawn tight round the ankle, a long loose blue garment, and a -large blue double apron in front. Notwithstanding the dwarfed feet, the -women walked to market three or four miles, carrying heavy loads, and -seemed to think nothing of shouldering two buckets of water, slung to a -bamboo. Every day our khyoung was besieged by crowds of beggars of all -ages, from little ragged urchins to old men and women bent with age. -Their rags and filth defied description, and sordid poverty in various -degrees characterised all the wretched inhabitants of the ruined -suburbs that surrounded the almost empty city. It must seem wearisome -to harp upon the utter desolation and ruin that had resulted from the -long continuous warfare, and the reader may prefer to gather some -information as to the rebellious Mahommedan Chinese and their doings. - -[26] ‘Pioneer of Commerce,’ appendix v. pp. 464 and 466. - -[27] A _tickal_ is rather more than half an ounce troy. - -[28] ‘Pioneer of Commerce,’ p. 186. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -THE MAHOMMEDANS OF YUNNAN. - - Their origin--Derivation of the term “Panthay”--Early - history--Increase in numbers--Adoption of children--The - Toonganees--Physical characteristics--Outbreak of the - revolt--Tali-fu--Progress of revolt--The French expedition--Overtures - from Low-quang-fang--Resources of the Panthays--Capture of - Yunnan-fu--Prospects of their success--Our position--The governor’s - presents--Preparations for return. - - -The Mahommedans of Yunnan have a tradition of their origin, which is -curious, but mythical. The governor and the hadji at Momien stated, -in substance, that their forefathers came from Arabia to China one -thousand years ago, in the reign of the emperor Tung-huon-tsong, who -had sent his chief minister, Khazee, to Tseeyoog(?) to implore help -against the rebel Oung-loshan. Three thousand men were accordingly -sent, and the rebellion was crushed by their assistance. Their former -compatriots refused to receive them back, as having been defiled by a -residence among pork-eating infidels, so they settled in China, and -became the progenitors of the Chinese Mahommedans. This information -was furnished in the form of answer to questions put by me carefully -written, and translated into Chinese, and Sladen also procured a -Chinese document, giving substantially the same account.[29] It will -be seen that the variations of this from the account furnished to -General Fytche are important;[30] but as the name of the emperor -Tung-huon-tsong differs but slightly from that of Hiun-tsong of the -Tung dynasty, against whom Ngan-Loshan[31] rebelled, it seems possible -to connect this account with Chinese history. His son Sutsung, A.D. -757, was rescued from his difficulties by the arrival of an embassy -from the khalif Abu Jafar al Mansur, the founder of Bagdad, accompanied -by auxiliary troops, who were joined by Ouigoors and other forces -from the West. It must be added that my informants, while claiming -Arab descent, stated clearly that their more immediate ancestors had -migrated from Shensi and Kansu to Yunnan about one hundred and fifty -years ago. History, however, shows the early growth and rapid increase -in China of a large Mahommedan population, whom the Chinese term -Hwait-ze; the name Panthay or Pansee being of Burmese origin. - -As to the derivation of this term, several theories have been -suggested. Major Sladen gives Puthee as a Burmese term for Mahommedans -generally. Garnier says that the word Pha-si, which the Burmese have -corrupted into Pan-thé, according to Colonel Phayre, is the same as -Parsi or Farsi, which in India is applied to the Mahommedans, and that -this denomination is very ancient, as Colonel Yule pointed out that in -a description of the kingdom of Cambodia, translated by A. Remusat, a -religious sect is described, called Pâssi, who were distinguished by -wearing white or red turbans, and by refusing to drink intoxicating -liquors, or to eat in company with the other sects; but that -distinguished Chinese scholar, Sir T. Wade, derives the term Panthay -from a Chinese word Pun-tai, signifying the aboriginal or oldest -inhabitants of a country; and Garnier mentions that a people called -Penti are found on the eastern side of the Tali Lake, and in the plain -of Tang-tchouen, to the north of Tali. They are a mixed race, descended -from the first colonists sent into Yunnan by the Mongols, after the -conquest of the country by the generals of Kublai Khan. - -Mr. Cooper tells us that the term Pa-chee, or white flag party, as -distinguished from the Hung-chee, or red flag, or imperialists, -was also used to designate the rebels in the north of Yunnan, and -Garnier frequently applies these terms to the contending parties. The -termination _-ze_ in the name Hwait-ze, as in Mant-ze, Thibetans, -Miaout-ze, hill tribes, and Khwait-ze, foreigners, seems always to -imply political and tribal separation from Chinese proper. These -names occur in the curious prophecy of the Four -Ze Wars, quoted by -Cooper.[32] - -From the account of China compiled in the middle of the ninth century -by Abu Zaid, from the reports of Arab traders, it is evident that his -countrymen had long resorted to China. Even then the Arab community of -Hang-chew-fu (Khanfu) was of great importance: it possessed a separate -judge, appointed by the emperor of China, and we are told that the -Mahommedan, Christian, Jewish, and Parsee population massacred in -A.D. 878 numbered one hundred and twenty thousand. Mahommedanism was -little known among the Tartars before the time of Chengis-khan, but -his conquests were the means of bringing a considerable population of -Uigurs into Shensi and Kansu; and the faith of the Prophet had spread -amongst this tribe long before the Tartar conquest of China. - -The vigorous trading and political intercourse subsisting between China -and their mother country kept alive the religious life and social -individuality of these immigrants. This large addition of population -to their co-religionists already derived from the contingents of the -khalifs, and the Arab traders, accounts for the number of Mahommedans -which Marco Polo noted during his residence in China (1271-1295). In -his description of the people on the western border of Shensi, where -the celebrated mart of Singui was situated, and his account of Singan, -and Carajan, a part of Yunnan, he describes the Mahommedans as forming -a considerable part of the foreign population. - -How strong a position this sect had obtained under the reign of Kublai -appears from Marco Polo’s statement that the provincial governments -were entrusted to Tartars, Christians, and Mahommedans. The invasion -of Burma and the sieges of Singan and Fun-ching were entrusted to -Mahommedan generals. The story of Bailo Achmed, the great minister of -finance, is the most striking illustration of the Mahommedan influence, -although the discovery of his crimes brought the khan’s anger upon -the Saracens, and led to their being prohibited the practices as to -marriage and slaughter of animals, enjoined by their religion. This -check could only have been temporary, and as we find Mahommedans -filling high places of trust, both civil and military, it can be fairly -conjectured that after the conquest of Yunnan these enterprising -soldiers and traders established themselves in the colonies planted in -the new province. - -In the early part of the fourteenth century, Rashid-ood-deen, Vizier -of Persia, mentions Karajang or Yunnan province, and states that the -inhabitants were all Mahommedans. Ibn Batuta, who visited China in the -middle of the same century, found in every large town Mahommedans, -who were mostly rich merchants. In all the provinces there was a town -belonging to them, each of which usually possessed a mosque, market, -a cell for the poor, and a kadi and sheikh ul Islam, while in some -districts they were exceedingly numerous. - -The Jesuit fathers, in the seventeenth century, make frequent mention -of the Chinese Mahommedans. Le Compte, writing to Cardinal de Bouillon -in 1680, says, “that they had been six hundred years in the country -undisturbed, because they quietly enjoyed their liberty without seeking -to propagate their religion, even by marriages, out of their own -kindred, even in places where they were most numerous, and longest -settled, as in the provinces north of the Hoang Ho, and in towns along -the canal, where they had built mosques, differing altogether from -Chinese architecture. They were regarded as foreigners, and frequently -insulted by the Chinese.” - -The oppression to which they were subjected after the second Tartar -conquest began to show itself as early as the beginning of the -eighteenth century, when their mosques were destroyed by the populace -of Hang-chow in Hu-quang province, notwithstanding the efforts of the -magistrates to protect them. At an earlier period, however, about -1651, they had been deprived by the Tartar emperor, Chunchi, of the -honours enjoyed by some of their number in connection with the Board -of Mathematics. This change of policy, thus begun, caused a rebellion, -which broke out in the reign of Kien-hung, 1765-71, on the western -frontier, and spread to the province of Kansu. The rebels resisted -the imperial forces with great valour, but were ultimately subdued. -The Abbé Grosier, writing subsequently to this event, says, “that for -some time past the Mahommedans seem to have been more particularly -attentive to the care of extending their sect.”[33] - -The method they resorted to was the free use of their wealth in -purchasing children to bring up as Mahommedans. During the terrible -famine which devastated the province of Quangtong in 1790, they -purchased ten thousand children from poor parents; these were educated, -and, when grown up, provided with wives and houses, whole villages -being formed of these converts. This system has been followed by them -to the present day, so that large numbers of the faithful are of -Chinese origin; and we found instances of it at Momien. According to -Garnier, the sultan of Tali was a Chinese orphan, adopted and educated -by a wealthy Mahommedan. Yunnan appears, from the _Pekin Gazette_, -to have been the scene of almost incessant insurrections from 1817 -to 1834, attributable, in all probability, to the Mahommedan element -in the population. During one rebellion, in 1828, the leader had an -imperial seal engraved, and issued manifestoes summoning the people -to join his standard. At the same time, the mixed populations of this -province appear to have been always distinguished by an independent and -insubordinate spirit, which often defied the central authority. Some -towns were even governed by elective municipal councils, only nominally -ruled by the mandarins. - -Grutzlaff mentions that during his residence in China, in 1825-1832, -they had several mosques in Chekiang, Pechili, Shensi, and Shansu; -but as they had occasionally joined the rebels of Turkistan, the -government viewed them with a jealous eye. Nevertheless, some of -their number filled offices of high trust. He also states that many -of them performed the pilgrimage to Mecca, and brought back Arabian -MSS. of the Koran, which a few could read imperfectly, that they -were by no means bigoted nor proselytising, and that they venerated -Confucius. These Mahommedans of Northern China and Turkistan include -the people called Toonganees, who are said to trace their origin to -a large body of Uigurs, who were transplanted to the vicinity of the -North Wall, under the rule of the Thang dynasty, between the seventh -and tenth centuries. These settlers were encouraged to intermarry -with the Chinese women, and after this, when, following the example -of their fellow tribesmen, they embraced Islam, they still retained -this practice, although careful to bring up all their children in the -Faith. Though a mixed race, they are distinguished from both Manchoos -and Chinese by their intelligent countenances and superior strength. -They have always evinced special aptitude for mercantile speculations, -like their southern brethren. They have also shown themselves to be -excellent warriors in the successful rebellion of Turkistan, and that -which broke out in 1861 in Kansu, and under Abdul Jaffier threatened to -be as successful as the revolt of Yunnan. - -In the course of the present century, the Faithful appear to have -multiplied in Yunnan more rapidly than in the northern provinces. -Colonel Burney tells us that in 1831 almost the whole of the Chinese -traders who visited the Burmese capital were Mahommedans, except a few -who imported hams. Some of them could speak a little Arabic, and one -read to him passages from the Koran; but none of them could tell him -whence they derived their origin. - -As far as appearance goes, there are strong traces of descent from a -non-Chinese and, we may say, Turkish stock visible among the present -Mahommedans of Western China. Garnier remarks that “the Mussulmans of -Arab origin are tolerably numerous, and many are to be met with who -manifest very markedly the principal traits of Arabs, some preserving -the ancestral type in great purity. But the majority cannot be readily -distinguished from Chinese, except by their superior stature, greater -physical strength, and more energetic physiognomies. Although they only -contract matrimonial alliances with those of their own creed, they -commonly take Chinese women as concubines. Hence a large infusion of -Chinese blood, notwithstanding which they have preserved almost all the -warlike qualities of their ancestors.” Mr. Cooper describes a merchant -who called upon him as “a splendid specimen of the Yunnan Mahommedan, -standing over six feet; his countenance was singularly haughty and -noble, and his manner peculiarly gentle and dignified.” His long black -moustache and hair, hanging in a huge tail almost to the ground, are -also particularly noticed. - -The leading men met with by us at Momien were well-made, athletic, -and of a goodly height, the governor standing six feet three inches. -They were fair-skinned, with high cheek-bones, and slightly oblique -eyes, their cast of countenance being quite distinct from the Chinese. -In fact, the general type of face recalled that of the traders who -come down to Calcutta from Bokhara and Herat. They generally wore -moustaches, but depilated the rest of the face, while their long -hair was coiled in the folds of huge white turbans. The only other -distinctive article of dress was a bright orange-coloured waistband, -which usually supported a silver-mounted dagger. As a rule they -abstained from intoxicating drink, and smoking opium or tobacco; but -some were lax in these particulars. Our strict Mussulmans rather -despised them for laxity in worship as well, and the native doctor, -who was a fanatic, declared that they were not true believers at -all. On the whole, the conclusion which may be fairly arrived at as -to their origin is, that to the descendants of a possible Arab stock -have been added a considerable number of Turkish emigrants, who, in -truth, constitute the main origin of the Mahommedan population in -Yunnan. A number of Chinese proper have from time to time been added -to this community, which, in all places, seems to have included the -wealthiest and best class of the population. The rebellion in Yunnan -seems to have been brought about solely by the oppression to which the -Mahommedans were subjected by the mandarins. Their proud independent -spirit would not brook the tyranny and extortion universally practised -by the official class, from which they were excluded. The mandarins, -according to their wont, secretly hounded the mob on to their rich -and respectable enemies, riots were provoked, and their mosques were -destroyed, as at Momien, where a handsome building, constructed after -plans brought home from Mecca, had existed before the war. Thus their -religious hatred was aroused, as the ruined temples and Buddhist -monasteries testified, and both interest and revenge for insults -to their religion led to a universal and well-planned rising. As -the insurrection which broke out in 1855 spread, the Chinese towns -and villages which resisted were pillaged, and the male population -massacred; while the women were spared to minister to the passions of -the undisciplined soldiery, and children were captured to be brought up -as Mussulmans; but all the places which yielded were spared. - -That the country suffered terribly in the struggle was proved to us -by the mute evidence of the deserted towns and villages, and from the -most southern border of the province to the farthest north we have the -reports of eye-witnesses of the fearful devastation. The contending -parties invoked the aid of the hill tribes, such as the Lolos, Lou-tse, -and Kakhyens, and these had to be rewarded for their services by -licensed pillage. Thus it happened that places on the debatable borders -were pillaged three times over, by the Red Flag, by the White Flag, and -by the marauders. In this way the towns of Sanda and Muangla had been -plundered by the Kakhyens after the Panthay invasion. The officers at -Momien told many stories of the conduct of their soldiers, which spoke -volumes of the misery brought on the peaceful inhabitants; but the -Chinese soldier is, by all accounts, as dangerous in peace to the towns -on which he is billeted as any enemy could be, and scenes of violence -and outrage accompany the march of the undisciplined ruffians under the -imperial banners wherever they go. - -The exact order of events which led to the establishment of the -Mahommedan kingdom is somewhat uncertain; we could not, for want -of interpreters, gain trustworthy information. In the account of -the French expedition,[34] M. Garnier refers the commencement of -the rebellion to an outbreak of the Mahommedans, the cause of which -is not stated, and describes them as having instigated a riot in -1856, and pillaged the city of Yunnan-fu. The imperial authorities -thereupon determined to rid themselves of these intractable subjects -by a general massacre, which was ordered to take place on a given -day. This commenced at Hoching, a town between Li-kiang-fu and -Tali-fu, when upwards of a thousand Mahommedans were murdered; while -similar treacherous massacres followed in different places. A simple -bachelor or literatus of Moung-ho, named Tu-win-tsen or Dowinsheow, -a Chinese orphan who had been adopted by Mahommedans, rallied his -co-religionists. His followers at first numbered only forty, but their -ranks were speedily joined by fugitives from Hoching, Yung-pe, and -other places, till with six hundred men he attacked the ancient and -holy city of Tali-fu, which surrendered in 1857. Although Tali-fu is -a small town, the population of which did not at that time exceed -thirty-five thousand, the rich plain walled in by mountains, and -with a lake teeming with fish, stretching forty miles in length and -ten in breadth, maintained a population estimated before the war at -four hundred thousand. Garnier states that there were one hundred -and fifty villages, but the Old Resident numbers them at two hundred -and fifty-three. The mountains to the north and south close in upon -the lake, and the plain and city are accessible only by two strongly -fortified passes, Hiang-kwang and Hia-kwang, or, as the Burmese call -them, Shangwan and Shagwan. Thus Tali has been from the earliest -times a strong city; it was the capital of a kingdom at the invasion -of Kublai Khan, and is still regarded by the Thibetans, who make -pilgrimages to its vicinity, as the ancient home of their forefathers. -The Mahommedans made it their head-quarters, and it seemed likely -again to become the capital of an independent kingdom. Their success -was facilitated by the jealousy which existed between the pure Chinese, -mainly descended from immigrants from Sz-chuen, and the Minkia and -Penti mixed races, descended from the early colonists planted by the -Mongols, and probably by the later Tartar dynasty in 1679. These -tribes, inhabiting the eastern plains of Tali and other adjacent -districts, were despised, as being sprung from intermarriage with the -Shan and barbarous races, by the Chinese, as the true Creoles looked -down upon any in whose veins ran negro blood.[35] Hence they stood -aloof in the struggle between the Chinese and the Mahommedans; the -latter even succeeded in occupying Yunnan-fu for a short time, but were -speedily expelled. A local revolt, however, was organised there by a -Mahommedan hadji of great repute, called Lao-papa, who assassinated -the viceroy Pang, and was proclaimed emperor or sultan, but enjoyed -his dignity a very short time. Another Mahommedan, named Ma-kien, who, -before the war, had been a seller of barley-sugar, but had become a -soldier, and took the imperialist side, subdued Lao-papa in 1861, -and established the authority of another Lao, who had been appointed -viceroy. Ma-kien was named _ti-tai_, or commander of the forces, but an -officer called Leang, in the south of the province, refused to obey -his orders, and a little civil war ensued between their respective -partisans. The Mahommedans took advantage of this division in the camp -of the enemy to consolidate their power under their elected chief, -Tu-win-tsen, who was proclaimed sultan, or imam, in the year 1867. -Momien had been captured three years before our visit, and the Shan -states on the Tapeng brought under the Mahommedan king, whose authority -extended over a considerable portion of the province. In the beginning -of 1868, the French found the government at Yunnan-fu administered _ad -interim_ by a mandarin of the blue button, named Song, the viceroy Lao -having recently died, and his successor, though appointed, not having -ventured to assume the perilous post. The office of commander-in-chief -was filled by Ma-kien, supported by a staff of Mahommedan officers, -whose costume and physiognomy marked them as different from the -Chinese. Lao-papa also resided in Yunnan, invested with rank and -honours, as the religious head of all the Mahommedans.[36] It does not -appear how this could be reconciled with the religious authority of -Sultan Suleiman, and it is plain that the Mahommedans were themselves -divided into two parties. - -It is interesting to compare this account with that derived by Mr. -Cooper from information furnished him in the north of the province as -to the rebellious attitude assumed by the imperial viceroy, himself a -Mahommedan proselyte, who had actually concluded a treaty of partition -with the sultan of Tali, and corrupted the imperial troops sent to -quell the revolt with funds furnished by the sultan. We do not, -however, possess such information as will enable us to reconcile the -two accounts which present so many points of agreement and difference. -By a curious coincidence, that most enterprising traveller, having been -turned back by the impossibility of penetrating to Tali, was detained -at Weisee-fu, one hundred and twenty miles distant, at the very time -of our stay at Momien. The utter want of communication kept us in -perfect ignorance of his being comparatively so near at hand, and he -was equally unaware of our presence in Western Yunnan. Our information -as to the passage of the French mission was, if anything, worse, as -an obstructive falsehood is perhaps more aggravating than complete -ignorance. During the first week of July the governor communicated -the information that some six or eight months previously the French -expedition had come into collision with hostile tribes in the vicinity -of Kiang-hung, and had suffered severe losses; some of their number had -perished, and the remainder had arrived in a state of exhaustion and -want at a place called Thela, where they had been kindly received. This -information he declared to be authentic, and furnished by a relative -of his own, resident at Thela, who had purchased some of the arms and -other property taken from the French. As at that time the last news -received some time before our departure from Burma had stated the -party to be at Kiang-tong or Xiang-tong, a Laotian state tributary to -Burma, we could not help fearing that some disaster must have befallen -them. The statement may have been a distorted account of the detention -experienced by the French before reaching Kiang-hung, and the fact -that they were obliged to reduce their baggage, some of the articles -referred to as proof positive by the Panthays having perhaps come -from the superfluous stores, given or bartered away to the Laotians. -It does, as M. Gamier remarks, appear improbable that the governor, -who was a trusted officer of the sultan, should have received no -information as to the visit to Tali-fu of the party in the month of -March preceding.[37] On the other hand, it is difficult to imagine any -reason for his suppression of his knowledge of it, unless he feared -that we should be thereby inclined to mistrust the letters from the -sultan. As regards Garnier’s theory that the apparent welcome given -to us was intended to do away with any unfavourable impression which -might have been produced in the minds of foreigners by the sultan’s -refusal to see the French party, and ordering their instant departure, -it is much more probable that the French were regarded with strong -suspicion, and taken for spies. The fact that they had travelled under -Pekin passports, and had been guests of the viceroy _ad interim_ at -Yunnan-fu, was not in their favour; but worse than that was their -connection with the French missionaries, who were everywhere most -hostile to the Mahommedan cause. One of their number had been engaged -in the sacerdotal task of manufacturing gunpowder for the viceroy, and -had been blown up by his own petard; others had forwarded a memorial by -the medium of the French minister to the emperor in favour of Ma-kien, -as the only man capable of saving the province from the rebels. An -imperial reply to this, promising to aid him with troops and supplies, -was received before Garnier left Yunnan. It is more than probable that -this was known to the authorities at Tali, and, even independently of -the circumstance narrated by Mr. Cooper, would have operated against a -cordial reception of the French visitors. - -At our first entrance into the country, without any passports whatever, -we, as commercial explorers, had appealed to the existing authorities, -and had refused to advance until their safe-conduct had been received. -Our neutrality between the two contending parties had been most -carefully sifted by letters and envoys before we were made welcome at -Momien, and little more than a week after our arrival it was tested, -if not by the contrivance, certainly with the knowledge, of the -governor. One evening Moung Shuay Yah, in a mysterious manner, made -known the presence of an important visitor, namely, an officer sent -by Low-quang-fang, the officer who, in conjunction with Li-sieh-tai, -supported the imperial cause. He had brought a pony as a gift, and -desired to make our friendship, and provide us with a safe escort -on the return route, always provided we were unaccompanied by the -Panthays. Our leader declined an interview, and refused the pony, -stating that we were guests of the governor, and as such could not -confer with his enemies, except with his consent. We soon learned -that the governor was aware of the mission of this envoy, and that in -course of time a treaty was signed by which Low-quang-fang undertook -not to attack the Panthay possessions, or molest us on our return, -and was to be left undisturbed in the possession of a small customs -post; whether this was a ruse on the part of the Chinese partisans to -win our support, or of the Panthays to sound our real opinions, it is -impossible to say. At all events, it confirmed the conviction of the -governor in our good faith. The terms of the agreement, if true, were -another proof of the anxiety of the Panthays to re-open the western -trade routes, to which we doubtless mainly owed our friendly reception. - -Gamier remarks that they had all along found it essential to keep open -the trade with Sz-chuen, and Mr. Cooper found Mahommedan merchants -unmolested in Chinese Yunnan. The king of Burma, not only as an ally, -but as a tributary of China, could not recognise the rebel sultan, nor -enter into political or commercial relations with him. The sultan, who -had visited Rangoon and Calcutta as a pilgrim to Mecca, may well have -been disposed to court the favour of those Feringhees whose power and -wealth he had witnessed in the City of Palaces. It is possible that -the hospitable governor of Momien was only amusing his guests with -complimentary mockeries, and that there was no intention of suffering -us to proceed to Tali, and see the real state of things in the -interior, the desolation of the province, and the scanty forces at the -disposal of the new power. Subsequent events have shown the instability -of the Panthay kingdom as soon as a regular and determined attack -was made on it by the imperial government; but as regards their then -condition, with the utmost respect for the memory of that distinguished -explorer, Lieutenant Gamier, it is impossible to overlook the fact that -he was strongly prejudiced against the Panthays, by their treatment -of him, as well as by the French missionaries, one of whom speaks of -the “detested yoke of the Mahommedans.” Garnier even attributes the -closing of the western traffic to the robberies of the Kakhyens and -the arbitrary oppression of the Panthays; who were, as our observation -showed, doing all they could to encourage the Burmese and Shans to -carry on the former traffic. It is possible that we were prejudiced by -kindness, and misled by outward appearances of strength; but whatever -the cause of the origin and progress of this rebellion, it is certain -that from the outset the rebels met with little direct resistance -from the imperial authorities, and the officials, with their few -adherents, were gradually driven from the fertile valleys of Western -Yunnan to more inaccessible fastnesses; thence they still maintained a -guerilla warfare, neither side ever bringing anything like a large or -well-appointed army into the field. The imperialist commanders, such -as Li-sieh-tai and Low-quang-fang, who were designated robber chiefs -by the Panthays, although really officials of the Pekin government, -could only harass their enemies by desultory attacks. Their followers, -if captured, were speedily tried and executed as robbers. We witnessed -more than sixteen executions of these poor wretches. The criminal was -led to the outskirts of the bazaar by a small escort, with music and -banners flying, and, with his hands tied behind his back, was made to -kneel by the side of the road. The executioner chopped off the head -usually at one blow; the body was buried on the spot, and the ghastly -head hung up by the gate of the town. - -The superior prowess of the Panthays and the unanimity of their -councils, directed by the sultan of Tali-fu, were apparently carrying -all before them. During our stay at Momien, news was brought, -apparently authentic, of the capture by his army of the great city -of Yunnan-fu. The condition of Central Yunnan may be imagined from -the statements made in the proclamation announcing the fall of the -capital. In it are enumerated forty towns and one hundred villages as -having been taken and destroyed, and upwards of three hundred persons -being burned to death; while the losses of the Chinese, in various -fights, amounted to over twenty thousand men. The communications were, -however, interrupted by constant fighting on the road between Momien -and Yung-chang, two out of three messengers, with despatches from Tali, -being killed, while the Mahommedan convoys of specie, and presents sent -from the sultan to us, were stopped at Sheedin, near Yung-chang. During -our stay, a force of some hundreds of so-called soldiers, commanded by -our friend, the chief military officer, or _tah-zung-gyee_, marched -to repel an attack on the town and mines of Khyto; and as proofs of a -victory gained by them within a few days, two hundred ears were sent -into Momien, while they owned to a loss of forty men. - -Although the Panthays were merciless in warfare--only those inhabitants -of the towns and villages who at once tendered their submission -being spared--they were desirous of establishing a firm and orderly -government: in all cases their officers protected the passage of -merchants, and dealt much more justly by them than the mandarins had -been accustomed to do; this was admitted by the Chinese and Shans, -who, though outwardly submissive, were at heart thoroughly opposed to -the new _régime_. Similar testimony is borne by the two travellers -already quoted, as regards the caravans trading with Sz-chuen and -Thibet. It seemed at this period almost certain that Yunnan would -become an independent kingdom, if indeed Sz-chuen and the northern -provinces were not also formed into a great Mahommedan empire, and the -same idea is recorded by Mr. Cooper, as having been the result of his -observations of the state of the country to the north. - -For us, however, to attempt to advance was impossible; even if progress -had been safe, it would have been impolitic. Whether our presence at -Momien was an infraction of the Chinese treaty or no, it was made -necessary if any information as to the real state of the country was to -be obtained, and this had been the principal object of the expedition -set forth in the instructions. - -The reader is earnestly requested to bear in mind that politically, -socially, and almost geographically, this border land of China had been -almost a _terra incognita_ before our arrival at Momien. We realised -the fact that we were in China indeed, but in a province which the -rebellion had almost converted into an independent kingdom; and from -which it seemed almost certain that the lingering remains of obedience -to the emperor at Pekin would be soon thoroughly erased. Our leader -was, therefore, very soon desirous of effecting a return, but the -governor, on various pretexts of securing our safety and communicating -with Tali, postponed our departure; and this although he insisted on -supplying the whole party with all necessaries during the whole time -of our stay. The kindly Tah-sakon was really busy preparing as good a -display of presents to his English friends as he could. As _de facto_ -ruler of the country, we arranged with him the duties which should -be levied on future caravans, and received letters expressive of the -desire of the Panthay sultan’s government to enter into friendly -relations with our government, and to foster mutual trade. The governor -asked for and obtained two seals, wherewith to authenticate his future -letters, and gave in exchange an official seal and a vase of red ink, -the use of which would, he said, ensure the safe delivery of any -letters forwarded to him. - -Our farewell visits were exchanged on the 11th of July, and the -good-natured governor, who was most sincerely sorry to part with his -guests, brought his presents. These consisted of seventy white jackets -and bamboo hats for our men, a mandarin’s full dress suit, figured -silk jackets, three fine straw hats covered with oilcloth for our -wear in the rain, silver-mounted daggers and spears, a gold and jade -chatelaine, and amber rosaries. The mandarin’s suit was his own, and he -had previously insisted on taking off the rings from his fingers, and -placing them in the same order on the fingers of his “English friend,” -whom he begged always to wear them for his sake. - -Our departure was fixed for the 12th of July, the last advice of the -governor being that we should not loiter _en route_, and only pass one -night at each stage. A body of troops were to precede and another to -follow in our rear; as a further precaution it had been decided not to -employ mules but coolies to carry the baggage, as the engagement of -mules would have given some days’ warning to the hostile Chinese; for -the same reason the porters had not been engaged till the last--so that -our anticipated start was delayed by the insufficiency of porters, and -the need of cutting up old rafters to make poles for the few who did -appear. The governor was very wroth with his officers, and one of them, -an old Chinese, not a Panthay, pleaded in excuse that we were carrying -away a number of boxes filled with mud, and worthless weeds and -skins--the pursuit of natural history was by no means appreciated by -the people, except by the Kakhyens, who were ready enough to bring any -sort of animal or reptile they could catch. The same Chinese official -tried to represent that we were carrying back a number of boxes of -powder. As his object was evidently to make delays and mischief, other -officials were appointed to superintend our departure, and Sladen -thought it right to remove any possible ill-feeling from the kindly -governor’s mind by showing him that the stock of ammunition was only as -much as was needful for the escort; and we parted on the best terms. - -[29] Vide Appendix II. - -[30] ‘As. Soc. Proceedings,’ 1867, p. 176. - -[31] Du Halde, i. p. 199. - -[32] ‘Pioneer of Commerce,’ p. 352. - -[33] Grosier’s ‘China,’ vol. iv. p. 270. - -[34] ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. p. 455, &c. - -[35] ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. p. 518. - -[36] ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. p. 455. - -[37] ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. p. 514, note. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -THE SANDA VALLEY. - - Departure from Momien--Robbers surprised--At Nantin--Our ponies - stolen--We slide to Muangla--A pleasant meeting--The Tapeng - ferrymen--A valley landscape--Negotiations at Sanda--The Leesaws--A - Shan cottage--Buddhist khyoungs--For fear of the nats--The - limestone hill--Hot springs of Sanda--The footprint of Buddha--A - priestly thief--The excommunication--The chief’s farewell--Floods - and landslips--Manwyne priests--A Shan dinner party--The - nunnery--Departure from Manwyne--The Slough of Despond. - - -At the last our departure from Momien seemed doubtful, owing to the -difficulty of finding porters, and men were forcibly impressed into the -service. Any demur as to a particular box or complaint of the weight of -their loads was silenced by a torrent of abuse from the Panthays, who, -to these persuasives, sometimes added severe blows. About 8 A.M. on -July 13th we started, waving our adieus to the governor, who had come -out on the town wall to bid us farewell. The guard gave him a feeble -cheer in Hindustani, which they again repeated as we marched out of the -bazaar gate and set our faces westwards. Two Panthay officers, who had -been our constant visitors, accompanied us for nearly a mile, and at -parting they burst into tears. After we had gone a long way, and turned -back to take a last look at Momien, we saw the two figures, standing on -the same spot, gazing wistfully after us. - -In a short time it began to rain in torrents, and the roads became very -slippery, especially for men carrying heavy loads, so that we soon went -ahead of the porters. At the descent into the Nantin valley, the road -was as if it had been well oiled. Ponies and pedestrians slid down the -steep hill-path in wild confusion, many of the party coming to serious -grief. A little Chinese girl, who had been presented to the jemadar -and his wife, as a return for his exertions in the mosque services, -accompanied us, tied in a small bamboo chair on a pony. As the beast -was quite at liberty to choose his own course, the terror and screams -of the small neophyte were most piteous. At the scene of the attack -made on the upward journey--marked still by some of our empty boxes--we -passed the bodies of two men who had been recently killed and cast on -the roadside. Halting at the hot spring to wait for the porters, we -learned that these were the corpses of Chinese robbers, who had been -caught, by the Panthay vanguard, crouching in the jungle with long -spears, ready to stick the first mule passing, and had been summarily -disposed of by them. Near Nantin all were requested to wait and allow -the rear-guard to close up, as we were about to pass a favourite -lurking-place for robbers. - -We formed a long line, with Panthay soldiers before and behind, -and, with gongs beating ahead, marched unscathed into Nantin, which -was reached by six o’clock. Our former residence, the khyoung, was -found to be already tenanted by a Panthay guard and a Kakhyen tsawbwa -groaning with fever. A dose of sulphate of magnesia, followed up -with quinine, secured to him sleep and to ourselves quiet, as far as -he was concerned; but we were kept on the look-out, as the baggage -arrived in detachments, much of it, including bedding, not turning up -till the next day, and some articles, such as a portable bedstead, -and a magazine box, not appearing at all. The governor came to greet -us in the evening, attended by a guard, one of whom carried a huge -gauze lantern swung from a tripod. He was full of regrets that he had -not been apprised of our coming, so as to have prepared comfortable -quarters, and met us on the way. The Hotha tsawbwa did not appear, -according to his promise, and was reported to be still in his own -valley, and his absence prevented us from adopting the embassy route -across Shuemuelong into Hotha valley. As it afterwards appeared that -the irrepressible Li-sieh-tai and his troops had taken up their -quarters in a strong post on the Shuemuelong mountain, it was just as -well that this route was not attempted. We found ourselves accordingly -obliged to retrace the former road to Muangla, Sanda, and Manwyne. - -The pleasing news reached us that a party of one hundred Burmese had -arrived in Muangla, sent from Bhamô in charge of a remittance of -five thousand rupees, and to escort us back to that place; so that, -notwithstanding all the discomforts of our quarters, all turned in well -pleased and prepared to make an early start for Muangla. - -Our morning slumbers were rudely broken by one of the police, who -reported concisely, “Of the three ponies, not one is left.” During the -night thieves had made a hole in the wall of the courtyard just large -enough to admit the passage of a pony, and through this the animals -had been carried off unperceived by the sentries posted within twenty -yards. Examination showed that the animals had been supplied with -corn, and a trail of grain led to another opening in the town wall. On -the previous visit we had been cautioned to watch carefully against -any attempt to steal the ponies; but the warning had unfortunately -been forgotten. A robbery had been attempted in the same way when the -tah-sa-kon was residing in the khyoung. The thieves purloined a gun -and sword, but an alarm was raised, and the latter was dropped in -their flight. We borrowed ponies to carry us to Muangla, and started -at half past ten. As before, considerable difficulty was caused by -the absence of porters, nearly all the coolies from Momien having run -away. Mules had to be found to supply their place, and the proverbial -character of these beasts was fully verified by those of Nantin, which -for an hour stubbornly refused to be loaded. During this interlude the -Panthays were doing their best to impress men for the lighter loads. -The recusants were dragged up by soldiers with drawn swords, and each, -when loaded, was followed by a spearman, ready to egg him on with his -spear if he attempted to lag behind. As we passed through Muangtee, the -townspeople had all turned out, and our old friend, the tsawbwa-gadaw, -and her retainers, male and female, stood outside her haw, and waved -salutes and adieus. Outside the town a strong Shan guard of honour was -drawn up, and escorted us to the chain bridge across the Tahô, three -miles from the town. - -During the rains the river is unfordable, and the road follows the -left bank along the embankments of the paddy fields as far as the -bridge. From the right bank the ascent to the lofty Mawphoo glen -proved most arduous, the road being so slippery that men and beasts -were continually falling, and many of the pedestrians were severely -bruised. It rained incessantly, and it was a great relief to all when -Mawphoo was reached, and an hour’s rest was enjoyed previous to the -descent into the head of the Muangla valley. The road first led down -a declivity, where the only mode of progress for the ponies was by -sliding; and then followed a series of zigzags, some of them over -frightful precipices, where a slip of the pony’s foot would be certain -destruction. At this season the Tahô issues as a tremendous torrent -from the deep gorge in the Mawphoo hills, and the distant Tapeng -appeared almost as large as the Irawady in dry weather. We reached -Muangla at dusk, and were astonished, on entering the town, to meet -an Englishman, accompanied by some Shans. He rushed up to our leader, -and introduced himself as Mr. Gordon, a civil engineer from Prome, who -had been sent by the Chief Commissioner with additional funds, and -to fill the post of engineer to the expedition. He had received his -instructions by telegraph on May 9th, to follow the party as quickly as -possible, and had obeyed them with laudable energy. He had travelled -from Bhamô with a guard of fifty Burmans, and found no difficulty _en -route_. At Manwyne he had met with the Hotha tsawbwa, who wished him -to remain for a day or two; but pushing on, and passing Sanda without -halting, he had reached Muangla the day of our arrival. The guard -of one hundred Burmese which had been despatched in charge of the -first supply of rupees had arrived there ten days previously; but the -tsare-daw-gyee in charge had been afraid to advance further. - -From this place our Panthay guards were to return, and the Burmese -officer expected that his escort would take their place. He seemed -indeed most eager to be of service, and was much chagrined when he -learned our leader’s intention of exploring the route on the southern -banks of the Tapeng. It was a most pleasant surprise to meet Mr. -Gordon, whose goodwill and energy were inexhaustible. The supply of -funds also came just in time to enable us to make complete collections -of Shan products, and it also marvellously smoothed the difficulties of -the return journey. So we set out from Muangla in excellent spirits, -notwithstanding the incessant rain. Messages had come, from parties -unknown, offering to restore the stolen ponies for three hundred and -twenty rupees, but as the local authorities did not seem inclined to -move in the matter, the thieves were left in possession of their booty. -Our Mahommedan escort bade us farewell with evident reluctance, and one -officer expressed a strong desire to accompany us to Rangoon, saying -that if he was once there, he would never return to Yunnan. - -On July 20th we started for Sanda, the usual difficulty as to porters -having compelled me to leave behind the collecting boxes for specimens, -with two of my collectors in charge, until carriage could be procured. -We crossed the Tapeng above its junction with the Tahô in ferry-boats, -the boatmen at first refusing to convey us unless paid five thousand -cash beforehand. This attempt at extortion was resisted, and the -dispute was ended by our taking forcible possession of the boats, when -the boatmen at once gave in, and worked with perfect goodwill and -activity till all the party were safely over. We then set out in a body -for Sanda, the road at first leading along the top of some old river -terraces deeply channelled by mountain streams, which were crossed by -two narrow planks laid side by side. Our ponies, however, crossed them -with ease, except the one which Gordon had brought from the plains, and -which was unused to such acrobatic exploits; so it grew nervous on -a bridge over which it was being led, and disappeared head-over-heels -in the deep gully beneath. Wonderful to relate, the animal broke no -limbs, and shortly reappeared a little further down, trembling, but -unhurt, on the river terrace below. Two miles beyond the place where -the Tapeng had been forded on the upward journey we descended towards -the level centre of the valley, at this season under water, the road -being carried along a substantial embankment built to keep back the -floods. The whole extent of the valley was clothed in exquisitely fresh -verdure, in beautiful contrast to the dark mountains which towered like -a protecting wall on either side, while alternate cloud and sunshine -fully displayed the beauty of the landscape. Now deep shadows of giant -clouds flitted down the mountains and over the sunny plains, while -occasional fleecy mists wrapt the highest peaks, and again black storms -obscured the hills as with a curtain, - - “Lashed at the base with slanting storm,” - -the rest of the valley basking in the sunlight. Near Sanda a stream -had to be crossed so swollen that the ponies could scarcely stem the -current, which was over the saddles. By 6 P.M. we were safely housed in -our old quarters at Sanda, and the tsawbwa’s headman speedily arrived -with a supply of fowls, rice, and firewood sufficient for all our wants. - -[Illustration: VALLEY OF SANDA, LOOKING WESTWARD FROM THE HILL BEHIND -THE TOWN.] - -On awaking in the morning, we made the unpleasant discovery that two -packages had been stolen from our bedsides. One was only a fishing-rod -and bamboo pipe and stems, but the other contained the solid silver -pipe-stem given by the tsawbwa to Sladen, and some other presents. -The theft was duly reported to the tsawbwa, who at once offered two -hundred rupees’ reward for the recovery of the stolen articles. During -the day, many people crowded the khyoung, having clothes and ornaments -to sell. The priests were much scandalised to see women’s clothes sold -and exhibited in the sacred precincts, and at last procured an order -from the tsawbwa, forbidding the women to come for the purpose of such -traffic. - -We remained at Sanda till July 8th, being detained partly by the rain, -and partly by negotiations with the people of the Muangla district, -lying on the other side of the Tapeng, relative to our homeward route. -The chief persons, a village headman named Kingain, and the poogain -of Manhleo, a place opposite to Manwyne, through whose jurisdiction -the route lay, had both been hostile to us on the upward journey. The -Hotha tsawbwa himself proved to have had some dispute with the Sanda -people, which prevented his coming to meet us, while the Sanda headmen -were averse to our crossing over to Hotha, for fear any future trade -should be diverted from their town. In the course of the negotiations, -two Shan headmen of villages informed Sladen that they could conduct us -safely by a good and easy hill road to the Molay river, which could -be reached in two days, at a point whence it was navigable during the -floods, for large salt boats, down to the Irawady. - -The skilful patience of our leader was at last rewarded by converting -Kingain and the Manhleo poogain into firm friends, and it was settled -that we should proceed to Manwyne, and cross the river at that place, -whence they would secure our safety. The son of the poogain arrived to -act as our conductor, and a letter was received from the Hotha tsawbwa, -promising to meet us at Manwyne. - -During our stay we had unrestricted opportunities of viewing Shan -manners. Every fifth day the regular market was held, and the broad -street was crowded by the country folk. Stalls lined both sides of the -roadway, which seemed paved with umbrella-like straw hats. Besides -Kakhyens from the hills, Leesaws were numerous, bringing oil, bamboos, -and firewood for sale. Both men and women shave a circle round the -head, leaving only a large patch on the upper and back parts, from -which the hair is gathered into a short pigtail. Both sexes dress so -much alike that the boys and girls were almost indistinguishable from -each other. Some of them were induced to pay us a visit, and give words -and phrases of their language, which seemed to be quite distinct from -the Kakhyen tongue, and somewhat akin to the Burmese. - -Seeing our interest in these people, a respectable old Shan, who had -already done some trade with us, invited us to his house, where he -professed to have some Leesaw clothing to dispose of. It turned out -that he proposed to pass off his own old clothes on the gullible -strangers; so our visit became one of politeness only. We were duly -seated, and his daughters served us with sliced mangoes and plums, -which were eaten with salt. Our host’s two wives were present, and -other matrons flocked in from the neighbouring cottages, their hands -blue with indigo. We asked if it was usual for Shans to have more than -one wife, and were told that it was not, but that every man pleased -himself. We also learned that the usual age for marriage is between -eighteen and twenty, and the consent of the parents alone is required -to make the contract binding, as there is no religious ceremony, and -the priests have no voice whatever in the matter. - -The house, like all the Shan cottages, was enclosed in a courtyard, and -consisted of three rooms--a central living-room, with a sleeping-room -on either side. Against the wall of the “keeping-room,” facing the -door, stood the family altar, a small table having on it an incense -vase and an ancestral tablet. A broad verandah ran along the front of -the cottage, at one end of which stood a large indigo vat, hollowed -out of a solid block. From this house we visited the Shan and Chinese -khyoungs. Both were plain bamboo structures, built on the sites of -the former buildings, described as having been rich and splendid -structures, destroyed by the Panthays some years previously. The Shan -temple contained only one figure of Gaudama, and as the phoongyees were -seated at their rice, round a small bamboo table, we went on to that of -the Chinese, next door. Here there was one principal Buddha, clothed in -a yellow robe, and crowned with a nimbus resembling ostrich plumes. On -the altar were a few small Buddhas freshly gilded, and a number of old -pictures. On a small table was a wooden fish, such as was of frequent -occurrence in the Momien khyoungs. Tradition says that in one of his -former existences Gaudama was shipwrecked, but brought to land by a -large fish, which he afterwards fed during its life. A strange mixture -of Arion and Jonah pervades this legend; but the fish is probably a -mystic legacy from the more ancient religions to which Kwan-yin and -other deities belong. The chief phoongyee was very courteous, and had -seats brought covered with red rugs, while his waiting-man served -the guests with tea and fruit. He exhibited a number of pictures -representing the judgment and punishment of sinners. One figure, -evidently the judge, was seated at a table, with a book before him, -and pens and ink-horn at his side, while two figures stood on either -hand--one a hideous-looking monster, the other of more human and gentle -aspect. The latter was the good, the former the bad recording angel. -In front of the judge, the pious and wicked were depicted, in fleshly -forms, departing to their several destinations. Of the latter, some -were being dragged away by devils; while others in the foreground were -being subjected to torments appropriate to their failings in life. The -possessor of a false tongue was having it torn out by the roots, while -the slayer of animals was being hacked in two, with his head downwards -and his legs wide apart. - -There was a grotesque humour about these horrible pictures, which made -even the priest smile, as he exhibited and described them; but he waxed -very grave as he told of the former splendour of the ruined religious -edifices of Sanda. - -There was little to be done in the way of collecting zoological -specimens, and nothing in the way of sport. A thick grove of fir-trees, -marking the burial-place of the tsawbwa’s family, was the only covert, -but firing there was looked upon as certain to bring disease and death -upon the chief and his household. After one attempt, a formal request -was made that we would not shoot on the hills behind the town. A nat -is said to dwell in a cutting, which marks the entrenchments made by -the Chinese army in 1767, and the Shans believe that if a gun were -fired, the insulted demon would come down as a tiger and carry off -children. The chief himself came one day complaining of cough and -headache, and asking for medicine to dislodge the nat who had seized -him, but sulphate of magnesia proved too much for the demon. A Burman -assistant surveyor, who had been sent to make a survey of the river, -was prevented by the villagers, who pleaded a dread of the nats’ -anger, and the tsawbwa, when appealed to, not only supported this view, -but privately asked the interpreter if we had not a secret object in -examining the country, and did not mean to return next year with a -strong force to take possession. We were perfectly free to stroll about -the environs, and one of the chief men undertook to guide us to visit -the hill whence the lime sold in the market was procured. The road lay -along the paddy fields, and was either knee-deep in mud or up to the -saddle-girths in water. We crossed the Nam-Sanda, a deep strong stream -flowing from the north through a short narrow glen, on the other side -of which the limestone hill rose in a gentle declivity. As we rode -through the fields of cotton, now in flower, and kept so clean that -not a weed was visible, Shan girls, dressed in dark blue, with short -trousers and petticoats with little aprons over them, looked up from -their field-work with mute astonishment depicted on their round chubby -faces. About four hundred feet up the grassy hill, on which not a tree -was to be seen, the bluish-grey masses of hard crystalline limestone -occur, lying in irregular heaps overgrown with long grass, as they have -fallen down from the rocky heights above. Some superstitious ideas are -attached to the occurrence of the limestone in this place, and it was -shown to us as a supernatural curiosity. The masses are dug out of the -ground, and carried to the villages, where they are calcined, grass -being used as fuel in preference to wood. An old kiln was shown us, -which had been formerly erected by some Chinese lime-burners, who had -come from Tali-fu. On our return, the tsawbwa was anxious to know if -the hill contained silver, the Shans having the impression that our -field-glasses enable us to see into the very heart of the mountains -and detect the precious metals therein concealed. In the bed of a -small stream running down the little valley, the hot springs occur, -consisting of two separate groups, separated by about a quarter of -a mile. In the most easterly, we found only one spring, in a basin -about six inches deep and a yard in diameter; the water bubbles up -through a gravelly bottom, over which a fine black micaceous mud has -been deposited. We found the temperature to be 204°, two degrees below -the boiling-point of Sanda, viz. 206°; but in the cold weather, when -undisturbed by floods, the temperature is higher. As a proof of this, -we saw the feathers of fowls and hair of kids, which had been cooked -in the spring, lying all about the banks of the rivulet. The natives -deepen the basin by piling stones round its margin, and use the spring -as a medicinal bath, and sometimes drink the waters. The other group -had five openings, through which the water bubbled up in the bed of -the stream, which had been diverted to expose them. All the basins -but one had been obliterated by the floods, and the temperature of -the water much reduced; but by inserting the bulb into the holes, the -temperature was found to be the same as that of the first spring. The -atmosphere round the springs was sensibly warm, and the ground so hot -in some places that our barefooted companions could not stand on it. -A peculiar heavy smell was perceptible, which was also perceived, -after boiling, in the water brought away by us. This is probably due -to the presence of some empyreumatic matter.[38] Our guide informed -us with a serious face that hell was in the immediate vicinity, and -that when Gaudama walked over this spot, the flames burst forth, and -endeavoured to devour him, but the springs issued forth and quenched -them, becoming heated in the contest. He also told us that a footprint -of Gaudama was visible close at hand, in a romantic glen, down which -flowed a mountain torrent called the Chalktaw. The stream was crossed -by a double-spanned bamboo bridge, supported in the middle of the -stream by a large boulder, and hung at either end to two bamboos -driven into the ground, so that the bridge is partly arched and partly -suspended. Many Kakhyen and Leesaw men and women were coming down the -hill on their way to Sanda market, bringing great loads of vegetables, -firewood, and planks of wood three feet long, fifteen inches broad, -and one inch and a half thick. A basket of vegetables and a plank so -heavy that one of us could scarcely lift it formed a mountain-girl’s -load down the steep hillside. About a quarter of a mile up the wild -glen, strewn with enormous waterworn granite boulders, we were shown -the giant footprint in a spot surrounded by some fine old banyan trees. -The print was on the end of a boulder looking up the glen, and it was -evident that the hollow representing the heel had been formed by the -friction of a superincumbent boulder. In time the river changed its -course, and the boulder was exposed to the view of some devout and -imaginative Buddhist. He, struck with the resemblance of the cavity to -a huge heel-mark, carved the outline of a human foot, and proclaimed -the wondrous discovery. Its great antiquity is shown by the existence -of two tablets on the other face of the rock; the carved outlines are -still traceable, but the inscriptions are so worn that it is impossible -to decipher the form of the characters. On our way back we passed a -Leesaw girl with a great display of beads, and succeeded in coaxing her -to part with four strings, and six hoops from her neck, for a rupee. A -little further on we met some more of her tribe resting under a tree, -who rose and offered us rice-spirit out of their bamboo flasks; in -exchange we gave them some watered whisky, which they seemed highly to -relish. These Leesaw women wore a peculiar turban with a pendant end, -of coarse white cloth patched with blue squares, and trimmed with -cowries. Their close-fitting leggings were made of squares of blue and -white cloth, and their ornaments consisted of large brass ear-rings, -necklaces of large blue beads and seeds, and a profusion of ratan, -bamboo, and straw hoops round the loins and neck. These resemble the -dress of the Moso women described by Cooper, and similar dresses and -ornaments are shown in Mons. Garnier’s illustrations of the Leisus in -North Yunnan. - -At three o’clock in the morning of August 29th, we were all startled -from sleep by a loud outcry and a pistol shot. It turned out that a -thief had opened the door and stolen one of the handsome silver Panthay -spears, but the jingle of the ornaments had awoke Sladen, who fired -a shot in the dark after the retreating robber, and raised an alarm, -in vain. Suspicion at once fell on a phoongyee who slept in a room -close to the door; the sentinel on duty had heard the priest stirring -just before, and while he walked a few yards to consult a watch hung -up on a post, the robbery was effected. The tsawbwa and his headmen -showed great concern, and all agreed in suspecting the priest, whose -character, it appeared, was already bad. They taxed him with the theft, -and told him that it was a most disgraceful act, to steal a gift made -by one official to another; they also threatened, if the spear was not -restored, to degrade him from the priesthood, theft, even to the value -of six annas, being one of the crimes which, at his ordination, the -rahan is specially warned against, as depriving him _ipso facto_ of his -sacred character. - -The tsawbwa was extremely incensed, and requested us to delay our -journey to enable him, if possible, to discover and restore the spear, -as well as punish the criminal. Early the next morning an old woman -came crying to the khyoung, and, as she entered, threw down her pipe, -and rushed up to Sladen with her hands clasped, and the tears streaming -down her wrinkled cheeks. The interpreter explained that she was the -mother of the suspected priest, and had come to intercede for him. -Another of her sons presently joined her, but they were advised to go -to the tsawbwa, in whose hands the matter rested. While she was being -shown the door through which the thief had entered, the phoongyee -himself came in, and the old woman, with a violent outburst of abuse, -struck him several blows with her clenched fist, and fairly beat him -out of the khyoung. - -The ceremony of excommunication took place in due course, and was -brief enough, lasting only five minutes. He was brought in by all the -headmen, and attended by his mother and brother, the latter carrying -the clothes of an ordinary Shan, which the culprit, when degraded, -was to assume. All sat down, and the poor old woman made an affecting -appeal to her son to confess if he were guilty; but he preserved a -dogged silence, and commenced to take off his turban in front of the -altar. She then retired, departing with her hands clasped above her -head, and ejaculating prayers. The priest, having removed his turban, -took a water lily from an offering of flowers in front of the image -of Gaudama, and, placing it on a tripod, again deposited it before -the image. The chief priest now appeared on the daïs, and the culprit -knelt behind his lily muttering a few sentences, occasionally rising -from his knees, and bending in worship before the figure, and gradually -retreated after each prostration, until he was beyond the verge of the -daïs peculiar to the priests. He then knelt before the chief phoongyee, -and repeated some formula after him, after which he retired to his -room, and soon emerged dressed as a layman. He was then taken away -by the headmen, and some hours after was brought back led by a chain -secured to an iron collar round his neck. In the evening he was again -led by the chain, down to the khyoung, escorted by the headmen, who -stated that they had failed to find any clue to the missing spear, or -to establish the guilt of the prisoner. He was, however, during the -ensuing conference as to our departure, kept chained to a pillar and -guarded by two men. After another day of delay and barter with the -people, who crowded the khyoung, the only noticeable purchase being -some capital tobacco at the price of a rupee for three pounds and a -half, we took our departure on August 4th. The old tsawbwa and his -grandchild came with a parting present of cloth, and a request that -we would not mount until we had passed his house; and a silver watch -presented by Sladen to his adopted son gave immense pleasure to both -the chief and his heir. As we approached the haw, three trumpeters -blew a lusty blast, and the three saluting guns were fired as we -ascended the steps leading to the gateway, where the chief and his -grandson awaited us. After a hearty handshaking, and formal adieus, we -mounted under a second salute, and rode out of the town preceded by the -trumpeters in full bray. - -The road at this season was carried along the embankments of the -paddy fields nearer to the base of the hills. The courses of the many -mountain streams showed the traces of the devastation caused by the -unprecedented floods of the past week; whole rice fields had been swept -away, and in others the crop had been hopelessly buried in silt. Roots -and stems of large trees everywhere blocked the channels, and the sides -of the mountains showed red patches, like wounds, where landslips had -occurred. These had been most destructive; nine villages were said to -have been overwhelmed in the Sanda valley, one, a village of forty -houses, being completely destroyed with all its inhabitants, save nine -who were absent. The nineteen miles to Manwyne were accomplished by 5 -P.M., and we took up our quarters in the same khyoung as on the former -visit; some trouble and a little gentle violence being requisite to -exclude the pertinacious and curious Chinese, who went so far as to -hustle a sentry. These Manwyne people (not including the Shans), though -not so hostile as on our first visit, were evidently ill-disposed, and -can be only classed as “rowdies.” At sundown a bell was rung and a -huge candle lit in front of the altar, while the priests, kneeling on -the upper daïs, supported by choristers on the lower one, chanted their -vespers. - -Bell-ringing and matins woke us up early in the morning, and, as -before, the devout women trooped in with their offerings of rice and -flowers. The phoongyees and some others were very much interested -in hearing about railways, telegraphs, and other wonders of Western -civilisation. One of the Sanda headmen remarked that they were much -privileged to hear of such things, and that we must all have met before -in a previous existence, and would doubtless meet again. They were awed -by viewing the moon through a good telescope; and a prediction of the -coming eclipse of the sun evidently impressed them with a deep sense -of our astrological powers, the chief phoongyee, with bated breath, -inquiring whether it presaged war or famine. - -Our first visitor was the “Death’s Head” pawmine of Ponsee, who -came with the idea that we should entrust ourselves to his friendly -guidance, and was chagrined at the information that we should return by -Hotha. The Hotha tsawbwa had been delayed by the difficulty of crossing -the mud left by the floods, and, when he at length appeared, was at -first inclined to magnify the difficulties, physical and otherwise, -of reaching his valley. When he found us resolute, he made light of -the difficulties, and arranged that the Manhleo poogain should take -charge of the baggage, while he himself preceded us to prepare for -our reception. In the meantime we were entertained at a dinner by the -tsawbwa-gadaw, the honours being done by the Hotha chief. We were -welcomed by the two Buddhist nuns, one a daughter of our hostess, -and the other a sister of Hotha, attended by a crowd of maids and -retainers, and were at once requested to take our seats at the table. -Tea was then served, followed by the dinner, consisting of well-cooked -fowls, roast and boiled, pork, &c., with small plates of onions, peas, -and sliced mangoes; then came rice and sauce, followed by another -service of tea. All the dishes were served on Chinese porcelain, and -the samshu was poured from a Birmingham teapot into tiny cups of jade. -We were waited on by men; but just as the dinner was placed on the -table, the hostess came in for a few minutes, and made a speech of -welcome, and apologies for having nothing better to offer; and when -it was over, she rejoined the party. The two rahanees and their maids -favoured us with their company all the time. Being struck with the -red-dyed nails of the ladies, I asked one rosy-cheeked damsel to show -me the dye. She volunteered to give a practical illustration, and at -once brought from an inner room a pulpy mass of the petals and leaves -of a red balsam beaten up with cutch. Having first begged for a small -ring as a memento of our visit, she proceeded to envelop the tip of my -little finger in a portion of the pulp, and covered it with a green -leaf neatly tied on with thread. - -After dinner the Hotha chief entertained us with a performance on the -Shan guitar or banjo, for the instrument had only three strings, and -the sounding-board was made of a stretched snake skin. The chief was -evidently regarded, and justly, as a skilled performer, and under his -fingers the instrument discoursed sweet, pleasant tinkling, while the -airs, though simple, were melodious. After our return to the khyoung, -the two nuns and their maids arrived with some presents from the -tsawbwa-gadaw, and remained for two hours, asking intelligent questions -about our country and religion, and on leaving made us promise to -visit them at their own khyoung. The next afternoon a messenger came -to remind us of our promise, and two of the party went to the nunnery. -It consisted of two bamboo houses, side by side, enclosed by a fence. -One, used as a residence, was an ordinary Shan house of three rooms; -the other, used as a chapel, was a pavilion, twenty-four feet square, -raised on piles four feet above the ground, and closed in with mats on -all sides save that fronting the dwelling-house. The only decorations -were a few small images of Gaudama, and strips of white paper cut into -ornamental figures and suspended like banners from the roofs. The Hotha -nun was engaged in weaving, which was a breach of the Buddhist canons, -forbidding the religious to employ themselves in any useful labour. -We were invited into the dwelling-house, and served with mangoes and -women’s tobacco, and bidden to light our pipes. A long and interesting -conversation ensued, mainly on religious subjects. The nuns, especially -the young lady of Manwyne, evinced great interest in the subject of -Christianity, concluding by begging us to consider her as a sister. -Then we all adjourned to afternoon tea at the haw of her mother. The -old lady expressed a great desire to possess a portrait of our gracious -Queen, which we promised to send her from Rangoon. In the meantime, we -offered a temporary substitute in the shape of four brand new rupees, -with which she was greatly pleased. - -August 9th found us ready for an early start from Manwyne, but the want -of porters delayed us till 8.30, when we set out for the Tapeng. A -farewell dish of rice and spirit, “to strengthen us for the journey,” -arrived from the tsawbwa-gadaw, while the chief phoongyee presented -some cloth to each of us, heartily expressing his good wishes for our -welfare. The townspeople waved their adieus, some calling out _Kara! -kara!_ and others the Shan equivalent for _Au revoir!_ It was noon -before the ponies were safely across the river, now six hundred yards -in breadth, on the other side of which a mud flat extended for two -miles. The smooth surface had been caked hard by the sun, but with -many a fissure, through which the legs of the ponies slipped into the -tenacious quagmire beneath. At last a veritable Slough of Despond -was reached, and the party was fairly bogged; the ponies floundered -and stumbled so much that it became necessary to dismount. The next -half-hour will not be easily forgotten, when, the reins in one hand -and my dog held fast in the other, I plunged and struggled through the -slimy ooze, which seemed to grasp the legs firmly at each step. At -one place the pony made a sudden stumble, and disappeared in the mud, -whilst the strain sent me rolling forwards until dragged to my feet -by two unincumbered natives. The stoutest of our party was literally -hauled through by men stimulated by rupees, while his pony had to -be dug out of the mud by some Shans. A blunder of our guide had led -us into this tract of mud, which had been recently deposited by the -overflow of the river; and the amount of alluvium brought down can be -imagined from the fact that the tract covered about six square miles, -with an average depth of four feet. Following the embankments of the -paddy fields for about two miles, we halted for breakfast on a grassy -slope at the foot of the hills, under the shade of wide-spreading -banyan and mangoe trees, amidst eager crowds of villagers staring at -the strangers. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -THE HOTHA VALLEY. - - The mountain summit--A giant glen--Leesaw village--The wrong - road--Priestly inhospitality--Town of Hotha--A friendly - chief--The Namboke Kakhyens--The Hotha market--The Shan - people--The Koshanpyi--The Tai of Yunnan--Their personal - appearance--Costume--Equipment--The Chinese Shans--Silver hair - ornaments--Ear-rings--Torques, bracelets, and rings--Textile - fabrics--Agriculture--Social customs--Tenure of land--Old Hotha--A - Shan-Chinese temple--Shan Buddhism--The fire festival--Eclipse of the - sun--Horse worship--Ancient pagodas--Roads from Hotha. - - -At 2 P.M. we commenced to ascend the hills, which from Manwyne had not -appeared to be more than one thousand feet high, but proved to be three -times that altitude above the river. The rough bridle-path led straight -up the steep declivity, and in the blazing heat of an unclouded sun -the ascent was most trying to man and beast, already wearied by their -exertions in the quagmire. The mules were ahead, but our men soon -began to lag, although we went as slowly as was compatible with the -prospect of reaching Manloi, on the other side, before nightfall. A -short way up the mountain, bold cliffs stood out, of white crystalline -marble, weathering to a dull brown. This was succeeded by quartzose -rock; and, still higher, a blueish gneissose rock formed the upper -mass of the range. We passed through several Kakhyen villages, paying -a few rupees by way of toll to the headmen, who were sitting by the -roadside waiting for us. Near the summit, we had a splendid view of the -course of the Tapeng to the Burmese plain. A high curtain of clouds -to the westward hung over the entrance of the river into the gorge of -the hills, while below and beyond it the immense plain of the Irawady -was clearly discerned backed by high hills, and with the great river -winding through it like a broad silver band. To the right extended a -magnificent panorama of the valley as far as the spur above Sanda, -and we took a long farewell gaze at the lovely vale, walled in by its -guardian mountains, and rich in every variety of effect produced by the -grouping in sunset lights and shadows, of flood and fell, and verdant -fields. Having crossed the summit more than five thousand feet above -the sea, we looked down on the narrow Hotha valley, not a thousand feet -below, stretched out at our feet for twenty-five miles, the opposite or -southern range trending round to the north-east to join the mountain -wall of the Sanda valley, by a connecting ridge, much lower than the -height from which we looked across, and saw to the south successive -distant heights cradling valleys whose waters flow to the Shuaylee. - -It is somewhat difficult to find an appropriate term for this lofty -mountain-cradled district. It is a giant glen, scarcely above two miles -wide, presenting no level ground, but a succession of broken surface -diversified by tossed grassy knolls of red soil, dotted here and there -with villages, each with its plantation of fruit trees. A narrow -stream, the Namsa, winds down on the southern side, till, through a -cluster of higher grassy hills covered with bracken, it forces its -downward way to the Tapeng. Such is the valley of Hotha as it lay -smiling before us in the fast fading light, with its hundred villages, -tenanted by forty thousand peaceful and industrious Chinese-Shans, -which compose the two states of Hotha and Latha, or Muangtha and Hansa. - -Having commenced to descend the ridge, we met with some Leesaws -carrying a freshly killed deer, which an offer of ten rupees failed to -induce them to part with. Many tracts of temperate forest trees, such -as oaks and beeches, were seen, and below them extensive tracts of a -novel short and thin stemmed bamboo. We presently passed through the -village of our Leesaw friends, picturesquely perched on the face of a -steep spur among magnificent trees and enormous grey boulders, some of -which were as large as the houses, which latter differed altogether -from the Kakhyen habitations, being small square structures, with no -floor save the ground, which was kept dry by means of a trench cut -round the mud walls. We entered the village street by a wooden gateway, -and passed out under a long covered passage embowered in luxuriant -creepers. - -The sun had set almost as we commenced the descent, and darkness -overtook us halfway down. At a division of the path, a stubborn -muleteer insisted on choosing what proved to be the wrong road, and -half our party, including the Manhleo headman, were thus misled. We -blundered along a rough bridle-track covered with loose stones and -cut up by watercourses. In vain we shouted to attract the attention, -and learn the whereabouts, of the rest; no answer was returned save -the echoes from the hills, now shrouded in darkness. At last we -met some Shans, and learned that we were close to a village called -Mentone, in the Latha or western division, and some miles from Hotha. -A consultation was held as to which alternative was the worst, to -proceed in the dark to Hotha, or go dinnerless and supperless to bed. -The latter seemed the least evil; so we made for the village khyoung, -which was reached at 8.50 P.M. We could get nothing to eat; and, -thoroughly tired, we unsaddled the hungry and worn-out ponies, and, -taking their saddles for pillows, fell asleep on the floor in front of -the altar. Our slumbers, however, were soon disturbed by the phoongyees -squatting down close to our heads, and shouting out their evening -prayers. The chief phoongyee, a shrivelled old man, sat cross-legged, -with his prayer-book on a small stool before him, and a little acolyte -sat by his side, running a wooden pointer along the lines to keep the -priest’s eyes from wandering. Before him sat six choristers yelling -in different keys at the pitch of their voices. The devotions of the -phoongyee were interrupted by our Shan interpreter, who shouted to him -that he wanted to buy four annas worth of rice. The priest at once -stopped the service to bargain as to the quantity of rice to be given -for the coin, which was new to him; this being settled, he resumed his -office, but was again interrupted, as he had not sent any one to serve -out the rice. - -Prayers being ended, we requested something to eat, and were told that -there were some pears on a tree outside, to which we were at liberty -to help ourselves, a generous offer which was politely declined. The -priest, however, gave us quilts to lie on; and being thus made at all -events warmer, though still hungry, we fell asleep, and, waking before -dawn, were well on the way to Hotha by sunrise. - -The inhospitality of these phoongyees was in singular contrast to the -tenets and practice of the Burmese Buddhist priests, who hold it a -pious duty to receive and refresh the stranger. There was, however, an -ill feeling at work against us, which found vent in the question asked -by some of the villagers, “Why had we come to their valley to bring -flying dragons and other evils on them?” This was due to the malicious -reports that the Muangla people had spread. The unexampled inundations -were attributed to our presence, and it was declared that our stay had -been followed by death in each place. Even the Hotha chief was not free -from the superstitious dread thus produced; and his father-in-law, the -old Latha tsawbwa, though he accepted the presents sent him, utterly -declined a visit, as he feared the strangers would bewitch him and his -household. His dutiful son-in-law declined to press him, as he was “an -old buffalo,” which always went in the contrary direction to that in -which it was driven. - -Turning our backs on the inhospitable village, we proceeded by an -excellent paved road carried along the end of the spurs, and in many -places cut out along the slopes. The mountain streams were crossed -by means of granite bridges, some of them adorned with dragons. -Numerous villages embowered among fine trees were passed; and a novel -feature was introduced by the occurrence, at intervals, of roadside -drinking-fountains, the wells being built over and cased in stone -ornamented with a white marble frieze. A gilded pagoda surmounting a -hillock opposite Manloi brought our thoughts back to Burma, as it was -the first pagoda of the Burmese type seen since our departure from the -plains. - -At 8 A.M., August 10th, we arrived at the town of Hotha, consisting of -about one hundred and fifty houses, surrounded by a low wall, somewhat -ruined and dilapidated, the result, not of Panthay invasion, but of a -rebellion by the tsawbwa’s subjects, who a year before, exasperated by -the imposition of a new tax, rose and attacked his town. The tsawbwa -and his son, in state dresses, the former attired as a mandarin of the -blue button, received us at their residence, and a salute was fired -from four mortar-shaped guns embedded in the ground. Quarters were -assigned to us in the haw, close to the chief’s private apartments; -and all our people were assembled in the course of the day. The whole -of the baggage was brought in safely, although the party had been -divided in the descent of the mountain, and some of the followers had -been obliged to remain in the Leesaw village, the unsophisticated -mountaineers charging them two rupees a head for their night’s lodging! -The Manhleo poogain and Kingain, the Muangla headman to whom the convoy -of the baggage had been entrusted, were very proud of the encomiums -passed on their successful performance of their task, and requested a -certificate to that effect, and further promised to assist all future -travellers who might desire to cross from Manwyne to Hotha. - -We remained until the 27th as guests of the courteous and accomplished -chief Li-lot-fa, or, to give him his Chinese appellation, -Li-yin-khyeen; and the recollection of our sojourn with him, and of his -pleasant valley, is the most agreeable of all the reminiscences of the -country beyond the Kakhyen hills. Not only did our host evince the most -hospitable desire to purvey all creature comforts, but he made us feel -thoroughly at home. We lived on terms of intimacy with his family, -and his two wives and two daughters manifested a charming freedom of -manners, combined with the most refined propriety, that would have done -credit to a drawing-room at home. The chief delighted to converse about -the various modern inventions of which he had heard reports from the -Chinese who had visited Rangoon. Their accounts, however, _more suo_, -had been full of marvellous exaggerations, including flying-machines, -telescopes that enabled the sight to penetrate mountains, and others -that divested people of their clothes! The chief had some vague ideas -about railways, steamships, and gas, and was most eager for fuller and -more accurate information. - -We urged him to visit Rangoon and Calcutta, but he seemed to think -the disturbed state of the country an insuperable obstacle; but he -discussed, instead, the plan of sending his son, a lad of thirteen, to -Rangoon. Li-lot-fa could read and write Shan and Chinese, and he now -commenced to learn Burmese, and it was a curious sight to see him at -work with his note-book, which he had obtained from us, taking down -words and sentences as busily as if he had been a competition wallah -preparing for an examination. - -The fact that this tsawbwa had succeeded in maintaining friendly -relations with both the Panthays and imperialist Chinese chiefs, with -whom his real sympathies lay, so that his valley had escaped the evils -of war, spoke well for his diplomatic tact. His conversation showed -that he had been from the first well informed about our progress and -difficulties, which he unhesitatingly attributed to the machinations -of the Bhamô Chinese. He asserted that the advance to Ponsee, and the -desertion of the muleteers at that place, had been part of a well -concerted scheme on the part of the Kakhyen chiefs to attack and -plunder our baggage. Our escape from this danger was attributed by the -chief to “a supernatural power against evil, given as a reward for good -deeds in former existences.” - -As an energetic trader, he was most anxious to co-operate heartily in -reopening all the trade routes, his especial object, as was natural, -being the restoration of the central or embassy route, which had been -closed for some years by feuds between the Kakhyens of the hills on the -southern side of the Tapeng and the Burmese officials. The cause of -quarrel was stated to have been an unprovoked attack, on the part of -the Burmese, on a few Kakhyens. - -The tsawbwa possessed great influence over the Kakhyen chiefs through -whose territory this route passes, an instance of which was speedily -given by the arrival of the chief of Namboke, accompanied by his -pawmines, and a strong armed guard, the chief and his officers being -mounted on ponies. As soon as he saw Sladen, he went down on one knee, -in the most respectful manner of greeting, and recalled himself to his -recollection as having visited us at Bhamô and received a present of -a head-dress. This chief scarcely resembled a Kakhyen, his naturally -Tartar-like cast of countenance being heightened by his Chinese -skull-cap and dress. After remaining one night and expatiating on the -advantages of the embassy route, he set out for home, bearing a letter -from Li-lot-fa to all the Kakhyen chiefs, which the pawmines were -to carry forward, inviting them to come in and arrange for our safe -progress to Bhamô. - -The bazaar or market, which is held every fifth day, took place on -the 12th. There are no shops or shopkeepers, except where the Chinese -reside, among the Shans, and all sale or barter is necessarily -conducted at these regular markets or fairs, which are thronged by the -people of the valley and adjacent hills. The Hotha fair was held on a -grassy slope, about half a mile distant from the town. There were no -permanent or temporary stalls, the vendors simply sitting down in long -lines with their goods before them. One section was devoted to the -sale of sword blades, the manufacture of which is a speciality of this -valley, and another to the wooden scabbards and handles. After buying -two fine blades for four shillings each, I was assured that the vendor -had charged one-third over the value. - -Another quarter was devoted to the sale of samshu, and close by it were -the _restaurants_, where the hungry customers refreshed themselves -with hot pork, vermicelli, or an article exactly like it, various -vegetables, and peas, all hot and nicely served in little white bowls. -The butchers’ quarter was amply supplied with pork and beef, and fowls -and ducks were plentiful. Long lines of Kakhyen women from the hills -offered for sale joss-sticks, pears, apples, plums, peaches, mustard -leaves, and a variety of hill vegetables, along with basketfuls of -nettles, as food for the swine, which are an invariable adjunct of a -Shan household. - -In the centre of the market, on a double row of stalls, were displayed -various kinds of Shan cloth, Shan caps, Chinese paper, rice cutch, -flint, and lime, which are brought from Tali-fu, white arsenic, yellow -orpiment, &c. In another quarter, English green and blue broadcloth was -selling at twenty shillings per yard, along with red flannel, for which -the Kakhyens have an especial affection. It seemed to us, however, -that, although the price was high, a very few pieces would “glut the -market.” - -Indigo, the universal dye of the dark blue-clad Shans, Kakhyens, and -Chinese of Western Yunnan, also had its own quarter. The fair was -thronged with people, the elder busy chaffering over their few wares, -and the younger strolling about and gossiping. Almost all were clean -and well-dressed, and there was an absence of the poverty-stricken -class, which had been so numerous in the various towns of the Sanda -valley, all appearing to be well-to-do, to judge from their appearance. -The women, as a rule, were little and rather squat, with round, flat, -high-cheek-boned faces, and slightly oblique eyes. Some of the younger -women, with fair skins and rosy cheeks, might have been accounted -good-looking, but were disfigured by the strange custom of dyeing the -teeth black, which is the fashion among Shans of the better class. The -dye is probably a preparation of cutch, and, according to the tsawbwa, -the custom originated in a desire to preserve the teeth from decay. - -For the first time we noticed the peculiar and picturesque dress of the -Chinese Shan women. The men, with the exception of an occasional red -turban, were dressed in the universal dark blue. The costume of the -Hotha Shan women only differed from that remarked in the Sanda valley -in the prevalence of dark green jackets and the number of large silver -hoops worn round the neck. - -It will be well here to summarise, even at the risk of repetition, -our observations on the Shan inhabitants of these valleys, who belong -to the Tayshan or Great Shans of the Tai race, the branches of which, -under different names, are found extending to the eleventh parallel, -their various states being tributary to Siam, Burma, or China. The -Shan population where it has been absorbed into the Burmese kingdom -has become assimilated in language and customs with the dominant race, -from which they can scarcely be distinguished. Throughout the valley of -the upper Irawady above Bhamô, but with the Kakhyen hills interposing -their stratum of hill tribes between them and their brethren of the -Chinese states, the Shan element predominates, though contending with -the wilder Singphos to the west of the valley. The inhabitants, though -speaking Burmese, still preserve the Shan language, and retain the -physical and other characteristics of their race. - -The little states of Manwyne and Sanda, Muangla, Muangtee, Muangtha, -or Hotha and Latha, and Muangwan and Muangmow, which lie on the right -bank of the Shuaylee, are the remains of the Koshanpyi or Nine Shan -States, forming the chief component parts of the Shan kingdom of Pong, -conquered by the Chinese in the fourteenth century. Bhamô or Tsing-gai, -with the country extending to Katha, or perhaps to Tsampenago, and the -upper part of the valley of the Irawady, with Mogoung as its chief -town, were the last remaining independent remnants of this state, and -have been included in Burma since the annexation by Alompra in 1752 of -the semi-independent state of Mogoung. - -It seems most probable that the walled Chinese town of Muanglon -represents Muang Maorong, the ancient capital of the Pong kingdom, -and the Chinese Shan states of Sehfan and Muangkwan, and possibly the -state of Kaingmah, which is reckoned among the Koshanpyi, are under -the jurisdiction of its Chinese governor, as the states we visited are -dependent on Momien. Throughout Yunnan, and, according to Garnier, as -far as the confines of Tong-king, the Tai race is widely diffused. -The names of towns and districts seem to indicate that this region -of lofty hills and great valleys was formerly the seat of the Shan -kingdom, and still--though intermixed with the wild hill tribes, and -the descendants of the Chinese colonists, who were settled in the -newly acquired conquests--the Shans, under the name of Pa-y, hold their -ancient ground. Mons. Garnier mentions that at Muang-Pong he found -villages peopled with Tai-ya settlers, who had fled from the Mahommedan -ravages, and settled beyond the borders of Yunnan. His description of -their characteristic dress and silver ornaments would almost exactly -apply to the Chinese-Shans of the Hotha valley. He describes some -Tai-neua[39] refugees met with at Kiang-hung or Xien-hong itself, and -remarks on the resemblance between these two divisions of the Shans. -As soon as he had passed into the country where the Laotian language -ceased to be understood, on the confines of Yunnan, near Se-mao, “The -inhabitants presented an intermediary type between the Chinese and the -Tai race. This mixed type faithfully represents that of the ancient -population of Yunnan, or that of the Tai, who were conquered by the -Chinese.” And at Yuen-kiang he remarks: “The Tai, whom the Chinese call -Pa-y, are the ancient inhabitants of the country of Muong-Choung, which -is now called Yuen-kiang. They are more numerous and more independent -as the frontier of Tong-king is approached.” Thus the Chinese province -of Yunnan on the one side and the upper portion of the valley of the -Irawady on the other contain a largely preponderating element of -Shan population, their national characteristics, however, gradually -becoming obliterated by the influence of the ruling races respectively. -Owing to their local position, which has preserved their subordinate -independence, the little nest of valleys, cradled in the parallel -secondary ranges which lie between the Salween and the Irawady, has -preserved, almost unmixed, the relics of the ancient Shan kingdom, and -it is with their inhabitants, so far as our observations extended, that -we have to do. It is with some uncertainty that the terms Shans proper -and Chinese Shans are used; not so much as indicating a theory of race -as to serve as a practical distinction between the two divisions, -which, though claiming to be one in race as in language, will be seen -to present curious differences; while the Chinese-Shans, or Sino-Shans, -as some have called them, may, according to the evidence of the French -explorers, really represent the original Tai race more directly than -the Shans of the Tapeng valley and the Irawady valley. - -The Shans proper of these valleys are a fair race, somewhat sallow -like the Chinese, but of a very faintly darker hue than Europeans, the -peasantry, as a rule, being much browned by exposure; they have red -cheeks, dark brown eyes, and black hair. In young people and children, -the waxen appearance of the Chinese is slightly observable. The Shan -face is usually short, broad, and flat, with prominent malars, a faint -obliquity and contraction of the outer angle of the eye, which is much -more marked in the true Chinese. The nose is well formed, the bridge -being prominent, almost aquiline, without that breadth and depression -characteristic of the Burman feature. The lower jaw is broad and well -developed; but pointed chins below heavy, protruding lips are not -infrequent. Oval faces laterally compressed, with retreating foreheads, -high cheek-bones, and sharp retreating chins, are not infrequent; and -the majority of the higher classes seemed to be distinguished from the -common people by more elongated oval faces and a decidedly Tartar type -of countenance. The features of the women are proportionately broader -and rounder than those of the men, but they are more finely chiselled, -and wear a good-natured expression, while their large brown eyes are -very scantily adorned with eyebrows and eyelashes. They become much -wrinkled by age, and, judging from the numbers of old people, appear to -be a long-lived race. They are by no means a tall people, the average -height for men scarcely reaching five feet eight, while the women are -shorter and more squat in figure. The only difference between the -Shans and Poloungs, so far as my limited observation went, seems to -be that the latter are darker and smaller; but the Chinese Shans, or -Sino-Shans, of the Muangtha valley differ widely from their congeners. -They are a much smaller race, their little, squat figures and broad, -short flat faces reminding one of Laplanders. The cheek-bones are very -prominent, and their faces are much flatter and shorter than those -of the other Shans. The breadth between the eyes, which are markedly -oblique, is considerable, and the mouths are heavy, with protruding -lips. In the women these characters are more pronounced, and their -complexion strongly resembles that of the Chinese. - -In the ordinary attire the Shans, except the Chinese Shans, are almost -uniformly dressed in sombre dark blue, the dye being obtained from the -wild indigo. In full dress, however, the women display an appreciation -of colour which would delight an artist. The peculiar head-dress, -like an inverted cone, has been already alluded to. It consists of a -series of long blue scarves, a foot broad, and of a total length of -forty to fifty feet, wound round and round the head in a huge turban, -towering upwards with a backward slope, like that of the Parsee -head-dress. The folds are arranged in a crescent over the forehead -with most exact precision; the free end, embroidered in gold and silk, -and sometimes adorned with silver pendants, hangs gracefully down the -neck. The hair, left uncovered in the hollow of this structure, is -adorned with silver hairpins, the heads of which are richly enamelled -to represent flowers and insects. The jacket, of blue or green, and -sometimes pink, is short and loose, with a narrow and erect collar. -Thin square plaques of enamelled silver fasten it at and below the -neck, to which are sometimes superadded three rows of large round -silver bosses, enriched with birds and flowers enamelled in various -colours. The loose sleeves are folded back from the elbow, displaying -massive silver or silver-gilt bracelets. A tight thick skirt of cotton -cloth, deeply bordered with squares of embroidered silk or satin, -close-fitting leggings, and embroidered shoes, complete the toilette, a -richly variegated cloth being sometimes worn as a girdle. A Shan lady -thus attired is incomplete without a silver flask-shaped scent-bottle -about three inches across, adorned with silver studs and pendants -terminating in round silver bells, which jingle as the wearer moves. -Silver chatelaines are also worn, and a needlecase formed of a silver -tube, enamelled and studded, enclosing a cushion, which is attached -to the waist. Silver neck-hoops, ear-rings, and rings, which deserve -particular description, complete the adornments of the Shan _belle_, -who, moreover, is seldom seen without her long-stemmed pipe, with its -small bowl of glazed clay. - -The male peasants wear a long double-breasted jacket of blue cotton, -buttoned down the right side, often with jade, amber, or silver -buttons. Of the same material are their short wide trousers and thick -turbans, with a long fringe at the free end, which is usually coiled -up with the pigtail on the outside. Long strips of blue cloth wound -round the shins serve as leggings, and their shoes are made of cloth -resembling felt, embroidered with narrow braid and soled with leather. -A very broad straw hat covered with oiled silk serves as an umbrella -against rain or a scorching sun. - -The better classes, such as the headmen of the towns, wear long blue -Chinese coats reaching to the ankles, and black satin skull caps -ornamented with Chinese figures worked in gold braid. The little boys -don blue cotton caps, braided, with a red topknot, and garnished with -a row of silver figures of guardian nats. A silver chatelaine, with -a number of little instruments, such as tweezers to depilate the -face, ear and tooth picks, is frequently worn by the men. It hangs -from the button-hole by a long silver chain, ornamented with beads of -jade, amber, or glass, or with grotesque figures of animals carved in -jade or amber. Two essentials in a Shan’s equipment are his dah and -tobacco-pipe. The dah has a blade two feet and a half to three feet in -length, expanding from the hilt to the almost square point, which is -nearly three inches broad. The wooden handle is bound with cord covered -with silver foil, and ornamented with a tassel of goat hair. The wooden -half-scabbard is attached to a ratan hoop worn over the right shoulder. -These dahs are chiefly manufactured by the Muangtha Shans from iron -imported from Yunnan. They use charcoal as a fuel, and a bellows made -of the segment of a large bamboo, with a piston and valve at each end. -They supply all the hill tribes with weapons, and, as before remarked, -resort to Bhamô and elsewhere to work during the winter months. These -weapons exactly resemble those made by the Khampti Shans, and, like -them, are keen and well tempered. The tobacco-pipes are remarkable -on account of their elaborate silver stems, which are frequently a -yard in length, and enriched with enamelled flowers and silver twist. -Sometimes the stem swells at intervals into elongated silver spheres. A -long bamboo stem intervenes between the silver and the bowl of glazed -earthenware. The wealthier Shans frequently use the Chinese hookah, and -the poorer the Chinese brass or iron pipes with small bowls. Tobacco, -home-grown and of very excellent quality, is carried in small round -boxes made of buffalo hide covered with red varnish. They are made in -two halves, the upper overlapping the under, the hide being moistened -and stretched over a wooden mould. - -The costume of the Chinese Shan women of Hotha and Latha differs in a -marked manner from that already described. They wear the Shan jacket -and loose trousers like the men, and usually are barefooted. The back -part of the jacket is prolonged to the knees in a half skirt, and -a double Chinese apron in front overlaps it, so as to complete the -dress. Besides the large silver plaques, epaulets are worn, of small -semi-spherical discs, connected by a line of silver buttons from -shoulder to shoulder. The broad waistband of the apron expands behind -into a richly embroidered piece, which is a peculiar characteristic -of this people. A still more distinctive mark is the head-dress, from -which the high turban is absent. The hair is divided and gathered up -on the crown of the head, when it is plaited into the ends of a flat -chignon encircled by a ratan hoop covered with red cloth. This is kept -in position by means of twenty-five to thirty silver pins headed with -thin plates of silver embossed or engraved with leaves and flowers, and -so disposed as to form a silver coronal. Outside this is wound a slight -blue turban, to the pendant fringes of which are suspended a number of -silver rings. In full dress four much larger hairpins, with elaborate -heads eight inches in length and three inches across, are worn. They -are overlaid with silver wire cunningly wrought to represent the stems -and leaves of plants, which are enamelled green, brown, and yellow, -and enriched with flowers in the same material, the petals formed -of red and blue stones, and little silver spheres representing the -unopened buds. Sometimes yet another inner circle of smaller pins, each -headed with a cluster of four small caps, is added; and an elaborate -head-dress forms a circle or an aureole of silver flowers fully a foot -in diameter. The various patterns of hairpins are of the most intricate -construction. The simplest are made chiefly of silver wire and flat -pieces of silver cut into fantastic figures or forms of trailing plants -in full flower, the colours being enamelled in green, blue, purple, and -yellow. Some are wrought in the finest filigree, one beautiful specimen -representing a swan-like bird resting on its outstretched wings among -a bed of flowers. The feathers of the wings are most effectively -wrought in silver wire, and among the leaflets stand up little coils of -silver wire, each terminating in two square cusped discs of silver. -These strongly resemble the capsuled stems of mosses; and the general -appearance of these pin-heads suggests that the artist has derived his -inspiration from the study of a grassy sward covered with flowers and -moss; indeed, the most fashionable form of this ornament consists of -two tiers of leaf-work, the uppermost supported on fine wire, while -through its interstices the capsuled stems rise from the lower tier, as -flowers rise above the grass. - -This distinctive head-dress of the Chinese Shans seems to characterise -the Pa-y or Tai women in the south of Yunnan. M. Garnier describes -those of Yuen-hiang as wearing long silver hairpins, from the ends of -which hung a profusion of pendants. Their costume consists of a showy -corset with a little jacket over it, a petticoat with a broad coloured -border, and apron; and he particularly describes a high collar made -of red and black stuff, on which little silver studs are arranged in -patterns reminding him of the armed collar of a “bouledogue.” The front -of the vest is also thickly studded with similar ornaments. The Pa-y -ear-rings are of very delicate workmanship, the usual pattern being a -large ring supporting a small square plate with numerous pendants, much -resembling those of the Chinese Shans. The married women of the latter -especially invariably wear a silver or silver-gilt ring, overlaid -with studs or filigree work, to which is attached a jade or enamelled -silver disc. The Chinese Shan girls wear a tube of silver, from which -is suspended an inverted rosette set with a circle of club-shaped -pendants. From the centre of this flower-like ornament hangs a filigree -ball and rosette set with a garnet. The ear ornaments of the Shans -proper are of two kinds, only one of which, worn by the young girls, -can be called an ear-ring--the large circle of silver wire suspending a -flat spiral ornament resembling a favourite pattern of the Roman period -in Europe. There are three forms of the second or of the cylindrical -type, necessitating a large opening in the lobe of the ear, but by no -means so large as the ear ornaments of the Burmese beauties, which are -sometimes an inch and a half in diameter. The first are made of a piece -of bamboo, which is covered with silverfoil, one end being finished -by a piece of cloth, which is effectively embroidered with the green -wing-cases of a beetle, red seeds, and Chinese devices in gold thread. -The second form is a short cylinder of silver, with a cross piece -engraved with Chinese figures. The third is nearly two inches long, -widening into a disc fully an inch in diameter, and terminating in a -silver knob. The front is composed of open silver filigree. - -[Illustration: SHAN HEAD-DRESS, BRACELETS, AND EAR ORNAMENTS. - - Fig. 1. Chinese Shan chignon encircled with silver hairpins. - 2. Shan silver bracelet. - 3. ” ” ” in filigree. - 4. ” ” ” enamelled. - 5. Chinese Shan girl’s ear-drop. - 6. 7. Shan woman’s tubular ear ornaments. - 8. Shan finger ring. - 9. Silver tube for enclosing a needle cushion.] - -These silver ornaments will be seen to be thoroughly characteristic of -the Shans, who, it need not be said, are expert silversmiths, their -simple tools consisting of small cylindrical bellows, a crucible, -punch, graver, hammer, and little anvil. In the Sanda valley the -phoongyees are the chief artificers; but in Hotha the trade is still -confined to the laymen. Their enamels, of which we could not -discover the materials, are very brilliant, and employed with beautiful -effect in the floral patterns, which form the principal stock of -designs. The only other forms of ornamentation, the rope-shaped fillets -and rounded studs or bosses, singularly resemble those found on the -diadems and armlets of the early historical periods of Scandinavian -art. The plain torques or neck rings in use, especially among the -Hotha Shans, only differ from the ancient Irish type by their more -rounded form, and by the pointed ends being bent outwards, in lieu of -being expanded into cymbal-shaped faces. Another kind of torque is of -the same shape, but covered with leaf ornaments and cones in filigree -and enamel alternating with red and blue stones or pieces of glass. -Torque-like hollow rings, covered with floral enrichments, are worn as -bracelets; sometimes they are gilt with very red gold and enamelled, a -jewel being usually set in the centre. Another form is a silver hoop, -nearly two inches in breadth, with rounded edges and filigree borders, -most elaborately set with floral rosettes of three circles, rows of -leaves, brown, green, and dark purple, centred by a large silver stud. - -The finger-rings are generally made of rope wire, either with conical -or flat spiral coils; but one curious type is formed of an oblong -ornamented silver plate an inch long, and as broad as the finger. A -half-circle from either side enables it to be worn on a finger of any -size. Many of the rings are jewelled with garnets, moonstones, and -pieces of dark green jade, but no valuable gems were observed. The men -commonly wear ordinary Chinese rings of jade or amber. - -The women are constantly engaged in weaving and dyeing, for the yarn -from home-grown cotton is spun, dyed, and woven by their industrious -fingers. They are adepts at needlework and silken embroidery; and -all the clothes worn are made and ornamented by the women of each -household. Straw-plaiting is another of their industries, and the -broad-brimmed straw hats made in the valley would compete with the -finest Leghorn fabrics. Another art in which they excel, apparently -borrowed from the Chinese, is the manufacture of elaborate ornaments -for the hair from the sapphire blue feathers of the roller bird -(_Coracias affinis_). These are fastened on paper cut to imitate -wreaths and flowers; and with copper wire, gold thread, and feathers, -laid on with the greatest nicety, very pretty simple ornaments are -produced, which are often brightened by the addition of a ruby or some -other gem. - -The stuffs woven in a loom similar to that in use by the Kakhyens are -of all degrees of texture, the finer kinds, used for jackets, being -very soft, and usually figured with large lozenge-shaped patterns -of the same colour. A marked feature of the textile fabrics and -embroideries of the Shans, and indeed of their ornamentation generally, -is the reproduction of conventional patterns, handed down from their -forefathers without any attempt to improve or vary them. The Shan -designs of the nineteenth century probably are identical with those of -the fourteenth, and are simple modifications of the lozenge, square, -and stripe; these modifications may be, and are, almost endless, and -the combinations of the elementary forms most intricate, while the -ground of the fabrics in which the patterns are wrought is usually -covered with numerous small truncated almond-rounded lozenges, -interspersed with figures of the sacred Henza, or Brahminical goose. -The chief beauty of their textile fabrics consists in the wonderful -grouping and harmony of the colouring; and in the employment of their -vivid full and half tints of blue, orange, green, and red, they are all -but unrivalled artists. - -The great body of the Shan population is engaged in agriculture; and -as cultivators they may take rank even with the Belgians. Every inch -of ground is utilised; the principal crops being rice, which is grown -in small square fields, shut in by low embankments, with passages and -floodgates for irrigation. During the dry weather, the nearest stream -has its water led off, and conducted in innumerable channels, so that -each block, or little square, can be irrigated at will. In the valley -of the Tapeng, advantage is taken of the slope of the ground to lead -canals to fields several miles away from the point of divergence. At -our arrival in the beginning of May, the valley from one end to the -other appeared to be an immense watery tract of rice plantations -glistening in the sunshine, while the bed of the river was left half -dry by the subtraction of the water. Tobacco, cotton, and opium are -grown on the well-drained slopes of the hills, the two former for -home use; but the white-flowered poppy is cultivated to supply the -requirements of Chinese, Kakhyens, and Leesaws. A considerable quantity -of Shan opium finds its way to Bhamô, and thence to Mandalay, and also -to Mogoung, whence it is distributed among the Singphos. - -The land is tilled by a wooden plough with an iron share, drawn by a -single buffalo. Men and women work together, but the heavy tillage is -done by the former, the weaker sex being only employed in weeding and -thinning. Vegetables are grown round every house, and form an important -article of diet. Numbers of fine cattle and pigs are reared and killed -for eating, their flesh, with all kinds of poultry, being largely -used, and sold freely in the markets, for the Shans have no Buddhist -prejudices. The milk, however, is not used. The entrails of animals, as -among the Burmese, are much used in Shan _cuisine_; a very fair soup, -made of the intestines of fowls, being a favourite dish of the Hotha -tsawbwa, who insisted, when dining with us, on substituting it for our -soup, which he did not approve. The large larvæ of a giant wasp, and -stewed centipedes, are Shan dainties which we could not appreciate. - -Their principal stimulant is _samshu_, or rice-spirit; but during our -stay amongst them, we observed scarcely an instance of intoxication. -The vice of drunkenness and the licentiousness common amongst all their -neighbours seem almost unknown among this industrious self-supporting -race. They are social and good-humoured, but by no means as jovial as -the Burmese, compared with whom they are a quiet, rather sedate people. - -As a rule, each man is content with one wife, but polygamy is allowable -to those who are wealthy enough; thus the Hotha chief had several -wives at various villages. All that is required to contribute a valid -union is the sanction of the parents, mutual consent, and interchange -of presents between the contracting parties, but no religious rite -whatever is observed on the occasion of the wedding. - -They are a musical race, and possess many simple wild airs, which -they play on stringed and wind instruments. Of the former, which are -played like a guitar, one is about three feet in length, with three -strings and a broad sounding-board; another is only half the size, the -sounding-board being a short drum-like cylinder, with a snake skin -stretched across it. This instrument was also a great favourite with -the Momien people, and is probably of Chinese origin. The most usual -wind instrument is a sort of flute, made of bamboo, with a flask-shaped -gourd as mouthpiece, and the sound is full, soft, and pleasing. The -long brazen trumpets, which are a sort of state appendage of the -tsawbwa, are only blown to announce his arrival, or to do honour to his -guests. - -The chiefs, although paying an annual tribute to the authorities at -Momien, exercise full patriarchal authority in their states; assisted -by a council of headmen, they adjudicate all cases, civil and criminal. -The tsawbwa is the nominal owner of all land, but each family holds a -certain extent, which they cultivate, paying a tithe of the produce to -the chief. These settlements are seldom disturbed, and the land passes -in succession, the youngest son inheriting, while the elder brothers, -if the farm is too small, look out for another plot, or turn traders; -hence the Shans are willing to emigrate and settle on fertile lands, -as in British Burma. The chiefs naturally do not approve of this, -and it is to be feared that the recent emigration of these Shans to -our provinces has in the last few years excited the ill-will of the -tsawbwas against the British officials, whom they accuse of inducing -their people to desert them. In ordinary times of peace and prosperity, -the inhabitants of these valleys must have been very thriving, and the -chiefs very wealthy, tokens of which appeared in their haws, though -most of them had been much injured before our visit; but at this -time they were certainly impoverished, and, without doubt, many of -the valuable articles of dress and jewellery offered to us for sale -belonged to the chiefs and their families. The great anxiety of the -peaceable Shans was for the restoration of order, and though they all -earnestly longed for the re-establishment of the imperial Chinese -_régime_, they were, in the meantime, most ready to befriend those -whose mission was to establish a route for commerce, necessitating -peace and order as the conditions of its maintenance. - -We found it impossible to obtain a guide to the southern side of the -valley of Hotha beyond the Namsa, which is a very small mountain -stream. The tsawbwa declared that the bridge had been washed away, and -that the road was deep in mud; but he himself planned an excursion for -us to visit another house belonging to him at Tsaycow, some miles to -the east of Hotha. The chief set off early in the morning to prepare -for our reception, and we followed at midday. The road, paved with -boulders, and near the villages with long dressed slabs of granite, -wound over the grassy spurs, the slopes of which were cultivated -with tobacco and cotton. The mountain streams, running over rocky -channels encumbered by large boulders particoloured with green moss -and lichens, were spanned by bridges of gneiss or granite, those -over the larger streams being handsome arched structures, twenty to -twenty-five feet in span, with a rest-house at either end, and the -parapets often guarded by stone dragons. Each village was approached by -a long narrow lane arched by trees and feathery bamboos, terminating -in a picturesque gateway, and bordered by stone drinking fountains. -The houses were embowered in trees, pear, apple, chestnut, peach, and -sweet lime, forming orchards round the villages, and the triple roofs -of substantial khyoungs and occasional pagodas crowning the knolls, -completed the rural picture, with a background of green slopes of -grazing land running up to the rearward wall of mist-clad mountains. -One small pagoda, called Comootonay, differed altogether from the -ordinary Burmese type, in its peculiar shape and attenuated long spire, -which rose to a height of fifty feet. Five miles of pleasant riding -past a succession of thriving and picturesque villages, orchards, and -khyoungs, brought us to Tsaycow, or Old Hotha, a much larger place than -the present town of that name, embowered in trees, and delightfully -situated on a spur at the opening of a little dale, down which flowed -a fine mountain stream. The chief’s house, formerly his head-quarters, -which was built in the Chinese fashion, though smaller than our -residence, had the advantage of a better site and superior condition, -the private apartments especially being richly decorated with elaborate -carvings. In the inner reception hall we were welcomed by the tsawbwa, -and, after being refreshed with tea, were conducted by him to see two -khyoungs, one Shan and the other Chinese, built, after his own designs, -one above the other, on the hillside behind the village. The Chinese -temple, which occupied the highest site, was enclosed by a high wall, -with a gate leading into a courtyard bordered by cloisters on either -side, while a raised pavilion occupied the end, opposite to which, -and above all the other buildings, towered the shrine, crowning the -highest of two terraces faced with granite. Covered staircases led -from the cloisters to the higher level, each terminating in a little -rounded tower containing a large bell. The temple occupied the whole of -the terrace, with verandahs, paved with stone, to the front and rear. -A little stream bubbled up into a small basin in the front, and then -formed a cascade from terrace to terrace into the court below. Two -entrances led from the verandah into the temple, between which a large -window exactly faced the altar-piece. On a table in front of the window -stood vases with incense and flowers, and a number of boxes containing -the library. The altar-piece, an admirable example of open woodcarving, -about twenty feet high, resembled a huge triptych, containing three -recesses about ten feet from the ground. It was enclosed by a simple -wooden railing four feet high, and before it stood a small table, -whereon incense is burned, and at either end two others, with a wooden -fish and drumstick on each. The three recesses contained life-sized -figures, each with a gauze curtain in front. A beam projecting to the -front wall from either side supported two life-sized figures, and along -each side wall eighteen small figures were ranged on a platform, with -a vase and joss-sticks before each. The tsawbwa acted as cicerone, -and explained that the central figure was Chowlaing-lon, the king of -all nats, who had existed before Gaudama. The figures on either side -are called Coonsang, and act as his pawmines or agents, to execute -his orders; and the four standing figures are the rulers of the four -great islands or quarters of the globe, who keep a record of all the -actions of their subjects. After death each man is brought before -Chowlaing-lon, and by him consigned to the Coonsang, who, according -to the report given by the rulers, make them over to one or other of -the thirty-six nats representing the army of the Thagyameng, ranged in -order along the sides. One of these nats was represented with six arms, -armed respectively with a belt, bow, arrow, club, and dagger, while one -hand was empty as though ready to seize a victim. All the others were -in different attitudes, each holding some kind of weapon, and having -a long scarf-like band round his neck and shoulders, reaching to the -ground, to serve as wings, recalling to our minds the flying people -visited by Peter Wilkins. - -The lower or Shan khyoung consisted of two oblong buildings on -different levels. A grim-looking nat or Beloo guarded the door leading -into the temple, where sat three colossal Buddhas, the Past, Present, -and Future. On either side were two guardian figures, one mounted on -a pigmy elephant, and the other on a mongrel monster, half lion and -half tiger. At the feet of the Buddhas was a well executed figure of a -tortoise; while vases of incense and sweet-smelling flowers placed on -a table sent up their sweet odours to the calm impassive faces above -them. At each side of the building, sat a row of life-sized figures, -cleverly executed, and one especially, representing a shrivelled old -man, with his chin resting on his knees, and the flesh tints admirably -given, displayed real artistic power. In the lower temple, which -was open in front, the middle of the central wall was occupied by a -figure of Kwan-yin holding the child, and surrounded by a number of -small adoring figures sculptured in relief; above her head a parrot, -holding a rosary in its bill, was perched on a twig. On the other side -of the wall, so as to be back to back with the Chinese goddess, sat a -colossal Buddha flanked by two gigantic figures, one of which held a -rat. The tsawbwa declared that all these temples had been erected in -honour of Buddha; and he narrated the history of Kwan-yin, who was the -daughter of an ancient emperor of China, but, assuming the white robe -of a rahanee, spent her days in a forest, devoted to pious meditation. -The mixture of ancient polytheism and Buddhism in the story was an -apt illustration of the confused form of religion represented in the -shrines. - -Our visit was concluded by a sumptuous dinner at the tsawbwa’s house, -the great point of etiquette apparently being to leave no part of -the table unoccupied by dishes, save a margin for the guests to use -their chopsticks. After dinner the tsawbwa introduced the subject of -religion, and was much surprised at our not believing the doctrine of -successive existences. Speaking of Gaudama, he distinguished him from -Buddha, and was anxious to learn from us in what country he, Gaudama, -was at present living. - -The Buddhism of the Shans is, as has been already noticed, marked -by great laxity among the phoongyees, and the most active religious -feelings among the people belong to the belief in and worship of nats. -During our stay, on the 13th of August, the fire festival of the Shans -was celebrated, and about twenty bullocks and cows were slaughtered -in the market-place; the meat was all speedily sold, part of it being -cooked and eaten, while the remainder was fired out of guns at sundown, -the pieces which happened to fall on the land being supposed to become -mosquitoes, and those in the water leeches. Immediately after sunset -the tsawbwa’s retainers began to beat gongs and blow long brass -trumpets; after dark, torches were lit, and a party, preceded by the -musicians, searched the central court for the fire nat, who is supposed -to lurk about at this season with evil intent. They then prosecuted -their search in all the apartments and the garden, throwing the light -of the torches into every nook and corner where the evil spirit might -find a hiding-place. Three other festivals are annually devoted to the -nats of rain, wind, and cold. - -The eclipse of the sun which happened on the 18th of August, commencing -at 9.5 A.M., had been predicted by us at various places, and here also. -The diminution of light was, as the Shans admitted, not sufficient -to have called their attention to it, unless forewarned. The tsawbwa -showed his usual intelligence by being able to use the telescope. As -soon as he had satisfied himself that the eclipse had really commenced, -he ordered his saluting guns to be fired, and the long trumpets to be -blown, while, at his earnest request, we were obliged to order out the -police guard to fire two volleys; all this was to terrify some monster -that was threatening to devour the sun. The chief, however, listened -attentively to our endeavour to explain the natural causes of the -phenomenon, and even imparted them to the excited crowd which flocked -eagerly about us. - -Some of the khyoungs in the valley were altogether sacred to the -Chinese deities Kwan-yin and Showfoo, the Prah, or god of the Yunnan -Chinese, with various evil nats and famous teachers, such as Tamo, to -the utter exclusion of any trace of the Buddhistic creed. - -At a dilapidated little temple close to Hotha, dedicated to certain -nats, the entrance was guarded by two horses, each with a horseman -standing at its head. Similar figures of horses, tended by a man in -Tartar costume, occurred in the khyoung at Muangla, and the reader may -remember that the Manwyne women paid daily offerings of rice to the -horse’s image in the khyoung at that town. The fact that the Shans are -a race of horse-breeders and horsemen may account for the preservation -of this curious relic of their pristine religion, along with the -primæval propitiation of the dangerous nats, or powers of earth, air, -and water. - -The principal Buddhist khyoung of the valley, situated in the pretty -walled village of Tsendong, is perfectly free from any admixture of -their older superstitions. The tsawbwa, who acted as our cicerone, -seemed very proud of the temple, which was declared to be very old. -It is built on a low stone platform, surrounded by a narrow terraced -verandah, the whole of the outside being roughly but skilfully -carved. It contained richly gilt book cabinets, and elaborately -carved altar-pieces, and might have been transported entire from the -Burmese plains. The remains of an old and venerated phoongyee, who -had died two months previously, lay in state under a double-roofed -temporary pavilion, close to the khyoung. The sarcophagus, supported -on two dragons, was a handsome structure, surmounted by a richly -carved miniature pagoda. The ground had been levelled, and was kept -scrupulously clean, and the whole enclosure carefully railed off. -On a neighbouring terrace stood an octagonal zayat, enclosing a -small pagoda. It was built almost entirely of wood, with five roofs, -diminishing in size upwards, and capped by a golden htee. A series of -open windows of carved wood-work ran round the building, and over each -were two beautifully carved panels, representing a single object, as -a bird, deer, plant, or bat. Each roof was raised on three projecting -bearers, terminating in grotesquely carved heads. The enclosed pagoda -was a square structure, with a delicately tapered spire reaching to -the interior of the highest roof. - -The presence of these purely Burmese buildings in the Hotha valley, -while pagodas are altogether wanting in the valley of the Tapeng, is -probably due to the vicinity of the ancient embassy route, but in 1769 -the Burmese appealed to the existence of pagodas in this valley as a -proof of their ancient right to include it within their boundaries. - -The heavy rains which continued during our stay at Hotha delayed our -progress, and at the same time prevented more complete explorations of -the neighbourhood. - -As already mentioned, we were to proceed over the Kakhyen hills, at -the western end of the valley, the plan of crossing into Muangwan -being impracticable, so far as we were concerned, although a Burmese -surveyor was detached to examine the route. As before stated, we were -debarred from even visiting the southern heights, but Mr. Gordon and I -made an excursion to the eastern head of the valley, where it is closed -in by a transverse ridge connecting the two ranges. A good road led -to the ridge, which was crossed by a narrow track, the highest point -not being more than four hundred feet above Hotha. A steep declivity -led down into another valley, probably branching off from Muangwan. -To the east-north-east, another valley could be descried, leading in -the direction of Nantin, which lies one thousand one hundred feet -lower. Through the mist and heavy rain, glimpses of high hills were -dimly seen on every side, and we concluded that the Hotha valley, as a -thoroughfare to Momien via Nantin, would present more difficult heights -to be surmounted than the valley of the Tapeng. - -We learned that from Old Hotha a road led to Muangla, reaching the -Sanda valley by a gorge of lower elevation and more gradual descent -on the northern slope than the route by which we had climbed up and -scrambled down in our passage from Manwyne. Even an excursion, however, -beyond the limits of the Hotha valley was rendered impossible by the -presence of Li-sieh-tai and his force in Shuemuelong. We accordingly -addressed ourselves to quit the pleasant quarters at Hotha, and recross -the Kakhyen hills to the Burmese plain, all the chiefs of the hill -tribes along the route having attended in person or by deputy at a -meeting on August 22nd, when satisfactory arrangements had been made -for our transit. - -[38] _Analysis by Dr. Macnamara._ - -One gallon contains:-- - - 49·7 grains of solid matter; - 3·6 ” salts of alkalies, chloride of sodium; - 19·7 ” silica, earthy salts, and oxide of iron; - Traces of sulphuric, carbonic, and phosphoric acids; - No nitric acid. - -[39] _Thaï-neua_ is applied to the northern Shans. ‘Voyage -d’Exploration,’ p. 409. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -FROM HOTHA TO BHAMÔ. - - Adieu!--Latha--Namboke--The southern hills--Muangwye--Loaylone--The - Chinese frontier--Mattin--Hoetone--View of the Irawady plain--A - slippery descent--The Namthabet--The Sawady route--A solemn - sacrifice--A retrospective survey. - - -On the 27th of August we bade adieu to our friends at Hotha, the wife -and daughters of the chief coming out to “see us off”; while their -tears, and reiterated requests that we would soon come again, might -have been called forth by the departure of some near relatives or very -dear friends. We offered to shake hands, “English fashion,” which the -eldest daughter declined, as it was contrary to Shan etiquette, but the -young wife of the chief mustered up courage to defy public opinion. -The saluting guns were fired, and we started amidst the good wishes -of a large crowd. The tsawbwa rode with us as far as the boundary of -his domains; and all along the route his people turned out with many -demonstrations of goodwill to the departing strangers. On the borders -of Latha, our friend took leave of us with evident regret, and handed -us over to the care of the Kakhyen chief of Namboke. - -The Latha district is naturally even more picturesque than that of -Hotha. The hills are nearer, and the glen, as it might be called, is -more thickly wooded. The town of Latha, which we passed near at hand, -though separated from the road by the Namsa river, appeared to be the -largest and most populous in the whole valley. We were precluded from -visiting it by the unwillingness of the old chieftain to receive the -foreigners. A present and polite messages were, however, sent by our -leader _en passant_, and a return present and complimentary message, -personally dictated by the chief, were brought back by our messengers. -The message attributed his inability to receive us to the prejudices -of some of his subjects. He promised that, whenever we should come -again, he and his people would be prepared to welcome our presence. His -subjects seemed to be no less thriving than those in the other section. -All along the route, many-roofed khyoungs, rising above the rich -greenery, marked the whereabouts of villages, and pagodas of a very -striking type covered the rounded hills and thickly wooded knolls. - -We crossed the Namsa by a long wooden bridge, and soon found ourselves -involved in a perfect maze of little conical grassy hills, which -blocked up the western end of the valley. The road turned to the left -from the narrow glen of the Namsa, and gradually ascended, following -the course of the Namboke stream, and, crossing a number of small -hills, attained the summit of the first spur of the easterly barrier -of the valley. From this point to Namboke, the road wound over a -succession of spurs, till the village was reached, lying among a group -of little wooded hills formed by the junction of spurs of the secondary -Hotha range with the great southern barrier of the Tapeng valley, which -here unite. After a march of fourteen miles, performed in five hours, -we arrived at 5 P.M. in a downpour of rain, which did not make the -roofless shed provided as quarters at all inviting. The tsawbwa then -conducted us to his house, where we alighted under a salute of three -guns, and were accommodated partly in the strangers’ hall and partly in -the portico, which latter proved populous with enemies to sleep. The -urgent hospitality of the Namboke chief compelled us to gratify him by -a day’s halt; and it was only by dogged determination that our leader -succeeded in effecting a start at midday on the 29th. - -From Namboke we descended into a deep hollow, and thence gradually -ascended to the ridge of the main range bordering the Tapeng gorge, -along which we travelled to Ashan, eight miles distant, where we put up -for the night in Kakhyen houses. The footpath which did duty for road -had been recently cleared of jungle by the Kakhyens, the fresh marks of -whose dahs were visible on either side, as we wound through magnificent -virgin forest. From occasional points of vantage on open hill brows, -we looked down on a sea of foliage, unbroken by any clearing or sign of -human habitation. From the summit level of the ridge, we looked to the -right across the valley of the Tapeng, and saw Ponsee lying, a little -speck, on the opposite slope, halfway between the Tapeng and the summit -of the lofty Shitee-doung, also called Shitee Meru, as if after the -Sacred Hill. The territory of Ponsee extends from this summit to that -of Kad-doung, which rose behind us, so that Ashan with its dozen houses -lies within the Ponsee borders. Below us, to the left, two narrow deep -valleys ran east and west, separated by a low ridge, the termination -of the southern boundary of Hotha, which speedily lost itself in the -bewildering maze which results from the division and commingling of -the great spurs of the main lines of upheaval of these mountains. In -every direction, as far as the eye could reach, extended a sea of -hills, some rising in great dome-shaped masses six thousand feet above -the sea, clothed to their summits with dense forest, unbroken by any -cultivation. The greater number of the lesser hills had been evidently -cleared, and their abrupt slopes seemed, as it were, fashioned into -huge flights of broad steps, the terraces for the rice and maize crops, -while by the aid of a good field-glass little Kakhyen villages could be -detected dotting the slopes. - -We left Ashan in heavy rain, and commenced to descend in a southerly -direction. The path led along the crest of a spur running down to a -village. The ponies and mules could not keep their feet on the wet, -slippery paths, and kept sliding down on their hindquarters. As steep -declivities bordered the path, the descent was not without risk, and -a pedestrian could only keep his footing by catching hold of the long -grass, and so lowering himself down. - -Having crossed the Namkhong, swollen by the rains into a tempestuous -stream, which taxed the uttermost strength of the ponies, the path -lay over a wet and muddy alluvial flat into another valley and across -another torrent. We then made a very steep ascent up the mountain side, -passing the village of Lasee, perched on a lofty rounded peak. From the -height we gained a full view of the ranges to the southwards, running -nearly parallel to each other, east-north-east and west-south-west, -with intervening valleys, much broken up by spurs. A descent of a few -hundred feet brought us to the village of Muangwye, on the southern -slope of a hill covered with trees and enormous granite boulders. - -Our halt here was a device of the local tsawbwa, who was anxious to -have the honour of entertaining us. The other chiefs had gone on to -Loaylone with the baggage and commissariat, expecting us to proceed -to that village as our resting-place for the night. The chief did his -best to reconcile us to his hospitable _ruse_ by a hearty welcome and -liberal supplies of sheroo and samshu. - -The usual and direct route from Ashan to Hoetone, the last Kakhyen -village before descending to the plain, only occupies one good day’s -march; but the anxiety of the respective chiefs to entertain us caused -them to lead us from village to village, and make three marches instead -of one; and as the rain was almost incessant, and the path up and down -the hillsides slippery in the extreme, we found Kakhyen regard almost -as embarrassing as the former hostility. - -The next day we crossed the Muangkah stream, about fifteen feet across, -and flowing in a deep nullah, which is the boundary line between the -Lakhone and Cowlee Kakhyens, into whose borders we now entered. The -glen was very narrow, but the rich black soil very fertile, judging -from the appearance of the small rice fields. The only bridge was a -felled tree, less than a foot broad, with a ricketty bamboo tied on as -a handrail, along which we scrambled, almost envying the animals, which -swam across. Ascending another ridge, we passed the remains of the old -Chinese frontier fort, commanding this route, as a custom-house, as -that above the Nampoung commands the Ponsee road. A hundred feet below, -the village of Loaylone occupied a steep slope, stretching out in an -amphitheatre. This was the largest and most thriving Kakhyen village -we had yet seen, and the chief’s house presented the unusual feature -of a high bamboo fence enclosing it. The chief was bountiful in his -supplies of fowls and sheroo; and in the evening his younger brother, -the tsawbwa of Mattin, paid us a visit, and proved to be the most -polished and intelligent Kakhyen we had met, his manners and style -being fully equal to those of any Burmese or Shan gentleman. His dress -was a mixture of Shan and Chinese, but his hair was arranged in Burmese -fashion. He proved to be perfectly acquainted with Burmese and Chinese, -and held a long conversation on the advantages of re-establishing -trade, in which he professed the utmost readiness to co-operate. He was -very anxious that we should become his guests at Mattin for several -days; and, after exhausting the pleas of the ill-health of some of the -party, the rains, &c., we were obliged to urge that delays on the way -would prejudice the minds of our rulers against the embassy route. It -was necessary to remain a day at Loaylone, as, according to custom, -the mules and porters had to be paid off here, and replaced by others -belonging to the Cowlee Kakhyens. The ordinary central route to Momien -is said to be from this place to Muangwan, a view of which valley can -be gained from the Chinese fort of Loaylone, whence the road leads to -Nantin, avoiding the Hotha valley. There was, of course, some trouble -with the muleteers, who invariably put forth extortionate demands, only -to be met by firm refusal. At the very moment of our departure, two of -the Namboke pawmines laid an embargo on a mule-load of luggage as a -pawn for payment for some rice, which they had already received. - -The direct road to Hoetone is only six miles by a comparatively level -route along the paddy fields, but the necessity of accepting Mattin’s -invitation lengthened our march to fifteen miles, involving the ascent -of one of the highest ranges. In a glen below Loaylone we met a caravan -of mules from Bhamô laden with cotton and salt. From this point steep -ascents over a succession of spurs, and descents into shallow valleys, -brought us to the summit of the main ridge at an elevation of five -thousand feet. Close to our left, and five or six hundred feet higher, -rose the high dome-shaped hill which we had sighted from Ashan. To the -south-east and south rose a few still higher peaks, but none apparently -exceeding an elevation of six thousand feet. The summit of this ridge -was covered with fine turf and a few trees, and strewn with enormous -granite boulders, under the shelter of which were built the houses of a -small village named Loayline. - -From this point we began to descend the main mass of the Kakhyen hills, -and soon arrived at the village of Mattin, situated on the ridge of a -spur. A salute of three guns and a musical clash of gongs and cymbals -announced our arrival, and we were ushered up a broad flight of stone -steps leading to a Chinese gateway in a substantial brick and stone -wall. Within this stood the chief’s house, of Kakhyen design, but, by -its construction and rich ornaments of carving, deserving the name of -a Kakhyen palace. After being duly presented to the chief’s family, -and admired by an enthusiastic crowd of his subjects, who, be it said, -were vastly superior both in their appearance and dress to their -compatriots of the northern hills, we were conducted into a small -external pavilion, and refreshed ourselves in privacy. - -From Mattin a descent of two miles brought us to Hoetone, situated on -a flattened depression of the same spur, strewn with huge gneiss and -granite boulders. In front of the tsawbwa’s house three flat blocks of -stone, about three feet high, were fixed in the ground in line, which -were described as the altar whereon buffaloes were offered to the -nats. We had observed similar stones in a grove outside the village, -which the numerous skulls strewn about showed to have been the scene -of numerous offerings. In this place there was also a circular wall, -three feet high, with one of the standing stones built into it, and -the ground covered with the decaying skulls of sacrificed buffaloes. -The next morning we were visited first by the aged tsawbwa of Hoetone, -accompanied by his wives, children, and grandchildren, all in their -best attire, and laden with the usual presents of fowls, vegetables, -cooked rice, and sheroo. The next to appear were the tsawbwas of -Kadaw and Sakhiy, dressed in ancient black satin jackets, with their -womankind attired _à la_ Kakhyen, but decorated with a profusion of -Shan silver ornaments. The sub-chief who had followed us to Momien, and -died there of small-pox, was a son of Kadaw, and although he had come -to Momien of his own accord, Sladen considered it just to promise to -the old father that, when at Bhamô, he would consult with the other -chiefs as to compensation for his son’s death. With this assurance the -father departed well pleased; but a younger brother of the deceased -thought fit to bully and demand instant payment, and enlisted a few -of the muleteers on his side. The usual Kakhyen wrangle and bluster -ensued, but being met with firm expostulation, according to custom, -ended in nothing; but our departure had been thereby delayed till -midday, when we gladly recommenced our descent to the plains. - -In dry weather it is usual to travel from Hoetone to Bhamô by Momouk, -across the plain, on the left bank of the Tapeng; but the low grounds -being now under water, it was necessary to proceed to the Tapeng below -its exit from the hills, and descend it in boats to Bhamô. A short -distance below Hoetone, we came to a division in the road, and a -discussion ensued with the Mantai tsawbwa, who was acting as guide to -the advance party of the cavalcade, as to the proper path to follow. -One road, along the spur which we had descended, appeared evidently -to be the direct route, as the other turned off to the left down a -deep hollow, towards another spur to the southward. This, the tsawbwa -insisted, was as good and as short as the other, and we perforce -followed him. From the brow of the spur a noble panorama of the -extensive plain of the Irawady burst upon our view. - -The great river, now swollen to its fullest width, wound like a broad -band of silver through the plain, and our followers literally jumped -and shouted with joy at the prospect, realising the speedy termination -of their six months’ wanderings. Those of our party whose dignity -forbade such demonstrations rejoiced no less in spirit; for even this -grand hill scenery becomes wearisome when one has to scramble up the -steep mountain paths and slide down the counter slope in torrents -of rain. We could not grumble at the slight detour which the Mantai -chief had imposed upon us, for the whole population of his village was -eagerly awaiting our arrival, and saluted us with five guns. In his -house, which was enclosed with a bamboo palisade, mats were spread for -us, and his wife and daughters, two almost handsome maidens, vied with -each other in demonstrations of welcome and proffers of very excellent -sheroo. Leaving them highly delighted with a few bright silver coins -and compliments, we remounted, and began a slippery descent through -bamboo jungle, in which there was a fair chance of being impaled on the -fallen stems, as the ponies slid down on their haunches, utterly unable -to change their course. Having at least reached four thousand feet -below Hoetone, we had to cross at the bottom a roaring mountain torrent -by a newly constructed bridge. A large boulder lay in midstream, and -two large bamboos were placed from it to the banks on either side, with -smaller cross pieces to keep all secure; this primitive and rickety -bridge, about eighteen inches wide, sloped down to the stone, and -then rose up at a steep incline to the other bank. It was a perilous -path for man and beast, for to lose one’s balance meant being swept -down by the resistless current into the Tapeng. The level ground on -either side of the stream was closed in by high hills, which echoed -with the roar of the latter river; but the high grass which covered -the alluvial flat hid it from us, until, having crossed a low spur, we -came upon the banks of the foaming yellow flood, rushing down to the -plains in a magnificent torrent. About two miles further, we left the -Tapeng, and turned to the south-west, and, crossing a low spur, came -upon the right bank of a moderate-sized, deep-flowing stream, with a -very strong current, called Namthabet, which flows into the Tapeng, at -its exit from the hills. This stream had to be crossed by a raft, which -two Kakhyens had been sent from Hoetone to construct, but they had only -completed half their task when we arrived. We were therefore compelled -to bivouac, and all hands set to work to construct the small bamboo -huts thatched with grass, which the Burmese call _tai_. The night was -fine, but the sandflies proved utter foes to sleep, defying mosquito -curtains; and the morning brought a tremendous thunderstorm, followed -by torrents of rain, as if the hill nats wished to give us a farewell -benefit. - -As soon as the raft was completed, the jemadar and a number of -Burmans embarked, furnished with long bamboos to pole it across; but -the current swept it down stream, and it was only saved by the men -jumping into the water and pushing it to bank, where all held on by the -overhanging branches. The Kakhyen method of stretching a rope across -the stream was next resorted to, and under the experienced direction -of Captain Bowers a strong rope of the outer layer of the bamboo was -speedily improvised. This attempt also failed, for the rope broke in -two when the raft was in midstream, but the men kept firm hold, and -hauled themselves to the opposite bank. At last we succeeded, by means -of two ropes, in ferrying all the party across, drenched to the skin by -the rain and river water. On the left bank we were met by the choung-sa -of Tsitgna with an escort, sent to accompany us to Nampoung, on the -Tapeng. Before us lay a line of low hills, running nearly north and -south, dividing the valley of the Namthabet from the Burmese plain, -into which they fade gradually by long undulations. Their eastern face -is covered almost exclusively with bamboos, but the western slope is -thickly wooded with numerous species of forest trees, until the plain -is reached, when eng trees and tall elephant grass take their place. On -arriving at the Tapeng, after a march of five miles, we found two large -boats in readiness, one of them nicely carpeted, and carrying a band -of musicians beating gongs and tomtoms. All our party, including the -Kakhyen chiefs who had accompanied us, being embarked, we were towed by -two war-boats, each manned by thirty men, across the broad and quickly -flowing Tapeng, to the village of Tsitgna, where we were conducted -by the Woon’s private secretary to a small pavilion, comfortably -arranged for our reception. The Burmese officials were most attentive; -gratuitous supplies of eatables were brought in abundance, and even the -Kakhyen chiefs and their followers were supplied with all they needed. - -On the 5th of September we settled the hire of the mules and porters -without the slightest disagreement, all the baggage having been safely -delivered, without the loss of a single article between Hotha and -Tsitgna. Even the load of the mule detained at Loaylone, which had been -divided into bundles for two porters, arrived safe, and, to the honour -of the Kakhyens be it said, without so much as even an opened bottle of -brandy being tampered with. - -The next morning we embarked on boats constructed of two canoes, -carrying a platform and a canopy or roof of leaves overhead, and -glided down the broad deep Tapeng, which this season is one thousand -five hundred feet wide, and deep enough for an ordinary river steamer, -as far as the hills. On the way down, we looked back for a parting -glance at the Kakhyen hills. On either side of the river rose the two -lofty peaks, the Shitee-doung on the north and the Kad-doung on the -south, seeming to stand like sentinels, to guard the routes to China, -and in a very literal sense, for the old Chinese forts and frontier -custom-houses occupied strong positions on either mountain, and the -boundary line of the Flowery Kingdom is almost defined by these -heights. Near the mouth of the river we were met by the tsare-daw-gyee -with two war-boats, which towed us to Bhamô, where we landed at 2.30 in -the afternoon of September 5th, having left it on the 26th of February. - -The Burmese surveyor who had been despatched from Hotha to examine the -route to Sawady had arrived at Bhamô on the 26th of August, having -accomplished his journey in ten days. He had travelled in the disguise -of a Shan, accompanied by a guide recommended by the Hotha chief, and -our own Kakhyen interpreter. Carrying no instruments except an aneroid -for measuring the heights, he had performed his task of observations -very satisfactorily. From Hotha he had crossed the intervening ridge, -seven hundred feet above the Muangtha valley, into the much larger -valley of Muangwan, lying at about the same level as that of Nantin. -This Chinese Shan state was governed by the grandmother of the youthful -tsawbwa, acting as regent during his minority. She and her headmen -agreed in promising safe conduct to all English traders adopting that -route. A constant stream of mules and pack bullocks was described as -passing from Sawady to Muangwan, whence they proceeded either to Nantin -or to Muangkun. The route was clear of all obstructions, and smooth -and even throughout. Two Kakhyen districts were passed through, named -Bhagon and Phonkan, in the latter of which the highest elevation -occurs. Both agreed to maintain the old Chinese tariff of one rupee for -mules and eight annas for bullocks, and the Phonkan chief expressed his -wish that English traders would adopt this route, and guaranteed their -safety. - -Our old quarters in the town of Bhamô had been thoroughly repaired, -and were ready to receive us, while the tsawbwas, who had accompanied -us, to the number of thirty-one, all of whom ruled districts adjacent -to the central route, were housed by the Burmese in zayats outside the -stockade. The object of their attendance was to take part in a solemn -sacrifice according to their custom, and to enter into an engagement -ratified by the most binding oath, that they would afford safe conduct -and protection to all traders and travellers who might hereafter cross -their hills between Bhamô and the Shan states. The ceremony took place -on the 13th, after sundry open objections and hidden obstacles raised -by the Burmese, who, no doubt, were at first rather puzzled by the -transaction, but, after clear explanations by Major Sladen, raised -no further difficulty. A species of scaffold was erected, consisting -of strong posts sunk into the ground, with cross pieces, to which -the victim, a buffalo, was bound. An altar was reared twenty feet in -height, with a square platform of bamboos, on which the offering was -placed. Before the sacrifice, and again before the offering was made, -the nats or deities were duly invoked in a solemnly chanted prayer. -The buffalo was firmly bound by its horns to the scaffold, and then -thrown on one side, so that the whole weight of the body bore on the -partially twisted neck. A Kakhyen rushed forward, in one hand holding a -plantain leaf cup full of water, and brandishing his dah in the other. -Simultaneously the water was thrown over the victim, and the fatal blow -delivered in the neck with a force and effect as fatal as the stab of -the matador. The carcase was at once cut up, the blood being received -in a large vessel, while the entrails were laid as offerings to the -nats on the elevated altar. With the blood a quantity of samshu was -mixed, and stirred up with the points of dahs and spears, and each -chief in turn drank from the bowl, and uttered his vow of fidelity to -the common cause. Such was the rite that the three chiefs had joined in -at Ponsee when leagued for our destruction, and now thirty-one chiefs -bound themselves solemnly to maintain peace and give protection to -future travellers through their borders. This was the concluding act -which terminated our expedition, and it may be permitted to us to look -back with satisfaction to the fact, that of the whole party which set -out of Bhamô, with the exception of one sepoy and a native collector, -who succumbed to disease, all returned in safety. The natives of the -Kakhyen hills and of the Shan valleys had learned to regard their -at first suspected or dreaded visitors as friends and benefactors; -and if the advance had been slow, and in the opinion of some costly, -the return had been easily accomplished, and not without a wealth of -“golden opinions” won from the various chiefs with whom Englishmen for -the first time had been brought in successive relations. - - * * * * * - -It is scarcely within the scope of this volume to review the political -aspect of the work performed, but it is impossible to refrain from some -comments. The term failure has been freely applied to the outcome of -this expedition, and the conduct of the leader has been, only recently, -most harshly criticised. Considering that his instructions, as received -from the Chief Commissioner of British Burma, were to investigate -thoroughly the causes of the cessation of trade, to discover the exact -political position of the Kakhyens, the Shans, and the Panthays, and to -influence these communities in favour of the restoration of commerce, -it can hardly be alleged that the prescribed objects were not fully -attained. While it had been considered by the superior authorities -desirable to advance to Yung-chang, or, if possible, to Tali-fu, the -leader had been strictly enjoined not to risk the safety of the members -of the mission. From Bhamô he had to feel his way, contending against -intrigues on the part of the Kakhyens and misunderstanding on the part -of the Shans, fomented by the misrepresentations of the jealous Chinese -merchants at Bhamô. The country to be traversed was unknown, and in an -abnormal state of confusion. Where Burma ended, and China commenced, -was a problem, for the ancient frontier lines had been temporarily -obliterated, the authority of the mandarins had receded into the -interior of Yunnan, and that of the usurping Mahommedan rulers was -only partially felt to the westward of Momien. Not till that town was -reached could the desired information be obtained, or the true relation -of the intervening valley states to Burma or China be discerned. Not a -step forwards had been taken without securing beforehand the consent, -and, as it proved, the welcome, of the various rulers, subordinate -or supreme; and care was especially taken to disown any political -partisanship, and to proclaim to all that our object was to explore in -the interests of commerce. - -When, after a short stay at Momien, it became evident that further -progress was at once dangerous and in the existing state of things -liable to embroil us with Chinese constituted authorities, a return was -resolved on, and only retarded by uncontrollable circumstances. To have -obeyed orders, and in various and trying positions to have manifested -a patient endurance in order to reach the farthest possible goal, and -return thence with the wished for information, and thus prepare the -way for future travellers, may not be accounted brilliant exploits; -but these are the arduous duties of a careful scout and a successful -pioneer. The reader can form his own opinion as to whether these were -not worthily performed by Major Sladen. - -Those who shared his journeyings, though not his responsibilities, and -witnessed his cautious and resolute bearing under novel and perplexing -conditions, cannot but record their opinion that he deserves a larger -meed of praise than has been as yet accorded to his conduct of the -first English expedition to Yunnan. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -INTERMEDIATE EVENTS. - - Appointment of a British Resident at Bhamô--Increase of native - trade--Action of the king of Burma--Burmese quarrel with the - Seray chief--British relations with the Panthays--Struggle in - Yunnan--Li-sieh-tai--Imperialist successes--European gunners--Siege - of Momien--Fall of Yung-chang--Prince Hassan visits England--Fall - of Tali-fu--Sultan Suleiman’s death--Massacre of Panthays--Capture - of Momien--Escape of Tah-sa-kon--Capture of Woosaw--Suppression - of rebellion--Imperial proclamation--Li-sieh-tai, commissioner - of Shan states--Re-opening of trade routes--Second British - mission--Action of Sir T. Wade--Appointment of Mr. Margary--Members of - mission--Acquiescence of China and Burma. - - -The first active step taken by the Chief Commissioner of British Burma, -as a result of the expedition of 1868, was to recommend the appointment -of a British Resident at Bhamô. The various Shan and Kakhyen chiefs, as -well as the governor of Momien, had concurred in the opinion that such -an appointment would be beneficial to the future trade. - -By the 6th article of the treaty of 1867 it had been provided that -British steamers should be allowed to navigate the Burmese waters, that -British merchants should be permitted to reside at Bhamô, and, lastly, -that British agents might be appointed at all customs stations, such -as Bhamô and Menhla. The government of India, however, while approving -of the appointment of a British Resident at Bhamô, declined to pass -final or definite orders until the king’s sentiments should have -been ascertained, and a distinct assent given by him. His Majesty -had already, when the matter was mooted, declared that he would take -care that his officer, the Woon, should co-operate with the Resident; -but, according to the instructions given, that the plan should be -laid before him as one “requiring a clear understanding, and a full -approval on the part of his Majesty,” it was made the subject of a -special audience. The king expressly declared that the appointment of -a Resident at Bhamô had his full consent and approval; but he hoped -that “obstinate or intractable officers, guided solely by their own -opinion, without regard to advice or reason,” would not be sent. He -further desired that the new official might be presented to himself, -when he would introduce him to the Woon of Bhamô, in order to arrange -their mutual relations. The spirit in which the king entertained and -acquiesced in the proposal may be taken as an illustration of the -manner in which the king of Burma has shown himself disposed to deal -with the formidable power which holds the seaboard of his kingdom. -Fully alive, as he must have been, to the possible embarrassments that -might arise from his relations to England on the one hand, and to his -suzerain, the emperor of China, on the other, it cannot be said that he -has failed to carry out his treaty obligations to our government; and -when the misrepresentation of which he has been the subject is taken -into account, it will appear that the king of Burma has some right to -complain of the treatment he has received at the hands of the British -public. - -In March 1869, Captain Strover was gazetted as the first British -Resident at Bhamô, and in due course the British flag was hoisted at -that ancient entrepot of Indo-Chinese trade. It is almost needless -to remark that, as regards direct British commerce, no considerable -results followed. In 1872 it was reported that not a single consignment -belonging to British firms had arrived at Bhamô during the three -previous years. The native trade increased considerably, and the -Chinese merchants of Rangoon and Mandalay had despatched large -quantities of cotton and salt, and other commodities, as well as a -moderate supply of piece goods. In the spring of 1870, the arrivals -at Tsitkaw averaged eight hundred mules a month. During the two -following years caravans of one thousand beasts of burden are recorded -as arriving from the Chinese territories. The river-borne trade -increased so much that the agents for the Irawady Flotilla Company -found that the monthly steamer service to Bhamô was insufficient, -and besides the extra steamers placed on the line by them, the India -General Steam Navigation Company despatched steamers and heavily laden -flats. To quote a correspondent of the _Times_, “in four years the -steam navigation developed itself into an almost regular fortnightly -service, which, during the year ending October 1874, carried cargo to -the value of about £200,000 to and from Bhamô.” - -The king of Burma showed his anxiety to restore the trade of the Bhamô -route by erecting and garrisoning a line of guard-houses through the -Kakhyen hills, from the plain to the Nampoung, beyond which river, as -being the boundary line of China, Li-sieh-tai would not permit their -erection. - -In 1872, no less than one hundred and fifty thousand viss of royal -cotton were stored at Manwyne under the charge of the king’s agents -there resident, and it is expressly noted that, so far as the Burmese -are concerned, British goods could have been forwarded with perfect -security. The Mandalay Chinese, however, were deterred (1871) from -buying cotton for the Yunnan market by the information that the -imperialist officers had laid an embargo on the caravans, to prevent -them from supplying the Panthays with provisions. The caravans were -not infrequently attacked by dacoits, especially near Nantin, and the -Kakhyen chief of Seray was accused by the Burmese of having intercepted -royal presents on their way to China. The tsare-daw-gyee of Bhamô, -by way of reprisal, seized thirty mules belonging to the Seray chief, -whence arose a feud, which was not forgotten at the period of the -second expedition. At this time, it resulted in the messengers sent by -the Resident to the governor of Momien being warned by the Seray chief -not to travel that road, as it was unsafe for any Burmese. - -It was a necessary, but regretable, consequence of the reception given -to the first expedition by the governor of Momien that he maintained -friendly relations with successive Residents. It appeared desirable, -with a view to maintain the security of the trade route, to keep on -friendly, though strictly neutral, terms with the holders of the -commanding position of Momien. It is, doubtless, easy to look back, and -be wise after the event; but, rightly or wrongly, the intercourse once -begun could not be well abandoned; at all events, it was judged prudent -to maintain it. It certainly created in the minds of the Chinese at -Bhamô a distinct impression that the interests of their possible -commercial rivals and of their actual political foes were identified. -The Kakhyen chiefs of the southern route even complained that since -they and the Shans had become friends of the English the Bhamô Chinese -were no longer amicably disposed towards them. The presents sent by -the Residents from time to time were, doubtless, magnified by the -popular imagination, and neither side found it easy to believe that the -sole object was the assurance of safe and commodious transit. Thus at -least it may be conjectured from the study of the course of subsequent -events, as well as from the manifestations of feeling on the part of -both Panthays and Chinese. - -The conflicting accounts and reports which were brought in, and -which enable us in some degree to trace the progress of events in -Yunnan, which led to the complete overthrow of the Mahommedan power, -all combined to show that, from the time of our visit to Momien, the -Chinese government would seem to have aroused itself to the necessity -of recovering the almost lost province. Whatever the real strength -of the Mahommedans may have been in 1868, it is certain that they -had gradually lost ground in 1869. The various reports furnished -were too contradictory, and, in truth, both the governor of Momien -and the Chinese were too much given to exaggeration to furnish any -trustworthy data. In 1870, as was well ascertained, Li-sieh-tai was the -acknowledged leader of the imperialist Chinese troops in the Momien -district, and had invested Momien, but had suffered a defeat, and -been obliged to retreat into the Shitee-doung range of hills. He soon -recruited his forces, and levied contributions from the Shans, and also -from the Chinese merchants both of Bhamô and Mandalay. The latter were -not moved by patriotism, but by the national feelings of affection for -their kindred, and respect for their ancestral graves in Yunnan. - -Towards the end of that year, Momien had been again invested by the -Chinese, but a Panthay force from the north had succeeded in throwing -reinforcements into the city, notwithstanding which, entrenchments -were subsequently thrown up by the Chinese troops, who, under Li and -Li-quang-fang and another officer, pressed the place hard, but to no -purpose. The imperialists seem to have poured troops into the province, -and a proclamation signed by Li was posted in Bhamô, announcing that -ten thousand troops had surrounded Yung-chang. In the beginning -of 1871, the northern districts, which had been the cradle of the -rebellion, were held firmly by the Mahommedans, and the city of Tali-fu -was reported by two natives of India, who came to Bhamô, to have been -free two months before from the presence of imperialist troops. The -Mahommedan troops then were in great force, and had been despatched to -the relief of the threatened cities of Yung-chang and Shin-tin. The -imperialist troops were then attacking Yeynan-sin, to the north-east -of Tali-fu, and as they had cannon directed by three European gunners, -the Mahommedans, though fighting with their usual bravery, suffered -great losses, and could scarcely make head against them. Thus there -were three lines of attack, one army assailing Yung-chang and the -neighbouring cities south of the line between Momien and Tali; the -main force advancing on the holy city itself, and Li-sieh-tai with -his troops pressing the siege of Momien, where the governor doggedly -held out, though reported to have been severely wounded, and kept up -constant communication with the Residency at Bhamô. By the end of -1871, Yung-chang had been taken by the Chinese, and Tali-fu was said -to be closely invested. Around Momien constant fighting continued -with varied success, one Chinese leader having been killed and his -troops defeated; but the Mahommedans were bravely fighting a hopeless -battle against overwhelming numbers, and the more faint-hearted among -them were advising surrender, or meditating treachery. The Sultan -Suleiman resolved on sending his son and heir, Hassan, to solicit the -aid or interference of the British government, in order to avert the -threatened overthrow of his power, or secure tolerable terms of peace. -The young prince, as he may be called, made his way in disguise, with -a few attendants, to Rangoon, and thence proceeded to London, where he -arrived in the spring of 1872. It is needless to say that his errand -was bootless; but he was treated as a private guest of the government, -and remained for some time in this country. On his return he was -accompanied by Mr. Cooper, who was appointed in England to conduct him -to the frontier of our territory. The prince had himself proposed that -thence this well-known traveller should proceed with him to Tali-fu, -and thus accomplish the object of his former venturous journey. _En -route_ they visited Constantinople, where the Sultan received the -prince as a distinguished guest, and finally arrived at Rangoon. Here -they received the intelligence of the capture of Tali-fu, the death -of Suleiman, and the utter destruction of the Mahommedan power. This -necessarily put a stop to their further journey, and the unhappy Hassan -set out on a pilgrimage to Mecca. - -During his absence in Europe, the Chinese generals had put forth all -their power to capture the head-quarters of the rebels. For some -months the natural strength of the position of Tali-fu, to which all -the Mahommedans of the surrounding country had retired before the -advancing Chinese armies, defied its assailants. Abundant provisions -were stored in the granaries; and the garrison, said to number thirty -or forty thousand Mahommedans, were determined to resist to the last. -The chief minister of the Sultan was entrusted with the command of -Shagwan, as the Burmese call the fort of Hia-kwang or Hsia-kwan, and -he was bribed to admit the Chinese forces and surrender to them the -granaries. The artillery of the Chinese, directed, as already stated, -by European gunners, rendered it impossible for the sultan to cope with -them in the field; but he held out within the walls of the city till -provisions failed, and approaching famine compelled him to enter into -negotiations. He was led to believe that, if he surrendered himself, -his people would be spared, and willingly agreed to sacrifice his own -life to save those of his followers. Knowing the fate which awaited -himself and his family, he administered poison to his three wives and -five children, and, having taken a fatal dose himself, proceeded in his -chair to the Chinese general’s quarters, but died on the road. His head -was cut off, and, preserved in honey, was forwarded to Pekin, and it is -said that his three youngest sons were sent as prisoners. The Chinese -general then demanded that the Mahommedans should surrender all their -arms and ammunition, which was done. The officers were then required -to repair to the Chinese head-quarters to pay their respects to the -general. Forty-one obeyed the summons, and on entering his presence -were at once seized and beheaded. Orders were then issued for a general -massacre of the disarmed and leaderless garrison, and an indiscriminate -slaughter of thousands of men, women, and children, completed the -conquest of Tali-fu. Thence the army marched to Chun-ning-fu and -Yin-chaw, which towns were successively captured, no quarter being -given to any of the Mahommedans. - -Another version of the fall of Tali-fu narrates that the Mahommedans -invited the Chinese to a conference at one of the gates, having -previously mined the ground. The Chinese came in force, but, struck -with a sudden suspicion of doubt, retreated just before the explosion -of the mine, which destroyed the gate and part of the wall. The -Chinese then returned and stormed the city, but the citadel was too -strong for them, and held out till surrendered as above described. The -Mahommedans claimed in their version to have been successful in their -stratagem, and to have destroyed great numbers of the enemy, of whom -many panic-stricken rushed into the lake, and perished there. The fort -or position of Hsia-kwan was stated by the Chinese to have been stormed -by a night attack, headed by the Tartar general in person, who led the -way over rocky heights supposed to be inaccessible. At all events, it -is certain that Tali-fu fell in August 1872, and on the New Year of -1873 the governor-general of Yunnan sent forward letters to the king -of Burma announcing the fact, and requesting the king to assist in the -reopening of trade, as the rebellion was at an end; but, to use the -words of Sir Thomas Wade, “the rebellion died hard,” for Momien and -Woosaw still held out. - -The governor of the former place had been visited by a high Panthay -official, who was secretly a traitor to the cause, and advised -surrender; whereupon the governor invited him into his Yamen, and -promptly beheaded him. In February three officers arrived from Momien -at Bhamô with letters addressed to the Chief Commissioner of Burma, -and were forwarded to Rangoon. The town was finally captured in May, -the strong south-western gate described in page 192 having been -successfully mined; but the victors found no one in the city. The -governor had succeeded in bribing the officer in command of the troops -to the north of the town, who had been a former adherent of his own, -and suffered his few remaining co-religionists to escape by night, -much to the disappointment of the Chinese, who could not consider the -country tranquillised while so brave and able a leader was at large. In -June a proclamation was posted throughout the Shan valleys, announcing -the marriage of the emperor and the fall of Momien, and inviting all -the people to return to their homes and cultivate their lands. - -The ex-governor was heard of from time to time as lurking in the -mountains with a few faithful followers, and orders were issued -from the king of Burma that he should be seized if found on Burmese -territory, and surrendered to the Chinese. This order was issued in -compliance with a request sent by an envoy from the viceroy of Yunnan -to the king; but he managed to elude both Chinese and Burmese, and -succeeded in entering Hoothaw or Woosaw, the last remaining stronghold -of his party. - -This place, three days’ march north-west of Momien, is described as -a town of one thousand houses, surrounded by a stone wall twenty -feet high, and defended on one side by a deep stream, and altogether -stronger and more flourishing than Momien. Its position must be at -a high elevation, as in winter the swamps are frozen hard enough to -bear men on the ice. Communication is carried on between this place -and Lay-myo, one hundred miles north of Bhamô, on the Namthabet, an -affluent of the Irawady, by which route the officers from Momien -reached Bhamô. - -Woosaw was captured at the end of May 1874, but the ex-tah-sa-kon and -the principal officers succeeded in escaping to Chang-see, a town -south-west of Woosaw, and eight days distant from Talo, on the Irawady, -while his sons were at Tseedai assisting the tsawbwa in a fight with -the Wacheoon chief. - -The Panthays, in their turn, had become dacoits, as they had formerly -termed Li-sieh-tai’s troops, and from their lurking-places on the hills -near Nantin attacked the caravans going to Momien; while the last news -of the ex-tah-sa-kon, who for a time was supposed to be dead, were -that he had joined the Shan rebel Tsan-hai, who was committing acts of -brigandage in the Burmese Shan state of Namkan, on the left bank of the -Shuaylee. - -Thus in the middle of 1874 the Chinese authority had been thoroughly -re-established. As early as August 1873, an imperial proclamation had -been issued in the _Pekin Gazette_, in which the emperor congratulated -himself on the termination of the war, which had lasted eighteen years, -and in which the half of the prefectural and district cities had been -taken by the rebels. All arrears of taxes due up to 1872 were remitted, -and the _le-kin_, or special war tax, was declared to be no longer -required. Li-sieh-tai was appointed commissioner of the Koshanpyi or -Shan states; and Sie-ta-lin, the newly invested Chinese governor of -Momien, and the officials of the other strong towns, set themselves -to restore trade and resettle the country, which had been deserted -and left desolate for years. It can be well imagined that no little -hatred of the Panthays, not unmixed with fear, animated all the border -Chinese, and the constant rumours that the rebels were collecting for a -new attack combined with the actual robberies committed to keep all the -Chinese officials on the _qui vive_. - -It has been already mentioned how the trade between Burma and China -increased from 1872, as soon as the head of the Mahommedan revolt was -crushed at Tali-fu. It is a significant fact that in 1873 the Chinese -governor of Muanglong, situated to the south-west of Momien, sent -orders to his feudatory, the tsawbwa of Sehfan, to open trade to Bhamô -at any risk; and the chief, in announcing the intended departure of a -large caravan, requested the Resident at Bhamô to send a deputy to meet -him at Hotha. - -The routes were regularly open, and large quantities of cotton, &c., -exported, both by Bhamô and Theinnee, although disorders still existed, -and straggling dacoits and lawless Kakhyens frequently attacked the -caravans. Under these circumstances, the Chief Commissioner of British -Burma, the Hon. Ashley Eden, conceived that the time had come for -renewing, under more favourable conditions, the opening of the overland -trade route to British commerce. In this he was strongly seconded by -the commercial community at Rangoon. The question of the establishment -of a British Consul at Tali-fu was also discussed. The first point to -be attained was to secure a safe transit from Burma into China. The -passage of a peaceful British expedition, which would on its journey -thoroughly examine the capabilities of the country beyond Momien, and -perhaps discover an easier and better route from Bhamô to Yunnan, was -still regarded as the direct method of preparing the way. - -In 1874, Lord Salisbury, the Secretary of State for India, decided -to send a second expedition to penetrate China from Burma, and -pass through, if practicable, to Shanghai. To avoid possible -misunderstandings, and to make it plain to the Western Chinese -mandarins that the foreign visitors were of the same nation as the -English who lived and traded in the treaty ports, her Majesty’s -Minister at Pekin was instructed to send a consular official, duly -furnished with imperial passports, to meet the mission on the frontiers -of China. Having secured the full permission of the Pekin government, -Sir T. Wade selected Mr. Margary, a young but most promising member -of the consular service, thoroughly versed in Chinese language and -etiquette, to proceed from Shanghai to Momien. A plan had been at first -proposed of despatching a party by way of the Theinnee route from -Mandalay, but had been negatived by the king of Burma, on the ground -of a rebellion then existing in a Burmese Shan state on the road. -Consequently there was no other alternative but to proceed by one or -other of the routes from Bhamô. The consent of the king was secured -to this measure, although at first his Majesty objected to an armed -escort, as he was quite willing to send a sufficient force to convoy -the mission to the Chinese frontier; but when he understood that the -armed escort would only consist of fifteen Sikhs, he withdrew his -objection, and promised his full support and assistance. A considerable -quantity of valuable presents were prepared for distribution among the -chiefs and officials _en route_. These included a supply of edible -birds’ nests, jewellery, binoculars, musical-boxes, and silver-mounted -revolvers. Two valuable horses, one a magnificent Australian or Waler, -and the other an Arab, were destined as presents to the viceroy of -Yunnan, and a pair of large Australian kangaroo dogs were added to the -convoy. - -The command of the expedition was entrusted to Colonel Horace Browne, -of the Burmese Commission; the post of geographer was filled by Mr. -Ney Elias, whose successful and intrepid journey through Mongolia and -survey of the Yellow River had won for him the Gold Medal of the Royal -Geographical Society of London; and the remaining scientific duties of -medical officer and naturalist were entrusted to myself. - -In November 1874, Mr. Elias, who was then Assistant Resident at -Mandalay, was commissioned to proceed to Bhamô, there to concert with -the Resident measures for providing carriage so as to avoid delay. He -accordingly visited the Kakhyens holding the route selected, and made a -contract with their chiefs for the conveyance and convoy of the mission. - -The expedition was appointed to leave Burma in January 1875, in order -to accomplish the passage of the hill country before the setting in -of the rainy season. As it was possible that Mr. Margary, who left -Shanghai on September 4th, might not be able to reach Momien in time, -Mr. Allan, of the Chinese consular service, was sent by sea to Rangoon -to accompany the mission, and facilitate our intercourse with the -Chinese authorities. The preparations for ensuring the success of the -mission were thus rendered as complete as foresight could make them. -The respective governments of Burma and China had been fully informed -of the nature and purposes of the expedition, and had both given to -our diplomatic representatives their full consent and promises of safe -conduct. The personal goodwill of the border chiefs and mandarins -was expected to be conciliated, in the same degree as their official -co-operation had been secured by the passports furnished from Pekin; -and although there was an element of uncertainty arising from the -possible jealousy of the border Chinese and the plundering habits of -lawless factions among the Kakhyens, the precautions taken might be -well considered as enough to ensure success. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -SECOND EXPEDITION. - - Start of mission--Arrival at Mandalay--The Burmese pooay--Posturing - girl--Reception by the meng-gyees--Audience by the king--Departure - of mission--Progress up the river--Reception at Bhamô--British - Residency--Mr. Margary--Account of his journey--The Woon of - Bhamô--Entertains Margary--Chinese puppets--Selection of route--Sawady - route--Bullock carriage--Woon of Shuaygoo--Chinese surmises--Letters - to Chinese officials--Burmese worship-day. - - -In November 1874, Colonel Browne and myself arrived at Calcutta, having -left England on receipt of telegraphic instructions in the preceding -month. A short time was devoted to the purchase and preparation of the -various articles intended as presents; while the necessary equipment -of scientific instruments was completed under the personal supervision -of Colonel Gastrell, of the Surveyor-General’s office, and nothing was -spared by this well-known officer to make the fullest provision for all -scientific purposes. Fifteen picked men were selected from a Calcutta -regiment of Sikhs to form the guard, and all being thus ready, we -proceeded to Rangoon, and thence, in the _Ashley Eden_ steamer, began -our journey up the Irawady on December 12th. - -At Prome we picked up a Chinese named Li-kan-shin, who proved to -be a nephew of Li-sieh-tai. He had been driven from his abode at -Hawshuenshan by the Panthays, and had lived at Prome, where he bore the -Burmese name of Moung Yoh. He now wished to return to Yunnan to visit -his mother; as he spoke Burmese fluently, in addition to writing and -speaking Chinese, he was taken into the service of the mission as an -interpreter. At first he hesitated, fearing to be punished for bringing -foreigners into Yunnan, but a sight of the imperial passport removed -all his scruples. - -We arrived at Mandalay in the evening of December 23rd, 1874, and -were received on landing by officials sent from the palace with -royal elephants to carry us up to the Residency. Very different -was the reception accorded to the members of this mission from the -apparent neglect which had seemed to ignore our existence when on the -expedition of 1868. All the marks of honour that are usually conferred -on distinguished visitors were duly paid. Silver dishes loaded with -dainties were sent from the palace, and we were declared to be the -king’s guests, not only at the capital, but until we should have passed -his frontiers, and have been safely handed over to the Chinese. For our -delectation, also, the royal _corps dramatique_ appeared to perform a -_pooay_, or play, the most favourite amusement of the Burmese, even -to the very youngest, who will sit for hours, and night after night, -listening to the adventures of the royal heroes and heroines, and -enjoying the jokes which are freely interspersed. The performance takes -place under an open pavilion of bamboos erected for the occasion. There -is no stage, but a circular space covered with mats is reserved for -the performers, and the audience squat around the edge of the matted -portion. The only indication of scenery is a tree set up in the centre -to do duty for the forest, in which the scene of all Burmese dramas is -laid. By this tree a huge faggot is placed and a large vessel of oil, -and the blazing flame, fed from time to time with oil poured over it, -illuminates the performance with a lurid light, which gives a fantastic -appearance to the figures. A portion of the circle is reserved for -the orchestra, the leader taking his place inside a hollow cylinder -hung round with drums and cymbals, while the lesser musicians group -themselves around the noisy centre. No permanent theatre exists even -in the capital, nor are the performers paid by the audience. It is -the custom for those who desire on any particular occasion to “give -a pooay” to engage one of the various troupes of players, for whom a -pavilion is extemporised opposite the house, while the public form -regular rows around, and enjoy the gratuitous spectacle. Such an -enclosure was set up in the Residency compound. The first intimation -of the coming pooay was the early arrival of the orchestra some hours -before the performance was to commence, making their presence known by -a noisy rehearsal of the music of the play, which soon drew together -an expectant crowd. As in pooays generally, the actors and actresses -then by degrees dropped in, each accompanied by a friend or servant to -assist in the toilettes, which were made in public; the men and women -taking their places on opposite sides of the orchestra. The actors -arrayed themselves in robes stiff with tinsel, over which they placed -an apron of curious work and cumbrous form, and crowned their heads -with a species of tiara shaped like a pagoda. Each actress brought -with her a small box containing cosmetics, flowers for adorning her -hair, and a little mirror. Seating herself on a mat, she substituted -for her ordinary jacket a bespangled gauze coat over her richly woven -silken _tamein_, or skirt, which was tucked so tightly round her limbs -that it gave her a shuffling gait. The decorating of her hair with -sweet-smelling flowers, the powdering of her face, and the painting of -her eyebrows, constituted however the _chef-d’œuvre_ of her toilette, -requiring constant appeals to the mirror to ensure its success. She -then as a finishing stroke threw around her neck numerous strings of -imitation pearl beads, which reached down to nearly the knee, and -in each lobe of her ears inserted a solid cylinder either of gold, -jade, or amber, called a _nodoung_. She then smoked a cheroot while -unconcernedly awaiting her call. This occupation, indeed, was never -pretermitted during the performance, except while the actor’s lips -were occupied in declamation or song. The royal prima donna, whose -professional reputation is very high, and who sang sweetly, would -at the end of a passionate outburst coolly relight her cheroot at -the blazing faggot by the tree, and smoke it till her next speech or -song. Besides the dramatic performers, the royal tumblers and jugglers -appeared every afternoon, and executed surprising feats, which were -witnessed by an enthusiastic crowd. The agility of the tumblers was -remarkable. One man would, as it were, fly rather than spring over a -row of nine boys arranged as if for leap-frog. He also leapt through a -square formed by keen-edged knives held by two men, and disposed with -the edges at right angles to his progress, and giving barely space for -the passage of his body. One remarkable exhibition was that of a girl -of sixteen, who possessed most singular elasticity of body. She laid -herself on the ground, and, without apparent effort or distress, bent -her body backwards till her toes rested on her head, as shown in the -illustration taken from a photograph. She also possessed the power of -moving the muscles of one side of her face and body, while those of -the other side remained in a perfect state of repose. The feats of the -jugglers were even more puzzling than those of the Indian performers, -and seemed to be very popular with the crowd. - -[Illustration: POSTURING GIRL AT MANDALAY.] - -The day after our arrival, the foreign minister, or _kengwoon -meng-gyee_, paid us a visit, and invited us to a breakfast, which -was served with great profusion, and was almost English in its style. -At a separate table tea was prepared of two sorts; one the ordinary -infusion of tea leaves, the other from hard black cakes stamped with -Chinese letters, and exactly resembling tablets of Indian ink. These -are prepared by the Shans from the Chinese leaf tea, and produce a -liquor as pale as sherry, but of excellent flavour. The visit and -breakfast of the foreign minister was followed in due succession -by similar civilities on the part of the other meng-gyees; and a -day was appointed for our presentation to the king, an honour which -had been vouchsafed to the mission of 1868 neither on its outward -nor homeward journey. Accompanied by the British Resident, Captain -Strover, we proceeded on royal elephants, sent for our use, to the -palace enclosure, where we found the meng-gyees seated on carpets in a -small _hlot_, or open hall, outside the palace gate. Having doffed our -shoes, we seated ourselves on the carpets with feet carefully hidden, -according to court etiquette, and conversed with the ministers, while -attendants served tea, fruits, and cakes. At last we were informed that -the king was ready to receive us; so, having resumed our boots, we -proceeded through a small postern in the inner palace stockade into the -large open space, on the far side of which rose the lofty temple-like -structure with its nine roofs, topped by the golden htee which marks -the centre of the capital and state of Burma. Boots were again removed, -and we ascended the short flight of steps into a spacious open hall -with rows of gilded pillars, and filled with a numerous guard, all -prostrated on their knees before the august presence of the meng-gyees -who escorted us. Two more halls were successively passed through, and -then through a side passage the audience hall was reached. This was -a large apartment painted white, with a gilded railing cutting off -two-thirds of its area. In the wall opposite to the railing were a pair -of gilded folding-doors, and on the right and left a row of pillars. -From amidst the ranks of the body-guard, all dressed in spotless white, -and squatted on the ground, we entered within the railing, and imitated -in our own way the uncomfortable position prescribed by etiquette, -carefully turning our feet to the rear. Behind either side of us, were -the ministers of state duly crouching. Before the folding-doors, and a -few yards removed from us, was spread a gorgeous velvet carpet of red -and gold pattern, on which stood a golden couch richly bejewelled. A -square pillow, an opera-glass, and two golden boxes were laid ready for -the absent occupant, and by the head of the couch stood a betel box in -the form of a golden _henza_, or sacred goose, inlaid with jewels. - -Presently the folding-doors were thrown open, disclosing a long vista -of golden portals, through which we saw his Majesty of Burma advancing, -accompanied by a little boy five or six years old. The Burmese -ministers, courtiers, and body-guard instantly bowed their faces to -the ground, and remained prone with hands held up in the attitude of -supplication. The Europeans bowed after their fashion, and the king, a -man of about sixty years, with a refined, intellectual face, quick eye, -and pleasing but dignified manners, reclined on the couch and saluted -us graciously. He then entered into a complimentary conversation, -looking at us through his opera-glass, though not twenty yards distant. -He expressed himself in the most friendly manner, and offered one of -his steamers to convey the party to Bhamô, which was politely declined -on the ground of all arrangements having been already made. All his -questions were duly repeated by one of the officials crouching at -our side, who rendered into courtly phraseology the somewhat laconic -replies of Colonel Browne. After the interview had lasted about fifteen -minutes, the king suddenly closed the conversation, the folding-doors -flew open, and he disappeared. The Burmese raised their heads, the -Englishmen stretched their legs, fruits and cakes were served on silver -salvers and cold water in golden cups, while the meng-gyees themselves -helped us and pressed us to eat. - -Thence we were conducted to view the so-called white elephant in his -small but richly adorned dwelling, which, with the concomitants of -golden umbrellas and attendants, he does not deserve by his rarity, as -he is not whiter, except about the head, than many elephants I have -seen in India. - -For the rest of the palace and the surrounding city, the short -description already given will still serve. The suburbs manifested a -decided increase in the number of buildings and population, and the -inhabitants seemed more busy and prosperous than ever, as a proof of -which we remarked a new bazaar, built two years ago, twelve hundred -feet long and five hundred broad. The beauty of the environs, as viewed -from the angle towers of the city wall, seemed as striking as when -first beheld, and was enhanced by the lake-like waters of the broad -moat which now surrounds the walls of the city. Besides this additional -defence, the king is engaged in the construction of a fort on the left -bank of the river between Ava and Amarapoora. When approaching the -capital, we had noticed the works, distant at this season more than a -mile from the channel, though in the rainy season the river must reach -almost to the walls. Immediately opposite, on the right bank, rise the -chimneys of an iron foundry erected to work the iron obtained from the -neighbouring Tsagain hills. Like other Burmese works, both are still -unfinished, and are likely never to reach completion. - -The steamer _Mandalay_ arrived on January 2nd, bringing the numerous -and cumbrous boxes of presents, the Australian and Arab horses, and -the kangaroo dogs, all under the charge of the Sikh guard and Mr. -Fforde, superintendent of police, who was to bring the guard back from -the frontiers of China. A list of the fire-arms on board had been -forwarded to the royal officials, and the Burmese customs officers -had examined those brought at the frontier station of Menhla to see -that they tallied with the list. On the following day we embarked, -accompanied by Captain Strover and his medical attendant, Dr. -Cullimore, who, with a tsare-daw-gyee deputed by the king to look after -our wants, were to accompany us as far as Bhamô. - -The cordial reception experienced at the capital, and the readiness -shown by all the officials to “comfort and assist” the mission, seemed -to prove from the first that the king of Burma was sincere in his -promise to secure us a safe passage through his dominions. Sinister -rumours of his real dislike to the mission were, it may be said, of -course, not wanting, some of which reached our ears in the capital -itself, and others at a later period. However, we felt more inclined -to regard actions than mere words, and there has been no reason -subsequently to doubt the king of Burma respecting the promises he -had made. A royal steamer, laden with cargo and passengers, left the -capital for Bhamô before we got our steamer and its flat under weigh. -The latter was a large barge, somewhat resembling a Thames shallop, the -hull loaded with three hundred tons of salt, and the main deck, over -which the upper deck, or rather story, was raised on iron uprights, -crowded with steerage passengers. Our party occupied the cabins in -the fore part of the flat, the forecastle of which served us as an -open-air saloon. The navigation of the Irawady in the dry season -is somewhat uncertain, and the voyage proved unusually long. We had -scarcely proceeded a few miles when it was discovered that the stores -for the guard had been unloaded at Mandalay, and it was necessary for -the steamer to cast off the flat, and return for the missing provender. -The next morning, soon after starting, some native boats, laden with -firewood, coming down the river, were swept by an eddy under the -paddle-wheels. The steamer had been stopped, but the crews, being -short-handed, were unable to pull their boats clear; they managed, -however, to save their lives, but boats and cargo were totally lost. -The next incident was the grounding of our too deeply laden flat on -a sandbank, where we were obliged to remain for four days, until the -steamer returned to Mandalay for a second flat, into which part of the -cargo was transhipped. Thus by the end of the first week, we had only -made twenty-five miles out of the two hundred and fifty to Bhamô. - -From this point, no further delays were experienced, save those due -to the usual morning fogs; and our upward voyage was, in all other -respects, agreeable. We were received with every demonstration of -respect by the officials of all the towns _en route_. On approaching -the places of most importance, we were met by war-boats sent to escort -us for a mile or more to the landing, where the local militia was -arrayed as a guard of honour. Reception halls had been erected, and the -young women were assembled singing and dancing, or rather posturing, -as the performers do not stir from one spot, but sway the body and arms -in measured and not ungraceful movements. Sometimes, when unable to -stop, we saw the dance proceeding on the river bank. At Myadoung, the -“army” drawn up in our honour consisted of three hundred men, ranged -along the bank, who executed a serpentine manœuvre, as they marched to -receive us at the landing-place, apparently to make their array seem -more imposing; they wore no uniforms, and, besides dahs and spears, -carried very old and well-worn flint muskets. At this place a handsome -shed had been erected, where no less than sixty-four fair performers -were assembled, and in the evening we patronised, by request, the -performance of a regular pooay. All these entertainments had been -commissioned by royal order, which the local officials obeyed to the -best of their ability. Thus the Shuaygoo Woon came on board, and most -earnestly invited us to halt for an hour, and honour his pooay by our -presence, a request which, if we had known his real sentiments towards -English visitors, would scarcely have been complied with. Above the -second defile, we met the steamer which had preceded us coming down on -her return trip, with a large flat laden with cargo and passengers. - -We did not complete our journey till January 15th, having spent -twelve days on the voyage, the last twelve miles of which, owing to -the difficulty of the channel, took ten hours to accomplish. As the -steamer neared the high river bank, the southern end of Bhamô, twelve -large war-boats, each manned by thirty men, and one of which contained -Captain Cooke, the British Resident, the Woon, and the other Burmese -officials, paddled out to meet us, with much beating of gongs, and, -passing in order, turned and followed in a long procession. The high -bank was crowded with the townspeople, Shan-Burmese and Chinese, with -an intermixture of Chinese Shans and Kakhyens. As soon as the steamer -and flats were moored, the Resident and the Woon, with his tsitkays, -came on board, and welcomed us to Bhamô. The Burmese had prepared a -house in the town for our accommodation, but the Resident pressed us to -take up our quarters in the Residency, whither we according proceeded. -This is a fine building of teak, which has been erected at a cost of -£1100, though a similar one at Rangoon would have cost at least £2000. -It occupies a commanding position on the site of an old Chinese fort -near the river bank, about a mile north of the town. This old fort, -at my first visit, was completely hidden in jungle; the moat is still -wonderfully perfect, and encloses a large area, of which the residency -compound, about two acres in extent, forms but a small portion. This is -surrounded by a fence or wooden framework, covered with mats. Outside -the gate a zayat has been erected, which at this period was occupied -by about fifty Kakhyens of the Mattin clan, whose chief had been -summoned to Bhamô in reference to the possible claims of the central -or embassy route. Living within the compound were a number of Shan -families from the Sanda valley, who were waiting for the arrival of the -_Mandalay_ to carry them down the river, on a pilgrimage to the shrines -of Rangoon. It was impossible to avoid regretting that the Residency -has been built so far from the town, and in a situation so exposed to -any sudden attack from Kakhyen or any other marauders. The jungle grows -to the very edge of the moat, affording complete cover for assailants, -while the interstices of the fence afford abundant opportunities for -intruding guns or spears. One would think that the selection of a -site within the town, and near the Woon’s house, would have seemed -to argue more confidence in the Burmese authorities, with whom the -Resident should be in constant and friendly intercourse, in order to -effectually look after the interests confided to him, without setting -up an _imperium in imperio_ over the Kakhyens of the hills. Recent -events have shown the insecurity of the present position, which, in the -case of any serious attack, could not be defended by the sepoys of the -Residency guard, who, at the time of our visit, could only muster eight -effective men. - -At the Residency we were welcomed by Mrs. Cooke, who shares with -her husband the risks and banishment of life in this far-off place, -giving a striking proof of the pluck and devotion to their lords which -characterises our countrywomen. Here, too, we made the acquaintance -with our future travelling companion, Mr. Ney Elias, and received the -information that Mr. Margary had arrived safely at Manwyne, and might -be daily expected to make his appearance at Bhamô. - -The day after our arrival, we decided that Colonel Browne, Mr. Fforde, -and myself, should reside in the town of Bhamô, for the greater -convenience of communication with the Burmese, and, as far as I was -concerned, with my staff of collectors. The Woon at once placed at -my disposal a small bamboo structure, built on the site of the house -tenanted by us in 1868. Opposite to it was the house, newly built, in -readiness for the present mission, in which Colonel Browne and Mr. -Fforde took up their quarters. The Woon was evidently much gratified by -this proceeding on the part of the officers of the mission, as showing -a friendly appreciation of his good offices. A temporary pavilion was -speedily erected over the street between the two houses, and on our -return from the Residency in the evening, a pooay was in full play -before an admiring audience. As soon as we had taken our seats in the -front of the verandah, trays of sweetmeats were set before us, and we -sat and viewed the performance till nearly midnight, as the jovial -laughter of the Burmese at the very broad jokes of the artists was not -conducive to sleep. - -[Illustration: VIEW IN BHAMÔ.] - -On the 17th, we were agreeably surprised by the arrival of Mr. Margary, -looking none the worse for his long overland journey from Hankow, -which he had left on the 4th of last September. But for a delay at -Loshan of six days, while waiting for new instructions, he would have -accomplished this tremendous journey in just four months. Starting -from Hankow, and passing the Tung-ting lake, on the Yang-tse, he had -ascended the Yuen river through Hoonan, and travelled by land through -Kweichow and Yunnan. - -The only real difficulty he experienced was at a town called Chen-yuen, -in Kweichow, where the boat journey ended on October 27th. Here the -populace endeavoured to prevent the removal of his luggage from the -boat, and it was only by means of an appeal to the mandarin, who at -first was uncivil but speedily yielded to the power of the passports, -and the interference of an armed guard sent by that official, that -he was enabled to proceed. It was necessary for him to sleep at the -Yamen, and leave the town in the early morning. When the mob learned -his departure, they wreaked their vengeance on the boatmen, and -destroyed their boat. On his land journey the people were everywhere -civil, though intensely curious, and the mandarins polite. He described -the scenery in Kweichow as splendid, but the roads rough and ragged, -carried almost always at a high level along pine-clad hills overlooking -valleys far beneath. The province appeared to have been sadly -devastated--the cities reduced to mere villages, and the villages to -collections of straw huts; everywhere ruins of good, substantial stone -houses abounded to show the former prosperity of the region before the -Miaou-tse came down from the hills and butchered the whole population. -Although twenty years have elapsed since this incursion, the cities -still remain like cities of the dead--their extensive walls surrounding -acres of ruins, with a few of the wild hillmen dwelling in them. - -His reception by the governor of the province at Kwei-yang-fu was very -cordial; and the latter promised to compensate the boatmen for their -loss in the destruction of their boat by the Chen-yuen mob. From this -city twenty days of steady travelling in a chair, twenty miles a day, -over fine mountains and through valleys almost deserted, brought him -to Yunnan-fu on November 27th. He met with civility everywhere; but -the acting governor-general of Yunnan, who was then _locum tenens_ -of the absent viceroy, proved himself a most friendly and indeed an -unexpected ally. Not content with loading the Englishman with honours -and courtesies, he sent two mandarins to escort him the rest of the -way, and despatched an _avant-courrier_ bearing a mandate to all the -local authorities, which secured marked respect for the traveller, and -also sent a quick courier with orders to the mandarins on the frontier -to take care of the expedition in case he should not have met us before -our entrance into China. From Yunnan to Tali a dreadfully rough road or -track of deep ruts and jagged stones led over high mountains and into -deep valleys. The ascents were so steep as to require a team of eight -or ten coolies harnessed with ropes to drag the chair up the dangerous -incline, often skirting the edge of a precipice; and in the narrow and -dangerous path strings of mules and ponies laden with salt were often -met with, to the great risk of the traveller. - -The state of the country is best described in his own words:--“It is -melancholy to see these fine valleys given up to rank grass, and the -ruined villages and plainly distinguishable fields lying in silent -attestation of former prosperity. Every day I come to what was a busy -city, but now only containing a few new houses inside walls which -surround a wide space of ruins. But the people are returning gradually, -and the blue smoke can be seen curling up here and there against the -background of pine-clad hills. It must take some few years to re-people -the country, rich as it is.” - -The last four days’ travelling before reaching the plain of Tali passed -through a mountainous district devoid of cities. The authorities of -Tali were at first averse to his entering the city, pleading their -fear of the turbulent and dangerous populace, against whom he had -been already warned by the viceroy; but by an adroit appeal to the -laws of etiquette, which constrained him to pay his respects to the -high authorities, he got over the difficulty. The much dreaded city -populace treated him not only with courtesy but with profound respect, -calling him _Ta-jen_, or Excellency. The several officials received him -well, and the Tartar general, an enormously large man, who had been -foremost in the storming of the city, placed him in the seat of honour -by himself, asked innumerable questions about England and Burma, and -promised to invite the mission to stay a few days at Tali-fu. - -Yung-chang was reached on December 27th, after passing through -“glorious scenery,” by a road leading over high mountain regions, but -with nothing so bad as “the horrid passes” previously encountered. -A daring robbery had been just committed on the highway, and a halt -was necessitated for the soldiers to scour the hills for fear of -lurking dacoits. The people were gradually returning to the villages, -and burning the jungle grass, which had overgrown the long abandoned -fields. The mandarins at Yung-chang were inclined to be obstructive; -but those at Teng-yue-chow, or Momien, which was reached in four days -from the former city, were “delightfully civil.” Here he received the -despatches informing him of the plans of the mission, and in accordance -with them he set out for Manwyne, arriving there after a journey of -five stages through the Shan country, which he described as a lovely -valley, and the people as sociable and amiable. At Manwyne he found -the Burmese guard of forty men, who had been sent forward from Tsitkaw -to escort him through the Kakhyen hills. Here also he met with the -redoubtable Li-sieh-tai, “now a Chinese general,” who was negotiating a -tariff of imposts on trade with the Kakhyen chiefs and Shan headmen. Li -received his first English visitor with the greatest honour, _kotouing_ -to him before all the assembled chiefs and notables. The Burmese -officers requested a delay to recruit their men, after the march over -the hills, and Margary, who was anxious to press on, endeavoured vainly -to induce Li to give him a guard, under whose protection he could -advance, leaving his followers and baggage to follow with the Burmese. -He recorded his opinion that there were intrigues going on in this -district adverse to the advance of the mission, but notwithstanding he -relied strongly on the express commands of the all-powerful governor of -Yunnan in its favour. - -His stay at Manwyne was marked by the most friendly intercourse with -the tsawbwa and his family, whose guest he was. He walked through the -town and shot over the banks of the river freely and unmolested; and, -as he writes, “I come and go without meeting the slightest rudeness -among this charming people, and they address me with the greatest -respect.” - -Under the escort of the Burmese guard he crossed the Kakhyen hills, -bivouacking one night in a clearing, as we had done on the former -journey, at Lakhon. He passed through eight or nine villages of the -Kakhyens, the savage appearance of these hill people striking him -forcibly after the civilised aspect of the Shans of the valleys, and -they treated him to a specimen of their bold impudence. His servant -Lin was menaced by one of these with a large stone, which he raised to -strike him with, and another drew his dah and made a daring attempt to -rob one of the men of his bag. After remaining a night at Tsitkaw, he -and his party descended the Tapeng by boat, and reached the Residency -early in the forenoon. It can easily be imagined with what feelings -we congratulated the first Englishman who had succeeded in traversing -“the trade route of the future,” as he called it, and with what -pleasant anticipations we heard of the accounts of his arduous but -successful journey, and the reception accorded all along the line of -route, crowned by the politeness shown by the dreaded Li-sieh-tai. The -astonishment and admiration of the Burmese was even greater. In their -own minds they had never realised the existence of English officials in -China, and now there appeared a veritable Englishman speaking Chinese -fluently, and versed in the use of chopsticks and all other points -of etiquette. This Petching _meng_, or Pekin mandarin, moreover, was -attended, besides the rest of his retinue, by a most imposing literate, -whose huge round spectacles gave him an aspect of wonderful wisdom, and -commanded the greatest respect from his countrymen at Bhamô. - -This worthy man, whose real name was Yu-tu-chien, and whose office was -that of writer or Chinese secretary, was a Christian from the province -of Hoopeh, one of the many sincere converts made by the Lazarist -missionaries. His intelligence and anxiety for knowledge, with his -amiable and faithful disposition, made him justly a favourite with all. -From the Woon downwards, every inhabitant who could speak Chinese was -anxious to interview and pay respects to the new-comers from Pekin, -and devoutly believed that the writer was a lesser mandarin sent in -attendance on the great man, and it must be confessed that Yu-tu -evidently increased in self-respect as he realised the estimation in -which he was held by the Chinese-speaking people, including the tsawbwa -of Mattin and his followers. - -The Woon, or governor of the town or district of Bhamô, was most -zealous in carrying out the royal orders, and was personally most -friendly. He was a short, elderly Burman, with prominent eyes and -good face, whose chief occupation seemed to be incessantly muttering -prayers, as he slid through his fingers the beads of the black amber -rosary which he invariably carried. His principal wife and his children -had been left in Mandalay as hostages for his good behaviour, according -to the usual Burmese policy; but his establishment was presided over -by a second or inferior wife, a stout elderly lady, whose acquaintance -I was privileged to make. This was on the occasion of an entertainment -given by him in honour of Margary, the day but one after his arrival. -We sat with him on carpets in his verandah, while about forty of the -prettiest and best dressed women of Bhamô, ranged in lines, postured -and sang in the covered courtyard below. The various officials formed -a background, and the crowd surrounded the performers. The infusion -of Shan blood is evident in the superior good looks and physique of -these daughters of the land. All were well dressed and adorned with -silver and some with gold bracelets and other jewellery; the older and -very much uglier women stood behind the last row of performers, and -led the singing. We squatted Burmese fashion, and smoked, while tea -and Huntley and Palmer’s biscuits were served with nuts and persimmons -dried in sugar, followed by the customary betel and pan. Fortunately, -etiquette did not oblige us to continue too long in the uncomfortable -posture, which Burmese adopt by habit, and we could come and go as -we liked during the two hours that the performance lasted. In the -evening we visited the Chinese temple, in which a ceremony or function -was proceeding on behalf of a Chinese townsman who had recently -become insane. One part of the ceremonial consisted of a theatrical -performance or puppet-show, viewed through a transparency, the actors -being represented by small figures cut out of leather, with talc heads; -they were moved by bamboos, one fixed at the back and another to one -of the arms. The figures were placed close behind the transparent -window, and a Chinaman in charge of each shouted the words of the part, -while he manipulated the figure with great skill. We were permitted -to go behind the scenes, and by a narrow wooden staircase ascended to -a lobby leading into a large room, which was full of Chinese, smoking -and drinking tea. Hundreds of the leather puppets were suspended round -the room from lines, as if they had been clothes hung up to dry. This -was at once the stage, green-room, and orchestra. The musicians were -seated along the walls on benches; the instruments were a flageolet and -a small violin, formed of a segment of bamboo, with a snake skin over -the opening, and two strings stretched to the end of the bamboo handle. -One man thumped two stones on a desk by way of drum; another played -the cymbals, and others small gongs. Behind the transparent windows, -at one end, stood a row of Chinese moving the puppets and shouting the -dialogue. All were amateurs engaged in a work of charity, though how -the patient was to be benefitted did not appear. - -During this exchange of civilities, the preparations for as early an -advance as was possible were not pretermitted. With regard to the -route to be traversed by the expedition, the Woon had fully expected -that the embassy or central road would be selected, and the Mattin -tsawbwa, through whose territory it passes, had come to Bhamô to make -arrangements for our transit. The Burmese preferred this route, as they -had more influence over those Kakhyens, and declared that they could -guarantee our safe passage more certainly by this route than any other. -The line to be followed would correspond with that travelled over on -our return journey in 1868. A Burmese embassy, carrying tribute to -China, had recently gone by this road, but was reported to have been -detained in the hills for more than a month, the mountaineers having -barricaded the road, in order to effectually extort black mail. This -embassy, or some of their members, had been heard of by Margary, as -he was passing near Momien. The fact that the tribute-bearing Burmese -embassies were accustomed to travel by this route did not recommend -it as advisable for the passage of our expedition, and the Political -Resident, with Mr. Elias, acting under orders, had, before our arrival, -made arrangements for us to proceed by the Sawady route. From thence -the road leads to Mansay, ten miles distant, a Shan village under -Burmese and Kakhyen protection, which is the regular rendezvous for -all Kakhyens coming down to Sawady or Kaungtoung to barter their goods -for salt and _ngapé_. From Mansay, four marches through the country of -the Lenna Kakhyens conduct to Kwotloon, in the Shan state of Muangmow, -on the right bank of the Shuaylee. Thence the proposed route goes by -way of Sehfan, a Chinese Shan state, dependent on the governor of the -walled town of Muanglong, up the valley of the Shuaylee, and crosses -the watershed to Momien. Such information as was possessed had been -obtained by Moung Mo, the Kakhyen interpreter, who had been despatched -by the Resident, in 1873, to Muangwan, and thence to Sehfan. He -described the country between this and Muangmow as a cultivated plain, -studded with villages, and the Shuaylee as a deep river a hundred yards -wide. Sehfan is a small town of three hundred houses, surrounded by -numerous large villages. Its chief had been brought up by the Chinese -governor of Muanglong, and was a firm friend of the Chinese; he had -recently married the eldest daughter of my old friend, the Hotha chief, -with whom we had spent such pleasant days in 1868. - -In 1873, great disturbances were caused by the aggressions of a Shan -rebel from Namkhan, a Burmese Shan state on the left bank of the -Shuaylee; and the Maran Kakhyens, who were at feud with the next clan -of the Atsees, frequently attacked caravans and looted Sehfan villages. -Beyond Sehfan lay the populous Chinese Shan states of Muangkwan, with -two large towns of one thousand houses, and Muangkah on the Salween. -The Chinese towns of Muanglong and Muanglem were both described as -containing four thousand to five thousand houses, which is probably an -exaggeration. - -Agreements had been entered into with the Paloungto Kakhyen chief, -who had undertaken to provide two hundred bullocks for carriage, -mules not being procurable, and to escort the mission safely into the -Muangmow district. The necessity of employing pack bullocks extended -the time likely to be required for the journey to Momien to thirty or -forty days; as, however, it was a principal object to explore this -partially known route, which was universally admitted to present the -fewest physical difficulties, the time so expended and the slow rate -of travelling appeared likely to afford the scientific members of the -mission more ample time for inquiry and observations. In this view of -the case, the leader did not wholly concur, and though deciding to -proceed to Muangmow, he contemplated striking off thence via Muangwan -and Nantin. - -It turned out to have been overlooked in the preliminary arrangements -that Sawady is not in the Bhamô district, but under the jurisdiction of -the Woon of Shuaygoo, to whom no orders had been sent from Mandalay. -The Woon of Bhamô was rather nonplussed by our decision to adopt the -Sawady route, but sent to request his colleague of Shuaygoo to come -and advise on the subject. This, however, the official, who, as it -afterwards appeared, is utterly hostile to Englishmen, altogether -refused to do; but the Bhamô Woon decided to send his own troops under -the command of a tsitkay, a veteran officer, to escort us as far as -Mansay; but he evidently considered the Kakhyens beyond that point as -refractory, though nominally in the Burmese territory. The Kakhyen -pawmines declared their willingness to be answerable for our safety -from Mansay if the Burmese would convoy us thus far, and then reviewed -our two hundred packages, at the size of which they shook their heads. -The boxes had all been carefully calculated to hold seventy-five pounds -each, half a load for a mule, which carries fifty viss, equal to one -hundred and fifty pounds, and had been constructed for package on the -cross-trees used in mule carriage. Bullocks, however, cannot carry so -much, and the goods are loaded on them in bamboo baskets, which, lined -with the bamboo spathes, are almost watertight. It became necessary, -therefore, to rearrange the cumbrous baggage, which was a work of some -days. - -Profiting by the experience of the former expedition, Colonel Browne -resolved not to be encumbered with a cash-chest. All the coined money -was exchanged for _sycee_, or lump, silver, at the rate of one hundred -rupees for seventy tickals of the finest quality, or seventy-three -tickals and a half of the more alloyed which passes among the Kakhyens, -and these ingots were distributed among the private boxes of the party. - -Our inquiries about the several routes brought out the fact that the -Chinese fully believed us to be intent on making a railway, one man -remarking that the Sawady route was much the longest, but, “of course, -the best for the railway.” - -It is hard to follow the workings of the Chinese mind, but it was plain -that the objects of our expedition were as far from being perfectly -understood by them as ever, and that they watched the movements of -the mission with a secret feeling that the objects contemplated were -somewhat beyond the peaceful pursuit of the interests of commerce and -scientific inquiry. - -During the delay consequent on the alteration of the packages, our -friend the Woon got up _pooays_, or dances, for our amusement, and for -three hours at a time relays of women from the different quarters of -the town danced and sang. - -Shan letters were sent to the tsawbwa of Muangmow, and Margary -despatched Chinese letters to the governor of Momien and to -Li-sieh-tai, who had sent Kakhyen messengers to Tsitkaw to carry them -forward. It subsequently appeared that the letter had not reached -Li, as he had left Nantin before the arrival of the messenger, and -proceeded to Muangmow to await our coming. - -The 21st was a day of heavy rain, which seriously interfered with -packing arrangements; and as it was full moon, all amusement was -interdicted by the observance of the Burmese worship-day, which was -ushered in by the tolling of the Woon’s gong at seven, and at eight -o’clock we found him presiding over a congregation which assembled in -his house, the prayers being led by several priests. Our _tai_ was -quite free from the motley group of Burmese, Shan, and Kakhyen visitors -who had daily thronged it. This strict observance of what may be called -the sabbath was due to a recent revival of piety, stimulated by royal -orders on the subject. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -SAWADY. - - The _hun pooay_--Mission proceeds to Sawady--Visit from Woon--Rumoured - opposition--The Woon as a musician--Sawady village--Royal - orders--Baggage difficulties--Arrival of Mr. Clement Allan--Paloungto - chief--Kakhyen pilfering--Abandon route--Adopt Ponline route--Reasons - for change--Tsaleng Woon--Departure of mission to Tsitkaw--Elias and - Cooke proceed to Muangmow--Dolphins--Up the Tapeng--Tahmeylon--Arrive - at Tsitkaw. - - -On the following day the greater part of the baggage was stowed in -boats ready for departure to Sawady, which was fixed for the 23rd. The -Woon made his appearance at an early hour, bent on inviting Margary -and his writer, and all of us, to spend this the last day with him. -In the forenoon the usual _ying pooay_, or dance, went on, but in the -evening a _hun pooay_, or pooay acted by marionettes, was given. This -was a much more artistic affair than that of the Chinese puppets, the -marionettes being well made, regularly dressed figures about three feet -high. The stage on which they are presented is removed to a distance, -the proscenium forming, as it were, a frame proportioned to the size -of the figures; and the movers of the puppets stand behind a screen at -the back, and manipulate the little heroes and heroines by means of -strings. To the spectators they have a most real appearance, being very -cleverly handled, and the speeches are made by the invisible actors -with such art as to really seem as if proceeding from the puppets, so -as to suggest ventriloquism. This performance was evidently the most -popular form of entertainment. The Woon sat eyeing the puppets intently -through his binocular, just as his royal master had eyed us at the -audience, and the townspeople, squatted in rows, remained till midnight -eagerly watching the mannikins. The Woon produced an alarum clock which -had been rendered incapable of going, and amused himself tinkling the -alarum; but he was quite ignorant of the value of the hours, and even -after several lessons illustrated by a watch, he utterly failed to fix -the hands. - -On the next day, most of our party rode to Sawady, to which place the -guard and all the baggage had preceded them. Mr. Elias and I, however, -remained behind until we should receive the _mot d’ordre_ from Browne, -as the operation of packing the bullocks was likely to occupy some -days. The Woon, whom I had not seen that day, came in the afternoon to -apologise for his apparent neglect, as he had been engaged in receiving -public subscriptions for the regilding of the Shuaykeenah pagoda. He -was delighted at my offering a small contribution, and waxed eloquent -on the _entente cordiale_ engendered by such conduct, and sent for -his wife to bring a large silver vase containing the collection, to -which my donation was duly added. We had a long talk on the archæology -of the district, the old cities of Tsampenago and Kuttha, and the -founder of the Shuaykeenah pagoda, whom he asserted to have been a -king of Ceylon, named Thee-yee-da-ma-thanka, a legend commonly current -regarding the more ancient pagodas of Burma. In the evening he sent -the tsare-daw-gyee and the two tsitkays to pay a visit, from whom I -learned that there existed ancient histories of the district in some -of the khyoungs, one of which they promised, if possible, to obtain. -When they were shown a photograph of the Soolay pagoda at Rangoon, -they expressed their regret that during the municipal improvements of -the town the site of the sacred building had become the junction of -cross-roads, which seemed in their minds a desecration. They were, -however, relieved by the assurance that this must have been done by the -British authorities in ignorance of the religious prejudices thereby -affected. - -Two or three days passed without any incident of consequence, save that -on the 25th a Chinaman came to the Residency to report that he had -overheard some Yunnan Chinese talking in the bazaar, and had gathered -that an armed force had been despatched from Momien and Tali-fu to -Muangmow, under the command of Li-sieh-tai, to oppose our entrance -into China. His account, however, was very confused, and he had not -succeeded in hearing any very distinct statements, as the men had -evidently been suspicious of him. It is probable that this was merely -a garbled version of the fact that Li-sieh-tai had crossed from the -Tapeng valley to Muangwan with a few men _en route_ to Muangmow. The -same day letters arrived from Sawady to say that the departure of -the mission was fixed for the following day, upon which we went at -once to the Woon to secure boats, who most readily placed them at our -disposal. He afterwards paid us a visit, bringing his Burmese harp -of twelve strings, on which he showed himself no mean performer. He -was accompanied by a boy who played a sort of harmonicon, or musical -glasses constructed of slips of hard wood, which vibrated with a sweet, -full tone. Another performer clashed a pair of cymbals, and clicked -split bamboos like castanets. The airs were sweet and plaintive. -After the music we had a long conversation about England, Prussia, -France, and Persia, with the general relations of which governments -he showed himself to be well acquainted. Railways and the mode of -transit to England were also discussed; my interpreter, however, -though an educated Burmese and son of a native official, proving very -incompetent, and putting absurd statements into my mouth. The Woon had -brought a present of a fruit, which he said was a great rarity from -Yunnan. It was the size of an apple, of a bright yellow colour, with -a delicate skin enclosing a jelly-like pulp, the coolness of which he -expressed by a pantomimic passing of his hand from the throat to the -epigastric region. He called it _tsay-thee_; but inquiries from Elias -and Margary identified it as a persimmon. Of this fruit, quantities -in a dried form are imported to Burma, where they are a favourite -sweetmeat; but the fresh fruit is unknown. - -On the 27th we were ready to take boat to Sawady, and I bade farewell -to my friend, the Woon, who charged me to write to him. Elias and -myself started from Bhamô about 11.30, and arrived at Sawady in a -little more than a couple of hours. - -Sawady is a miserable village of about forty houses, though formerly -containing five times that number; but continual inroads by the -Kakhyens have reduced it to its present scanty dimensions. It is under -the protection of the Phonkan tsawbwa, who also, for a yearly payment -of salt, protects the village of Yuathet, situated about three quarters -of a mile to the north on the high bank of a small creek called -Theng-leng, which flows into the Irawady between high alluvial banks. -The village of Sawady is defended by a double bamboo palisade, and a -similar palisade runs along the narrow path dividing the two rows of -houses. As a further protection, boats, corresponding to the number -of houses, are moored to the river bank, and nightly the inhabitants -retire to them for sleep, and thus secure themselves against the not -infrequent nocturnal attacks of the Kakhyens. Sawady and Yuathet are -both small emporiums for trade, whither the Kakhyens resort to procure -fish and salt, and they bring bamboos to be floated down the river; -they are also ports for the trade to the interior. Around stretches a -vast plain, bounded by the distant hills, profusely covered with forest -and jungle, sometimes of underwood, sometimes of thick grass fifteen -feet high, with frequent swamps, which in the wet season are covered -with water. Before our arrival, Margary and Fforde had made expeditions -into the forest in search of game. Peafowl abounded there, perched at -inaccessible heights, on the highest trees, and they found the tracks -of tigers and other large game, but the solitudes were still as death, -and they returned without having started any animal. We found the -convoy of bullocks, under the charge of some hundred Kakhyens, encamped -outside the village. The Paloungto tsawbwa, a respectable-looking -man, clean and well dressed, with a huge roll of gold-leaf by way of -ear-ring distending the lobe of his ear, along with his pawmines, was -ready to receive the baggage. The Burmese guard encamped in hastily -improvised _tais_, while the Englishmen were accommodated in a rickety -zayat screened with curtains. - -On the second day (January 24th), orders came from Mandalay that -the Burmese guard should escort the mission right up to the nominal -frontier of Burma and China or to Kwotloon, instead of Mansay, as -previously arranged and approved by the Kakhyens, whose opinion of the -change was not given. They continued to take over the packages, giving -receipts for each, and making panniers suitable for carriage on the -bullocks, into which the boxes were to be packed. - -On the 25th, objections began to be raised to the size of the packages, -which had been previously altered at Bhamô, and next the tsawbwa -appeared to say that he had brought three hundred and thirty-six -bullocks, although we only required two hundred. He explained this, -by stating that Elias had doubted their ability to provide two -hundred bullocks. The chief, therefore, had brought three hundred and -thirty-six, to prove the contrary, and expected to be paid for the lot, -although he admitted that the Resident had contracted for one hundred -and fifty bullocks and twenty ponies. This proposal being got rid of, -the next demand was for payment of the hire in advance, which Colonel -Browne also negatived, but promised to pay him one-half the amount, -provided all was ready for a start in two days. - -The next day was accordingly spent in transferring all the remaining -baggage, with the exception of the boxes containing the wardrobes of -the officers and the cash, which were placed under the immediate care -of the Sikhs. - -The 27th found the preparations for starting still backward, a state -of things which was not improved by heavy rain, against which the -Englishmen and their followers were but slightly protected, and the -baggage not at all. The chief and his pawmines appeared to receive the -promised advance of hire, but he declined to fix a time for starting, -as he required salt wherewith to load the extra bullocks. When met -by a refusal to delay for this purpose, he departed in a bad temper, -leaving his pawmines to continue the discussion. They finally settled -to start the day but one after, on condition of receiving one viss -of silver in advance, and one hundred and forty rupees as demurrage -expenses, being ten rupees for each of the fourteen villages whence the -bullocks had come. This was a fair charge, as the men and their beasts -had been awaiting our arrival for some days. Elias and I arrived while -the payment was being made in lumps of sycee silver, one of which was -declared by a pawmine to be bad, and, being bitten, proved to be hollow -and filled with sand. Soothed by the receipt of the _compraw_, the -Paloungto chief declared that we were brothers, and he would be ready -to start “the day after to-morrow.” - -The evening brought a pleasant surprise to our party by the arrival of -Mr. Clement Allan, who had come from Mandalay in ten days, in a royal -boat. While passing on the river, he heard one of the Sikhs talking to -a Chinaman on the bank, and, hailing them, discovered our whereabouts. -He was thus saved the journey to Bhamô, and all our party were now -assembled, and notwithstanding the heavy rain, we spent a pleasant -evening in anticipation of a speedy departure. - -While at breakfast, we were disturbed by hearing a number of gun shots, -and learned that the Kakhyens had endeavoured to remove our clothes -boxes in order to add them to the general baggage. The Sikhs on guard, -having received orders not to lose sight of them, declined to permit -their removal, whereupon the indignant Kakhyens fired their muskets -in the air. The Burmese tsitkay expressed uneasiness as to the temper -of the Kakhyens, and seemed to fear a collision with them, as they -numbered about four hundred men armed with muskets. There evidently -existed some ill-feeling between the Kakhyens and the Burmese, and -it unfortunately happened that all interviews with the chief were -conducted in presence of the Burmese officials. It came out in the -course of the day that the Paloungto chief had not entered into any -convention with the other tsawbwas of the route. The Resident had -been assured that a passage through their territories was certain on -payment of the ordinary dues. The chief had declared that most of -them would support his arrangements, but that it would be necessary -at Mansay to agree with the Phonkan tsawbwa, who would not come to -Sawady. The inveterate curiosity and pilfering habits of the hillmen -were exemplified by their boring holes in several provision tins in -order to ascertain the contents, the holes being afterwards carefully -stopped with cotton; our sugar, salt, and bags of rice were taken -toll of, and sundry bottles of brandy had mysteriously disappeared; -and it was subsequently discovered that the screws had been drawn -out of the boxes. Still, when it is remembered that a number of wild -hillmen had been detained in this place for a fortnight, with scanty -provisions, allowance must be made for petty thieving, without arguing -a deliberate intention of plunder. Our leader, however, began to be -seriously anxious about the prospects of safe transit through the hills -by this route. To the difficulty arising from the known antipathy of -the Burmese to the Lenna Kakhyens, there was now added the declaration -of some Shans of Muangmow, that the hillmen would not be permitted to -cross their borders, and this tended to make Colonel Browne suspicious -of the real intentions of the Paloungto chief. The climax was reached -when the old interpreter, Moung Mo, announced in the evening that our -expected start was postponed _sine die_, and that the chief, displeased -at being refused the charge of our clothes boxes, declined to accompany -us, devolving our escort on his pawmines. Upon this, Colonel Browne -resolved to return to Bhamô, and make arrangements for proceeding by -the old Ponline route, instead of that by Sawady and the Shuaylee. -But I think it doubtful that the Paloungto chief had any dishonest -intentions. He could not have divined the presence of the specie in -the boxes, and it was natural that he should require all the baggage -to be made over on the eve of starting, and should resent the obvious -imputation on his honesty, implied in the refusal to surrender these -boxes. - -We rode to Bhamô through jungle grass fifteen feet high, interrupted -occasionally by hollows studded with trees. The intersecting creeks -were difficult to cross, as the path, or rut, through the high -sandbanks was steep, and barely wide enough for a passage, so much so -that one of the ponies, with his rider, rolled back into the water, -which was only about three feet deep. Having arrived at Bhamô, and -decided to go by the Ponline route, if practicable for the led horses, -the Resident started for Tsitkaw, to summon the Kakhyen chiefs, and -provide mules. The Woon, fearing that the Paloungto chief would not -surrender the baggage, despatched a reinforcement of armed men on board -of four war-boats, mounted with gingals. We returned to Sawady by -water, bringing several large boats for the baggage, which were left -at Yuathet, by way of precaution against alarming the Kakhyens. On the -30th the tsawbwa and his pawmines came in from their camp, and Browne -recapitulated the delays and broken promises of the past week as well -as the want of arrangements with the other tsawbwas of the route. The -chief replied that his refusal to start had been caused by his anger at -being refused the care of the boxes; that he was willing to start “the -day after to-morrow;” but if we refused to go by his route, he should -expect to be paid the agreed hire for the bullocks brought down. The -reply to this was that, whatever the Resident and pawmines, who had -made the original contract, agreed to as justly due should be paid. -Browne, however, offered a douceur of a viss of silver as soon as the -baggage was restored. This was agreed to; and the men at once set to -work to bring back the boxes, which were transferred to the large -boats, and on January 31st the entire mission, escorted by the Burmese -war-boats, returned to Bhamô, having definitely abandoned the route by -Sawady, and elected to travel by the northern or Ponline road. - -Letters had been received from the Resident, written from Tsitkaw, to -the effect that plenty of mules were procurable, and that the Burmese -officials had summoned the Kakhyen chiefs. On our arrival at Bhamô, we -found a force of three hundred men in war-boats armed with gingals, -collected under the command of the Woon, who had been about to come in -person to Sawady to deliver us, if necessary, from the hands of the -Lenna Kakhyens. This was an additional proof, if any had been needed, -of the care of the Burmese for our welfare, and of the uncertainty -of their relations with the southern hill tribes. It was with great -reluctance that I for one turned my back on the Sawady route, the full -exploration and eventual establishment of which as the future trade -route had been proposed as a special object of our mission. It was -generally understood to be, though the longest, the one which presented -fewest physical difficulties; and of its actual employment we had -ocular demonstration in the trading parties, numbering many mules and -bullocks, which were continually coming and going during our stay at -its terminus. - -The northern route had been thoroughly explored six years before, -and full information collected concerning its physical and social -conditions, while the change in the political relations affected all -routes alike. As was afterwards ascertained, we were expected by the -Chinese at Muangmow, whither, it appears, Li-sieh-tai had gone to meet -the mission, and, as far as may be judged by his conduct, without -hostile intentions; and besides all this, Mr. Elias, cooperating with -the British Resident at Bhamô, had visited the Lenna Kakhyens a month -before, and had made arrangements with them, according to which they -had brought down their beasts of burden for the conveyance of the -mission. Among various reasons assigned for abandoning the route were -the suspicious bearing of the Paloungto chief, and the possible, if not -probable, risk of delay in the hills. This would have been aggravated -by the chance that the provisions of the Sikhs, who were only supplied -with flour for thirty-five days, might run short. Another danger was -conceived to lie in the want of arrangements with the Phonkan chief, -who might prove as obstructive as he of Ponsee had done, and either -stop or fleece the mission. With regard to the behaviour of the Lenna -chief of Paloungto, it might have been expected that any lurking -ill-will would have been aggravated by the disappointment experienced -at losing the fair profits of a convoy, for which he had brought down -carriage and waited so long. At the time, the presence of the large -Burmese force may be thought to have restrained him; but the subsequent -reception given by him and his brother of Wurrabone to Mr. Elias and -Captain Cooke showed him to be thoroughly well affected, and almost -anxious to prove the absence of any ill-feeling. It was a generally -wise and proper policy to thoroughly conciliate the goodwill of the -Burmese officials, and to carry them with us in all our proceedings. -This line of conduct was carefully and consistently adopted by our -leader, but, consequently, there was no opportunity afforded to the -Kakhyen chief of expressing his sentiments as to the Burmese guard. -His only intercourse with our party was by interview held in presence -of the tsitkay, at which he was expected to take the position of an -inferior, squatting on the ground before men to whom he acknowledged -no subordination; and it is to be regretted that he did not find an -opportunity for confidential communication which might probably have -led to a better understanding. It must also be remembered that Kakhyen -chiefs do not comprehend the value of time, or share our notions as -to procrastination, and are not above “trying it on” in order to gain -a little more silver. As regards the possible complications with the -Phonkan tsawbwa, who six years before had announced his wish for the -passage of British commerce through his country, although he could not -or would not come into Sawady, he might have been induced to have met -and conferred with us at Mansay, while, if supplies of flour were not -procurable at Bhamô, yet, according to the experience acquired in 1868, -they were available in the Shan valleys and at Momien. - -On February 1st, we were all assembled in our old quarters at Bhamô. -The Woon was rather nonplussed at the adoption of the Ponline route, -and anxious as to the dangers of attack to which the mission might be -exposed before reaching Manwyne, though no whit relaxing his efforts to -carry out our wishes. Another Woon, he of Tsaleng, arrived in the royal -steamer, and seemed to fill the post of counsellor to his colleague, -who was perplexed by the news which arrived from Cooke, that all the -tsawbwas were at Manwyne discussing the tariff, and could not return -for some days. The same steamer brought up from Mandalay two Kakhyen -chiefs of the central route, viz. Muangkha and Poonhya. In return for -services rendered to the recent Burmese embassy, these two chiefs had -been received with high honour, and presented with gold umbrellas and -gilded saddles. They rode through Bhamô on ponies decorated with the -gilded equipage, while each rider wore a golden head-band bearing his -titles, preceded by a man carrying the golden umbrella, and escorted by -others beating gongs and proclaiming his rank. - -On the 3rd, the heavy baggage and guard were embarked in boats to -proceed to Tsitkaw, accompanied by Fforde and myself, leaving Colonel -Browne and Margary to follow by land, while Elias had arranged to -attempt the passage by the Sawady route, and join the rendezvous at -Momien. The flotilla started from the river bank at Bhamô, and poled -up the Irawady to the mouth of the Tapeng, our progress against the -rapid stream being slow, and impeded by numerous projecting snags and -occasional sandbanks, where the water was so shallow that the crew -were obliged to jump overboard and push or drag the heavily laden -boats along. Immediately outside the mouth of the Tapeng extended a -bar of sandbanks, beyond which the great river suddenly deepened to -about eighty feet of water. In this deep reach numerous round-headed -dolphins were sporting. This being the pairing season, the males were -chasing the females. Some were swimming with their heads half out of -water, and _jerking from their mouths_ large quantities of water to -some distance. One or two were noticed apparently standing erect in the -water, with their heads elevated straight above its surface, so that -nearly the whole of the pectoral fins was plainly visible; others, in -pairs, were rolling about on their sides. One was fired at, but simply -responded by a splutter and a dive. The boatmen, seeing our interest in -them, declared that they would come if called, and proceeded to utter a -peculiar sound of _hrr, hrr_, and to drum on the side of the boat with -a stick. They informed us that the dolphins do not proceed higher up -the river than a rocky headland in the first defile, called Labein-hin, -or Dolphin Point, because the nats have established a customs station -there to collect an impost, which the dolphins are not willing to pay. -The dolphin of the Irawady (_Orcella fluminalis_, Andr.) is the only -round-headed form as yet known to be found in fresh water, individuals -having been rarely observed much below Prome, three hundred miles -from the sea, or nearly so. The colour of the body is a dusky slate, -and the under part of a dirty white; they attain a considerable size, -individuals ten feet in length being not uncommon. Besides the round -head, they are distinguished from the long-snouted dolphin of the -Ganges (_Platanista gangetica_, Lebeck), which also inhabits fresh -water exclusively, by the much larger, fully proportioned eye. The -latter, as a tenant of the muddy water of the Ganges, which must be -almost impervious to vision, has a very minute eye. In the Yang-tze and -in the great lake of the Cambodia, dolphins are also found, and will -probably prove to be closely allied to those of the Irawady; but as -yet we have no knowledge of their characters. In the estuaries of the -Bay of Bengal there is a small, round-headed dolphin closely allied to -this Irawady cetacean, but it never ascends to the fresh water of the -rivers. Apart from the scientific interest of these large fluviatile -mammals, they form a striking feature in the river scenery of the -Irawady as they roll and tumble in long lines up the deep reaches, and -seem to delight in keeping pace with or outracing the steamers. They do -not appear to migrate through the whole distance of the river’s course, -but to confine themselves within certain districts. The fishermen of -the river regard them with a superstitious respect, and each village -is believed to be under the protection of a particular dolphin, which -guards the fishery. An offer of one hundred rupees altogether failed to -induce the people to catch a specimen; and it was only by the fortunate -acquisition of a dead carcass thrown upon the bank, and secured by -Captain Bowers, that I was enabled to make a thorough comparison of -the structure of this remarkable inhabitant of the river. It should be -added that the great black-headed gull is so regular a companion of -the dolphin that it is called by the fishermen the _labein-nuet_, or -dolphin-bird. - -The progress of the flotilla of six laden boats against the rapid -stream of the Tapeng was necessarily slow. The right bank presented a -wide stretch of level country studded with tall cotton trees and oil -trees. The highest leafless branches of the former furnish eyries for -the ring-tailed eagle (_Haliaetus leucoryphus_, Pallas), a pair of -which birds were perched on a tree close to the bank commanding the -river. One bird was added to our collection. The left bank was clothed -to the water line with an impenetrable forest of magnificent trees, -rising from a jungle with ratans and luxuriant musæ. Numerous peacocks -displayed their splendid plumage on the high branches, most provokingly -out of shot. Hornbills, brown doves with violet necks abounded, and in -the jungle, barking deer, hog-deer, and sambur. The exposed sandbanks -were covered with snake-birds; terns, black-headed egrets, plovers, and -Brahminy ducks and wild geese also were frequent. We moored for the -night at the village of Queyloon, in time for a short excursion to some -abandoned rice plantings, in search of wild ducks; returning from which -we observed numerous small owls, the soft eccentric flight of which -resembled that of the goat-sucker. - -Soon after sunrise we were again _en route_, having waited some -time for a promised supply of buffalo milk, this being an almost -unattainable luxury in Burma; but the baby buffalo had anticipated our -demand, and disappointed our hopes. At the village of Tahmeylon, where -we had made a stoppage on the first ascent of the Tapeng in 1868, the -changes of the river channel were exemplified. At that time the water -ran deep under a high bank, but now a broad sandbank extended in front -of the village. We had landed on the other side of a neck of land which -caused a bend in the river, intending to strike the public path, which -we missed, and had to make our way by buffalo runs, which penetrated -the tall thick grass like tunnels. Along these we had to proceed nearly -doubled up, occasionally caught and almost choked by creepers, drenched -by the dank grass overhead, and knee-deep in miry clay. By dint of -keeping the sun before us, we succeeded in reaching Tahmeylon by noon. -Beyond this, the course of the river winds in a remarkable manner, -doubling successive long tongues of land, and enclosing a large island -overgrown with impenetrable jungle, until the village of Maloolah is -reached, on the left bank. The villagers warned us to moor our boats -for the night at some distance from the bank for fear of tigers, which -are numerous, and attack boats near the bank, and even the villages, at -night. In the neighbouring village of Tsitgna, ten of the inhabitants -had been killed by tigers in the preceding twelve months. We crossed -the stream in the morning in a dug-out, intending to shoot peafowl in -the forest which covered the rising ground on the right bank, but the -margin of the forest proved so swampy as to prevent all access. Jungle -fowl and squirrels were numerous, and our servants reported hog-deer. -We rejoined the boats at the outflow of the Manloung stream, having -breakfasted at the pagodas of Old Tsampenago. A labyrinth of streams -and swamps extends on the right bank to the place where a branch of -the Tapeng flows round and joins the Manloung stream. On the left -bank the forest is dense and high, and beyond it rises the irregular -outline of the Kakhyen hills, gradually becoming more distinct as -Tsitkaw is approached. At this village we found a khyoung outside the -stockade prepared for our accommodation, and the baggage was stored -in a large shed used for the storage of the royal cotton. A Burmese -guard, under the command of the tsare-daw-gyee, formed a cordon around -our residence, and by night had erected a number of huts, while their -fires formed a circle within which no robbers nor tigers were likely to -penetrate. - -At five in the afternoon of the next day, Browne, Margary, and Allan -arrived from Bhamô, which they had left at 10.30. The necessity of -avoiding the network of streams and swamps had obliged them to cross -the river three times in boats, while the two led horses and the ponies -swam across. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -THE ADVANCE. - - Residence at Tsitkaw--View from our house--The Namthabet--Junction - of the rivers--Arrival of the Woon--Conference of - tsawbwas--Hostages--Kakhyen women--Rifle practice--A night alarm--A - curious talisman--We leave Tsitkaw--Camp at Tsihet--Burmese - guard-houses--Lankon, Ponline--Camp on the Moonam--Hostile - rumours--Camp on the Nampoung--Departure of Margary for - Manwyne--Escape of hostages--Letter from Margary--We enter China--Camp - on Shitee Meru--Burmese vigilance--Visit to Seray--Conference - with Seray tsawbwa--Suspicious reception--Return to camp--Burmese - barricades. - - -The village of Tsitkaw, which seemed little changed as to its dirty -poverty since my recollections of 1868, consists of about eighty huts, -built on piles, enclosed within a bamboo stockade, which was being -repaired. The western half of the village is occupied by Chinese, and -for the first time the Chinese women are seen, for there are none -in Bhamô. At this time the Celestials were busy erecting a wooden -temple outside the stockade. Their principal men came to our khyoung -to greet Li-kan-shin, otherwise Moung Yoh, who was known to them, and -had been supposed to be dead. In the Buddhist khyoung, two French -missionaries, Father Lecomte and another, whom we had met at Bhamô, -had taken up their abode. They professed to be engaged in opening -communications between their mission in Burma and that in Yunnan, and -had made interest to accompany our party. It now appeared that they -proposed proceeding to Manwyne by themselves; but the Woon of Bhamô -interfered, and refused to allow them to enter the Kakhyen hills on the -north of the Tapeng. We were rather puzzled to understand their exact -object or account for their sudden change of plans. - -[Illustration: TSITKAW, ON THE TAPENG, LOOKING TOWARDS THE KAKHYEN -HILLS.] - -We had to remain at Tsitkaw some days, until the Kakhyen chiefs -assembled and the mules for carriage to Manwyne arrived. The air and -water are better than at Bhamô, and our sojourn, with its excursions, -was a pleasant time. Our residence consisted of two bamboo houses, as -it were, placed side by side, the drainage of the two roofs in the -centre being caught in a hollowed log of wood. A wooden ladder led up -to the first apartment, beyond which the sleeping room was shut off by -a _kalagah_, or curtain. To the rear a wide alluvial flat stretched -away to the dense jungles swarming with tigers, and beyond which lay -the Manloung lake and its adjoining swamps. From the front a charming -view presented itself. Below a grassy bank ran the swift, smooth -stream, one hundred and fifty yards broad, bordered on the other side -by yellow sandbanks, fringed by a high screen of rich verdure marking -the limit of the Tapeng in flood. Beyond this rose the wall of the -luxuriant forest, backed by the lofty, well wooded Kakhyen mountains. -Six miles distant, this wall appeared unbroken, for the gorge by which -this river debouches is masked by a low line of hills, round which -the Tapeng is deflected in a north-west direction, until it comes -round above Tsitkaw, to flow towards the Irawady. There were manifold -temptations for a sportsman or a naturalist; on the long alluvial flat, -in the morning, flocks of parrots, Sarus crane, and Brahminy ducks, -were seen feeding in numbers, and large snipe and glossy ibis abounded -in the paddy fields. On the sandbanks bordering the river, flocks of -wild geese were wont to settle, and afforded us some most literally -wild goose chases. In the great trees, as Margary said, the gorgeous -peacocks were as plentiful as magpies, and he was most anxious to -secure some of their feathered spoils, to send to General Chiang at -Momien, who wanted the plumage for his hat. We participated in most -enjoyable excursions, and, to quote his words again, led a regular -gipsy life. One was to Manloung lake, where our havildar shot a deer, -to the delight of the Sikhs, who expressed unqualified admiration of -the country, and a strong desire that we should annex it. - -One day was devoted to a long walk to the Namthabet river, beyond the -detached range of low hills. From the village of Tsitgna, we crossed -in a dug-out to the opposite village of Kambanee, where we observed -some Kakhyen women, who seemed almost too frightened to raise their -eyes from the ground. The road, at first broad and good, led through -a level tract, covered by forest of _eng_ tree and high grass, of the -same character as that which extends between Bhamô and the hills. As -the land rose in long undulations, the character of the forest changed, -a variety of timber succeeded the _eng_ trees, and dense groves of -bamboos filled the hollows. The slopes soon led up to a tolerably high -ridge, covered with dense forest, except where patches had been cleared -for the cultivation of maize. The summit commanded an extensive view -of the Tapeng plain, and of the Manloung lake, which was seen to cover -a large area. We descended by a steep path, winding through bamboo -thickets and clearings. In traversing this richly wooded tract, which -seemingly contained all the essentials of a sylvan paradise, we were -impressed with the paucity of bird life; only a few parrots screeched -their surprise at the intruders. On a high tree, three pigmy hawks were -seen, one of which fell a victim to the exigences of science. - -We presently came on the Namthabet, a clear, rapid stream, winding in -a rocky channel down a narrow valley, beyond which rose the mass of -the Kakhyen hills, clothed with dense forest. A Kakhyen woman was just -about to cross from the opposite side, but fled at our appearance, and -no persuasion on the part of our guide could induce her to return. We -descended the valley, passing a fire, on which rice was cooking in a -green bamboo, but the owner had hidden himself in the bush. We reached -the Tapeng at a place where a sort of slide had been cut in the banks, -down which the bamboos, when felled, are launched into the river, to -be floated into the Irawady, where they are made into rafts, and sent -down stream to the capital. A party of Kakhyens were seen busy at work -cutting bamboos, and we passed their temporary huts in a clearing; and -those of our party who were unacquainted with them seemed surprised -at their peaceful and friendly demeanour. A scramble over the rocky -left bank of the Tapeng brought us to the junction of the two rivers, -and the day’s march of fifteen miles was more than repaid by the -magnificent beauty of the gorge through which the Tapeng debouched from -the main range. The towering masses and walls of rock, clothed to their -summits with forest, at the base of which the river flowed deep and -slow, the exquisite foliage, and the rich colour of brilliant flowers, -made up an enchanting scene, very different from that which the same -river presented when last I viewed it, under lowering clouds and in -full flood, the height of which was now indicated by a faint brown line -on the rocks, thirty feet above its present level. The Namthabet flowed -out of a lesser gorge spanned by a ricketty bamboo bridge, which one of -us tried to walk over, but was speedily reduced to fall on hands and -knees and crawl across the vibrating structure. We made our way back -by a forest path through tangled vegetation, over the ups and downs -of the ridge, until the proper road was struck, by which Kambanee was -reached near sundown. - -An armed party, preceded by a sonorous gong, were descried making for -Tsitkaw, and at Tsitgna we learned that our old friend the Woon had -arrived in person from Bhamô to expedite the arrangements for our -progress to Manwyne. A conference had been held some days previously -with the tsawbwas of the northern hills; among whom were conspicuous -our old friend or enemy, Sala, the Ponline chief, and the pawmine of -Ponsee whom we had nicknamed “Death’s Head;” with them were others, -whose names were unknown to us. It had been agreed that the hire to be -paid per mule to Manwyne should be seven rupees eight annas, besides -a fee, by way of tax or toll, of five rupees for each animal. The -final arrangements had been postponed for five days, when a buffalo -sacrifice was to be held, at which all the chiefs interested could be -present. They had been convened at Manwyne not by mandarins but by -merchants, who wished to remonstrate with them about the robberies of -caravans, which constantly occurred on the Ponsee route. An instance -of this was reported during our stay, by some Chinese, who came in and -averred that they had been fired on by Kakhyens, near Ponsee, and had -been compelled to pay two hundred rupees blackmail. The day following -the Woon’s arrival, the Seray chief was alleged to have brought in a -drove of mules. Colonel Browne, on the Woon’s invitation, attended a -second conference, at which all the chiefs were present, and signed -an agreement, drawn up in Burmese. It was stipulated that they should -convey us safely to Manwyne, at which place the agreed upon presents -should be distributed to them, and that the sons of the Ponline, -Ponsee, and Seray tsawbwas should be detained as hostages for the -fulfilment of the contract. - -The son of the Seray chief was a young man whose demeanour and -countenance gave a most unfavourable impression; in fact, he appeared -to be a dissipated young ruffian, and decidedly unfriendly to the -strangers. Sala’s son was a lad of fourteen, much superior to his -father in appearance and manner; he was a frequent visitor to our -khyoung, and also a patient, as he suffered, like many of his -countrymen, from inflamed eyes, for the cure of which he seemed duly -grateful. He was rather a favourite of the old Woon, who took him to -Bhamô, and it is to be hoped that the better education and training -will fit him to be a better chief than his avaricious and treacherous -father. - -Consequent on the arrival of the tsawbwas, was a large influx of their -subjects, who flocked in in great numbers, both of men and women, -bringing presents of fowls and vegetables, and bamboo flasks of sheroo. -The members of our party who saw them in their native independence for -the first time were greatly interested in the “little scowling women” -and the half savage men. An unpublished letter, almost the last written -by Margary, graphically depicts them:--“We let them ascend to our ratan -floor, raised on stakes, and apart from the novelty, and indeed fun, of -trying to buy their various curiosities, it is by no means a savoury -infliction. The shocks of an electric machine produce a constant flow -of merriment, and we roar with laughter at the grimaces and contortions -of our savage guests. The women are getting bold by this time, and -come in considerable numbers, bringing us their simple offerings of -friendship. They are the queerest creatures imaginable, and dirty -beyond all description. Yet there is no small degree of coyness about -them, which makes them interesting, in spite of their red-stained lips -and unwashed legs. They wear the most marvellous girdles of loose rings -of ratan split to the thickness of a thread, and a belt covered with -cowries. The ears are pierced with big holes, in which they insert -silver tubes six inches long, adorned with tufts of red cloth. We have -been trying to-day to tempt them to sell these strange ornaments for -dazzling bead necklaces, but to no purpose. One creature permitted -me even to draw a tube out of her ear, but my attempts at bargaining -only produced good-humoured laughter from the men and giggles from the -women.” - -The curious crowds became at last so troublesome that we were obliged -to close the mat screen in front of our entrance hall, to secure -ourselves from the intruders who wished to watch us at our breakfast. -The excitability of their nature was exemplified when the Sikhs were -paraded at rifle and revolver practice at a target. The Kakhyen -eye-witnesses shouted and flourished their muskets, and some sprang to -the front blowing their matches, and indicating that they wished to try -their skill. The Burmese officers had to restrain them, and afterwards -the pawmines came forward, and formally asked the tsare-daw-gyee to -permit them to fire at the targets, at the same distance, three hundred -yards. This was refused, and the excitement gradually subsided. The -Burmese said that it all arose from the fact that a Kakhyen cannot even -hear a gun fired without instantly discharging his own piece, if only -in the air. - -On February 14th the Ponsee pawmine arrived to inquire when we would -start, and was informed that we were ready to set out at once. -Thereupon a conference of chiefs took place under a sort of cotton -tent or canopy, which had been erected by the Burmese, apparently -from mistrust of the ability of our floor to bear a crowd. It was -then decided that we should march on the 16th, as the Burmese wished -that a Chinese caravan should precede us. The tsare-daw-gyee remarked -that if the Kakhyens intended to attack either party, he would give -them the opportunity to do both, to avoid mistakes. He reported that -orders had been received at Manwyne, from the governor of Momien, -that the English mission was to be treated “according to custom,” of -which phrase no one could furnish any explanation. In the night we -were alarmed by what seemed to be an apparent stampede of mules, and -a prodigious shouting from the Burmese guard. It turned out that a -buffalo which the Kakhyens were slaughtering had broken loose, with its -throat gashed, and after a chase had been despatched just opposite our -khyoung, where in the morning they were cutting it up, having fixed -the head on a post of the zayat, probably in our honour as founders -of the feast. At noon, the tsare-daw-gyee appeared, accompanied by a -_tsitkay-nekandaw_, or deputy, from Bhamô, who had been sent by the -Woon to report progress. The official activity was stimulated by the -fact that the officer who had been sent up with us to Mandalay, and -had returned thither, had been condemned to banishment in chains to -Mogoung, because he had not waited to see us off. As the poor old man -had returned with our consent, and was in bad health, our leader wrote -to Mandalay to intercede for his pardon, which was subsequently granted -by the king. The tsitkay-nekandaw afforded a curious illustration of -a custom mentioned by Colonel Yule.[40] The upper part of his cheeks -was disfigured by large swellings, caused by the insertion under the -skin of lumps of gold, to act as charms to procure invulnerability. -Yule mentions the case of a Burmese convict executed at the Andaman -Islands, under whose skin gold and silver coins were found. The stones -referred to in the text of Marco Polo, as well as the substances -mentioned in the note by his learned editor, do not appear to have -been jewels. The custom prevails among Yunnan muleteers of concealing -precious stones under the skin of the chest and neck, a slit being -made, through which the jewel is forced. This, however, is not to -preserve the owners’ lives, but their portable wealth. While at -Mandalay, I examined some men just arrived from Yung-chang, and found -individuals with as many as fifteen coins and jewels thus concealed, -as a precaution against the robbers who might literally strip them to -their skin, without discovering the hidden treasure. But our Burmese -official regarded his disfiguring gold as a certain charm against -danger. - -During our interview with the Burmese, some of the pawmines came to -receive an advance of one-third of the mule hire, which was paid them; -and then Sala appeared to definitely agree on the amount of toll. One -of the other chiefs was asked to be present, but he preferred leaving -it to Sala’s decision. The latter agreed to receive five rupees per -mule, and was most careful to keep off any inquisitive hillmen while he -was debating, and afterwards receiving the whole amount. As all baggage -was ready, save such articles of bedding, &c., as were daily in use, -the next day was fixed for the actual departure. Browne, as a final -preparation, distributed red turbans to the Burmese guard, which gave -something of a uniform appearance to the otherwise motley horde. - -We rose at 6 A.M. on February 16th, and made all our personal baggage -over to the Kakhyens, who were slow in completing their preparations -for a start. The Ponsee pawmine first appeared, and the burden of -his complaint, conveyed in the strongest affirmatives, and with -most expressive pantomime, was that he had not received any of the -blackmail, all the payment having been appropriated by Sala. The -tsare-daw-gyee declared that the latter had been obliged to disgorge -his plunder, but as a precaution he should be kept as a hostage at -Tsitkaw. A difficulty then was occasioned by the size of the box of -edible birds’ nests, which no muleteer would take; settlement of this -was left by Colonel Browne to the Kakhyen chiefs. A sharp dispute -relative to the method of taking the tallies of the number of the mules -broke out between the “Death’s Head” pawmine of Ponsee and the Burmese -choung-oke. This ran so high that the pawmine threatened to shoot the -choung-oke, and the old Burman swore he would cut down the Kakhyen, but -the contest resolved itself into abuse, and the Burman prevailed by -strength of lungs. A discussion then arose between the Ponsee pawmine -and another, whose contingent of mules the former was desirous of -reckoning, wholly or in great measure, amongst his own. - -The muleteers, having been delayed by the squabble, unloaded their -animals and drove them off to graze; the regathering of them was a -work of time, but they at last filed off, preceded by Margary and Allan -with a division of the Burmese guard. The rest of the mission, however, -was retarded by the difficulty of finding porters for the rejected -box of birds’ nests, the medicine chest, and photographic apparatus, -all of which had been left out in the cold, and had to be carried by -Burmese. At four o’clock, we finally cleared out of Tsitkaw, watched by -Sala, who waved an adieu from the porch of the house where he was to -reside as a hostage for our safety. We observed by the roadside several -women sitting with _carafes_ of water, each containing a flower, from -which they poured libations as they muttered prayers for our safety. -As we passed the succeeding villages of Hantin, Hentha, and Myohoung, -the road was lined with women similarly occupied. An hour and a half -of slow progress brought us to the hamlet of Tsihet, at the foot of -the hills, outside of which men awaited us with welcome draughts of -pure and cool water. There are two small villages, each within its own -stockade, separated by a space of thirty yards. We took up our quarters -in a rickety zayat within the northernmost village. The camp outside -presented a most busy scene. Burmans were cooking their dinners, -while others were erecting temporary huts of freshly cut bamboos, or -thatching them with bamboo leaves and long grass. Groups of Kakhyen -muleteers, who had arrived first, were sitting in their huts, smoking -and chatting; others were collecting and marshalling the mules in -lines between the baggage, each animal having one of its feet fastened -to a wooden peg driven into the ground. The Burmese had encamped in a -cordon enclosing the Sikhs and Kakhyens, and of course all the baggage; -and outposts had been established at the north and south of the village. - -The locality of Tsihet, owing to the proximity of the hills, appeared -to be unhealthy, and the children looked very sickly. This is not to -be wondered at if the ordinary supply of water was to be judged by -that furnished to us in the evening, which seemed to have come from a -buffalo wallow. All the villagers assembled to watch the kalas at their -_al fresco_ dinner, and eagerly accepted our empty bottles, which were -regarded as precious prizes. - -At eight o’clock next morning we were in motion, and almost immediately -began to ascend, crossing a succession of ridges, till at 9.30 the -first Burmese _kengdat_, or guard-house, was reached, called Pahtama -Kengdat. It is situated in a hollow, and, like the rest, consists of a -small house built of teak and bamboo, raised on piles, and surrounded -by a double bamboo stockade, with two poles bearing white pennants -raised in front. The garrison consisted of some half-dozen Burmese -soldiers. Still ascending, we reached the district of Singnew and at -a place where the road diverged, several Kakhyen men and women had -collected to see us pass. The second Burmese guard-house, or Lamen -Kengdat, and soon afterwards the village of Pehtoo, or Payto, were -passed, and we entered the territory of Ponline. From the first village -and the third guard-house, Tap-gna-gyee, we ascended to the principal -village and residence of Sala, called Lankon, where we spent our first -night in Kakhyen land in 1868.[41] - -We halted at noon in front of the chiefs house, by which grew a fine -peach tree in full bloom. A few old Kakhyens were assembled, and among -them the tsawbwa-gadaw, who produced sheroo, and demanded payment, -receiving four annas, with which she seemed very dissatisfied. The -road, or rather track, no wise improved during the last seven years, -was marked on either hand by tufts of raw cotton which the lower -hanging branches had taken as toll from the frequent caravans. From -this village our route lay to the north of that formerly travelled -by us, and a descent of an hour brought us to a small stream called -Moonam, on the other side of which we found the camp formed on a slope -which had evidently been recently cleared for the site of the fourth -guard-house, named Tsadota Kengdat, surrounded by high hill spurs on -all sides. We put up in the guard-house, which occupies the highest -point of the slope, and the Burmese formed their usual line round the -Kakhyens. The tsare-daw-gyee made his appearance later, having followed -a different route, which brought him to the north-eastern end, where -he encamped his party. All around us during the evening we heard the -gongs answering each other, and the loud shouts, or “All’s well!” of -the Burmese outposts. - -After a refreshing bath, we took a stroll up the hill under the -guidance of a Kakhyen to look for pheasants, from which we brought back -nothing but a portion of an enormous fungus. Before bedtime, Browne -announced that a Kakhyen had come to him with the information that -four hundred evil-disposed Kakhyens had assembled themselves beyond -Ponsee to dispute our advance. More friendly visitors were promised in -the shape of the tsawbwa-gadaw of Woonkah and her followers, who were -expected to arrive in the morning from her husband’s village, situated -on the mountain to the north of Ponline. - -While waiting in the morning of February 18th for the arrival of our -expected visitors, the tsare-daw-gyee with his subordinate officers -appeared, and in a very serious tone repeated the information that -four hundred evil-disposed Kakhyens and Chinese hill dacoits had taken -obligations among themselves to attack us, probably for the sake of -plunder. The amount of credence to be given to the report was variously -estimated, both by Kakhyens and Burmese. Moung Mo and Moung Yoh -disbelieved it; but the former wretched old man became suddenly unwell, -to such an extent that he feared he would be unable to go forward. The -Ponsee pawmine scouted the story, and averred it to be an invention of -a worthless Kakhyen who met us yesterday. Our Sikh havildar promptly -volunteered to advance with his fifteen men, and clear the road of -any number of these mountaineers, whom his observations at Sawady and -elsewhere made him hold very cheaply. The tsare-daw-gyee declared -that he and his men were ready to fight, but that it was desirable to -advance peaceably if possible. It was finally decided that we should -proceed to the last Burmese guard-house on the banks of the Nampoung, -and the caravan set out about nine o’clock. - -After a short, steep ascent, within hearing of the roar of the distant -Tapeng, the road descended to the Nampoung. Passing over two short -ridges, whence a magnificent view of the glen running south-south-west -to north-north-east is obtained, and then traversing a steep path in a -succession of narrow zigzags to the banks of the stream, we arrived at -the fifth Burmese guard-house by 10.30 A.M. - -The valley of the Nampoung is a deep, narrow glen, bordered on either -side by high mountains, and in no place is it broader than two hundred -yards. The river is a rapid clear stream, flowing in a rocky channel -between rock-strewn flats edged by high grass on either side. The -banks rise abruptly, covered with lofty forest trees, tangled with -magnificent creepers and festooned with orchids. Some miles to the -north a rather treeless valley communicates with the glen, apparently -running in a direction behind Manwyne. The guard-house occupies a level -open space, covered with terraces of paddy cultivation. To the south -the glen terminates in a deep gorge, down which the river rushes to -the Tapeng. We found the encampment formed, and the people, as usual, -busily preparing their huts, as, notwithstanding the advice of the -Ponsee pawmine, that we should proceed to Shitee, it had been decided -that we should remain here. - -Another Burman had arrived from Manwyne, confirming the report of -danger ahead, but Margary discredited it, and expressed his readiness, -if necessary, to proceed to Manwyne to inquire into the truth of the -rumoured opposition. The tsare-daw-gyee approved of this step, and it -was decided to send Margary forward, as he was known to the Manwyne -people from his recent stay at that town, and to all the Chinese -officers in the district as being under the protection of the viceroy -of Yunnan. - -During the afternoon gongs and cymbals were heard beating high up the -hill on the Chinese or left side of the valley, and Kakhyens were -seen peering down at us from among the trees. These proved to be the -followers of the Shitee Meru tsawbwa, who, however, would not come -across into Burmese territory, and after some time distant shots -announced his return to his village. In the evening the encampment -presented a picturesque scene, the red turbans of the Burmese -combining with the rich greenery of the palm leaves which thatched the -numerous huts. The Ponsee pawmine had erected for himself a wigwam of -feathery palm fronds, and the gleam of the bright fire, round which a -group of men in blue were chatting and smoking, lit up a picture that -one longed to sketch. - -We had a farewell dinner in the evening, to which Margary’s Chinese -writer was invited. Our discussion of the prospects of the mission, -though clouded by no anticipations of the fearful fate to which our -gallant comrade was about to set out, lasted till a late hour, while -the gongs of the watchful Burmese sounded as usual from various points -all round our position. - -Margary started for Seray _en route_ for Manwyne early in the morning -of February the 19th. He was accompanied by his writer, Yu-tu-chien, -of whom I have already spoken, an intelligent Chinese Christian, who -during his stay with us had made himself both liked and respected. -The other attendants were his official messenger, or _ting-chai_, -Lu-ta-lin, from the consulate at Shanghai; his boy, Ch’ang-yong-chien, -known by the name of Bombazine; Li-ta-yu, a servant from Sz-chuen; and -his cook, Chow-yu-ting, a native of Hankow, all of whom had accompanied -their master in the journey across China. Besides his followers, -Moung Yoh, or Li-kan-shin, and a pawmine of Seray, of by no means -prepossessing appearance, and remarkable for a peculiar loud voice, -escorted him to Seray. - -The morning was devoted by myself to an attempt under the guidance of -a Kakhyen to explore the valley, which was rendered difficult by the -dense jungle, and the unwillingness of the native to proceed more than -two or three miles from the camp. - -The reports of threatened opposition were as rife as ever; but -some Chinese who arrived during the day professed ignorance of any -uneasiness among the hill tribes. A Kakhyen was brought in by the -Burmese to the guard-house, who had come from Manwyne on the previous -day on purpose to tell us, at some risk to himself, that a body of men -had been collected to attack us, by one Yang-ta-jen, in league with -the Seray tsawbwa. The messenger seemed half-witted, but was clear -in his story, which certainly agreed with the previous reports. News -arrived that all the hostages detained at Tsitkaw had escaped with the -exception of Sala. One of them was the son of the Ponsee pawmine, and -his father, who had been detailed to accompany Margary, was kept back -to be sent to Tsitkaw in place of his son. The tsawbwa-gadaw of Woonkah -duly arrived with her gift of fowls, eggs, and sheroo, and received -broadcloth and other presents, with which she speedily disappeared, not -without grumbling that she had not been paid in money for her fowls! - -Nothing further occurred till next morning, when messengers brought -a letter from Margary, dated from Seray, announcing that so far the -road was unmolested, and all the people met with were civil, and that -he should proceed to Manwyne. He noted that when in the Seray chief’s -house, the Seray pawmine evinced his contempt for the Burmese by -spitting on the ground. - -On the strength of this communication, although the tsare-daw-gyee -urged that no movement should be made until the news of Margary’s -reception at Manwyne reached us, Colonel Browne resolved to proceed -at once, and, if possible, reach that town in one march. The camp was -accordingly struck, and, crossing the Nampoung, we entered China. - -The road we were to pursue led straight up a steep spur of the main -range dividing the Tapeng from the Nampoung, the highest point of -which, Shitee Meru, rises immediately to the north of Ponsee, the -position of the long detention of the first expedition of 1868. -I set out in advance of the rest, accompanied by my men and the -Kakhyen scout who had brought the information from Manwyne. The -ascent commenced directly from the Nampoung valley, and three hours’ -climb of the hill-path brought us to the first Shitee village at -noon. The tsawbwaship has been divided among three brothers, each -having a village of his own, but the youngest, according to Kakhyen -rules, being the chief of Shitee Meru. At the first village we were -hospitably received and refreshed with sheroo, and the children were -delighted with beads and small coins. Here we found a native of India, -a slave, who had come from beyond Assam, and had forgotten most of -his language, but made himself known by calling out _pani_. On the -hillside I met the Shitee Meru tsawbwa coming down with two men, one -of whom escorted me some way; and next appeared the Wacheoon tsawbwa -with a party of forty armed followers, some of them mounted on ponies. -He was very friendly, and sent an escort back with us, one of whom -had brought a lizard for the Englishman. The road wound up and over -the spurs running down from the backbone of the Shitee-doung to the -Nampoung, which flows from the north-east along a valley lying below -the north-western slope of the main range that defines the right bank -of the Tapeng. The greatest height reached on Shitee Meru Doung was -about five thousand seven hundred feet above the sea, from which we -descended slightly to the site chosen for our encampment, the altitude -of which was found to be five thousand five hundred feet, where we -halted at 3.30, after a march of about eight miles. - -Between two rounded ridges running down to the Nampoung, one in our -rear covered with forest, and the other with grass, about five hundred -yards distant to the north-east, extended two flat clearings, where -the caravans were accustomed to bivouack, the first and smaller -clearing being close to the western spur. On the second and larger -space, divided from the first by a mountain stream, and lying at a -somewhat higher elevation, immediately along the grassy spur, the camp -was pitched. Around and above the encampments the forest had been -cleared, and the open space was covered with high grass interspersed -with boulders. Just below the encampments the ground sloped abruptly -into a grassy hollow between the ridges, which served as a grazing -ground for the mules. The main mountain ridge, which rose to a -height of six hundred feet above us, was clothed to its summit with -dense forest, which formed a continuous covert, extending along the -projecting ridge in the rear, and thus enclosing and commanding our -position on the south and east. Below the hollow, the hillside, clothed -with impenetrable jungle, sank abruptly to the Nampoung. The country -over which the road wound along the slope, in the direction of Seray, -consisted of old clearings covered with jungle grass and patches of -uncut forest. The immediate exit of the road led through a depression -in the ridge, and descended the intervening hollow, and, thence -reascending, crossed the next spur. - -We bivouacked in the open among the mules and baggage, and surrounded -by the fires, the smoke from which was at first most intolerable, but -no other annoyance or disturbance was experienced, and our Kakhyens -enjoyed themselves listening to the melodies of a musical-box, which -had become an especial favourite with them. The Burmese were as -vigilant as ever, and their sentinels seemed to be on the alert all -night. The tsawbwas of Wacheoon and Ponwah visited the camp, and they -had heard nothing of any suspicious movements of troops, and the other -Shans who brought fowls for sale confirmed this. Our interpreter, -Moung Yoh, returned to the camp in company with the Seray men, the -latter being remarkably well dressed and equipped, and evidently old -acquaintances of the Burmese. He reported that the Seray chief was -dissatisfied on account of the payment of the mule tax or dues to Sala, -which, however, had been done with the knowledge and approval of the -son of Seray. Moung Yoh then suggested that presents should be sent -to Seray, whom he had discovered to be a great friend of his uncle, -Li-sieh-tai, and to whose house he returned the same evening to await -our arrival. - -We were in readiness to start by seven o’clock in the morning of -the 21st, but the tsare-daw-gyee intimated that he did not think it -prudent to move until the tsawbwas of Shitee Meru, Woonkah, and others -arrived. His real intention, however, was to remain in this camp -until definite news came from Mr. Margary; but as the arrangement had -been made with the latter that we were to advance if we did not hear -from him warning us to the contrary, Colonel Browne resolved to push -forward to Seray with the Sikhs, leaving the Burmese guard and caravan -to follow. I started with my men in advance, but in a short time was -overtaken by Browne, Allan, and Fforde, followed by the Sikhs and their -servants, with the two led horses, the camp having thus been left to -the Kakhyens, under the charge of the Burmese. Their cavalcade soon -outstripped my party, as we were shooting, and collecting plants. The -road lies over numerous spurs and through deep wooded hollows, and -then crosses the watershed dividing the Nampoung valley from the gorge -of the Tapeng; on the southern or Manwyne side of the ridge lies the -district of Seray. Here a Shan Burman, wearing the red turban of our -escort, accompanied by a Kakhyen, overtook us, and by signs gave me -to understand that the tsare-daw-gyee wished us to return. As none -of us could speak Burmese, I signed to him to proceed quickly and -communicate his news to Colonel Browne, which he did, and I ordered my -men to press forward to overtake the rest of the party, while I waited -behind for my groom and pony. The messenger on his return signified -that Colonel Browne was continuing his progress to Seray. The road -descended into a hollow, from which a steep ascent leads to Seray. -Here a difficulty arose about the road, as several paths diverged, -and there was nothing to indicate which had been taken by Colonel -Browne’s party. Unfortunately, I took a wrong one, and soon arrived -at a strange village, the inhabitants of which had, doubtless, never -before seen an European. According to Kakhyen custom, I dismounted -before entering, and, seeing some women standing at the door of the -first house, indicated by signs that I desired to know the road. They -sulkily waved to me to go on upwards. Imagining that the end of the -village was reached, I prepared to remount, but this was resented by a -number of men who rushed out of a house, and, shouting, drew their dahs -in a threatening manner. I tried to induce some of them, by the offer -of _compraw_, to show me the way, but none would do so. Proceeding -onwards, followed by the hillmen, I suddenly found my big dog by my -side. As his presence was evidence that some of my men were behind, I -turned my pony’s head, and all the Kakhyens bolted. After retracing my -steps for some distance, I discovered my collectors and servants hiding -for fear in a deep hollow. Presently I met a Kakhyen boy, who conducted -us to the village of Seray. - -Seray, like the majority of Kakhyen villages, is finely situated on -the summit of a ridge, among lofty trees, enclosing a grassy glade -in its centre. The paths approaching the village are broad, and its -vicinity is indicated by groups of high massive wooden posts, with -simple devices in black, and by groves to the nats, and by small -circular walled enclosures devoted to the worship of the sky spirit. -On arriving, I found all the Sikhs ranged in front of the tsawbwa’s -house, also the chiefs of Woonkah and Wacheoon, and Allan’s Chinese -clerk. It was so dark on entering that at first I could not recognise -Colonel Browne, Allan, and Fforde, save by their voices. The chief, who -knew me again, was seated on the ground, and it was observable that -he and all his men were armed. The restlessness which he exhibited, -his withdrawing outside for private conferences with his pawmine, and -the fact that all the women had left the house, excited suspicion; -but when the latter returned, and the chief and his pawmine divested -themselves of their dahs, I concluded that any hostile intention that -might have been originally entertained against us had for the present -been abandoned. Then sheroo and hard boiled eggs were brought in and -set before us; but further parley with the chief produced no results, -and we adjourned to a grove of oak and hazel trees on the outskirts -of the village. Moung Yoh, or Li-kan-shin, the professed nephew of -Li-sieh-tai, who had been acting as our interpreter, and addressing -Seray as uncle as a mark of friendship, presently came to request -Colonel Browne to return to the chief’s house. There it was decided -that the Seray and Woonkah tsawbwas should proceed to Manwyne at once, -and ascertain the actual state of things, and take a letter to Margary. -Another Burman had arrived from the camp to request us to return, and -we mounted our ponies, and retraced our steps. On the road we met some -Kakhyens, one of whom seized the bridle of Browne’s horse, and signed -him to go back, as the road was beset, but as our friend was under the -influence of sheroo, we spoke to him pleasantly and proceeded. This man -was a pawmine of Shitee, who returned to the camp in the evening, and, -when taxed with having been intoxicated, admitted that he had started -with a bamboo flask full of sheroo, which he had finished. These -incidents showed that there was an uneasy apprehension of danger, but -that in the immediate vicinity the Kakhyens were friendly. - -During our absence, the Burmese had thrown up barricades or breastworks -of stones and earth, at points above the camp, and commanding the -road to Seray. The tsare-daw-gyee announced to Browne that we should -certainly be attacked by the Chinese either that evening or on the -march the next day. Some men were observed peering down from among the -trees on the hill-brow, as if reconnoitring our position. The Burmese, -who were collecting firewood, came running down as fast as they could, -and the whole camp set up a fearful shout to scare the supposed -enemies, who disappeared, and the excitement gradually subsided. - -[40] Yule’s ‘Marco Polo,’ vol. ii. (1875), p. 244. - -[41] See page 73. The name of the village was understood by us, on that -occasion, to be the same as that of the district, viz. Ponline. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -REPULSE OF MISSION. - - Appearance of enemy--Murder of Margary--Friendly tsawbwas--Mission - attacked--Woonkah tsawbwa bought over--The jungle fired--Repulse - of attack--Incidents of the day--Our retreat--Shitee--Burmese - reinforcements--Halt at guard-house--Retreat on Tsitkaw via - Woonkah--Elias and Cooke’s visit to Muangmow--Li-sieh-tai--Return - of Captain Cooke--Elias at Muangmow--Father Lecomte and the Mattin - chief--A forged letter--The Saya of Kaungtoung--Reports regarding - Margary--The commission of inquiry--Return of Elias--Visit to the - second defile--Mission’s return to Rangoon. - - -We were all astir with early daylight on February 22nd, and prepared -our baggage for the advance to Manwyne; but about seven o’clock large -bodies of armed men were observed on the heights above us hurrying -downwards in the direction of Shitee, as if to cut off our retreat. -There was no mistaking their hostile purpose, and the Burmese -immediately detached parties to occupy the positions which they had -fortified, one being above the camp, and another thrown forward to a -point of the road leading to Seray, which commanded the next hollow -and the opposite ridge. The Woonkah tsawbwa came into the camp, -and communicated to Colonel Browne a report which received almost -instant confirmation. The tsare-daw-gyee appeared with a very serious -countenance, and produced two letters received from the Burmese agents -at Manwyne. They briefly narrated the horrible murder of Mr. Margary -on the previous day at Manwyne; his writer and other attendants were -also reported to have been killed. No particulars were given; but the -tsare-daw-gyee was warned that we were about to be attacked, and that -it would be for his own interest to detach himself by some miles from -the English, failing which precaution he would incur the same danger, -although the Chinese bore no ill-will to him and his party. The Burmese -officer, however, promptly addressed himself to the defence of the -camp, and we went up with him to the spur just above to reconnoitre, -while the Sikhs took up a position behind a long low boulder lying at -the western end of the camp, which served as a natural breastwork, -whence they commanded the road by which we had come. The friendly -Kakhyen tsawbwas of Woonkah and Wacheoon had hastened away to bring up -reinforcements, and the mules were driven down into the grassy hollow -below the camp. These preparations had not been completed when the -enemy opened fire from all sides but one. The assailants had descended -the ridge, hidden by the forest which, as already described, surrounded -our position on two sides. This had masked their advance, and served -as a perfect cover for them, the report and smoke of their fire-arms -alone showing their whereabouts; it was plain, however, that they were -in force to the south and east, and they evidently selected our party -as the object of attack, avoiding the Burmese, who, however, actively -returned the fire. Presently some of the assailants, led by a Chinese -brandishing a long trident, rushed out from the jungle to the smaller -open space. The Sikhs at once opened fire on them, which drove them -behind whatever cover could be found, and stopped any further advance -for a time. As soon as they were hidden, our men ceased firing. This -seemed to embolden the enemy, and a second detachment rushed down and -distributed themselves among the bushes. A brisk and well-aimed volley -drove them out in a mass, up the narrow entrance to the road. One man -at least was seen to fall dead, and others, wounded, were dragged up by -their companions. For some hours, firing from the men concealed in the -forest continued on all three sides. As these Kakhyens and Chinese only -raised their firelocks to the side of the head, looked for a second -forwards, and then fired, the bullets went over our heads. The steady -firing of the Sikhs at last seemed to be too much for the enemy, and -about 2 P.M. they were seen retreating along the ridge above, and the -firing to the south ceased. As they were retreating, we fired on them -at about a thousand yards’ range, and this evidently astonished them, -as they rushed past, stooping at the exposed points where the fire -told. When everything seemed quiet, and the road appeared clear, the -mules were brought up from the hollow, and the muleteers hastened to -get the loads ready. While this was being done, a party of our Kakhyens -made a rush to the open space, where one of the enemy had been seen to -fall, and returned with his head, which was tied up by the pig tail to -a tree. It was subsequently reported that he was a Chinese officer, -but his dress and appearance hardly indicated such rank. Before the -preparations for a start were completed, the enemy returned in much -greater force, and reoccupied the coverts, and it was estimated that -they were at least five hundred strong. Firing recommenced from -the heights and the forest around, and our position appeared to be -completely surrounded, except on the side of the descent to the -Nampoung valley. The question of abandoning the baggage and effecting -a retreat by this, the only line left open, was mooted, but the -tsare-daw-gyee urged delay, and his men as well as ourselves maintained -a steady fire on the enemy. - -The Woonkah tsawbwa, with a number of his men, had returned to the camp -just before the first repulse of the enemy, and he informed Colonel -Browne that the Seray chief had offered him five hundred rupees if he -would join in the attack on us. The drift of this remark was at once -seen by Colonel Browne, who promptly offered him ten thousand rupees -if he could succeed in bringing off all the baggage. It was difficult -for the Kakhyen’s mind to conceive so large an amount of coin, and the -tsare-daw-gyee had to make him comprehend it by stating that he would -receive “three basketfuls of silver.” - -Just as this arrangement had been concluded, we heard the shouts of -men, apparently coming up behind the southern spur, which was occupied -by the enemy. The Burmese at first thought that this indicated the -approach of a reinforcement which was hourly expected to arrive from -Bhamô. Presently, however, the forest in front of them burst into a -blaze, having been fired by the Shitee tsawbwa and his Kakhyens with -those of Woonkah. This manœuvre proved most successful, and the enemy -was speedily forced to retire, and as other coverts were successively -fired below the heights by the Burmese, they were soon in full retreat -along the heights, exposed to the fire of our rifles, which told on -them at several open places. Firing, however, continued for some time -below the heights, and on the side of the ridge commanding the Seray -road a desultory fire was also kept up. The Burmese guard were here -posted behind an earthwork, and kept the enemy at bay on that side; and -after the southern spur and eastern heights were cleared, we took the -Sikhs down to support the Burmese, and fired into the further hollow, -the only remaining covert of the enemy. - -All firing had nearly ceased by about five o’clock. The jungle on all -other sides being now cleared and the road to Shitee open, the order -was given to reload the mules. They were speedily brought up out -of the hollow, where they had remained in safety, and all were soon -loaded. Some mules and drivers had disappeared, but willing Kakhyens, -either of Shitee or Woonkah, speedily shouldered the remaining loads, -and the vacant pack saddles were heaped up and burned before we left. -At the close of the day, though bullets had been flying about in -all directions, the casualties on our side only amounted to three -men slightly wounded, and a mule shot in the neck. The firing was -mainly directed at the officers of the mission, and whenever we moved -towards the baggage, bullets fell freely about us, while the Chinese -shouted to the tsare-daw-gyee that they did not wish to kill his -men, but the “foreign devils.” Our Burmese showed great spirit, and -the tsare-daw-gyee, from first to last, was deserving of the highest -praise. One of his men, while trying to drive out some Chinese, had -his red turban carried off by the prongs of a trident, but succeeded -in evading a more fatal thrust of the weapon. The loss of the enemy -was variously reported, and it is impossible to give an accurate -return. Some perished in the burning jungle, and so far as the reports -afterwards furnished could be relied on, of the assailants about eight -or ten were killed and thirty wounded. I noticed that young men not -more than twenty years of age, and even boys, were numerous among -their ranks. The well-known loud voice of the Seray pawmine was heard, -and the tsawbwa’s son as well as the tsawbwa of Ponsee were said to -have been present. The son of Seray was detected by the report of his -double-barrelled gun, a present to his father at the time of the former -expedition, both barrels of which were fired at once, making the double -report easily distinguishable. - -The letters received from Manwyne had stated that the party about to -attack us was the vanguard of a force of three thousand men, whom the -governor of Momien had despatched to oppose our progress. The reader -will remember that our camp at Ponsee was menaced with attack, in April -1868, by the lawless Kakhyens of this very district, and, although on -the other side of the mountain, our position on this occasion was close -to that place. Numerous robberies had been previously reported in this -district, and the attacking party undoubtedly consisted largely of the -Ponsee and Seray Kakhyens. These belong to the Lakone tribe, while the -clans of the Woonkah, Wacheoon, and Shitee chiefs, who rendered such -faithful assistance, are offsets of the Cowlie tribe. With the Kakhyens -were associated a number of Chinese rowdies or perhaps soldiers; but -the assailants could hardly be reckoned other than local robbers, who -thought that the Burmese would not resist, and that our own guards were -too few, while the prospect of such a rich booty was enough to make -them encounter the risks of a fight. The staunch defence, the effect -produced by the long range of the rifles, and the bold diversion in -our favour directed by the Shitee and Woonkah chiefs, who fired the -jungle, combined to disappoint their expectations. It must not be -understood from this that the subsequent reports of the advance of -Chinese troops, and of hostility on the part of the Momien officials, -are discredited. The frontier Chinese were strongly prejudiced against -our entrance into Yunnan, and the Kakhyens and local robbers would be -stimulated by the reported or actual advance of troops to anticipate -any overt acts of hostility, and try to secure the rich booty for -themselves. - -When the baggage train had all moved safely off, escorted by some of -the Burmese guard, we set out on the return to Shitee, followed by the -Sikhs, the rear being brought up by the tsare-daw-gyee. Mr. Fforde, -with a few of his men, remained for a short time, while the Burmese -posted on the road to Seray held their position until all were clear -off, then followed slowly after us to cover the retreat. We started -at 5.30, and in half an hour reached Shitee, having met on the road -some of the Burmese reinforcements which had come up from Bhamô. The -baggage was all collected in a pile before the tsawbwa’s house, and -the tsitkay-nekandaw, who commanded the newly arrived detachment, was -posted with forty of his men behind an earthwork which they had thrown -up, covering the approach to the village. Both the tsawbwa and the -tsare-daw-gyee wished us to remain for the night at this place. The -chief feared that the Chinese would come down and burn his village -in revenge for his having aided us. The Burmese argued, that if the -members of the mission continued the retreat, it would appear as though -we were deserting the baggage, which could not be brought further -that evening. The position of the village, situated on the slope of -the mountain spur, and closely surrounded by dense jungle, seemed too -much exposed to a night attack, and Colonel Browne decided to push on -to the guard-house on the Nampoung. We started accordingly at 6.30, -accompanied by the tsare-daw-gyee and some of the Burmese. It soon -became very dark, and the descent down the rocky footpath, bordered -on one side by a steep declivity, was tedious and dangerous. We could -not see the stones or the edges of the track, and when passing through -thick groves of trees, even a white pony right in front of me was -invisible. - -For nearly four long hours we stumbled downwards, the latter part -of the journey being somewhat facilitated by the moonlight, which, -however, was obscured by the impenetrable forest and the surrounding -heights. Crossing the Nampoung, the guard-house was safely reached, and -we were comfortably housed. As four of the mules had brought on some -bedding, food, and cooking utensils, we were not so badly off as the -Sikhs, who had marched laden with ammunition besides packets of sycee -silver, which had been distributed among them for safety in the crisis -of the attack, and had only supplies of dry rice. - -The next morning it was resolved that the Woonkah tsawbwa, who had -accompanied us, should return to Shitee, and bring down the remainder -of the baggage, while we should await his arrival. Two hours later -the tsare-daw-gyee reported that the Chinese were collecting in force -at the northern and southern ends of the Nampoung valley to renew the -attack. He therefore advised us to proceed at once to Tsitkaw by the -Woonkah road. In a short time we were toiling up the steep ascent -leading to the district and village of Woonkah, which lies on the -summit of the high ridge forming the western watershed of the Nampoung, -and must be at an altitude equal to that of Shitee. The tsare-daw-gyee -brought up the rear of the party, and during the march sent forward a -messenger to urge us to press on, because the Chinese were reported to -be rapidly assembling. The people of the first Woonkah village welcomed -us with evident satisfaction, and the tsawbwa-gadaw brought a grateful -supply of sheroo, which was most refreshing. Here we were joined by the -tsare-daw-gyee, and it was proposed to him that we should leave the led -horses behind, but he objected to this as unnecessary. - -From Woonkah the descent of the hills commenced, the road passing -through a forest of very lofty trees clear of underwood. As we neared -the junction of a road from the north with the Woonkah track, our -advanced guard of Burmese beckoned us to follow quickly, and most -carefully reconnoitred the sides of a spur which sloped down towards -us, but nothing but dense jungle was visible. They evinced the same -anxious caution at the point where the Ponline road joined our route -before the third guard-house was reached. The Sikhs were beginning to -be much distressed, and we had to relieve them by giving up our ponies -for their use in turns. Tsihet was reached at 2.30, and, after a short -rest, we proceeded to Tsitkaw, where we arrived at sundown, and were -congratulated on our escape by the second tsitkay-nekandaw, who met -us outside at the head of a guard lining each side of the road. We -put up in our old quarters, but without any supplies, as no baggage -had arrived; and for bedding, we had straw and Shan felt coverlets. -Fortunately, some tins of preserved meat were forthcoming, but we had -to procure from the villagers some clay vessels for cooking, and a blue -bowl to serve instead of plates. - -We remained two days at Tsitkaw expecting the baggage, the lighter -portions of which arrived in charge of the Burmese. Another detachment -of eighty-five men came from Bhamô, on the morning after our arrival, -and marched straight on to the hills. The indefatigable tsare-daw-gyee -also received orders from the Woon to return at once to Woonkah, and -remain there personally to oversee the despatch of all the baggage. -It is impossible to speak too highly of the care for our safety on -the march, and the general conduct, of this Burmese officer. Various -reports were brought in as to the loss suffered by the enemy; and both -Burmese and Kakhyens seemed to have been strongly impressed by the -“far shooting” of our rifles. The Kakhyen who had brought the earliest -information of the intended attack made his appearance, and was -delighted at finding his services recompensed with a handsome reward. -He was so elated that, Kakhyen-like, he returned with a “tail” of -followers, and, giving himself out as a tsawbwa, tried to get something -for his companions, in which he was unsuccessful. We were also rejoined -by our old interpreter, Moung Mo, who had disappeared at Shitee; but -of Moung Yoh, or Li-kan-shin, and Allan’s Chinese clerk, who had been -last seen or heard of at Seray, nothing certain could be ascertained. -Subsequent reports stated that they had both been murdered, but no -trustworthy intelligence was received either of their death or escape. - -On the second day of our stay at Tsitkaw, letters were received from -the Resident at Bhamô in reply to the despatch announcing our repulse. -He had fortunately been on the point of sending some Lenna Kakhyens -with letters to Elias at Muangmow, and had promised them a reward if -they escorted our companion safely back. The Woon sent to request our -return to Bhamô, as he had heard of an intended attack on Tsitkaw by -the Khanloung Kakhyens, a most lawless race of robbers inhabiting the -hills above the Molay river. Extra guards were accordingly posted by -the choung-oke, and all the soldiers were ordered to be on the alert; -but the night passed off quietly. We all returned, some by road and -the rest by boat, to Bhamô, on February 26th, and were welcomed at the -Residency by Captain Cooke. - -He had no news of Elias, who on the 17th instant was still at -Muangmow, and whose position, alone in the power of Li-sieh-tai, -seemed precarious and alarming. To explain it, I must again mention -that Captain Cooke and Mr. Ney Elias had started, under the convoy -of the Lenna chief of Paloungto, by the Sawady route, intending, if -possible, to meet us at Momien. They went from Bhamô to Mansay, and, -leaving the latter place early in the morning, arrived at the Kakhyen -village of Kara by nine o’clock. The chief Kara village, named Peetah, -lies a few miles distant. Two miles from this place, they entered the -country of the Lenna Kakhyens, and a march of seven miles brought them -to Wurrabone, a small village situated near the summit of a mountain. -This is the seat of the elder brother of the Paloungto chief, at whose -house they spent the night, being received with the utmost attention -that Kakhyen hospitality could show. From their observation, the Lenna -tribe appear to be a very superior race of Kakhyens, their houses and -manners evincing a higher degree of civilisation than is found amongst -the Kara or Lakone tribe. Starting at midday from Wurrabone, the party -arrived at sunset at Paloungto, a village of twenty houses. A march -of six miles over a rough hill road led to Namkai, the largest Lenna -village, containing forty houses, whence a road leads to Muangwan -and Hotha. Here the road, passing through a part of the Lakone -country, descended for nine miles to Pamkam, a small village lying -at the foot of the hills on the right bank of the Namwan or Muangwan -river. From this point, at which the Chinese frontier is crossed, -and the level valley of the Shuaylee is entered, Kwotloon, in the -territory of Muangmow, is only a mile distant. Arriving at sunset, the -travellers halted for the night, the Shan inhabitants proving sullen -and inclined to be uncivil. Their behaviour was a marked contrast -to the demeanour of the dreaded Lenna Kakhyens, through whose hills -the party had passed without any difficulty, while their expenses -had not amounted to five rupees, the hospitable tsawbwas insisting -on supplying everything required. The only chance of delay arose at -Paloungto, where the tsawbwa wanted to give a grand buffalo sacrifice -and feast in honour of his guests, and to propitiate the nats in -their favour. He postponed the ceremonial at Cooke’s request until -the return journey of the latter. After leaving Kwotloon, the Namwan -stream was crossed, and a day’s march on the left bank of twenty-four -miles in a south-easterly direction, and ascending the right bank of -the Shuaylee through an open, level country, brought the party to the -Shan town of Muangmow. This place, the residence of the tsawbwa, like -the towns of the Sanda valley, is surrounded by a brick wall sixteen -feet high, without bastions or embrasures, but backed by an earthwork. -Four gates, corresponding to the points of the compass, lead into -the town, which occupies a square of about six hundred yards, and is -inhabited by Shan Chinese. The travellers at once proceeded to call on -Li-sieh-tai, who was residing in a ruinous yamen, and commanded a force -of apparently about fifty Chinese soldiers, although said to number -three hundred. This redoubtable Chinese official received them with -great civility, addressing Elias as “his elder brother,” and assigned -them quarters in a khyoung close to the western gate of the town. - -Li-sieh-tai is described as a little but broad-shouldered and powerful -man, with a large head and ugly visage, having an unusually wide mouth, -with thick and protruding lips. In conversation he looks straight at -his interlocutor, which is in marked contrast to the usually downcast -or shifting glance of the other Chinese. He showed his literary -acquirements by carefully perusing the imperial passports, which he -declared to be quite satisfactory, and amply sufficient to ensure the -bearer’s safety if once in the mandarins’ country beyond Sehfan. The -difficulty would be in the journey from Muangmow to Sehfan, as there -was a feud between the tsawbwas of these states. - -Captain Cooke resolved to return to Bhamô, as his presence might render -it more difficult or tedious for Mr. Elias to proceed to Momien. When -he with his followers proposed to depart, he found the western gate -closed, and was told that it could not be opened without the leave -of some official. He had been already requested to sign a letter of -indemnity for Mr. Elias’ safety, which had, as a matter of course, -been declined, and the closing of the gate was intended as a species -of pressure. He outmanœuvred the officials by ordering his Kakhyens -to wait till the gate should be opened, while he took his departure -by another gate. They rejoined him outside the town, and all arrived -without further difficulty at Paloungto. Here the nat sacrifice duly -took place, and a bullock, pig, and fowls were slaughtered, a leg -of the first victim being presented to Cooke, which is a mark of -honour only paid to chiefs. A grand palaver was held in the tsawbwa’s -house, the occasion being a dispute between the chief and one of his -villages, the people of which had stolen a bullock from him. To atone -for this insult, a fine of ten bullocks was imposed, to be paid in -five yearly instalments. At least fifty Kakhyens were present, and -sheroo and samshu were liberally supplied, but the assemblage was -quiet and orderly. At midnight the English guest expressed a wish to -sleep, and all at once departed, while the chief produced for his -accommodation two carpets which he had recently received as a present -from the Residency. The chief explained the difficulties which had -arisen between himself and the leader of the mission at Sawady, by -the fact that he had only agreed to convoy the British mission, and -would not admit a Burmese guard into his country. It is certain that -no mention of the passage of a Burmese guard had been made during the -previous negotiations by Mr. Elias, who was at that time unaware of -and subsequently opposed to the plan. The tsawbwa complained bitterly -of the humiliation he had experienced in being obliged to squat on -the ground before the Burmese officials, and that he had not had any -opportunity of a private interview with the English officers. It is -very much to his credit that he asked for nothing beyond what he had -been promised; and his conduct and that of his brother, the chief of -Wurrabone, and their subjects, showed conclusively that, so far as the -Kakhyens are concerned, this route to Muangmow was unattended by any -real difficulty. - -On the day after our arrival at Bhamô, our anxiety concerning the -position of Elias was relieved by the arrival of two Lenna Kakhyens, -bringing letters from him dated from Kwotloon on the 24th. The -messengers had thus accomplished their journey in two days, and were -immediately sent back with letters. As it was probable that Mr. Elias -would have received the letter of recall, his speedy arrival was -looked for; and all our suspense on his account was ended on March 2nd, -when he made his appearance, escorted by the Wurrabone pawmine. - -Subsequently to Captain Cooke’s departure from Muangmow, Li-sieh-tai, -whose conduct and character had made a rather favourable impression -on Mr. Elias, held out hopes that he might be able to arrange for his -safe conduct to Sehfan. The tsawbwa, however, was more explicit, and -assured him that it was impossible in the then state of the country. -Subsequent observations, and refusals of access to the tsawbwa, on -various pretexts, convinced Elias that there was no intention to let -him proceed. He therefore bade farewell to Li, who accepted a rifle -as a parting present, and returned to Kwotloon, to which place two -Shans brought the news of the attack on our camp. The aged tsawbwa of -Wurrabone, with his pawmines, went to Kwotloon to escort him safely to -Mansay; and leaving Kwotloon on the 28th, they accomplished the journey -of sixty-four miles by a direct road, avoiding Paloungto, in two days. -While passing Peetah, the Lennas evinced some apprehension that the -Kara Kakhyens, who had previously grumbled about the smallness of their -gains, might prove troublesome; but the party passed through without -opposition. - -It is impossible to avoid the reflection that, if the murder of Margary -and the attack on our camp had been directed by Li-sieh-tai, he could -easily, by direct or indirect means, have disposed of his visitor; -and his civility and consideration for his safety by not allowing him -to advance are surely to be esteemed a strong argument in his favour. -Among the Lenna Kakhyens the opinion was freely expressed that the -opposition was due to secret tactics on the part of the Burmese. That -this idea prevailed among the hill tribes to the south of the Tapeng -was further confirmed by Father Lecomte, who returned from a visit to -Mattin at the time of our arrival at Bhamô. When he and his companion -reached the first Kakhyen village, there was an incessant discharge of -fire-arms, and the villagers appeared unwilling to receive them, until -they assured them that they were not Englishmen. Their sacerdotal garb -assisted to make the Kakhyens believe that they belonged to a different -race, and they were then entertained, but informed that at first the -people had said, “If these are kalas, let us kill them, because the -king of Burma does not wish them to enter our hills.” The tsawbwa -of Mattin, whose intelligence and general knowledge impressed them -strongly, told them that there was no chance of the mission reaching -Yunnan. He further remarked that the Kakhyens were glad to see the -Englishmen at Bhamô; but “what will become of the trade and occupation -of our people if they make a railway from Bhamô to Momien?” This -feeling, both among the Chinese merchants and the Kakhyens, especially -those under Burmese and Chinese influence, that our gain in the way of -open trade would prove their loss, must be largely taken into account -in estimating the difficulties of progress. - -The opinion that the king of Burma was hostile to the mission owed -its origin to a forged royal letter, directing the Kakhyens to oppose -us. A copy of this letter was obtained by the Resident, and there was -no doubt that it had been widely circulated. The forgery was brought -home to no less a personage than the chief phoongyee, or _saya_, -of Kaungtoung. The Woon of Shuaygoo, whose district includes both -Kaungtoung and Sawady, it will be recollected, refused any co-operation -with his colleague at Bhamô. I personally experienced his hostility to -foreigners during a boat voyage through the second defile on the return -from Bhamô, when he not only refused a guide, but sent instructions to -the headmen of his villages to forbid my landing. He has been since -deprived of office, and the actual perpetrator of the forgery has -been tried by the ecclesiastical court of Mandalay, degraded from the -priesthood, and sentenced to carry one hundred loads of water into the -khyoung of the court. The sentence ran as follows:--“In the case of -rahans, if in a matter not ordered by our most excellent Lord Buddha, -one represents it to be a sacred order, he is guilty of _dakka-apat_. -In the case of laymen, if a person represents that which is not a -royal order as a royal order, the customary punishment is to widen -his mouth (by slitting the cheeks) or to cut off his hand. In the -present instance, Shin Thula Tsara, the Saya of Kaungtoung, without -orders from an ecclesiastical court, by making that which was not a -royal order into a royal order, was the one who ordered the obstruction -of the British mission proceeding to China. He accordingly has been -deprived of his office of bishop; but as a rahan and a soldier of the -Buddhist religion is not punishable according to the civil law, the -decision, in accordance with the rule given in the Wini, made by the -assembled members of the ecclesiastical court, is--Let him be punished -by carrying one hundred loads of water,” &c. This isolated case of -hostility on the part of Burmese officials in nowise detracts from the -good opinion which the zeal and energy displayed in our service by the -Bhamô authorities earned from all who witnessed and profited by them. - -Upon our safe arrival, the Woon sent letters to the governor of Momien -to inquire into the causes of the opposition offered to the progress -of the mission and the murder of one of its officers. The report that -Chinese troops were still marching in great numbers from Momien to -Manwyne was also the subject of inquiry. He did not disguise his fear -that the Chinese would attack Bhamô; and the preparation of bricks for -the construction of a wall around the town, which had already begun, -was actively pressed forward. - -During our stay, all opportunities for ascertaining, if possible, -the exact details of the murder of Mr. Margary and his followers -were eagerly availed of by us; but beyond the melancholy fact, though -various reports were current, it was impossible to collect evidence -either as to the perpetrators or the circumstances of this atrocious -crime. It seemed, however, agreed that there were Chinese officials and -troops at Manwyne. The muleteers and others who accompanied Margary had -fled for their lives into the jungle. One reported that he had been -examined as a friend of the foreigners, and had escaped by asserting -that he was a resident of the district, and not connected with us. The -most trustworthy account was furnished by two of the six Burmese who -were at Manwyne, and whom the Chinese officials threatened to kill. -The most intelligent one stated that he saw Margary walking about the -town, sometimes with Chinese and at other times alone. On the morning -of the 21st, the very day of his murder, some men invited him to go and -see a hot spring, and when he was outside the town, they knocked him -off his pony and speared him. His writer and messenger and two servants -were killed in the khyoung. This was only hearsay, and no one had seen -the heads of the victims, which were reported to have been affixed to -the town wall, or, according to another account, to have been sent to -Momien. Our informants had not seen any troops, though one had heard -them marching at night while he was concealed in the jungle. - -Later accounts stated that the Chinese officers had been ordered back -in disgrace to Momien, because they had allowed our party to escape, -and that the Shans were at feud with the Chinese, as the phoongyee -complained that the khyoung had been desecrated by blood-shedding. - -It is to be hoped that the commission of inquiry now traversing China -from the east will be able to elicit the facts, and to determine to -whom the guilt of the barbarous murder of a British officer attaches. -It is in no wise fitting to prejudge the case. Whether local marauders -or the Momien officials, actuated either by prejudice against -foreigners or commercial jealousy, or, it may be, a groundless fear of -encouragement to be derived by the Mahommedans from the presence of -the English, violated the rights guaranteed by treaty and the express -commands of an imperial passport, remains to be seen. It is possible -that the authority of the viceroy of Yunnan was prostituted to oppose -the entrance of the hated foreigners; and the recent reports seem to -indicate a determination in the Yunnan yamens at least to screen the -offenders. - -For my own part, I desire to record the deep sympathy entertained for -those who mourn for the loss of one so beloved. Our brief intercourse -lasted long enough to win for him the esteem and cordial friendship -of us all; and while we deplored the early loss to his country of the -services of one whose past career and talents promised to raise him to -high distinction, we lamented his untimely death as that of an old and -dear friend. To his family and those who looked forward to share his -future, the loss is irreparable; and the punishment of the guilty will -bring but little consolation. But he may be said to have bequeathed it -as a public duty--made more imperative by its being the most fitting -tribute to his worth--to establish in those border lands the right of -Englishmen to travel unmolested. - -The death of this young officer and the repulse of the British mission -from the frontiers of China have left a marked impression on the minds -of the various populations. The question of opening trade routes may -be left to the future. Overland commerce cannot be forced, or even -stimulated, by extraordinary efforts. The existence of a channel of -trade between Burma and China has been demonstrated; and when the -restored prosperity of Yunnan shall create a demand, the steamers -of the Burmese rivers and the entrepot of Bhamô, where the British -flag assures protection to British interests, are ready to furnish -the supply. For the present, above and beyond the task of avenging -his murder on the guilty, of whatever rank they may be, the name of -AUGUSTUS RAYMOND MARGARY will be most fitly honoured by a party of -his countrymen formally asserting the right to traverse, in honour -and safety, the route between Burma and China, which he was the first -Englishman to explore, and which should be maintained as his most -durable monument. - -By the arrival of Mr. Ney Elias, our chief cause of anxiety was -removed, and when on March 3rd the boats arrived from Tsitkaw freighted -with the baggage and stores which successive officials had been -despatched to expedite, there was no farther necessity for delay at -Bhamô. Everything, with very trivial exceptions, was delivered safely -according to the inventory which had been taken at Woonkah, and the -tsawbwa of that place received his promised reward of £1000, which -undoubtedly made him the richest chief among the northern Kakhyens. - -As the steamer from Mandalay had not arrived, I hired a native boat, in -order to make a leisurely inspection of the second defile, and dropped -down to Sawady. The Woon of Bhamô had informed me that there was danger -to be apprehended from the Kakhyens on the hills of the defile, and -advised an application to the Shuaygoo Woon, who was at Sawady, for a -guide. After some delay, the Woon received me, but most ungraciously, -and declined the request, as the Bhamô Woon had sent no official letter -on the subject. Not content with this refusal, he sent a boat with -soldiers to convey orders to the villages not to allow me to remain -for the night, the result of which we experienced at a place called -Thembaw-eng, where the headman came down and compelled us to leave -our moorings. We were not assailed by Kakhyens, but had a nocturnal -alarm of a tiger, which the boatmen declared to be not a real tiger, -but the nat of the locality, who was enraged at their having cut down -some branches which interfered with my camera, when photographing the -great cliff. A more disagreeable incident was a violent storm, almost -amounting to a tornado, which overtook us in the river. The hurricane -was presaged by a most brilliant light seen, in the west, from which -quarter the wind soon after burst upon the river with tremendous -fury, lashing its surface into great waves, while incessant flashes -of lightning lit up the scene, which was one of terrific grandeur. A -pleasing incident of the trip was the arrival of a boat containing -our old friend and patient, the old tsare-daw-gyee, who had escorted -us from Mandalay, and who had arrived at Bhamô in chains on his way -to Mogoung a few days before. He expressed great pleasure at seeing -me safe, and I congratulated him on having regained his liberty. This -was due to royal orders brought by an express boat from Mandalay two -days previously. As he intended to halt at Shuaygoo-myo, he promised -to neutralise the malice of the Woon, by personal instructions to the -headman, which proved most useful. - -The steamer _Colonel Fytche_, with the members of the mission, overtook -us at the wooding station of Yuathet on March 7th, and, after the -usual delays caused by grounding on sandbanks, we reached Mandalay on -the 10th, and found the steamer _Yunnan_ about to start for Rangoon. -We were almost amused to hear the various and contradictory rumours -which had been flying about this most gossiping of capitals as to -our dangers and escapes. An account of the attack, as being made by -Kakhyens and disaffected Chinese, had been published in a printed -Chinese broadsheet, which professed to give the most recent and -exact information concerning the mission, a curious illustration of -the interest which the subject possessed for the Chinese traders of -Mandalay. The _Yunnan_ conveyed us to Rangoon, where the welcome of -the Chief Commissioner and the hearty congratulations, on our safety, -of our other friends were not lessened by our having been compelled -to return _re infecta_, leaving the task, it is to be hoped, soon and -successfully to be accomplished by another mission. - - - - -APPENDICES. - - -APPENDIX I. - -A NOTE BY BISHOP BIGANDET ON BURMESE BELLS.[42] - -Bells are common in Burma, and the people of that country are well -acquainted with the art of casting them. Most of the bells to be seen -in the pagodas are of small dimensions, and in shape differ from those -used in Europe. The inferior part is less widened, and there is a -large hole in the centre of the upper part. No tongue is hung in the -interior, but the sound is produced by striking with a horn of deer or -elk the outward surface of the lower part. No belfry is erected for -the bells; they are fixed on a piece of timber laid horizontally, and -supported by two posts, at such a height that the inferior part of the -bell is raised about five feet from the ground. - -The largest specimens of Burmese art are the two bells to be seen, the -one at the large pagoda of Rangoon, called Shuay Dagon, and the other -at Mengoon. - -The first was cast in 1842, as recorded by the inscription on it. The -weight of metal is 94,682 lbs.; its height, 9½ cubits; its diameter, -5 cubits; its thickness, 15 inches. But during the process of -melting, the well-disposed threw in copper, silver, and gold in great -quantities. It is supposed that in this way the weight was increased -one-fourth. - -The bell of Mengoon was cast at the beginning of this century. In shape -and form it resembles our bells of Europe. It is probable that some -foreigner residing at Ava suggested the idea of giving such an unusual -form to that monumental bell. Its height is 18 feet, besides 7 feet -for hanging apparatus. It is 17 feet in diameter, and from 10 to 12 -inches in thickness. Its weight is supposed to exceed 200,000 lbs.[43] -In the interior, large yellowish and greyish streaks indicate that -considerable quantities of gold and silver have been thrown in during -the process of melting. No idea can at present be had of the power of -the sound, as its enormous weight has caused the pillars that support -it partially to give way. To prevent a final disaster, the orifice of -the bell has been made to rest on large teak posts sunk in the ground -and rising about 3 feet above it. - -[42] From ‘The Legend of the Burmese Buddha,’ by Bishop Bigandet, -Rangoon. - -[43] It will be observed that these figures are in excess of those -given by Colonel Yule, which I have quoted in the text. - - -APPENDIX II. - -TRANSLATION OF A CHINESE DOCUMENT, WHICH PURPORTS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE -ORIGIN AND ESTABLISHMENT OF MAHOMMEDANISM IN CHINA. BY COLONEL SLADEN. - -The chief queen of the emperor Tanwan adopted a child and called him -Anlaushan. In time the child developed into a man of extraordinary -comeliness and wonderful intellect. - -The queen was enamoured; and the adopted son became her paramour. - -Anlaushan soon rose to distinction. His abilities were of the highest -order, and raised him at once to fame and influence. The queenly -passion was not disclosed; but suspicion had been sufficiently roused -to make it prudent on the queen’s part to get rid of her lover, and -defeat all signs of illicit intercourse. - -Anlaushan was accordingly accused of being privy to a conspiracy to -dethrone the emperor. The influence of the queen prevailed to obtain a -conviction, and her favourite was banished from the royal capital. - -But the injustice of his accusation and a sense of wrongs roused -Anlaushan to action, and induced him to become in reality a leader -of rebellion. He lost no time in collecting a large force with which -he was able to make head against the government, and successfully -encounter the troops of the emperor. In time he had approached within -a league of the capital, and city and palace were alike threatened. - -The emperor Tanwan in this emergency adopted the suggestion of his -vizier Kanseree, and despatched a mission to Seeyoogwet, and implored -foreign aid. A force of three thousand men was sent, under the command -and guidance of three learned teachers, who arrived in due time at -Tanwan’s capital. By their aid Anlaushan was defeated and eventually -captured. - -The rebellion was at an end, and the foreign contingent left China, to -return to its own country. Here, however, a difficulty arose. Their -rulers refused them admittance, and alleged as a cause for doing so, -that it was against the constitution of the country to receive back men -who had come into contact with pork-eating infidels. They had herded -in fact with pigs and infidels, and could no longer be regarded as -unpolluted subjects, or as fit members of a society which held pork in -religious detestation. - -They returned therefore to China, and became permanent sojourners in -a foreign land. They are the original stock from which Mahommedanism -has sprung up in China, in various communities, and under several -denominations, &c. - - -APPENDIX III. - -LIST OF NATS, OR DEITIES, WORSHIPPED BY THE KAKHYENS; OBTAINED FROM -NATIVE SOURCES BY COLONEL SLADEN. - -1. _Ngka_ nat; Burmese, _Me_ nat; Eng. God of Earth.--He is worshipped -on the occasions of digging gold or other mines, founding a village, -and sowing paddy. The offerings made are buffalo, hogs, fowls, dried -fish, and liquor (sheroo). The worship must be celebrated by the entire -population of a village, and for four days next ensuing no work nor -journey must be undertaken. - -2. _Mooshen_ or _Mofitwa_ nat or nats. These are husband and -wife, called respectively _Sharoowa_ and _Modai-pronga_. Burmese, -_Thakya-meng_; Eng. the King of Gods.--Worshipped on the occasion -of clearing fields, cutting rice crop, and founding a village. The -offerings made are a young male buffalo or bull, hog, cocks, eggs, -rice, dried fish, and liquor, with gifts of a silk putzo and women’s -ornaments. The worship is celebrated by the tsawbwa and the whole -village, and cannot be offered by a private person. - -3. _Numsyang_ or _Noon-shan_ nat or nats; Burmese, _Yuwa-saun_; Eng. -the Village Guardians.--These are male and female, the eastern portion -of a village being under the custody of the former, and the western of -the latter. They are worshipped twice a year; also on the occasion of -any epidemic or of war, and at the foundation of a new village. The -offerings are as already mentioned, but the victims must be male, and -the worship is celebrated by the tsawbwa with all his people. - -4. _Chan_ nat; Burmese, _Me_ nat; Eng. the Sun.--Also two, husband and -wife. Worshipped by chief and people at the time of clearing fields and -harvesting. The offerings are red fowls, boiled rice, eggs, dried fish, -bread, and liquor, with gifts of one gong, a red putzo, and masculine -ornaments. - -5. _Sada_ nat; Burmese, _La_ nat; Eng. the Moon.--Worshipped as -foregoing. Offerings, boiled rice, dried flesh and fish, eggs, and four -bamboo flasks of liquor, with gifts of feminine clothes and ornaments -and a silver pipe stem. - -6. _Ning-foi_, or _Pomp-woi_; Burmese, _Le_ nat; Eng. the -Air.--Worshipped in sickness, time of war, when going on a trading -journey, clearing fields, or founding a village. Offerings, buffalo, -cow, hog, fowls, &c., with gifts of putzo, gong, and silver. - -7. _Ning-gon-wa_ nat; Burmese, _Byama_ nat; the Hindoo Brahma.--Regarded -as the “chief tsawbwa after death.” Offerings, bread; gifts, flowers, -silk putzo, and eight bamboos of liquor. - -8. _Boom_ nat; Burmese, _Toung_ nat; Eng. the God of -Mountains.--Worshipped in sickness, and when clearing fields or founding -a village. Offerings, buffalo, cow, hog, &c. - -9. _Mŭm Sŭn_; Burmese, _Soba_ nat; Eng. the Rice God.--Worshipped for -growth of rice crop, and sometimes in sickness. Offerings the same as -to the Moon. - -10. _Chegah_ nat; Burmese, _Lay-khyan-saun_; the Field and Garden -Keeper.--Invoked to protect them. Offerings of buffalo and cows, of -which the skin is burned and the flesh boiled. Propitiated also with -offerings of tobacco. Said to inflict disease in the skin and eyes. - -11. _Waroom_ nat; Burmese, _Ana_ nat; Eng. the God of -Disease.--Worshipped during sickness, chiefly small-pox and cholera. -Offerings, buffalo, &c. - -12. _Khakhoo Kha-nam_; Burmese, _Yei_ nat; the God of -Water.--Worshipped on the occasion of any one being drowned; sometimes -in sickness. Offerings, two buffaloes, two hogs, two fowls, &c. - -13. _Tsethoung_ nat; Burmese, _Tou_ nat; Eng. the God of -Forest.--Worshipped on the occasion of founding a village, clearing -fields, war, and sickness. Offerings, a hog, a goat, &c. - -14. _Ngkhoo_ nat; Burmese, _Aing_ nat; the Home God, or God of -Ancestors.--Worshipped in all cases of sickness. Any one wishing to -migrate to another state hangs a bamboo of liquor on a post and invokes -him. New rice is also offered him at harvest. Offerings, buffalo, cow, -&c. - -15. _Ndong_ nat; Burmese, _Aing-peen_ nat; the God of the Outside of -Home.--Believed to reside in the house, but worshipped outside if one -of the family is killed in war, or by drowning, fall from a tree, or -the bite of a tiger or snake. Offerings, buffalo, &c. - -16. _Mo_ nat; Burmese, the same; the God of Heaven.--Four brothers, -viz. Moung-lam, Khreenwan, Seen-lap, Mou-sheeing, and a sister, -Boung-fwoy, the Thunder Goddess. A very high god of the Kakhyens, -worshipped by those who desire profit in trade, victory in war, or -children; also on occasion of founding a village and of sickness. -Sacrifice, buffalo, cow, hog, and fowls--all which must be white--dried -fish, eggs, and liquor. - -17. _Lessa_ nat; Burmese, _Tesey_, or _Tuhsai_; the ghost of a person -murdered by the dah, supposed to cause disease.--Offerings, buffalo, -&c., and boiled rice, curry, liquor, exposed in baskets. - -18. _Needang_ nat; Burmese, _Meima Tesey_; the compound spectre of -mother and unborn child. - -19. _Hau-saing_ nat; Burmese, _Taroup_ nat; the Chinese god. - -20. _Khokhamla_; Burmese, _Sing-buring_; the last king. - -21. _Phee Lomoon_; Burmese, _Soung_; the witch, believed to be able to -destroy life. - - -APPENDIX IV. - -NOTE BY PROFESSOR DOUGLAS ON THE DEITIES IN THE SHAN TEMPLE AT TSAYCOW, -IN THE HOTHA VALLEY. - -The objects of worship contained within the walls of this temple are -well worthy of note, more especially as they illustrate the curious -manner in which the deities representing the various faiths of -Chinamen--Buddhist, Taouist, and Confucianist--are often intermingled. -As the subjoined list shows, Buddhas, Buddhisatwas, Devas, Arhans, and -Buddhist patriarchs, stand side by side with “True Men,” “Masters of -Heaven,” and princes of the Taouist faith; while Confucianism finds a -solitary representative in the Deva of Scholarly (i.e. Confucianist) -Youths (No. 15). This grouping together of the deities of the “Three -Religions” might appear strange to those unacquainted with the phases -which these faiths have assumed in China. From the first, however, -Taouism was but another form of Buddhism, and the gradual weakening, -which has been going on for centuries, of the distinctive doctrines -of the two sects, together with the introduction of purely Chinese -superstition into both, have tended to obliterate the uncertain line -of demarcation which originally separated the one from the other. -Indeed, the power of absorption, whether of races or of creeds, which -so peculiarly belongs to the Chinese, has served to fuse together the -dogmas of Buddha and Lao-tsze with the teachings of Confucius to such -an extent that, as far as the masses are concerned, they may be treated -as the foundations of a common faith, and the objects set apart by each -for worship are to be found not unfrequently standing in positions of -equal honour--as in the present instance--in the national Pantheons. - -The following is a list of the eighty deities who are enthroned in the -temple:-- - -1. Yun lai tseĭh teen = the Deva of the Gathering Clouds. - -2. Jĭh kung tsun teen = the honoured Deva of the Sun Palace. - -3. To wăn tsun teen = Vaishravana. - -4. Keen-na-lo Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, the King of the -Kinnaras. - -5. Ta hĕh tsun teen = Mahâ Kala. - -6. Sing kung tsun teen = the honoured Deva of the Star Palace. - -7. Tae suy tsun teen = the Chinese Cybele. - -8. Luy shin tsun teen = the honoured Deva of Thunder. - -9. Hoo-kea-lo Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, King Hoo-kea-lo. - -10. Po-kiĕh-lo-tsew (?) tsun teen = the honoured Deva Po-kiĕh-lo-tsew -(?) (Bhaskaravarna?). - -11. Same as No. 8. - -12. Lŭh chai pă Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, the Eighth King of -the Six Fasts (?). - -13. Hing ping kwei Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, the -Disease-transmitting Demon King. - -14. Hwa-kwang-meaou-keĭh-tseang tsun teen = Manjusri. - -15. Joo tung te teen = the Imperial Deva of Scholarly (i.e. -Confucianist) Youths. - -16. San chi tsun teen = the Glory-scattering honoured Deva. - -17. Mi-tseĭh-kin-kang tsun teen = the Vajra-holding honoured Deva. - -18. Mo-le-che tsun teen = Maritchi. - -19. Să chin jin = the True Man Să (Taouist). - -20. Kŏ chin jin = the True Man Kŏ (Hang?) (Taouist). - -21. Yuh te = the Jade Ruler (Taouist). - -22. Chang Teen sze = the Master of Heaven Chang (Taou-ling?) (Taouist). - -23. Heu chin keun = the Prince Heu (Taouist). - -24. Ho-le-te-nan tsun = Hariti. - -25. Yen-lo te teen = Yama. - -26. Kwei tsze moo teen = the Demon Terrestrial Deva. - -27. Poo-te-shoo teen = Buddhisatwa Druma. - -28. Keen-lo te teen = the Firm and Strong Terrestrial Deva. - -29. Mo-he-lo tsun teen = Maheshvara. - -30. Kwang mŭh tsun teen = Virupaksha. - -31. Tsăng chang tsun teen = Virudhaka. - -32. Chĭh kwŏ tsun teen = Dhritarashtra. - -33. Same as No. 8. - -34. Kwan shing te teen = the God of War. - -35. Te shĭh tsun teen = Buddha. - -36. Ta fan tsun teen = Brahma. - -37. Tsze tung te teen = the Deva of the Tsze and Tung Trees. - -38. Ta peen teen = the Great Deva of Disputation. - -39. Kung tĭh tsun teen = the honoured Deva of Good Works. - -40. Hoo fa tsun teen = Dharmarakshita. - -41. Heuen teen shang te = The Sombre-Heaven God. - -42. Pin-too-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan[44] Pin-too-lo. - -43. Choo-cha-pwan-to-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Choo-cha-pwan-to-kea. - -44. Fa-na-po-sze tsun-chay = the Arhan Fa-na-po-sze. - -45. Na-kea-mow-na-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Na-kea-mow-na-lo. - -46. Pwan-to-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Pwan-to-kea. - -47. Fa-chay-fŭh-to-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Fa-chay-fŭh-to-lo. - -48. Po to-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Po-to-lo. - -49. Soo-pin-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Soo-pin-to. - -50. Peen-nŏ-kea-fa-tso tsun-chay = the Arhan Peen-nŏ-kea-fa-tso. - -51. Kan heen = the Watching-the-Righteous (Deity). - -52. Kea-che = Kâsyapa. - -53. Chay-nŏ Fŭh = the Protecting and Answering Buddha. - -54. Shŭh-kea Fŭh = Sakya Buddha. - -55. Pe-loo Fŭh = Vairoshana. - -56. A-nan = Ananda. - -57. Wăn choo = Mangusri. - -58. Pin-tow-loo-to-chay tsun-chay = the Arhan Pin-tow-loo-to-chay. - -59. Kea-kea-po-tĭh-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Kea-kea-po-tĭh-to. - -60. Nŏ-keu-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Nŏ-keu-lo. - -61. Kea-le-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Kalika. - -62. Shoo-foo-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Shoo-foo-kea. - -63. Lo-hoo-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Lo-hoo-lo. - -64. Yin-këĕ-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Yin-këĕ-to. - -65. A-she-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Asita. - -66. King-yew tsun-chay = the Arhan King-yew. - -67. Tă-ma tsoo sze = the Patriarch Dharma. - -68. Kea-lan Poo-să = the Sam̃ghârâma Buddha. - -69. Same as No. 41. - -70. Kwan-yin Poo-să = Avalokites’vara. - -71. Wăn-chang te keun = the God of Literature. - -72. Hoo-fă Wei-to = Veda, the Defender of the Law. - -73. Tsëĕ yin Fŭh = Amita. - -74. Same as No. 3. - -75. Same as No. 30. - -76. Same as No. 32. - -77. Same as No. 31. - -78. Has no name attached. - -79. Shwuy ho kin kang = the Water and-Fire-Varja-(throwing Deity) [an -impossible title]. - -[44] _Arhan_, Professor Douglas informs me, has the same signification -as the term _rahan_, used by me in the text.--J. A. - - -APPENDIX V. - -VOCABULARY. - - +--------------+----------------+--------------+ - | English. | Kakhyen. | Shan. | - +--------------+----------------+--------------+ - |One | Langai | Loong | - |Two | Lakong | Song | - |Three | Masoam | Sam | - |Four | Malee | Si | - |Five | Mangah | Ha | - |Six | Kroo | Hoak | - |Seven | Sanet | Saet | - |Eight | Matsat | Pyet | - |Nine | Tsikoo | Kow | - |Ten | Shi | Sheep | - |Eleven | Shilangai | Sheepate | - |Twenty | Koon | Sow | - |Twenty-one | Koonlangai | Sowate | - |One hundred | Latsa | Packlaing | - |One thousand | Hainglangai | Hainglaing | - |I | Ngai | Kow | - |We | Antaing | Mowshoe | - |You | Nongtaing | How | - |He | Torawah | Mung | - |Of me | Ngaihome | Kowlai | - |Of us | Antainglo | Howhalai | - |Of you | Nangtainglo | Mowsoo | - |Of him | Keyraiĕh | Hongmyoon | - |Of them | Kangtengraiĕh | Myonhowlai | - |Above | Lata | Kāneh | - |Below | Lawoo | Kantow | - |Far | Nowtsanai | Kaiyow | - |Near | Aneesharengai | Cowalaí | - |Alone | Nanaisha | Yonlai | - |Inside | .. .. | .. .. | - |Behind | .. .. | .. .. | - |Before | .. .. | .. .. | - |North | .. .. | Kaneu | - |South | .. .. | Kantow | - |East | .. .. | Wanoak | - |West | .. .. | Wantoak | - |Best | Kajai | Leesubinah | - |Bad | Inkajah | Yunglee | - |Worse | .. .. | .. .. | - +--------------+----------------+--------------+ - - +-----------------+-----------------+-------------+ - | Hotha Shan. | Leesaw. | Poloung. | - +-----------------+-----------------+-------------+ - | Ta | Ti | Lay. | - | Seuk | Hnuit | Eh. | - | Soom | Sa | Ooay. | - | Mee | Li | Pone. | - | Ngwa | Ngaw | Pohn. | - | Ho | Chaw | Taw. | - | Huit | Tshe | Ta. | - | Het | Hay | Poo. | - | Kaow | Koo | Teen. | - | Takkhay | Tsi | Kew. | - | Khayta | Tsili | Kewlay. | - | Sow | Meetzee | Ehkew. | - | Sowta | Meetzeeti | Ehkewlay. | - | Tabac | Teengha | Oobooyaw. | - | Tahaing | Titoo | Oohaing. | - | Ngaw | Nga | Ow. | - | Ngawtookay | Ngaeuh | Nuibey. | - | Kewtakah | .. .. | Ee. | - | Mong | .. .. | Pĕh. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | Attaw | Khanashee | Kiggo. | - | Loongbaw | Meekhya | Kirroi. | - | Vaylai | Oorăh | Loong. | - | Neenăy | Tialah | Puloang. | - | Notah | Nwaday | Mowloutsay. | - | Ahhow | Nagwah | Kaffan. | - | Noongbah | Kanashee | Howlaybonow.| - | Numram | Jugushee | Howlaiow. | - | Hobah | Meetloakhew | Keyko. | - | Oobah | Meegoakhew | Keyroi. | - | Meetope | Wadashee | Keygo. | - | Neekcoam | Godashee | Makkayroi. | - | Soobudaykhaybaw | Loosoometsighaw | Tsika. | - | Makhay | Magee | Putzee. | - | Highmakhay | .. .. | .. .. | - +-----------------+-----------------+-------------+ - - +-------------------------------------------------+ - | VOCABULARY. | - |--------------+-----------------+----------------+ - | English. | Kakhyen. | Shan. | - |--------------+-----------------+----------------+ - | Worst | Toomsa inkajah | Moataykhew | - | High | Tsawah | Ansoong | - | Higher | .. .. | Aykhera soongsa| - | Highest | Lata | .. .. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | Low | Nemai | Tumalai | - | False | Nangmasonai | Monlonlai | - | Fine | Tsomai | Sanay | - | True | Raiai | Lonlai | - | Thin | Kasherai | Yongmai | - | Fat | Kubai | Peaeh | - | Thick | Tatday | Lalai | - | Oily | Toesa | Hackaylai | - | Pretty | Tsomai | Hanglilai | - | Ugly | .. .. | .. .. | - | Beautiful | Tsomai | Hanglilai | - | Clean | Tsomai | Senshitnai | - | Dirty | Shoeshakai | Hangwheylai | - | Dusty | .. .. | .. .. | - | Cheap | .. .. | Mouwai | - | Dear | Matzanneh | Paneh | - | Rich | Soneh | Me-eh | - | Poor | Matzaneh | Panyon | - | Old | Toonglasa | Tonalai | - | Young | Kacheeai | Onyou | - | Tall | Sawai | Soongai | - | Little | Indehkacheeai | Onzalai | - | Small | Kacheecheeai | Onzeesee | - | Big | Kubai | Yanalai | - | Tight | Teetai | Kapai | - | Wide | Koocabai | Quangai | - | Close | Meesa | Kowai | - | Painful | Matzeeai | Sipai | - | Pleasant | .. .. | .. .. | - | Red | Khrenai | Aneng | - | Yellow | Somai | Anaing | - | Green | Chitai | Anhew | - | Blue | Chitai | Anpyah | - | Orange | .. .. | .. .. | - | Black | Changai | Anam | - | White | Prongai | Angpuck | - | Hand | Lata | Mew | - +--------------+-----------------+----------------+ - - +---------------------------------------------------------+ - | VOCABULARY. | - +------------------------+---------------+----------------+ - | Hotha Shan. | Leesaw. | Poloung. | - +------------------------+---------------+----------------+ - | Highmakhayaw | Oumamagee | Putzee. | - | Mahanglai | Moodah | Ko. | - | Soobudaymahanglaí | Akkeymo | Kokakai. | - | Soobudayma-hanglaibaw | .. .. | Hoakmureemurra.| - | Mahlawhoonlai | Kula | Quoikaroi. | - | Manhay | Mungaw | Owmow. | - | Tomelai | Byeedah | Tseah. | - | Pēybaw | Ghooleeaw | Hawhoi. | - | Hyamlai | Battah | Mangah. | - | Powlai | Tsuddah | Kalana. | - | Kanlai | Guadah | Nakakoi. | - | Kokklai | Khuddah | Kaiaw. | - | Tomelai | Bheda | Tsi. | - | .. .. | Mabyee | Putzee. | - | Tomebaw | Bheda | Tsikaw. | - | Peubaw | Phaw | Lweehaw. | - | Tseetbaw | Neemughoondah | Highai. | - | Soodah | Shenggew | Peevunay. | - | Polai | Noodah | .. .. | - | Kolai | Kaddah | Gnaw. | - | Chodo | Tsobo | .. .. | - | Panlai | Saddah | Anpan. | - | Mungsaw | Tsomaw | Takkaw. | - | Thoay | Lanew | Taheelay. | - | Mangbah | Moakkaw | Onyou-haw. | - | Asaw | Wablaneu | Konou. | - | Moonmoonsaw | Runurraw | Konlay-lay. | - | Khuybaw | Woodaw | Langhaw. | - | Shinglai | Tsodah | Pakkaw. | - | Quanglabaw | Haydaw | Loomhaw. | - | Naygawsabaw | Thyeedaw | Chamhaw. | - | Atoohenlai | Goodoonnuddah | Toeowsayowlow. | - | Kneelawkaybaw | Teeanaw | Khyenhaw. | - | Omnah | Yeenee | Yow. | - | Aloom | Yeeshee | Eela. | - | Akkew | Yeneetshee | Eevong. | - | Amyauh | Lasay | Lenay. | - | Aloongasaw | Attew | Quonlaylay. | - | Annaw | Yeenah | Eewong. | - | Appew | Yeepoo | Eelooee. | - | Taw | Lapah | Tai. | - +------------------------+---------------+----------------+ - - +--------------+-----------------+--------------+ - | English. | Kakhyen. | Shan. | - +--------------+-----------------+--------------+ - | Foot | Lagong kheytai | Ting | - | Nose | Indee | Hunglan | - | Eye | Me | Waydah | - | Mouth | Iucoop | Soap | - | Tooth | Wa | Shew | - | Ear | Na | Mayloho | - | Hair | Karah | Hoonhoẃ | - | Head | Pong | Ho | - | Tongue | Shinglet | Lin | - | Belly | Khan | Tong | - | Rock | Shemah | Lung | - | Iron | Phee | Lĕh | - | Gold | Tsa | Hum | - | Silver | Comprong | Goom | - | Copper | Makree | Tong | - | Lead | Masoo | Chun | - | Tin | Pheyprong | Laypuck | - | Brass | Makree | Tonglung | - | Earth | Kah | Lunglean | - | Father | Kowah | Paw | - | Mother | Gnoo | Ma | - | Brother | Apoo | Tsailoong | - | Sister | Mongsow | Nongsow | - | Man | Chingpaw | Khoon | - | Woman | Noom | Pahying | - | Wife | Mashanoom | Meh | - | Child | Mang | Laon | - | Son | Kashah | Look | - | Daughter | Mawhonkashah | Looksow | - | Slave | Kashahpyeelai | Loogyonow | - | Cultivator | Toangnaiai | Toangla | - | Shepherd | Peinamremai | Sowpalingpeh | - | Hunter | Mounwhomai | Sowmonso | - | God | Shingrawah | Sowpara | - | Devil | Nateabai | Peahighloong | - | Sun | San | Wan | - | Moon | Ladah | Lhun | - | Star | Lagree | Laow | - | Fire | Wan | Phai | - | Water | Intzin | Nam | - | House | Indah | Huhn | - | Horse | Comerang | Māh | - +--------------+-----------------+--------------+ - - +-------------+-----------+-------------+ - | Hotha Shan. | Leesaw. | Poloung. | - +-------------+-----------+-------------+ - | Hkay | Khaypah | Ronaw. | - | Nayhong | Nahbay | Koorookmoo. | - | Knoydzee | Myetzoo | Nigh. | - | Myoot | Malay | Moay. | - | Khoway | Tsitshee | Shang. | - | Neeshaw | Nabaw | Choak. | - | Oo | Oochay | Heuckhyn. | - | Owgong | Oodew | Khyn. | - | Whaw | Latchay | Latah. | - | Oondow | Hickhay | Vot. | - | Wholoong | Kamah | Yahow. | - | Shan | Hhew | Tsigh. | - | Say | Keypah | Yoang. | - | Noway | Poo | Reun. | - | Toangwah | Gishshee | .. .. | - | Keway | Tsew | Pachat. | - | Shanphew | Hoepew | Leckleway. | - | Tungpur | Yeguw | .. .. | - | Me | Nayhew | Katai. | - | Apaw | Baba | Koon. | - | Aggah | Mama | Ma. | - | Among | Aiyee | Peeow. | - | Ham | Mala | Peenangow. | - | Chow | Latchoe | Taee. | - | Inggnaw | Lamurah | Yeban. | - | Aymaw | Lameuh | Peeow. | - | Tsoee | Lunay | Yebanay. | - | Tsalooalisa | Tsobahla | Eemeilay. | - | Eengnawsa | Lameungla | Eebanay. | - | Khyun | Chobah | Myeh. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | Muso | .. .. | .. .. | - | Oorah | Whŏo | Chuprah. | - | Tam | Gnay | Canom. | - | Poee | Neemee | Lata. | - | Pulaw | Habackhee | Takkew. | - | Khew | Coosah | Law. | - | Poee | Attaw | Nigh. | - | Tea | Yeghaw | Em. | - | Een | Ghnee | Krep. | - | Mang | Amho | Myong. | - +-------------+-----------+-------------+ - - +-----------------+-----------+-----------+ - | English. | Kakhyen. | Shan. | - +-----------------+-----------+-----------+ - | Cow | Toomsoo | Bow | - | Dog | Quhay | Mah | - | Cat | Ningyoueh | Myew | - | Cock | Oorang | Kiephoo | - | Duck | Oopyaet | Pyet | - | Ass | .. .. | .. .. | - | Bird | Nhoopyen | Loak | - | Mule | Latsayla | Mālaw | - | Bamboo | Kawah | Myēh | - | Stone | Loong | Heen | - | Elephant | Maguay | Tsang | - | Buffalo | Ngā | Why | - | Flea | Wahkaree | Mat | - | Louse (body) | Sakhep | Mien | - | Louse (head) | Chee | How | - | Deer | Po | Pangdai | - | Goat | Painam | Pay-yah | - | Sulphur | Khan | Khan | - | Salt | Tsoom | Khu | - | Sugar | Tsantang | Khuwan | - | Milk | Tsoo | Loam | - | Sheep | .. .. | Toe | - | Turban | Poonkaw | Khynhoe | - | Jacket | Polong | Seu | - | Trousers | Teboo | Pa | - | Woman’s Jacket | Polong | Sou | - | Woman’s Turban | .. .. | Klynhoe | - | Petticoat | Soomboo | Shin | - | Shoes | .. .. | Whyepteen | - | Earring | Lakan | Pehwho | - | Rice | Shat | How | - | Opium | Yeepyen | Phey | - | Serpent | Laboo | Moo | - | Frog | Shoo | Koap | - | Grass | Nam | Yāh | - | Tree | Poonsaw | Tonemai | - | Leaf | Poonlap | Mowmai | - | Wood | Poon | Mytsing | - | Fish | Nga | Pa | - | Cold | Kachee | Kat | - | Warm | Katetai | Oonai | - | Ice | Tsin | Ghonlam | - +-----------------+-----------+-----------+ - - +----------------+--------------+---------------+ - | Hotha Shan. | Leesaw. | Poloung. | - +----------------+--------------+---------------+ - | Nochoanatsaing | Anyemah | Muckamah. | - | Quhoee | Annah | Sŏw. | - | Kollaw | Urrah | Yewh. | - | Capaw | Urupah | Yehcrow. | - | Pāy | Ah | Pyet. | - | Mahlee | Khyamyeh | Myonglee. | - | Ghnaw | Nga | Ngow. | - | Mālaw | Teemee | Tolelaw. | - | Chewgen | Wahmah | Khyang. | - | Leekaw | Takhee | Maou. | - | Khyang | Hamāh | Chang. | - | Noloway | Annaga | Kha. | - | Ghlu | Catteuh | Khang. | - | .. .. | Chinutah | Oo. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | Twing | Myloo | Ahjaw. | - | Pa | Utchee | Mēh. | - | Khanteuk | Khang | Khan. | - | Khaw | Tsabow | Sĕh. | - | Saow | Shantah | Mahmoilooay. | - | Nonow | Atchee | Emboo. | - | .. .. | Atchumew | Atchaw. | - | Wootoop | Wootew | Kameh. | - | Tsay | Bucheu | Kayeup. | - | Ghlaw | Meekee | .. .. | - | Eenawtsay | Samen buchee | Kayeup yebaw. | - | Eenaw ootoop | Samen wootew | Kameh yebaw. | - | Eenaw tungaw | Meekyee | Kalang yebaw. | - | Khyapteen | Khynee | Khypteen. | - | Kneechaw | Knockaw | Paywhoo. | - | Tsen | Dthapoo | Lakow. | - | Yappingyen | Yappay | Yapping. | - | Mowee | Who | Hhan. | - | Pāw | Oopah | .. .. | - | Sieaw | Shi | Mat. | - | Tsidsaing | Shidzee | Hoi. | - | Skihow | Tsibeeyah | Phooan. | - | Shake | Tsidzee | Hoi. | - | Mushaw | Ngwa | Kā. | - | Kamlai | Gyaddah | Kaw. | - | Poolai | Tsaddah | Myahcaeeai. | - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - +----------------+--------------+---------------+ - - +------------------------+----------------------+--------------------+ - | English. | Kakhyen. | Shan. | - +------------------------+----------------------+--------------------+ - | Snow | Khen | Lie | - | Rain | Marangto | Phoontoak | - | Wind | Umboong | Loom | - | Thunder | Mahmoomooai | Phasowai | - | Lightning | Meeprap | Phamypai | - | Sky | Moo | Bhă | - | Day | Sheenee | Khangwan | - | Night | Shenah | Khanghŭm | - | Light | Shenee | Phalaing | - | Darkness | Insin | Lapsing | - | Cloud | Soomoay | Moay | - | River | Mereeha | Lamkew | - | Hill | Boom | Loiloo | - | Insect | .. .. | Pieta | - | Heart | Mashin | Hosow | - | Go | Samo | .. .. | - | Eat | Shamo | .. .. | - | Sit | Domo | Laugda | - | Come | Wamo | Mada | - | Beat | Tookmo | Tainda | - | Stand | Rotmo | Lookda | - | Lie | Karengmo | Einlengda | - | Die | Seesa | .. .. | - | Call | Shegah | Ma | - | Throw | Shedeng | Tim | - | Drop | Hatsa | Toak | - | Place | Sherah | Teayou | - | Lift | Ta | Yōng | - | Pull | Rung | Teat | - | Smoke | Loo | Lŭt | - | Love | Nheyrai | Hachlai | - | Hate | Neimcome | Hhanhau | - | What is your name? | Nung meing ganging | .. .. | - | | sagaieh | | - | How old is this horse? | Daiee comerang kadeh | .. .. | - | | tinglaeh goon | | - | I do not know | Ngai inchengai | Cow mhahow shay | - | How far is it to | Sanda mying kadeh | Muang Sanda kai | - | Sanda? | sanai | halow | - | It is a journey of one | Intwey langai toosa | Lam wan qua | - | day | | tenglai | - +------------------------+----------------------+--------------------+ - - +---------------------+---------------+-----------------+ - | Hotha Shan. | Leesaw. | Poloung. | - +---------------------+---------------+-----------------+ - | .. .. | .. .. | .. .. | - | Mowrowbaw | Mahă | Qnoi. | - | Ghli | Mayhee | Koo. | - | Mowrow | Mooggoo | Polong. | - | Shapmyng | Bhyyeh | .. .. | - | Annyow | Kneerueetchee | La. | - | Knee | Myeemalaw | Tsungai. | - | Tmoot | Yeetah | Keisin. | - | Mowbowbaw | Kneeowmah | Qneh. | - | Mowchootbaw | Nayaw | Tsaymawchoak. | - | Hangeen | Mookoo | Mok. | - | Kaw | Yeegyah | Emhongfie. | - | Boom | Kneekee | Panang. | - | .. .. | Biddee | .. .. | - | .. .. | See | Hogiow. | - | Kawda | .. .. | .. .. | - | Kneeah | .. .. | .. .. | - | .. .. | La | .. .. | - | Tayda | .. .. | .. .. | - | Yapda | Hatesa | .. .. | - | Ayda | Yeeta | Ee. | - | Lawah | Kooyay | Tayau. | - | Koondah | Law | Vuneh. | - | Tahyoudab | Tsayloho yeuk | Oonsayau. | - | Anhedah | Takyah | .. .. | - | Koobawdah | Qnaw | Tayan. | - | Shãybawdah | Gho | Tutanlaybeneen. | - | Gnawsheubawdah | Yehbeckshe | Owkynowkuloak. | - | Nawnoilawdah | Nguanah | Owingau. | - | Cachencachaw | Kneemahandau | Owchungkakai. | - | Nong day pay cainay | .. .. | .. .. | - | | | | - | Myang honehyay | .. .. | .. .. | - | mang laybounay | | | - | Ngaw masa | .. .. | .. .. | - | Chanda quhonhay | | | - | wenenay | | | - | Tanyen samhet tah | .. .. | .. .. | - +---------------------+---------------+-----------------+ - - - - -INDEX - - - Agriculture:-- - Kakhyen, 129 - Shan, 299 - - Alekyoung, 22 - - Amulets, 409 - - Ashan, 316 - - Attack on mission of 1868, 167, 185 - - Attack on mission of 1875, 429 - - - Bhamô:-- - Early notices, 5 - Town, 41 - Old, 69 - Chinese, 56, 337, 377 - - British Residency, 333, 362 - - Burma, king of, 335, 347, 357, 359 - - Burmese-- - Treaty, 6 - Costume, 10 - Pooay, 352, 379 - Sabbath, 378 - Bells, 455 - Frontier guard-houses, 336, 413 - - - Chalktaw river, 263 - - Chang-see, 344 - - Chinese-- - Frontiers, 80, 318, 416, 441 - Plays, 198, 372 - The, of Bhamô, 42, 377 - The, of Mandalay, 454 - The, of Manwyne, 159, 268 - - Chinese Shans, 285, 293, 374 - - Chowkyoung, 30 - - Climate of Bhamô, 40 - - Climate of Momien, 206 - - Coal mines, 25 - - - Deebay mountains, 187 - - Divination, 79 - - Dolphins, 395 - - - Eclipse of the sun, 1868, 308 - - Elias’, Mr., journey to Muangmow, 440 - - - Fish, sacred, 24 - - Fishes of the Irawady, 29 - - Forged royal letter, 447 - - French expedition, the, 238 - - - Gaudama, footprints of, 33, 263, 264 - - - Hantin, 412 - - Hawshuenshan, 186, 213 - - Hentha, 68, 412 - - Hlepét, 15 - - Hoetone, 321 - - Horse worship, 309 - - Hot springs of Nantin, 182 - - Hot springs of Sanda, 262 - - Hotha:-- - Valley of, 244 - Town, 279 - Old, 303 - Chief of, 176, 280 - - Hteezeh, 22 - - - Irawady:-- - First defile of, 36 - Second defile of, 33, 452 - Third defile of, 23 - Steamers on, 20, 335 - Dolphins of, 395 - Fishes, 29 - - - Jade manufacture, 201 - - - Kabyuet, 25 - - Kad-doung mountain, 316, 326 - - Kakhyen hills, 67, 315, 369, 402, 413 - - Kakhyens, 32, 45 - Manners and customs of, 125-150 - Deities of, 457 - Language of, 464 - - Kambanee, 405 - - Kara Kakhyens, 440 - - Karahokah, 167 - - Katha, 31 - - Kaungtoung, 35, 447 - - Kethung, 22 - - Khanloung Kakhyens, 439 - - Khyan-Nhyat, 26 - - Khyto, 244 - - Kingdoung, 157 - - Kowlie Kakhyens, 126, 434 - - Kuttha, 48 - - Kwotloon, 441 - - - Lakone Kakhyens, 126, 434 - - Lakong mountain, 85 - - Lankon, 414 - - Lasee, 317 - - Latha, 314 - - Lay-myo, 344 - - Leesaws or Leisus, 257, 265, 276 - - Lenna Kakhyens, 440 - - Li-sieh-tai, 28, 338, 368, 442 - - Loayline, 320 - - Loaylone, 318 - - - Mahommedans, Chinese:-- - Origin of, 224 - Revolt of, 233 - Conquest of, 338 - - Makouk, 22 - - Malé, 3 - - Maloolah, 4 - - Mandalay, 11, 351, 358, 453 - - Manhleo, 256 - - Manloi, 279 - - Manloung lake, 63, 399 - - Mansay, 374 - - Mantai, 323 - - Manwyne, 159, 268, 368 - - Margary, A. R.:-- - Overland journey of, 365 - Murder of, 429, 449 - - Mattin, 320, 446 - - Mawphoo, 177, 252 - - Mengoon, 18 - - Mentone, 16 - - Molay river, 54, 256 - - Momeit, 30 - - Momien:-- - Valley of, 187 - Town of, 190 - Capture of, 343 - - Momouk, 322 - - Moonam river, 414 - - Muang-gan, 157 - - Muangkak, Shan state, 375 - - Muangkha river, 318 - - Muangkwan, 375 - - Muangla, 173, 253 - - Muanglong, 346, 374 - - Muangmow, 374, 442 - - Muangtee, 179, 252 - - Muangtha, 289 - - Muangwan, 311, 327 - - Muangwye, 317 - - Myadoung, 30, 361 - - Myait-loung hills, 19 - - Myit-ngé river, 16 - - - Namboke, 315 - - Namkai, 441 - - Namkhan, 375 - - Nampoung river, 80, 416, 421 - - Namsa river, 276, 314 - - Namthabet river, 324, 344, 403 - - Namwan river, 441 - - Nantin, 179, 250 - - Nantin valley, 182 - - Nats:-- - Sacrifice to, 329 - Shan fear of, 260, 308 - _See_ Kakhyens. - - Nattoung hills, 22 - - - Opium, 135, 300 - - Overland trade, 1, 335, 391 - - - Pagan, Old, 28 - - Pagoda:-- - Seebyo, 18 - Stone, 23 - Votive, 52 - Yethaycoo, Sessoungan, 34 - - Pagodas:-- - Shuaybaw, 33 - Shuaykeenah, 51 - Hotha, 310, 380 - - Paloungto, 441, 442 - - Paloungto chief, 384 - - Pamkan, 441 - - Panthays, _see_ Mahommedans. - - Payto, 413 - - Peetah, 440 - - Phonkan, 327, 387 - - Ponline, 71, 414 - - Ponline chief, 57, 87, 405 - - Pong, 286 - - Ponsee, 85, 316 - - Ponwah, 422 - - Potatoes, 209 - - - Queyloon, 394 - - - River steamers, 359 - - River terraces, 182 - - Routes (_see_ Map):-- - Theinnee, 2, 16, 347 - Shuaylee, 35 - Ancient, 4 - Embassy, 3, 250, 319, 373 - Sawady, 374, 390 - Ponline, 56, 393 - Sprye’s, 2 - - - Sanda:-- - Town, 168 - Valley, 255 - Temples, 259 - - Sawady, 35, 383 - - Sehfan, 374 - - Seray, 425 - - Seray chief, 98, 419 - - Shan-- - States, 286 - People, 287 - Manners and customs, 288-300 - Buddhism, 65, 306, 308 - - Sheroo, 138 - - Shienpagah, 21 - - Shitee Meru, 316, 420 - - Shuaybaw, 33 - - Shuayduay, 210 - - Shuaygoo, 32, 361 - - Shuaykeenah, 62, 381 - - Shuaylee river, 30, 345, 374 - - Shuay-mein-toung hills, 29 - - Shuemuelong mountains, 177 - - Silver currency, 44, 377 - - Silver mines, 105 - - Singnew, 413 - - Singpho, _see_ Kakhyens. - - Stone celts, 204 - - - Tagoung, 27 - - Tagoung-toung-daw hills, 30 - - Tahmeylon, 398 - - Taho river, 172 - Suspension bridge, 178, 252 - Fall of, 208 - - Tai, _see_ Shans. - - Tali-fu, 235, 367 - - Tali-fu, capture of, 341 - - Talone, 71 - - Tapeng river, 47, 103, 394 - Gorge of, 324, 404 - Valley of, 158, 272 - Source of, 175 - Floods of, 270 - - Tayshan mountains, 187 - - Teng-yue-chow, _see_ Momien. - - Theehadaw, 23 - - Thigyain, 30 - - Thingadaw, 24 - - Thubyo-budo hills, 22 - - Trade:-- - Burma and China, 2, 7, 335 - Of Rangoon, 1 - Of Momien, 199 - In salt, 21 - - Tsagain hills, 19 - - Tsampenago, 26 - - Tsampenago, Old, 48 - - Tsaycow, 303 - - Tsihet, 69, 412 - - Tsing-gai, _see_ Bhamô. - - Tsingu, 22 - - Tsinuhat, 26 - - Tsitgna, 326, 398 - - Tsitkaw, 60, 400, 438 - - - Wacheoon chief, 422, 429 - - Woonkah chief, 431 - - Woonkah village, 437 - - Woosaw, 344 - - Wurrabone, 440 - - - Yay-law, 210 - - Yunnan:-- - Present state of, 366 - Minerals of, 202 - - - LONDON: - - PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, - STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. - - - - -Transcriber’s Notes - -In a few cases, obvious errors in punctuation and spacing have been -corrected. - -Some inconsistent hyphenization has been corrected. - -Page xii: “Friendly tsawbas” changed to “Friendly tsawbwas” - -Page 41: “built of sun-drie bricks,” changed to “built of sun-dried -bricks,” - -Page 94: “Ponline tswabwa” changed to “Ponline tsawbwa” - -Page 72: “stream of the Tpeng” changed to “stream of the Tapeng” - -Page 238: “a treaty of partitition” changed to “a treaty of partition” - -Page 277: “and, thorougly tired,” changed to “and, thoroughly tired,” - -Page 308: “on the the 13th of August” changed to “on the 13th of August” - -Page 460: “found not unfrequantly” changed to “found not unfrequently” - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MANDALAY TO MOMIEN *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Mandalay to Momien</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:0; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em;'>A narrative of the two expeditions to western China of 1868 and 1875 under Colonel Edward B. Sladen and Colonel Horace Browne</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: John Anderson</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: April 2, 2022 [eBook #67758]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Brian Wilson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MANDALAY TO MOMIEN ***</div> - -<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter" id="img001"> - <img src="images/001.jpg" class="w75" alt="MANDALAY, THE CAPITAL OF INDEPENDENT BURMA; FROM MANDALÉ HILL." /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">MANDALAY, THE CAPITAL OF INDEPENDENT BURMA; FROM MANDALÉ HILL.<br /></p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - - - - -<h1> MANDALAY TO MOMIEN:</h1> - -<p class="center p0 big">A NARRATIVE</p> - -<p class="center p0 small">OF THE</p> - -<p class="center p0 big">TWO EXPEDITIONS TO WESTERN CHINA</p> - -<p class="center p0">OF 1868 AND 1875</p> - -<p class="center p0 p2 small">UNDER</p> - -<p class="center p0 big">COLONEL EDWARD B. SLADEN</p> - -<p class="center p0 small">AND</p> - -<p class="center p0 big">COLONEL HORACE BROWNE.</p> - -<p class="center p0 p2 small">BY</p> - -<p class="center p0 big">JOHN ANDERSON, <span class="smcap">M.D.Edin.</span>, F.R.S.E., F.L.S., F.Z.S.</p> - -<p class="center p0 small">FELLOW OF CALCUTTA UNIVERSITY;<br /> - CURATOR OF IMPERIAL MUSEUM AND PROFESSOR OF COMPARATIVE ANATOMY,<br /> - MEDICAL COLLEGE, CALCUTTA;<br /> - MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC OFFICER TO BOTH EXPEDITIONS.</p> - -<p class="center p0 small p2"> WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.</p> - -<p class="center p0 p2">London:<br /> -<span class="big">MACMILLAN AND <abbr title="company">CO.</abbr></span><br /> -1876. -</p> -</div> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p class="center p0"><span class="small">LONDON:</span><br /> -PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS,<br /> -<span class="small">STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.</span><br /> -</p></div> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="PREFACE">PREFACE.</h2> -</div> - - -<p>Seven years have elapsed since the date of the expedition which -furnishes the subject of the larger portion of this work. Its results -have been recorded, but can hardly be said to have been published, in -the official reports of the several members, printed in India, and not -accessible to the general reader.</p> - -<p>The public interest in the subject of the overland route from Burma -to China, called forth by the repulse of the recent mission and the -tragedy which attended it, has suggested the present publication. It is -hoped that a compendious and popular account of the expedition of 1868 -will be acceptable, if only as an introduction to the simple narrative -of the mission of this year, commanded by Colonel Horace Browne. The -statement of the difficulties which beset our advance in 1868 will -prepare the reader to estimate the opposition which, under a changed -political condition of the country, compelled the mission under Colonel -Browne to return without accomplishing its object.</p> - -<p>The narrative of our experiences of the border<span class="pagenum" id="Page_iv">[Pg iv]</span> country between Bhamô -and Yunnan, and its motley population, has been supplemented from -materials collected by Colonel Sladen, including a catalogue of Kakhyen -deities obtained by him, and which will be found in the Appendix, along -with a Panthay account of the origin of the Chinese Mahommedans. To -him, as well as to my fellow travellers, Captain Bowers and <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Gordon, -I gladly record my obligations for the information that has been -derived from them.</p> - -<p>For many details illustrating the condition of Yunnan and the -Mahommedan revolt in that province, I am indebted to the volumes, -issued by the French government, which contain the results of the -French expedition from Saigon to Yunnan, under Lagrée, Garnier, and -Carné, whose premature loss their country has to deplore, and to the -travels of that enterprising pioneer of commerce, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> T. T. Cooper.</p> - -<p>No one can treat of the border lands of Cathay without deriving -assistance from the stores of knowledge collected and arranged by the -erudite editor of ‘Marco Polo,’ Colonel Yule, to whom I tender my -tribute of admiration and indebtedness.</p> - -<p>My observations on the Kakhyens are confirmed by the learned Monsig. -Bigandet, the annotator of the ‘Life of Gaudama,’ who was the first<span class="pagenum" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</span> -European to visit those hill tribes, and who communicated his -experiences to the columns of the leading Rangoon journal. The reader -will find among the appendices a valuable note by the same author, on -Burmese bells, especially those of Rangoon and Mengoon.</p> - -<p>The list of Chinese deities given in the Appendix has been translated -from the original by the well-known Chinese scholar, Professor Douglas, -of the British Museum, who has kindly added an explanatory note. The -appended vocabularies may prove interesting to philologists.</p> - -<p>The illustrations of the country and people as far as Ponsee have been -executed from photographs taken by Major Williams and myself, while the -views of the country to the east are reproductions of sketches which -fairly claim the merit of accurate delineation of its features.</p> - -<p>The map illustrating the topography of the district travelled has -been based upon surveys made during the expedition by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Gordon and -a Burmese surveyor, and a second has been added to show the general -relations of our Indian empire to Western China, with the various -routes which have been explored or projected, including those followed -by the French expedition, and by Margary from the terminus of the boat -journey to Bhamô.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</span></p> - -<p>The journal of our ill-fated companion, recently published in -China, and received in this country when this work was completed, -unfortunately does not carry him on to Tali-fu, but his impressions of -the country beyond this point have been briefly summarised in these -pages.</p> - -<p>The scientific reader will perhaps be inclined to complain that the -following pages do not contain more of the results of the proper work -of a naturalist. Of these, a full and illustrated report, unavoidably -delayed by absence from this country, is in active preparation. This -will be published by the aid of the Indian government, given at the -instance of the Chief Commissioner of British Burma, the Hon. Ashley -Eden, by whom the opening up of the overland route to China, as a -measure beneficial to the province administered by him, has ever been -strongly advocated.</p> - -<p class="right p0"> J. A.</p> - -<p class="p0"> <span class="smcap">6 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh</span>,<br /> - <em>December 31, 1875</em>. -</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="TABLE_OF_CONTENTS">TABLE OF CONTENTS.</h2> -</div> - -<hr class="r5" /> - -<p class="center p0 big">FIRST EXPEDITION:—CHAPTERS I. to XI.<br /> -SECOND EXPEDITION:—CHAPTERS XII. to XVI.</p> - -<table class="autotable"> -<tr> -<td class="tdr r" colspan="3"> -<div>PAGES</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>MANDALAY TO BHAMÔ.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Overland trade of Burma and China—Early notices—English -travellers—Burmese treaty of 1862—<abbr -title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Williams—Objects of -the expedition—Its constitution—Arrival at -Mandalay—Second coronation of the king—The -suburbs—The bazaars—Mengoon—Burmese -navigation—Shienpagah—Coal mines—The -third defile—Sacred fish—Tagoung and Old -Pagan—Ngapé—Katha—Magnetic battery—The first -Kakhyens—The Shuaybaw pagodas—The second defile—View -of Bhamô -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_1">1-36</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>BHAMÔ.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Arrival at Bhamô—Our quarters—The town—The Woon’s -house—The Shan-Burmese—Kakhyen man-stealing—The -environs—Old Tsampenago—Legendary history—The -Shuaykeenah pagodas—The Molay river—The first -defile—Delays and intrigues—Sala—The -new Woon—Our departure—Tsitkaw—Mountain -muleteers—The Manloung lake—The phoongyee’s farewell -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_37">37-66</a></div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</span> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>KAKHYEN HILLS.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Departure from Tsitkaw—Our cavalcade—The hills—A -false alarm—Talone—First night in the hills—The -tsawbwa-gadaw—Ponline village—A death dance—The -divination—A meetway—Nampoung gorge—A dangerous -road—Lakong bivouac—Arrival at Ponsee—A Kakhyen -coquette -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_67">67-86</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>PONSEE CAMP.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Desertion of the muleteers—Our encampment—Visit of hill -chiefs—Sala’s demands—A mountain excursion—Messengers -from Momien—Shans refuse presents—Stoppage of -supplies—Ill-feeling—Tsawbwa of Seray—<abbr -title="saint">St.</abbr> Patrick’s Day—Retreat of -Sala—The pawmines of Ponsee—A burial-ground—Visit -to the Tapeng—The silver mines—Approach of -the rains—Hostility of Ponsee—Threatened -attack—Reconciliation—A false start—Letters -from Momien—A hailstorm—Circular to the members of -the mission—Beads and belles—Friendly relations with -Kakhyens—Their importance -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_87">87-124</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>THE KAKHYENS.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -The Kakhyens or Kakoos—The clans—Their -chiefs—Mountain villages—Cultivation and -crops—Personal appearance—Costume—Arms and -implements—Female dress and ornaments—Women’s -work—Sheroo—Morals—Marriage—Music—Births—Funerals—Religion—Language—Character—How -to deal with them—Our party -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_125">125-154</a></div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</span> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>MANWYNE TO MOMIEN.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Departure from Ponsee—Valley of the Tapeng—A -curious crowd—Our khyoung—Matins—The town of -Manwyne—Visit to the haw—The tsawbwa-gadaw—An -armed demonstration—Karahokah—Sanda—The chief -and his grandson—Muangla—Shan burial-grounds—The -Tahô—A murdered traveller—Mawphoo -valley—Muangtee—Nantin—Valley of Nantin—The -hot springs—Attacked by Chinese—Hawshuenshan -volcano—Valley of Momien—Arrival at the city -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_155">155-188</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>MOMIEN.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Momien—The town of Teng-yue-chow—Aspect -and condition—An official reception—Return -visit—Government house—A -Chinese tragedy—The market—Jade -manufacture—Minerals—Mines of Yunnan—Stone -celts—Cattle—Climate—Environs—The -waterfall—Pagoda hill—Shuayduay—Rock -temples—Ruined suburbs—City temples—Four-armed -deities—Boys’ school—A grand feast—The -loving-cup—The tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee—Keenzas—The -Chinese poor -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_189">189-222</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>THE MAHOMMEDANS OF YUNNAN.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Their origin—Derivation of the term “Panthay”—Early -history—Increase in numbers—Adoption of children—The -Toonganees—Physical characteristics—Outbreak of the -revolt—Tali-fu—Progress of revolt—The French -expedition—Overtures from Low-quang-fang—Resources -of the Panthays—Capture of Yunnan-fu—Prospects -of their success—Our position—The governor’s -presents—Preparations for return -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_223">223-247</a></div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_x">[Pg x]</span> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>THE SANDA VALLEY.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Departure from Momien—Robbers surprised—At -Nantin—Our ponies stolen—We slide to Muangla—A -pleasant meeting—The Tapeng ferrymen—A valley -landscape—Negotiations at Sanda—The Leesaws—A Shan -cottage—Buddhist khyoungs—For fear of the nats—The -limestone hill—Hot springs of Sanda—The footprint of -Buddha—A priestly thief—The excommunication—The -chief’s farewell—Floods and landslips—Manwyne -priests—A Shan dinner party—The nunnery—Departure -from Manwyne—The Slough of Despond -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_248">248-273</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>THE HOTHA VALLEY.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -The mountain summit—A giant glen—Leesaw -village—The wrong road—Priestly inhospitality—Town -of Hotha—A friendly chief—The Namboke -Kakhyens—The Hotha market—The Shan people—The -Koshanpyi—The Tai of Yunnan—Their personal -appearance—Costume—Equipment—The Chinese -Shans—Silver hair ornaments—Ear-rings—Torques, -bracelets, and rings—Textile -fabrics—Agriculture—Social customs—Tenure of -land—Old Hotha—A Shan-Chinese temple—Shan -Buddhism—The fire festival—Eclipse of the sun—Horse -worship—Ancient pagodas—Roads from Hotha -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_274">274-312</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>FROM HOTHA TO BHAMÔ.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Adieu!—Latha—Namboke—The southern -hills—Muangwye—Loaylone—The Chinese -frontier—Mattin—Hoetone—View of the Irawady -plain—A slippery descent—The Namthabet—The Sawady -route—A solemn sacrifice—A retrospective survey -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_313">313-332</a></div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xi">[Pg xi]</span> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>INTERMEDIATE EVENTS.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Appointment of a British Resident at Bhamô—Increase of native -trade—Action of the king of Burma—Burmese quarrel with the -Seray chief—British relations with the Panthays—Struggle -in Yunnan—Li-sieh-tai—Imperialist successes—European -gunners—Siege of Momien—Fall of Yung-chang—Prince -Hassan visits England—Fall of Tali-fu—Sultan Suleiman’s -death—Massacre of Panthays—Capture of Momien—Escape -of Tah-sa-kon—Capture of Woosaw—Suppression of -rebellion—Imperial proclamation—Li-sieh-tai, commissioner -of Shan states—Re-opening of trade routes—Second -British mission—Action of Sir T. Wade—Appointment -of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary—Members of -mission—Acquiescence of China and Burma -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_333">333-349</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>SECOND EXPEDITION.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Start of mission—Arrival at Mandalay—The -Burmese pooay—Posturing girl—Reception by the -meng-gyees—Audience by the king—Departure of -mission—Progress up the river—Reception at -Bhamô—British Residency—<abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> -Margary—Account of his journey—The Woon of -Bhamô—Entertains Margary—Chinese puppets—Selection -of route—Sawady route—Bullock carriage—Woon -of Shuaygoo—Chinese surmises—Letters to Chinese -officials—Burmese worship-day -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_350">350-378</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc" colspan="3"> -SAWADY. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -The <em>hun pooay</em>—Mission proceeds to Sawady—Visit -from Woon—Rumoured opposition—The Woon as a -musician—Sawady village—Royal orders—Baggage -difficulties—Arrival of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> -Clement Allan—Paloungto chief—Kakhyen<span -class="pagenum" id="Page_xii">[Pg xii]</span> pilfering—Abandon -route—Adopt Ponline route—Reasons for change—Tsaleng -Woon—Departure of mission to Tsitkaw—Elias -and Cooke proceed to Muangmow—Dolphins—Up the -Tapeng—Tahmeylon—Arrive at Tsitkaw -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_379">379-399</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>THE ADVANCE.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Residence at Tsitkaw—View from our house—The -Namthabet—Junction of the rivers—Arrival of the -Woon—Conference of tsawbwas—Hostages—Kakhyen -women—Rifle practice—A night alarm—A curious -talisman—We leave Tsitkaw—Camp at Tsihet—Burmese -guard-house—Lankon, Ponline—Camp on the -Moonam—Hostile rumours—Camp on the Nampoung—Departure -of Margary for Manwyne—Escape of hostages—Letter from -Margary—We enter China—Camp on Shitee Meru—Burmese -vigilance—Visit to Seray—Conference with Seray -tsawbwa—Suspicious reception—Return to camp—Burmese -barricades -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_400">400-427</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c" colspan="3"> -<div>REPULSE OF MISSION.</div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -Appearance of enemy—Murder of Margary—Friendly -tsawbwas—Mission attacked—Woonkah tsawbwa bought -over—The jungle fired—Repulse of attack—Incidents -of the day—Our retreat—Shitee—Burmese -reinforcements—Halt at guard-house—Retreat -on Tsitkaw via Woonkah—Elias and Cooke’s visit to -Muangmow—Li-sieh-tai—Return of Captain Cooke—Elias -at Muangmow—Father Lecomte and the Mattin chief—A -forged letter—The Saya of Kauntoung—Reports regarding -Margary—The commission of inquiry—Return of -Elias—Visit to the second defile—Mission’s return to Rangoon -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_428">428-454</a></div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xiii">[Pg xiii]</span> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc c big" colspan="3"> -<div><a href="#APPENDICES">APPENDICES.</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdr r chap"> -<div><a href="#APPENDIX_I">I.</a></div> -</td> -<td> -A Note by Bishop Bigandet, on Burmese Bells -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_455">455</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdr r chap"> -<div><a href="#APPENDIX_II">II.</a></div> -</td> -<td> -Origin of Mahommedanism in China; from Chinese Document -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_456">456</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdr r chap"> -<div><a href="#APPENDIX_III">III.</a></div> -</td> -<td> -Deities worshipped by Kakhyens -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_457">457-459</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdr r chap"> -<div><a href="#APPENDIX_IV">IV.</a></div> -</td> -<td> -Deities in a Hotha Shan Temple -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_460">460-463</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdr r chap"> -<div><a href="#APPENDIX_V">V.</a></div> -</td> -<td> -<span class="smcap">Vocabularies</span>:—Kakhyen, Shan, Leesaw, and Poloung -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_464">464-473</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2"> -<a href="#INDEX"><span class="smcap big">Index</span></a> -</td> -<td class="tdr r tt page"> -<div><a href="#Page_475">475-479</a></div> -</td> -</tr> -</table> - - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="LIST_OF_MAPS_AND_ILLUSTRATIONS">LIST OF MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.</h2> -</div> -<hr class="r5" /> -<ul class="index" style="margin-left: 10%;"> -<li class="ifrst"><span class="smcap"><a href="#img002">Map of Country Traversed</a>.</span></li> -<li class="ifrst"><span class="smcap"><a href="#img003">General Map, with Routes</a>.</span></li> -<li class="ifrst"><span class="smcap"><a href="#img004">Plan of Momien; by Burmese Surveyor</a>.</span></li> -</ul> -<hr class="r5" /> -<table class="autotable"> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img001">Mandalay, the Capital of Independent Burma; from Mandalé Hill</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<em>Frontispiece.</em> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by</em> <span class="smcap">Colonel Sladen</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="2" class="tdr"> -<em>To face page</em> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img005">The Deva-faced Cliff, Second Defile of the Irawady</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_34">34</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img006">Rocky Barrier on the First or Upper Defile of the Irawady</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_55">55</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by</em> <span class="smcap">Major Williams</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img007">Kakhyen Women</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_74">74</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by</em> <span class="smcap">Major Williams</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img008">Our Camp at Ponsee</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_89">89</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by</em> <span class="smcap">Major Williams</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img009">Kakhyen Men—Kakhyen Matrons</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_125">125</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From photographs by</em> <span class="smcap">Major Williams</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img011">Kakhyen and Shan Pipes, Musical Instruments, etc.</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_134">134</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From photographs.</em> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img012">Nantin Valley, Town of Muangtee to the Left</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_178">178</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a sketch by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_xvi">[Pg xvi]</span> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img013">Extinct Volcano of Hawshuenshan; from Summit of Momien Hill</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_186">186</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a sketch by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img014">Within the Walls of Momien or Teng-yue-chow</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_192">192</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a sketch by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img015">Waterfall of the Tahô; Momien in the Distance</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_208">208</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a sketch by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img016">Valley of Sanda, looking Westward from the Hill behind the Town</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_254">254</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a sketch by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img017">Shan Head-dress, Bracelets, and Ear Ornaments</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_296">296</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From photographs.</em> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img018">Posturing Girl at Mandalay</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_354">354</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img019">View in Bhamô</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_364">364</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by</em> <span class="smcap">Major Williams</span>. -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -<span class="smcap"><a href="#img020">Tsitkaw, on the Tapeng, looking towards the Kakhyen Hills</a></span> -</td> -<td class="tdr"> -<a href="#Page_401">401</a> -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc small" colspan="2"> -<em>From a photograph by the</em> <span class="smcap">Author</span>. -</td> -</tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="center p0" id="map"><span class="figcenter" id="img002"> - <img src="images/002.jpg" class="w75" alt="A map of the routes traversed by the expedititions of 1868 and 1875" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">A MAP OF<br /> the <br />ROUTES TRAVERSED BY THE EXPEDITIONS OF<br /> 1868 <span class="allsmcap">AND</span> 1875 -<br /><span class="small"><em>Stanford’s Geographical <abbr title="established">Estabᵗ</abbr> 55 Charing Cross.</em> -<br />London; Macmillan & <abbr title="company">Cᵒ</abbr>.</span></p> -<hr class="r65" /> -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img003"> - <img src="images/003.jpg" class="w75" alt="A map of south western China showing routes traversed and proposed" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">A MAP OF<br /> SOUTH-WESTERN CHINA <br />Showing routes<br /> TRAVERSED & PROPOSED. -<br /><span class="small"><em>Stanford’s Geographical <abbr title="established">Estabᵗ</abbr>. 55 Charing Cross.</em> -<br />London; Macmillan & <abbr title="company">Cᵒ</abbr>.</span></p> - -<hr class="r65" /> -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img004"> - <img src="images/004.jpg" class="w75" alt="Plan of Momien" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">PLAN OF MOMIEN<br /> (TENG-YUE-CHOW) -<br /><span class="small"><em>Stanford’s <abbr title="geographical">Geogˡ</abbr>. <abbr title="established">Estabᵗ</abbr>. 55 Charing Cross, London.</em> -<br />London; Macmillan & <abbr title="company">Cᵒ</abbr>.</span></p> -</div> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="MANDALAY_TO_MOMIEN">MANDALAY TO MOMIEN.</h2> -</div> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.<br /> -<span class="small">MANDALAY TO BHAMÔ.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> -Overland trade of Burma and China—Early notices—English -travellers—Burmese treaty of 1862—<abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Williams—Objects of -the expedition—Its constitution—Arrival at Mandalay—Second -coronation of the king—The suburbs—The bazaars—Mengoon—Burmese -navigation—Shienpagah—Coal mines—The third defile—Sacred -fish—Tagoung and Old Pagan—Ngapé—Katha—Magnetic battery—The first -Kakhyens—The Shuaybaw pagodas—The second defile—View of Bhamô. -</div> - - -<p>For some years previous to the date of the expedition of which the -progress is narrated in these pages, the attention of British merchants -at home and in India had been directed to the prospect of an overland -trade with Western China. Most especially did this interest the -commercial community of Rangoon, the capital of British Burma, and the -port of the great water highway of the Irawady, boasting a trade the -annual value of which had increased in fifteen years to £2,500,000. -The avoidance of the long and dangerous voyage by the Straits and -Indian<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</span> Archipelago and a direct interchange of our manufactures for -the products of the rich provinces of Yunnan and Sz-chuen might well -seem to be advantages which would richly repay almost any efforts to -accomplish this purpose.</p> - -<p>One plan, then as now, zealously insisted upon by its promoter, Captain -Sprye, was the construction of a railway connecting British Burma and -China via Kiang-Hung, on the Cambodia river, and the frontier position -or reputed town of Esmok.</p> - -<p>But as it was, and still is, necessary to send a surveying expedition -over an unknown and alien country, as a preliminary, this project, -whether chimerical or not, could not compete with the immediate -possibility of opening a trade by way of the river Irawady and the -royal city of Mandalay.</p> - -<p>Although before 1867 but four English steamers with freight had -ascended the river to the capital, harbingers of the numerous flotilla -now plying on the Irawady, it was known that a regular traffic existed -between Mandalay and China, especially in the supply of cotton to the -interior, which was reserved as a royal monopoly.</p> - -<p>This trade was reported to be mainly carried on by caravans traversing -the overland route via Theinnee to Yunnan. According to the itineraries -of the Burmese embassy in 1787, the distance is six hundred and -twenty miles, and forty-six hills and mountains, five large rivers -and twenty-four smaller ones, had to be traversed in the tedious -journey of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</span> two months. But an unbroken chain of tradition and history -indicated the natural entrepot of the commerce between Burma and China -to be at or near Bhamô,<span class="fnanchor" id="fna1"><a href="#fn1">[1]</a></span> on the left bank of the upper Irawady, and -close to the frontier of Yunnan.</p> - -<p>The Burmese annals testified that during several centuries this had -been the passage from China to Burma either for invading armies or for -peaceful caravans. The most recent Burmo-Chinese war had arisen out -of the grievances of Bhamô Chinese merchants, and the treaty of peace -that was signed at Bhamô in 1769 stipulated that the “gold and silver -road” between the two countries should be reopened. Mutual embassies -had consequently journeyed between Pekin and Ava, and almost all had -proceeded by way of the Irawady and Bhamô.</p> - -<p>European travellers and traders had early discerned the importance of -this channel of intercourse, which seems to have been alluded to by the -great Venetian, Marco Polo, under the name of Zardandan.</p> - -<p>The old documents of Fort <abbr title="saint">St.</abbr> George record that the English and -Dutch had factories in the beginning of the seventeenth century at -Syriam, Prome, and Ava, and at a place on the borders of China, which -Dalrymple supposes to have been Bhamô. According to this authority, -some dispute arose between the Dutch and Burmese, and on the former -threatening to call in the aid of the Chinese, both the English and -Dutch were expelled from Burma. In<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</span> 1680 the reputation of this field -for mercantile enterprise seems to have again attracted the attention -of the authorities at Fort <abbr title="saint">St.</abbr> George, and four years afterwards one -Dod, trading to Ava, was instructed to inquire into the commerce of -the country, and to request that a settlement might be sanctioned at -Prammoo, on the borders of China. This mission was unsuccessful, and -Prammoo cannot with certainty be identified, but the strong similarity -of the name seems to point to Pan-mho or Bhamô.</p> - -<p>Coming down to more recent and certain data, we find that Colonel -Symes, H.E.I.C.’s envoy to Ava in 1795 (and who was accompanied by -that able geographer, <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Buchanan), states that an extensive trade, -chiefly in cotton, existed between Ava and Yunnan. “This commodity was -transported up the Irawady to Bhamô, where it was sold to the Chinese -merchants, and conveyed partly by land and partly by water into the -Chinese dominions. Amber, ivory, precious stones, betel-nut, and the -edible birds’ nests from the Eastern Archipelago, were also articles -of commerce. In return, the Burmans procured raw and wrought silks, -velvets, gold-leaf, preserves, paper, and utensils of hardware.” Both -the researches of Wilcox and the journal of Crawford’s embassy to Ava -in 1826 referred to the trade and routes by Bhamô, and the Bengal -government in 1827 published a map containing the best procurable -information about the Burmo-Chinese frontier.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span></p> - -<p>Colonel Burney, who was Resident at the court of Ava in 1830, published -a large number of valuable contributions to the history, geography, -and resources of Upper Burma, and accurate itineraries of the Theinnee -and Bhamô routes to China. Our experience demonstrated the accuracy of -the latter as far as Momien, and it may be inferred that the remainder -will be found equally exact. Pemberton<span class="fnanchor" id="fna2"><a href="#fn2">[2]</a></span> seems to have been the -first to fully realise that—to use his own words—“the province of -Yunnan, to which the north-eastern borders of our Indian empire have -now so closely approximated, has become from this circumstance and -our existing amicable relations with the court of Ava an object of -peculiar interest to us.” In the same year Captain Hannay accompanied -a Burmese mission to Mogoung, and for the first time Bhamô was -accurately described by an eye-witness, and much valuable information -gained respecting the trade then carried on between Ava and China. His -description of the importance of the town, however, differed widely -from that of Drs. Griffiths and Bayfield, who visited it two years -later.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna3"><a href="#fn3">[3]</a></span></p> - -<p>Hannay gives the reported number of houses as one thousand five -hundred, while the latter travellers estimated town and suburbs as -containing five hundred and ninety-eight houses, “neither good nor<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span> -large,” which latter description is more in keeping with the present -condition of the town.</p> - -<p>In 1848 Baron Otto des Granges published a short survey of the -countries between Bengal and China, showing the great commercial and -political importance of Bhamô, and the practicability of a direct trade -overland between Calcutta and China.</p> - -<p>In this paper the far-seeing author advocated the equipment of a small -expedition to ascertain the mercantile relations of the country about -Bhamô, to examine the mineral wealth of Yunnan, and to enter into -negotiations with the Chinese merchants.</p> - -<p>In 1862 the government of India, in the prospect of a treaty being -negotiated with the king of Burma, directed their Chief Commissioner, -Sir A. Phayre, to include in it, if possible, the reopening of the -caravan route from Western China by the town of Bhamô, and the -concession of facilities to British merchants to reside at that place, -or to travel to Yunnan, and for Chinese from Yunnan to have free access -to British territory, including Assam. The first of these objects was -to be effected by obtaining the king’s sanction to a joint Burmese and -British mission to China. A treaty was concluded whereby the British -and Burmese governments were declared friends, and trade in and through -Upper Burma was freely thrown open to British enterprise. It was -further stipulated that a direct trade with China might be carried -on through Upper Burma, subject to a transit duty of one per cent. -<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">ad valorem</em> on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span> Chinese exports, and <em>nil</em> on imports. The -proposal, however, as to the joint mission was unsuccessful.</p> - -<p>In the following year, <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Williams, formerly resident at the court of -Mandalay, obtained the royal permission to proceed as far as Bhamô, -where he arrived in February, after a journey of twenty-two days. His -object was to test the practicability of a route through Burma to -Western China, and the results of his experience led him to strongly -advocate the Bhamô routes as politically, physically, and commercially -the most advantageous.</p> - -<p>His energetic advocacy led the mercantile community of Rangoon to -appreciate the importance of their own position, commanding, as it -does, the most ancient highway to Western China. His claim, however, -to have been the first to suggest this trade route must yield to -that of Otto des Granges; and the assertion that he was the first -Englishman who visited Bhamô could only have been made in ignorance or -forgetfulness of the labours of Hannay, Bayfield, and Griffiths.</p> - -<p>When the commercial acuteness of the merchants was thus directed to the -possibilities of the overland trade, it might seem at first sight that -the stream could be tapped at Mandalay without following it up to the -borders of Yunnan.</p> - -<p>But our growing intercourse with the capital of Burma made it known -that for twelve years the Burmo-Chinese trade via Bhamô, which in -1855 represented £500,000 per annum, had almost entirely<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span> ceased. -Whether this were owing to the effects of the Mahommedan rebellion -in Yunnan, or, as some alleged, to Burmese policy, was uncertain. It -was an additional problem, and the then Chief Commissioner, General -Fytche, anxiously pressed upon the government of India the importance -of solving it, and under the treaty of 1862 of thoroughly examining the -possibility and probable results of reopening the Bhamô trade route.</p> - -<p>This enterprise might be deemed one of hereditary interest to the -descendant of that enterprising merchant-traveller, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Fitch, who has -left an account of his visit to Pegu in 1586. The proposed expedition -was sanctioned by the government of India in September 1867, and the -consent of the king of Burma having been duly obtained, arrangements -were forwarded for the departure of the mission from Mandalay in -January 1868. The chief objects of the expedition were, to use the -words of General Fytche, “to discover the cause of the cessation of the -trade formerly existing by these routes, the exact position held by -the Kakhyens, Shans, and Panthays, with reference to that traffic, and -their disposition, or otherwise, to resuscitate it, also to examine the -physical conditions of these routes.”</p> - -<p>Thus the duties to be discharged were multifarious, pertaining -to diplomacy, engineering, natural science, and commerce. These -accordingly were all represented among the members of the mission, -which consisted of Captain Williams, as engineer; <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr><span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span> Anderson, as -medical officer and naturalist; with Captain Bowers and Messrs. Stewart -and Burn as delegates from the commercial community of Rangoon.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna4"><a href="#fn4">[4]</a></span> A -guard of fifty armed police, with their inspector and native doctor, -formed an escort, while the command of the whole was entrusted to Major -Sladen, Political Resident at Mandalay. It is saying scarcely enough -to add that to the foresight, tact, and resolute patience displayed by -him as leader was due whatever measure of success was obtained. He had -already secured not only the consent but the co-operation of the king. -Written orders had been despatched to the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">woon</em>, or governor, of -Bhamô, and to other places, to render all assistance. Besides these -verbal aids, the king placed at his disposal a royal steamer, named the -<em>Yaynan-Sekia</em>, better known as “The Honesty,” to convey the party -to Bhamô. On no former occasion had it been deemed prudent for steamers -to ascend save for a few miles above Mandalay; and great difference of -opinion existed as to the navigability of the upper Irawady in the dry -season by a steamer, though only drawing three feet of water.</p> - -<p>In the morning of January 6, 1868, the steamer <em>Nerbudda</em>, -which had conveyed the party from Rangoon, made fast alongside the -landing-place of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span> the present capital of Burma, three miles from the -city, of which only the golden spires could be seen above the trees. As -our stay was not to exceed three or four days, all the party remained -on board until it should be time to embark on the <em>Yaynan-Sekia</em>. -Beyond a jetty used by the Burmese in the floods, lay the royal -steamer undergoing thorough painting and cleaning for our reception. -She was moored in a creek, the royal naval depot, where numerous -war-boats of the past and the present fleet of royal steamers are -laid up in ordinary. For nearly three miles the river banks presented -a busy scene. Native boats were loading or discharging cargo; houses -extended the whole distance, those nearer the river being tenanted by -fishermen. A large suburb stretched inland from the shore; each house -was surrounded by a vegetable garden enclosed in a bamboo fence eight -to ten feet high, while all were embosomed in magnificent tamarind, -plantain, and palm trees. The women were busily engaged weaving silk -putzos and tameins in various patterns.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna5"><a href="#fn5">[5]</a></span> Beyond this suburb lay a -large flat of alluvial land, devoted to rice fields, some in stubble, -from which the grain had just been reaped; in others men and women were -irrigating the young<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span> crop, now about six inches high, three crops -yearly being raised from these lands, which formed, as it were, an -island of cultivation, surrounded by houses.</p> - -<p>The leader of the expedition, Major Sladen, came down to welcome us, -and we rode with him to the Residency, situated on the banks of a -canal, which runs parallel with the river, and halfway between it and -the city. The bank of the canal is lined with houses, and broad streets -lead to the city, over numerous strongly built timber bridges, the only -defect in which is that the alluvial banks of the canal frequently -give way, to the destruction of the bridges and interruption of the -traffic. Our road lay through a populous suburb of houses built of -teak and supported on piles. To the right lay a quarter occupied by -the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">demi-monde</em>; to the left numerous khyoungs, or monasteries, -reared their graceful triple concave roofs. Phoongyees, or Buddhist -monks, abounded; so did pigs and dogs, both of which are fed daily -by a dole from the king, who, as a pious Buddhist, lays up a store -of good works by thus preserving animal life. These ubiquitous pigs -have given rise to a well-known saying, which tersely expresses the -first impression made on the European visitor by the precincts of the -capital. Our stay was too short to admit of more than a flying visit to -Mandalay, its palace and countless pagodas.</p> - -<p>The city properly so-called lies about three miles from the Irawady, -on a rising ground below<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span> the hill Mandalé. It was founded, on his -accession in 1853, by the present king; and one of his motives for -quitting Ava, and selecting the new site, was to remove his palace -from the sight and sound of British steamers. The city is built on -the same plan as the old capital, described by Yule, and consists -of two concentric fortified squares. The outer is defended by lofty -massive brick walls, with earthworks thrown up on the inside. There -are four gates, over each of which rises a tower with seven gilded -roofs. Similar smaller towers adorn the wall at intervals. A deep moat -fifty yards broad has been completed since the date of our visit, -and now surrounds the walls. During the night, guard-boats, with -gongs beating, patrol its waters. When the king, in compliance with a -prophecy, was crowned a second time in 1874, he made the circuit of the -city in a magnificent war-boat, the splendour of which eclipses the -traditionary glory of the Lord Mayor’s barge. The actual ceremony of -the re-coronation took place on the 4th of June, at 8 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, -the hour pronounced propitious by the court of Brahmins.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna6"><a href="#fn6">[6]</a></span> Captain -Strover describes the ceremony as being to a great extent private, only -the various ministers of state and about eighty Brahmins being present. -Incantations and sprinkling of holy water brought from the Ganges -formed the chief<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span> part of the ceremony, after which his majesty was -supposed to have become a new king, barring the difficulty of years. -Seven days afterwards, the king went through the ceremony of taking -charge of the royal city. At nine in the morning a gun announced that -he had left the palace, and at half past another was fired, intimating -that he had entered the royal barge. The procession round the city -moat commenced from the east gate, and was led by the two principal -magistrates of Mandalay in gilded war-boats; then followed all the -princes in line, a short way in front of the state barge, and behind -the king came the ministers and officials. Troops lined the walls all -round the city, and cannon were placed every here and there at the -corners of the streets. Bands of music played as the procession passed, -and, altogether; the sight was most effective and unique. Having gone -right round the city, he left the royal barge at the east gate, and a -salute announced that he had re-entered the palace, and the ceremony -was finished. According to his majesty’s own statement, the ceremony -was a purely religious act.</p> - -<p>The first square is inhabited by the officials, civil and military, -and the soldiers of the royal army. All the houses are in separate -enclosures, bordering broad, well kept streets; along the fronts -is carried the king’s fence, a latticed palisade, behind which the -subjects hide themselves when his majesty passes. During the day, -stalls are set up in the streets, and the various Burmese necessaries, -even to cloth, are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span> sold, but at night all are cleared away and the -gates closed. The central or royal square is surrounded by an outer -stockade of teak timber twelve feet in height, and an inner wall. -Entrance is given by two gates opposite each other, opening into a -wide place, containing the government offices and the royal mint, -on one side; on the other, a wall runs across, and a large gateway, -opened only for the king, and a small postern give access to the palace -enclosure. All Burmese entering this take off their shoes. Within is a -wide open area, as large as a London square. On the opposite side rises -a building crowned by nine roofs richly gilded, and surmounted by a -golden <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">htee</em>, or umbrella, with its tinkling coronal of bells. -This marks the audience hall. All entering this are required to take -off their shoes, for the royal abode is sacred. The same rule applies -to all temples, and this unbooting is really a mark of religious -respect, due as much to the meanest khyoung as to the residence of the -king. This fact perhaps, if borne in mind, might soothe the ruffled -feelings of those who see in this unbooting a mark of degrading homage. -To the left is the abode of the white elephant, which, it may be -said, is scarcely distinguishable from any other elephant save by the -paler hue of the skin of the head. To the right is the royal arsenal, -outside of which the visitor would be now surprised by the sight of -a completely armed and equipped deck of a vessel, which serves as a -school for naval gunnery.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span></p> - -<p>We were not admitted to an audience, nor did we see the royal gardens, -which, with the other palace buildings, lie to the rear of the central -hall. <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Dawson, as quoted in Mason’s ‘Burmah,’ describes the gardens -in glowing language, as “truly beautiful, and as picturesque as they -are grand.” Outside the walls of the city the suburbs, or unwalled -town, stretch away southward in broad streets, which converge towards -the Arracan pagoda; and in the distance the spires of pagodas mark the -site of Amarapura.</p> - -<p>It is impossible to estimate the population, but it must exceed one -hundred thousand, to judge by the extent of ground covered by houses. -Between the city and Mandalay hill numerous khyoungs have been erected -by the queens and other members of the royal family, the teak pillars -and roof timbers of which are magnificently carved and richly gilt.</p> - -<p>In passing through the enclosures of these monasteries, it is necessary -for equestrians to dismount and walk slowly through the sacred -precincts. On this side also there is a large stockaded enclosure, to -which the Shan caravans always resort. Here their wares, principally -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">hlepét</em>, a sort of salted tea—not, however, made from the true -tea plant<span class="fnanchor" id="fna7"><a href="#fn7">[7]</a></span>—are disposed of by means of brokers. At the foot of -Mandalay hill is a temple with a large seated statue of Buddha, carved -from the white marble of the Tsagain hills. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span> hill itself is crowned -by a gilded pagoda, and a statue of Buddha. The Golden King stands with -outstretched finger pointing down to the golden htee that marks the -royal abode, the centre of the city and of the Burman kingdom.</p> - -<p>On the hill is a vast colony of fowls, numbers of which are purchased -by the royal piety every morning, and maintained at the king’s expense. -The eastern side of the city is skirted by a long swamp, which forms a -lagoon in the rains. The Myit-ngé river, six miles to the south, may -be said to complete the insulation of the environs of the capital. Not -far from the Residency, but on the other side of the canal, there is -a large bazaar, enclosed with brick walls, which presents a most busy -scene. This may be said to be the principal enclosed market-place; but -there are other smaller cloth bazaars; and several quarters or streets -are occupied by special trades, a very noisy quarter being that of the -gold-beaters. The fondness for gilding which characterises the Burmese -causes an immense demand for gold-leaf, the gold used being principally -brought by the caravans from Yunnan. Another quarter is tenanted by -Chinese. By a curious coincidence, on the day of our arrival, a Chinese -caravan of two hundred mules arrived from Tali-fu. They had come by the -long overland Theinnee route, bringing hams, walnuts, pistachio-nuts, -honey, opium, iron pots, yellow orpiment, &c. We noticed many Suratees -among the inhabitants<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span> of the city. These acute and enterprising -traders come to Burma in great numbers, and are found everywhere busily -engaged in money-making. European adventurers of various nationalities -form an element in the population, small, but mischievous; it is hardly -to be wondered at if an ill impression of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kalas</em><span class="fnanchor" id="fna8"><a href="#fn8">[8]</a></span> is formed by -the Burmese nobility and gentry, judging from the conduct of some of -these foreigners; while again they spread monstrous reports about the -king, his social and political habits and ideas, which find their way -into the Indian and English press.</p> - -<p>The transshipment of ourselves and followers and baggage was -duly effected, and in the afternoon of the 18th of January the -<em>Yaynan-Sekia</em> left her moorings. We only proceeded as far as -Mengoon, on the right bank, a few miles from the capital. Thus far we -had the company of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Manouk, an Armenian gentleman, who held the -office of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kala woon</em>, or foreign minister. We duly visited the -huge ruin of solid brickwork, which, as Colonel Yule says, represents -the extraordinary folly of King Mentaragyi, the founder of Amarapura in -1787.</p> - -<p>Intended for a gigantic pagoda, it was left unfinished, in consequence -of a prediction that its completion would be fatal to the royal -founder; the earthquake of 1839 split the huge cube of solid brickwork, -and it is now a fantastic ruin.</p> - -<p>Yule gives the dimensions of the lowest of the five<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span> encircling -terraces as four hundred feet square; if completed, the whole edifice -would have been five hundred feet high. Near this is the great bell, -twelve feet high, and sixteen across at the lips, and weighing ninety -tons.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna9"><a href="#fn9">[9]</a></span></p> - -<p>The most interesting object is the Seebyo pagoda, built by the grandson -and successor of Mentaragyi in 1816, and named after his wife. The -substructure from which the pagoda rises is circular, and consists -of six successive concentric terraces. Each terrace is five feet -above the one below, and six feet in breadth, and is surrounded by -a stone parapet of a wavy design. In the niches of each terrace are -images, fabulous dragons, birds, and <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">beloos</em>, or monsters. By -a rough measurement the walled enclosure is four hundred yards in -circumference, but an open space of thirty-five yards deep intervenes -between the wall and the first terrace. The design of the pagoda is -intended to represent the mythical Myen Mhoo Doung, or Meru Mountain, -the central pillar of the universe, and the seven encircling ranges -of mountains, or the six continents, each of which is guarded by a -monster, the first by the dragon, the second by the bird Kalon. It -might be also suggested that those terraces may represent the six happy -abodes of nats which form successive Elysiums below the seat of Brahma.</p> - -<p>From the rising ground above Mengoon a magnificent panorama unfolds -itself: the valley from the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span> dry and treeless Tsagain hills, a few -miles to the rear, spreads out for fifteen miles in width to the -eastern line of mountains, which, emerging from the north bank of the -Myit-ngé, stretch away as far as the eye can reach to the north-east. -The long flowing sweep of these summits singularly contrasts with the -irregularly peaked outline of the Myait-loung hills, south of the -Myit-ngé. Immediately beneath the spectator, the Irawady, curving under -the western hills, broadens, till opposite to the capital its main -banks are nearly three miles and a half apart.</p> - -<p>The river is broken up into channels by large islands, on one of -which the royal gardens are situated, and numerous sandbanks, exposed -in the dry season, and cultivated with tobacco and other crops. In -the foreground the various channels of the splendid river present an -animated spectacle of numerous canoes, timber rafts, and boats of -every form and size. In the middle distance, the golden roofs of the -city gates and of the many monasteries which cluster outside the red -city walls flash back the sunbeams. The fantastic forms of the many -roofed spires of the zayats and rest-houses, and the sparkling htees of -pagodas, everywhere perplex and please the eye, which looks from the -picturesque hill to the north, crowned by the gilded temple, to the -irregular outlines of the bazaar, stretching far down to the successive -line of the abandoned capitals. A glorious picture, especially when -the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span> glowing orange tints of sunset are relieved by the rich purple of -the cloudlike distant hills!</p> - -<p>From Mengoon the steamer made its unaccustomed way under the right -bank, passing sandbanks covered with numerous flocks of whimbrel, -golden plover, and snake-birds. Although at the present time both royal -and private steamers ply regularly between Mandalay and Bhamô, at the -dry season frequent delays, caused by grounding on sandbanks, make the -upward voyage of very uncertain duration. We as the pioneers had to -feel our way most cautiously, the water being very low. Our crew, from -captain to firemen, were to a man Burmese, and great was our admiration -of the coolness and skill shown by the skipper in navigating the narrow -channels; he seemed to have an almost instinctive intuition of the -depth of the water. It was no work of love on his part, as he took no -pains to disguise his dislike of the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kalas</em>, or foreigners, and -was devoid of the jovial openheartedness generally characteristic of -Burmese. A rich illustration of the character of the Burmese crew was -afforded us by the leadsman, who quitted his post, unobserved by the -captain. He provided, however, for the navigation, by telling one of -his fellows to sing out for him in his absence, and imaginary depths, -varying several feet, were accordingly shouted at intervals to the -unconscious captain, who steered accordingly—fortunately without -mishap. A court official accompanied us to see that the orders for -provision of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span> firewood were duly obeyed, and to purvey boats in case -of the river proving unnavigable; but as no difficulties arose, he -had nothing to do save that he once showed his zeal by inflicting an -unmerciful beating on a village headman who failed to supply milk.</p> - -<p>The banks of the river presented a succession of picturesque headlands, -fifty to sixty feet high, separated by luxuriant dells, each containing -a village. Between two such heights, covered with pagodas accessible -only by flights of steps, lay Shienpagah, a thriving town of some four -hundred houses. A brisk trade is here carried on in fish and firewood -for the capital, and salt procured from the swamps behind the sterile -Tsagain hills.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna10"><a href="#fn10">[10]</a></span> Above Shienpagah we changed our course to the other -side. The villages on the eastern bank seemed small and few, each -embowered among tall trees and groves of palmyra, mixed with a few -cocoa-nut palms, relieved by the bright, pale, tropical green of the -plantain. A broad alluvial<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span> flat extended to the low broken ranges of -the Sagyen and Thubyo-budo hills, from the former of which comes nearly -all the marble used in Mandalay. The distant Shan mountains rose beyond -another plain sparsely covered with lofty trees and richly cultivated.</p> - -<p>Our course lay up a channel, skirting the long island and town of -Alékyoung, till the rounded hill of Kethung, dotted with white pagodas, -rose over the dense greenery in which nestled the village so called. On -the opposite bank lay Hteezeh, the village of oil merchants. A belt of -bright yellow sand, and then a fine green sward, led up from the river -to the village, shaded by noble palmyras and gigantic bamboos, which -formed a background to a river scene of exquisite colouring and beauty. -A mile or two above Alékyoung, the river narrowed, flowing in a stream -unbroken by islands or sandbanks. Soon the short well wooded Nâttoung -hills abutted on the right bank, in a pagoda-crowned headland, with -Makouk village at its base. On the opposite side, the small town of -Tsingu, once fortified, and still showing fragments of the old walls, -occupied another headland, marking the entrance of the third defile of -the Irawady.</p> - -<p>From this point, for thirty miles, as far as Malé and Tsampenago, the -country on either bank is hilly, and covered to the water’s edge with -luxuriant forest. Winding in a succession of long reaches, the river -presents a series of lovely lake landscapes. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span> stream, one thousand -to fifteen hundred yards wide, flows placid and unbroken, save by the -gambols of round-headed dolphins. As, preceded by long lines of these -creatures, we steamed slowly along, each successive reach seemed barred -by wooded cliffs. Reminiscences of the lake scenery of the old country -were vividly awakened as we passed from one apparently land-locked -scene of beauty to another. The high irregular hills were clothed with -forest trees almost hidden by brilliant orchids and gigantic pendant -creepers. Palms of various kinds feathered the water’s edge. Here and -there fishing-villages peeped out, and everywhere graceful pagodas -and priests’ houses gleamed amid the foliage. Parroquets darted and -hornbills winged their heavy flight across the stream, while chattering -troops of long-tailed black monkeys escorted the unusual visitors along -the banks.</p> - -<p>The chief object of interest is the little rocky island of Theehadaw, -which boasts the only stone pagoda in Burma, and is resorted to by -numbers of pilgrims at the great Buddhist festival in March. The -pagoda is of no great size, but is substantially built of greyish -sandstone admirably cut and laid in mortar. The building rises from -a quadrangular base, with a chamber facing the east and closed with -massive doors. The three other faces have false doors, and the sides -of all, as well as the angles, are adorned with quasi-Doric pilasters. -Our attention, like that of most pilgrims, was chiefly given to the -famous tame<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span> fish. Having supplied ourselves with rice and plantains, -the boatmen, called “Tit-tit-tit.” Soon the fish appeared, about fifty -yards off, and after repeated cries, they were alongside, greedily -devouring the offering of food. In their eagerness they showed their -uncouth heads and great part of their backs, to which patches of gold -leaf, laid on by recent devotees, still adhered. So tame were they that -they suffered themselves to be stroked, and seemed to relish having -their long feelers pulled. One fellow to whom a plantain skin was -thrown indignantly rejected it, and dived in disgust.</p> - -<p>For three miles above and three below the island fishing is prohibited -by royal order, and the priests, who feed them daily, assured us that -the fish never stray beyond the boundaries of their sanctuary. An offer -of fifty rupees failed to secure a single specimen, but it may be -here told that on another occasion, under cover of night, and without -Burmese observation, one was hooked, and, though not easily, landed, -photographed, and duly preserved. Two miles above the island we stopped -at Thingadaw to coal. This is a depot for the produce of the coal -mines, which having been accidentally discovered by some hunters were -being worked by the king.</p> - -<p>We set out to visit a newly opened mine, said to be two miles distant, -but failed to find it after a walk of two hours over a broken -undulating country covered with dense tree and bamboo jungle. The -soil is poor and sandy, save in hollows, which<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span> afford good grazing -to ponies and cattle. Fossilised wood abounds all over the surface, -and soft white and reddish sandstones crop out, so soft that the cart -wheels cut them into deep ruts. In these places the surface presented a -remarkable appearance, being covered with symmetrical pillars of soft -reddish sand, two inches high, and capped by a hard ashen-grey top of -the consistence of stone, and as large as a penny piece. The little -pillars in many places had crumbled away, and the soil was strewed -with the little caps, giving it the appearance of an ash heap. In a -later visit to the coal district, made from Kabyuet, a little south of -Theehadaw, we had the assistance of the headman of the mines, who was -most anxious to show us everything and secure a good report to the king.</p> - -<p>At the first mine, called Lek-ope-bin, five miles from the river, the -coal-bed, six feet thick, crops out in a hollow, and dips south-west -at an angle of thirty-five degrees. A little to the north-east is the -Ket-zu-bin mine, said to yield the best coal. During our visit a few -men were quarrying the coal with common wood axes and wooden-handled -chisels, so that they could only win a small quantity of broken coal. -Under proper management these mines could give an abundant supply of -useful fuel. We learned that the sand of an adjacent stream is washed -for gold, and a single worker can make 303 <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">yuey</em> = 3<em><abbr title="shillings">s.</abbr></em> per -diem.</p> - -<p>The black sand of the Pon-nah, a stream falling<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span> into the Irawady, is -also washed for gold, which it is said to yield in large quantities at -a place two days’ journey up the stream.</p> - -<p>On the 17th of January, we reached the northern entrance of the defile, -marked by two prominent headlands—the western one crowned by the -pagoda of Malé, or Man-lé, formerly Muang-lé, and the eastern by those -of the old Shan town of Tsampenago, above which none but Chinese could -formerly trade.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna11"><a href="#fn11">[11]</a></span></p> - -<p>Malé contains about three hundred houses, and is the customs port -for clearing boats bound from Bhamô to Mandalay, and the centre of a -considerable trade in bamboo mats, sesamum oil, and jaggery. From it we -beheld rising to the eastward the fine peaked mountains of Shuay-toung, -about six thousand feet high, on which snow is said to lie in the -winter.</p> - -<p>Above Malé the river widens to a great breadth, with numerous islands, -as far as Khyan-Nhyat. Thence it contracts to an unbroken stream about -one hundred yards wide, flowing for twenty-two miles between high, well -wooded banks.</p> - -<p>Having halted at Tsinuhat, a little village to the south of a long -promontory, on which are the ruins of Tagoung and Old Pagan, we made -a short excursion to the sites of these ancient capitals. According -to the Burmese chronicles, Tagoung was founded by Abhi-rája—of the -Shakya kings of Kappilawot—who fled before the invasion of his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span> -country by the king of Kauthala or Oudh. After the death of Abhi-rája -the succession was disputed by his two sons. They agreed that each -should endeavour to construct a large building in one night, and that -the crown should belong to him whose building should be found completed -by the morning. As usual in legends, the younger son outwitted the -elder. He artfully set up a framework of bamboos and planks, covered -with cloth and whitewashed over, so as to present the semblance of a -finished building. The elder brother, believing himself to have been -vanquished by the aid of nats or demons, migrated to Pegu, and finally -settled in the city of Arracan (Diniawadee).</p> - -<p>The younger son assumed the throne at Tagoung, and was succeeded by -thirty-three kings. An inroad of Tartars and Chinese, said to have -come from Kandahar,<span class="fnanchor" id="fna12"><a href="#fn12">[12]</a></span> destroyed the city and expelled the last of -the dynasty, who had married Nagazein, whose name indicates one of -the mythical serpent race. This event may be referred to the century -preceding the Christian era, and, according to the late <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Mason, must -have occurred after the Tartar conquest of Bactria.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna13"><a href="#fn13">[13]</a></span></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span></p> - -<p>After the death of the Tagoung king, one portion of his people migrated -eastwards and founded the Shan states. Another, under the widowed -queen Nagazein, settled on the river Malé. After the advent of Gaudama -and the second overthrow of the cities of the Shakya kings, one of -their race, named Daza-Yázá, migrated to Malé, and, having there found -and married Nagazein, founded Upper or Old Pagan. A dense forest of -magnificent timber and thousands of seedling eng trees surrounds and -covers the sites and ruins of the ancient cities, of which nothing -now remains but low lines and shapeless masses of brickwork. Near -them stand pagodas of later date, still in tolerable preservation. Of -the most ancient within the bounds of Old Pagan, only a single wall -remained, behind a seated Buddha eight feet high. From the former we -obtained small metal images of Buddha, and from the pagoda in Old Pagan -bricks bearing in relief an image of Gaudama as the preceding Buddha. -One of these was exactly the same as that described by Captain Hannay. -Each bears an inscription in the old Devanagari character, beginning, -“Ye Dhammá.”</p> - -<p>The ancient name of Tagoung is now borne by a little fishing-village -of forty houses. At the time of our passage the villagers were located -in temporary huts on a long sandbank, and busily engaged in preparing -ngapé or mashed salt-fish. The fishing stakes were fixed athwart a -deep narrow channel separating the sandbank from the village. Such<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span> -fishing-stations are numerous all along the river. Every morning -large quantities of fish are taken, and sold by weight to the makers -of ngapé. The fish, when cleaned, are packed between layers of salt -and trodden down by the feet in long baskets lined with the leaves of -the eng tree. While this narrative was being prepared for the press, -a suggestion was made in the columns of a most able weekly paper -that in the event of difficulties with Burma the Viceroy of India -should prohibit the exportation from British Burma of ngapé, “which -must be imported from the seaboard.” Undoubtedly there is a large -exportation from our territories, but the fish composing that curious -Burmese condiment, which, as Yule says, resembles “decayed shrimp -paste,” are caught in the Irawady. The upper river teems with fish; -fourteen species<span class="fnanchor" id="fna14"><a href="#fn14">[14]</a></span> were purchased by us at Tagoung, and the numerous -fishing-villages could probably render the capital independent of the -supply from British Burma.</p> - -<p>The Shuay-mein-toung hills, on the right or western bank, opposite -Tagoung, are very high, and wooded to their summits, with white pagodas -peeping out amidst the dense foliage. A few miles to the north they -recede from the river, where, on the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span> eastern bank, the isolated range -of the Tagoung-toung-daw, about twenty miles long and one thousand -feet high, runs almost parallel to the river, in its intervening -valley six miles wide. The Irawady is here studded with large islands, -covered with long grass and forest trees; during the rains they are -submerged, and become very dangerous to descending boats. A serpentine -course, following a broad deep channel to the east of the large island -of Chowkyoung, brought us to the town of Thigyain on the right bank, -opposite to the village of Myadoung on the left. This latter gives its -name to the district south of Bhamô. Here we were startled by the news -that the Woon of Bhamô, to whom we were accredited, had been killed -during a riot at Momeit, about thirty-six miles south-east of Myadoung. -The Woon had proceeded thither with a force of three hundred men to -collect taxes, when the Shans and Kkahyens broke out into revolt and -surrounded the royal troops, many of whom, with their leader, had been -killed. It was impossible not to feel a presentiment that this untoward -event would prove a source of delay, by compelling us to deal with -subordinates who would be timid, even if well disposed to assist. We -passed, hidden by an island, the mouth of the Shuaylee, three miles -above Myadoung, and halted at Katha, on the right bank, the largest -place met with since Shienpagah. It is a long town, containing at -least two hundred well-built timber houses, disposed in two parallel -streets,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span> and surrounded by bamboo palisades with three gates. It is -the head-quarters of the woon of a considerable district, inhabited -by Shan-Burmese. Long hollows of rich alluvium cultivated for rice, -and closed in by undulating land covered with valuable forest trees, -including teak, separate the town from the western hills. Some cotton -is grown and tobacco largely raised on the islands and sandbanks. At -the time of our visit, a number of Shan merchants had arrived with -salted tea-leaves and other commodities. A few Yunnan Chinese, who had -probably come down the Shuaylee, were also in the town. The people -seemed well-clad and well-to-do, and the women were busily employed -in weaving and preparing coloured cotton yarns for the manufacture of -putzos and tameins.</p> - -<p>A dense morning fog delayed our departure from Katha, and the whole -population of the town swarmed on board the steamer. After satisfying -their curiosity with the novelties of machinery, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., we bethought -ourselves of amusing them with a magnetic battery. At first all held -back, but a few more venturous spirits leading the way, the operators -were speedily besieged by eager candidates for a shock. The grimaces -of each patient produced shouts of laughter. The good-humoured Shans -discovered or fancied that the shock was good for would-be parents; -some coaxed their timid wives to the front, while the matrons brought -up their pretty young daughters to obtain a share of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span> benefits -going. Above Katha the river is broken up by large islands into -tortuous, deep, and narrow channels. Large flocks of geese kept passing -us for nearly an hour, and the sandbanks and shores of the islands -were covered with varieties of wild ducks. As evening closed in, at -Shuaygoo-myo, immense flocks of <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Herodias garzetta</em>, or the little -egret, were seen roosting in the tall grass and on the high trees, -which seemed illuminated by their white forms.</p> - -<p>In this neighbourhood we saw several villages deserted for fear of the -Kakhyens, who had occupied some of the abandoned houses.</p> - -<p>Two of our party set out to visit and make their first acquaintance -with those wild highlanders, who reminded them of the East Karens; they -were civil, but declined an invitation to the steamer, pleading that -they must rejoin their chief, but really fearing reprisals from the -Burmese. Of their kidnapping habits, several proofs were given, one -being in the person of a boy of Chinese extraction, who had been sold -by them to the village headman for twenty-five rupees. At our departure -in the morning, young women and boys raced along the river-side, -keeping up with us, to secure protection from the hillmen on the way -to their villages. We were also informed that the priests’ pupils who -collected food from village to village were obliged to creep along -under the high banks to escape the kidnappers. Subsequent experience -has shown that the villagers on the eastern shore, as far as Bhamô, are -in the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span> habit of sleeping in boats moored in the river; only thus can -they be secure from the nocturnal raids of their dangerous neighbours.</p> - -<p>Leaving Shuaygoo-myo, we passed the large island of Shuaybaw, with its -thousand pagodas, their bright golden htees strikingly contrasting with -the rich green massive foliage, above which they rose. The great pagoda -is about sixty feet high, enclosed on two sides by a richly carved -zayat of teak with an elaborately decorated roof, and a cornice of -small niches, containing seated marble Buddhas. Two broad paved ways, -one known as the Shuaygoo-myo and the other as the Bhamô entrance, -approach the pagoda, which is three quarters of a mile distant from -the river. Numerous zayats cluster round the central shrine, piled to -the ceiling with Buddhistic figures in metal, wood, and white marble, -offered by the worshippers who yearly throng this holy place sanctified -by the footprint of Gaudama.</p> - -<p>Three miles above the island is the entrance to the second defile, -where the Irawady flows through a magnificent gorge piercing a range -of hills at right angles. For five miles the deep dark green current, -narrowed to three hundred yards, but deepening to one hundred and -eighty feet and more, is overhung by gigantic precipices. Their summits -are mostly covered with scanty stunted trees, but some rise bare, with -splintery peaks, and red, rocky escarpments; lower down their bold -sides are mantled in dark green forest, picked out here and there with -the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span> fresher green of festooned clumps of bamboos, palms, and luxuriant -musæ. Little fishing-villages enclosed in bamboo palisades lie snugly -in the hollows. Entering the defile, we rounded a many-peaked hill on -the left bank, which rose precipitously four hundred feet, its outline -broken by huge black rocks standing out against the blue sky. The -little white pagoda of Yethaycoo, in front of a cave, and dominating -a grey limestone precipice one hundred and fifty feet in height, -looked across the gorge to a phoongyee’s house perched on high, and -accessible only by bamboo ladders. The most striking feature was the -great limestone precipice which rose like a gigantic wall eight hundred -feet from the water’s edge. This is the Deva-faced cliff celebrated in -the mythical history of Tsampenago. At its base the little pagoda of -Sessoungan was perched on a detached pyramid of limestone embowered -in fine trees. During the March festival many devotees scale the long -bamboo ladders which form the only access to the shrine. The Buddhist -love for preserving animal life is here manifested towards the large -monkeys (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Macacus assamensis</em>, M’Lelland), which, like the tame -fish, come when called, and devour the offerings of the devotees. -Projecting and depending from the precipice were huge masses of -stalagmite formation, seemingly liable to fall at any moment. Water was -dripping over them, and the natives say that during the rains the water -pours over the face of the precipice in a tremendous<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span> cascade, the -roar of which is deafening. It may well be so, for the echoes in the -defile are most wonderful, echoing and re-echoing in almost harmonious -reverberations. In the earliest morning the loud shouting of the -hoolock monkeys in the forest made the whole air resonant, as it was -taken up by another troop on the opposite bank, and echoed along the -hills and from cliff to cliff in a constant wave of sound, curiously -blended with which rang the shrill crowing of jungle cocks. As the -sun rose higher, a deep bass was supplied by the hum of innumerable -bees, whose pendant nests thickly studded the rocky projections of -the precipice. At the next turn of the river another pagoda, with a -handsome many-roofed zayat by its side, high on the western hills, -marked the northern entrance of the defile, and we soon passed the -ancient mart of Kaungtoung, celebrated for the repulse of the Chinese -invading army in 1769, and the treaty which thenceforward secured peace -and commerce between Burma and China. Subsequently it became a rival of -Bhamô as an emporium of Chinese trade by the valley of the Shuaylee and -the Muangmow route. The river now spread itself into a broad stream, -broken up by islands and sandbanks, but in some places not less than -a mile and half wide between the main banks. In front of the village -of Sawady a long stretch of sand was occupied by a large encampment of -Shan, Chinese, and other traders, a large fleet of boats lying ready to -convey the goods down the river.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span></p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img005"> - <img src="images/005.jpg" class="w75" alt="A map of south western China showing routes traversed and proposed." /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">THE DEVA-FACED CLIFF, SECOND DEFILE OF THE IRAWADY.</p> - - -<p>Here we sighted Bhamô in the distance, situated on an elevated bank -overlooking the river, the htees of its few pagodas glistening brightly -in the setting sun. To the right the high range of the Kakhyen hills -was seen stretching away in an unbroken line to the east-north-east, -and on the left a low range of undulating tree-clad hills bent round to -join the western heights of the defile.</p> - -<p>The almost level sweep of country, about twenty-five miles broad -between these limits, was closed in, about ten miles to the north, -by another low range, marking the upper <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">khyoukdwen</em>, or first -defile, of the Irawady.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn1"><a href="#fna1">[1]</a> Pronounced “Bhamaw.”</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn2"><a href="#fna2">[2]</a> ‘Report on Eastern Frontier of British India,’ 1835.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn3"><a href="#fna3">[3]</a> <em>Vide</em> ‘Selection of Papers on the Hill Tracts between Assam -and Burmah,’ Calcutta, 1873.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn4"><a href="#fna4">[4]</a> The Chamber of Commerce, under the able president, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> M’Call, -had been most active in urging the despatch of the mission, and had -subscribed £3000 for all expenses of their representatives, and for the -purchase of specimens of manufactures.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn5"><a href="#fna5">[5]</a> The <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">putzo</em> is a long narrow silken cloth of a chequered -pattern, which a Burman winds round him to form a suit of clothes. The -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tamein</em> is the feminine equivalent, partly of cloth, partly of -silk, with a zigzag pattern, the silken portions forming the skirt, -which, according to ancient custom, exposes one leg almost completely -in walking.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn6"><a href="#fna6">[6]</a> These Brahmins act as royal astrologers, who are consulted on all -great occasions. The Buddhist priests took no part in the ceremonial.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn7"><a href="#fna7">[7]</a> It appears to be made from the leaves of <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Elæodendron -persicum</em>, Persoön.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn8"><a href="#fna8">[8]</a> <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Kalas</em>, Burmese word for “foreigners.”</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn9"><a href="#fna9">[9]</a> See <a href="#APPENDIX_I">Appendix I</a>.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn10"><a href="#fna10">[10]</a> At this time about one million viss of salt were annually exported -up the river from Shienpagah, finding its way chiefly to Bhamô and to -Tsitkaw, for the supply of the Kakhyens and Shans. Lately, however, -English salt is beginning to take its place, and on my last voyage -up the Irawady, one flat from Mandalay carried nothing but salt. In -order to proceed to Tsitkaw, it is transshipped at Bhamô into small -boats, which carry only five thousand viss each, as the Tapeng is a -rapid river, and rather shallow during the dry weather. On salt from -Shienpagah, a duty is levied at Malé, Yuathét, and Bhamô, in addition -to a boat tax, and when it proceeds up the Tapeng, an additional impost -has to be paid at Tsitkaw, and a boat tax at Haylone and Tsitgna. (A -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">viss</em> = about 3 lbs.)</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn11"><a href="#fna11">[11]</a> Hannay, ‘Selection of Papers,’ Calcutta, 1873.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn12"><a href="#fna12">[12]</a> In the ecclesiastical translation of the classical localities of -Indian Buddhism to Indo-China, which is current in Burma, Yunnan is -represented by Gandhara or Kandahár. Yule’s ‘Marco Polo,’ ii. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 59, -edition of 1874.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn13"><a href="#fna13">[13]</a> Colonel Yule remarks that “Tartars on the Indian frontier in those -centuries are surely to be classed with the Frenchmen whom Brennus led -to Rome” (‘Marco Polo,’ i. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 12).</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn14"><a href="#fna14">[14]</a> <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Wallago attu</em>, Bloch and Schn.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Callichrous -bimaculatus</em>, M’Lelland; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Macrones cavasius</em>, H. B.; -<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Macrones corsula</em>, H. B.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Labeo calbasu</em>, H. B.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Labeo -churchius</em>, H. B.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Cirrhina mrigala</em>, H. B.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Barbus -sarana</em>, H. B.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Barbus apogon</em>, C. and V.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Carassius -auratus</em>, Linn.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Catla buchanani</em>, C. and V.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Rhotee -cotio</em>, H. B.; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Rhotee microlepis</em>, Blyth; <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Notopterus -kapirat</em>, Bonn.</p> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.<br /> -<span class="small">BHAMÔ.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Arrival at Bhamô—Our quarters—The town—The Woon’s house—The -Shan-Burmese—Kakhyen man-stealing—The environs—Old -Tsampenago—Legendary history—The Shuaykeenah pagodas—The Molay -river—The first defile—Delays and intrigues—Sala—The new Woon—Our -departure—Tsitkaw—Mountain muleteers—The Manloung lake—The -phoongyee’s farewell. -</div> - - -<p>We found some difficulty in steering the long steamer through the -channels, but anchored about 5 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> on the 22nd of January off -the river front of Bhamô, in a very deep and broad channel. Our arrival -attracted crowds, but the whistle and rush of steam drove many into a -precipitate retreat. We had now reached our true point of departure. -Whatever had been the uncertainties of the untried navigation of the -river, the real dangers and difficulties of the attempt to penetrate -Western China were now to begin. We bore the proclamation of the king -commanding all Burmese subjects to aid us. But there was no governor -of Bhamô to execute the royal orders, and the secret intentions or -inclinations of the Burmese were yet to be tested. The difficulties -of the unknown road over the Kakhyen mountains,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span> the hostility or -friendship of the mountaineers, and of the Shan population between them -and Yunnan, were equally untried. Moreover, though it had scarcely -been realised in all its bearings by our own British officials, -Yunnan was no longer a well ordered province of the Chinese empire; -it was disorganised by the successful rebellion of the Mahommedan -Chinese, called Panthays by the Burmese, who had established a partial -sovereignty, extending from Momien to Tali-fu. The frontier trade had -been materially interrupted, partly by the desolation caused by the -internecine warfare, and partly by the depredations of imperial Chinese -partisans. Of these, the most dreaded leader was a Burman Chinese, -known as Li-sieh-tai, a faithful officer of the old <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">régime</em>, who -had established himself on the borders of Yunnan, and waged a guerilla -war against the Panthays and their friends. His name is Li, and his -so-called small name is Chun-kwo, while from his mother having been a -Burmese, he is also known as Li-haon-mien, or Li the Burman. As having -been raised to the rank of a Sieh-tai in the Chinese army, he was -called Li-sieh-tai or Brigadier Li.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna15"><a href="#fn15">[15]</a></span></p> - -<p>In Bhamô itself there were a number of Chinese merchants, who were -unlikely to favour any project which threatened to admit the hated -barbarians to a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span> share of their monopoly and profits. This may give -some idea of the state of things which we found on our arrival. Our -illusions as to a speedy or easy progress were soon dissipated, and -after a formal visit from the two tsitkays, or magistrates, ruling -the northern and southern divisions of the town, it became evident -that we must prepare for a long stay at Bhamô. The royal order to -provide transport had only been received by the Woon on the eve of -his departure on his fatal expedition to Momeit. Nothing, therefore, -had been done; nor could they venture to act until the new governor -arrived. The next best thing was to insist on their carrying into -effect the royal order to build a house for us, which had not been -done. This they reluctantly performed, and in a few days a bamboo -edifice was run up close to the Woon’s house, consisting of a central -hall, with three bedrooms on either side, and a verandah at each end of -the house. A small outhouse accommodated the servants and baggage, and -the guard was quartered in an adjacent zayat; a tent pitched in front -of the house served as a refectory. Till these quarters were prepared, -we remained on board the steamer, receiving crowds of visitors. In -the press a heavy log of timber fell on a little girl and fractured -her thigh; she was at once carried on board, and the broken limb duly -set. This incident speedily established the reputation of the foreign -doctor, and for the rest of our stay patients flocked in every day, -some coming from long<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span> distances, and blind and lame eagerly expecting -to be made young and whole. A great deal of blindness had resulted -from small-pox. Ophthalmia was also prevalent. A common affection was -a form of ulcerous inflammation, chiefly on the legs, amongst those -whose occupation led them into the jungles. This was so intractable -as to incline one to attribute it to poisonous thorns; but subsequent -personal experience proved that slight bruises and abrasions are most -apt in this country to become painful and tedious. During the whole -time no case of fever was treated, nor did any occur among our party -of one hundred men. This speaks volumes for the salubrity of the place -during the dry season. The highest temperature experienced was 80° -Fahrenheit, the average maximum being not more than 66° Fahrenheit, -while the nights were very pleasant, cooling down, if we may put it -so, to fifty or forty-five degrees. Fever is rather more prevalent -during the rains, when the Irawady rolls down a huge volume of water, a -mile and half broad, and the low lands are submerged twelve to fifteen -feet.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna16"><a href="#fn16">[16]</a></span></p> - -<p>But this is a digression somewhat professional, and it is needful to -revert to the narrative and try to give the reader some notion of our -surroundings and proceedings until we got away fairly on the march.</p> - -<p>Bhamô, known by the Chinese as Tsing-gai, and in Pali called Tsin-ting, -is a narrow town about one<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span> mile long, occupying a high prominence on -the left bank of the Irawady. Instead of walls, there is a stockade -about nine feet high, consisting of split trees driven side by side -into the ground and strengthened with crossbeams above and below. -This paling is further defended on the outside by a forest of bamboo -stakes fixed in the ground and projecting at an acute angle. However -formidable to barefooted natives, the stockade does not always exclude -tigers, which pay occasional visits, and during our stay killed a woman -as she sat with her companions. There are four gates, one at either end -and two on the eastern side, which are closed immediately after sunset; -a guard is stationed at the northern and southern gates, while several -look-out huts perched at intervals on the stockade are manned when -an attack of the Kakhyens is expected. The population numbers about -two thousand five hundred souls, occupying about five hundred houses, -which form three principal streets. There are many thickly wooded -by-paths, and bridges over a swamp in the centre of the town, leading -to scattered houses, dilapidated pagodas, zayats, and monasteries.</p> - -<p>The street following the course of the bank, with high flights of steps -ascending from the river, has a row of houses on either side, with a -row of teak planks laid in the middle to afford dry footing during the -rains. The houses of the central portion are all small one-storied -cottages, built of sun-dried bricks,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span> with tiled concave roofs with -deep projecting eaves. Through an open window the proprietor can be -seen calmly smoking behind a little counter, for this is the Chinese -quarter, and the colony of perhaps two hundred Celestials here offer -for sale Manchester goods, Chinese yarns, ball tea, opium, Yunnan -potatoes, lead, and vermilion, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. They also regulate the cotton -market, and the traffic in this product, which is brought both from -the south and the north, is carried on even during the rains. The head -Chinaman, who is responsible for order amongst his compatriots, is a -man of great influence. He and his fellow merchants, professing great -friendship, invited us to a grand feast and theatrical entertainment -given in the Chinese temple, or rather in the theatre which formed a -portion thereof. We entered through what was to us a novelty in this -country, a circular doorway, into a paved court. The theatrical portion -of the building was over the entrance to a second court, facing the -sanctuary, which is on a higher level. A covered terrace surrounded -the holy place on three sides, with recesses containing seated figures -nearly life size, with rubicund faces and formidable black beards and -moustaches. Each of these was carefully protected from dust by being -enshrined in a square box closed in front with gauze netting. Besides -the theatrical entertainment, which was interminable, we were regaled -with preserved fruits and confectionery, with tea and <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">samshu</em>, -or rice spirit, followed by numerous courses of pork, fowls,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span> <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. The -staple of conversation was the dangers and impossibilities of getting -through to Yunnan; every argument they could think of to induce us to -abandon the idea of progress was then and afterwards employed. It can -readily be imagined that the Bhamô Chinese traders viewed with utter -dismay the prospect of Europeans sharing their trade; to their schemes -of hindrance we shall again recur.</p> - -<p>The rest of the townspeople are exclusively Shan-Burmese, living in -small houses built of teak and bamboo, all detached and raised on -piles. The Woon’s house, on a low promontory running out into the swamp -behind the Chinese quarter, was a large tumbledown timber and bamboo -structure; but its double roof and high palisade covered with bamboo -mats marked the dignity of its occupier. A small garden overrun with -weeds contained the remains of a rockery and fish-pond, and a neglected -brass cannon, under a low thatched shed, guarded either side of the -gate; in a large adjacent space stood the court-house. All the public -buildings were then in a state of dilapidation and decay; this the -inhabitants attributed to Kakhyen raids, destructive fires, decay of -trade since the Panthay wars, and misrule. Evidence was not wanting in -the numerous neglected pagodas and timber bridges, and in the ruinous -and charred remains of what must have been handsome zayats, that Bhamô, -in palmier days, deserved the eulogiums passed on it by Hannay and -other travellers.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span></p> - -<p>The Shan-Burmese seemed a peaceful, industrious class. In each house a -loom is found in the verandah, and the girls are taught to weave from -an early age. The women are always busy weaving silk or cotton putzos -and tameins, preparing yarns, husking rice, or feeding and tending -the buffaloes, besides doing their household duties. The men till -the fields, but are not so industrious as the softer sex. A few are -employed in smelting lead, and others work in gold, or smelt the silver -used as currency. To six tickals<span class="fnanchor" id="fna17"><a href="#fn17">[17]</a></span> of pure silver purchased from the -Kakhyens, one tickal eight annas of copper wire are added, and melted -with alloy of as much lead as brings the whole to ten tickals’ weight. -The operation is conducted in saucers of sun-dried clay bedded in paddy -husk, and covered over with charcoal. The bellows are vigorously plied, -and as soon as the mass is at a red heat, the charcoal is removed, and -a round flat brick button previously covered with a layer of moist clay -is placed on the amalgam, which forms a thick ring round the edge, to -which lead is freely added to make up the weight. As it cools, there -results a white disc of silver encircled by a brownish ring. The silver -is cleaned and dotted with cutch, and is then weighed and ready to be -cut up. Another industry is confined to the women, who make capital -chatties from a tenacious yellow clay, which overlies this portion of -the river valley, in some places forty feet thick; the earthenware is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span> -coloured red with a ferruginous substance found in nodules embedded in -the clay.</p> - -<p>From the same clay, a number of Shan-Chinese from Hotha and Latha make -sun-dried bricks outside the town, and a colony of the same people -sojourn every winter at Bhamô, making <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">dahs</em>, or long knives, -which are in great demand. A number of Kakhyens are often to be seen -near the town, bringing rice, opium, silver, and pigs for sale. -Their chief object is to procure salt, for which necessary they are -dependent on Burma. They are not allowed to encamp within the town, but -are compelled to shelter themselves outside the gates, in miserable -wigwams. The Burmese assigned as a reason for their exclusion their -dread of the Kakhyen propensity for kidnapping children and even men, -and also because a small party might be the precursors of a raid.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna18"><a href="#fn18">[18]</a></span> -A few days after our arrival, four children who had been stolen were -recovered. One of them was brought by her mother, to show the large -round holes bored in the back of the ears as a sign of servitude. The -other three were little fat Chinese children, and adopted by the head -tsitkay. A curious illustration of their habits of man-stealing was -also afforded us.</p> - -<p>The Burmese interpreter found among the Kakhyens outside the town a -man who privately told him<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span> that he was a <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kala</em>, or foreigner, -who had been ten years in slavery; having heard of the arrival of the -kalas, he anxiously desired an interview. His features showed that he -was a native of India, and his history, given in a jumble of Burmese, -Kakhyen, and Hindostani, was as follows. Deen Mahomed, a petty trader -from Midnapore, had come to Burma with nine others ten years before. -They stayed a year at Tongoo, thence making their way up as far as -Bhamô. In this neighbourhood, during a halt for cooking, all had gone -to seek firewood save Deen Mahomed and another, who were in charge -of the goods. A party of Kakhyens suddenly rushed out of the bush, -and seized both men and goods. His comrade was taken away he knew not -where, and he was carried off as a slave. A log of wood was fastened to -one of his legs, and he was further secured by ropes fastened to this, -and braced over his shoulders. This he wore for two months, during -which time he was not made to work, but was guarded by a Kakhyen. He -was then released on his promise to remain. A few days after, the -village was plundered by a hostile tribe, but he and his master escaped -to another village, where he was bartered for a buffalo to another -man. His new master treated him well, but did not allow him to leave -the hills, and after two or three years gave him a Kakhyen wife. He -had almost forgotten his native language, but not his native country. -As soon as he heard of our arrival,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span> he resolved to ask our aid in his -deliverance. We sent him among his fellow-countrymen of the guard, who -clothed him, and he was installed as a groom, and taken with us as -an interpreter. That his story was true, we had confirmation, as his -quondam master preferred a claim for compensation for his loss.</p> - -<p>The country behind Bhamô runs up to the base of the mountain wall in -undulations so long as to present the general aspect of a level slope, -covered with eng trees and tall grass. For about a mile outside the -stockade, the surface is cut up by numerous deep jheels, evidently old -backwaters of the Irawady, which once flowed in a long curve, marked -by an old river bank, south-east of the town. The soil, especially in -the hollows, is very rich, giving two crops of rice annually. Numerous -legumes, yams, and melons, and a little cotton are grown, and the sandy -river islands yield capital tobacco.</p> - -<p>The edible fruits procurable are jacks, tamarinds, lemons, citrons, -peaches, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., and plantains are plentiful.</p> - -<p>About a mile north of the town, the Tapeng river debouches into the -Irawady, after flowing twenty miles through the plain as a quiet -navigable stream, hardly recognisable as the furious torrent which -rushes through the neighbouring gorge. During the dry season, it is -one hundred and fifty to two hundred yards wide, and navigable only by -boats, which convey a constant traffic between the Irawady and Tsitkaw, -where the merchandise is transferred<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span> to and from mules. During the -rains, the Tapeng is at least five hundred yards wide, and navigable -for small river steamers up to this place.</p> - -<p>Occupying the angle between the two rivers, the remains of an ancient -city are still discernible, though completely overgrown by magnificent -trees and thickets of bamboo and elephant grass. The broad wall, -composed of bricks and pebbles, can be traced from the river banks -at its northern and southern extremities, which are a mile apart. We -followed one section for three quarters of a mile, and found it in some -places thirty feet high from the bottom of the moat, which is still -traceable. The ruins, which, to judge from appearances, are coeval -with those of Tagoung, mark the site of the oldest Tsampenago. This -city, according to tradition, quoted by the old phoongyee at Bhamô, -flourished in the days of Gaudama. There is yet another ruined city of -the same name on the other side of the Tapeng, which does not present -the same appearance of great antiquity. Twelve miles to the east of -Bhamô are the ruins of another city named Kuttha, while Bhamô itself -has a predecessor in the village called Old Bhamô, near the foot of -the Kakhyen hills, the former importance of which is witnessed by its -ruined pagodas. Here too is that old brick building mentioned by <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> -Bayfield as probably the remains of the old English factory erected in -the beginning of the seventeenth century. We have little but conjecture -to guide us as to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span> vicissitudes of these ancient cities of the -Shan kingdom of Pong. As elsewhere in Burma, each new founder of a -dynasty seems to have transferred the seat of power to a new site. But -the legend of the origin of Tsampenago, of which the history of Bhamô -is a continuation, may be more interesting than dryasdust details of -antiquity.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna19"><a href="#fn19">[19]</a></span></p> - -<p>Tsampenago is the Burmese form of a Pali name, Champa-nagara, from -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">nagam</em>, town, and Champa, the seat of a powerful kingdom, -flourishing in the era of Gaudama, the ruins of which are still visible -near Bhaugulpore, on the Ganges. Tsampenago, then, means the city of -Champa.</p> - -<p>The founder and first king of Tsampenago was Tsitta, and his queen’s -name was Wattee. They were childless, which was a cause of great -grief, and the queen prayed earnestly for an heir. A son was promised -to her by a dream, in which the king of the Devas presented her with -a valuable gem. Soon after this, the king’s brother Kuttha rebelled, -and attacked the city with a great army. The king and queen fled for -their lives to Wela, a mountain three thousand feet high, a day’s -journey north of Tsampenago. They were pursued, but the queen escaped -and was preserved by the nats, on the mountain, where her son was -born and named Welatha. The king was taken prisoner and confined in -chains. When Welatha was six years old, he<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span> saw his mother in tears, -and by questioning her learned that he was a prince, and his father -a captive. When he was seven, his mother yielded to his importunity, -and sent him, with her royal ornaments, to visit his father. On -approaching Tsampenago, he met his father being led out to execution. -The brave boy stopped the procession, and revealed himself, offering -to die instead of his father. Kuttha ordered him to be thrown into -the Irawady. But the river rose in tremendous waves, the earth shook, -and the executioners could not, for terror, obey the royal order. -This being reported to Kuttha, he ordered that the prince should be -trodden to death by wild elephants, but the beasts could not be goaded -to attack him. A deep pit was dug and filled with burning fuel, into -which the prince was cast, but the flames came on him like cool water, -and the burning fagots became lilies. When Kuttha heard this, in his -fury he had the young prince taken down to the Deva-faced mountain -(second defile), and cast from the great precipice into the river, but -he was caught up by a naga, and carried away to the naga country. The -earth quaked, many thunderbolts fell, the Irawady rolled up its waves, -and broke down its banks. Kuttha was seized with terror, and as he -fled forth of the city gate, the earth opened and swallowed him up. -Thereupon, the nagas brought back the young prince and his father, and -they reigned jointly. Their first care was to seek for the queen, but -on approaching the mountain of Wela, the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span> flowers were few, and their -fragrance gone, and the queen was found dead. History says nothing of -their after reign, but records that in the 218th year of the Buddhist -sacred era, in obedience to the command of the universal monarch, four -pagodas were built in the kingdom of Tsampenago—the Shuaykeenah, -the Bhamô Shuay-za-tee; Koung-ting, and two others. The next item of -history states that in the year 400 of the era (probably the vulgar era -of 638 <span class="allsmcap">A.D.</span>) the succession of kings being destroyed, and the -glory of the former rulers having departed, the tsawbwa Tholyen did not -dare to live in the city; so he founded a new one at the village of -Manmau, and made it his capital. Now <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">man</em> is Shan for village, -and <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">mau</em> for a pot; thus Bhamô, or Manmau, signifies Potters’ -Village, a name still justified by the pottery there manufactured. How -Tsampenago was destroyed, is not historically certain, but a tradition -exists among the Shans, that it was overthrown by an army of Singphos -from the north-west. After Tholyen, twenty-three tsawbwas are said -to have ruled in succession at Bhamô over a district comprising one -hundred and thirty-six villages. The succession was then broken, and -the country was ruled by Shan deputies. After this, tsawbwas were -obtained from Momeit, who ruled over Bhamô till Oo-Myat-bung and his -family were made slaves by the great Alompra about 1760. Ever since, -the district has been governed by myo-woons appointed by the king of -Burma. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span> first, Thoonain, settled the boundaries of the district, -including only eighty-eight villages, the eastern and north-eastern -boundaries being given as China.</p> - -<p>The legend of Tsampenago records the erection of the Shuaykeenah -pagoda, the name of which at least is preserved to the present day -by the group of pagodas situated on an eminence north of Tsampenago. -These are still the holy places of the neighbourhood, and are thronged -with pilgrims at the March festival. The great gilded pagoda has been -re-edified by royal bounty and popular offerings, but others are from -time to time added by private votaries. Thus it was our good fortune to -witness the laying the foundation of a votive pagoda at Shuaykeenah. -A small square of ground, the exact size of the base of the intended -pagoda, was railed off by a fantastic bamboo fence, two feet high, -decorated with flowers and paper flags. A wooden pin, covered with -silver tinsel, and bearing a lighted yellow taper, was fixed in the -centre, and another about two feet from the south-eastern corner of the -level plot; round the first a quadrangular trench, and a deep hole by -the side of the other were dug and sprinkled with water. Eight bricks, -each the exact size of one side of the trench, were prepared. On four -the name of Gaudama was inscribed in black paint; on the others, a -leaf of gold was placed on the centre of one, silver on the second, a -square of green paint on the third, and red on the fourth, each having -a border of green. A<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span> round earthen vase containing gold, silver, and -precious stones, besides rice and sweetmeats, was closed with wax in -which a lighted taper was stuck, and deposited in the south-east hole, -by the builder of the pagoda, who repeated a long prayer, while the -earth was filled in and sprinkled with water. This was an offering to -the great earth serpent, in the direction of whose abode the south-east -corner pointed. It is an interesting relic of the snake worship once so -prevalent among the Shan race to the south, which, like nat worship, -has been incorporated in Buddhism. Another instance is afforded in -some of the Yunnan shrines, where the canopy over Buddha is supported -by many-headed snakes, as occurs in some Indian temples. In the next -part of the ceremony, the depositing of the bricks in the trench, the -Shan was assisted by his grandmother, wife, and daughter; he knelt -at the north, faced by his wife, his daughter on his right hand, and -the grandmother on the left. The silvered brick, with a lighted taper -on it, was handed to the old woman, who raised it over her head, -and, devoutly murmuring a long prayer, placed it in the trench; the -wife did the same with the red brick and its taper, and the daughter -followed with the green, while her father took the gold one. The -girl, in raising her brick, burst out laughing, amused, as we were -told, at having forgotten her prayers. The four bricks having been -properly deposited, the others were next laid in order, the sacred name -downwards, and a layer of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span> cloth spread over all. Earth was then thrown -in and sprinkled with water, and the hole having been filled up, the -ceremony was over.</p> - -<p>Four miles above Shuaykeenah and the mouth of the Tapeng, the Irawady -receives the waters of the Molay. It is a narrow stream, rising in the -Kakhyen hills, with a course of ninety-six miles, for thirty of which -it is navigable during the rains, and a small boat traffic exists, -chiefly for the conveyance of salt.</p> - -<p>While our leader was engaged planning for our departure with the -officials, three of us made a hurried excursion to the first -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">khyoukdwen</em>, or defile. This portion of the river commences a few -miles above Bhamô, and extends for twenty-five miles, nearly to Tsenbo.</p> - -<p>Between these two points the river flows under high wooded banks. -At the lower entrance, the channel is one thousand yards broad, but -gradually narrows to five hundred, two hundred, and even seventy yards, -as the parallel ranges approach each other. As we ascended, the hills -rose higher and closed in, rising abruptly from the stream and throwing -out a succession of grand rocky headlands. We moored for the night off -a Phwon village standing on a cliff eighty feet high, just above the -first so-called rapids. The next day, after we had proceeded about -seven miles, we came to a reach in which the river flowed sluggishly -between two high conical hills, which seemed to present no outlet. The -quiet<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span> motion and deep olive black hue of the water suggested great -depth.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna20"><a href="#fn20">[20]</a></span></p> - - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img006"> - <img src="images/006.jpg" class="w75" alt="ROCKY BARRIER ON THE FIRST OR UPPER DEFILE OF THE IRAWADY." /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">ROCKY BARRIER ON THE FIRST OR UPPER DEFILE OF THE IRAWADY.</p> - -<p>This reach extended about one mile and a half, with a breadth of two -hundred and fifty yards, closing in at the upper end, where the channel -is broken up by rocks jutting out boldly, and approaching each other -within eighty yards. A pagoda, apparently of great age, perched on a -small isolated rock, rising about forty-five feet from the stream, -seemed to indicate the limit of the rising of the waters, as it could -not have withstood the flood. This rocky reach stretches a mile in a -north-north-westerly direction, and terminates abruptly in an elbow, -from which another clear reach, overhung by precipitous but grassy -hills, extends east-north-east.</p> - -<p>This bend of the river is one of the most dangerous parts, owing to -numerous insulated greenstone rocks which stretch across it, exposed -twenty feet and more in February. Owing to the sudden bend, the current -rushes between them with great violence, but we found no difficulty in -effecting a passage for our boats. Telling evidences were not wanting -in the high-water mark, twenty-five feet above the then level, and in -the shivered trunks of large trees and debris of branches heaped in -wild confusion among the rocks, that the body of water pouring through -the narrow gorge must in the rains be enormous and of terrific power. -The navigation, with the present obstructions unremoved, would be -impossible for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</span> river steamers, but engineering skill could speedily -render the water way practicable if desired for traffic. We had not -time to ascend to the northern entrance of the defile, where the river, -unconfined by the hills, is again a majestic stream half a mile in -width. We could only look, and long for an opportunity of exploring its -course upwards to the unknown regions whence it rolls down its mighty -flood. The problem of the Irawady’s source and course has yet to be -solved; but we had to return to Bhamô, expecting the solution of our -perplexities, as to how and when we should reach Yunnan.</p> - -<p>Four weeks had now been spent by our leader in a fruitless attempt -to get the tsitkays to assist in making the necessary arrangements. -What between the novelty of their first introduction to enterprising -Englishmen, their dread of acting till the Woon arrived, and last, -though not least, their fear of offending the influential Chinese, they -could do nothing, nor give any information. As the arrival of large -Shan caravans and companies of trading Kakhyens proved, all routes -were not closed. The magistrates admitted a small trade existed by the -Tapeng and Ponline route; by this route it was decided that we should -go. It soon became known to our leader that the Chinese merchants, -failing to deter us from proceeding, had taken more active measures. -They had written to the Kakhyen tsawbwas, desiring them to withhold -assistance, and they further intrigued with the imperialist officer<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</span> -Li-sieh-tai, who at this time threatened the road to Momien and -Tali-fu, entreating him to cut off the expedition <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em>. The -turning-point of our fortunes had now arrived. We could gain no exact -information as to the political relations of the Shans, and only knew -that the Panthay government extended to Momien, which was believed to -be the residence of Mahommedan chiefs of importance.</p> - -<p>Major Sladen, with promptness and decision, resolved, unknown to all, -to outwit the Chinese. He despatched letters to the chiefs of Momien, -explaining the peaceful objects of the mission, and the approbation -given to it by the Burmese government under our treaty, and pointing -out the advantages of opening the direct trade. These letters, with -copies of the treaty and proclamation, were secretly sent off by three -Kakhyens from the southern hills, who had attached themselves to our -interest.</p> - -<p>The next character claiming our attention was Sala, the Kakhyen chief -of Ponline, who came to Bhamô at the request of Sladen, after refusing -to comply with the order of the tsitkays. He visited us attired as -a mandarin of the blue button, and attended by six or eight armed -followers. He carried a gold umbrella, which he had received from the -king of Burma, with the title of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">papada raza</em>, or mountain king. -There was nothing regal in his aspect or bearing. He was a tall, thin -man, with a contracted chest, long neck, very small and retreating -forehead, while his oval and repulsive visage was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</span> adorned with high -cheek-bones, oblique eyes, and a depression instead of a nose. During -the interview, when all the Burmese officials were present, he sat -ill at ease, with his eyes bent on the floor. We received him as an -independent chief, with the escort drawn up under arms in his honour. -But little information was procured, as the interpreter, a village -tamone, could not be persuaded to give correct versions of the chief’s -short and almost monosyllabic answers. So Sladen brought the interview -to a pleasant close by offering a friendly cup of <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">eau de vie</em>. -This seemed to suit the chief, and he and his retinue finished a bottle -of brandy, and asked for more. His parting words were, “Remember the -brandy, and send it to me quickly.”</p> - -<p>The following day, at a private interview, the chief threw off his -former reserve, which he said had been forced on him, as he could not -afford to offend the Bhamô Chinese. It was his own wish to assist the -mission, but he stipulated for a small Burmese escort, to show that -we had the full support of the king. He engaged to assemble a hundred -mules at Tsitkaw, a village on the right bank of the Tapeng twenty-one -miles distant; thence he undertook to conduct us safely to Manwyne, the -first Chinese Shan town, and boasted himself as the greatest chief on -the route, and on good terms with all the tsawbwas.</p> - -<p>The new Woon arrived on the 20th of February, but declined to land -for three days, as they were <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">dies nefasti</em>. In the meantime he -sent word that we<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</span> might have boats to take the baggage to Tsitkaw, -but advised us to wait until he had fired his guns, and brought in -the various Kakhyen chiefs. The day after his landing, Sladen, with -Sala, visited him, and the Ponline chief asked for a Burmese guard, -alleging as a precedent that a guard had been sent up with the king’s -cotton. The Woon, however, declared it to be quite unnecessary and -uncalled for, and told the chief that the cases were quite different. -The tsawbwa then consented to take us on without the guard, but told -the Woon that he had received threatening letters from the Chinese. The -Woon admitted his knowledge of the Chinese opposition, and promised to -admonish the head Chinaman at Bhamô that he would be held responsible -for our safety. The morning after the Woon arrived, he proceeded in -state to the court-house, escorted by two hundred men. He wore the -fantastic dress of a Burmese prince, a short tight richly coloured coat -covered with gold tinsel, with two enormous wing-like epaulettes, and -a tall gilt hat like a fireman’s helmet, surmounted by a pagoda-like -spire. His appointment was read, and the guns fired, after an hour had -been spent in driving home the powder and cartridge of green plantain -leaf. Our baggage was despatched the next day, but two difficulties -remained. We had no Kakhyen interpreters, and the rupees, which were -said to be useless in the Shan country, had not been changed, for no -country silver was to be found in Bhamô, a mysterious and suggestive -fact. But<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</span> these were not held sufficient to delay our departure, -which took place on the morning of the 26th of February. Our want -of a guide was removed by an accidental meeting in the street with -the head jailor, a good-natured Shan, whom Sladen induced to guide -us to Tsitkaw, promising to screen him from any displeasure of the -authorities. Although the distance is only twenty-one miles, the loss -of time caused by ferrying our party of one hundred men over the Tapeng -compelled us to halt at the village of Tahmeylon, where we put up in a -small monastery. Early the next morning we started, skirting the Tapeng -through tall grass, with occasional rice clearings. At the junction of -the Manloung river with the Tapeng, a number of ruined pagodas marked -the site of the second town of Tsampenago, built at a much later date -than that near Bhamô.</p> - -<p>By noon we reached Tsitkaw, and were received inside the low stockade -by the Burmese officials and a miserable guard armed with rusty flint -muskets, who garrison this as a customs station. We were conducted -to a small barn-like zayat, which had been cleaned out for our use. -Inquisitive natives speedily sought to force their way in, and had -to be kept at bay by armed sentinels, though with caution. And we -were requested to have a guard under arms all night, to protect our -property against thieves, and perhaps ourselves against tigers, which -occasionally overleap the stockade. In the morning, the Kakhyen<span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</span> -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tsawbwas</em>, or chiefs, and <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">pawmines</em>, or headmen, of -Ponline, Tahlone, Ponsee, and Seray, through whose lands lay the route -to Manwyne, appeared to take charge of ourselves and baggage. As the -Shan-Burmese of Tsitkaw and other villages near the hills keep on -good terms with the highlanders, the chiefs showed no timidity of the -Burmese officials; they made themselves quite at home, and asked for -brandy; under its genial influence a formal assent was soon given to -our passage through their territories.</p> - -<p>The first process was to collect all our baggage, that it might be -passed in review, and divided into small loads. Outside Tsitkaw, we had -passed an enclosure in which were about a hundred men, chiefly Shans, -with a few Kakhyens. These fellows had jeered at us in passing, and it -was by no means reassuring to learn that this unmannerly mob consisted -of the mule owners, as restive and untractable as their beasts. Each -man owned from one to a dozen mules, and looked after his own interests -without regard either to his employer’s or the rest of the caravan. -The consequent shouting, disputing, and almost fighting that ensued -as each helped himself to the packages that seemed desirable baffled -description. At last all the baggage was distributed in little heaps, -and each man marked off the number of mules required on a primitive -tally, formed from a piece of bamboo, which he broke across into a -corresponding number of joints, and put up carefully against the day of -reckoning.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</span></p> - -<p>The next morning witnessed another scene of confusion and quarrelling, -as the panniers or pack-saddles were brought in order to have the -loads adjusted. The packs are secured to cross-trees, which fit into -transverse pieces of wood, fixed in the saddles; and a band passed -in front of the mule’s shoulders keeps all firm in its place. When -the burdens had been arranged, it appeared that there were more mules -than loads, and the disappointed proprietors furiously disputed the -possession of their lots with their more fortunate competitors; hands -were repeatedly laid on the hilt of the dah, but all ended in bluster, -and finally the loads were arranged. When all seemed ready for the -morrow’s starting, the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">choung-oke</em>, or bailiff of the river, -appeared on the scene, accompanied by several Kakhyens, and informed us -that March 1st, being the 9th of some Kakhyen month, was an altogether -ill-omened day to commence any undertaking. This Burmese official -further confidentially informed Sladen that there was a quarrel brewing -between the muleteers and the chiefs, which would break out before -long; but he was disconcerted by the prompt action of the leader, who -sent for the chiefs, and, assuring them of his confidence, said that -he would abide by their arrangements for the transport. To this they -replied that we were their brothers, and that they would be true to us -for ever. The enforced delay at this place enabled us to make a short -excursion to the Manloung lake, about one mile and a half<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</span> distant. -I went all round it in a small canoe, which held three people with -difficulty. The western bank is high and wooded, but broken by two -channels, through which the Manloung stream issues, uniting below a -small island, on which stands a Shan village of the same name. Besides -this, there is another island, and a village named Moungpoo. The high -bank is continued on the north, beyond the lake, as a prominent ridge -covered with tall trees, extending in a bold sweep to the foot of the -hills; it appeared evidently to be an old river bank, and that the -lake marks what was once the course of the Tapeng. The Manloung stream -falls into a remarkable offshoot of the main river, which afterwards -rejoins the Tapeng by several channels. This stream is deep and rapid, -and supplies several irrigating water-wheels. The lake is two miles -long and a mile broad, and according to native accounts very deep. To -the east extended a succession of swamps, hidden under a luxuriant -growth of high grass; careful search discovered no springs or streams -as sources of supply, although doubtless the former exist, as there is -a constant outflowing of water. It is probably also a reservoir, filled -annually by the overflow of the Tapeng, which during the rainy season -frequently floods the level plain to a depth of two feet for some days -at a time, the flood suddenly rising and as suddenly subsiding.</p> - -<p>Manloung contained about eighty houses, and the women at this time were -all busily engaged in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</span> weaving cloth from cotton procured from the -Kakhyens, who grow it on the hills. The village boasted of a large and -flourishing monastery, far superior to any to be seen at Bhamô, and -with a large number of resident pupils. The dormitory was exhibited -with pride by the chief phoongyee; the beds were neatly arranged -along one side of the room, each possessing a nice clean mattress and -coverlet and superior mosquito curtains.</p> - -<p>Thence we returned to Tsitkaw, where the filthy disregard of decency -exhibited by the drunken highland chiefs, which we were obliged to -tolerate, made our enforced sojourn still more insupportable; and an -additional source of anxiety was furnished by the information, imparted -by Sala, that Moung Shuay Yah, our Chinese interpreter, was really in -collusion with the hostile Chinese.</p> - -<p>Daylight on the 2nd of March saw us all on the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">qui vive</em> in -expectation of an early start, but the mule-men, at nine o’clock, had -not eaten their rice, and then came a demand for an advance of mule -hire; a previous request for salt to be distributed to the people of -villages <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em> had been complied with, but no sooner had -the baskets containing it been brought in front of the house than the -men helped themselves at discretion, and no more was heard of it. An -hour was now spent in the distribution of five hundred rupees, which -were laid out on a mat, while the eagerness with which the recipients -gathered round and handled the silver spoke volumes<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</span> as to their greed -for coin. One of the tsawbwas had been seen eagerly watching Sladen’s -private cash-chest, and asked in the most pressing manner to be allowed -to take charge of it, while another dogged the footsteps of Captain -Bowers’ servant, endeavouring to coax him into entrusting his master’s -fowling-piece to his care.</p> - -<p>During the morning the phoongyee of an adjoining khyoung arrived to -say farewell. He had been a constant visitor, and the kind reception -given him, and the toleration of his curiosity, which showed itself by -wandering about and prying into everything, had quite won his heart. He -was far superior to the usual run of Shan phoongyees, who, according -to Burmese Buddhism, are lax and unorthodox in practice and doctrine. -He spent much of his time in missionary visits to the ruder villages, -whose inhabitants he hoped to convert to conformity with stricter -religious rules. By way of a parting gift he presented each of us with -some sweet scented powder and a few fragrant seeds or pellets, which he -declared to be a sovereign remedy for headache or fever, “contracted by -smelling culinary operations!” His advice to Sladen at parting was so -shrewd and characteristic as to deserve quoting. “We have met before in -a former existence, and it is by virtue of meritorious acts there done -that I am privileged to meet you again in the present life, and advise -you for your welfare. Wisdom and prudence are necessary in all worldly -undertakings; use then special care<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</span> and circumspection in your present -expedition; your enemies are numerous and powerful. We shall all hail -the reopening of the overland trade with China. The prosperity of the -priesthood depends on the condition of the country and the people; what -is good for them is also good for religion.”</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn15"><a href="#fna15">[15]</a> A distinguished continental Chinese scholar has informed me that -this title is a civil one, denoting commissioner. In the absence of the -Chinese characters, the exact title of this functionary cannot be given.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn16"><a href="#fna16">[16]</a> The meteorological registers kept at the British Residency show -the annual rainfall at Bhamô to be 65 inches.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn17"><a href="#fna17">[17]</a> One <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tickal</em> = rather more than half an ounce troy.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn18"><a href="#fna18">[18]</a> Since the date of this visit, rest-houses have been erected for -the Kakhyens by the Burmese authorities, and also by the British -Resident; and some of these natives are always to be found temporarily -occupying them.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn19"><a href="#fna19">[19]</a> For this the writer is indebted to the learning and industry of the -late <abbr title="reverend">Rev.</abbr> <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Mason.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn20"><a href="#fna20">[20]</a> Bayfield found no bottom at twenty-five fathoms.</p> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.<br /> -<span class="small">KAKHYEN HILLS.</span></h2> -</div> - - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Departure from Tsitkaw—Our cavalcade—The hills—A false -alarm—Talone—First night in the hills—The tsawbwa-gadaw—Ponline -village—A death dance—The divination—A meetway—Nampoung gorge—A -dangerous road—Lakong bivouac—Arrival at Ponsee—A Kakhyen coquette. -</div> - - -<p>Almost at the last moment before setting out, while lists of the -muleteers were being taken, in order to ascertain their respective -chiefs, so as to know who should be held responsible, in case of -default or robbery, the tsawbwas of Ponsee and Talone discovered -that Sala, when at Bhamô, had received a musket as a present. Their -informant was the treacherous Moung Shuay Yah, who instigated them -to stand on their dignity and demand a similar gift. Compliance was -impossible, so they refused their services, and prowled about in -sneaking silence, ostentatiously taking lists of ourselves and of our -baggage. By two o’clock a start was fairly effected, although our -arrangements were by no means as complete as they might have been; -but as it was settled that we should only proceed as<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</span> far as Ponline -village, about twelve miles distant, it was better to start than risk -further delay. There was something outrageously wild in the irregular -confusion of our exodus from Tsitkaw, which, though perhaps orderly -according to Kakhyen ideas, presented no trace of system to our -uninformed minds. The three Kakhyen chiefs led the way, followed by the -unwieldy cash-chest, borne by eight men, and guarded by four sepoys; -then came the long straggling caravan of a hundred and twenty mules, -travelling just as it suited the peculiarities of each beast and its -driver. Our police escort marched steadily on, headed by the jemadar, -at whose side appeared his wife, looking like a true <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">vivandière</em>, -her slim figure becomingly attired in a blue silk padded jacket, and -trousers tucked up to the knee, with a red silk handkerchief for -head-dress; with a Burmese dah and bag slung over her shoulders, and -her shoes tied behind her back, she was evidently prepared for all -dangers and fatigues.</p> - -<p>We mounted our ponies and rode forward over the level plain before -us; stretching north-east and south-west, rose the long undulating -outline of the Kakhyen mountains, broken here and there by huge domes -or pointed peaks, rising to five and six thousand feet. On our right -flowed the Tapeng, gradually calming its waters into a placid stream, -after having emerged as a foaming torrent from the mountain barrier. -At the village of Hentha the route diverged from the river, and half -a mile<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</span> further we passed the long, straggling, but populous village -of Old Bhamô, embosomed in a dense grove of bamboos and forest trees. -Outside the village stood a solitary and almost ruined pagoda, the -advanced outpost, on this side the river, of Burmese Buddhism, for none -of these religious edifices are found among the Kakhyen hills.</p> - -<p>Four miles’ ride through a succession of level swampy patches of paddy -clearings, and grassy fields intersected by deep nullahs, brought us to -the village of Tsihet, on slightly undulating ground. At this point the -route turned almost at right angles, to ascend the hills, and here the -three tsawbwas were seated in deep and excited consultation, apparently -waiting for us. We had outstripped most of the convoy, and as Sladen -rode up, Sala exclaimed, pointing to the hill-path, “All right, go on, -and don’t be afraid.” His words were less intelligible than those of -the Talone tsawbwa, who asked in an injured tone, “When are you going -to give me that gun?”</p> - -<p>We ascended about five hundred feet, over a series of rounded hills, -distinct from the main range, but connected with it by spurs, up the -slope of one of which we were slowly climbing, when a shot was heard -in front. Sladen, the superior powers of whose pony had taken him -ahead, waited until the others joined him, and another shot and then -four reports together were heard, but no bullet whizzed near. A spear -was picked up in the path, which a Burmese syce<span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</span> alleged to have been -thrown from the jungle at the passing travellers; but his evidence was -doubtful.</p> - -<p>We all proceeded as if nothing had happened, but our Kakhyens, some -fifty of whom were ahead, gathered round, flourishing their dahs and -yelling like fiends, to assure us of their determination to protect us. -A little further on we came upon two Kakhyens of our party, standing -in an open by the roadside, one armed with a cross-bow and poisoned -arrows, and the other with a flint musket. By signs they tried to -convey to us that some evil-disposed mountaineers had hidden themselves -at this spot, and had fired on them, but that on their returning the -fire, the enemy had “bolted” down the hillside. We had our own opinion -that the supposed attack was an ingenious ruse to try our mettle, and -that most of the shots were fired by our half intoxicated muleteers, -who evinced no sort of fear or misgiving. One of them, mounted on a -mule, and armed with a long dah and matchlock, proved himself more -dangerous as a friend than all the supposed enemies. He kept rushing -backwards and forwards on a path scarcely wide enough in some places -for a single pony; now he flourished his long sword in a reckless -manner, and then fired his matchlock over the head of Sladen, who -was in front, reloading and firing over his shoulder with a rapidity -wonderful in a man so drunk as to be beyond reason. Judicious praises -of his dexterity and a promise to refill his powder-horn at the -next<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</span> village were necessary to prevent him from becoming suddenly -quarrelsome and dangerous.</p> - -<p>From the summit of the spur fifteen hundred feet high, we descended -by a rough, slippery path, the bed of a dried-up watercourse, to a -level glen of rich alluvial land, and thence climbed another spur to a -height of two thousand feet, whence a slight descent brought us to a -long ridge, on which were situated the villages of Talone and Ponline. -Approaching the first-named, we were requested to dismount, as Kakhyen -etiquette does not admit of riding past a village. We led our ponies -through a grassy glade, surrounded by high trees, and sacred to the -nats. At one side stood a row of bamboo posts, varying in height from -six to twenty feet, split at the top into four pieces, supporting small -shelves to serve as altars for the offerings of cooked rice, fowls, -and sheroo, wherewith the demons are propitiated. Before each altar -were placed large bundles of grass, and a few old men were kneeling, -muttering a low chant.</p> - -<p>Leaving Talone on an eminence to our left, we remounted and descended -a little distance through deep ravines, in secondary spurs, and, after -a short ascent, traversed a tolerably level pathway, and another short -rise brought us to our halting-place, the village of Ponline, lying -two thousand three hundred feet above the sea. The rocks exposed were -all metamorphic, consisting chiefly of a grey gneiss or red granite, -and a hornblendic mica schist, huge rounded boulders of which latter -were strewn on the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</span> hillsides. The hills were covered with a dense tree -forest, largely intermixed with bamboos. It was already dusk when we -arrived, but the moon shone brightly, and a pawmine conducted us to a -house, swept and made ready for us. Like all Kakhyen houses, it was an -oblong bamboo structure, with closely matted sides, raised on piles -three feet from the ground. The roof thatched with grass sloped to -within four feet from the ground; the eaves, propped by bamboo posts, -formed a portico, used as a stable at night for ponies, pigs, and -fowls, and as a general lounge by day. Notched logs served as stairs -to ascend to the doorway in the gable end. On one side of the interior -was a common hall, running the whole length of the building. On the -other was a series of small rooms, divided from each other by bamboo -partitions; a second doorway or opening at the further end was, as we -afterwards learned, reserved for the use of members of the family, -or household, none others being allowed to enter thereby, on pain of -offence to the household nats. Chimneys and windows there were none, -and the walls and roofs were blackened with smoke. In the common hall -and in each room there was an open hearth sunk a little below the -flooring, the closely laid bamboo work being covered with a layer of -hard-pressed earth.</p> - -<p>Only a portion of the baggage mules had arrived, and the bedding of -several members of the party was among the missing property. Rumours -were also afloat that robbers had succeeded in driving off<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</span> eight -mules, if not more, and altogether the first night in Kakhyen land -seemed to some of the party inauspicious; but we made the best of it, -and, having taken possession of our strange quarters, were presently -joined by Williams, who had been detained taking the altitudes. He -contributed the news that after leaving Talone a shot had been fired at -Sala, who was in front of him. We strolled out in the pleasant night -air, and admired an animated group of fair Kakhyens, busily pounding -rice by moonlight. The paddy was placed in a rude mortar, or rather a -cavity hollowed out in a log, and two girls stood opposite each other -wielding heavy poles, four feet long. These were plied alternately, the -heavy dull thud of the pestle forming a bass to the treble of a low -musical cry, emitted at each stroke by the fair operators, while their -bell girdles tinkled a pleasant accompaniment. These girdles marked -their rank, only the daughters of chiefs being allowed to wear these -musical ornaments.</p> - -<p>An old woman beckoned Sladen to follow her, and conducted him to -a house, which proved to be that of Sala, who received him most -hospitably, making him share his carpet, while his guide, the tsawbwa’s -wife, and her family brought successive relays of bamboo buckets, -filled with <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">sheroo</em>, or Kakhyen beer.</p> - -<p>At last, having divided what bedding there was, we settled ourselves -to sleep, leaving it for the morrow to confirm or dissipate the fears -excited by the non-arrival of guard, cash-chest, and baggage.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</span></p> - -<p>Our slumbers were, however, disturbed by loud shouts, repeated from -height to height, which seemed to be the “All’s well!” of native -guards, posted round the village to watch over our safety.</p> - -<p>In the morning a large capon and a supply of beer arrived, as a present -from the chieftainess, and later on she herself with her daughters and -retinue came in state. She was a short matronly-looking woman, with -an intelligent expression of countenance and good features, but for -her high cheek-bones and slightly Chinese eyes. Her costume was of -course the perfection of highland full dress, and, though singular, by -no means unbecoming. The head-dress was the most striking part of it, -consisting of blue cloth, wound round and round in a sort of turban, so -as to form an inverted cone, towering at least eighteen inches above -her head. Her upper garment was a sleeveless black velvet jacket, -ornamented with a row of large embossed silver buttons running round -the neck and continued down the front; besides these, circular plates -of chased and enamelled silver, three inches in diameter, arranged -in rows down the front and back seams and around the skirt, made the -garment almost resemble a cuirass. The dress was completed by a single -kilt-like petticoat, composed of a dark blue cotton cloth, with a broad -red woollen border, wound round the hips, and reaching a little below -the knee. One end was tastefully worked with deep silken embroidery, -and carefully disposed, so as to hang gracefully on one side. A<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</span> -profusion of fine ratan girdles round the waist supported the kilt and -filled up the void between it and the jacket; and, by way of stockings, -a close-fitting series of black ratan rings encircled her legs below -the knee. Her rank was marked by two large silver hoops round her -neck, and a necklace of short cylinders of some red clayey material, -intermixed with amber and ivory beads. These cumbrous ornaments are -permitted only to the wives and daughters of tsawbwas and pawmines. -Two silver bracelets on each arm, and long silver tubes worn in the -lobes of the ears, completed her splendour. Her little daughters, -besides the distinctive girdles of black beads, and silver bells, each -containing a small free pellet, which tinkled pleasantly to every -motion of the wearer, wore broad waist-belts ornamented with several -rows of cowrie shells. Our visitor brought us goose eggs and sheroo, -and apologised for not having more to offer, but promised to send us -every day something to eat. Her goodwill was rewarded by presents of -silk handkerchiefs and red cloth, and a gorgeous table-cloth, the -splendour of which and her joy, when Sladen presented it to her, left -her perfectly speechless.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img007"> - <img src="images/007.jpg" class="w50" alt="KAKHYEN WOMEN." /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">KAKHYEN WOMEN.</p> - -<p>During the day the missing mules and baggage began to arrive, -the drivers having camped for the night at various places in the -neighbourhood, and early in the afternoon the guard marched in, but -without the cash-chest. The jemadar reported that he had remained -in charge of it at Talone, where he<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</span> had been obliged to leave it, -together with the missing eight mules and their loads. The tsawbwa, who -with his people and the Chinese interpreter, Moung Shuay Yah, had spent -the night in drinking, refused to let either cash-chest or baggage -proceed. The guard had been unable to obtain any food till before -starting this morning, and one of the sepoys who had rashly indulged in -excessive draughts of water had been seized with sickness, and died in -two hours.</p> - -<p>On the receipt of this news of the unaccountable conduct of the -Talone chief and Moung Shuay Yah, Sala despatched his own son with -positive orders for the instant release of the porters and drivers, -and pending their arrival, we sallied forth to view the village and -its surroundings. The houses were situated at short distances from -each other in a deep hollow, thickly wooded with magnificent oaks and -a few palms (Corypha), and very fine screw-pines, or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">pandani</em>, -one fallen stem of the former being fully sixty feet in length. -Immediately over the village towered a bold rounded summit of the -main range two thousand feet above us, halfway up the side of which -a large conical Khakyen grave formed a prominent object; in shape it -so strongly resembled a Burmese pagoda as to suggest an imitation. In -the village very fine plantains were cultivated, and the sides of the -spurs below were extensively cleared for rice and other crops. From the -ground behind the tsawbwa’s house, we obtained a splendid view of the -lofty hills on the southern side of the Tapeng valley,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</span> many of which -appeared to rise to a height of six thousand feet above the river, -cultivated and dotted with villages almost to the very summits.</p> - -<p>In the course of our ramble we were attracted to one house by the -sound of drumming; outside the portico, some men were sitting cooking -chickens, which had been merely stripped of their feathers, but not -otherwise cleaned. Having asked and obtained permission, we entered -the common hall, round which men, women, and children were dancing, -each carrying a small stick, with which they beat time, as they circled -round with measured steps, curiously combining a prance and a side -shuffle. The instrumentalists were a man and a girl, who vigorously -beat a pair of drums, while ever and anon the dancers burst out into -loud yells, and quickened the speed of their evolutions. We at first -sat gravely on the logs, brought by a smiling girl, but were presently -invited by signs to take our places in the dance; accordingly we stood -up and went round, but had scarcely taken two turns when the whole -party rushed, yelling loudly, out of the house, the leader flourishing -his stick wildly, as though clearing the way. Much puzzled, we returned -into the house, and found the corpse of a child, laid in a corner -carefully screened off, and the poor mother wailing bitterly by its -side. The festivity turned out to be the death dance, to drive away -the departed spirit from hovering near its late tenement, and our -exertions were believed to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</span> have mainly contributed to the speedy and -happy result; so at least we were made to understand by our hosts, -who hastened to refresh us with sheroo, served in cups ingeniously -improvised out of plantain leaves. We paid our footing in silver, -and departed with a feeling that even the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">entente cordiale</em> -we desired to establish with the Kakhyens hardly demanded an active -participation in death-dances.</p> - -<p>The next day Sala’s son arrived with the cash-chest and the missing -mules from Talone; but the boxes had been opened, Sladen and Bowers -had each lost a canteen, well stocked with knives and forks, and the -mule-men had further helped themselves to all eatables. They had, -however, shown a laudable consideration, for in one of Stewart’s cases -was a bottle of port wine, which they had opened by pushing in the -cork; not relishing the contents, they had carefully cut and fixed in a -wooden stopper to prevent waste!</p> - -<p>Sladen assembled Sala and the other chiefs, and distributed salt, -cloth, and some yellow silk handkerchiefs, which were highly prized. -Sala delivered a public exhortation, enjoining fidelity on all; in -private he communicated the necessity of propitiating the nats, and -requested our attendance at a ceremony which was to take place that -night, for the purpose of ascertaining the will of the demons, by the -medium of a <em>meetway</em>, or diviner.</p> - -<p>Accordingly after dinner we all adjourned to the hall of the tsawbwa’s -new house, and, reclining on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</span> mats brought by his wife, chatted for -some time with the chiefs and headmen assembled round the fire.</p> - -<p>The meetway now entered, and seated himself on a small stool, in one -corner, which had been freshly sprinkled with water; he then blew -through a small tube, and, throwing it from him with a deep groan, at -once fell into an extraordinary state of tremor, every limb quivered, -and his feet beat a literal “devil’s tattoo” on the bamboo flooring. He -groaned as if in pain, tore his hair, passed his hands with maniacal -gestures over his head and face, then broke into a short wild chant -interrupted with sighs and groans, his features appearing distorted -with madness or rage, while the tones of his voice changed to an -expression of anger and fury. During this extraordinary scene, which -realised all one had read of demoniacal possession, the tsawbwa and his -pawmines occasionally addressed him in low tones, as if soothing him or -deprecating the anger of the dominant spirit; and at last the tsawbwa -informed Sladen that the nats must be appeased with an offering. -Fifteen rupees and some cloth were produced. The silver, on a bamboo -sprinkled with water, and the cloth, on a platter of plantain leaves, -were humbly laid at the diviner’s feet; but with one convulsive jerk of -the legs, rupees and cloth were instantly kicked away, and the medium -by increased convulsions and groans intimated the dissatisfaction -of the nats with the offering. The tsawbwa in vain supplicated for -its acceptance, and then signified to Sladen that more<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</span> rupees were -required, and that the nats mentioned sixty as the propitiatory sum. -Sladen tendered five more with an assurance that no more would be -given. The amended offering was again, but more gently, pushed away, -of which no notice was taken. After another quarter of an hour, during -which the convulsions and groans gradually grew less violent, a dried -leaf rolled into a cone, and filled with rice, was handed to the -meetway. He raised it to his forehead several times, and then threw it -on the floor; a dah, which had been carefully washed, was next handed -to him and treated the same way, and after a few gentle sighs he rose -from his seat, and, laughing, signed us to look at his legs and arms, -which were very tired. The oracle was in our favour, and predictions of -all manner of success were interpreted to us as the utterances of the -inspired diviner.</p> - -<p>It must not be supposed that this was a solemn farce, enacted to -conjure rupees out of European pockets; the Kakhyens never undertake -any business or journey without consulting the will of the nats as -revealed by a meetway, under the influence of temporary frenzy, or, -as they deem it, possession. The seer in ordinary life is nothing; -the medium on whose word hung the possibility of our advance was a -cooly, who carried one of our boxes on the march, but he was a duly -qualified meetway, belonging to Ponsee village. When a youth shows -signs of what spiritualists would call a “rapport” or connection<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</span> with -the spirit world, he has to undergo a sufficiently trying ordeal to -test the reality of his powers. A ladder is prepared, the steps of -which consist of sword blades, with the sharp edges turned upwards, and -this is reared against a platform thickly set with sharp spikes. The -barefooted novice ascends this perilous path to fame, and seats himself -on the spikes without any apparent inconvenience; he then descends by -the same ladder, and if, after having been carefully examined, he is -pronounced free from any trace of injury, he is thenceforward accepted -as a true diviner. Sala improved the occasion by warning Sladen that a -powerful combination had been formed to oppose our advance, and that -many evil reports had been circulated, but concluded by saying that a -liberal expenditure of silver would remove many, if not all, obstacles. -The practical application of this was made next morning. When all was -ready for a start, the tsawbwa would not appear: Sladen paid him a -visit, and was informed that six hundred rupees must be paid nominally -as an advance for the mule-men, or else he had better go back. This -extortionate demand was reduced after some debate to three hundred, -which were paid, and then an additional sum of three hundred rupees was -demanded for the carriage of the troublesome and tempting cash-chest. -An offer of one rupee per diem each to twenty bearers was refused, and -we then decided to divide the cash into parcels of three hundred rupees -to be carried by the men of the escort. By this means<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</span> the liability -to continual “squeezes” on the part of the chiefs, or robbery by the -porters, was avoided. At length we set out from Ponline, and, after -proceeding a mile over an easy road along the high ground, commenced -the descent to the gorge, down which, fifteen hundred feet below, the -Nampoung flowed into the Tapeng, dividing the hills into two parallel -ridges. The descent, at first easy, gradually became steeper, and at -length precipitous; the path was cut into zigzags, but as slightly -deviating from the straight line as the steepness of the declivity -allowed. The weathered and disintegrated surface of metamorphic rock -had been worn down by traffic and torrents, so that it often was a deep -<b>V</b> shaped groove with but nine or ten inches of footway, and the -loaded mules found it difficult to round the abrupt turns in these deep -cuttings; huge boulders, stones, and sharp-pointed masses of exposed -quartz, made the travelling still more hurtful and dangerous to man and -beast. The beds of the streams were filled with fine granite, and in -the largest watercourse crossed, a small section was observed, showing -a mass of greyish micaceous schist, with large veins of quartz; it was -tilted up vertically, and there were distinct indications of bedding -in a nearly north and south direction. The Nampoung, whose source lies -among the hills to the north-east, is the limit between the districts -of Ponline and Ponsee, and was formerly, and must be considered still, -the boundary between Burma and the Chinese province of Yunnan, the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</span> -ruined frontier fort being pointed out on a height commanding the ford. -We forded the Nampoung on our ponies, where the stream was a hundred -feet wide, and three feet deep. The beasts could scarcely stem the -rapid current, which in the event of a fall would have soon swept horse -and rider into the foaming Tapeng. The road wound up the face of a -precipice, below which the Tapeng rushed down a succession of rapids, -with a deafening roar, and a force which nothing could resist, save the -prodigious masses of granite which encumbered its bed, while others -leaned from the banks as if ready to topple into the raging torrent.</p> - -<p>The occasional glimpses of the distant landscape were glorious; on -either hand hills towered up into mountains, and range succeeded range, -till lost in the blue distance. Our enjoyment of the grandeur of the -mountain scenery was, however, somewhat marred by the difficulty of the -path, which compelled us frequently to dismount, and let the goat-like -ponies scramble as best they could up the deep narrow cuttings. The -road contoured the hillside, cut into the face of the rock for some -ten feet, presenting every now and again turnings at a sharp angle. -On the verge of a precipice of one thousand feet deep, the outer edge -gave way under the hind hoofs of Williams’ pony, and he was only saved -from destruction by the pony recovering itself with a vigorous effort. -Kakhyen roads seem to be purposely designed with a view to reaching -the highest points<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</span> on the given route, and after leaving the river -banks, we thus ascended and descended over a succession of lofty -spurs abutting on the river from the main range; precipitous ridges, -connecting them at right angles, presented tolerably level ground, but -with a surface so confined that the traveller looked down into the deep -gorges on both sides. Patches of rich loamy soil in the valleys, and on -the slopes of the spurs, were cleared for paddy, and in each clearing -a small thatched hut raised on poles served as a watch-tower. Near -some of the villages perched on heights, limited efforts at terrace -cultivation were visible, and in one place a small stream had been -diverted for irrigation. Magnificent screw pines and large tree ferns -displayed their exquisite foliage, relieved by the blossoms of various -flowering trees.</p> - -<p>By two o’clock the baggage mules were so jaded that, although we had -not made more than eight or ten miles, it became necessary to halt in -the jungle. Behind our bivouac towered an enormous shoulder of the -mountains, rising four thousand feet above us, and called Lakong. The -air was genial and temperate, the thermometer marking sixty-three at 9 -<span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, and, with our lamps strung up on bamboos, our followers -and servants surrounding the bivouac, we dined and slept comfortably -and securely <em xml:lang="es" lang="es">al fresco</em>, while the drivers picketed their mules -above and below. Close to our camp were some old Kakhyen burial-places -on a rounded hill. Each consisted of a circular trench, thirty-eight -feet in diameter, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</span> about two feet deep, surrounding a low mound, -containing only one body. The high conical thatched roof which covered -newer graves, elsewhere observed, had disappeared, but some of the -bamboo supports were still standing. The trenches of some other graves -were built round with slabs of stone, the form of the grave and manner -of interment reminding one involuntarily of the megalithic burial -structures.</p> - -<p>Before resuming our march to Ponsee, Sala intimated that caution would -be required, as the Ponsee tsawbwa was very indignant at not having -received the desired musket. The nats also had signified through the -meetway that before starting the guard should fire a volley, and the -tsawbwa added a recommendation to use double charges of powder, so that -the nats might be doubly pleased. The road lay along tolerably easy -ground, as we were now almost on a level with the origin of the main -spurs, and by noon of March 6th we had reached the village of Ponsee, -three thousand one hundred and eighty-seven feet above the sea-level, -and forty-three miles from Bhamô. As the tsawbwa did not appear, and -had made no preparation to house our party, the camp was pitched under -a clump of bamboos, in a hollow below the village. Ponsee, with its -twenty scattered houses, and terraced slopes of cultivated ground, -occupied one side of a mountain clothed to its summit, two thousand -feet above, with dense jungle and forest, save where clearings -betokened the vicinity of other villages far above us.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</span></p> - -<p>Our muleteers dispersed themselves and their mules on the upper -terrace of a tumulus-shaped knoll overlooking the road, and cultivated -on one side in a succession of regular and equidistant terraces. In -the afternoon we were visited by a pawmine, accompanied by his wife -and several female relatives, who brought presents of sheroo and -vegetables. One of the young ladies was inclined to be merry and -communicative, in order to attract attention and secure a present of -beads. Although she was a wife, her hair was cut straight across her -forehead, and hung down behind in dishevelled locks, uncovered by the -head-dress which Kakhyen wives wear. An offer of a puggery to supply -the defect was received with a peal of laughter, at which the pawmine -seemed startled and scandalised, and he reproved his fair cousin in a -way that caused her to shrink into abashed silence. During the evening -the dangerous temper of the Kakhyen was shown by an unprovoked attack -made by one of the Ponsee tsawbwa’s followers upon a Burmese servant, -but Sala promptly interfered to protect our man, and declared that he -would resent an insult offered to any of our people as if offered to -himself. Thus, as in other matters, he so far showed himself honest, -though his constant demands for money began to make the leader think -his friendship might be too dearly purchased.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.<br /> -<span class="small">PONSEE CAMP.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Desertion of the muleteers—Our encampment—Visit of hill -chiefs—Sala’s demands—A mountain excursion—Messengers -from Momien—Shans refuse presents—Stoppage of -supplies—Ill-feeling—Tsawbwa of Seray—<abbr title="saint">St.</abbr> Patrick’s Day—Retreat -of Sala—The pawmines of Ponsee—A burial-ground—Visit to the -Tapeng—The silver mines—Approach of the rains—Hostility of -Ponsee—Threatened attack—Reconciliation—A false start—Letters from -Momien—A hailstorm—Circular to the members of the mission—Beads and -belles—Friendly relations with Kakhyens—Their importance. -</div> - - -<p>On the first night of our sojourn at Ponsee, we were roused from our -beds in the open air by a violent thunderstorm, which threatened a -drenching, but fortunately let us off with only a few heavy drops. One -of the party drew his bed under a small thatched shed close by, and -slept soundly, to awake in the morning and find that he had shared -his shelter with a deceased Kakhyen, on whose grave he had been -reposing. At an early hour, Sala came to inform Sladen that a small -army of Shans and Kakhyens had collected to oppose our progress, but -that two thousand rupees might purchase their goodwill. When informed -that the disposable funds<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</span> would not admit of such costly travelling, -he significantly remarked that the Panthays were rich, and would be -glad to assist us. This obstacle might be imaginary, but a most real -difficulty left us no time to reflect on it, for instead of preparing -for a start, the muleteers, without a word of complaint, or indeed -any communication with us, proceeded to unpack their loads, flinging -all the baggage on the ground. I went to look after my boxes, but was -warned off by a Kakhyen, who flourished his dah, and worked himself up -into such a fury that retreat appeared the wisest course. In a short -time the mules and drivers marched away, taking the road to Manwyne, -leaving us and our baggage destitute of any means of transit. A few -beasts remained, belonging to Ponline, but too few to be taken into -account. Here was an unexpected dilemma, such as would have delighted -Sir Samuel Baker, who says he “finds pleasure in a downright fix.” -Sladen set off to find out, if possible, the meaning of it all from -Sala, who was seated comfortably drunk in the chief’s house. He -declared that the muleteers had been influenced by messages from the -Shan tsawbwas of Sanda and Muangla, threatening them with death if -they brought us on. He advised threats of exclusion of the Shans from -the Burmese fairs by way of reprisals, but Sladen indignantly told him -that he came to promote peace, and not dissension, and that he would -write conciliatory letters, explaining the object of the expedition to -those chiefs who had been misled. Thereupon<span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</span> Sala grew confidential, -and let out what certainly seemed the truth, <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">in vino veritas</em>, -about our missing interpreter Moung Shuay Yah, who had been last seen -or heard of at Ponline. It appeared that this half Chinese scoundrel -had finally endeavoured to persuade Sala, and on his refusal the Talone -tsawbwa, to murder Sladen and plunder the cash-chest. Thwarted in his -villainous projects, he had returned to Bhamô, of which latter fact -confirmation was afforded a few days later. Matters looked unpromising; -it was whispered that the muleteers had become aware that our detention -at Ponsee was certain, and were unwilling to hazard a delay, the -profits of which would go into the greedy pockets of the Ponline -chief. Besides the dark aspect of affairs, the natural atmosphere was -overcast, heavy clouds presaging storm, and to be prepared against all -consequences, we removed our quarters to the plateau vacated by the -muleteers, where the three sepoy palls, or small tents, accommodated -the Europeans, while the sepoys and followers set to work to construct -bamboo tents, thatched with leaves and grass for their protection, and -speedily a regular camp was established in a favourable position. Sala -showed himself in a new light, later on in the day, when he came down -very drunk, and dressed in a yellow silk cloth which he had stolen from -Sladen’s servant. He was at first inconveniently affectionate, and, -seizing Sladen by both hands, vowed eternal friendship; he then grew -inquisitive about our rifles and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</span> revolvers, and required Sladen to -show his marksmanship by splitting a bamboo forty yards off. A refusal -to gratify him changed him at once into a violent savage, pouring out -a flood of the foulest abuse in Burmese. With tact and patience, he -was restrained from violence, but the real treacherous nature of the -animal had shown itself unmistakably. He finally assured Sladen that -he might make up his mind not to quit Ponsee until he had paid two -bushels of rupees. More agreeable visitors arrived, in the persons -of the Kakhyen chiefs of Nyoungen, Wacheoon, and Ponwah, small hill -districts on the road to Manwyne. These tsawbwas all brought presents -of fowls and rice, for which they received cloth as a return. The chief -of Ponwah was a wiry little highlander, with oblique eyes, and strongly -marked features of a Tartar type, adorned with two scanty tufts by way -of moustache, and a sparse beard carefully restricted to the front of -his chin. His dress was different from that of the other tsawbwas, and -argued a higher social condition. It consisted of a blue turban, blue -padded woollen jacket, a kilt of the same material and colour, with a -red and blue border, finished off with richly embroidered leggings, -and short blue woollen hose with thick soles. A leopard’s fang adorned -his dah, and a cloth bag contained his metal pipe and bamboo flask of -samshu, which frequently found its way to his thirsty lips; before each -draught he dipped his finger into the liquor, and poured a few drops on -the ground as a libation to the earth nats.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</span> The mother of the young -Ponsee tsawbwa also came down, attended by a number of girls, bringing -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">sheroo</em>, or beer, cooked rice, eggs, and vegetables. Beads were -distributed, but they begged for rupees; and a few four-anna pieces -hardly contented them. One of us gallantly presented an importunate -damsel with a pretty little bottle of perfume, and to make her -appreciate it, poured a little on her hand, and signed to her to rub it -on her face, but having done so, she evinced her disgust by wry faces, -spitting at and abusing the donor, as though he had insulted her, to -his extreme confusion.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img008"> - <img src="images/008.jpg" class="w75" alt="OUR CAMP AT PONSEE." /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">OUR CAMP AT PONSEE.</p> - -<p>The day of anxiety was followed by a night of rain and storm. Heavy -gusts of wind, sweeping down the lofty shoulder of the mountain, -threatened to carry away the light tents, and it required all our -efforts to prevent this catastrophe by holding stoutly on to the -tent poles. The interior was of course inundated, and beds and -bedding saturated with water, but some of the followers were worse -off, having no shelter of any sort. Our troubles, however, were only -beginning. The Nanlyaw tamone,<span class="fnanchor" id="fna21"><a href="#fn21">[21]</a></span> who had been ordered to accompany -us as interpreter, and had failed to do so, arrived with orders from -the Woon of Bhamô to the tsawbwas of Ponsee and Ponline to repair at -once to Bhamô, and assist in an inquiry about reopening the silver -mines. The message and the messenger were both suspicious, and some -obstructive influence speedily showed itself. A demand was set up for -three<span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</span> hundred rupees, compensation for five houses said to have been -destroyed by a jungle fire, originating in the embers of our camp-fire -at Lakong. Sala evidently thought that any demands would be complied -with to prevent his deserting us, and talked much about the imperative -orders of the governor. By way of relief from the discussion, we made -an excursion up the mountain to a height about six hundred feet above -our camp, whence a splendid panorama unrolled itself of the Burmese -plain as far as Bhamô, and the junction of the Tapeng with the majestic -Irawady. We passed numerous oaks, and a grove of trees bearing nuts -exactly like our own hazels. At the highest point reached, a Kakhyen -village was found, snugly nestled in a beautifully cool hollow, with a -small stream flowing down the hillside.</p> - -<p>Our appearance startled three women, proceeding to fill the bamboos, -which serve as water pitchers, carried in a wicker basket at the back; -they darted into a hollow below the road, and, turning their backs to -us, waited till we had passed by. A thousand feet below us, a deep -ravine resounded with the cry of hoolock monkeys, howling at the full -pitch of their voices. Shooting, either for sport or purposes of -science, was rendered extremely difficult by the dense jungle and the -steep sides of the deep gorges, where the birds are mostly found, for -a bird, when shot, dropped down a steep declivity, into long grass or -tangled shrub, where search was useless.</p> - -<p>On our return, a cock and hen partridge, of a new<span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</span> species, belonging -to the genus Bambusicola, were shot in the cleared ground, and in -the woods the cry of an oriole was often heard, but the birds were -invisible. Descending by another route, passing the rice clearings, -where wild strawberries carpeted the ground with flowers and fruit, -and two sorts of violets and various brambles were also in flower, we -reached the camp, and were soon plunged again into debate with Sala. -The fellow was sulky and angry, demanding six hundred rupees blackmail, -and three hundred as compensation for the village fire, threatening -as an alternative to leave us to “be lost in the hills and never more -heard of.” Sladen temperately refused to submit to such extortionate -demands, but, to prove his friendly intentions, offered to compensate -for any actual damage, and to send presents to the chiefs <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en -route</em>. His arguments had such an effect on Sala that he was content -to ask for one hundred rupees to settle the “fire.”</p> - -<p>At this stage of the interview all were surprised by the sudden -appearance on the scene of three strangers, dressed in gorgeous Chinese -costume, and attended by half a dozen others; two of their faces were -familiar, and they saluted Sladen with an air of recognition, but Sala -and he were at first equally puzzled as to their identity. The two -foremost were arrayed in blue satin skull-caps embroidered with gold, -padded and embroidered jackets of fine blue cloth, and wide trousers -of yellow silk. They wore new broad cane hats and gold embroidered -Chinese<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</span> shoes. The hilts of their dahs were each enriched with half -the lower jaw of a leopard, and suspended from their button-holes was -a decoration consisting of a pink and blue square of cloth, with a -cipher embroidered in the corner. This was full dress Panthay uniform, -which one of them proceeded to divest himself of, and exhibited his -ragged Kakhyen garb underneath, and then Sladen recognised Lawloo, -the scout despatched by him from Bhamô to the governor of Momien. -He produced, carefully rolled up, a packet addressed in Arabic on a -strip of red paper, which contained an envelope stamped with Chinese -hieroglyphics in red, and a letter written in Arabic, and stamped with -Chinese devices in red and blue; attached to this was another letter in -Chinese. The latter no one could read, and a combined attempt made by -the native doctor and the jemadar to decipher the former also failed, -but Lawloo assured us that the governor of Momien was most friendly. -He had received the messengers with all respect, and had equipped them -in the gorgeous dresses which had disguised them from our recognition. -He had also sent with them Shatoodoo, an officer in the Mahommedan -service, a tall, fair-skinned, well-built man, dressed in blue -uniform, with a fine intelligent face and the quiet self-possession -of a well-bred gentleman. Our couriers, men belonging to the Cowlie -tribe, bore their new honours with great composure; they completely -ignored the presence of the Ponline tsawbwa, while they told of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</span> -their kindly reception, and explained the purport of the letters. The -governor had expected us by the “ambassadors’” route, which leads from -Bhamô into Hotha, where he had arranged to meet us. They said we were -not to advance at present via Manwyne, unless we were strong enough -to fight our way past Mawphoo fort, the stronghold of Li-sieh-tai. -The messengers, on their return, though conspicuous by their Panthay -uniform, had travelled openly and unmolested through the Shan states, -which had been declared to be hostile to our advance. The immediate -effect was to cause Sala and the pawmines to withdraw from our tents, -which was a great relief, as they had infested them, squatting on the -beds for hours together, smoking, and chewing tobacco and betel, while -any remonstrance was at once replied to with an angry scowl and a -flourish of the naked dah. But the peace did not last long. The tsawbwa -soon recommenced his demands, and day after day the fire question was -discussed, and terms of settlement agreed upon, only to be insolently -repudiated on the first occasion.</p> - -<p>The next day more practical preparations for opening the route were -made by the despatch of letters and presents to the Kakhyen chief of -Seray, and to the Shan chiefs or headmen of Manwyne and Manhleo. Two of -the Ponline pawmines and the interpreter Moung Mo, the tamone of Hentha -village, whose services and goodwill we had secured, went in charge of -the presents, and Sladen’s Burmese<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</span> writer was also sent, by way of -check on the pawmines. They returned in a few days with the presents, -which the chiefs had declined to accept, as the tsawbwa of Sanda had -refused his consent to our passage, and the Manwyne people, though -favourably disposed, were afraid of the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">poogain</em>, or headman, -of Manhleo, a town situated on the south bank of the Tapeng, opposite -Manwyne. This official was an inveterate enemy of the Panthays, -and a few years before had massacred a Panthay caravan of peaceful -merchants. The character and intentions of the expedition had been so -misrepresented by the Chinese traders at Bhamô that the Shans were -naturally indisposed to run any risks from our presence among them.</p> - -<p>The refusal of the presents caused Sala to raise his demands; “all -the people, Burmese, Chinese, and Shans,” he declared, were leagued -against us, and if we did not secure his protection, we should have our -heads cut off. This was his usual argument, illustrated by holding an -imaginary head with his left hand, and making the motion of sawing at -the supposed neck with his right.</p> - -<p>A more practical result of the secret opposition was the stoppage of -supplies. Soon after our arrival the Shans from the Manwyne district -had discovered that there was a sure market for their provisions, and -a regular bazaar had been established in our lines. Kakhyen villagers -as well as Shans brought in fowls, rice, salt, vegetables, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., and -competition<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</span> had kept prices down; empty beer bottles were found to be -highly prized, and one bottle was worth twelve measures of rice. Among -other things, the Manwyne Shans brought in sugar candy, and preserved -milk in the form of thin cakes of paste like a film of coagulated -cream, which placed in a cup of water over night supplied a cup of -excellent milk in the morning. The method of preparation we could not -learn, but the result was undeniably successful. The attendance of -Shans, however, fell off, owing to the ill-usage received by many of -them from the Kakhyens, who helped themselves to their goods, and paid -them with abuse and blows. Hence supplies fell short, and prices rose -accordingly, and it became unsafe moreover to wander for any distance -from the camp. On one occasion one of us was tempted to indulge in a -bath in the small stream which flowed immediately below. There was -a most perfect douche, where the water leapt over a huge boulder, -embowered in gigantic bamboos and splendid ferns, as though contrived -for the secret bath of a Kakhyen sylvan nymph: but the unhappy European -invader was scarcely in full enjoyment of the refreshing douche than -he was saluted with a shower of stones and broken branches from some -villagers who had watched him. This was a ludicrous side of popular -hostility, but as the “fire” question continued to be discussed, almost -daily warnings were brought to us that ill-disposed Kakhyens were -collected on the heights<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</span> above, intending to attack the camp under -cover of night.</p> - -<p>A slight change in affairs was effected by the arrival of the tsawbwa -of Seray, a village four miles distant, who made his appearance on the -13th, attended by his pawmines and a numerous retinue. He was a rather -short stout man of about forty-five, dressed in blue from turban to -shoes; his manner was serious and respectful, and his remarks sensible, -but evincing great curiosity about all the novelties that presented -themselves. When he found leisure to discuss business matters, he -asked us the particulars of the fire question, saying that if it were -settled, he would undertake to guide us by a hill route to Momien, so -as to avoid the necessity of passing through Sanda. Sladen explained -to him that though the fire question had been settled three times, -he would now submit it finally to his arbitration, and the demand, -which had risen to five hundred rupees, was by his award satisfied by -a promise of two hundred and sixty. Notwithstanding this settlement, -that evening both the tsawbwas came down to request us to keep fires -burning, and maintain a careful watch all night, as over a hundred -men had collected on the hillside commanding the camp, intending to -try their chance in a night attack, according to their usual tactics. -Sala had endeavoured, he said, to dissuade them, and had finally told -them he would look on while they were shot down by our men. The night, -however,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</span> passed off more quietly than the days, which were occupied -in ceaseless discussions; the question of mule hire being again in -debate. Sala brought forward the preposterous demand of twenty rupees -a piece for one hundred and sixty mules, those, namely, whose owners -had deserted at this place. This demand was supported by fictitious -tallies, and his disgust at finding we had kept an accurate account -was great, while his fury at the laughter with which his attempts at -extortion were met found vent in the usual pantomimic prophecy of our -decapitation. The party of tsawbwas was increased by the arrival of the -chief of Wacheoon, who brought a present of rice and sheroo; the object -of his visit being to make the pertinent inquiry as to what still -detained us at Ponsee.</p> - -<p>On <abbr title="saint">St.</abbr> Patrick’s Day, matters came to a crisis. All the morning the -tsawbwas and pawmines were assembled in our tent, arguing about the -mule hire; even the respectable chief of Seray had caught the infection -of covetousness, and demanded twenty rupees a mule for a journey of -a few hours. The Seray chief was attended by a Chinaman who had been -in his employment from his youth, and now acted as his chief trader. -He had interpreted the Momien letters, and seemed to desire to be -useful, but it was plain that he regarded the expedition as a military -one, designed to assist the Panthays. He declared that the Sanda -people were willing to receive us, but were restrained by fear of -Li-sieh-tai. Sladen offered<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</span> five hundred rupees, in addition to the -money already paid, for sufficient carriage to Manwyne, where he would -await the answer to his letters despatched the day before by the former -messengers to Momien and to the tsawbwa of Sanda, as he was determined -not to advance without the full consent of all the Shan chiefs. He -then, by a happy thought, recounted to the assembled tsawbwas the sums -of money and presents that the arch robber Sala had received from him -for distribution. At this startling revelation, the chief of Ponsee was -evidently exasperated, and a storm was brewing, when suddenly a shot -was fired from a house on the hill above us, and a bullet, or slug, -whizzed over the tent in which we were sitting, and presently another -struck the head of a camp cot inside. All were naturally startled, but -no one believed the first shot to have been intentionally aimed until -the second was fired after the lapse of a few minutes. Sala and the -pawmines sprang out, and vociferated frantically to the people in the -village above. The chief of Seray sat silent, and presently announced -that he should return to his own home, and the meeting was forthwith -dissolved.</p> - -<p>True to his word, the Seray chief departed the next day, leaving the -message that he would return as soon as we were rid of Ponline; and the -next news was that the Ponsee chief had threatened Sala with instant -vengeance, and that our friend and protector had decamped to his own -village, taking<span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</span> with him all the presents entrusted to him for the -officials of Manwyne, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., and forcibly carrying off our Burmese -interpreter Moung Mo.</p> - -<p>The tsawbwa and pawmines of Ponsee, who now came to the front, as -self-appointed arbiters of our destinies, so far as progress was -concerned, have not yet been introduced.</p> - -<p>The tsawbwa was a youth of eighteen, who possessed no influence. What -natural intelligence he might possess was obscured by his habits of -continual intoxication and debauchery, in company with a number of -“fast” young Kakhyens. He had hitherto preserved a sort of sullen -neutrality, occasionally, however, conveying to us useful warnings, -but acting neither for nor against us. The real power seemed to be -exercised by his pawmines, four brothers who had generally shown -themselves friendly. The eldest was a good-for-nothing merry-andrew, -in a chronic state of intoxication. The next in age was a quiet, -sensible man, who seemed fully to appreciate the advantages that would -accrue to his people from the reopening of the trade between Yunnan -and Burma, and he frequently declared that he was ready to give us all -the help in his power. He was nicknamed by us the “Red Pawmine;” and -his next brother and constant companion, a little spare man, with high -cheek-bones, deeply sunken eyes, and features sharpened and worn by -bad health, was appropriately styled “Death’s Head.” He was by far the -ablest, but his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</span> quick, nervous temperament and violent temper rendered -him a difficult man to deal with. The youngest, as excitable, but far -less intelligent, was regarded with jealous eyes by his three elder -brothers.</p> - -<p>The young tsawbwa for about a week subsequent to Sala’s departure -professed himself our friend, and a few days of tranquil and almost -patient expectation ensued, during which we endeavoured to extend our -acquaintance with the hill country about us, of which we had as yet -been able to see no more than the outskirts of our camp or rather -prison.</p> - -<p>Accordingly, Stewart and I started on our ponies to ascend the -mountain, taking Deen Mahomed as interpreter and a native boy to act -as guide. No sooner had the party passed the tsawbwa’s house than a -hue and cry was raised by one of the pawmines, who shouted orders to -the lad to return at once. Disregarding the outcry, we pushed on along -a narrow bridle-path, but were delayed by the obstinacy of a pony who -declined to face a difficult bit of road, and the villagers overtaking -us, the guide was dragged away by the pawmine. The tsawbwa was appealed -to, but he declared that it was not safe to go up, as there was a -village of “bad Kakhyens” on the mountain, and Deen Mahomed was warned -with gesture symbolical of throat-cutting of what would happen to him -if he got another guide. We consoled ourselves for this failure by a -visit to a burial-ground, on the top of a thickly wooded height, which -lay to the east of the camp. The path<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</span> leading to it was sprinkled at -intervals with ground rice, as an offering to the nats, and on two of -the graves, which were quite recent, lay a little tobacco and a small -cylindrical box containing chillies, while outside the surrounding -trench the skull of a pig, with some more tobacco, had been placed. The -conical roof of bamboos and grass was decorated with a finial of wood -cut into two flag-like arms, painted with rosettes in black and red, -which ridiculously resembled guide-posts.</p> - -<p>The tsawbwa proved more obliging a day or two afterwards, when a -request was sent to him for a guide to conduct us to the Tapeng -river. The path led along the saddle of the long spurs running down -to the valley, and the climate as we descended changed from temperate -to tropical; the upper forest consisted of oaks, cherry, apple, and -peach trees, especially in a magnificently wooded glen, while a large -mountain stream made its way over a rocky channel, forming at one -place a splendid waterfall over a perpendicular cliff of gneiss. Along -the tops of the fruit trees a large troop of monkeys <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">(Presbytis -albocinereus</em>) were leisurely wandering.</p> - -<p>In descending we could only keep our footing by clutching at the -overhanging branches, as our feet slipped on the fallen leaves and -bamboo spathes which lay heaped in the steep and narrow path. The -roots which projected every now and then were another and even worse -impediment. Where, as often happened, the path turned a sharp angle on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</span> -the crests of the precipitous spurs, great caution was needful, for if -one had lost his equilibrium in such a place, he would have certainly -sent all in front of him down the almost perpendicular declivity. As -the lower level was reached, the trees became essentially tropical, -intermixed with musæ, bamboos, ratans, and splendid ferns, while huge -cable-like creepers intertwined their leafy cordage, and orchids of -various and novel species displayed their fantastic beauties, and -loaded the air with perfume.</p> - -<p>After a long scramble down, we climbed over a secondary spur, and at -its foot reached a sandy strand shaded by a magnificent banyan covered -with the fragrant blossoms of a large yellow orchid (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Dendrobium -andersoni</em>, Scott). Before us the roaring Tapeng rushed in a torrent -forty yards wide, over a rocky bed, in a succession of foaming rapids -and deep smooth reaches. At this point its bed was about thirteen -to fourteen hundred feet above the plains at Tsitkaw, twenty miles -distant, so that its descent is nearly seventy feet in the mile, the -water mark indicating the highest rise of the flood to be twelve feet -above its present level.</p> - -<p>The only birds visible were two water wagtails flitting from boulder -to boulder in the middle of the torrent. The rocks in position were -gneiss, with veins and large embedded oblong pieces of quartzite; the -quartz often standing out in bold relief where the gneiss surface had -been worn away by the action of the water. Huge boulders of the same -rock and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</span> pure white crystalline marble were strewn along the river -bed. Along the bank a footpath led to a spot where a raft lay ready, -in the deep smooth water above a rapid, to ferry over passengers to -the silver mines. The raft was attached by a loop to a bark rope, -stretched across the river. Our guide expressed his readiness “for a -consideration” to conduct us across, but not “that day;” so we made -our way back again, and if the descent had been difficult, it may be -imagined how much more so was the return journey, which, however, was -safely accomplished.</p> - -<p>A few days after this trip, we started, accompanied by two of the -Ponsee pawmines, for a visit to the silver mines. We reached the river -by the next spur, to the west of the path followed on the former -excursion, and, leaving the servants to prepare breakfast under the -banyan tree, made for the raft. The guide rope was fastened to a fallen -tree, six feet above the river on the opposite bank, while on our side -it was carried over forked branches, firmly fixed in the ground and -secured to a huge boulder. The raft proved to be on the other side, -and one of the Burmese followers caught hold of the rope, and hand -over hand succeeded in making his way across the strong current. He -was followed by one of the pawmines, who evinced a careful dexterity -which argued him to be well accustomed to what seemed a dangerous task. -The raft was then brought across, one man in front running the loop -along the rope, and the other<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</span> sitting behind with a paddle to keep it -stemming the stream. It was a simple wedge-shaped platform of bamboos -lashed together, presenting a sort of prow which is kept against the -rush of the stream. Bamboos at each side supported seats of split -bamboo, and when the raft, which carried six persons, was loaded, the -“deck” was a couple of inches under water.</p> - -<p>Arrived at the other side, we were struck by the prevalence of white -marble, and the extraordinary contorted folds of an abrupt cliff of -blue crystalline quartzite rock, about fifty feet high, overlooking -the ferry. A narrow footpath to the north-east of this cliff led to a -ridge of pure white crystalline marble, of the same structure as the -marble of the Tsagain hills. The ridge, which was destitute of trees, -was about six hundred feet above the level of the river, running almost -parallel with its course for about a mile. A small watercourse dividing -the ridge from a rounded hill covered with waterworn boulders of the -quartzite rock marked the limits of the marble, which terminated so -abruptly as to be at once noticeable, and the pawmine said there was no -silver beyond this limit. We walked along the almost level top of the -treeless ridge, and found at the eastern side a pleasant valley, where -the cultivated terraces showed signs of the neighbourhood of a village, -and a Bauhinia in full bloom of white flowers with violet centre -occurred in great profusion.</p> - -<p>The mines consisted of a series of galleries about four feet in -diameter, run horizontally into the slope<span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</span> of the ridge facing the -river. Our conductors led us along the steep hillside, strewn with -large masses of iron pyrites, and overgrown with grass and low jungle, -so thick that each man had to cut his way with a dah. We passed about -thirty of these adits, which penetrated the hillside for two or three -hundred feet, sloping slightly downwards, and with passages opening at -right angles. I crawled into one of them, preceded by a guide with a -lantern, and made my way for a considerable distance along the tunnel, -the sides of which showed red earth mixed with masses of marble and -quartzite, but my progress was stopped by finding the passage blocked -by the fallen roof, the bamboo props used when the mine was worked -having given way. No detailed information regarding the productiveness -of these mines could be obtained, and since the outbreak of the civil -war in Yunnan they had not been worked, save to a very small and -intermittent extent by the Kakhyens. The heaps of slag in the glen -near the small watercourses, where all smelting operations had been -conducted, showed that a very considerable quantity of ore used to be -raised. Specimens of the ore assayed by Professor Oldham have been -found to contain 0·191 per cent. of silver in the galena. The mines are -of easy access, and from their close proximity to the borders of China, -little or no difficulty would be experienced in finding labourers to -work them. Silver is also said to be found on the right bank of the -river, at a great elevation on the hillsides to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</span> west of Ponsee; -and gold is asserted to occur near the same locality, and specimens -were shown to me at Bhamô in grains some of which were as large as -small peas.</p> - -<p>From the mines we returned across the river, and breakfasted on the -bank of the Tapeng, treating our Kakhyen companions to some of the -eatables, their approval of which was indicated by jerking their fists -with the thumb extended, which emphatically signifies that anything is -very good. The forefinger is held straight to indicate that a man is -good, and crooked to denote one who is not to be trusted.</p> - -<p>So we returned to Ponsee, where we must again take up the tangled -thread of events bearing on our progress. A month had passed since our -arrival, and the advance of the season was marked by the call of the -cuckoo, which was often heard in the eastern woods. The jungle had -all been felled in the new clearings, and nightly fires illuminated -the opposite hills, caused by the burning of the jungle over acres of -ground. Heavy thunder showers almost every night did not add to our -comfort, and heralded the speedy setting in of the south-west monsoon.</p> - -<p>But we were apparently as far off from any extrication from our -detention as ever.</p> - -<p>The Seray tsawbwa had on March 22nd returned with news that a Panthay -official had arrived at Sanda, and that the country so far was open. He -also produced a letter addressed to himself by the governor<span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</span> of Momien, -requesting him to give us all the help in his power, and promising to -reimburse any expense he might be put to in our service. The chief -seemed fully disposed to help, and started for his own village to -procure mules, with which he promised to return in two days, leaving -his Chinese clerk to help us as an interpreter.</p> - -<p>This was pleasant, and the improved temper of the people was shown -by the arrival of messengers from the widow of a tsawbwa ruling a -district on the road to Manwyne, with a present of fowls, eggs, and an -uninviting compound of flour and chillies; accompanied by a message -that she and her people would come and escort us to Manwyne. The -dowager of the late chief of that town also sent Sladen the gift of -two Kakhyen bags, and a curious implement forming a toothbrush and -tongue-scraper combined.</p> - -<p>The Seray chief, however, did not show according to promise, and a week -after his departure news came that two Chinamen had arrived from Bhamô, -with a party of fifty armed Burmese. These men gave out that they had -been sent to recommence mining operations at the silver mines. The -immediate result was that the Seray chief, first by a messenger, and -then in person, repudiated his engagement to procure mules, alleging -that the Ponsee chief had threatened to kill him if he assisted us to -quit the Ponsee territory. Argument and expostulation were useless, -and he nodded assent when Sladen attributed his change of purpose to -private<span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</span> instructions received from Bhamô. He departed, after warning -us to be on our guard against the Ponsee chief, who had resolved to -attack the camp.</p> - -<p>The hostility of the Ponsee chief was soon shown, for the day after -the arrival of the Burmese his Kakhyens drove off all the Shans from -our little bazaar; the chief himself came down with his dah drawn, and -cut down one of the traders, which act of violence made him liable to -pay an indemnity to the Manwyne people. His pawmines came next with -the intelligence that he had summoned two neighbouring tsawbwas to -his assistance, that two buffaloes had been slaughtered, and a grand -sacrificial feast was to be held that night, after which the nats -would be consulted as to our fate, when, if the oracle commended it, -the Kakhyens, drunk with sheroo and samshu, would attack the camp. One -of the buffaloes had been supplied by the Burmese, and the symbolic -present of a pound of flesh, the acceptance of which signified consent, -had been offered to and accepted by the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tsare-daw-gyee</em>, or -Burmese royal secretary, in charge of the party. The pound of flesh had -been also sent to the pawmines, but rejected by them, and they loudly -denounced their chief as an uncontrollable madman.</p> - -<p>A wholesome fear of the European strangers had gradually grown up; they -were believed to possess supernatural powers. Breech-loading rifles -and revolvers, and “Bryant and May’s matches,” which<span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</span> ignited only on -the box, and defied wind and rain, argued a close alliance with the -nats of the elements; while the photographic apparatus appeared in -Kakhyen eyes to be the instruments of conjurers, who could control the -sun himself. Hence but few of the Kakhyens would join the chief, whom -they considered bent on his own destruction. While the conspirators -were revelling and consulting, our police escort was drawn out and -exercised, and the ominous sound of three volleys from fifty guns, -which to their universal astonishment and awe all went off at once, -terrified them, and gave a significant hint that assailants would meet -a warm reception. The pawmines prayed that they and their houses might -be spared in the general destruction that must overtake our enemies, -and the news soon reached us that the meetway, who was secretly in our -pay, had announced that the nats disapproved of the conspiracy.</p> - -<p>The pawmines then requested permission to introduce the two hostile -tsawbwas, who accordingly arrived; their naturally villainous faces -were not improved by an expression of sheepish fear, but they lightened -up when Sladen received them kindly, and without upbraiding them -explained the advantages that would arise to all if our plans should -be carried out. A present of an empty biscuit tin and a beer bottle -quite won their hearts, and converted them into fast friends. The -pawmines then represented that the young chief, with whom, on his -repentance, they had made<span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</span> friends, desired to be forgiven and received -into favour. It was argued that he felt very sore at Ponline having -defrauded him of his rightful gains, and it was agreed that by way -of making up for all neglect he should receive one hundred rupees! -He swore eternal friendship, and vowed that henceforth we were his -relations. Sladen asked him why he had omitted his relations in the -late distribution of beef, at which he grinned, and went off awkwardly -enough, but still in good humour.</p> - -<p>During the first few days of April, the situation was hopeful -and exciting, but the tsawbwa and his pawmines, though outwardly -reconciled, soon made it evident that their respective interests -clashed too much for united action. The chief volunteered to go and -procure mules, the pawmines offered to supply any number of coolies. -The amount to be paid on our arrival at Manwyne was fixed at five -hundred rupees, and this was eagerly coveted by the rivals; each -in turn denounced the other as entertaining designs of looting the -baggage, and the pawmines declared that the chief dared not show his -face in Manwyne on account of a private feud.</p> - -<p>Sladen refused to accept the separate services of either the chief or -his subordinates, and this straightforward policy compelled a seeming -reconciliation. The Seray tsawbwa sent his pawmines with sixty men and -six mules, far too few for the baggage of the party; his men, however, -declared they could carry it all, and facetiously advised us to build -houses<span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</span> for permanent residence at Ponsee, as the latter chief would -never be able to procure mules.</p> - -<p>An amusing interlude was afforded by the arrival of a half-caste, -professing to be one of the chief men of the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tsawbwa-gadaw</em>, or -dowager chieftainess, of Manwyne. He came in a breathless state of -excitement, and announced that he had succeeded in hiring two hundred -mules, but that the caravan had been detained by the Kakhyen chiefs -on the road, who had sent him to say that they would allow them to -pass for one hundred rupees, and as a pledge of their sincerity had -entrusted him with an amber chain worth that sum. The fellow must have -had a high opinion of our credulity, for the chain, when produced, was -valued at about eight annas, and he was summarily dismissed.</p> - -<p>At last, terms were arranged; the pawmines were to supply coolies, -while the tsawbwa was to find carriage for forty mule-loads, and the -7th of April was appointed for the start. We were up with daylight, -tents were speedily struck, and baggage packed for the march. The -coolies soon assembled, and the area of our little camp was covered -with wild-looking Kakhyens armed to the teeth with matchlocks, spears, -and dahs, looking much more like a horde of banditti than peaceful -porters. Their demeanour was in keeping with their appearance, and -their dishonest purpose was evidenced by the bare-faced rivalry -displayed by the different parties in seizing upon the packages which -seemed most valuable,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</span> irrespective of size or weight. The precaution -had been taken of telling off the escort into parties, with strict -orders to prevent the exit of any baggage until all were in readiness -for a start. The crisis was brought on by Sladen’s japanned tin cases. -The youngest pawmine, who was first on the field, had appropriated -them for his coolies, but when his brother, “Death’s Head,” appeared, -very much excited, early as it was, with drink, he claimed them for -his men. On his brother’s refusal to give them up, he lost all command -over himself. After a violent outburst of passion, he made a dash at -the gold sword which the king had presented to Sladen, and snatched -it from the Burmese servant in charge. This attempt was frustrated by -Williams, who with a vigorous wrench rescued the sword from “Death’s -Head’s” grasp. Thus foiled, he attacked the Burmese clerk, who was -taking down the names of the coolies, and threatened to cut him down. A -general hubbub ensued, during which he rushed off to a camp fire, lit -his slow-match, and advanced priming his matchlock, till he was close -to Sladen, when he fired off his piece in the air. The consternation -which ensued reached its climax when an assistant surveyor in a foolish -panic fired his revolver. The Kakhyens showed that they had no relish -for a fight, and, throwing down their loads, bolted in all directions. -We of course remained quiet, while the tsawbwa showed more sense than -could have been expected, calling upon the Kakhyens not to fly, and -after a time order<span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</span> was restored. One of us followed “Death’s Head,” -who had sat down at the end of the camp to reload his gun, and by a -little persuasion got him to send his gun up to the village, and return -to his duties. The loads were all arranged, and the escort had been -so distributed that each set of coolies could be under surveillance, -with a chain of communication between the van and rear-guard, while -the coolies carrying the japanned tin cases were placed under the -immediate supervision of armed followers, so that they could not “bolt” -without creating an alarm. It was high noon before all was ready, and -then the tsawbwa and pawmines, perhaps disgusted with these salutary -precautions, announced that, as Manwyne could not be reached that day, -our departure must be postponed till the morrow. This was pleasant -after toiling six hours under a broiling sun, but we had nothing -to oppose to native caprice save patience, strongly tempered with -misgivings, which proved to be correct. The next morning no coolies -appeared, and the pawmines came down to say that they could not fulfil -their promise, as the tsawbwa had refused his co-operation. The chief -himself soon afterwards arrived to lay the onus of the failure on the -pawmines. A probable instigator of the whole scheme was the Nanlyaw -tamone, who, after a long absence, suddenly presented himself in our -camp, and whom Sladen, having had repeated proofs of his machinations, -at once arrested as a spy; but at the urgent intercession of his -friends, the pawmines, he was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</span> dismissed with a strong caution not to -show himself again in our vicinity.</p> - -<p>At this juncture, when all hope of extrication from our Ponsee prison -seemed to have vanished, letters arrived from the governor of Momien, -informing Sladen that he was about to take the field in person, with a -strong force, to attack Li-sieh-tai, and drive him from his stronghold -of Mawphoo. The letters further recommended us not to attempt to -advance beyond Manwyne until advices should reach us of the defeat -of the Chinese partisan. A second letter was a circular addressed to -the Kakhyen chiefs, exhorting them to give all possible aid to the -expedition. This at once gave a vantage ground, from which to deal with -our highland friends, and it was improved by Sladen. Kakhyens, Burmese, -and Shans had alike conceived extravagant ideas of the value of our -baggage, and showed beyond doubt that the hope of getting possession of -all, or a part of it, was a strong motive of their action or inaction. -The leader therefore began to proclaim on all sides that though we had -cheerfully endured privations and delays, in the hope of thoroughly -conciliating the natives, they were not to imagine our patience to be -inexhaustible. If we should be compelled to abandon all or any part of -our baggage, it would be piled up and burned before our departure; thus -they would lose their expected plunder, and incur the risk of future -reprisals, or demands for compensation, and, above all, certainly -alienate those who sought to be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</span> their friends. To this the chiefs -replied in substance as follows: “Do not blame us for your misfortunes; -we have been always in doubt how to act, on account of the many -warnings we have received against aiding your progress. <em>Now</em> we -know you. You have always been kind to us, and are a powerful people.”</p> - -<p>Vexatious and harassing as had been our detention at Ponsee, it is -certain that it would have been before this period quite impossible -to proceed beyond Manwyne, and our residence among these semi-savage -tribes served to convert their first suspicions into confidence, and -to impress them with the value of our friendship. The uniform kindness -with which all just services were requited, as contrasted with the -treatment to which they had hitherto been subjected in their dealings -with other races, especially with the Burmese, gradually worked its -effect.</p> - -<p>At this time letters were received through Burmese agency, from no less -a person than Moung Shuay Yah, who since his treacherous desertion -had never been heard of. Now all of a sudden his name was mentioned -<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">ad nauseam</em> by the Burmese followers, and two Kakhyens arrived -with letters purporting to have been written at some halting-place in -the Shan country; but the bearers contradicted each other, and could -not tell when, or from whom, they had received the letters. Next day, -another letter was brought by one of the silver mining party, which, he -said, Moung Shuay Yah had given him fourteen days before,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</span> but which -he had <em>forgotten</em> to deliver. The fact was the interpreter had -started for Momien, having heard of the change of our prospects, and -our probable advance to that city. As it was needful, if possible, -to save appearances, Moung Shuay Yah in his letter declared that he -had been obliged to fly to save his life from the anger of Sala. -Fortunately his place was by this time well supplied by Moung Mo, -whom, it may be remembered, Sala had carried off with him, but who had -returned and placed himself at Sladen’s disposal. He amply corroborated -all that had been before told us of the efforts of the Bhamô people -to obstruct our progress. Orders had been received from Mandalay, -conveying the king’s displeasure at our detention at Ponsee, and -authorising Sala to take us to Manwyne, but he had replied that after -being induced by the Burmese of Bhamô to compromise himself with us, he -would have nothing further to do with it.</p> - -<p>It was supposed by our leader that the express object of stationing the -armed miners at Ponsee was to deter the Kakhyens from helping us. Moung -Mo, in addition, assured us that he had ascertained that Li-sieh-tai -had sworn to oppose any attempt on our part to penetrate the Shan -states, and he advised us on no account to proceed to Manwyne without -an intimation from the Panthays that the road was open. An important -circumstance occurred at this time in the arrival of messengers and a -Chinese interpreter from Momien. They brought no letters, but<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</span> were -charged by the Tah-sa-kon<span class="fnanchor" id="fna22"><a href="#fn22">[22]</a></span> to make personal inquiries into the real -objects of the mission and our circumstances at Ponsee. It transpired -that letters from Bhamô had informed the governor that we represented -a powerful nation in alliance with the Chinese, and foes to the -Mahommedans all over the world, and that our real object was to destroy -the Panthay dominion in Yunnan.</p> - -<p>Sladen thoroughly dispelled these suspicions, and sent away the envoys -completely satisfied as to the genuineness of our pacific intentions. -The probabilities of an advance were, however, still remote and -uncertain, and the wet season had fairly set in, marked by a constant -succession of thunder and heavy rains. Dense masses of mist rolled -up the valley like vast advancing curtains, shrouding the mountains -in their gigantic folds, and producing an artificial twilight, and -torrents of rain descended for three or four hours incessantly, soaking -the tents; our waterproof blankets alone saving the inmates from -complete saturation, but not from the utter discomfort of living in a -puddle.</p> - -<p>One storm deserves accurate description. Up to 4 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> of -April 12th, the wind had been blowing in fitful cool gusts from the -south-west, but at that hour there was a sudden lull; distant thunder -was heard echoing among the mountains, and heavy black clouds came -rolling up; a few drops of rain<span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</span> gave, as it were, the signal for -a discharge of hailstones, or rather flakes of ice. The wind blew -in violent gusts, and thunder rumbled over head, but the flashes of -lightning were very faint. The hailstones were circular discs about the -size of a shilling, flat on one side, and convex on the other. A white -nucleus two-eighths of an inch in diameter, and in many cases with a -prominent boss of clear ice on the convex side, formed the centre of -a pellucid zone surrounded by an opaque one, in its turn encased in -clear ice; the inner margin of this external zone was filled with a -dark substance, resembling mud combined with delicate ice crystals; the -whole disc strongly resembling a glass eye; when fractured, the nucleus -separated itself as a small short column, flat at one end, and convex -at the other.</p> - -<p>During the storm, which lasted for twenty minutes, the aneroid rose -from 26·62 to 26·65, and the attached thermometer registered 67°, the -maximum heat during the day having been 84°.</p> - -<p>It was evident that the season was closed for purposes of engineering -survey and exploration, and this, combined with the reduced state -of the exchequer, induced the leader of the expedition to address a -circular to the members of the party, placing before them the facts, -and suggesting that it would be for the interests of the public service -that the numbers should be reduced in order to curtail the future -expense of transport. It was necessary in fact to lighten the ship, -and each was invited to consider<span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</span> how far he could assist in this -needful work. Sladen had determined to remain, <em>if necessary</em>, -for some months, until the opportunity should arrive to visit Momien, -and at all hazards personally communicate with the Panthays; but he -felt that he ought to place it in the power of the other members -of the expedition to return, especially as the work which some of -them had been despatched to effect could not be performed. This -circular was sent round on the 17th, and the news of the fall of -Mawphoo and the utter defeat of Li-sieh-tai reached us on the 18th -of April, and was afterwards fully confirmed by despatches from the -Tah-sa-kon, announcing his victory and writing to us to advance under -the protection of all the chiefs <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em>. Our friends the -tsawbwa and his pawmines, who had been day by day “making believe,” -as children say, to discuss plans for procuring mules, were evidently -much influenced by this; but they could not help showing their greed -for rupees, and their continual demand was that three hundred should be -paid before starting.</p> - -<p>It was only later on that we learned that all these Kakhyens, -especially Sala, had always been steady adherents of Li-sieh-tai, and -that his utter defeat made them thoroughly anxious to conciliate the -victorious Panthays.</p> - -<p>The tsawbwa presented himself in a very penitent mood, and, confessing -all his past misconduct, averred his determination to give up drink and -debauchery and do his duty as a chief. Linking his fingers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</span> together -with an expressive shake, he vowed leal service to his English friends, -and then started off in company with his head pawmine on the road to -Manwyne, where he expected to meet the Seray chief, and arrange means -for our transport.</p> - -<p>As if a new order of things had set in, our camp now was daily -crowded by Kakhyens, all in the highest good humour. The women of the -village came down <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en masse</em>, bringing presents of fowls, eggs, -sheroo, and rice, but the fair ones had an eye to business; beads, -looking-glasses, bright new silver coins, and what they seemed most to -prize, red cloth, were in great demand. A brisk trade was driven in -the various ornaments, and they stripped off their bead necklaces and -ratan girdles and leggings with great glee, and even a bell-girdle, -the distinctive ornament of Kakhyen aristocracy, which hitherto even -rupees had failed to secure, was now acquired in return for red cloth; -indeed, it seemed quite possible to purchase a Kakhyen <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">belle</em>, -ornaments, and all, for a few yards of the much prized material; and -they returned home with great glee, shorn of their decorations, but -rich in beads and cloth. Some came to solicit medical aid; cases of -severe ulcerations, caused probably by their labour in the jungle, and -aggravated by dirt, being common. The gratitude evinced for the relief -given was touchingly shown by the presents, deposited with a fearful -humility that showed the donor’s belief in the intimate connection -between the doctor and the nats. Every day both chiefs and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</span> people from -the more distant villages flocked in, and none came empty-handed. Gifts -of rice, vegetables, tobacco, and sheroo, were brought not merely in -the hope of return presents, but evidently as signs of amity. There -could be no mistaking their feeling, that strangers who behaved with -kindness and justice were welcome. These poor hill people had hardly -ever known what it was to be treated with confidence; on either side, -Burmese and Chinese had wronged and oppressed them. Monsig. Bigandet -states that they had formerly been characterised by a genial kindliness -and ready hospitality to strangers, but that the cruel treatment they -experienced in Burmese towns, and the fraudulent evasion of payment for -their services, had rendered them suspicious, greedy, and treacherous. -It is not to be wondered at if the presence among them of strangers -of an unknown race, escorted by an armed force, should at first have -been regarded by them with fear and dislike, and it is with a modest -pride that we recall the kindly confidence in the strangers which had -sprung up towards the end of our long detention at Ponsee. The people -from the distant villages continually asked, “Why did you not come our -way? we should have then had some of the good things that you have -brought for the Ponsee people.” The camp was perpetually full; the men, -after curiously inspecting the many wonders that presented themselves, -chatted and smoked with our followers; and the women, old and young, -eagerly petitioned for small hand glasses, and black<span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</span> or green beads, -the latter being most valued, and straightway converted their prizes -into personal decorations. The young women formed in lines, each -clasping her neighbour in a coquettish embrace, their shyness had -vanished, they chatted and flirted freely, and did not even flinch from -being photographed.</p> - -<p>The friendly intercourse with these visitors gave us most welcome -opportunities of inquiry into their customs, their national and social -life. There was no backwardness in answering any questions, and the -record of delays and difficulties may be well interrupted by a few -pages devoted to these mountaineers. Those of whom we saw the most were -all dwellers to the north of the Tapeng, but some of the visitors came -from the southern hills, and the general characteristics distinguish -both these and the clans visited by us on the return journey, who seem -to be more civilised than their northern congeners. It is right here -to acknowledge that the following account of this people has been -rendered fuller and more accurate by the use of some notes furnished -by Major Sladen from accounts given by natives, and by the use of -a valuable memoir on the territories written by the learned and -indefatigable missionary, Bishop Bigandet, whose warmest sympathies -have been called out for these poor mountaineers, of whom he said, “It -is of the utmost importance to know them, their character and habits, -and to be prepared to secure their good will, whenever the thought of -opening communications with Western China shall have been seriously -entertained.”</p> - - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img009"> - <img src="images/009.jpg" class="w50" alt="KAKHYEN MEN" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">KAKHYEN MEN.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img010"> - <img src="images/010.jpg" class="w50" alt="KAKHYEN MATRONS" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">KAKHYEN MATRONS.</p> - - -<p class="footnote" id="fn21"><a href="#fna21">[21]</a> <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Tamone</em>, a Burmese headman of a village.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn22"><a href="#fna22">[22]</a> <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Tah-sa-kon</em>, a civil title equivalent to Commissioner or -Administrator.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.<br /> -<span class="small">THE KAKHYENS.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -The Kakhyens or Kakoos—The clans—Their chiefs—Mountain -villages—Cultivation and crops—Personal appearance—Costume—Arms -and implements—Female dress and ornaments—Women’s -work—Sheroo—Morals—Marriage—Music—Births—Funerals—Religion—Language—Character—How -to deal with them—Our party. -</div> - - -<p>From the summit of the lofty hill, fully two thousand feet above our -camp, called Shitee-doung, which it became possible to ascend during -the latter part of our stay, an extensive view was obtained. From it to -the north a sea of hills extended as far as the eye could reach; to the -south stretched ranges of hills covered with forest, save where little -clearings showed the presence of villages; to the north-east lofty -parallel ranges closed in a narrow valley with a river winding down -it. These hills are the country of the Kakhyens. These mountaineers -belong to the widely spread race that under the name of Singphos, -Kakoos, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. occupy the hills defining the Irawady basin, up to the wall -of the Khamti plain, and are probably cognate with the hill tribes of -the Mishmees and Nagas. The name Kakhyen is a Burmese appellation; -they<span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</span> invariably designating themselves as Chingpaw, or “men.”<span class="fnanchor" id="fna23"><a href="#fn23">[23]</a></span> By -their own account the hills to the north of the Tapeng, for a month’s -journey, are occupied by kindred tribes. South of the Tapeng, they -occupy the hills as far as the latitude of Tagoung, and, as mentioned, -were met with on our voyage near the second defile. To the east, they -are found occupying the hills, and, intermixed with the Shans and -Chinese, almost to Momien. Here they, as it were, run into the Leesaws, -who may be a cognate, but are not an identical, race. The two chief -tribes in the hills of the Tapeng valley are the Lakone and Kowrie or -Kowlie, but numerous subdivisions of clans occur. All are said to have -originally come from the Kakoos’ country, north-east of Mogoung; and -Shans informed us that two hundred years ago Kakhyens were unknown in -Sanda and Hotha valleys. To give one instance of their migrations. The -Lakone tribe have at a very recent period driven the Kowlies from the -northern to the southern banks of the Tapeng. A Lakone chief, having -married the daughter of a Kowlie, asked permission to cultivate land -belonging to his father-in-law; receiving a refusal, he took forcible -possession, and drove the Kowlies across the river to the hills where -they now dwell.</p> - -<p>Among these hill tribes the patriarchal system of government has -hitherto universally prevailed,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</span> although a certain, or rather -uncertain, obedience is nominally due to Burmese or Chinese -authorities. Thus the Ponsee and Ponline chiefs had each received a -gold umbrella and the title of papada raza from the king of Burma. -Each clan is ruled by an hereditary chief or tsawbwa, assisted by -lieutenants or pawmines, who adjudicate all disputes among the -villagers. Their office is also hereditary, and properly limited to the -eldest son, whereas the chieftainship descends to the youngest son, or, -failing sons, to the youngest surviving brother. The land also follows -this law of inheritance, the younger sons in all cases inheriting, -while the elder go forth and clear wild land for themselves. Between -Tsitkaw and Manwyne seven clans under separate chiefs are met with, -each chief considering himself entitled to exact a toll of four annas -per mule-load from travellers through his district. The chieftain’s -goodwill being secured by payment of his toll or blackmail, that of -the people follows as a matter of course. When the traveller quits the -lands of one chief, he is handed over by his guide to the next headman, -and is as safe with him as with the former. The tsawbwa is the nominal -owner of the land, but a suggestion to a villager that the chief might -evict him from his holding was replied to by a significant sawing -motion of the hand across the throat. As a general rule, the chief -owns the slaves found everywhere among these people. Most have been -stolen as children, but adults are also kidnapped. The women become -concubines,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</span> the men are well treated if industrious and willing. The -children of slaves belong to the owner, but really are as well treated -as the members of his family. When a tsawbwa marries, he is expected to -present a slave to his father-in-law, among the other gifts. The market -value of a boy or girl is about forty rupees, but that of a man not -more than twenty to thirty rupees, or a buffalo.</p> - -<p>Every house pays the chief an annual tribute of a basket of rice. -Whenever a buffalo is killed, a quarter is presented to him. He is -usually a trader, and, besides the receipt of tolls, derives a profit -from the hire of mules or coolies for transport. Save in this respect, -it was impossible to help being reminded of Scottish highland clans of -the olden time, so many were the points of resemblance that occurred -in the customs and indeed character of these mountaineers, though, to -avert all possible indignation, I hasten to add that no parallel is -intended to be drawn, especially as regards their morals or social life.</p> - -<p>The Kakhyen villages are always situated near a perennial mountain -stream, generally in a sheltered glen, or straggling with their -enclosures up a gentle slope, covering a mile of ground. The houses, -which usually face eastwards, are all built on the same plan as that -tenanted by us at Ponline. The most usual dimensions are about one -hundred and fifty to two hundred feet in length, and forty to fifty -feet in breadth. These large bamboo structures are veritable barracks. -The first room is hospitably reserved for strangers;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</span> the others form -the apartments of several families, connected by blood or marriage, -which compose the household community. The back entrance is reserved -for the use of the members of these families. A serious demand for -compensation arose out of the inadvertence of one of our servants who -entered by the family door, and thus provoked the domestic nat. The -projecting eaves, supported by posts which are adorned with the skulls -of buffaloes and pigs, form a portico, where men and women lounge or -work by day, and at night the live stock—buffaloes, mules, ponies, -pigs, and poultry—are housed, while a bamboo fence guards them from -possible thief or leopard.</p> - -<p>Near the houses are small enclosures, where white-flowered poppies, -plantains, and indigo are cultivated; paddy and maize are grown -together on the adjacent slopes and knolls, which are carefully scarped -in terraces, presenting often the appearance of an amphitheatre. The -stream is dammed near the highest point, and directed so as to overflow -the terraces and rejoin the channel at the base. Bamboo conduits are -sometimes used to convey the water to paddy fields or distant houses. -Fresh clearings are also made every year by felling and burning the -forest on the hillsides. Near every village disused paths may be seen, -which have been cut to former clearings, and along which a little canal -has been carried. The cleared ground is broken up with a rude hoe, but -in the cultivated terraces wooden<span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</span> ploughs are used. Excessive rain, -which makes the paddy weak and the yield scanty, is most dreaded. -Generally, the natural fertility of the soil more than repays the rude -husbandry with beautiful crops of rice, maize, cotton, and tobacco, of -excellent quality. Near the villages, peaches, pomegranates, and guavas -are grown; and the forests abound with chestnuts, plums, cherries, and -various wild brambleberries. On the higher slopes, oaks and birches -grow in abundance, and large areas are covered with <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Cinnamomum -caudatum</em> and <em xml:lang="la" lang="la"><abbr title="Cinnamomum">C.</abbr> cassia</em>, the oil of which is commonly sold as -oil of cinnamon. Thousands of these trees are annually felled to clear -new ground for cultivation and burned where they lie. Another natural -production is the tea plant (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Camellia thea</em>), which grows freely -on the eastern side of the hills, and suggested dreams of future tea -plantations, cultivated by improved Kakhyens or imported Shans and -Paloungs.</p> - -<p>Among the inhabitants of the villages, both those who visited our camp -and the southern hillmen seen on the homeward route, the variety of -faces is striking. This may be probably owing to admixture of Shan -and Burmese blood, but two types may be said to predominate; the one -with a fine outline of features, which recalled the womanly faces of -the Cacharies and Lepchas of Sikkim. In it the oblique eye is very -strongly marked, and the face is a longish, rather compressed oval, -with pointed chin, aquiline nose, and prominent malars.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</span> One Kakhyen -belle met with at Bhamô, with large lustrous eyes and fair skin, might -almost have passed for a European. The other and by far the most -prevalent type is probably the true Chingpaw, presenting a short, round -face, with low forehead and very prominent malars. The ugliness of -the slightly oblique eyes, separated by a wide space, the broad nose, -thick protruding lips, and broad square chin, is only redeemed by the -good-humoured expression. The hair and eyes are usually a dark shade -of brown, and the complexion is a dirty buff. The average height for -men is from five feet to five feet six inches, and four feet six inches -to five feet for women. The limbs are slight, though well formed, one -peculiarity being the disproportionate shortness of the legs. This is -also observable among the Karens, to whom the Kakhyens bear a general -resemblance, suggesting a common origin, which is further indicated -by their language. Though not muscular, they are very agile, and the -young girls bound like deer along the hill-paths, their loose dark -locks streaming behind them. They bring down from the hills loads of -firewood and deal planks which we found as much as we could lift. -However interesting and picturesque their appearance may be, closer -inspection dissolves the enchantment lent by distance. Both persons -and clothes appear never to have been washed, and the dress, once put -on, is never changed till it is worn to pieces. Neither men nor women -use combs, and the state of the thick matted<span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</span> felt of hair can better -be imagined than described. Although they never seemed to wash except -faces, hands, and feet, some of the men were good swimmers and divers, -and proudly exhibited their skill, disclosing thereby the fact that -their bodies were tattooed with blue dots, chiefly on the chest and -back. The dress of the men usually consists of a Shan jacket and short -breeches of blue cotton cloth, supported by a cotton girdle. The hair -is coiled in a blue or sometimes a red turban; the moustache and beard -are very scanty, but their custom of eradicating the natural growth -renders it hard to judge. They insert in the lobe of the ear a piece -of bamboo, or a lappet of embroidered red cloth, a leaf or flower, or -a piece of paper, our old newspapers being in great request; and a -number of fine ratan rings encircle the leg below the knee. It seemed -to us that the Kakhyen men were ready to adopt any dress; some even -wore their hair in the Chinese pigtail. The “Red Pawmine,” on grand -occasions, turned out in a bright red turban, rose-checked breeches, -and a red blanket over his shoulders. The chiefs usually wear Chinese -padded jackets, leggings made of rolls of blue cloth, and Shan shoes. -They are distinguished, especially in the case of those who rigidly -adhere to the ancient Kakhyen costume, by neck-hoops of silver, -resembling Celtic torques, and the necklace of beads or cylinders of -an ochreous earth. These are found in the Mogoung district, and are -highly valued, being reputed to be the authentic handiwork<span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</span> of the -earth nats. Some Kakoos met with at Sanda wore a broad piece of blue -cotton cloth, with a red embroidered border of woollen stuff, like a -kilt, reaching to the knee. This seems to be the true Kakhyen dress; -and they also wore their hair uncovered, and cut straight across the -forehead, like the Kakhyen maidens. No hillman is ever seen without his -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">dah</em>, or knife; it is half sheathed in wood, and suspended to a -ratan hoop covered with embroidered cloth and adorned by a leopard’s -tooth. This is slung over the right shoulder, so as to bring the hilt -in front ready to the grasp of the right hand. Two sorts of dahs are in -use: one the long sword, such as the Thibetans use, two feet and a half -in length, with a long cylindrical wooden hilt, bound with cord and -finished with a red tassel. The other is shorter and broader, widening -from the hilt to the truncated tip. This knife the Burmese call “the -Kakhyen’s chief”; it is wielded with great dexterity either to cut -down trees or men, or to execute the fine lineal tracery with which -their bamboo opium pipes and fan cases are decorated. It is appealed to -in every argument, and drawn on visible foes and invisible nats with -equal readiness. On one occasion we espied a woman on the hillside -writhing on the ground in evident pain. A passing villager came to her -assistance, and at once out flashed his dah, with which he executed -several cuts in the air over the prostrate woman. This was to drive -away the nat who had taken possession; he<span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</span> then threw earth over her -head, and ran off to the village to procure help to carry her home. -During the latter part of our stay, one of the police escort, during a -chaffing argument with a Kakhyen visitor, was without warning felled -by a blow of the dah. The savage decamped to the jungle, leaving the -sepoy bleeding from a gash on his head, and another on the arm, with -which he had warded off the blow and so saved his skull from being -split. These dahs are made by the Shans of the Hotha valley, who are -the itinerant smiths of the country. Other arms are a long matchlock, -and a cross-bow, with arrows poisoned with the juice of an aconitum. -They are much used in hunting; the flesh round the wound being cut out, -the rest of the animal is eaten without danger. An invariable article -of equipment is an embroidered bag worn over the right shoulder, -containing pipe, tobacco, lime and betel box, money, and a bamboo flask -of sheroo. A most ingenious apparatus supplies a light for the constant -pipe. It resembles a child’s popgun, and consists of a small cylinder -four inches long, open at one end, into which is very tightly fitted -a piston, with a cup-shaped cavity at the lower end. In it, a small -pellet of tinder is placed, the piston is driven down smartly, and as -quickly withdrawn, when the tinder is found to be ignited.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img011"> - <img src="images/011.jpg" class="w75" alt="KAKHYEN AND SHAN PIPES, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, ETC." /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">KAKHYEN AND SHAN PIPES, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, ETC.</p> - -<ul class="index" style="margin-left: 10%;"> -<li class="isuba">Fig. 1. Kakhyen ladle for preparing opium.</li> -<li class="isuba">2. Kakhyen opium forceps.</li> -<li class="isuba">3. 4. Kakhyen cylinder and piston for striking fire.</li> -<li class="isuba">5. Shan flute with gourd mouthpiece.</li> -<li class="isuba">6. Kakhyen double flute.</li> -<li class="isuba">7. Kakhyen opium hookah (bamboo).</li> -<li class="isuba">8. Kakhyen opium pipe.</li> -<li class="isuba">9. Kakhyen opium hookah, the mouthpiece made of the underground stem -and the water receptacle of the segment of a remarkable bamboo with -swollen internodes.</li> -<li class="isuba">10. Chinese bamboo lamp.</li> -<li class="isuba">11. Shan powder flask.</li> -<li class="isuba">12. Shan violin.</li> -<li class="isuba">13. Bow for ditto.</li> -<li class="isuba">14. Shan guitar.</li> -</ul> - -<p>It is worth recording that the men invariably smoke opium, but not -to excess; rarely, if ever, did we see them use tobacco for smoking, -though they<span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</span> were addicted to chewing it. The juice of the poppy, -exuding from incisions made in the green capsules, is collected on -plantain leaves, which are dried, and in this form the opium is smoked -either in hookahs made of the segment of a peculiarly shaped bamboo -or in brass pipes of Chinese manufacture. Whether the cultivation and -use of opium have spread from Assam or from Yunnan is uncertain, but -we found it universal from the Burmese plain to Momien, although the -method of smoking it among the Kakhyens differs altogether from that -of the Chinese. <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Bayfield, in 1837, observed of the Singphos, on -the western side of the Irawady valley, that, “from whatever source -derived, the cultivation of the poppy is now universal;” and he -describes the methods of collection and use as the same, save that -coarse cloth was used instead of leaves.</p> - -<p>The men rarely employ themselves in manual labour; a few of the more -industrious assist the women to fell the jungle and set it on fire, -but most of this labour is left to the women. In general, the men till -the land; but between the seasons, they wander from house to house, -and village to village, gossiping, drinking, or smoking. Journeys to -dispose of produce, or carry goods, hunting excursions, and occasional -fights or forays, are not reckoned labour. They do not work in metals, -but are very skilful in adorning bamboos or wooden implements with -carving. The designs of their tracery are the simplest combinations of -straight<span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</span> lines, and rude figures of birds and animals, characteristic -of the most primitive art.</p> - -<p>The Kakhyen women have adopted the short loose Shan jacket of blue -cotton, slashed with red cloth, variously ornamented, according to the -means of the wearer, with cowries and silver. This covers the arms and -breast, but leaves the waist exposed, save for a profusion of ratan -girdles, adorned with lines of white seeds. These also support the -kirtle or kilt, which reaches from the hips to the knee, the border -of the skirt being chequered in red, blue, and yellow. Cowries form a -favourite ornamentation of every part of the dress, and the daughters -of chiefs wear broad belts of these shells. Besides the distinctive -bell-girdle, fine ratan rings encircle the leg below the knee, but no -shoes are worn. Most of the matrons coil their hair in the folds of -the Shan turban, but the original Chingpaw head-dress is a puggery -of embroidered cloth, twisted round the head, while the end, fringed -with beads, falls gracefully on the shoulder. Unmarried women wear no -head-dress, and cut their hair square across the forehead in a fashion -not unknown in England, while their back hair, unrestrained by any -fastening, streams down behind. The ears are pierced both through the -lobes and upper cartilage. In the latter orifice is inserted a lappet -of embroidered cloth tasselled with small green and black beads; -silver tubes, reaching to the shoulder, are also worn by the wealthier -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">belles</em>, while the poorer display fresh<span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</span> flowers or leaves. -Anything seems convertible into an ear-ring: thus a cheroot, or, as -seen by us, a freshly plucked leek, is stuck into the ear. All who can, -wear necklaces of beads, but silver hoops called <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">gerees</em>, and the -komoung of red ochreous beads, are peculiar to the necks of high-born -damsels.</p> - -<p>It has been remarked that the men are averse to labour, but the lot of -all women irrespective of rank is one of drudgery. They are not allowed -to eat with the men, and are looked on as mere beasts of burden, valued -only for their usefulness; but they seem contented with their lot, and -are always cheerful and light-hearted. Their brisk activity forms a -pleasing contrast to the lounging idleness of their lords. Much, if not -most, of the field-work falls to their share, and their daily routine -is one of incessant and hard labour. Their first duty in the morning -is to clean and crush the rice for the daily consumption, and late at -night the dull thud of the heavy pestle, with the accompaniments of -their regular wild cry and the jingling of the bell-girdles, was to be -heard. They fetch water from the stream, and firewood from the jungle. -This latter is a most laborious task, as the girls have to search for -dry wood, cut it into faggots, and bring it home on their backs. Their -bare legs are often lacerated in the jungle, and the wounds, aggravated -by dirt and neglect, form intractable ulcers. Many such cases were -brought to our camp for treatment. Another effect of the hard work and -exposure is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</span> to be observed in the frequency of grey hair among the -young women, the matted locks of even girls of ten and twelve years -being abundantly silvered as if by premature old age.</p> - -<p>Their ordinary house labours include the preparation of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">sheroo</em>, -or Kakhyen beer, a beverage always in demand. This is regarded as a -serious, almost sacred task, the women, while engaged in it, having to -live in almost vestal seclusion. Certain herbs and roots dried in the -sun are mixed with chillies and ginger, to avert the interference of -malignant nats; the mixture is pulverised with some rice in a mortar, -and reduced to a paste which is carefully preserved in the form of -cakes, wrapped in mats. Crushed rice mixed with fresh plantains is -steeped for half a day, and allowed to dry. It is next boiled, or -“mashed,” with a due proportion of the “medicine” or powdered cake in a -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">paungyaung</em>, or wooden tub, placed within a copper caldron, from -which it is, after cooling and fermenting for a week in a leaf-covered -basket, transferred to a closely covered earthen jar. After twenty days -the sheroo is fit to drink, but is better if left for six months. This -forms the stock, to which water is added, and the beverage is offered -in a bamboo, closed with a fresh plantain leaf. This liquor resembles -very small beer, but is pleasant and refreshing. A similar beverage is -found among the Lepchas of Darjeeling, who imbibe it through a reed, -the Looshais and Nagas. The Khyens and Karens also prepare a rice-beer -like the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">congee</em> of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</span> the Burmese; the Nagas also prepare “moad” -from rice, and the Khamtis and Singphos of the Hoo-kong valley distil a -spirit which the latter call <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">sahoo</em>; but the Kakhyens procure all -their supplies of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">samshu</em>, or rice-spirit, from the Shan-Chinese.</p> - -<p>It is naturally the business of the women to spin, dye, and weave the -home-grown cotton. Their loom is of a primitive form, the same as -that used among the Khyens, the Munipoories, and other tribes on the -north-east of Assam. One end of the warp is held in position by pegs -driven into the ground, and the other is kept on the stretch by a -broad leather strap fastened round the back of the woman as she sits -on the ground with her legs straight before her. A long piece of wood -keeps the threads of the warp open, so that the shuttle, which is -thirty inches long, and worked by both hands, can pass easily. With -this they produce a strong thick cloth, and weave fanciful patterns -of red, green, and yellow. They are also adepts at embroidery in silk -and cotton, which is only applied to the decoration of the bags or -havresacks worn by the men.</p> - -<p>The code of morality of the Kakhyens has been variously represented. -Unchastity before marriage is certainly not regarded as a disgrace. If -possible, the parents of the girl endeavour to get the lovers married, -but it is not an imperative duty. Should, however, an unmarried girl -die <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">enceinte</em>, the father of the child is bound to compensate -her parents by the present of a slave, a buffalo,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</span> a dah, and other -articles, and to give a feast to the inmates of the house. Failing -this, he is liable to be sold as a slave. This arises from the value -set upon a marriageable daughter, both as regards her present working -power and her future price as a wife, which is not lessened by an -indiscretion.</p> - -<p>Infidelity after marriage is a crime which the husband may punish on -the spot by the death of both the offenders. In case of elopement of -a wife, the husband is entitled to recover damages, fixed at double -the amount expended by him at his marriage. For this the relatives and -clansmen of the lover are held liable on pain of a feud.</p> - -<p>The ceremony of marriage, besides the religious rites, combines the -idea of purchase from the parents with that of abduction, so frequently -found to underlie the nuptial rites of widely separated races. An -essential preliminary is to get the diviner to predict the general -fortune of the intended bride. Some article of her dress or ornaments -is procured, and handed to the seer, who, we may suppose, being thereby -brought <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en rapport</em> with her, proceeds to consult omens and -predict her <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">bedeen</em> or destiny. If auspicious, messengers bearing -presents are sent to make proposals to the girl’s parents, who specify -the dowry required and agreed to by the envoys. All being adjusted, two -messengers are sent from the bridegroom to inform the bride’s friends -that such a day is appointed for the marriage. They are liberally -feasted, and escorted<span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</span> home by two of her relatives, who promise to be -duly prepared. When the day comes, five young men and girls set out -from the bridegroom’s village to that of the bride, where they wait -till nightfall in a neighbouring house. At dusk the bride is brought -thither by one of the stranger girls, as it were, without the knowledge -of her parents, and told that these men have come to claim her. They -all set out at once for the bridegroom’s village. In the morning the -bride is placed under a closed canopy, outside the bridegroom’s house. -Presently there arrives a party of young men from her village, to -search, as they say, for one of their girls who has been stolen. They -are invited to look under the canopy, and bidden, if they will, to take -the girl away; but they reply, “It is well; let her remain where she -is.”</p> - -<p>While a buffalo, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. are being killed as a sacrifice, the bridegroom -hands over the dowry, and exhibits the trousseau provided for his -bride. A wealthy Kakhyen pays for his wife a female slave, ten -buffaloes, ten spears, ten dahs, ten pieces of silver, a gong, two -suits of clothes, a matchlock, and an iron cooking pot. He also -presents clothes and silver to the bridesmaids, and defrays the expense -of the feast. Meanwhile the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">toomsa</em>, or officiating priest, -has arranged bunches of fresh grass, pressed down with bamboos at -regular intervals, so as to form a carpet between the canopy and the -bridegroom’s house. The household nats are then invoked, and a libation -of sheroo and water poured out. Fowls, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. are then killed, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</span> -their blood is sprinkled on the grass path, over which the bride and -her attendants pass to the house, and offer boiled eggs, ginger, and -dried fish to the household deities. This concludes the ceremony, in -which the bridegroom takes no part. A grand feast follows. Besides the -ordinary fare of rice, plantains, and dried fish and pork, the beef of -the sacrificed buffalo and the venison of the barking deer, all cooked -in large iron pots, imported from Yunnan, are the viands. Abundant -supplies of sheroo and Chinese samshu prepare the guests for the dance.</p> - -<p>The orchestra consists of a drum formed of a hollowed tree stem, -covered at both ends with the skin of the barking deer, a sort of -jews-harp of bamboo, which gives a very clear, almost metallic, tone, -and a single or double flute, with a piece of metal inside a long -slit, which the performer covers with his mouth. He also accompanies -the strain with a peculiar whirring noise, produced in his throat. The -marriage feast ends, like all their festivities, in great drunkenness, -disorder, and often in a fight.</p> - -<p>Breach of promise is made a cause of feud, the friends of the aggrieved -fair one making it a point of honour to attack the village of the -offender. The curious custom obtains that a widow becomes the wife of -the senior brother-in-law, even though he be already married. The day -after the birth of a child, the household’s nats are propitiated by -offerings of sheroo and the sacrifice of a hog. The flesh is divided -into three portions, one for the toomsa, another for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</span> the slayer and -cook, and the third for the head of the household. The entrails, with -eggs, fish, and ginger, are placed on the altars, all the villagers are -bidden to a feast, and sheroo is handed round in order of seniority. -After all have drunk, the oldest man rises and, pointing to the infant, -says, “That boy, or girl, is named so and so.” When a Kakhyen dies, the -news is announced by the discharge of matchlocks. This is a signal for -all to repair to the house of death. Some cut bamboos and timber for -the coffin, others prepare for the funeral rites. A circle of bamboos -is driven into the ground, slanting outwards, so that the upper circle -is much wider than the base. To each a small flag is fastened, grass -is placed between this circle and the house, and the toomsa scatters -grass over the bamboos, and pours a libation of sheroo. A hog is then -slaughtered, and the flesh cooked and distributed, the skull being -fixed on one of the bamboos. The coffin is made of the hollowed trunk -of a large tree, which the men fell with their dahs. Just before it -falls, a fowl is killed by being dashed against the tottering stem. -The place where the head is to rest is blackened with charcoal, and a -lid constructed. The body is washed by men or matrons, according to -sex, and dressed in new clothes. Some of the pork, boiled rice, and -sheroo, are placed before it, and a piece of silver is inserted in the -mouth to pay ferry dues over the streams the spirit may have to cross. -It is then coffined and borne to the grave amidst the discharge of -fire-arms.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</span> The grave is about three feet deep, and three pieces of -wood are laid to support the coffin, which is covered with branches of -trees before the earth is filled in. The old clothes of the deceased -are laid on the mound, and sheroo is poured on it, the rest being drunk -by the friends around it. In returning, the mourners strew ground rice -along the path, and when near the village, they cleanse their legs -and arms with fresh leaves. Before re-entering the house, all are -lustrated with water by the toomsa with an asperge of grass, and pass -over a bundle of grass sprinkled with the blood of a fowl sacrificed -during their absence to the spirit of the dead. Eating and drinking -wind up the day. Next morning an offering of a hog and sheroo is made -to the spirit of the dead man, and a feast and dance are held till late -at night, and resumed in the morning. A final sacrifice of a buffalo -in honour of the household nats then takes place, and the toomsa -breaks down the bamboo fence, after which the final death dance<span class="fnanchor" id="fna24"><a href="#fn24">[24]</a></span> -successfully drives forth the spirit, which is believed to have been -still lingering round its former dwelling. In the afternoon a trench -is dug round the grave, and the conical cover already described is -erected, the skulls of the hog and buffalo being affixed to the posts.</p> - -<p>The bodies of those who have been killed by shot or steel are wrapped -in a mat and buried in the jungle without any rites. A small open -hut is erected<span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</span> over the spot for the use of the spirits, for whom -also a dah, bag, and basket are placed. These spirits are believed to -haunt the forests as <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">munla</em>, like the Burman <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tuhsais</em>, or -ghosts, and to have the power of entering into men and imparting a -second sight of deeds of violence. Funeral rites are also denied to -those who die of small-pox and to women dying in child-birth. In the -latter case, the mother and her unborn child are believed to become a -fearful compound vampyre. All the young people fly in terror from the -house, and divination is resorted to, to discover what animal the evil -spirit will devour, and another with which it will transmigrate. The -first is sacrificed, and some of the flesh placed before the corpse; -the second is hanged, and a grave dug in the direction to which the -animal’s head pointed when dead. Here the corpse is buried with all -the clothes and ornaments worn in life, and a wisp of straw is burned -on its face, before the leaves and earth are filled in. All property -of the deceased is burned on the grave, and a hut erected over it. The -death dance takes place, to drive the spirit from the house, in all -cases. The former custom appears to have been to burn the body itself, -with the house and all the clothes and ornaments used by the deceased. -This also took place if the mother died during the month succeeding -child-birth, and, according to one native statement, the infant also -was thrown into the fire, with the address, “Take away your child;” but -if previously any one claimed the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</span> child, saying, “Give me your child,” -it was spared, and belonged to the adopting parent, the real father -being unable at any time to reclaim it.</p> - -<p>These ceremonies show the character of the religion of the people. -Hemmed in as they are by Buddhist populations, they adhere to -the ancient form of worship of good and evil spirits. The French -missionaries have been unable to produce any effect upon them. A vague -idea of a Supreme Being exists among them, as they speak of a nat in -the form of a man named Shingrawah, who created everything. They do -not worship, but reverence him, “because he is very big.” As their -funeral rites show, they believe in a future existence. Tsojah is the -abode of good men; and those who die violent deaths, and bad characters -generally, go to Marai. To questions as to the place and conditions of -these, an intelligent Kakhyen answered, “How can I tell? no one knows -anything.”</p> - -<p>The objects of worship are the nats benign or malignant; the first -such as Sinlah, the sky spirit, who gives rain and good crops; Chan -and Shitah, who cause the sun and moon to rise. These they worship, -“because their fathers did so, and told their children that they were -good.” Cringwan is the beneficent patron of agriculture, but the -malignant nats must be bribed not to ruin the crops. When the ground is -cleared for sowing, Masoo is appeased with pork and fowls, buried at -the foot of the village altars; when the paddy is eared, buffaloes and -pigs<span class="pagenum" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</span> are sacrificed to Cajat. A man about to travel is placed under -the care of Muron, the toomsa, after due sacrifices, requesting him to -“tell the other nats not to harm that man.”</p> - -<p>Neglect of Mowlain will result in the want of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">compraw</em>, or -silver, the great object of a Kakhyen’s desire, and if hunters forbear -offerings to Chitong, some one will be killed by stag or tiger. Chitong -and Muron are two of ten brothers, who have an especial interest in -Kakhyen affairs, and another named Phee is the guardian of the night. -Every hill, forest, and stream, has its own nat of greater or less -power; every accident or illness is the work of some malignant or -vindictive one of “these viewless ministers.” To discover who may be -the particular nat, or how he is to be appeased, is the business of -the toomsa. He prescribes and assists in all sacrifices, and calls the -nats to receive their share, which with economical piety generally -consists of the offal. The extraordinary method of consulting the will -of the nats by a possessed medium has been already described. The -meetway is distinct from a toomsa, or regular priest, but there is no -sacerdotal caste, the succession being kept up by a natural selection -and apprenticeship. The village toomsa practises augury from fowl -bones, omens, and the fracture of burned nul grass, besides holding -communication with the spirit world. Besides the occasional sacrifices, -at seed-time a solemn sacrifice is offered to Ngka, the earth spirit. -In this the whole<span class="pagenum" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</span> community participates, and the next four days are -observed as a strict sabbath, no work or journey being undertaken.</p> - -<p>At harvest-time Sharoowa and his wife are worshipped in a similar -manner by the chief and villagers. All animals sacrificed must be -males, but a woman’s dress and ornaments are offered to the female nat. -The <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">namsyang</em>, or tutelary nats of the village, are also husband -and wife; he ruling the western and she the eastern portion; they are -venerated twice a year with other nats by the tsawbwa. All the people -repair to the head village, and the chief offers buffaloes, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., and a -grand feast is held. The skulls of the animals offered and eaten are -affixed to the tsawbwa’s house, where they remain as memorials of his -piety and hospitality.</p> - -<p>These recurring seasons of seed-time in May and June and harvest-time -in December seemed to us to be the only divisions of time known -to these mountaineers, but they were said to have a succession of -months.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna25"><a href="#fn25">[25]</a></span></p> - -<p>The language of the Kakhyens is monosyllabic, and is spoken in an -ascending tone, every sentence ending in a long-drawn “ee,” in a higher -key, thus—“Chingpaw poong-doon tan-key-ing <em>eee</em>?” “Do the -Kakhyens dance?” Monsig. Bigandet says: “It is the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</span> same as used by -all the Singpho tribes, and bears a great resemblance to that of the -Abors and Mishmees, and other tribes of the south-western spurs of the -Himalayas. The pronunciation is soft and easy, and the construction of -sentences simple and direct as in English. It is totally different from -the Burmese, and belongs to a completely different group.” We found -very few that could speak Burmese, except the Ponline and other chiefs -bordering the plain; but almost all the chiefs both north and south of -the Tapeng, and many of their clansmen, could speak Chinese, and a few, -such as the chiefs of Mattin, Seray, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., could write Chinese; but the -Kakhyens possess no written characters of their own.</p> - -<p>As warriors the Kakhyens cannot be ranked high. Quarrelsome and -revengeful as they are, prone to exact atonement for a wrong or feud -to the last, their attacks are always made stealthily, and generally -at night—they may be said to crouch and spring like the tiger. As -hunters, so far as we could learn, they are not very daring, but our -opportunities of observation were limited, and the hills about Ponsee -did not seem to contain much animal life. Their chief quarry is the -barking deer, but leopards and porcupines are said to be sometimes -found, and wild elephants were reported as occasional visitors. The -fierce and pugnacious bamboo rat is esteemed a dainty and valuable -prize. The young lads set ingenious traps for jungle fowl and -pheasants. A miniature fence of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</span> the stems of tall jungle grass is -constructed down the hillside for two hundred feet, through which -little runs are opened. At each a pliable bamboo is firmly fixed at -one end, while the other is lightly fastened to the ground. A noose -fixed to this end snares the birds, which are hoisted in the air like -moles in the familiar trap. We also observed boys liming small birds -in an ingenious manner, with a bird-lime obtained from the root of -some plant. This was smeared on the prongs of a wooden trident fixed -in a bamboo handle, which was hidden in the jungle bordering a path. -On a cord across the trident, a number of ants were so fixed that they -could move their wings; the constant flutter allured the birds to perch -on the trident and be caught. The small boys were stimulated in the -pursuit of “small deer” and all sorts of birds by the rewards given for -any specimens. The collection and preservation of all manner of living -things was a constant source of wonder to the Kakhyens, as well as of -gain. Even the young tsawbwa caught the infection, and, moved either -by greed or gratitude for medical help, brought in a young example -of a red-faced monkey, closely allied to <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Macacus tibetanus</em> -(Milne-Edwards).</p> - -<p>It will be evident that they are a perfectly wild race of mountaineers, -supplying themselves with most of the necessaries of life by rude -cultivation. They are altogether dependent on their neighbours for -salt and dried fish; and as their own scanty crops furnish<span class="pagenum" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</span> little -superfluity, their great object is to obtain <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">compraw</em>, wherewith -to purchase what they need. They rear no animals but pigs; and the -buffaloes they own have been stolen from the plains. This habit of -“cattle-lifting” causes them to be regarded as natural outlaws by the -Burmese; hence the constant state of hostility and reprisals on both -sides. Since the time of our visit the mountaineers have been better -treated at Bhamô, and a zayat has been erected for their use outside -the stockade, besides one built for them near the British Residency; -but no Kakhyen can enter or leave the town without a pass, for which he -has to pay toll, this licence-duty being farmed by residents in Bhamô. -It must be owned that, whether their character has been deteriorated -by knavish injustice on the part of Chinese traders, or high-handed -extortion and wrong on the part of Burmese, they are at the present -time lazy, thievish, and untrustworthy. Their savage curiosity leads -them to pry into every package entrusted to them. During the return -journey all the collecting-boxes were opened, and every specimen -unrolled and examined, with what results of utter confusion may be -imagined. They consider themselves entitled to levy blackmail on -all passing through their districts, and each petty chief tries to -represent himself as an independent tsawbwa, with a full control of the -portion of route near his village.</p> - -<p>As any mission or trade-convoy must, however, pass through their -hills, and strong and impartial justice<span class="pagenum" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</span> should characterise all our -relations with them, it will not be thought presumption to suggest -what appears to be the best and fairest method of dealing with them. -It is thoroughly well established that the Kakhyens themselves -possess no mules, or at least so few as to be insufficient for the -carriage of any large amount of baggage or goods. When the chiefs -have been employed to procure mules, they hire them from the Shans, -acting thus as middle-men, and in our case making an exorbitant -profit. Their incurable habits of pilfering and meddling curiosity -render them unfit to be employed as porters. All beasts of burden, -and coolies, if required, should be procured either in Burma or by -direct agents, hiring them in the Shan districts subject to China; -in the latter case no payments in advance should be made. The chiefs -of the Kakhyens occupying the portion of the route lying within the -Burmese frontier line should be summoned to Bhamô by the Burmese -authorities at the instance of the British Resident, and, a proper -sum, in recognition of their territorial dues, being fixed, should be -informed that this will be paid at the Residency on the safe passage -through their territory being accomplished and certified. A similar -course can be pursued by communication with the Chinese authorities -with regard to those who live within the Chinese frontier. The duties -to be performed by the chiefs should be limited to guaranteeing an -undisturbed passage, and providing such accommodation or supplies as -may be required.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</span> With regard to provision for an open trade route, a -fair tariff should be fixed upon: this has been done by the Chinese, -and could be accomplished by the Burmese also. The mountain chiefs may -then be required to keep the roads open and in repair, and to suppress -any attempt at brigandage, on pain of being fined, and otherwise -punished. It must be remarked, however, with all deference to the -political branch of our service, that one cannot help thinking that -it will be needful in all cases that our Residents should not issue -independent summonses and orders to the hill chiefs. The ill-feeling -of the Burmese has not unnaturally been excited by British officers -dealing, independently of the Woon, with the chiefs, nominally at -least, subordinate to him as the officer of the king of Burma. It is -surely incumbent on the British Resident in the town of an independent -foreign power to co-operate with and recognise the local authorities, -and cultivate an <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">entente cordiale</em> with them. If this policy be -systematically observed, the Burmese will be most fairly and properly -held responsible for the conduct of the chiefs whom they claim to be -dependent on their authority, and who have accepted titles and insignia -from the king of Burma. It may seem fanciful to suggest ways and means -of removing the difficulties of the route for a future trade; but -the passage of a mission, or of future explorers of the interesting -country beyond the Kakhyen hills, will be only thus made possible. -The arrangements must be made with the Burmese and the Chinese; the -Kakhyens, being only regarded<span class="pagenum" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</span> as outlying people, paid their dues, not -from fear, but from generous justice; while they are sternly repressed, -and taught their own insignificance and almost inutility. These remarks -may seem an example of shutting the door after the steed is stolen; -but if the plan proposed widely differs from that pursued by our -expedition, let it be remembered that we were pioneers in an unknown -country, feeling our way through tribes and populations, the political -relations of which were at that time as little known as were the -physical difficulties of the route we had been commissioned to explore -through their midst.</p> - -<p>These observations are the result of the experience gained in the -course of this first attempt, and the opinions then formed have been -confirmed on a more recent occasion, when it was not in my power to -make any practical application of the knowledge of the ways and habits -of the mountaineers which had been formerly gained.</p> - -<p>If the reader is somewhat tired of the Kakhyens, he can better -understand the wearisome and anxious time passed by us at Ponsee, as -all through April we alternately hoped and despaired of escaping from -our open-air prison. At the end of that time our party was reduced in -numbers by the departure of Williams and Stewart, who acted upon the -circular already mentioned as issued by the leader of the mission. They -started, under the guidance of Moung Mo, on April 29th, and reached -Bhamô without delay or difficulty.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn23"><a href="#fna23">[23]</a> “<span xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">En langue Mou-tse et Kong un homme se dit <em>Ho-ka</em>, en langue -Kho il se dit <em>Ka-sya</em>.”—‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome</span> i. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 378.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn24"><a href="#fna24">[24]</a> See <em>supra</em>, page 77.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn25"><a href="#fna25">[25]</a> At a later visit the tsawbwa of Mattin declared the year 1874 to -be the Kakhyen year 1320; and the following list of months was given to -Père Lecomte:—(February) Ra, Wot, Shila, Cheetung, Shenan, Shimerray, -Kopes-hay, Kopetang, Kala, Majea, Mahah, Hro (January).</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.<br /> -<span class="small">MANWYNE TO MOMIEN.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Departure from Ponsee—Valley of the Tapeng—A curious crowd—Our -khyoung—Matins—The town of Manwyne—Visit to the haw—The -tsawbwa-gadaw—An armed demonstration—Karahokah—Sanda—The chief -and his grandson—Muangla—Shan burial-grounds—The Tahô—A murdered -traveller—Mawphoo valley—Muangtee—Nantin—Valley of Nantin—The -hot springs—Attacked by Chinese—Hawshuenshan volcano—Valley of -Momien—Arrival at the city. -</div> - - -<p>After various reports and interchange of letters between ourselves -and the Panthays, tending to the removal of any doubts in the minds -of the latter, we learned that the representatives of the Shan states -had come to Manwyne. A slight hint of the unchanged ill-feeling of the -Bhamô people was given in the imprisonment of Moung Mo, who had acted -as guide to Williams and Stewart; a vigorous remonstrance, however, -forwarded to the Woon, was followed by his liberation and return to the -camp.</p> - -<p>On the 8th of May, the Shan representatives arrived. The appearance -of these fair, civilised, intelligent men, dressed in dark blue from -shoe to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</span> turban, was a great relief. They assured us that we might go -forward, and disowned having entertained any hostile feeling. Men were -sent to Manwyne to bring mules, and our departure for that town on the -next day but one was resolved on.</p> - -<p>It was amusing to see the pawmine acting as cicerone, and exhibiting -the wonders of our camp furniture to the inquiring Shans. They -complained bitterly of the unsettled state of the country, and declared -that our presence had already contributed to restore order. One of -their complaints was that they could not trade with Bhamô on account of -the extortion and plunder practised by the Woon and his people on the -traders resorting thither.</p> - -<p>The Ponsee pawmines were on their best behaviour, and even the vexed -question of the mule hire was at last settled. The tsawbwa declared -that every man, woman, and child, was the better for our stay, and -entreated us to favour him by choosing this as the return route, and to -make what use we liked of him.</p> - -<p>The Shans came down very early on the morning of May 11th to announce -that sufficient mules had arrived. We packed up with right good will, -and at eight o’clock the mules actually appeared. At the last moment, -“Death’s Head” pawmine attempted to create a disturbance about a -photograph taken of his house. He declared his wife and son had been -sick ever since, and that the photographer had bewitched them, in -revenge for his having stolen our cow.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</span> Another pawmine demanded a toll -of two rupees per mule, and threatened an embargo. This was too much. -A short and sharp refusal, emphasized by a revolver, acted like magic, -and the pawmines sneaked off, thoroughly crestfallen.</p> - -<p>At half past eleven we started from the scene of our long detention. -Scarcity of mules compelled us to leave our tents behind, and trust for -future shelter to the hospitality of the townspeople <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em>.</p> - -<p>The road was tolerably level for a mile or so, as far as Kingdoung, -whence a steep descent led to a comparatively flat glen, closed in by -hills on all sides but one, covered with flooded rice terraces, while -here and there the ground was being broken up by men and boys with -large hoes.</p> - -<p>The steep descent to this alluvial hollow could be easily avoided by -a road skirting a spur to the east, sloping down to the Tapeng. Here -numerous small streams drain into the Tapeng, from both south and -north, the largest of which is called the Thamô. From the north-eastern -watershed, we obtained a fine view of the Tapeng valley, stretching -away to the east-north-east, and then descended to the level of the -river by a gradual slope, over rounded grassy hills and dried-up -watercourses. On the way we were met by the tsawbwa-gadaw of Muang-gan, -accompanied by a bevy of damsels offering cooked rice, fresh sheroo, -and flowers. After a short halt for refreshment and friendly talk -with the old lady, whose hospitality was duly rewarded with beads, -we proceeded<span class="pagenum" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</span> over a fair road six feet broad. From an eminence we -viewed the Tapeng entering the hills through a narrow gloomy gorge, -which swallowed up the broad placid stream, descending from the -north-east between low white sandy banks. Looking up the river, the -level valley stretched away, till in the far distance the border -ranges, three or four miles apart in the foreground, seemed almost to -meet. These defining mountains rose three thousand feet, and others -of still greater height towered in the background, while a loftier -range, running almost at right angles to them, crowned the far horizon. -The level ground on either side of the river was parcelled out into -innumerable rice fields, which, with the numerous villages situated on -the higher undulations amid clumps of bamboo and fruit trees, attested -the presence of a numerous and industrious population. The exposed -reaches of sand within the river banks suggested heavy floods during -the wet season; but at this period the water was drawn off by many -canals, and glistened in little lakes, from which the green blades of -the young rice crop were just raising their heads. The gentle slopes -running up to the base of the hills and the lower hillsides afforded -rich pasture to large herds of cattle and buffaloes. At the various -villages large crowds of Shans and Chinese were gathered, awaiting the -strangers. At one of some importance, mats were laid out for us under -the trees, and we were challenged by the officials of Manwyne, who -addressed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</span> our leader somewhat to this effect: “You say you are a man -of authority, therefore we allow you to pass.” It was not etiquette -to take any notice of them, and mounting their ponies, they fell into -the rear of the cavalcade, with a crowd of boys behind them. Outside -Manwyne itself a dense crowd of men, women, and children surrounded our -baggage, which had been unloaded pell-mell on a stretch of sand where -we were expected to encamp. No sooner had we dismounted than the crowd -pressed around. They appeared by no means friendly, and the Chinese -especially jeered and hooted, and one fellow had the impudence to -feel the texture of the beard of one of our party. A more inquisitive -set of sightseers it is impossible to conceive, and for some time -they regularly blockaded us, almost to suffocation. While impatiently -waiting for the officials in the full blaze of the afternoon sun, both -parties found ample interest in surveying each other. To us the first -sight of the peculiar but picturesque dress of the good-looking Shan -women was probably as attractive as our physiognomies and attire seemed -to be to the natives. The head-dress was a long blue turban, curled -in crescent-shaped folds with neat precision, towering nearly a foot -above the head, and inclined backwards in an inverted cone, displaying -the back of the head adorned with large silver discs. Add to this, -neat little white or blue jackets slashed with red, fastened with -enamelled silver brooches, and exposing plump little<span class="pagenum" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</span> arms adorned with -heavy silver bracelets, blue petticoats with deeply embroidered silken -borders, fanciful gaiters, and blue shoes, and the reader can imagine -that the curious crowd of Manwyne was picturesque.</p> - -<p>There was a good sprinkling of Chinese women with dwarfed feet, but -they were much more poorly clad than the prosperous-looking Shans.</p> - -<p>The men, Shan and Chinese, were all dressed in dark blue jackets and -trousers, the Shans being distinguished by blue turbans with the -pigtail wound into their coils, while the Chinese wore skull-caps. -Almost all carried long-stemmed pipes. After some delay and -expostulation with the headmen, we were inducted into a Buddhist -khyoung or temple, standing in a separate courtyard just within the -town, but entered through a gate of its own in the town wall. It was -a low square building, facing the river, built partly of bricks and -partly of wood, on a rubble foundation, and roofed with fired tiles.</p> - -<p>It had two roofs, the upper in itself somewhat like a smaller khyoung -perched on the top of the larger, with two latticed windows in each -of its curved sides, and borne up by strong teak pillars. At either -end two wooden partitions shut off the cells of the priests and their -pupils. A kitchen in one corner completed the domestic arrangements, -unless we may include two or three new coffins, and materials for -more, piled ready in one corner of the verandah. A long table was -covered with models of pagodas,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</span> enclosing seated figures of Gaudama, -one principal Buddha occupying the centre, with an umbrella suspended -over his head. This seemed to serve as an altar, on which two large -candles were placed during the evening prayers, intoned with bell -accompaniments, strongly reminding us of the Catholic mass. In the -verandah three square niches faced this altar, one containing the image -of a horse.</p> - -<p>As soon as we had taken up our quarters, the temple was thronged inside -and out by a curious crowd, who favoured us with their presence till -we retired for the night. The ill-feeling of certain of the Chinese -inhabitants was so dreaded by the headmen that an armed Shan guard was -stationed round the khyoung, in addition to our own police sentries, -who were requested by the authorities to be on the alert against an -attack.</p> - -<p>In the early morning the matin bell and chanting awoke us to find the -apartment filled with precise old matrons and buxom Shan girls busy at -their devotions. Each carried a little basket filled with rice, and a -few brought offerings of flowers. As they entered, they first knelt -in front of the principal Buddha, but did not venture on the raised -platform. After a short prayer, they turned to the niche containing -the horse, before which they repeated a prayer standing, and then -deposited an offering of cooked rice in front of the quadruped. We next -became the objects of their attention, but they were too timid to give -us much of it on the first occasion.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</span> After the priests had finished -their prayers, all the women arranged themselves in a row outside the -khyoung. Presently the burly chief priest, draped in yellow, appeared. -With downcast eyes and grave face he walked slowly down the line, -holding a large bowl, in which each placed an offering of cooked rice. -This done, the congregation dispersed to their homes.</p> - -<p>This practice of the phoongyees gathering their daily food from the -worshippers, instead of begging it from house to house, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">patta</em>, -or alms-bowl, in hand, is an instance of the unorthodox laxity -prevailing among the Shan Buddhists.</p> - -<p>A delay of two days was made necessary by consultations as to the -route to be followed. The choice lay between crossing the river into -the Muangla territory, or continuing along the right bank, through the -Sanda state, to the town of that name. The latter was finally decided -on, despite the opposition of a Muangla deputy named Kingain.</p> - -<p>The town of Manwyne, or Manyen, was itself formerly a dependency of -Sanda, but had been ceded to one of the Muangla family as the dowry of -a Sanda princess. It is surrounded by a low wall of sun-dried bricks, -raised on a lower course of rough stones. The population of Shans and -Chinese might be reckoned at seven hundred, and the district contains -about five thousand. At this time numerous fugitives from the more -disturbed districts had taken refuge there, the war not having extended -so far down the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</span> valley. The people, though prosperous, were lawless -and independent, the nominal authority of the dowager tsawbwa-gadaw, -or princess, being little regarded, and the Chinese power being in -abeyance. We visited the bazaar held every morning outside the wall. -The vendors were mostly girls, each sitting in front of a small basket, -supporting a tray on which her stock was laid out. The eatables -comprised a curious curd-like paste made from peas and beans, and in -great request; peas which had sprouted, beans, onions, and various -wild plums, cherries, and berries, while maize, rice, and barley, and -several sorts of tobacco, were also on sale. One end of the bazaar was -devoted to unbleached home-made cotton cloth, with a small stock of -English piece goods, and red and green broadcloth.</p> - -<p>Many Kakhyens, chiefly young women, were present, with firewood and -short deal planks for sale, and we were struck by the perfect freedom -enjoyed by these people as contrasted with their treatment in Burmese -territory. The town gate led into a filthy narrow street, or rather -lane, about nine feet wide. It was paved with boulders, and bordered -on either side by a deep open gutter close under the windows, and -alive with swine. The one-storied houses were built of bricks, with -one room opening on the street, the sill of the open window serving as -a counter, mainly for the sale of pork. This was the Chinese quarter; -beyond it lay the clean Shan division, every house detached and -surrounded by a neat little courtyard,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</span> with ponies, buffaloes, and -implements, housed under substantial sheds. A few villages formed, as -it were, suburbs of the so-called town, each enclosed in its bamboo -fence, and intersected by narrow railed paths. None of the houses were -raised on piles, as in Burma; the better sort were built of bricks -and tiled, and the smaller ones were mere mud hovels. In one village -we saw a man cutting tobacco for the use of the ladies, and were -politely invited to be seated while we were instructed in the art of -the tobacconist. The fresh leaves rolled firmly together were pushed -through a circular hole in a wooden upright, and thin slices rapidly -cut off; these are only partially dried and smoked while still green. -Some was brought to fill the visitors’ pipes, and for half an hour we -sat chatting to these homely Shans. Returning to the khyoung, we found -it crowded with numerous patients, all entreating medical aid. The -poor people were intensely grateful, though some of the old and infirm -seemed to expect miracles, and went away evidently doubting the will, -rather than the power, of the physician.</p> - -<p>During this time our leader had been busily engaged adjusting the -division of three hundred rupees among the Kakhyen pawmines; they were -most demonstrative in their expressions of friendship, and urgently -pressed us to confide ourselves to their escort on the return route. -Presents were also distributed to the headmen of the town, and those -of Sanda and Muangla, and the officials escorted us on a visit of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</span> -ceremony to the tsawbwa-gadaw. Her <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">haw</em>, or palace, built in -the Chinese style of telescopic courtyards, formed an enclosure in -the centre of the town. We passed through two courtyards, the sides -of the outer one forming the stables, and those of the inner one the -kitchen and servants’ rooms, with the residence filling up the end. -The entrance from the first to the second court formed a waiting-room, -where a bench covered with silken draperies had been placed. After a -few minutes we were invited to proceed through the second court to the -house, which was raised about three feet from the ground, with an open -reception hall, apparently off a third court, containing the private -apartments. The reception court was laid out with flowers, dwarf yews, -and a vine trained over a trellis. High-backed chairs with red cushions -were set out, and presently the dowager appeared from her apartment, -accompanied by some white-robed Buddhist nuns, or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">rahanees</em>, and -attended by three maids. One of the nuns was her daughter; the others -had visited Rangoon, as pilgrims to the great pagoda, and brought back -strong impressions of the excellence of British rule; both in Manwyne -and elsewhere these pious ladies subsequently did good service by -spreading favourable reports of the English visitors.</p> - -<p>But we are forgetting the tsawbwa-gadaw. She was a stout little woman -of fifty summers, of quiet self-possessed carriage. Above her round -fair face towered a huge blue turban eighteen inches in height. Her -costume consisted of a white jacket fastened with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</span> large square -enamelled silver clasps, and a blue petticoat with richly embroidered -silken border and broad silken stripes; her leggings and shoes were -also covered with exquisite embroidery. She entered smoking a long -silver-stemmed pipe, and received us with pleasant affability. Sladen -held a long conversation with her concerning the mission, and she -greatly rejoiced in the prospect of reopening Burmese trade, and -promised her hearty support. Small cups of bitter tea, and saucers -furnished with all requisites for betel-chewing, were handed round, the -style of everything being thoroughly Chinese, and we took our leave, -having evidently won her esteem.</p> - -<p>The next morning, May 13th, the entire population of the neighbourhood -assembled to see the visitors depart. The fair ones were in their -holiday attire, their head-dresses decorated with sweet-smelling -flowers. Many parting presents of these, accompanied with good-natured -nods and smiles and kind wishes, were bestowed on the travellers. -Several Shan officials accompanied us, perched high on huge red-cloth -saddles and padded coverlids heaped on their small ponies. The route -lay along the undulating right bank of the river, over a tolerable -but narrow track, which crossed the mountain streams flowing into the -Tapeng by substantial granite bridges, built of long slabs laid side by -side, so as to form an exact semicircular arch.</p> - -<p>About four miles from Manwyne, our attention was called to a number of -men who rushed out of a village<span class="pagenum" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</span> on the opposite bank of the river. -Although they were all armed, and indulged in threatening shouts and -gesticulations, we did not suspect any really hostile intentions. -Presently, however, we found ourselves exactly opposite to them, when, -whiz! came a bullet, passing close to Sladen’s pony, which plunged -violently. At this they yelled, and fired some more shots, accompanied -by furious brandishing of dahs. We took no notice, and this apparent -indifference cooled their ardour, and the road, diverging from the -river, soon took us out of sight. The fact that small but well-armed -parties of Shans were posted at intervals suggested that the officials -had expected an attack.</p> - -<p>Beyond this the march to Sanda was an ovation, the people lining the -road, and waving us on with shouts of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Kara! kara!</em> “Welcome! -welcome!” Most striking was the panorama of the fertile and populous -valley, with the broad Tapeng winding through it, and the magnificent -wall of mountains towering on either hand. Village succeeded village, -and every available acre was cultivated, the young rice now rising -about two inches above the water, and tobacco plantations on the higher -ground displaying their delicate verdure.</p> - -<p>Halfway between Manwyne and Sanda, the road passes through Karahokah, -the chief Chinese market-town of the valley. The village consists -of two long parallel lines of houses separated by a broadway, down -the centre of which the booths and stalls are placed on the weekly -market-day. It was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</span> full market when we passed, so by advice we went -round outside the village, but the curious crowd streamed out and -nearly closed the road. A striking feature was added to the landscape -by the bright red soil of the lower spurs jutting out from the higher -range. In contrast to the dense forests above, they were almost -destitute of trees, except at the extreme points, and clothed as -they were with rich short grass, their strongly marked red and green -colouring completed the unique beauty of the Sanda valley. At five -o’clock <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> we reached Sanda or Tsandah, seventy-five miles -from Bhamô, and were conducted to a small temporary Buddhist khyoung -built on the site of one wrecked by the Panthays.</p> - -<p>It was little better than a thatched hut, with the ground for a floor. -Here, as in other Shan towns, a striking difference was observed -between the phoongyees and those seen in Burma. Their huge yellow -turbans, coiled round yellow skull-caps, stood out each like a solid -nimbus or glory. They wore white jackets and yellow trousers, girdles, -and leggings, and shoes contrary to the precepts of their religion. -Each carried on his back a broad-brimmed straw hat covered with green -oiled silk. Their profusion of silver ornaments, buttons, rings, and -pipes, was utterly at variance with the vows of poverty taken by Rahans.</p> - -<p>The town of Sanda, marked on maps as Santa-fu, occupies the end of a -ridge in a northerly bend or bay of the valley, a mile and a half from -the Tapeng.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</span> The remains of a thick loopholed wall enclose an irregular -area about six hundred yards square, over which are scattered eight -hundred to one thousand houses, with a population of four to five -thousand. We saw neither towers, pagodas, nor public buildings, save in -ruins, excepting the tsawbwa’s house. The Panthays stormed the town in -1863, and the ruined defences and buildings had not yet been restored. -Indeed the dejected and poverty-stricken inhabitants had only partially -repaired their own brick-built dwellings.</p> - -<p>Four hundred yards from the north-east gate was the bazaar, a village -in itself, inhabited solely by Chinese, consisting, like Karahokah, of -two lines of houses, the broadway between being closed at either end -by a wall. A Chinese joss house, the ruins of which showed its former -importance, stood near the entrance. In our wanderings through the -bazaar, we met two women from the hills to the north of Sanda, of an -entirely different race from Shans, Chinese, or Kakhyens, who called -themselves Leesaws.</p> - -<p>The next day was devoted to a ceremonious visit to the old tsawbwa. -We entered his haw, a handsome structure of blue gneiss, through a -triple archway, and passed through the courtyards, the whole building -being arranged on the same plan as the Manwyne palace, but on a much -larger and handsomer scale. High-backed Chinese chairs were duly set -out in the vestibule of a building leading directly to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</span> the private -apartments, and the courtyard in front was crowded with the leading -townsmen. The tsawbwa, a frail old man with an intelligent face and -polished manners, was dressed in a long coat of sombre Shan blue -and a black satin skull-cap. He was nervous and silent, nearly all -the talking being done by his officials, who seemed to be gentlemen -of education and considerable intelligence. They were unanimous in -expressing their hopes that our mission would result in settling the -country and restoring the trade.</p> - -<p>The little grandson and heir of the tsawbwa was brought to be -introduced. The old chief evidently doated on the boy, and made a most -urgent request, that Sladen would consider him as his son. When he -learned that he already possessed a little boy, the chief exclaimed, -“Then let them be brothers.” It appeared that the astrologers, in -forecasting the event of our mission, had divined that this adoption by -our leader was essential to the future welfare of the heir of Sanda. -The interview closed with the circulation of tea and betel, and after -we had requested the chief’s acceptance of a handsome table-cloth and -other presents, we took our leave, but were followed to our quarters -by servants of the tsawbwa bearing supplies of rice, ducks, fowls, and -salted wild geese. The next morning the tsawbwa made his appearance, -accompanied by his grandson, and bringing presents of a silken quilt -and handsome embroidered Shan pillows. A richly enamelled silver<span class="pagenum" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</span> pipe -stem was given to Sladen in the name of his newly adopted son, for -whom the grandfather earnestly besought his affection and care. At -his request it was arranged that in leaving the town we should pass -in front of the tsawbwa’s house. As the cavalcade neared the gates of -the enclosure, two trumpeters stationed there blew a lusty flourish -on their long brass trumpets. The chief himself stood on the steps, -shaded by two large umbrellas, one a gold <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">chatta</em> and the other -red, with heavy fringes. His chief men surrounded him, and the little -grandson was held in the arms of an attendant. We dismounted to shake -hands, which rather puzzled the chief. After a cordial parting, a -salute of three guns was fired, and the trumpeters preceded us, blowing -sonorous blasts till we passed through the south-eastern gate.</p> - -<p>The road followed the embankments of the paddy fields, across the -entrance to the high steep glen down which flows the Nam-Sanda stream, -which was forded. A low red spur from the north-west range, nearly -meeting another from the opposite range, here confines the Tapeng -to a narrow deep channel, and divides the valley into two basins, -one of Sanda and the other of Muangla. Having crossed this spur, we -forded a small stream, which was quite warm, from its being fed by -the hot springs of Sanda. The Muangla valley is a repetition of that -of Sanda, with the same direction, and flanked by similar parallel -heights, until the head of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</span> basin is reached. There the valley, -as it were, bifurcates: down the northerly division, the main stream -of the Tapeng flows from the north-east through a fine valley, shut -off from the Muangla basin by an intervening range of grassy hills. A -large affluent, called the Tahô, or by the Chinese Sen-cha-ho, comes -down from the east-north-east, between the high hills which appeared to -bound the valley before us, but, opening farther on, enclose the valley -of Nantin.</p> - -<p>Numerous villages were passed, the inhabitants of which gave us a most -hearty welcome. Near the head, or fork, of the valley, the Tapeng, even -now a hundred yards wide, runs nearly across it, from one side to the -other. We forded it at a village called Tamon, where a large bazaar was -being held. Having crossed a slightly elevated flat peninsula on the -left bank, and above the junction of the rivers, covered with charming -villages embowered in high trees and splendid bamboo topes, we came -to the Tahô flowing in broken streams in an old channel, a mile wide, -between lofty banks. A great portion of the level ground is covered -with rice fields, for the irrigation of which the streams are diverted.</p> - -<p>A very neat bamboo pavilion had been erected for us on the high bank -overlooking the Tahô, and after a rest, we crossed the channel to -Muangla, which was visible on the opposite side, below a range of low -red hills. We ascended the old river bank, and passed through the -southern gateway, screened by a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</span> brick traverse, into a short broad -street closed by a stone wall. Here we were conducted to a ruined -Chinese temple, which had been hastily repaired for our occupancy, and -were speedily invested by a crowd of curious folk, who seemed never -satiated with staring.</p> - -<p>Muangla, or Mynela, nearly ninety miles from Bhamô, stands on a high -slope on the left bank of the Tapeng, enclosed by a brick wall nine -feet high, with numerous loopholes and occasional guard-houses. The -wall, with its six strong gateways, protected by traverses, appeared -to be in much better condition than that of Sanda. With the exception -of the broad bazaar street, the various roadways were mere lanes paved -with boulders. The population within the walls could not exceed two -thousand, which might be doubled by the addition of the large suburban -villages close to the town. One of these contained the remains of some -handsome Chinese temples, destroyed by the iconoclastic Panthays. One -temple, built in a picturesque series of terraces, still retained -evidence of its former grandeur in elaborate carving and colouring, -a number of life-sized figures, and a large sweet-toned bell on the -highest terrace. In still another, one of the courts contained a -symbolic representation of the passage of souls into the future life. -A miniature bridge with many passengers was depicted, guarded by two -human forms, and spanning a miry hollow. In the latter, human beings -were being tortured by monstrous<span class="pagenum" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</span> dogs and serpents. Some of the -passengers were represented being thrown from the bridge into this -abyss; others had passed to Elysium, or Neibban, on the further bank. -In another recess stood a low square hollow pillar with an opening on -one side, facing a structure resembling a small brick stove with a -chimney-like orifice, over which, as issuing from it, were depicted men -and animals. This seemed intended to figure the transmigrations of the -soul in the whirlpool of existences, from which every good Buddhist -desires to escape into Neibban.</p> - -<p>Close to the town, but out of sight of the buildings, we came upon the -burial-ground of the tsawbwas, overlooking a desolate sea of hills. -Over handsome horseshoe tombs with broad terraces and lofty portals of -well-hewn gneiss, a few scattered pines stood sentinels. In the common -graveyard, between the town and the junction of the river, as in many -others passed in the valley, the graves are all raised and rounded as -in old churchyards at home, lying to all points of the compass, with a -broad stone slab at the head, but little care is shown except for the -burial-places of the chiefs, in this particular the Shans differing -altogether from the Chinese.</p> - -<p>Viewed from Muangla, the western range of the valley culminates in -a bold precipitous mountain, frowning above the Tapeng, which comes -down through a narrow gorge between it and the hills which rise behind -the town, and wall the valley of the Tahô. Above this narrow gorge, -the Tapeng<span class="pagenum" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</span> flows down a broad level valley, from its source reported -to be three days’ journey distant. At its exit from the gorge, it is -a quiet deep stream; at this spot a boat ferry was plying, and the -view reminded us forcibly of Scottish mountain scenery. A long deep -valley ran along the eastern face of the opposite hill, dotted on -both sides by Kakhyen and Poloung villages and dark green forest. Its -stream was conveyed across the Tapeng gorge by a wooden aqueduct, to -irrigate the fields on the further bank. We were warned not to venture -far from the town, so could not explore as much as we wished and had -leisure for. A ceremonial visit had been duly paid on our arrival to -the youthful tsawbwa, a lad of fifteen, who, under the regency of his -mother, governed the extensive district of Muangla, paying a tribute -of five thousand bushels of rice to the Panthays. The officials, who -evidently favoured the old Chinese imperialist regime, demurred to our -proceeding, for fear of the banditti infesting the road to Mawphoo. In -this they were supported by the tsawbwa of Hotha, who joined us here, -on his road to Momien, with a caravan of one hundred and fifty mules -laden with cotton. He was a man of energy and education, speaking and -writing both Shan and Chinese. As one of the largest traders between -Bhamô and Momien, he possessed the respect and confidence of both -Shans and Panthays. Sladen sent letters to the governors of Nantin -and Momien, to which replies were brought on May 21st by our<span class="pagenum" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</span> missing -interpreter, Moung Shuay Yah, who was accompanied by three well-dressed -and fine-looking Panthay officers, also by a guard sent to escort us to -Momien.</p> - -<p>On the 23rd of May, we left Muangla, and crossed the muddy flat to the -Tahô, where the valley contracted to a breadth of scarcely two miles. -Here we were joined by the Hotha chief with his well-appointed caravan, -but a halt was called, as a report came in from the front that three -hundred Chinese were ahead ready to attack us. Advancing to Nahlow, -a little further on, a fresh report raised the numbers of the enemy -to five hundred, and we were pressed to order a volley, which would -frighten them away! At Nahlow the villagers pointed out a hill as the -post of the Chinese, who had killed two men, but careful examination -with field-glasses could detect no signs of the enemy. Some men were -now observed a thousand yards ahead, and the Panthay officers galloped -forward to reconnoitre. The mules were unloaded, and the villagers -brought buckets of pea curd and fried peas strung on bamboo spathes. -Our scouts having reported all clear, we proceeded over undulating -boggy ground, and descended about eighty-five feet to the bed of the -Tahô in a long oval basin, covered with gravel and boulders, and closed -in on three sides by grassy hills. We presently came upon a man lying -by the stream, with a frightful gash in his head, and a wound in his -chest. He was a poor trader, who had been attacked, robbed,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</span> and, as -it proved, murdered, for despite our help he died in a short time. At -the head of the valley, a slippery zigzag path led up the steep face -of a great spur of the Mawphoo mountain, the summit of which commanded -a splendid prospect of the rich valley of the Tapeng, mantled with -green paddy, and of the wild barren gorge below us. The sides of the -parallel ranges, here a few hundred yards apart, were marked by large -landslips, many of them white as snow. Our path lay along one which -formed a perpendicular precipice five hundred feet above the Tahô. A -high mountain facing Mawphoo was pointed out as the Shuemuelong, famous -in the wars between Burma and China. From the summit, a level path -turning north-east led us to Mawphoo, situated at the extremity of a -high level basin, marked by two terraces on the northern side, with the -Tahô flowing invisibly in a deep cleft, or ravine, at the base of the -southern hills. At first sight one is inclined to regard it as an old -lake basin, for it is so closed in by hills that the presence of the -river could not be even suspected by a spectator who had not previously -traced its course.</p> - -<p>Mawphoo, which was said to have been recently the stronghold of -Li-sieh-tai, was a wretched walled village in ruins, garrisoned by a -few Panthay soldiers. The crumbling walls and ruins were overgrown -with weeds and jungle, and it was hard to believe that this place -had been held by an enemy and stormed only a few weeks before. From -this<span class="pagenum" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</span> the road skirted the level ground of the valley, but numerous -deep watercourses presented frequent difficulties, while the rain of -the last few days had rendered the path dangerously slippery. There -was evidence however in the paved roadway, the numerous substantial -stone bridges, and the frequent ruins of villages, that this must have -been a considerable highway in peaceful times; now the whole country -seemed to be a desolate waste. For some miles the heights along the -road were manned by strong Panthay and Kakhyen guards, who carried a -profusion of yellow and white flags, striped with various colours. All -were armed with matchlocks, as well as spears and tridents mounted on -shafts twelve feet long. Each picquet, as we passed, discharged their -pieces, and then followed in our rear beating their gongs. At the end -of this remarkable valley, we made a rapid descent to the treeless -valley of Nantin, which now opened to view curving to the north-east or -rather almost north. At the foot of the descent, the Tahô, which leaves -the valley through a deep rocky gorge, is spanned by an iron chain -suspension bridge, with massive stone buttresses, and an arched gateway -on either bank. The span is about one hundred feet, and planks laid -across the chains, covered with earth and straw, serve as a roadway, -while one of the chains sweeps down from the top of the gateway, to -serve as a railing. A small circular fort on an eminence was garrisoned -by a few men, who guarded the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</span> bridge. We continued along the right -bank through the Nantin valley, the sides of which presented three -distinctly marked river terraces, and, having forded the river, entered -the little Shan town of Muangtee, or Myne-tee, one hundred and eight -miles from Bhamô. The walls were crowded, and the short narrow street -through which we passed was thronged with women and children. Very -few men were visible, owing, as we were informed, to the incessant -fighting, which had killed off most of the male population.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img012"> - <img src="images/012.jpg" class="w75" alt="NANTIN VALLEY, TOWN OF MUANGTEE TO THE LEFT" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">NANTIN VALLEY, TOWN OF MUANGTEE TO THE LEFT.</p> - -<p>A mile beyond we reached the small walled Chinese town of Nantin, -now held by the Panthays. Two officers on ponies met and conducted -us through the gate to a ruined Chinese temple. This had once been a -handsome structure, but the walls were riddled with shot, the images -defaced, and broken open in search of plunder. Nantin itself showed all -the signs of having been once a thriving Chinese town. Now one-half -of it was in ruins, and the other tenanted by a scanty and miserably -poor population. By its position on a triangle of land between the Tahô -and a swift deep affluent, with the hills rising close behind it and -forming the base line, it completely commands the main road to Momien -and Yunnan. It was accordingly held by a strong Panthay force, under a -governor bearing the title of Tu-tu-du.</p> - -<p>The governor visited us, accompanied by a Chinese chief named -Thongwetshein, who had recently<span class="pagenum" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</span> joined the Panthay cause. They -demanded either a list of the presents intended for Momien or -permission to search our baggage, both of which requests Sladen stoutly -refused, and referred them to Momien for instructions. In the course -of the day it came out that reports had been circulated that our boxes -contained live dragons and serpents and fearful explosives. The fears -of the Tu-tu-du were quieted by a peep at some bottled snakes and -frogs, and he begged us to pay him an official visit. This, he said, -would strengthen his influence over the townspeople, whom he described -as thieves and ruffians.</p> - -<p>A veritable Mahommedan Hadji was resident in the town. Knowing a little -Persian and Arabic, he led the devotions of the faithful, the Musjid -being held in his house. Our jemadar visited it, and described it as -miserably appointed, without water for ablutions, and the worship as -very lax.</p> - -<p>The next day, we set out in state with a guard of eight sepoys, and -preceded by two gold umbrellas. We passed through the bazaar, a narrow -dirty street, with a double row of stalls, displaying hoes and ploughs, -a little cloth, thread, paper, and eatables, including almost ripe -peaches. At the residence, we were received with a salute of three -guns; and the centre gates being thrown open for our admission, as a -mark of special honour, we rode forward to the second courtyard. In -the reception room the governor led us to a raised dais, he himself -occupying a low place on a bench at the side of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</span> room. After a few -compliments, he suddenly vanished, only to reappear in a few minutes -in full mandarin costume. The explanation was that, seeing Sladen in -full staff uniform, he felt it incumbent on him to assume his official -robes. Tea in beautiful porcelain cups and betel-nut were served; and -Sladen having presented him with a musket and one hundred and fifty -rounds of ammunition, the governor escorted us to the outer court, and -dismissed us under a salute of three guns.</p> - -<p>Instructions having come from Momien that we were to proceed without -delay, we started the next morning. The Panthay garrison lined the -street, and at a neat stone bridge spanning a burn which runs through -the town the governor and Thongwetshein with their staff awaited us to -say farewell, while the band struck up a lively air on the gongs. A -guard preceded us, commanded by a nephew of the governor of Momien, and -a more indescribable lot of irregulars were never seen. The officers, -however, were fine intelligent men, well dressed in Panthay garb. So -little fear of danger seemed to exist that they were accompanied by -some female relatives in full Chinese costume, who rode in the advance -guard. The valley, or rather glen, as it is only a mile wide, which -stretched to the north before us, seemed to be a remarkable instance of -the changes effected by water. Throughout its length of about twenty -miles, its sides are marked by two well defined river terraces, and -indications of a third higher one<span class="pagenum" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</span> corresponding to the highest of the -Mawphoo glen. These terraces close in at the head, while the entrance -into the deep ravine of the Mawphoo glen terminates it. This whole -length of area, lying one thousand feet above the level of Sanda, has -been denuded by the Tahô; the second terrace, which corresponds with -the lower one of the Mawphoo glen, is almost on the same elevation with -a level platform which extends from the head of the valley. From this -to the foot of the Mawphoo gorge seems to have been once a level flat, -perhaps a lake, like that of Yunnan, from which the Tahô precipitated -itself as a waterfall into the Sanda valley. The hills to the east, -at the base of which our route lay, instead of the bold precipitous -mountains of metamorphic rocks, were rounded trappean hills, occasional -glimpses of which reminded us of home scenery, as they swept up in -grassy curves, with dense clumps of trees on or near their summits. -Numerous watercourses seamed their sides, the channels strewn with -waterworn granite boulders, rounded lava-like masses of cellular -basalt, and large fragments of peat.</p> - -<p>The hills to the north-west rose much higher, in a lofty, well wooded -mountain wall, with grander peaks soaring beyond. Seven miles from -Nantin we halted to visit the famous hot springs. The steam rising from -them had been visible nearly a mile off; and the Nam-mine, a rather -large stream fed by them, was hot enough to startle both men and mules -while fording it. The rocks composing the side of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</span> the hill whence the -springs issue consisted of a cellular basalt and a hard quartzose rock, -the former being partially superficial, and the latter that through -which the springs issued.</p> - -<p>Seen from the west, the south-eastern side of the hill is marked by an -apparently deep, crater-like hollow, forcibly suggesting that it was -once a volcanic vent, the neighbouring rocks being almost scoriaceous, -and the internal heat being still evidenced by the boiling springs. -Besides those on the western face, others still larger occur on -its other side, some miles to the east. Of those visible, the most -important is an oval basin about three yards long, with a depth of -eight inches; about six yards from it are a number of funnels, six -inches in diameter, in the quartz rock, emitting steam. Higher up, and -fifty yards off, another strong jet of steam occurs, and on the other -side of a narrow gully are two other springs, which emit a considerable -body of boiling water through the earthy face of the hill. The water -in the principal spring comes up with great force through circular -apertures, about three inches in diameter, and the bottom of the basin -is covered with thick impalpable white mud. Owing to the heat and -volume of steam, it was only accessible on the leeward side, and the -ground was so hot that our barefooted followers could not approach by -some yards. It vibrated in a remarkable way, and the sensation was as -if one were standing over a gigantic boiler buried in the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</span> earth, which -was increased by the loud roar of the steam from the funnels, and the -indistinct rumbling noises in the hidden inferno.</p> - -<p>It is remarkable that, although the steam is at scalding heat, the -stones in it are covered with masses of green jelly, which thrive at -a temperature only ten degrees below boiling-point. The analysis of -a gallon of the water is as follows: 120 grains of solid matter; 112 -salts of alkalis, almost entirely chloride of sodium; 80 earthy salts, -silica, and oxide of iron. No nitric and but very little sulphuric -and carbonic acids were present, but traces of phosphoric acid were -detected. We were informed that the springs are much resorted to by -patients from all parts, who use the spring to cook their food, and -cure themselves in the vapour or the Nam-mine stream. After enjoying -our halt, which had been made with the full approval of the Panthay -officers and the Hotha chief, we started to overtake the cavalcade, -which had marched forward. Just as we rejoined the rear-guard, four -shots were fired in front, but as the road only admitted of single -file, and lay along a thickly wooded hillside, marked by the ruins of -many villages, no one could advance to reconnoitre. Word was presently -passed down that the mules had been attacked and two Panthay officers -wounded; but on proceeding onwards, we discovered that the affair -was more serious, and that the two officers and another man had been -killed. We soon came up to the bodies of the officers wrapped in their<span class="pagenum" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</span> -large turbans and tied to bamboos, ready to be carried back to Nantin. -The poor fellows had both been great favourites with their comrades -and the governor of Momien; and a sad group surrounded the bodies, -including their female relatives, who had ridden out from Nantin only -to lament their murder, for so it was. As they were riding at the -head of the mules, at a corner in the narrow path, a lurking body of -Chinese rushed out from the trees, shot down the first, and the second, -hurrying to the rescue, was shot through the leg and cut down with a -dah. Eight mules had their loads thrown off and looted, and were then -driven up the hills. A little further on, the scene of the disaster was -marked by the ransacked packages lying on the roadside, and among them -two boxes containing my clothes and notebooks. One of these had escaped -unopened, and was left in charge of a Panthay officer, who promised -to see it brought on. At the head of the valley a halt was called, to -enable all the Panthays to come up, as a second ambuscade was suspected -in a thickly wooded hollow in the steep hillside above.</p> - -<p>At this point the river terraces sweep round to form the head of the -valley, but the Tahô has cut a deep gorge through them. The second -terrace could be seen continuing to the north in a long upward -slope, thrown into rounded mounds, the sites of small villages, and -terminating in a distant broad plain. The hillsides were covered with -pines, and the road ran through a belt of dense forest, over the -shoulder<span class="pagenum" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</span> of a spur from the main range of hills. Here the attack -was expected to be made, so we advanced with vigilant attention to -the jungle on either hand, passing ruined villages, buried in dense -vegetation, consisting chiefly of fruit trees and garden plants run -wild. We were unmolested, and, after a short descent, came upon the -Tahô foaming along its rocky channel, spanned by a broad parapeted -bridge of gneiss and granite. The roadway exactly followed the curve -of the arch, and the ponies could scarcely keep their footing on the -smooth slabs, worn almost to a polish by the constant traffic of bygone -centuries. On the right bank a small Panthay guard met us, and reported -that they had chased a body of Chinese, lurking in the dreaded hollow. -We soon gained the level of the plain, seen in the distance as the -upward termination of the Nantin valley. From its eastern side rose -a long conical hill, stretching nearly north and south, in a black -sterile mass of lava, with the exception of its rounded grassy summit. -This remarkable extinct volcano of Hawshuenshan, rising abruptly from -the plain, stands out in striking contrast to the tumulus-shaped grassy -hills which cluster round it on all sides. A few small plants rooted -in the interstices of the rocks do not, in the distance, impart even -a trace of verdure to its barren sides, which are thrown into long -rocky curves, evidently old lava streams. We rode over the eastern -extremity of this volcano, by a broad path paved with long slabs of -gneiss and granite, and again came upon the Tahô,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</span> as a narrow rapid -stream running between it and the abrupt sides of the grassy hills to -the east. We crossed the river over another handsome stone bridge, and -passed the ruins of a rather large village. The Tahô issues at this -point from between a high spur and the volcano, through a very narrow -gorge; and the road wound up the side of the spur, and was laid with a -double line of stone flags to facilitate the ascent. From the top we -gained a fine view of the small circular lake-like valley, from which -the Tahô issued below, and looked down on numerous villages encircling -the irrigated level in its centre, which was covered with young rice. -Continuing a slight ascent over the grassy hills, by a good broad road, -we turned the flank of a lofty hill crowned with a white pagoda; and -the valley of Momien lay before us, shut in on all sides by rounded -hills, treeless, but covered with pasture.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img013"> - <img src="images/013.jpg" class="w75" alt="EXTINCT VOLCANO OF HAWSHUENSHAN; FROM SUMMIT OF MOMIEN HILL" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">EXTINCT VOLCANO OF HAWSHUENSHAN; FROM SUMMIT OF MOMIEN HILL.</p> - -<p>The hills seemed to slope almost to the walls of the city in the -centre, but the intervening area was sufficient for an almost unbroken -ring of large villages, either in ruins or deserted. To the right -rose the Deebay range, beyond which lay the road to Tali-fu, and in -the far distance the lofty Tayshan ranges, running north and south, -formed a noble background of black rugged mountains. A long narrow -valley stretched in a northerly direction, marking the course of the -Tahô, from its source in the Sin-hai or Pai-hai watershed, sixty miles -distant. Between the foot of the hill and the city wall, a long line -of flags of all<span class="pagenum" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</span> shapes and colours, and glittering spears, marked -the presence of the Tah-sa-kon of Momien. An aide-de-camp presently -arrived with a request that we would dismount and greet the governor, -who had come out to meet us. We were a motley group, not improved in -appearance by twenty-one miles’ march over muddy flats and dusty hills, -but, preceded by the most presentable sepoys, with the jemadar carrying -a gold sword in front, the three Europeans advanced under the canopy -of two gold umbrellas, through a long line of officers and banner men, -to the Tah-sa-kon, who, dressed in full mandarin costume, occupied a -richly cushioned chair, with three huge red silk umbrellas, fringed -with gold lace, held over him. He rose to welcome us with handshaking -and courteous greeting, and then escorted us to a large, well-built -temple outside the town wall, but close beneath the angle where the -governor’s palace stood. Here we took up our quarters with a sense -of profound satisfaction at having at last, after so many delays and -difficulties, reached a city of Western Yunnan.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.<br /> -<span class="small">MOMIEN.</span></h2> -</div> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Momien—The town of Teng-yue-chow—Aspect and condition—An -official reception—Return visit—Government house—A Chinese -tragedy—The market—Jade manufacture—Minerals—Mines -of Yunnan—Stone celts—Cattle—Climate—Environs—The -waterfall—Pagoda hill—Shuayduay—Rock temples—Ruined suburbs—City -temples—Four-armed deities—Boys’ school—A grand feast—The -loving-cup—The tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee—Keenzas—The Chinese poor. -</div> - - -<p>A retrospect of the journey thus far showed that since our departure -from the Burmese plain we had been steadily ascending. Although -the altitudes could not be taken with accuracy, owing to the -inefficiency of the instruments which had been supplied at Rangoon, -such observations as it was in our power to make were made; they were -subsequently reduced by the surveyor’s department at Calcutta, and the -results are approximately correct. Where it was necessary to depend on -speculation, care was taken to under-estimate the apparent altitudes. -The natives always speak of ascending to Momien and descending from -it, and, applied to the western approaches, this expression is -fully justified. From<span class="pagenum" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</span> Bhamô, four hundred and fifty feet above the -sea-level, we had climbed over the Kakhyen hills to the Sanda valley, -which, at Manwyne, lies at least two thousand feet above Bhamô. -Throughout the forty-eight miles of its length, this valley rises so -gradually as to present the appearance of a long level avenue, divided -into three stages, till the head of the Muangla division is reached. -From this it is requisite to ascend by a detour over the Mawphoo -height, to attain the fourth stage, or the valley of Nantin, lying one -thousand feet above Manwyne. From the upper extremity of the Nantin -valley, the long steps, so to speak, of the Hawshuenshan glen rise -fourteen hundred feet to Momien. Thus, the latter city, one hundred and -thirty-five miles from Bhamô, occupies a site on a plateau elevated -more than five thousand feet above the level of the sea, which is -declared by native reports to be the highest inhabited position in the -mountainous region of Western Yunnan.</p> - -<p>The Chinese city of Teng-yue-chow, better known by its Shan name of -Momien, is said to have been built four hundred years ago by a governor -of Yung-chang, obeying the king of Mansi or Yunnan, which the Shans -call Muangsee. It was probably built as a frontier garrison, to hold -in check the recently conquered territories of the Shan kingdom of -Pong. It thus became, as it still is, the ruling head-quarters of the -tributary Koshanpyi or Nine Shan States, now represented by those of -the Sanda and Hotha<span class="pagenum" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</span> valleys, with Muangtee, Muang-mo, and Muangmah. -We were able to procure a Chinese history of Momien as well as of -Tali, though both had become rare, as the rebels had destroyed the -woodblocks. These copies were brought by Major Sladen to England, in -order to be deposited in the British Museum. It is to be hoped that -some one of our Chinese scholars will find leisure to translate these -works, which would probably throw valuable light on the little known -history of these regions.</p> - -<p>The plan and construction of the city show that it was built as a -fortress. It occupies an area of five furlongs square, enclosed by a -strongly built stone wall, battlemented or crenellated, twenty-five -feet high. Twenty yards from the walls a deep moat surrounded the -once city; it was still perfect on the eastern and southern faces, -but had degenerated into a broad puddle, the favourite wallow for the -bazaar pigs, on the western. The masonry is admirable, the well hewn -slabs of lavaceous rock, two to four feet long, being laid in mortar, -hardened almost to the consistency of the stone, while the moat is -faced with stones laid together without mortar, so close and true that -a penknife can scarcely be inserted between them. Inside the wall, an -earthen rampart, about thirty feet wide and eighteen feet high, serves -as a battery, or parade ground, as well as a promenade. There are no -bastions, but at intervals turrets rise from the rampart, built of -blue burned bricks, the smooth surface and sharp edges of which are -uninjured<span class="pagenum" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</span> by the wear and tear of centuries. The four gateways, to -each of which corresponds a substantial bridge spanning the moat, are -lofty and well built; but at the time of our visit, two of these gates -had been built up. The south-western or bazaar gate was especially -fortified by a semicircular traverse, an entrance in the side of which -led into a tunnel-like archway, over which rose a lofty watch-tower, -with concave roof, supported by strong pillars. The inner doorway was -closed by heavy ironclad wooden valves, which were carefully shut at -nightfall. Viewed from a distance, the walls and turrets, with a lofty -pagoda and the roof of the watch-tower, seemed to indicate a populous -and thriving town; but within the walls was almost emptiness. The -broad rectangular streets were comparatively deserted, save by a few -Panthay soldiers, who with their families formed the sole intramural -population. But few houses remained uninjured, the best of these being -the dwellings of the governor and his officers. The numerous temples -had been gutted and half demolished. The images and huge stone incense -vases had been overthrown and broken, while the ruined walls pitted -with bullets showed the fierceness of the struggle which had taken -place. The absence of all the wonted bustle and noise of a crowded -city was made more striking by the evidence on all sides of the former -prosperity and population.</p> - -<p>Our stay at Momien extended over six weeks; but the state of the -country, combined with the weather,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</span> reduced us almost to inaction. -The depressing monotony of life under these circumstances was, however, -relieved by the unvarying kindness of the hospitable Panthays. Our -first day was devoted to arrangement of ourselves and baggage, in which -a crowd of curious visitors assisted by uttering astonished “Iyaws!” at -everything possessed by the foreigners, whose persons and goods each -was anxious to inspect.</p> - - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img014"> - <img src="images/014.jpg" class="w75" alt="WITHIN THE WALLS OF MOMIEN OR TENG-YUE-CHOW" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">WITHIN THE WALLS OF MOMIEN OR TENG-YUE-CHOW.</p> - -<p>The following day having been appointed by the governor for our -reception, we entered the town in state, preceded by twenty Mahommedan -sepoys of the escort, carrying the presents. These consisted of -green and yellow broadcloths, muslins, gaudy rugs and table covers, -double-barrelled guns and revolvers, with all appliances, powder -and shot, penknives, scissors, a binocular glass, telescope, and -musical-box, and a quantity of Bryant and May’s matches.</p> - -<p>A large but well-behaved crowd of poverty-stricken Chinese had -assembled, who matched well with the ruinous houses of the suburb. We -entered by the south-western gate into a narrow dirty street, from -which a lane led to the governor’s house, surrounded by a low wall. The -gateway, about fifteen feet high, was formed of plain squared stone -pillars, with others laid horizontally across them, like the cross -beams of a doorway. This led into the usual Chinese succession of -quadrangular courts. In a small circular pavilion were stationed some -ragged musicians, who struck up a lively air on gongs and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</span> cymbals. -As we crossed the court to the house, a salute was fired from three -small cannon that were stuck into the ground, with muzzles upwards. A -rabble followed into the doorway leading to the inner court, at the end -of which, in the reception hall, sat the governor. He rose to receive -us, and motioned us to sit on his left hand, at a long table, on which -the presents were laid before him. Behind his seat there was a raised -recess, covered with red cloth, in which stood a small chair of state. -The sides of the room were hung with long narrow strips of blue and -red cloth, covered with Chinese characters in gold-leaf. The superior -officers occupied chairs along each side of the room, and a crowd of -underlings blocked up the entrance. The governor was a powerful man, -fully six feet three inches high, with prominent cheek-bones, heavy -protuberant lips, slightly hooked nose, and faintly oblique eyes. His -face was bronzed by exposure, and a deep indentation between the eyes, -with other scars, told of campaigns, in which he was said to be ever -foremost in the fight. He wore a grey felt hat, resembling a helmet -placed sideways, the front half of the rim being turned up, and the -back part downwards. A gold rosette, set with large precious stones, -formed a handsome ornament in front, and a long blue silk topknot hung -down behind. A pale blue silk coat, richly figured, exactly resembling -a dressing-gown, completed his costume. Sladen expressed our deep -regret at the death of the two officers, and promised<span class="pagenum" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</span> to suggest to -our government to compensate their families. The governor replied that -we were not to distress ourselves, as they considered it an honour to -die as those men had done. As to the opening of trade, he declared -that any number of English merchants might visit Momien in the ensuing -November; that he had arranged with the Shan tsawbwas, and could manage -the Kakhyens, so that caravans should pass safely; but he hinted that -there were too many people then present to admit of this question -being discussed. He expressed great pleasure at the presents, and the -musical-box being set agoing excited universal admiration; the matches -astonished the company; but the sincerest satisfaction was called -forth by the guns and powder. Tea, preserved oranges, jujubes, and -sugar-candy were served round. In the course of general conversation -the governor stated that the Sultan had been pleased to hear of our -intended visit to Momien; but he feared that the road to Tali-fu was -too infested with Chinese bands to allow of our proceeding further.</p> - -<p>The governor, attended by an armed retinue, paid his return visit of -ceremony the next day, carried in a gorgeous chair, and dressed in -full mandarin robes, while his officers were gaily attired in white -cotton jackets, braided, and adorned with silver buttons. They made -a gallant show of gold swords, silver spears, banners, and other -insignia. Presents were brought in, consisting of a bullock, sheep, -trays of confectionery, and forty thousand cash.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</span> The latter were at -first declined, but the courteous Tah-sa-kon would take no refusal, and -the cash furnished an acceptable largess to the escort and followers, -giving each about one rupee. The mission funds were, in truth, rather -low about this time, which, it may be noted, operated against the -acquisition of specimens of the local manufactures, save to a very -limited amount. Among the confectionery sent was a quantity of fine -white granulated honey, and a strong warning was given against the use -of onions, as the combination of onions and honey in the system would -be a certain poison.</p> - -<p>When taking leave, the governor suggested that now the claims of -etiquette had been satisfied, we should consider ourselves free of -government house, as well as the town in general, and come and go as -we liked, and promised that he would visit us <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">sans cérémonie</em>. -Our guard and the Panthays fraternised completely, their common -faith uniting them, and the Chinese Mahommedans treated the true -believers from India with great respect. The jemadar was indeed in -constant request to officiate at the mosque, till he lost his voice by -over-exertion.</p> - -<p>True to his promise, the governor appeared bent on carrying us off -to an entertainment at his house. We were received in the same room -as before, but were invited to sit with our host on the dais at the -further end; constant relays of tea-cakes and sweetmeats were brought -in, to all of which each man was expected to do his duty. Shouts of -laughter<span class="pagenum" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</span> reached our ears from time to time, as the ladies, our -host’s four wives and their maids, amused themselves in the adjacent -zenana with the magnetic battery. Our circle was presently joined by -the tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee, who was on a visit to the governor. She -was attended by several well-dressed Shan ladies, and they chatted and -laughed with that charming good humour which seems characteristic of -the Shans.</p> - -<p>We were then shown over the private apartments by the governor himself, -who led us first to his bedroom, a snug little windowless room, lighted -by two doors facing each other, containing a large four-post bed, with -blue silk curtains looped up by silver chains, and a comfortable couch, -while the walls were decorated with an English eight-day clock, and -Chinese pictures and old armour. Passing through the room, we entered -a small court, where a number of tailors sat busily at work in a -verandah. This led to the zenana, or women’s apartments, a pretty range -of buildings, surrounding a small garden, ornamented with large vases, -containing dwarfed fruit and pine trees, and stone tanks filled with -goldfish. The trees included peach, plum, orange, box, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., about two -to four feet in height, which had been dwarfed by tying knots in the -stem of the sapling. On our way back, we passed through a room hung -round with war hats gorgeously decorated with the tail feathers of the -Lady Amherst and golden pheasants, and with the handsome fox-like<span class="pagenum" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</span> -brush of the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">wah</em> (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Ailurus fulgens</em>, F. Cuv.). After this -inspection, we were conducted to an open hall, in which a theatrical -entertainment was to take place. More tea and cakes were produced, -while large copper vases of incense burned close to us, and the heavy -fumes produced a drowsy feeling. The stage was a pavilion about twenty -feet long, closed on three sides, with two doors behind it, one for -the entrance and the other for the exit of the players. The orchestra -of violins, gongs, and cymbals, occupied the back of the stage, and -discoursed most monotonous music, like the clatter of crockery, with -occasional bangs and screeches. A small panelled picture of birds and -flowers served as scenery, and the properties were a table like an -inverted pyramid, with a chair on either side of it. The characters -were all sustained by male performers, who, on this occasion, presented -a tragedy, turning on the Chinese virtue of filial obedience. This -required the hero to obey his mother by rebelling against his -father-in-law and killing the princess, his wife; but the latter solved -the difficulty by suicide, and mother and son joined in lamentation -over her. The hero had his face painted red, and adorned with a long -black beard and moustache; he was accoutred in a gorgeous coat, richly -embroidered with dragons and flowers, a hat with a fine bushy tail -of <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Ailurus fulgens</em>, red trousers, and black satin boots. He -bellowed and blustered, and strode about the stage as if practising the -goose-step; the close<span class="pagenum" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</span> of every speech being emphasized by a bound in -the air. While the play was going on, we were expected to consume the -contents of eight bowls containing fowl chopped up with salted goose, -dried prawns, mushrooms, vegetables, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., each dish being evidently -a choice specimen of Chinese cuisine. <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Ahyek</em>, or samshoo, was -then served round, but the governor, as a good Mussulman, abstained -from the forbidden liquor; small saucers of rice and condiments came -next, but after three hours of eating we beat a retreat from the still -interminable feast and drama.</p> - -<p>The hospitable governor renewed his invitation the next afternoon, when -a farcical comedy was played, which was very broad, but fortunately -brief. As this was the market-day, two officers were detached to -escort us through the bazaar, the principal street of which extended -half a mile straight from the south-western city gates. Each side was -occupied by permanent shops, and a double row of stalls, protected by -huge umbrellas, lined the whole length of the street. A dense crowd of -Chinese, Shans, and Panthays, with a small sprinkling of Leesaws and -Kakhyens, thronged every avenue; the people were quite good-humoured, -but their curiosity would have been very troublesome but for the -presence of the officers. This, however, was only at first; during our -stay we roamed at will through the streets of the bazaar suburb, as -well as within the walls. The shops were small, one-storied cottages, -each devoted to a particular trade. Drapers, booksellers, druggists,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</span> -dealers in tobacco and nuts, provision merchants, displayed their -several wares, but, except on the market-day, with little custom. -Numerous eating-houses were crowded by the better class of customers, -while the poorer villagers were supplied by lads hawking comestibles. -The stalls made a rich display of vegetables and fruit; among the -former were peas, green and dried beans, potatoes, celery, carrots, -onions, garlic, yams, bamboo shoots, cabbage and spinach, and ginger; -the fruit comprised apples like golden pippins, pears, peaches, -walnuts, chestnuts, brambleberries, rose-hips, and three sorts of -unknown fruit. Mushrooms were in great demand, as well as a dried, -almost black lichen; black pepper, betel-nut, and poppy capsules -were seen on almost every stall, and salt sold in compressed balls, -marked with a government stamp. Other departments contained coloured -Chinese cloths and yarns, and buttons, English long and broad cloth, -needles, and brass buttons, Mahommedan skull-caps, embroidered in gold -thread, rings, mouth-pieces and brooches of amber and jade, opium -pipes, and Chinese hookahs. Running at right angles to the principal -street is another devoted to tailors and ready-made clothes stores, -and coppersmiths, who supply all kitchen appliances, and manufacture -the copper discs used in cutting jade. Along this street we came to -the store of the principal Chinese merchant, who invited us in, and -was very hospitable. His laments over the decay of the former trade -with Burma, caused by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</span> the civil war, showed clearly to which side his -sympathies inclined; and it was evident that he, as well as all the -non-Mahommedan Chinese, were only kept to their present allegiance by -the strong hand. The whole bazaar suburb was surrounded by a low brick -wall with several gates, each guarded by a sentinel at night, and the -Chinese resided here, being evidently excluded from the city. Although -the manufactures seemed to be in a very depressed state, the quarters -of the various artificers were still traceable; in a by-street we -had an opportunity of viewing the manufacture of jade ornaments. The -copper discs employed, a foot and a half in diameter, are very thin -and bend easily; the centre is beaten out into a cup, which receives -the end of the revolving cylinder. We watched two men at work, one -using the cutter, and the other a borer tipped with a composition of -quartz and little particles resembling ruby dust. Both were driven by -treadles; the stone is held below the disc, under which is a basin of -water and fine, silicious mud, into which the stone is occasionally -dipped, the operator taking handfuls of the mud. The stones are cut -into discs one-eighth of an inch thick, when intended for ear-rings, -and handed over to the borer to be perforated. The most valuable jade -is of an intensely bright green, something like emerald; but red and -pale pink qualities are highly prized. In the extensive ruins outside -the bazaar there was ample evidence, in the rejected fragments of -jade, that the manufacture<span class="pagenum" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</span> must have been formerly carried on on a -much more extensive scale. The jade is obtained from the mines in the -Mogoung district, where large masses in the form of rounded boulders -are dug out of the pits; in former times a large quantity was yearly -imported to Momien. One hundred rupees was the price asked for a pair -of bracelets of the finest jade, and at Bhamô four rupees purchased -rings worth £2 at Canton.</p> - -<p>Of amber-workers, who manufactured rosaries, rings, mouth-pieces, -<abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., from the amber brought from the mines in the Hukong valley, near -Mogoung, but few remained at the time of our visit. The amber most -prized is perfectly clear, and the colour of very dark sherry. A -triangular specimen, one inch long, and one across, cost ten shillings.</p> - -<p>At the bazaar there was a plentiful display of the mineral wealth of -Western Yunnan, which is rich in gold, silver, lead, iron, copper, tin, -mercury, arsenic, and gypsum; and we obtained small specimens of most -of these minerals, including a yellow orpiment, exported in quantities -from Tali to Mandalay, whither a large amount of tin also is annually -sent. The copper is brought from a range of hills near Khyto, three -days’ march to the north-east. It is smelted on the spot, and brought -in flattish pigs. The same hills are said to yield all the iron and -salt used in Western Yunnan; but the most precious product of the -Khyto mines is galena. Of this, a small specimen has been assayed by -<abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Oldham, who has pronounced it to be among the richest that he has -ever<span class="pagenum" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</span> seen; it yields 0·278 per cent., or 104 <abbr title="ounce">oz.</abbr> of silver to the ton -of lead. Flints and large quantities of lime are brought from Tali-fu, -where large quarries of fine white marble exist. Sulphur is procured -in the neighbourhood, but we could not learn the locality. Li-sieh-tai -was subsequently reported to be raising sulphur to the south-west, and -an Old Resident<span class="fnanchor" id="fna26"><a href="#fn26">[26]</a></span> in Western China mentions a rich mine of sulphur -belonging to the northern frontier town of Atenze, behind a little mine -of saltpetre. The Chinese report on the mines of Yunnan, appended to -the records of the French expedition, states that in 1850 the copper -mines of Yunnan, of which Tali-fu is the principal depot, produced -over eleven thousand tons, and the silver amounted to two millions -of francs. The Old Resident, however, says that before the outbreak -of the rebellion there were one hundred and thirty-two copper mines, -government knowing only of thirty-seven; and as the above account was -calculated on the returns made to the government, who exact from thirty -to fifty per cent. of the produce, it is plain that the mineral wealth -of Yunnan is even greater than it is set forth in that report. Gold is -brought to Momien from Yonephin and Sherg-wan villages, fifteen days’ -march to the north-east; but no information could be obtained as to the -quantity found. It is also brought in leaf, which is sent to Burma, -where it is in extensive demand.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</span></p> - -<p>In the drug-shops a powder was vended as a nervous restorative, made -of the horn of an antelope ground down, and sold at one rupee per -tickal;<span class="fnanchor" id="fna27"><a href="#fn27">[27]</a></span> and the pharmacopœia also included the powdered shells of a -tortoise (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Testudo platynotus</em>, Blyth), imported from Upper Burma, -and snuff made of sambur horn, used as a styptic for bleeding from the -nose. We were much surprised to find stone celts openly offered for -sale. When it was known that we would purchase, numbers were brought -in, and we acquired a collection of one hundred and fifty specimens, -at prices varying from two shillings to sixpence. Their poverty and -not their will constrained the owners to part with them, for they are -believed to confer good luck on the owner, and to possess curative -properties if dipped in medicine, and are exhibited to procure easy -parturition. They are usually turned up by the plough; and the popular -belief is that they fall from the sky as thunderbolts, and take nine -years to work up to the surface. The high estimation in which they are -held suggests that a Chinese Flint Jack made a profitable business -of imitating the real implements, or manufacturing amulets of the -same type. A large number of those purchased are small, beautifully -cut forms, with few or no signs of use, and made of some variety of -jade; but there is no reason to doubt the authenticity of the larger -forms which were brought to us. Bronze<span class="pagenum" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</span> celts are also found, but are -valued at their weight in gold; we managed, however, to purchase one at -Manwyne on the return journey. It belongs to the socketed type of celts -without wings. The composition of the bronze is the same as that of the -celts found in Northern Europe—tin 10, copper 90.</p> - -<p>In consequence of a long period of drought preceding our arrival, -the slaughter of animals had been forbidden, as it was feared that -the rain would be withheld as a punishment, a curious instance of -Buddhist superstition affecting the Panthays and Chinese; but in two -days the rains set in, and the prohibition was removed. The markets -were thenceforward well supplied with bullocks, buffaloes, sheep, -goats, and pigs. The buffaloes are chiefly used for agriculture; -the beeves have no hump, and are small but well made, generally of -reddish-brown colour, deepening to black. The numerous sheep belong to -a large blackfaced breed, with convex profiles. Two kinds of goats are -common; one with long shaggy white hair nearly sweeping the ground, and -flattened spiral horns, directed backwards and outwards; the other kind -has very short dark brown hair, short shoulder list, and full beard, -with similar flattened spiral horns, but not so procumbent. The pigs -seemed to be all black. Remarkably fine ponies were common; but the -mules, which were much more numerous, are more prized. Fowls, ducks, -and geese are abundant and large; and last, though not least, cats, all -of a uniform grey, with faint darkish spots,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</span> made themselves at home -everywhere. But we noticed very few dogs, those seen being black with -shaggy coats, resembling the shepherd dogs of the south of Scotland.</p> - -<p>It has been mentioned that the rains set in soon after our arrival. -From June 1st the south-west monsoon prevailed, with very few fair -intervals. The sky was obscured by thick, misty clouds, that wrapped -the hills in dense folds. As a rule, the rain fell very heavily; but -there were days together when it was little more than a thick Scotch -mist in a dead calm. Occasional thunderstorms of terrific grandeur -burst over the valley, accompanied by strong gusts from the south-west; -but the most characteristic feature of the weather was the generally -perfect stillness of the atmosphere, while low leaden clouds poured -down incessant rain, generally heavy, but sometimes only a gentle -drizzle, all which combined had a sufficiently depressing effect on -us. The temperature was by no means oppressive, the mean maximum in -June being seventy-four degrees, and the minimum sixty-two degrees. The -natives strongly assert that the climate is unhealthy for strangers, -and we all suffered more or less from intractable diarrhœa. Smallpox, -too, was prevalent; and one of our collectors and a Kakhyen sub-chief, -who had accompanied us, died from it. We were strongly cautioned -against the use of the river water, to which the natives attribute the -prevalence of goitre, which is most unpleasantly remarkable among men -and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</span> women and children, some goitres being so large as to require -special support; even young infants were observed affected by it, and -in their case it must have been congenital. Otherwise the children -seemed very healthy, notwithstanding their rags and dirt, and not -a single case of fever was observed, though about sixty or seventy -patients were treated for other diseases.</p> - -<p>The fact that by far the greater part of the valley is under water for -six or seven months, during three of which it is little better than a -huge morass, would not seem to recommend it as salubrious; but it must -be remembered that it lies more than five thousand feet above the level -of the sea, in the twenty-fourth parallel of north latitude, and is a -comparatively dry and temperate country, singularly destitute of trees, -which conditions would combine to place it beyond the range of miasma.</p> - -<p>The worthy governor showed great anxiety about our health. He refused, -on the score of security against prowling robbers, to let us shift our -quarters, but sent guards to accompany us in an occasional ramble round -the precincts of the city. So great was the insecurity that we dared -not venture more than a few hundred yards from the walls unattended. -A favourite walk was to a place less than a mile to the north-west of -the town. Here the Tahô, after flowing through the valley, precipitates -itself, in an all but unbroken sheet of water, over a cliff one hundred -feet high; thence it foams down<span class="pagenum" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</span> a steep glen to the little valley -of Hawshuenshan. Immediately above the fall the stream is spanned by -a substantial stone bridge of three arches with roofed approaches. -Below this the thick bed of basaltic trap, over which the river leaps, -is worn into a miniature horseshoe; and the overhanging luxuriant -vegetation of ferns and brambles, and wild roses with double flowers, -formed a strikingly beautiful scene. In the rains the body of water was -so great that a column of spray ascended which was visible two miles -off. From this point the crenellated walls of Momien, with the distant -background of lofty ranges, completed a striking picture. Above the -bridge the Tahô flows down in a tortuous stream twenty yards broad, -well stocked with large gold carp (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Cavassius auratus</em>, Lin.), -between banks ten feet high; and the rice fields on either side are -irrigated by large wheels raising the water in long bamboo buckets, -which discharge themselves into wooden pipes leading to the fields. -These wheels are numerous in the valley.</p> - - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img015"> - <img src="images/015.jpg" class="w75" alt="WATERFALL OF THE TAHÔ; MOMIEN IN THE DISTANCE" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">WATERFALL OF THE TAHÔ; MOMIEN IN THE DISTANCE.</p> - - -<p>After visiting the waterfall, we ascended the pagoda hill, about one -thousand feet above the town. The path led through potato-fields now -in full bloom, the plants grown in ridges, and earthed up with a -home-like effect. The leaf is smaller than that of the home plant, and -the tubers in the market had a thin red skin; but they were very good, -and in great demand at fourpence for three pounds and a half. Nothing -could be learned of the introduction of this plant, nor of the celery, -which is also largely cultivated,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</span> and seemed quite as out of place. -The potato, however, is called <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">yan-gee</em>, evidently the same as -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">yang-yu</em>, foreign root, which, according to <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper,<span class="fnanchor" id="fna28"><a href="#fn28">[28]</a></span> is -its name in Sz-chuen, where it is said to have been introduced by the -foreign teachers, i.e. the French missionaries, long ago. The lower -slope of the hill was covered with stone tumulus-shaped tombs, the -arched head of each containing a tablet with an epitaph. Ruder graves -were simple earthen tumuli, each with its arched opening blocked by -a large stone. The slopes of the hills surrounding the valley are -dotted with similar graveyards—mute records of the population that -once thronged the ruined villages lying below. Near the summit stood -a pagoda, a whitewashed round brick tower on a stone base with six -projecting rings. The hill itself, like all the eminences around, was -covered with fine grass, and a number of mules were grazing under -the protection of a Panthay guard. A pleasant illustration of the -prevailing insecurity was given a few days later, when this guard was -attacked and forty mules driven off by imperialist Chinese. We were -unmolested, and climbed to the summit, flushing from the bracken beds a -magnificent cock pheasant (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Phasianus sladeni</em>, And.), with long -tail feathers, resembling some noticed in a Panthay head-dress. Sladen -afterwards bagged the hen; and we also obtained a young fox with a -golden-yellow coat and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</span> white-tipped brush, apparently of the Himalayan -race. Returning, we observed a large arched cavern, which proved to be -an old quarry of trachytic rock, which had probably furnished the city -walls. On one occasion we were permitted to make a longer excursion -to the valley of Hawshuenshan. Our party must have consisted of -thirty-five men, all armed, the Panthay guard, equipped with spears and -muskets, being commanded by the governor’s nephew, with several other -officers: all this being necessary for safety during a mere suburban -stroll. Turning southerly from Momien, we soon came in sight of the -town of Yay-law, the deserted ruins of which stretched for more than a -mile along the foot of the Deebay range. We skirted the pagoda hill, -remarking a curious isolated heap of lava; no other rock was visible -for miles around, and it had all the appearance of a small volcanic -vent, and the rock was identical with that of the extinct volcano.</p> - -<p>Rounding the hills two miles from Momien, a slight westerly descent -led to a short narrow gorge, at the south-eastern angle of the little -circular valley of Hawshuenshan. The once wealthy village of Shuayduay -occupies an abrupt slope at the head of the gorge, rising in a series -of terraces faced with mortarless walls of very porous lava, laid as -closely as the facing of the Momien ditch, and protected by parapets -of sun-dried brick. A small stream runs down the ravine, which is -not more than a quarter of a mile long and fifty yards broad, to a -substantial<span class="pagenum" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</span> tank crossed by a broad stone platform, arched on one -side to allow the overflow to escape. Facing Hawshuenshan valley, the -platform expands into a handsome, crescent-shaped terrace, enclosed by -an elegant stone balustrade, which forms the entrance to a temple built -on the southern slope, opposite to Shuayduay. This temple, rising in -terraces on the steep hillside, standing out beautifully against the -background of green hills, was the only one spared by the Mahommedans, -whose stern bigotry could not resist its beauty. The approach to the -temple buildings lay through two curved courtyards with handsome arched -gateways. The first enclosure was an open square with three sides built -on the same level, the nearest one of which contained the priests’ -apartments; to the right and left lay a neat garden of dwarfed fruit -trees, the centre of which was occupied by a few stunted trees covered -with a profusion of yellow orchids in full flower, and a magnificent -hydrangea in a colossal vase; the furthest side next the hill was -raised on a stone terrace four feet above the level of the rest. On -this higher platform stood life-sized gilded figures of deities, with -incense always burning in small black stone vases, and on a table -in front of the images lay a large drum and grotesque hollow wooden -fishes, which the priests and worshippers beat with short sticks. -A passage led through each side of the court to stone staircases -proceeding to the terrace above, and converging in its centre in -an hexagonal tower,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</span> supported on stone pillars seven feet high; -these formed an archway from which ascended a short flight of steps, -dividing to the right and left to reach the highest terrace, nearly -on a level with which was a chapel forming the upper chamber of the -hexagonal tower. The upper temple occupied the whole of its terrace, -built entirely of wood, except the back and end walls. The front was -panelled with richly gilt lattice work, while the eaves and ceilings -were coloured in imitation of porcelain. Behind a screen, adorned with -richly coloured carvings of birds and flowers, sat three life-sized -gilded figures on altars, apparently of porcelain. The central figure, -of marble, represented a woman seated on a lotus, with a flower of -the lily beneath her feet; she held forth a naked male child, seated -on one hand, and supported by the other in front, the child’s sex -being strongly marked. This was the goddess Kwan-yin, goddess of mercy -and conception, and her presence would seem to mark the shrine as a -Taouist temple. These terraced rock temples resembled those described -by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper as visited by him at Chung Ching. The stone walls of -the shrine were not carried to the roof, but finished with wooden -panelling, pierced with circular windows of elegant tracery. These were -so arranged that the light fell full on the seated figures. From the -centre of this terrace a narrow stair led down to the chapel on the top -of the hexagonal tower, within which sat a fine Buddhistic figure, with -the head in white marble tinted brown.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</span></p> - -<p>Following a well-paved track along the hill to the east of the valley, -a ride of a quarter of a mile brought us to the walled Chinese town of -Hawshuenshan, built on the slope of the hill. The valley is abruptly -closed in on three sides by rounded grassy hills rising suddenly round -the dead level of the centre, then inundated for the rice crop. The -south-west side is closed by the long low range of the extinct volcano, -with a white pagoda standing out in strong relief from its black and -barren side.</p> - -<p>Hawshuenshan had evidently been a place of great importance, being a -much larger town than Shuayduay, and must have contained at least three -thousand inhabitants. At this time a considerable number of refugees -had here found an asylum, who had fled from the deserted villages of -Shangnan, Tahinshan, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. We were shown an open grassy plot on the -southern outskirts of the town which had, only a few months previously, -been strewn with the corpses of imperialist Chinese. The people of -Hawshuenshan had declared against the Panthays, and joined the Chinese -partisan Low-quang-fang; on this plot they had been attacked and -defeated. As usual, no quarter was given, and all who failed to fly -were massacred, and afterwards buried where they fell. A fine temple -overlooked a small stream running down from Shuayduay, and which now -formed a small lake just outside the town. This water was crossed by a -handsome stone bridge, with picturesque archways. From this we followed -a raised causeway<span class="pagenum" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</span> to the head of the valley, and, passing the Tahô -waterfall on the left, ascended gradually four hundred feet to Momien. -This vale of Hawshuenshan, though not more than two miles long by one -broad, had been once encircled by large villages, the ruins of which -still attested that before the war they must have been places of no -little wealth.</p> - -<p>With the exception of the walled bazaar, the once populous -<em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">faubourgs</em> of Momien had been laid in ruins; the heaps of bricks, -the stone sides of the ancient wells deeply grooved by rope marks, and -the long rows of detached mounds, with little grass-grown squares, -defined the position of the southern and north-eastern suburbs. The -houses of the north occupying a smaller area, surrounded by fine -gardens, and shut in between the river and the city wall, seemed to -have escaped demolition.</p> - -<p>Amidst the general desolation within the city walls, two remarkable -objects of art and nature stood, as it were, memorials of the past. One -was a tall whitewashed pagoda seven stories in height, of the usual -and familiar Chinese form. The other was a magnificent fir tree, which -towered fully one hundred feet, although its top had been broken by a -storm; at the height of four feet from the ground, the trunk measured -fifteen feet in circumference.</p> - -<p>In default of other resources, we spent a good deal of time strolling -among the ruined temples and monasteries, which were numerous both in -the city and suburbs; by far the greater majority were in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</span> ruins, but a -few only partially destroyed were still tenanted by a few poor priests -who, in spite of the Mahommedans, kept the incense burning before the -gods of their forefathers. The massive stone gateways, richly carved -roofs, and the elaborate decorations of the altars and images, afforded -proofs of a high proficiency in art. Combinations of plants and birds -furnished many of the designs of the decorations, executed either in -well chiselled carvings or richly coloured paintings. In the carvings, -dragons and monsters are frequent; all are generally coloured, the -standard tints being red, blue, green, and yellow. The outsides of the -principal walls are frequently decorated with medallion pictures of -small animals and birds in black, grey, and white, alternating with -squares or circles of complex geometrical figures. As far as could be -judged from the images of the various deities, these temples appeared -to be shrines of a compound of Buddhism, Taouism, and Confucianism, -though no Buddhist priests were to be seen—or at least their yellow -religious garb was nowhere visible—the priests having no distinctive -costume, and living generally in their own houses in the suburbs. -The images of the deities are nearly all life-sized, the place of -honour being occupied sometimes by one, sometimes by three, seated on -a pedestal in the centre of the principal hall. Around the central -figures are disposed the statues of lesser deities, sages and scholars. -In one temple where the central images were undoubtedly Buddhistic, the -walls of the outer court<span class="pagenum" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</span> were surrounded by fifty life-sized male and -female figures, all seated, which seemed to represent the army of the -Thagyameng. In another the chief deity was a colossal seated image, -with a dragon at each knee, and the body of a snakelike dragon passing -up under the double girdle, and breaking on the breast into a number -of heads, recalling the seven-headed cobras of Hindoo mythology; the -head and neck of a serpent-formed dragon issued, too, from under each -armpit. Some of the female figures are seated on lions, other forms -have the heads of bulls and birds, while four-armed figures also occur. -In the khyoung, which formed our residence, there was a figure of -Puang-ku, the creator, seated on a bed of leaves resembling those of -the sacred <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">padma</em> or lotus. This remarkable four-armed figure was -life size, and naked, save for garlands of leaves around the neck and -loins. He was seated cross-legged like Buddha, the two uppermost arms -stretched out, forming each a right angle. The right hand held a white -disc and the left a red one. The two lower arms were in the attitude -of carving, the right hand holding a mallet and the left a chisel. -Except the Shuayduay images, which were of stone, almost all were -constructed in the following manner: a frame of wood, making a sort -of lay figure, is roughly put together, and afterwards padded to the -proper proportions with layers of straw wound tightly over it; a layer -of clay is plastered over the whole, and when dry, the flesh tints are -laid on with marked<span class="pagenum" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</span> realistic truth, and the garments duly coloured. -The fact that the breast of every image of importance had been broken -open seemed to show that a jewel or gold had been deposited therein, as -is the custom in Burma.</p> - -<p>During our stay the festival of the Goddess of Agriculture occurred. -The stem of an iris and a branch of wild indigo were hung up over every -door, and a general holiday observed; but nothing else marked the -occasion, save that the priests insisted on kindling the incense in our -khyoung, which act of devotion had been on other days pretermitted for -the sake of our lungs. In one of the few khyoungs still inhabited by -priests—all of which were situated in out-of-the-way places outside -the town—I found a boys’ school conducted by an intelligent priest. A -heavy shower of rain drove me in for refuge, and the master, who was -seated at a low black desk, politely invited me to a seat. The pupils -at once left their desks and crowded round us. A sign directing them -to resume their desks and tasks was only so far obeyed that all began -shouting their lessons at the full pitch of their voices; a word from -the master, however, quickly dispersed them. I produced cheroots, and -the priest sent for tea, and we chatted for an hour. Lying on the desk -was a flat piece of wood like a gigantic paper-cutter. To explain its -use, he called up a small boy, and, taking one of his hands, rubbed the -palm with the instrument in a mysterious way. Suddenly, however, the -paper-cutter rose and descended rapidly, tears started to the boy’s -eyes, but<span class="pagenum" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</span> were dried by a kindly word from the master, explaining -that it was only an exhibition, not a punishment. The boys, whose -ages varied from six to fifteen, seemed to enjoy their lessons there. -The school hours lasted from nine to five o’clock, with an hour and -a half’s interval, during which each boy purchased his dinner from a -hawker of small bowls of Chinese dainties. Every boy has his own books, -and, seated at a table, shouts his lesson aloud till he thinks he knows -it, and then proceeds to attempt to recite it to the master, on whom -he turns his back during the repetition. They learn to write at the -same time as to read, for each boy first copies his lesson, getting -the exact pronunciation of each letter and word from the master—thus -whole books are committed to memory; but the babel of voices during -the process is deafening, and the plan is not recommended for adoption -to our school boards, although the punishment of the paper-knife might -offer them a good model for imitation.</p> - -<p>One bright little Momien boy was a great favourite; he was the pet -son of the chief military officer, who brought him, as being deaf and -dumb, in order to see what could be done. As the child attempted to -imitate sounds, he was not deaf, and careful examination discovered -that he was tongue-tied. A successful operation removed the impediment, -much to the astonishment and delight of his father. The latter, whose -title was Tah-zung-gyee, was a fine young Panthay soldier, of rather -a jovial<span class="pagenum" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</span> temperament. He invited us to a grand feast at his house, -which was one of the few remaining uninjured within the walls. The -invitation was duly conveyed to each on a piece of pink paper; and -at the hour appointed—about 1 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>—a messenger arrived to -inform us that the feast was ready. The house was approached through an -outer court containing the stables. It formed a large square enclosing -a central court. The principal building, facing the entrance, was -raised on a terrace about four feet high, with a flight of steps at -either end, each leading into an open hall. From this two doors led -to the women’s apartments. The buildings on the other three sides -of the square suggested Swiss cottages by their deep eaves and the -large latticed windows of the second floor. A kitchen and store-rooms -occupied the ground floor, and on one side was a dovecot. The eaves of -the house were richly decorated with carvings representing landscapes -with running water, bridges, and trees. A court outside contained a -very choice garden filled with dwarf trees in vases; besides which, -there were tall crimson hollyhocks and passion flowers. Two small stone -tanks contained gold fish with remarkable doubly divided tails; and in -one corner there was a model roughly carved in stone of a hillside, -with caves and a pagoda. The walls of the rooms were decorated with -Chinese landscapes and pictures of birds, in sepia and colours, -which were mounted on rollers, like maps on a school-room wall. The -entertainment, as usual, commenced with tea and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</span> cakes, followed by -delicious nectarines and plums; after which came the more solid items -of the repast. A decoction of samshoo seasoned with aromatic herbs was -handed round like a loving-cup, our host first taking a vigorous pull, -and passing it round till the jug was emptied. The liquid was warm and -rather agreeable; but it fell to my lot to finish the contents, and, -much to my disgust, I observed unmistakable pieces of pork fat among -the herbs and spices. Our Mahommedan host not only drank samshoo, but -allowed his drink to be thus flavoured with pork! He was most genial, -and declared he would most willingly bestow his sisters on us as wives; -and, in token of friendship, presented each with a jade ring and -camellias. The women were curiously watching the strangers from the -curtained doors; and towards the close of the evening the host asked -for remedies for barrenness, with which some females of his household -were affected. After some hesitation, the three patients mustered -courage to show themselves, and were fine, young buxom women, with -dwarfed feet. Some disappointment was evidently experienced at the -refusal to prescribe for such patients as these.</p> - -<p>The jealous reserve of the Chinese ladies was always pleasantly -contrasted by the Shan manners, which united perfect modesty with -a frank and pleasant demeanour. Thus the tsawbwa-gadaw of Muangtee -visited us with her retinue of ladies. The old lady was splendidly -attired, her towering turban being ornamented in front with the Panthay -rosette of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</span> green, blue, and pink stones set in gold, and at the sides -with little silver triangles set with small enamelled flowers. Her -skirt was richly embroidered in silk and gold thread, and her light -blue silk jacket was trimmed with black satin, which contrasted well -with her massive gold bracelets. She wore amber and jade finger-rings, -and a handsome silver chatelaine and richly embroidered fan-case -hanging by her side. One of her maidens carried a small Chinese hookah, -and another her embossed silver boxes of betel-nut, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. She was greatly -pleased with a present of a handsome carpet, needles, scissors, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.; -and her maids were charmed with small circular mirrors, which they at -once fastened to their jackets as ornaments. These <em>keenzas</em>, as -they called them, were immensely prized; and a few days after, as I was -engaged in searching for land shells below the city wall, one of the -Shan ladies hailed me from the battlements. The owner of the pretty -face peering over the wall was evidently begging for something, which -at first I thought was cheroots, and bade her by signs lower down her -long head-dress, in the corner of which I tied a few cheroots, but -these proved unsatisfactory; and the word <em>keenza, keenza</em>, at -last made it plain that the young Shan lady wanted a mirror, and one -had to be brought and sent up to her; and her glee was most amusing -when she pulled up the cloth and found the keenza and a packet of -needles. Compared to the pretty faces and picturesque attire of these -Shan maidens, the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</span> dress and appearance of the Chinese women was very -miserable. All the women who appeared in the streets were ugly and -ill-clad, though the children had chubby, red cheeks. The majority -wore pork-pie hats. All except the slaves had their feet dwarfed, and -wore Dutch-like clogs in the rainy weather. The costume consisted of -trousers, drawn tight round the ankle, a long loose blue garment, and a -large blue double apron in front. Notwithstanding the dwarfed feet, the -women walked to market three or four miles, carrying heavy loads, and -seemed to think nothing of shouldering two buckets of water, slung to a -bamboo. Every day our khyoung was besieged by crowds of beggars of all -ages, from little ragged urchins to old men and women bent with age. -Their rags and filth defied description, and sordid poverty in various -degrees characterised all the wretched inhabitants of the ruined -suburbs that surrounded the almost empty city. It must seem wearisome -to harp upon the utter desolation and ruin that had resulted from the -long continuous warfare, and the reader may prefer to gather some -information as to the rebellious Mahommedan Chinese and their doings.</p> - - -<p class="footnote" id="fn26"><a href="#fna26">[26]</a> ‘Pioneer of Commerce,’ appendix v. pp. 464 and 466.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn27"><a href="#fna27">[27]</a> A <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tickal</em> is rather more than half an ounce troy.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn28"><a href="#fna28">[28]</a> ‘Pioneer of Commerce,’ <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 186.</p> - - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</span></p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.<br /> -<span class="small">THE MAHOMMEDANS OF YUNNAN.</span></h2></div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Their origin—Derivation of the term “Panthay”—Early -history—Increase in numbers—Adoption of children—The -Toonganees—Physical characteristics—Outbreak of the -revolt—Tali-fu—Progress of revolt—The French expedition—Overtures -from Low-quang-fang—Resources of the Panthays—Capture of -Yunnan-fu—Prospects of their success—Our position—The governor’s -presents—Preparations for return. -</div> - - -<p>The Mahommedans of Yunnan have a tradition of their origin, which is -curious, but mythical. The governor and the hadji at Momien stated, -in substance, that their forefathers came from Arabia to China one -thousand years ago, in the reign of the emperor Tung-huon-tsong, who -had sent his chief minister, Khazee, to Tseeyoog(?) to implore help -against the rebel Oung-loshan. Three thousand men were accordingly -sent, and the rebellion was crushed by their assistance. Their former -compatriots refused to receive them back, as having been defiled by a -residence among pork-eating infidels, so they settled in China, and -became the progenitors of the Chinese Mahommedans. This information -was furnished in the form of answer to questions put by me<span class="pagenum" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</span> carefully -written, and translated into Chinese, and Sladen also procured a -Chinese document, giving substantially the same account.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna29"><a href="#fn29">[29]</a></span> It will -be seen that the variations of this from the account furnished to -General Fytche are important;<span class="fnanchor" id="fna30"><a href="#fn30">[30]</a></span> but as the name of the emperor -Tung-huon-tsong differs but slightly from that of Hiun-tsong of the -Tung dynasty, against whom Ngan-Loshan<span class="fnanchor" id="fna31"><a href="#fn31">[31]</a></span> rebelled, it seems possible -to connect this account with Chinese history. His son Sutsung, -<span class="allsmcap">A.D.</span> 757, was rescued from his difficulties by the arrival -of an embassy from the khalif Abu Jafar al Mansur, the founder of -Bagdad, accompanied by auxiliary troops, who were joined by Ouigoors -and other forces from the West. It must be added that my informants, -while claiming Arab descent, stated clearly that their more immediate -ancestors had migrated from Shensi and Kansu to Yunnan about one -hundred and fifty years ago. History, however, shows the early growth -and rapid increase in China of a large Mahommedan population, whom the -Chinese term Hwait-ze; the name Panthay or Pansee being of Burmese -origin.</p> - -<p>As to the derivation of this term, several theories have been -suggested. Major Sladen gives Puthee as a Burmese term for Mahommedans -generally. Garnier says that the word Pha-si, which the Burmese have -corrupted into Pan-thé, according to Colonel Phayre, is the same as -Parsi or Farsi, which in India is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</span> applied to the Mahommedans, and that -this denomination is very ancient, as Colonel Yule pointed out that in -a description of the kingdom of Cambodia, translated by A. Remusat, a -religious sect is described, called Pâssi, who were distinguished by -wearing white or red turbans, and by refusing to drink intoxicating -liquors, or to eat in company with the other sects; but that -distinguished Chinese scholar, Sir T. Wade, derives the term Panthay -from a Chinese word Pun-tai, signifying the aboriginal or oldest -inhabitants of a country; and Garnier mentions that a people called -Penti are found on the eastern side of the Tali Lake, and in the plain -of Tang-tchouen, to the north of Tali. They are a mixed race, descended -from the first colonists sent into Yunnan by the Mongols, after the -conquest of the country by the generals of Kublai Khan.</p> - -<p><abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper tells us that the term Pa-chee, or white flag party, as -distinguished from the Hung-chee, or red flag, or imperialists, -was also used to designate the rebels in the north of Yunnan, and -Garnier frequently applies these terms to the contending parties. The -termination <em>-ze</em> in the name Hwait-ze, as in Mant-ze, Thibetans, -Miaout-ze, hill tribes, and Khwait-ze, foreigners, seems always to -imply political and tribal separation from Chinese proper. These -names occur in the curious prophecy of the Four -Ze Wars, quoted by -Cooper.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna32"><a href="#fn32">[32]</a></span></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</span></p> - -<p>From the account of China compiled in the middle of the ninth century -by Abu Zaid, from the reports of Arab traders, it is evident that his -countrymen had long resorted to China. Even then the Arab community -of Hang-chew-fu (Khanfu) was of great importance: it possessed -a separate judge, appointed by the emperor of China, and we are -told that the Mahommedan, Christian, Jewish, and Parsee population -massacred in <span class="allsmcap">A.D.</span> 878 numbered one hundred and twenty -thousand. Mahommedanism was little known among the Tartars before the -time of Chengis-khan, but his conquests were the means of bringing a -considerable population of Uigurs into Shensi and Kansu; and the faith -of the Prophet had spread amongst this tribe long before the Tartar -conquest of China.</p> - -<p>The vigorous trading and political intercourse subsisting between China -and their mother country kept alive the religious life and social -individuality of these immigrants. This large addition of population -to their co-religionists already derived from the contingents of the -khalifs, and the Arab traders, accounts for the number of Mahommedans -which Marco Polo noted during his residence in China (1271-1295). In -his description of the people on the western border of Shensi, where -the celebrated mart of Singui was situated, and his account of Singan, -and Carajan, a part of Yunnan, he describes the Mahommedans as forming -a considerable part of the foreign population.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</span></p> - -<p>How strong a position this sect had obtained under the reign of Kublai -appears from Marco Polo’s statement that the provincial governments -were entrusted to Tartars, Christians, and Mahommedans. The invasion -of Burma and the sieges of Singan and Fun-ching were entrusted to -Mahommedan generals. The story of Bailo Achmed, the great minister of -finance, is the most striking illustration of the Mahommedan influence, -although the discovery of his crimes brought the khan’s anger upon -the Saracens, and led to their being prohibited the practices as to -marriage and slaughter of animals, enjoined by their religion. This -check could only have been temporary, and as we find Mahommedans -filling high places of trust, both civil and military, it can be fairly -conjectured that after the conquest of Yunnan these enterprising -soldiers and traders established themselves in the colonies planted in -the new province.</p> - -<p>In the early part of the fourteenth century, Rashid-ood-deen, Vizier -of Persia, mentions Karajang or Yunnan province, and states that the -inhabitants were all Mahommedans. Ibn Batuta, who visited China in the -middle of the same century, found in every large town Mahommedans, -who were mostly rich merchants. In all the provinces there was a town -belonging to them, each of which usually possessed a mosque, market, -a cell for the poor, and a kadi and sheikh ul Islam, while in some -districts they were exceedingly numerous.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</span></p> - -<p>The Jesuit fathers, in the seventeenth century, make frequent mention -of the Chinese Mahommedans. Le Compte, writing to Cardinal de Bouillon -in 1680, says, “that they had been six hundred years in the country -undisturbed, because they quietly enjoyed their liberty without seeking -to propagate their religion, even by marriages, out of their own -kindred, even in places where they were most numerous, and longest -settled, as in the provinces north of the Hoang Ho, and in towns along -the canal, where they had built mosques, differing altogether from -Chinese architecture. They were regarded as foreigners, and frequently -insulted by the Chinese.”</p> - -<p>The oppression to which they were subjected after the second Tartar -conquest began to show itself as early as the beginning of the -eighteenth century, when their mosques were destroyed by the populace -of Hang-chow in Hu-quang province, notwithstanding the efforts of the -magistrates to protect them. At an earlier period, however, about -1651, they had been deprived by the Tartar emperor, Chunchi, of the -honours enjoyed by some of their number in connection with the Board -of Mathematics. This change of policy, thus begun, caused a rebellion, -which broke out in the reign of Kien-hung, 1765-71, on the western -frontier, and spread to the province of Kansu. The rebels resisted -the imperial forces with great valour, but were ultimately subdued. -The Abbé Grosier, writing subsequently to this event, says, “that for -some time past the Mahommedans<span class="pagenum" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</span> seem to have been more particularly -attentive to the care of extending their sect.”<span class="fnanchor" id="fna33"><a href="#fn33">[33]</a></span></p> - -<p>The method they resorted to was the free use of their wealth in -purchasing children to bring up as Mahommedans. During the terrible -famine which devastated the province of Quangtong in 1790, they -purchased ten thousand children from poor parents; these were educated, -and, when grown up, provided with wives and houses, whole villages -being formed of these converts. This system has been followed by them -to the present day, so that large numbers of the faithful are of -Chinese origin; and we found instances of it at Momien. According to -Garnier, the sultan of Tali was a Chinese orphan, adopted and educated -by a wealthy Mahommedan. Yunnan appears, from the <em>Pekin Gazette</em>, -to have been the scene of almost incessant insurrections from 1817 -to 1834, attributable, in all probability, to the Mahommedan element -in the population. During one rebellion, in 1828, the leader had an -imperial seal engraved, and issued manifestoes summoning the people -to join his standard. At the same time, the mixed populations of this -province appear to have been always distinguished by an independent and -insubordinate spirit, which often defied the central authority. Some -towns were even governed by elective municipal councils, only nominally -ruled by the mandarins.</p> - -<p>Grutzlaff mentions that during his residence in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</span> China, in 1825-1832, -they had several mosques in Chekiang, Pechili, Shensi, and Shansu; -but as they had occasionally joined the rebels of Turkistan, the -government viewed them with a jealous eye. Nevertheless, some of -their number filled offices of high trust. He also states that many -of them performed the pilgrimage to Mecca, and brought back Arabian -MSS. of the Koran, which a few could read imperfectly, that they -were by no means bigoted nor proselytising, and that they venerated -Confucius. These Mahommedans of Northern China and Turkistan include -the people called Toonganees, who are said to trace their origin to -a large body of Uigurs, who were transplanted to the vicinity of the -North Wall, under the rule of the Thang dynasty, between the seventh -and tenth centuries. These settlers were encouraged to intermarry -with the Chinese women, and after this, when, following the example -of their fellow tribesmen, they embraced Islam, they still retained -this practice, although careful to bring up all their children in the -Faith. Though a mixed race, they are distinguished from both Manchoos -and Chinese by their intelligent countenances and superior strength. -They have always evinced special aptitude for mercantile speculations, -like their southern brethren. They have also shown themselves to be -excellent warriors in the successful rebellion of Turkistan, and that -which broke out in 1861 in Kansu, and under Abdul Jaffier threatened to -be as successful as the revolt of Yunnan.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</span></p> - -<p>In the course of the present century, the Faithful appear to have -multiplied in Yunnan more rapidly than in the northern provinces. -Colonel Burney tells us that in 1831 almost the whole of the Chinese -traders who visited the Burmese capital were Mahommedans, except a few -who imported hams. Some of them could speak a little Arabic, and one -read to him passages from the Koran; but none of them could tell him -whence they derived their origin.</p> - -<p>As far as appearance goes, there are strong traces of descent from a -non-Chinese and, we may say, Turkish stock visible among the present -Mahommedans of Western China. Garnier remarks that “the Mussulmans of -Arab origin are tolerably numerous, and many are to be met with who -manifest very markedly the principal traits of Arabs, some preserving -the ancestral type in great purity. But the majority cannot be readily -distinguished from Chinese, except by their superior stature, greater -physical strength, and more energetic physiognomies. Although they only -contract matrimonial alliances with those of their own creed, they -commonly take Chinese women as concubines. Hence a large infusion of -Chinese blood, notwithstanding which they have preserved almost all the -warlike qualities of their ancestors.” <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper describes a merchant -who called upon him as “a splendid specimen of the Yunnan Mahommedan, -standing over six feet; his countenance was singularly haughty and -noble, and his manner peculiarly gentle and dignified.” His long<span class="pagenum" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</span> black -moustache and hair, hanging in a huge tail almost to the ground, are -also particularly noticed.</p> - -<p>The leading men met with by us at Momien were well-made, athletic, -and of a goodly height, the governor standing six feet three inches. -They were fair-skinned, with high cheek-bones, and slightly oblique -eyes, their cast of countenance being quite distinct from the Chinese. -In fact, the general type of face recalled that of the traders who -come down to Calcutta from Bokhara and Herat. They generally wore -moustaches, but depilated the rest of the face, while their long -hair was coiled in the folds of huge white turbans. The only other -distinctive article of dress was a bright orange-coloured waistband, -which usually supported a silver-mounted dagger. As a rule they -abstained from intoxicating drink, and smoking opium or tobacco; but -some were lax in these particulars. Our strict Mussulmans rather -despised them for laxity in worship as well, and the native doctor, -who was a fanatic, declared that they were not true believers at -all. On the whole, the conclusion which may be fairly arrived at as -to their origin is, that to the descendants of a possible Arab stock -have been added a considerable number of Turkish emigrants, who, in -truth, constitute the main origin of the Mahommedan population in -Yunnan. A number of Chinese proper have from time to time been added -to this community, which, in all places, seems to have included the -wealthiest and best class of the population. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</span> rebellion in Yunnan -seems to have been brought about solely by the oppression to which the -Mahommedans were subjected by the mandarins. Their proud independent -spirit would not brook the tyranny and extortion universally practised -by the official class, from which they were excluded. The mandarins, -according to their wont, secretly hounded the mob on to their rich -and respectable enemies, riots were provoked, and their mosques were -destroyed, as at Momien, where a handsome building, constructed after -plans brought home from Mecca, had existed before the war. Thus their -religious hatred was aroused, as the ruined temples and Buddhist -monasteries testified, and both interest and revenge for insults -to their religion led to a universal and well-planned rising. As -the insurrection which broke out in 1855 spread, the Chinese towns -and villages which resisted were pillaged, and the male population -massacred; while the women were spared to minister to the passions of -the undisciplined soldiery, and children were captured to be brought up -as Mussulmans; but all the places which yielded were spared.</p> - -<p>That the country suffered terribly in the struggle was proved to us -by the mute evidence of the deserted towns and villages, and from the -most southern border of the province to the farthest north we have the -reports of eye-witnesses of the fearful devastation. The contending -parties invoked the aid of the hill tribes, such as the Lolos, Lou-tse, -and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</span> Kakhyens, and these had to be rewarded for their services by -licensed pillage. Thus it happened that places on the debatable borders -were pillaged three times over, by the Red Flag, by the White Flag, and -by the marauders. In this way the towns of Sanda and Muangla had been -plundered by the Kakhyens after the Panthay invasion. The officers at -Momien told many stories of the conduct of their soldiers, which spoke -volumes of the misery brought on the peaceful inhabitants; but the -Chinese soldier is, by all accounts, as dangerous in peace to the towns -on which he is billeted as any enemy could be, and scenes of violence -and outrage accompany the march of the undisciplined ruffians under the -imperial banners wherever they go.</p> - -<p>The exact order of events which led to the establishment of the -Mahommedan kingdom is somewhat uncertain; we could not, for want -of interpreters, gain trustworthy information. In the account of -the French expedition,<span class="fnanchor" id="fna34"><a href="#fn34">[34]</a></span> M. Garnier refers the commencement of -the rebellion to an outbreak of the Mahommedans, the cause of which -is not stated, and describes them as having instigated a riot in -1856, and pillaged the city of Yunnan-fu. The imperial authorities -thereupon determined to rid themselves of these intractable subjects -by a general massacre, which was ordered to take place on a given -day. This commenced at Hoching, a town<span class="pagenum" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</span> between Li-kiang-fu and -Tali-fu, when upwards of a thousand Mahommedans were murdered; while -similar treacherous massacres followed in different places. A simple -bachelor or literatus of Moung-ho, named Tu-win-tsen or Dowinsheow, -a Chinese orphan who had been adopted by Mahommedans, rallied his -co-religionists. His followers at first numbered only forty, but their -ranks were speedily joined by fugitives from Hoching, Yung-pe, and -other places, till with six hundred men he attacked the ancient and -holy city of Tali-fu, which surrendered in 1857. Although Tali-fu is -a small town, the population of which did not at that time exceed -thirty-five thousand, the rich plain walled in by mountains, and -with a lake teeming with fish, stretching forty miles in length and -ten in breadth, maintained a population estimated before the war at -four hundred thousand. Garnier states that there were one hundred -and fifty villages, but the Old Resident numbers them at two hundred -and fifty-three. The mountains to the north and south close in upon -the lake, and the plain and city are accessible only by two strongly -fortified passes, Hiang-kwang and Hia-kwang, or, as the Burmese call -them, Shangwan and Shagwan. Thus Tali has been from the earliest -times a strong city; it was the capital of a kingdom at the invasion -of Kublai Khan, and is still regarded by the Thibetans, who make -pilgrimages to its vicinity, as the ancient home of their forefathers. -The Mahommedans made it their head-quarters, and it<span class="pagenum" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</span> seemed likely -again to become the capital of an independent kingdom. Their success -was facilitated by the jealousy which existed between the pure Chinese, -mainly descended from immigrants from Sz-chuen, and the Minkia and -Penti mixed races, descended from the early colonists planted by the -Mongols, and probably by the later Tartar dynasty in 1679. These -tribes, inhabiting the eastern plains of Tali and other adjacent -districts, were despised, as being sprung from intermarriage with the -Shan and barbarous races, by the Chinese, as the true Creoles looked -down upon any in whose veins ran negro blood.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna35"><a href="#fn35">[35]</a></span> Hence they stood -aloof in the struggle between the Chinese and the Mahommedans; the -latter even succeeded in occupying Yunnan-fu for a short time, but were -speedily expelled. A local revolt, however, was organised there by a -Mahommedan hadji of great repute, called Lao-papa, who assassinated -the viceroy Pang, and was proclaimed emperor or sultan, but enjoyed -his dignity a very short time. Another Mahommedan, named Ma-kien, who, -before the war, had been a seller of barley-sugar, but had become a -soldier, and took the imperialist side, subdued Lao-papa in 1861, -and established the authority of another Lao, who had been appointed -viceroy. Ma-kien was named <em>ti-tai</em>, or commander of the forces, -but an officer called Leang, in the south of the province, refused -to obey<span class="pagenum" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</span> his orders, and a little civil war ensued between their -respective partisans. The Mahommedans took advantage of this division -in the camp of the enemy to consolidate their power under their elected -chief, Tu-win-tsen, who was proclaimed sultan, or imam, in the year -1867. Momien had been captured three years before our visit, and the -Shan states on the Tapeng brought under the Mahommedan king, whose -authority extended over a considerable portion of the province. In -the beginning of 1868, the French found the government at Yunnan-fu -administered <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">ad interim</em> by a mandarin of the blue button, -named Song, the viceroy Lao having recently died, and his successor, -though appointed, not having ventured to assume the perilous post. -The office of commander-in-chief was filled by Ma-kien, supported by -a staff of Mahommedan officers, whose costume and physiognomy marked -them as different from the Chinese. Lao-papa also resided in Yunnan, -invested with rank and honours, as the religious head of all the -Mahommedans.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna36"><a href="#fn36">[36]</a></span> It does not appear how this could be reconciled with -the religious authority of Sultan Suleiman, and it is plain that the -Mahommedans were themselves divided into two parties.</p> - -<p>It is interesting to compare this account with that derived by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> -Cooper from information furnished him in the north of the province as -to the rebellious attitude assumed by the imperial viceroy,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</span> himself a -Mahommedan proselyte, who had actually concluded a treaty of partition -with the sultan of Tali, and corrupted the imperial troops sent to -quell the revolt with funds furnished by the sultan. We do not, -however, possess such information as will enable us to reconcile the -two accounts which present so many points of agreement and difference. -By a curious coincidence, that most enterprising traveller, having been -turned back by the impossibility of penetrating to Tali, was detained -at Weisee-fu, one hundred and twenty miles distant, at the very time -of our stay at Momien. The utter want of communication kept us in -perfect ignorance of his being comparatively so near at hand, and he -was equally unaware of our presence in Western Yunnan. Our information -as to the passage of the French mission was, if anything, worse, as -an obstructive falsehood is perhaps more aggravating than complete -ignorance. During the first week of July the governor communicated -the information that some six or eight months previously the French -expedition had come into collision with hostile tribes in the vicinity -of Kiang-hung, and had suffered severe losses; some of their number had -perished, and the remainder had arrived in a state of exhaustion and -want at a place called Thela, where they had been kindly received. This -information he declared to be authentic, and furnished by a relative -of his own, resident at Thela, who had purchased some of the arms and -other property taken from the French. As at that time the last news<span class="pagenum" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</span> -received some time before our departure from Burma had stated the -party to be at Kiang-tong or Xiang-tong, a Laotian state tributary to -Burma, we could not help fearing that some disaster must have befallen -them. The statement may have been a distorted account of the detention -experienced by the French before reaching Kiang-hung, and the fact -that they were obliged to reduce their baggage, some of the articles -referred to as proof positive by the Panthays having perhaps come -from the superfluous stores, given or bartered away to the Laotians. -It does, as M. Gamier remarks, appear improbable that the governor, -who was a trusted officer of the sultan, should have received no -information as to the visit to Tali-fu of the party in the month of -March preceding.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna37"><a href="#fn37">[37]</a></span> On the other hand, it is difficult to imagine any -reason for his suppression of his knowledge of it, unless he feared -that we should be thereby inclined to mistrust the letters from the -sultan. As regards Garnier’s theory that the apparent welcome given -to us was intended to do away with any unfavourable impression which -might have been produced in the minds of foreigners by the sultan’s -refusal to see the French party, and ordering their instant departure, -it is much more probable that the French were regarded with strong -suspicion, and taken for spies. The fact that they had travelled under -Pekin passports, and had been guests of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</span> viceroy <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">ad interim</em> -at Yunnan-fu, was not in their favour; but worse than that was their -connection with the French missionaries, who were everywhere most -hostile to the Mahommedan cause. One of their number had been engaged -in the sacerdotal task of manufacturing gunpowder for the viceroy, and -had been blown up by his own petard; others had forwarded a memorial by -the medium of the French minister to the emperor in favour of Ma-kien, -as the only man capable of saving the province from the rebels. An -imperial reply to this, promising to aid him with troops and supplies, -was received before Garnier left Yunnan. It is more than probable that -this was known to the authorities at Tali, and, even independently of -the circumstance narrated by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper, would have operated against a -cordial reception of the French visitors.</p> - -<p>At our first entrance into the country, without any passports whatever, -we, as commercial explorers, had appealed to the existing authorities, -and had refused to advance until their safe-conduct had been received. -Our neutrality between the two contending parties had been most -carefully sifted by letters and envoys before we were made welcome at -Momien, and little more than a week after our arrival it was tested, -if not by the contrivance, certainly with the knowledge, of the -governor. One evening Moung Shuay Yah, in a mysterious manner, made -known the presence of an important visitor, namely, an officer sent -by Low-quang-fang, the officer who, in conjunction with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</span> Li-sieh-tai, -supported the imperial cause. He had brought a pony as a gift, and -desired to make our friendship, and provide us with a safe escort -on the return route, always provided we were unaccompanied by the -Panthays. Our leader declined an interview, and refused the pony, -stating that we were guests of the governor, and as such could not -confer with his enemies, except with his consent. We soon learned -that the governor was aware of the mission of this envoy, and that in -course of time a treaty was signed by which Low-quang-fang undertook -not to attack the Panthay possessions, or molest us on our return, -and was to be left undisturbed in the possession of a small customs -post; whether this was a ruse on the part of the Chinese partisans to -win our support, or of the Panthays to sound our real opinions, it is -impossible to say. At all events, it confirmed the conviction of the -governor in our good faith. The terms of the agreement, if true, were -another proof of the anxiety of the Panthays to re-open the western -trade routes, to which we doubtless mainly owed our friendly reception.</p> - -<p>Gamier remarks that they had all along found it essential to keep open -the trade with Sz-chuen, and <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper found Mahommedan merchants -unmolested in Chinese Yunnan. The king of Burma, not only as an ally, -but as a tributary of China, could not recognise the rebel sultan, nor -enter into political or commercial relations with him. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</span> sultan, who -had visited Rangoon and Calcutta as a pilgrim to Mecca, may well have -been disposed to court the favour of those Feringhees whose power and -wealth he had witnessed in the City of Palaces. It is possible that -the hospitable governor of Momien was only amusing his guests with -complimentary mockeries, and that there was no intention of suffering -us to proceed to Tali, and see the real state of things in the -interior, the desolation of the province, and the scanty forces at the -disposal of the new power. Subsequent events have shown the instability -of the Panthay kingdom as soon as a regular and determined attack -was made on it by the imperial government; but as regards their then -condition, with the utmost respect for the memory of that distinguished -explorer, Lieutenant Gamier, it is impossible to overlook the fact that -he was strongly prejudiced against the Panthays, by their treatment -of him, as well as by the French missionaries, one of whom speaks of -the “detested yoke of the Mahommedans.” Garnier even attributes the -closing of the western traffic to the robberies of the Kakhyens and -the arbitrary oppression of the Panthays; who were, as our observation -showed, doing all they could to encourage the Burmese and Shans to -carry on the former traffic. It is possible that we were prejudiced by -kindness, and misled by outward appearances of strength; but whatever -the cause of the origin and progress of this rebellion, it is certain -that from the outset the rebels met with little direct resistance -from<span class="pagenum" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</span> the imperial authorities, and the officials, with their few -adherents, were gradually driven from the fertile valleys of Western -Yunnan to more inaccessible fastnesses; thence they still maintained a -guerilla warfare, neither side ever bringing anything like a large or -well-appointed army into the field. The imperialist commanders, such -as Li-sieh-tai and Low-quang-fang, who were designated robber chiefs -by the Panthays, although really officials of the Pekin government, -could only harass their enemies by desultory attacks. Their followers, -if captured, were speedily tried and executed as robbers. We witnessed -more than sixteen executions of these poor wretches. The criminal was -led to the outskirts of the bazaar by a small escort, with music and -banners flying, and, with his hands tied behind his back, was made to -kneel by the side of the road. The executioner chopped off the head -usually at one blow; the body was buried on the spot, and the ghastly -head hung up by the gate of the town.</p> - -<p>The superior prowess of the Panthays and the unanimity of their -councils, directed by the sultan of Tali-fu, were apparently carrying -all before them. During our stay at Momien, news was brought, -apparently authentic, of the capture by his army of the great city -of Yunnan-fu. The condition of Central Yunnan may be imagined from -the statements made in the proclamation announcing the fall of the -capital. In it are enumerated forty towns and one hundred villages as -having been taken and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</span> destroyed, and upwards of three hundred persons -being burned to death; while the losses of the Chinese, in various -fights, amounted to over twenty thousand men. The communications were, -however, interrupted by constant fighting on the road between Momien -and Yung-chang, two out of three messengers, with despatches from Tali, -being killed, while the Mahommedan convoys of specie, and presents sent -from the sultan to us, were stopped at Sheedin, near Yung-chang. During -our stay, a force of some hundreds of so-called soldiers, commanded -by our friend, the chief military officer, or <em>tah-zung-gyee</em>, -marched to repel an attack on the town and mines of Khyto; and as -proofs of a victory gained by them within a few days, two hundred ears -were sent into Momien, while they owned to a loss of forty men.</p> - -<p>Although the Panthays were merciless in warfare—only those inhabitants -of the towns and villages who at once tendered their submission -being spared—they were desirous of establishing a firm and orderly -government: in all cases their officers protected the passage of -merchants, and dealt much more justly by them than the mandarins had -been accustomed to do; this was admitted by the Chinese and Shans, who, -though outwardly submissive, were at heart thoroughly opposed to the -new <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">régime</em>. Similar testimony is borne by the two travellers -already quoted, as regards the caravans trading with Sz-chuen and -Thibet. It seemed at this period almost certain that Yunnan would -become an independent<span class="pagenum" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</span> kingdom, if indeed Sz-chuen and the northern -provinces were not also formed into a great Mahommedan empire, and the -same idea is recorded by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper, as having been the result of his -observations of the state of the country to the north.</p> - -<p>For us, however, to attempt to advance was impossible; even if progress -had been safe, it would have been impolitic. Whether our presence at -Momien was an infraction of the Chinese treaty or no, it was made -necessary if any information as to the real state of the country was to -be obtained, and this had been the principal object of the expedition -set forth in the instructions.</p> - -<p>The reader is earnestly requested to bear in mind that politically, -socially, and almost geographically, this border land of China had -been almost a <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">terra incognita</em> before our arrival at Momien. -We realised the fact that we were in China indeed, but in a province -which the rebellion had almost converted into an independent kingdom; -and from which it seemed almost certain that the lingering remains of -obedience to the emperor at Pekin would be soon thoroughly erased. -Our leader was, therefore, very soon desirous of effecting a return, -but the governor, on various pretexts of securing our safety and -communicating with Tali, postponed our departure; and this although he -insisted on supplying the whole party with all necessaries during the -whole time of our stay. The kindly Tah-sakon was really busy preparing -as good<span class="pagenum" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</span> a display of presents to his English friends as he could. -As <em xml:lang="es" lang="es">de facto</em> ruler of the country, we arranged with him the -duties which should be levied on future caravans, and received letters -expressive of the desire of the Panthay sultan’s government to enter -into friendly relations with our government, and to foster mutual -trade. The governor asked for and obtained two seals, wherewith to -authenticate his future letters, and gave in exchange an official seal -and a vase of red ink, the use of which would, he said, ensure the safe -delivery of any letters forwarded to him.</p> - -<p>Our farewell visits were exchanged on the 11th of July, and the -good-natured governor, who was most sincerely sorry to part with his -guests, brought his presents. These consisted of seventy white jackets -and bamboo hats for our men, a mandarin’s full dress suit, figured -silk jackets, three fine straw hats covered with oilcloth for our -wear in the rain, silver-mounted daggers and spears, a gold and jade -chatelaine, and amber rosaries. The mandarin’s suit was his own, and he -had previously insisted on taking off the rings from his fingers, and -placing them in the same order on the fingers of his “English friend,” -whom he begged always to wear them for his sake.</p> - -<p>Our departure was fixed for the 12th of July, the last advice of the -governor being that we should not loiter <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em>, and only pass -one night at each stage. A body of troops were to precede and another -to follow in our rear; as a further precaution it had been decided not -to employ mules but coolies to carry<span class="pagenum" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</span> the baggage, as the engagement of -mules would have given some days’ warning to the hostile Chinese; for -the same reason the porters had not been engaged till the last—so that -our anticipated start was delayed by the insufficiency of porters, and -the need of cutting up old rafters to make poles for the few who did -appear. The governor was very wroth with his officers, and one of them, -an old Chinese, not a Panthay, pleaded in excuse that we were carrying -away a number of boxes filled with mud, and worthless weeds and -skins—the pursuit of natural history was by no means appreciated by -the people, except by the Kakhyens, who were ready enough to bring any -sort of animal or reptile they could catch. The same Chinese official -tried to represent that we were carrying back a number of boxes of -powder. As his object was evidently to make delays and mischief, other -officials were appointed to superintend our departure, and Sladen -thought it right to remove any possible ill-feeling from the kindly -governor’s mind by showing him that the stock of ammunition was only as -much as was needful for the escort; and we parted on the best terms.</p> - - -<p class="footnote" id="fn29"><a href="#fna29">[29]</a> Vide Appendix II.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn30"><a href="#fna30">[30]</a> ‘As. Soc. Proceedings,’ 1867, <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 176.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn31"><a href="#fna31">[31]</a> Du Halde, i. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 199.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn32"><a href="#fna32">[32]</a> ‘Pioneer of Commerce,’ <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 352.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn33"><a href="#fna33">[33]</a> Grosier’s ‘China,’ <abbr title="volume">vol.</abbr> iv. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 270.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn34"><a href="#fna34">[34]</a> ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 455, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn35"><a href="#fna35">[35]</a> ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 518.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn36"><a href="#fna36">[36]</a> ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 455.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn37"><a href="#fna37">[37]</a> ‘Voyage d’Exploration,’ tome i. <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 514, note.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.<br /> -<span class="small">THE SANDA VALLEY.</span></h2> -</div> - - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Departure from Momien—Robbers surprised—At Nantin—Our ponies -stolen—We slide to Muangla—A pleasant meeting—The Tapeng -ferrymen—A valley landscape—Negotiations at Sanda—The Leesaws—A -Shan cottage—Buddhist khyoungs—For fear of the nats—The -limestone hill—Hot springs of Sanda—The footprint of Buddha—A -priestly thief—The excommunication—The chief’s farewell—Floods -and landslips—Manwyne priests—A Shan dinner party—The -nunnery—Departure from Manwyne—The Slough of Despond. -</div> - - -<p>At the last our departure from Momien seemed doubtful, owing to the -difficulty of finding porters, and men were forcibly impressed into -the service. Any demur as to a particular box or complaint of the -weight of their loads was silenced by a torrent of abuse from the -Panthays, who, to these persuasives, sometimes added severe blows. -About 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> on July 13th we started, waving our adieus to the -governor, who had come out on the town wall to bid us farewell. The -guard gave him a feeble cheer in Hindustani, which they again repeated -as we marched out of the bazaar gate and set our faces westwards. Two -Panthay officers, who had been our constant visitors, accompanied us -for nearly a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</span> mile, and at parting they burst into tears. After we had -gone a long way, and turned back to take a last look at Momien, we saw -the two figures, standing on the same spot, gazing wistfully after us.</p> - -<p>In a short time it began to rain in torrents, and the roads became very -slippery, especially for men carrying heavy loads, so that we soon went -ahead of the porters. At the descent into the Nantin valley, the road -was as if it had been well oiled. Ponies and pedestrians slid down the -steep hill-path in wild confusion, many of the party coming to serious -grief. A little Chinese girl, who had been presented to the jemadar -and his wife, as a return for his exertions in the mosque services, -accompanied us, tied in a small bamboo chair on a pony. As the beast -was quite at liberty to choose his own course, the terror and screams -of the small neophyte were most piteous. At the scene of the attack -made on the upward journey—marked still by some of our empty boxes—we -passed the bodies of two men who had been recently killed and cast on -the roadside. Halting at the hot spring to wait for the porters, we -learned that these were the corpses of Chinese robbers, who had been -caught, by the Panthay vanguard, crouching in the jungle with long -spears, ready to stick the first mule passing, and had been summarily -disposed of by them. Near Nantin all were requested to wait and allow -the rear-guard to close up, as we were about to pass a favourite -lurking-place for robbers.</p> - -<p>We formed a long line, with Panthay soldiers before<span class="pagenum" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</span> and behind, -and, with gongs beating ahead, marched unscathed into Nantin, which -was reached by six o’clock. Our former residence, the khyoung, was -found to be already tenanted by a Panthay guard and a Kakhyen tsawbwa -groaning with fever. A dose of sulphate of magnesia, followed up -with quinine, secured to him sleep and to ourselves quiet, as far as -he was concerned; but we were kept on the look-out, as the baggage -arrived in detachments, much of it, including bedding, not turning up -till the next day, and some articles, such as a portable bedstead, -and a magazine box, not appearing at all. The governor came to greet -us in the evening, attended by a guard, one of whom carried a huge -gauze lantern swung from a tripod. He was full of regrets that he had -not been apprised of our coming, so as to have prepared comfortable -quarters, and met us on the way. The Hotha tsawbwa did not appear, -according to his promise, and was reported to be still in his own -valley, and his absence prevented us from adopting the embassy route -across Shuemuelong into Hotha valley. As it afterwards appeared that -the irrepressible Li-sieh-tai and his troops had taken up their -quarters in a strong post on the Shuemuelong mountain, it was just as -well that this route was not attempted. We found ourselves accordingly -obliged to retrace the former road to Muangla, Sanda, and Manwyne.</p> - -<p>The pleasing news reached us that a party of one hundred Burmese had -arrived in Muangla, sent<span class="pagenum" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</span> from Bhamô in charge of a remittance of -five thousand rupees, and to escort us back to that place; so that, -notwithstanding all the discomforts of our quarters, all turned in well -pleased and prepared to make an early start for Muangla.</p> - -<p>Our morning slumbers were rudely broken by one of the police, who -reported concisely, “Of the three ponies, not one is left.” During the -night thieves had made a hole in the wall of the courtyard just large -enough to admit the passage of a pony, and through this the animals -had been carried off unperceived by the sentries posted within twenty -yards. Examination showed that the animals had been supplied with -corn, and a trail of grain led to another opening in the town wall. On -the previous visit we had been cautioned to watch carefully against -any attempt to steal the ponies; but the warning had unfortunately -been forgotten. A robbery had been attempted in the same way when the -tah-sa-kon was residing in the khyoung. The thieves purloined a gun -and sword, but an alarm was raised, and the latter was dropped in -their flight. We borrowed ponies to carry us to Muangla, and started -at half past ten. As before, considerable difficulty was caused by -the absence of porters, nearly all the coolies from Momien having run -away. Mules had to be found to supply their place, and the proverbial -character of these beasts was fully verified by those of Nantin, which -for an hour stubbornly refused to be loaded. During this interlude the -Panthays were doing their best to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</span> impress men for the lighter loads. -The recusants were dragged up by soldiers with drawn swords, and each, -when loaded, was followed by a spearman, ready to egg him on with his -spear if he attempted to lag behind. As we passed through Muangtee, the -townspeople had all turned out, and our old friend, the tsawbwa-gadaw, -and her retainers, male and female, stood outside her haw, and waved -salutes and adieus. Outside the town a strong Shan guard of honour was -drawn up, and escorted us to the chain bridge across the Tahô, three -miles from the town.</p> - -<p>During the rains the river is unfordable, and the road follows the -left bank along the embankments of the paddy fields as far as the -bridge. From the right bank the ascent to the lofty Mawphoo glen -proved most arduous, the road being so slippery that men and beasts -were continually falling, and many of the pedestrians were severely -bruised. It rained incessantly, and it was a great relief to all when -Mawphoo was reached, and an hour’s rest was enjoyed previous to the -descent into the head of the Muangla valley. The road first led down -a declivity, where the only mode of progress for the ponies was by -sliding; and then followed a series of zigzags, some of them over -frightful precipices, where a slip of the pony’s foot would be certain -destruction. At this season the Tahô issues as a tremendous torrent -from the deep gorge in the Mawphoo hills, and the distant Tapeng -appeared almost as large as the Irawady in dry weather. We reached -Muangla at dusk, and were<span class="pagenum" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</span> astonished, on entering the town, to meet -an Englishman, accompanied by some Shans. He rushed up to our leader, -and introduced himself as <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Gordon, a civil engineer from Prome, who -had been sent by the Chief Commissioner with additional funds, and -to fill the post of engineer to the expedition. He had received his -instructions by telegraph on May 9th, to follow the party as quickly as -possible, and had obeyed them with laudable energy. He had travelled -from Bhamô with a guard of fifty Burmans, and found no difficulty <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en -route</em>. At Manwyne he had met with the Hotha tsawbwa, who wished -him to remain for a day or two; but pushing on, and passing Sanda -without halting, he had reached Muangla the day of our arrival. The -guard of one hundred Burmese which had been despatched in charge of the -first supply of rupees had arrived there ten days previously; but the -tsare-daw-gyee in charge had been afraid to advance further.</p> - -<p>From this place our Panthay guards were to return, and the Burmese -officer expected that his escort would take their place. He seemed -indeed most eager to be of service, and was much chagrined when he -learned our leader’s intention of exploring the route on the southern -banks of the Tapeng. It was a most pleasant surprise to meet <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> -Gordon, whose goodwill and energy were inexhaustible. The supply of -funds also came just in time to enable us to make complete collections -of Shan products, and it also marvellously smoothed the difficulties of -the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</span> return journey. So we set out from Muangla in excellent spirits, -notwithstanding the incessant rain. Messages had come, from parties -unknown, offering to restore the stolen ponies for three hundred and -twenty rupees, but as the local authorities did not seem inclined to -move in the matter, the thieves were left in possession of their booty. -Our Mahommedan escort bade us farewell with evident reluctance, and one -officer expressed a strong desire to accompany us to Rangoon, saying -that if he was once there, he would never return to Yunnan.</p> - -<p>On July 20th we started for Sanda, the usual difficulty as to porters -having compelled me to leave behind the collecting boxes for specimens, -with two of my collectors in charge, until carriage could be procured. -We crossed the Tapeng above its junction with the Tahô in ferry-boats, -the boatmen at first refusing to convey us unless paid five thousand -cash beforehand. This attempt at extortion was resisted, and the -dispute was ended by our taking forcible possession of the boats, when -the boatmen at once gave in, and worked with perfect goodwill and -activity till all the party were safely over. We then set out in a body -for Sanda, the road at first leading along the top of some old river -terraces deeply channelled by mountain streams, which were crossed by -two narrow planks laid side by side. Our ponies, however, crossed them -with ease, except the one which Gordon had brought from the plains, and -which was unused to such acrobatic exploits; so it<span class="pagenum" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</span> grew nervous on -a bridge over which it was being led, and disappeared head-over-heels -in the deep gully beneath. Wonderful to relate, the animal broke no -limbs, and shortly reappeared a little further down, trembling, but -unhurt, on the river terrace below. Two miles beyond the place where -the Tapeng had been forded on the upward journey we descended towards -the level centre of the valley, at this season under water, the road -being carried along a substantial embankment built to keep back the -floods. The whole extent of the valley was clothed in exquisitely fresh -verdure, in beautiful contrast to the dark mountains which towered like -a protecting wall on either side, while alternate cloud and sunshine -fully displayed the beauty of the landscape. Now deep shadows of giant -clouds flitted down the mountains and over the sunny plains, while -occasional fleecy mists wrapt the highest peaks, and again black storms -obscured the hills as with a curtain,</p> - -<p> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">“Lashed at the base with slanting storm,”</span><br /> -</p> - -<p class="p0">the rest of the valley basking in the sunlight. Near Sanda a stream -had to be crossed so swollen that the ponies could scarcely stem the -current, which was over the saddles. By 6 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> we were safely -housed in our old quarters at Sanda, and the tsawbwa’s headman speedily -arrived with a supply of fowls, rice, and firewood sufficient for all -our wants.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img016"> - <img src="images/016.jpg" class="w75" alt="VALLEY OF SANDA, LOOKING WESTWARD FROM THE HILL BEHIND THE TOWN" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">VALLEY OF SANDA, LOOKING WESTWARD FROM THE HILL BEHIND THE TOWN.</p> - - -<p>On awaking in the morning, we made the unpleasant<span class="pagenum" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</span> discovery that two -packages had been stolen from our bedsides. One was only a fishing-rod -and bamboo pipe and stems, but the other contained the solid silver -pipe-stem given by the tsawbwa to Sladen, and some other presents. -The theft was duly reported to the tsawbwa, who at once offered two -hundred rupees’ reward for the recovery of the stolen articles. During -the day, many people crowded the khyoung, having clothes and ornaments -to sell. The priests were much scandalised to see women’s clothes sold -and exhibited in the sacred precincts, and at last procured an order -from the tsawbwa, forbidding the women to come for the purpose of such -traffic.</p> - -<p>We remained at Sanda till July 8th, being detained partly by the rain, -and partly by negotiations with the people of the Muangla district, -lying on the other side of the Tapeng, relative to our homeward route. -The chief persons, a village headman named Kingain, and the poogain -of Manhleo, a place opposite to Manwyne, through whose jurisdiction -the route lay, had both been hostile to us on the upward journey. The -Hotha tsawbwa himself proved to have had some dispute with the Sanda -people, which prevented his coming to meet us, while the Sanda headmen -were averse to our crossing over to Hotha, for fear any future trade -should be diverted from their town. In the course of the negotiations, -two Shan headmen of villages informed Sladen that they could conduct us -safely by a good and easy hill road to the Molay<span class="pagenum" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</span> river, which could -be reached in two days, at a point whence it was navigable during the -floods, for large salt boats, down to the Irawady.</p> - -<p>The skilful patience of our leader was at last rewarded by converting -Kingain and the Manhleo poogain into firm friends, and it was settled -that we should proceed to Manwyne, and cross the river at that place, -whence they would secure our safety. The son of the poogain arrived to -act as our conductor, and a letter was received from the Hotha tsawbwa, -promising to meet us at Manwyne.</p> - -<p>During our stay we had unrestricted opportunities of viewing Shan -manners. Every fifth day the regular market was held, and the broad -street was crowded by the country folk. Stalls lined both sides of the -roadway, which seemed paved with umbrella-like straw hats. Besides -Kakhyens from the hills, Leesaws were numerous, bringing oil, bamboos, -and firewood for sale. Both men and women shave a circle round the -head, leaving only a large patch on the upper and back parts, from -which the hair is gathered into a short pigtail. Both sexes dress so -much alike that the boys and girls were almost indistinguishable from -each other. Some of them were induced to pay us a visit, and give words -and phrases of their language, which seemed to be quite distinct from -the Kakhyen tongue, and somewhat akin to the Burmese.</p> - -<p>Seeing our interest in these people, a respectable old Shan, who had -already done some trade with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</span> us, invited us to his house, where he -professed to have some Leesaw clothing to dispose of. It turned out -that he proposed to pass off his own old clothes on the gullible -strangers; so our visit became one of politeness only. We were duly -seated, and his daughters served us with sliced mangoes and plums, -which were eaten with salt. Our host’s two wives were present, and -other matrons flocked in from the neighbouring cottages, their hands -blue with indigo. We asked if it was usual for Shans to have more than -one wife, and were told that it was not, but that every man pleased -himself. We also learned that the usual age for marriage is between -eighteen and twenty, and the consent of the parents alone is required -to make the contract binding, as there is no religious ceremony, and -the priests have no voice whatever in the matter.</p> - -<p>The house, like all the Shan cottages, was enclosed in a courtyard, and -consisted of three rooms—a central living-room, with a sleeping-room -on either side. Against the wall of the “keeping-room,” facing the -door, stood the family altar, a small table having on it an incense -vase and an ancestral tablet. A broad verandah ran along the front of -the cottage, at one end of which stood a large indigo vat, hollowed -out of a solid block. From this house we visited the Shan and Chinese -khyoungs. Both were plain bamboo structures, built on the sites of -the former buildings, described as having been rich and splendid -structures, destroyed by the Panthays some<span class="pagenum" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</span> years previously. The Shan -temple contained only one figure of Gaudama, and as the phoongyees were -seated at their rice, round a small bamboo table, we went on to that of -the Chinese, next door. Here there was one principal Buddha, clothed in -a yellow robe, and crowned with a nimbus resembling ostrich plumes. On -the altar were a few small Buddhas freshly gilded, and a number of old -pictures. On a small table was a wooden fish, such as was of frequent -occurrence in the Momien khyoungs. Tradition says that in one of his -former existences Gaudama was shipwrecked, but brought to land by a -large fish, which he afterwards fed during its life. A strange mixture -of Arion and Jonah pervades this legend; but the fish is probably a -mystic legacy from the more ancient religions to which Kwan-yin and -other deities belong. The chief phoongyee was very courteous, and had -seats brought covered with red rugs, while his waiting-man served -the guests with tea and fruit. He exhibited a number of pictures -representing the judgment and punishment of sinners. One figure, -evidently the judge, was seated at a table, with a book before him, -and pens and ink-horn at his side, while two figures stood on either -hand—one a hideous-looking monster, the other of more human and gentle -aspect. The latter was the good, the former the bad recording angel. -In front of the judge, the pious and wicked were depicted, in fleshly -forms, departing to their several destinations. Of the latter, some -were being dragged<span class="pagenum" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</span> away by devils; while others in the foreground were -being subjected to torments appropriate to their failings in life. The -possessor of a false tongue was having it torn out by the roots, while -the slayer of animals was being hacked in two, with his head downwards -and his legs wide apart.</p> - -<p>There was a grotesque humour about these horrible pictures, which made -even the priest smile, as he exhibited and described them; but he waxed -very grave as he told of the former splendour of the ruined religious -edifices of Sanda.</p> - -<p>There was little to be done in the way of collecting zoological -specimens, and nothing in the way of sport. A thick grove of fir-trees, -marking the burial-place of the tsawbwa’s family, was the only covert, -but firing there was looked upon as certain to bring disease and death -upon the chief and his household. After one attempt, a formal request -was made that we would not shoot on the hills behind the town. A nat -is said to dwell in a cutting, which marks the entrenchments made by -the Chinese army in 1767, and the Shans believe that if a gun were -fired, the insulted demon would come down as a tiger and carry off -children. The chief himself came one day complaining of cough and -headache, and asking for medicine to dislodge the nat who had seized -him, but sulphate of magnesia proved too much for the demon. A Burman -assistant surveyor, who had been sent to make a survey of the river, -was prevented by the villagers, who pleaded a dread of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</span> nats’ -anger, and the tsawbwa, when appealed to, not only supported this view, -but privately asked the interpreter if we had not a secret object in -examining the country, and did not mean to return next year with a -strong force to take possession. We were perfectly free to stroll about -the environs, and one of the chief men undertook to guide us to visit -the hill whence the lime sold in the market was procured. The road lay -along the paddy fields, and was either knee-deep in mud or up to the -saddle-girths in water. We crossed the Nam-Sanda, a deep strong stream -flowing from the north through a short narrow glen, on the other side -of which the limestone hill rose in a gentle declivity. As we rode -through the fields of cotton, now in flower, and kept so clean that -not a weed was visible, Shan girls, dressed in dark blue, with short -trousers and petticoats with little aprons over them, looked up from -their field-work with mute astonishment depicted on their round chubby -faces. About four hundred feet up the grassy hill, on which not a tree -was to be seen, the bluish-grey masses of hard crystalline limestone -occur, lying in irregular heaps overgrown with long grass, as they have -fallen down from the rocky heights above. Some superstitious ideas are -attached to the occurrence of the limestone in this place, and it was -shown to us as a supernatural curiosity. The masses are dug out of the -ground, and carried to the villages, where they are calcined, grass -being used as fuel in preference to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</span> wood. An old kiln was shown us, -which had been formerly erected by some Chinese lime-burners, who had -come from Tali-fu. On our return, the tsawbwa was anxious to know if -the hill contained silver, the Shans having the impression that our -field-glasses enable us to see into the very heart of the mountains -and detect the precious metals therein concealed. In the bed of a -small stream running down the little valley, the hot springs occur, -consisting of two separate groups, separated by about a quarter of -a mile. In the most easterly, we found only one spring, in a basin -about six inches deep and a yard in diameter; the water bubbles up -through a gravelly bottom, over which a fine black micaceous mud has -been deposited. We found the temperature to be 204°, two degrees below -the boiling-point of Sanda, <abbr title="videlicet">viz.</abbr> 206°; but in the cold weather, when -undisturbed by floods, the temperature is higher. As a proof of this, -we saw the feathers of fowls and hair of kids, which had been cooked -in the spring, lying all about the banks of the rivulet. The natives -deepen the basin by piling stones round its margin, and use the spring -as a medicinal bath, and sometimes drink the waters. The other group -had five openings, through which the water bubbled up in the bed of -the stream, which had been diverted to expose them. All the basins -but one had been obliterated by the floods, and the temperature of -the water much reduced; but by inserting the bulb into the holes, the -temperature was found to be the same as that of the first spring. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</span> -atmosphere round the springs was sensibly warm, and the ground so hot -in some places that our barefooted companions could not stand on it. -A peculiar heavy smell was perceptible, which was also perceived, -after boiling, in the water brought away by us. This is probably due -to the presence of some empyreumatic matter.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna38"><a href="#fn38">[38]</a></span> Our guide informed -us with a serious face that hell was in the immediate vicinity, and -that when Gaudama walked over this spot, the flames burst forth, and -endeavoured to devour him, but the springs issued forth and quenched -them, becoming heated in the contest. He also told us that a footprint -of Gaudama was visible close at hand, in a romantic glen, down which -flowed a mountain torrent called the Chalktaw. The stream was crossed -by a double-spanned bamboo bridge, supported in the middle of the -stream by a large boulder, and hung at either end to two bamboos -driven into the ground, so that the bridge is partly arched and partly -suspended. Many Kakhyen and Leesaw men and women were coming down the -hill on their way to Sanda market, bringing great loads of vegetables, -firewood, and planks of wood three<span class="pagenum" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</span> feet long, fifteen inches broad, -and one inch and a half thick. A basket of vegetables and a plank so -heavy that one of us could scarcely lift it formed a mountain-girl’s -load down the steep hillside. About a quarter of a mile up the wild -glen, strewn with enormous waterworn granite boulders, we were shown -the giant footprint in a spot surrounded by some fine old banyan trees. -The print was on the end of a boulder looking up the glen, and it was -evident that the hollow representing the heel had been formed by the -friction of a superincumbent boulder. In time the river changed its -course, and the boulder was exposed to the view of some devout and -imaginative Buddhist. He, struck with the resemblance of the cavity to -a huge heel-mark, carved the outline of a human foot, and proclaimed -the wondrous discovery. Its great antiquity is shown by the existence -of two tablets on the other face of the rock; the carved outlines are -still traceable, but the inscriptions are so worn that it is impossible -to decipher the form of the characters. On our way back we passed a -Leesaw girl with a great display of beads, and succeeded in coaxing her -to part with four strings, and six hoops from her neck, for a rupee. A -little further on we met some more of her tribe resting under a tree, -who rose and offered us rice-spirit out of their bamboo flasks; in -exchange we gave them some watered whisky, which they seemed highly to -relish. These Leesaw women wore a peculiar turban with a pendant end, -of coarse white cloth<span class="pagenum" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</span> patched with blue squares, and trimmed with -cowries. Their close-fitting leggings were made of squares of blue and -white cloth, and their ornaments consisted of large brass ear-rings, -necklaces of large blue beads and seeds, and a profusion of ratan, -bamboo, and straw hoops round the loins and neck. These resemble the -dress of the Moso women described by Cooper, and similar dresses and -ornaments are shown in Mons. Garnier’s illustrations of the Leisus in -North Yunnan.</p> - -<p>At three o’clock in the morning of August 29th, we were all startled -from sleep by a loud outcry and a pistol shot. It turned out that a -thief had opened the door and stolen one of the handsome silver Panthay -spears, but the jingle of the ornaments had awoke Sladen, who fired -a shot in the dark after the retreating robber, and raised an alarm, -in vain. Suspicion at once fell on a phoongyee who slept in a room -close to the door; the sentinel on duty had heard the priest stirring -just before, and while he walked a few yards to consult a watch hung -up on a post, the robbery was effected. The tsawbwa and his headmen -showed great concern, and all agreed in suspecting the priest, whose -character, it appeared, was already bad. They taxed him with the theft, -and told him that it was a most disgraceful act, to steal a gift made -by one official to another; they also threatened, if the spear was not -restored, to degrade him from the priesthood, theft, even to the value -of six annas, being one of the crimes which, at his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</span> ordination, the -rahan is specially warned against, as depriving him <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">ipso facto</em> -of his sacred character.</p> - -<p>The tsawbwa was extremely incensed, and requested us to delay our -journey to enable him, if possible, to discover and restore the spear, -as well as punish the criminal. Early the next morning an old woman -came crying to the khyoung, and, as she entered, threw down her pipe, -and rushed up to Sladen with her hands clasped, and the tears streaming -down her wrinkled cheeks. The interpreter explained that she was the -mother of the suspected priest, and had come to intercede for him. -Another of her sons presently joined her, but they were advised to go -to the tsawbwa, in whose hands the matter rested. While she was being -shown the door through which the thief had entered, the phoongyee -himself came in, and the old woman, with a violent outburst of abuse, -struck him several blows with her clenched fist, and fairly beat him -out of the khyoung.</p> - -<p>The ceremony of excommunication took place in due course, and was -brief enough, lasting only five minutes. He was brought in by all the -headmen, and attended by his mother and brother, the latter carrying -the clothes of an ordinary Shan, which the culprit, when degraded, -was to assume. All sat down, and the poor old woman made an affecting -appeal to her son to confess if he were guilty; but he preserved a -dogged silence, and commenced to take off his turban in front of the -altar. She then retired, departing with her hands clasped above her -head, and ejaculating prayers.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</span> The priest, having removed his turban, -took a water lily from an offering of flowers in front of the image -of Gaudama, and, placing it on a tripod, again deposited it before -the image. The chief priest now appeared on the daïs, and the culprit -knelt behind his lily muttering a few sentences, occasionally rising -from his knees, and bending in worship before the figure, and gradually -retreated after each prostration, until he was beyond the verge of the -daïs peculiar to the priests. He then knelt before the chief phoongyee, -and repeated some formula after him, after which he retired to his -room, and soon emerged dressed as a layman. He was then taken away -by the headmen, and some hours after was brought back led by a chain -secured to an iron collar round his neck. In the evening he was again -led by the chain, down to the khyoung, escorted by the headmen, who -stated that they had failed to find any clue to the missing spear, or -to establish the guilt of the prisoner. He was, however, during the -ensuing conference as to our departure, kept chained to a pillar and -guarded by two men. After another day of delay and barter with the -people, who crowded the khyoung, the only noticeable purchase being -some capital tobacco at the price of a rupee for three pounds and a -half, we took our departure on August 4th. The old tsawbwa and his -grandchild came with a parting present of cloth, and a request that -we would not mount until we had passed his house; and a silver watch -presented by Sladen to his adopted son gave immense pleasure to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</span> both -the chief and his heir. As we approached the haw, three trumpeters -blew a lusty blast, and the three saluting guns were fired as we -ascended the steps leading to the gateway, where the chief and his -grandson awaited us. After a hearty handshaking, and formal adieus, we -mounted under a second salute, and rode out of the town preceded by the -trumpeters in full bray.</p> - -<p>The road at this season was carried along the embankments of the -paddy fields nearer to the base of the hills. The courses of the many -mountain streams showed the traces of the devastation caused by the -unprecedented floods of the past week; whole rice fields had been swept -away, and in others the crop had been hopelessly buried in silt. Roots -and stems of large trees everywhere blocked the channels, and the sides -of the mountains showed red patches, like wounds, where landslips had -occurred. These had been most destructive; nine villages were said to -have been overwhelmed in the Sanda valley, one, a village of forty -houses, being completely destroyed with all its inhabitants, save nine -who were absent. The nineteen miles to Manwyne were accomplished by -5 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, and we took up our quarters in the same khyoung as -on the former visit; some trouble and a little gentle violence being -requisite to exclude the pertinacious and curious Chinese, who went -so far as to hustle a sentry. These Manwyne people (not including the -Shans), though not so hostile as on our first visit, were evidently -ill-disposed, and can be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</span> only classed as “rowdies.” At sundown a -bell was rung and a huge candle lit in front of the altar, while the -priests, kneeling on the upper daïs, supported by choristers on the -lower one, chanted their vespers.</p> - -<p>Bell-ringing and matins woke us up early in the morning, and, as -before, the devout women trooped in with their offerings of rice and -flowers. The phoongyees and some others were very much interested -in hearing about railways, telegraphs, and other wonders of Western -civilisation. One of the Sanda headmen remarked that they were much -privileged to hear of such things, and that we must all have met before -in a previous existence, and would doubtless meet again. They were awed -by viewing the moon through a good telescope; and a prediction of the -coming eclipse of the sun evidently impressed them with a deep sense -of our astrological powers, the chief phoongyee, with bated breath, -inquiring whether it presaged war or famine.</p> - -<p>Our first visitor was the “Death’s Head” pawmine of Ponsee, who -came with the idea that we should entrust ourselves to his friendly -guidance, and was chagrined at the information that we should return by -Hotha. The Hotha tsawbwa had been delayed by the difficulty of crossing -the mud left by the floods, and, when he at length appeared, was at -first inclined to magnify the difficulties, physical and otherwise, -of reaching his valley. When he found us resolute, he made light of -the difficulties, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</span> arranged that the Manhleo poogain should take -charge of the baggage, while he himself preceded us to prepare for -our reception. In the meantime we were entertained at a dinner by the -tsawbwa-gadaw, the honours being done by the Hotha chief. We were -welcomed by the two Buddhist nuns, one a daughter of our hostess, -and the other a sister of Hotha, attended by a crowd of maids and -retainers, and were at once requested to take our seats at the table. -Tea was then served, followed by the dinner, consisting of well-cooked -fowls, roast and boiled, pork, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., with small plates of onions, peas, -and sliced mangoes; then came rice and sauce, followed by another -service of tea. All the dishes were served on Chinese porcelain, and -the samshu was poured from a Birmingham teapot into tiny cups of jade. -We were waited on by men; but just as the dinner was placed on the -table, the hostess came in for a few minutes, and made a speech of -welcome, and apologies for having nothing better to offer; and when -it was over, she rejoined the party. The two rahanees and their maids -favoured us with their company all the time. Being struck with the -red-dyed nails of the ladies, I asked one rosy-cheeked damsel to show -me the dye. She volunteered to give a practical illustration, and at -once brought from an inner room a pulpy mass of the petals and leaves -of a red balsam beaten up with cutch. Having first begged for a small -ring as a memento of our visit, she proceeded to envelop the tip of my -little finger in a portion of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</span> the pulp, and covered it with a green -leaf neatly tied on with thread.</p> - -<p>After dinner the Hotha chief entertained us with a performance on the -Shan guitar or banjo, for the instrument had only three strings, and -the sounding-board was made of a stretched snake skin. The chief was -evidently regarded, and justly, as a skilled performer, and under his -fingers the instrument discoursed sweet, pleasant tinkling, while the -airs, though simple, were melodious. After our return to the khyoung, -the two nuns and their maids arrived with some presents from the -tsawbwa-gadaw, and remained for two hours, asking intelligent questions -about our country and religion, and on leaving made us promise to -visit them at their own khyoung. The next afternoon a messenger came -to remind us of our promise, and two of the party went to the nunnery. -It consisted of two bamboo houses, side by side, enclosed by a fence. -One, used as a residence, was an ordinary Shan house of three rooms; -the other, used as a chapel, was a pavilion, twenty-four feet square, -raised on piles four feet above the ground, and closed in with mats on -all sides save that fronting the dwelling-house. The only decorations -were a few small images of Gaudama, and strips of white paper cut into -ornamental figures and suspended like banners from the roofs. The Hotha -nun was engaged in weaving, which was a breach of the Buddhist canons, -forbidding the religious to employ themselves in any useful labour. -We were invited<span class="pagenum" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</span> into the dwelling-house, and served with mangoes and -women’s tobacco, and bidden to light our pipes. A long and interesting -conversation ensued, mainly on religious subjects. The nuns, especially -the young lady of Manwyne, evinced great interest in the subject of -Christianity, concluding by begging us to consider her as a sister. -Then we all adjourned to afternoon tea at the haw of her mother. The -old lady expressed a great desire to possess a portrait of our gracious -Queen, which we promised to send her from Rangoon. In the meantime, we -offered a temporary substitute in the shape of four brand new rupees, -with which she was greatly pleased.</p> - -<p>August 9th found us ready for an early start from Manwyne, but the want -of porters delayed us till 8.30, when we set out for the Tapeng. A -farewell dish of rice and spirit, “to strengthen us for the journey,” -arrived from the tsawbwa-gadaw, while the chief phoongyee presented -some cloth to each of us, heartily expressing his good wishes for our -welfare. The townspeople waved their adieus, some calling out <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Kara! -kara!</em> and others the Shan equivalent for <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">Au revoir!</em> It was -noon before the ponies were safely across the river, now six hundred -yards in breadth, on the other side of which a mud flat extended for -two miles. The smooth surface had been caked hard by the sun, but with -many a fissure, through which the legs of the ponies slipped into the -tenacious quagmire beneath. At last a veritable Slough of Despond -was reached, and the party was fairly bogged; the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</span> ponies floundered -and stumbled so much that it became necessary to dismount. The next -half-hour will not be easily forgotten, when, the reins in one hand -and my dog held fast in the other, I plunged and struggled through the -slimy ooze, which seemed to grasp the legs firmly at each step. At -one place the pony made a sudden stumble, and disappeared in the mud, -whilst the strain sent me rolling forwards until dragged to my feet -by two unincumbered natives. The stoutest of our party was literally -hauled through by men stimulated by rupees, while his pony had to -be dug out of the mud by some Shans. A blunder of our guide had led -us into this tract of mud, which had been recently deposited by the -overflow of the river; and the amount of alluvium brought down can be -imagined from the fact that the tract covered about six square miles, -with an average depth of four feet. Following the embankments of the -paddy fields for about two miles, we halted for breakfast on a grassy -slope at the foot of the hills, under the shade of wide-spreading -banyan and mangoe trees, amidst eager crowds of villagers staring at -the strangers.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.<br /> -<span class="small">THE HOTHA VALLEY.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -The mountain summit—A giant glen—Leesaw village—The wrong -road—Priestly inhospitality—Town of Hotha—A friendly -chief—The Namboke Kakhyens—The Hotha market—The Shan -people—The Koshanpyi—The Tai of Yunnan—Their personal -appearance—Costume—Equipment—The Chinese Shans—Silver hair -ornaments—Ear-rings—Torques, bracelets, and rings—Textile -fabrics—Agriculture—Social customs—Tenure of land—Old Hotha—A -Shan-Chinese temple—Shan Buddhism—The fire festival—Eclipse of the -sun—Horse worship—Ancient pagodas—Roads from Hotha. -</div> - - -<p>At 2 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> we commenced to ascend the hills, which from Manwyne -had not appeared to be more than one thousand feet high, but proved to -be three times that altitude above the river. The rough bridle-path -led straight up the steep declivity, and in the blazing heat of an -unclouded sun the ascent was most trying to man and beast, already -wearied by their exertions in the quagmire. The mules were ahead, but -our men soon began to lag, although we went as slowly as was compatible -with the prospect of reaching Manloi, on the other side, before -nightfall. A short way up the mountain, bold cliffs stood out, of white -crystalline marble, weathering to a dull brown.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</span> This was succeeded by -quartzose rock; and, still higher, a blueish gneissose rock formed the -upper mass of the range. We passed through several Kakhyen villages, -paying a few rupees by way of toll to the headmen, who were sitting by -the roadside waiting for us. Near the summit, we had a splendid view of -the course of the Tapeng to the Burmese plain. A high curtain of clouds -to the westward hung over the entrance of the river into the gorge of -the hills, while below and beyond it the immense plain of the Irawady -was clearly discerned backed by high hills, and with the great river -winding through it like a broad silver band. To the right extended a -magnificent panorama of the valley as far as the spur above Sanda, -and we took a long farewell gaze at the lovely vale, walled in by its -guardian mountains, and rich in every variety of effect produced by the -grouping in sunset lights and shadows, of flood and fell, and verdant -fields. Having crossed the summit more than five thousand feet above -the sea, we looked down on the narrow Hotha valley, not a thousand feet -below, stretched out at our feet for twenty-five miles, the opposite or -southern range trending round to the north-east to join the mountain -wall of the Sanda valley, by a connecting ridge, much lower than the -height from which we looked across, and saw to the south successive -distant heights cradling valleys whose waters flow to the Shuaylee.</p> - -<p>It is somewhat difficult to find an appropriate term<span class="pagenum" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</span> for this lofty -mountain-cradled district. It is a giant glen, scarcely above two miles -wide, presenting no level ground, but a succession of broken surface -diversified by tossed grassy knolls of red soil, dotted here and there -with villages, each with its plantation of fruit trees. A narrow -stream, the Namsa, winds down on the southern side, till, through a -cluster of higher grassy hills covered with bracken, it forces its -downward way to the Tapeng. Such is the valley of Hotha as it lay -smiling before us in the fast fading light, with its hundred villages, -tenanted by forty thousand peaceful and industrious Chinese-Shans, -which compose the two states of Hotha and Latha, or Muangtha and Hansa.</p> - -<p>Having commenced to descend the ridge, we met with some Leesaws -carrying a freshly killed deer, which an offer of ten rupees failed to -induce them to part with. Many tracts of temperate forest trees, such -as oaks and beeches, were seen, and below them extensive tracts of a -novel short and thin stemmed bamboo. We presently passed through the -village of our Leesaw friends, picturesquely perched on the face of a -steep spur among magnificent trees and enormous grey boulders, some of -which were as large as the houses, which latter differed altogether -from the Kakhyen habitations, being small square structures, with no -floor save the ground, which was kept dry by means of a trench cut -round the mud walls. We entered the village street by a wooden gateway, -and passed out under<span class="pagenum" id="Page_277">[Pg 277]</span> a long covered passage embowered in luxuriant -creepers.</p> - -<p>The sun had set almost as we commenced the descent, and darkness -overtook us halfway down. At a division of the path, a stubborn -muleteer insisted on choosing what proved to be the wrong road, and -half our party, including the Manhleo headman, were thus misled. We -blundered along a rough bridle-track covered with loose stones and -cut up by watercourses. In vain we shouted to attract the attention, -and learn the whereabouts, of the rest; no answer was returned save -the echoes from the hills, now shrouded in darkness. At last we -met some Shans, and learned that we were close to a village called -Mentone, in the Latha or western division, and some miles from Hotha. A -consultation was held as to which alternative was the worst, to proceed -in the dark to Hotha, or go dinnerless and supperless to bed. The -latter seemed the least evil; so we made for the village khyoung, which -was reached at 8.50 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> We could get nothing to eat; and, -thoroughly tired, we unsaddled the hungry and worn-out ponies, and, -taking their saddles for pillows, fell asleep on the floor in front of -the altar. Our slumbers, however, were soon disturbed by the phoongyees -squatting down close to our heads, and shouting out their evening -prayers. The chief phoongyee, a shrivelled old man, sat cross-legged, -with his prayer-book on a small stool before him, and a little acolyte -sat by his side, running a wooden pointer along the lines to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_278">[Pg 278]</span> keep the -priest’s eyes from wandering. Before him sat six choristers yelling -in different keys at the pitch of their voices. The devotions of the -phoongyee were interrupted by our Shan interpreter, who shouted to him -that he wanted to buy four annas worth of rice. The priest at once -stopped the service to bargain as to the quantity of rice to be given -for the coin, which was new to him; this being settled, he resumed his -office, but was again interrupted, as he had not sent any one to serve -out the rice.</p> - -<p>Prayers being ended, we requested something to eat, and were told that -there were some pears on a tree outside, to which we were at liberty -to help ourselves, a generous offer which was politely declined. The -priest, however, gave us quilts to lie on; and being thus made at all -events warmer, though still hungry, we fell asleep, and, waking before -dawn, were well on the way to Hotha by sunrise.</p> - -<p>The inhospitality of these phoongyees was in singular contrast to the -tenets and practice of the Burmese Buddhist priests, who hold it a -pious duty to receive and refresh the stranger. There was, however, an -ill feeling at work against us, which found vent in the question asked -by some of the villagers, “Why had we come to their valley to bring -flying dragons and other evils on them?” This was due to the malicious -reports that the Muangla people had spread. The unexampled inundations -were attributed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</span> to our presence, and it was declared that our stay had -been followed by death in each place. Even the Hotha chief was not free -from the superstitious dread thus produced; and his father-in-law, the -old Latha tsawbwa, though he accepted the presents sent him, utterly -declined a visit, as he feared the strangers would bewitch him and his -household. His dutiful son-in-law declined to press him, as he was “an -old buffalo,” which always went in the contrary direction to that in -which it was driven.</p> - -<p>Turning our backs on the inhospitable village, we proceeded by an -excellent paved road carried along the end of the spurs, and in many -places cut out along the slopes. The mountain streams were crossed -by means of granite bridges, some of them adorned with dragons. -Numerous villages embowered among fine trees were passed; and a novel -feature was introduced by the occurrence, at intervals, of roadside -drinking-fountains, the wells being built over and cased in stone -ornamented with a white marble frieze. A gilded pagoda surmounting a -hillock opposite Manloi brought our thoughts back to Burma, as it was -the first pagoda of the Burmese type seen since our departure from the -plains.</p> - -<p>At 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, August 10th, we arrived at the town of Hotha, -consisting of about one hundred and fifty houses, surrounded by a low -wall, somewhat ruined and dilapidated, the result, not of Panthay -invasion, but of a rebellion by the tsawbwa’s subjects, who a year -before, exasperated by the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</span> imposition of a new tax, rose and attacked -his town. The tsawbwa and his son, in state dresses, the former attired -as a mandarin of the blue button, received us at their residence, and a -salute was fired from four mortar-shaped guns embedded in the ground. -Quarters were assigned to us in the haw, close to the chief’s private -apartments; and all our people were assembled in the course of the day. -The whole of the baggage was brought in safely, although the party had -been divided in the descent of the mountain, and some of the followers -had been obliged to remain in the Leesaw village, the unsophisticated -mountaineers charging them two rupees a head for their night’s lodging! -The Manhleo poogain and Kingain, the Muangla headman to whom the convoy -of the baggage had been entrusted, were very proud of the encomiums -passed on their successful performance of their task, and requested a -certificate to that effect, and further promised to assist all future -travellers who might desire to cross from Manwyne to Hotha.</p> - -<p>We remained until the 27th as guests of the courteous and accomplished -chief Li-lot-fa, or, to give him his Chinese appellation, -Li-yin-khyeen; and the recollection of our sojourn with him, and of his -pleasant valley, is the most agreeable of all the reminiscences of the -country beyond the Kakhyen hills. Not only did our host evince the most -hospitable desire to purvey all creature comforts, but he made us feel -thoroughly at home. We lived on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</span> terms of intimacy with his family, -and his two wives and two daughters manifested a charming freedom of -manners, combined with the most refined propriety, that would have -done credit to a drawing-room at home. The chief delighted to converse -about the various modern inventions of which he had heard reports -from the Chinese who had visited Rangoon. Their accounts, however, -<em>more suo</em>, had been full of marvellous exaggerations, including -flying-machines, telescopes that enabled the sight to penetrate -mountains, and others that divested people of their clothes! The chief -had some vague ideas about railways, steamships, and gas, and was most -eager for fuller and more accurate information.</p> - -<p>We urged him to visit Rangoon and Calcutta, but he seemed to think -the disturbed state of the country an insuperable obstacle; but he -discussed, instead, the plan of sending his son, a lad of thirteen, to -Rangoon. Li-lot-fa could read and write Shan and Chinese, and he now -commenced to learn Burmese, and it was a curious sight to see him at -work with his note-book, which he had obtained from us, taking down -words and sentences as busily as if he had been a competition wallah -preparing for an examination.</p> - -<p>The fact that this tsawbwa had succeeded in maintaining friendly -relations with both the Panthays and imperialist Chinese chiefs, with -whom his real sympathies lay, so that his valley had escaped the evils -of war, spoke well for his diplomatic tact. His conversation showed -that he had been from the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</span> first well informed about our progress and -difficulties, which he unhesitatingly attributed to the machinations -of the Bhamô Chinese. He asserted that the advance to Ponsee, and the -desertion of the muleteers at that place, had been part of a well -concerted scheme on the part of the Kakhyen chiefs to attack and -plunder our baggage. Our escape from this danger was attributed by the -chief to “a supernatural power against evil, given as a reward for good -deeds in former existences.”</p> - -<p>As an energetic trader, he was most anxious to co-operate heartily in -reopening all the trade routes, his especial object, as was natural, -being the restoration of the central or embassy route, which had been -closed for some years by feuds between the Kakhyens of the hills on the -southern side of the Tapeng and the Burmese officials. The cause of -quarrel was stated to have been an unprovoked attack, on the part of -the Burmese, on a few Kakhyens.</p> - -<p>The tsawbwa possessed great influence over the Kakhyen chiefs through -whose territory this route passes, an instance of which was speedily -given by the arrival of the chief of Namboke, accompanied by his -pawmines, and a strong armed guard, the chief and his officers being -mounted on ponies. As soon as he saw Sladen, he went down on one knee, -in the most respectful manner of greeting, and recalled himself to his -recollection as having visited us at Bhamô and received a present of -a head-dress. This chief scarcely resembled a Kakhyen, his naturally<span class="pagenum" id="Page_283">[Pg 283]</span> -Tartar-like cast of countenance being heightened by his Chinese -skull-cap and dress. After remaining one night and expatiating on the -advantages of the embassy route, he set out for home, bearing a letter -from Li-lot-fa to all the Kakhyen chiefs, which the pawmines were -to carry forward, inviting them to come in and arrange for our safe -progress to Bhamô.</p> - -<p>The bazaar or market, which is held every fifth day, took place on -the 12th. There are no shops or shopkeepers, except where the Chinese -reside, among the Shans, and all sale or barter is necessarily -conducted at these regular markets or fairs, which are thronged by the -people of the valley and adjacent hills. The Hotha fair was held on a -grassy slope, about half a mile distant from the town. There were no -permanent or temporary stalls, the vendors simply sitting down in long -lines with their goods before them. One section was devoted to the -sale of sword blades, the manufacture of which is a speciality of this -valley, and another to the wooden scabbards and handles. After buying -two fine blades for four shillings each, I was assured that the vendor -had charged one-third over the value.</p> - -<p>Another quarter was devoted to the sale of samshu, and close by it were -the <em>restaurants</em>, where the hungry customers refreshed themselves -with hot pork, vermicelli, or an article exactly like it, various -vegetables, and peas, all hot and nicely served in little white bowls. -The butchers’ quarter was amply supplied with pork and beef, and fowls -and ducks<span class="pagenum" id="Page_284">[Pg 284]</span> were plentiful. Long lines of Kakhyen women from the hills -offered for sale joss-sticks, pears, apples, plums, peaches, mustard -leaves, and a variety of hill vegetables, along with basketfuls of -nettles, as food for the swine, which are an invariable adjunct of a -Shan household.</p> - -<p>In the centre of the market, on a double row of stalls, were displayed -various kinds of Shan cloth, Shan caps, Chinese paper, rice cutch, -flint, and lime, which are brought from Tali-fu, white arsenic, yellow -orpiment, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. In another quarter, English green and blue broadcloth was -selling at twenty shillings per yard, along with red flannel, for which -the Kakhyens have an especial affection. It seemed to us, however, -that, although the price was high, a very few pieces would “glut the -market.”</p> - -<p>Indigo, the universal dye of the dark blue-clad Shans, Kakhyens, and -Chinese of Western Yunnan, also had its own quarter. The fair was -thronged with people, the elder busy chaffering over their few wares, -and the younger strolling about and gossiping. Almost all were clean -and well-dressed, and there was an absence of the poverty-stricken -class, which had been so numerous in the various towns of the Sanda -valley, all appearing to be well-to-do, to judge from their appearance. -The women, as a rule, were little and rather squat, with round, flat, -high-cheek-boned faces, and slightly oblique eyes. Some of the younger -women, with fair skins and rosy cheeks, might have been accounted -good-looking, but were<span class="pagenum" id="Page_285">[Pg 285]</span> disfigured by the strange custom of dyeing the -teeth black, which is the fashion among Shans of the better class. The -dye is probably a preparation of cutch, and, according to the tsawbwa, -the custom originated in a desire to preserve the teeth from decay.</p> - -<p>For the first time we noticed the peculiar and picturesque dress of the -Chinese Shan women. The men, with the exception of an occasional red -turban, were dressed in the universal dark blue. The costume of the -Hotha Shan women only differed from that remarked in the Sanda valley -in the prevalence of dark green jackets and the number of large silver -hoops worn round the neck.</p> - -<p>It will be well here to summarise, even at the risk of repetition, -our observations on the Shan inhabitants of these valleys, who belong -to the Tayshan or Great Shans of the Tai race, the branches of which, -under different names, are found extending to the eleventh parallel, -their various states being tributary to Siam, Burma, or China. The -Shan population where it has been absorbed into the Burmese kingdom -has become assimilated in language and customs with the dominant race, -from which they can scarcely be distinguished. Throughout the valley of -the upper Irawady above Bhamô, but with the Kakhyen hills interposing -their stratum of hill tribes between them and their brethren of the -Chinese states, the Shan element predominates, though contending with -the wilder Singphos to the west of the valley. The inhabitants, though -speaking Burmese, still preserve the Shan<span class="pagenum" id="Page_286">[Pg 286]</span> language, and retain the -physical and other characteristics of their race.</p> - -<p>The little states of Manwyne and Sanda, Muangla, Muangtee, Muangtha, -or Hotha and Latha, and Muangwan and Muangmow, which lie on the right -bank of the Shuaylee, are the remains of the Koshanpyi or Nine Shan -States, forming the chief component parts of the Shan kingdom of Pong, -conquered by the Chinese in the fourteenth century. Bhamô or Tsing-gai, -with the country extending to Katha, or perhaps to Tsampenago, and the -upper part of the valley of the Irawady, with Mogoung as its chief -town, were the last remaining independent remnants of this state, and -have been included in Burma since the annexation by Alompra in 1752 of -the semi-independent state of Mogoung.</p> - -<p>It seems most probable that the walled Chinese town of Muanglon -represents Muang Maorong, the ancient capital of the Pong kingdom, -and the Chinese Shan states of Sehfan and Muangkwan, and possibly the -state of Kaingmah, which is reckoned among the Koshanpyi, are under -the jurisdiction of its Chinese governor, as the states we visited are -dependent on Momien. Throughout Yunnan, and, according to Garnier, as -far as the confines of Tong-king, the Tai race is widely diffused. -The names of towns and districts seem to indicate that this region -of lofty hills and great valleys was formerly the seat of the Shan -kingdom, and still—though intermixed with the wild hill tribes, and -the descendants of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_287">[Pg 287]</span> the Chinese colonists, who were settled in the -newly acquired conquests—the Shans, under the name of Pa-y, hold their -ancient ground. Mons. Garnier mentions that at Muang-Pong he found -villages peopled with Tai-ya settlers, who had fled from the Mahommedan -ravages, and settled beyond the borders of Yunnan. His description of -their characteristic dress and silver ornaments would almost exactly -apply to the Chinese-Shans of the Hotha valley. He describes some -Tai-neua<span class="fnanchor" id="fna39"><a href="#fn39">[39]</a></span> refugees met with at Kiang-hung or Xien-hong itself, and -remarks on the resemblance between these two divisions of the Shans. -As soon as he had passed into the country where the Laotian language -ceased to be understood, on the confines of Yunnan, near Se-mao, “The -inhabitants presented an intermediary type between the Chinese and the -Tai race. This mixed type faithfully represents that of the ancient -population of Yunnan, or that of the Tai, who were conquered by the -Chinese.” And at Yuen-kiang he remarks: “The Tai, whom the Chinese call -Pa-y, are the ancient inhabitants of the country of Muong-Choung, which -is now called Yuen-kiang. They are more numerous and more independent -as the frontier of Tong-king is approached.” Thus the Chinese province -of Yunnan on the one side and the upper portion of the valley of the -Irawady on the other contain a largely preponderating element of -Shan population,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_288">[Pg 288]</span> their national characteristics, however, gradually -becoming obliterated by the influence of the ruling races respectively. -Owing to their local position, which has preserved their subordinate -independence, the little nest of valleys, cradled in the parallel -secondary ranges which lie between the Salween and the Irawady, has -preserved, almost unmixed, the relics of the ancient Shan kingdom, and -it is with their inhabitants, so far as our observations extended, that -we have to do. It is with some uncertainty that the terms Shans proper -and Chinese Shans are used; not so much as indicating a theory of race -as to serve as a practical distinction between the two divisions, -which, though claiming to be one in race as in language, will be seen -to present curious differences; while the Chinese-Shans, or Sino-Shans, -as some have called them, may, according to the evidence of the French -explorers, really represent the original Tai race more directly than -the Shans of the Tapeng valley and the Irawady valley.</p> - -<p>The Shans proper of these valleys are a fair race, somewhat sallow -like the Chinese, but of a very faintly darker hue than Europeans, the -peasantry, as a rule, being much browned by exposure; they have red -cheeks, dark brown eyes, and black hair. In young people and children, -the waxen appearance of the Chinese is slightly observable. The Shan -face is usually short, broad, and flat, with prominent malars, a faint -obliquity and contraction of the outer angle of the eye, which is much<span class="pagenum" id="Page_289">[Pg 289]</span> -more marked in the true Chinese. The nose is well formed, the bridge -being prominent, almost aquiline, without that breadth and depression -characteristic of the Burman feature. The lower jaw is broad and well -developed; but pointed chins below heavy, protruding lips are not -infrequent. Oval faces laterally compressed, with retreating foreheads, -high cheek-bones, and sharp retreating chins, are not infrequent; and -the majority of the higher classes seemed to be distinguished from the -common people by more elongated oval faces and a decidedly Tartar type -of countenance. The features of the women are proportionately broader -and rounder than those of the men, but they are more finely chiselled, -and wear a good-natured expression, while their large brown eyes are -very scantily adorned with eyebrows and eyelashes. They become much -wrinkled by age, and, judging from the numbers of old people, appear to -be a long-lived race. They are by no means a tall people, the average -height for men scarcely reaching five feet eight, while the women are -shorter and more squat in figure. The only difference between the -Shans and Poloungs, so far as my limited observation went, seems to -be that the latter are darker and smaller; but the Chinese Shans, or -Sino-Shans, of the Muangtha valley differ widely from their congeners. -They are a much smaller race, their little, squat figures and broad, -short flat faces reminding one of Laplanders. The cheek-bones are very -prominent, and their faces are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_290">[Pg 290]</span> much flatter and shorter than those -of the other Shans. The breadth between the eyes, which are markedly -oblique, is considerable, and the mouths are heavy, with protruding -lips. In the women these characters are more pronounced, and their -complexion strongly resembles that of the Chinese.</p> - -<p>In the ordinary attire the Shans, except the Chinese Shans, are -almost uniformly dressed in sombre dark blue, the dye being obtained -from the wild indigo. In full dress, however, the women display an -appreciation of colour which would delight an artist. The peculiar -head-dress, like an inverted cone, has been already alluded to. It -consists of a series of long blue scarves, a foot broad, and of a -total length of forty to fifty feet, wound round and round the head -in a huge turban, towering upwards with a backward slope, like that -of the Parsee head-dress. The folds are arranged in a crescent over -the forehead with most exact precision; the free end, embroidered -in gold and silk, and sometimes adorned with silver pendants, hangs -gracefully down the neck. The hair, left uncovered in the hollow of -this structure, is adorned with silver hairpins, the heads of which -are richly enamelled to represent flowers and insects. The jacket, of -blue or green, and sometimes pink, is short and loose, with a narrow -and erect collar. Thin square plaques of enamelled silver fasten it at -and below the neck, to which are sometimes superadded three rows of -large round silver bosses, enriched with birds and flowers enamelled -in various colours. The loose sleeves are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_291">[Pg 291]</span> folded back from the elbow, -displaying massive silver or silver-gilt bracelets. A tight thick skirt -of cotton cloth, deeply bordered with squares of embroidered silk or -satin, close-fitting leggings, and embroidered shoes, complete the -toilette, a richly variegated cloth being sometimes worn as a girdle. -A Shan lady thus attired is incomplete without a silver flask-shaped -scent-bottle about three inches across, adorned with silver studs and -pendants terminating in round silver bells, which jingle as the wearer -moves. Silver chatelaines are also worn, and a needlecase formed of -a silver tube, enamelled and studded, enclosing a cushion, which is -attached to the waist. Silver neck-hoops, ear-rings, and rings, which -deserve particular description, complete the adornments of the Shan -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">belle</em>, who, moreover, is seldom seen without her long-stemmed -pipe, with its small bowl of glazed clay.</p> - -<p>The male peasants wear a long double-breasted jacket of blue cotton, -buttoned down the right side, often with jade, amber, or silver -buttons. Of the same material are their short wide trousers and thick -turbans, with a long fringe at the free end, which is usually coiled -up with the pigtail on the outside. Long strips of blue cloth wound -round the shins serve as leggings, and their shoes are made of cloth -resembling felt, embroidered with narrow braid and soled with leather. -A very broad straw hat covered with oiled silk serves as an umbrella -against rain or a scorching sun.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_292">[Pg 292]</span></p> - -<p>The better classes, such as the headmen of the towns, wear long blue -Chinese coats reaching to the ankles, and black satin skull caps -ornamented with Chinese figures worked in gold braid. The little boys -don blue cotton caps, braided, with a red topknot, and garnished with -a row of silver figures of guardian nats. A silver chatelaine, with -a number of little instruments, such as tweezers to depilate the -face, ear and tooth picks, is frequently worn by the men. It hangs -from the button-hole by a long silver chain, ornamented with beads of -jade, amber, or glass, or with grotesque figures of animals carved in -jade or amber. Two essentials in a Shan’s equipment are his dah and -tobacco-pipe. The dah has a blade two feet and a half to three feet in -length, expanding from the hilt to the almost square point, which is -nearly three inches broad. The wooden handle is bound with cord covered -with silver foil, and ornamented with a tassel of goat hair. The wooden -half-scabbard is attached to a ratan hoop worn over the right shoulder. -These dahs are chiefly manufactured by the Muangtha Shans from iron -imported from Yunnan. They use charcoal as a fuel, and a bellows made -of the segment of a large bamboo, with a piston and valve at each end. -They supply all the hill tribes with weapons, and, as before remarked, -resort to Bhamô and elsewhere to work during the winter months. These -weapons exactly resemble those made by the Khampti Shans, and, like -them, are keen and well tempered. The tobacco-pipes are remarkable -on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_293">[Pg 293]</span> account of their elaborate silver stems, which are frequently a -yard in length, and enriched with enamelled flowers and silver twist. -Sometimes the stem swells at intervals into elongated silver spheres. A -long bamboo stem intervenes between the silver and the bowl of glazed -earthenware. The wealthier Shans frequently use the Chinese hookah, and -the poorer the Chinese brass or iron pipes with small bowls. Tobacco, -home-grown and of very excellent quality, is carried in small round -boxes made of buffalo hide covered with red varnish. They are made in -two halves, the upper overlapping the under, the hide being moistened -and stretched over a wooden mould.</p> - -<p>The costume of the Chinese Shan women of Hotha and Latha differs in a -marked manner from that already described. They wear the Shan jacket -and loose trousers like the men, and usually are barefooted. The back -part of the jacket is prolonged to the knees in a half skirt, and -a double Chinese apron in front overlaps it, so as to complete the -dress. Besides the large silver plaques, epaulets are worn, of small -semi-spherical discs, connected by a line of silver buttons from -shoulder to shoulder. The broad waistband of the apron expands behind -into a richly embroidered piece, which is a peculiar characteristic -of this people. A still more distinctive mark is the head-dress, from -which the high turban is absent. The hair is divided and gathered up -on the crown of the head, when it is plaited into the ends of a flat -chignon encircled by a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_294">[Pg 294]</span> ratan hoop covered with red cloth. This is kept -in position by means of twenty-five to thirty silver pins headed with -thin plates of silver embossed or engraved with leaves and flowers, and -so disposed as to form a silver coronal. Outside this is wound a slight -blue turban, to the pendant fringes of which are suspended a number of -silver rings. In full dress four much larger hairpins, with elaborate -heads eight inches in length and three inches across, are worn. They -are overlaid with silver wire cunningly wrought to represent the stems -and leaves of plants, which are enamelled green, brown, and yellow, -and enriched with flowers in the same material, the petals formed -of red and blue stones, and little silver spheres representing the -unopened buds. Sometimes yet another inner circle of smaller pins, each -headed with a cluster of four small caps, is added; and an elaborate -head-dress forms a circle or an aureole of silver flowers fully a foot -in diameter. The various patterns of hairpins are of the most intricate -construction. The simplest are made chiefly of silver wire and flat -pieces of silver cut into fantastic figures or forms of trailing plants -in full flower, the colours being enamelled in green, blue, purple, and -yellow. Some are wrought in the finest filigree, one beautiful specimen -representing a swan-like bird resting on its outstretched wings among -a bed of flowers. The feathers of the wings are most effectively -wrought in silver wire, and among the leaflets stand up little coils of -silver wire, each terminating in two square<span class="pagenum" id="Page_295">[Pg 295]</span> cusped discs of silver. -These strongly resemble the capsuled stems of mosses; and the general -appearance of these pin-heads suggests that the artist has derived his -inspiration from the study of a grassy sward covered with flowers and -moss; indeed, the most fashionable form of this ornament consists of -two tiers of leaf-work, the uppermost supported on fine wire, while -through its interstices the capsuled stems rise from the lower tier, as -flowers rise above the grass.</p> - -<p>This distinctive head-dress of the Chinese Shans seems to characterise -the Pa-y or Tai women in the south of Yunnan. M. Garnier describes -those of Yuen-hiang as wearing long silver hairpins, from the ends of -which hung a profusion of pendants. Their costume consists of a showy -corset with a little jacket over it, a petticoat with a broad coloured -border, and apron; and he particularly describes a high collar made -of red and black stuff, on which little silver studs are arranged in -patterns reminding him of the armed collar of a “bouledogue.” The front -of the vest is also thickly studded with similar ornaments. The Pa-y -ear-rings are of very delicate workmanship, the usual pattern being a -large ring supporting a small square plate with numerous pendants, much -resembling those of the Chinese Shans. The married women of the latter -especially invariably wear a silver or silver-gilt ring, overlaid -with studs or filigree work, to which is attached a jade or enamelled -silver disc. The Chinese Shan girls wear a tube of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_296">[Pg 296]</span> silver, from which -is suspended an inverted rosette set with a circle of club-shaped -pendants. From the centre of this flower-like ornament hangs a filigree -ball and rosette set with a garnet. The ear ornaments of the Shans -proper are of two kinds, only one of which, worn by the young girls, -can be called an ear-ring—the large circle of silver wire suspending a -flat spiral ornament resembling a favourite pattern of the Roman period -in Europe. There are three forms of the second or of the cylindrical -type, necessitating a large opening in the lobe of the ear, but by no -means so large as the ear ornaments of the Burmese beauties, which are -sometimes an inch and a half in diameter. The first are made of a piece -of bamboo, which is covered with silverfoil, one end being finished -by a piece of cloth, which is effectively embroidered with the green -wing-cases of a beetle, red seeds, and Chinese devices in gold thread. -The second form is a short cylinder of silver, with a cross piece -engraved with Chinese figures. The third is nearly two inches long, -widening into a disc fully an inch in diameter, and terminating in a -silver knob. The front is composed of open silver filigree.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img017"> - <img src="images/017.jpg" class="w75" alt="SHAN HEAD-DRESS, BRACELETS, AND EAR-ORNAMENTS" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">SHAN HEAD-DRESS, BRACELETS, AND EAR ORNAMENTS.</p> - - -<ul class="index" style="margin-left: 10%;"> -<li class="isuba">Fig. 1. Chinese Shan chignon encircled with silver hairpins.</li> -<li class="isuba">2. Shan silver bracelet.</li> -<li class="isuba">3. ” ” ” in filigree.</li> -<li class="isuba">4. ” ” ” enamelled.</li> -<li class="isuba">5. Chinese Shan girl’s ear-drop.</li> -<li class="isuba">6. 7. Shan woman’s tubular ear ornaments.</li> -<li class="isuba">8. Shan finger ring.</li> -<li class="isuba">9. Silver tube for enclosing a needle cushion.</li> -</ul> - -<p>These silver ornaments will be seen to be thoroughly characteristic of -the Shans, who, it need not be said, are expert silversmiths, their -simple tools consisting of small cylindrical bellows, a crucible, -punch, graver, hammer, and little anvil. In the Sanda valley the -phoongyees are the chief artificers; but in Hotha the trade is still -confined to the laymen. Their enamels, of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_297">[Pg 297]</span> which we could not -discover the materials, are very brilliant, and employed with beautiful -effect in the floral patterns, which form the principal stock of -designs. The only other forms of ornamentation, the rope-shaped fillets -and rounded studs or bosses, singularly resemble those found on the -diadems and armlets of the early historical periods of Scandinavian -art. The plain torques or neck rings in use, especially among the -Hotha Shans, only differ from the ancient Irish type by their more -rounded form, and by the pointed ends being bent outwards, in lieu of -being expanded into cymbal-shaped faces. Another kind of torque is of -the same shape, but covered with leaf ornaments and cones in filigree -and enamel alternating with red and blue stones or pieces of glass. -Torque-like hollow rings, covered with floral enrichments, are worn as -bracelets; sometimes they are gilt with very red gold and enamelled, a -jewel being usually set in the centre. Another form is a silver hoop, -nearly two inches in breadth, with rounded edges and filigree borders, -most elaborately set with floral rosettes of three circles, rows of -leaves, brown, green, and dark purple, centred by a large silver stud.</p> - -<p>The finger-rings are generally made of rope wire, either with conical -or flat spiral coils; but one curious type is formed of an oblong -ornamented silver plate an inch long, and as broad as the finger. A -half-circle from either side enables it to be worn on a finger of any -size. Many<span class="pagenum" id="Page_298">[Pg 298]</span> of the rings are jewelled with garnets, moonstones, and -pieces of dark green jade, but no valuable gems were observed. The men -commonly wear ordinary Chinese rings of jade or amber.</p> - -<p>The women are constantly engaged in weaving and dyeing, for the yarn -from home-grown cotton is spun, dyed, and woven by their industrious -fingers. They are adepts at needlework and silken embroidery; and -all the clothes worn are made and ornamented by the women of each -household. Straw-plaiting is another of their industries, and the -broad-brimmed straw hats made in the valley would compete with the -finest Leghorn fabrics. Another art in which they excel, apparently -borrowed from the Chinese, is the manufacture of elaborate ornaments -for the hair from the sapphire blue feathers of the roller bird -(<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Coracias affinis</em>). These are fastened on paper cut to imitate -wreaths and flowers; and with copper wire, gold thread, and feathers, -laid on with the greatest nicety, very pretty simple ornaments are -produced, which are often brightened by the addition of a ruby or some -other gem.</p> - -<p>The stuffs woven in a loom similar to that in use by the Kakhyens are -of all degrees of texture, the finer kinds, used for jackets, being -very soft, and usually figured with large lozenge-shaped patterns -of the same colour. A marked feature of the textile fabrics and -embroideries of the Shans, and indeed of their ornamentation generally, -is the reproduction of conventional patterns, handed down from<span class="pagenum" id="Page_299">[Pg 299]</span> their -forefathers without any attempt to improve or vary them. The Shan -designs of the nineteenth century probably are identical with those of -the fourteenth, and are simple modifications of the lozenge, square, -and stripe; these modifications may be, and are, almost endless, and -the combinations of the elementary forms most intricate, while the -ground of the fabrics in which the patterns are wrought is usually -covered with numerous small truncated almond-rounded lozenges, -interspersed with figures of the sacred Henza, or Brahminical goose. -The chief beauty of their textile fabrics consists in the wonderful -grouping and harmony of the colouring; and in the employment of their -vivid full and half tints of blue, orange, green, and red, they are all -but unrivalled artists.</p> - -<p>The great body of the Shan population is engaged in agriculture; and -as cultivators they may take rank even with the Belgians. Every inch -of ground is utilised; the principal crops being rice, which is grown -in small square fields, shut in by low embankments, with passages and -floodgates for irrigation. During the dry weather, the nearest stream -has its water led off, and conducted in innumerable channels, so that -each block, or little square, can be irrigated at will. In the valley -of the Tapeng, advantage is taken of the slope of the ground to lead -canals to fields several miles away from the point of divergence. At -our arrival in the beginning of May, the valley from one end to the -other appeared<span class="pagenum" id="Page_300">[Pg 300]</span> to be an immense watery tract of rice plantations -glistening in the sunshine, while the bed of the river was left half -dry by the subtraction of the water. Tobacco, cotton, and opium are -grown on the well-drained slopes of the hills, the two former for -home use; but the white-flowered poppy is cultivated to supply the -requirements of Chinese, Kakhyens, and Leesaws. A considerable quantity -of Shan opium finds its way to Bhamô, and thence to Mandalay, and also -to Mogoung, whence it is distributed among the Singphos.</p> - -<p>The land is tilled by a wooden plough with an iron share, drawn by a -single buffalo. Men and women work together, but the heavy tillage is -done by the former, the weaker sex being only employed in weeding and -thinning. Vegetables are grown round every house, and form an important -article of diet. Numbers of fine cattle and pigs are reared and killed -for eating, their flesh, with all kinds of poultry, being largely -used, and sold freely in the markets, for the Shans have no Buddhist -prejudices. The milk, however, is not used. The entrails of animals, -as among the Burmese, are much used in Shan <em>cuisine</em>; a very -fair soup, made of the intestines of fowls, being a favourite dish of -the Hotha tsawbwa, who insisted, when dining with us, on substituting -it for our soup, which he did not approve. The large larvæ of a giant -wasp, and stewed centipedes, are Shan dainties which we could not -appreciate.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_301">[Pg 301]</span></p> - -<p>Their principal stimulant is <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">samshu</em>, or rice-spirit; but -during our stay amongst them, we observed scarcely an instance of -intoxication. The vice of drunkenness and the licentiousness common -amongst all their neighbours seem almost unknown among this industrious -self-supporting race. They are social and good-humoured, but by no -means as jovial as the Burmese, compared with whom they are a quiet, -rather sedate people.</p> - -<p>As a rule, each man is content with one wife, but polygamy is allowable -to those who are wealthy enough; thus the Hotha chief had several -wives at various villages. All that is required to contribute a valid -union is the sanction of the parents, mutual consent, and interchange -of presents between the contracting parties, but no religious rite -whatever is observed on the occasion of the wedding.</p> - -<p>They are a musical race, and possess many simple wild airs, which -they play on stringed and wind instruments. Of the former, which are -played like a guitar, one is about three feet in length, with three -strings and a broad sounding-board; another is only half the size, the -sounding-board being a short drum-like cylinder, with a snake skin -stretched across it. This instrument was also a great favourite with -the Momien people, and is probably of Chinese origin. The most usual -wind instrument is a sort of flute, made of bamboo, with a flask-shaped -gourd as mouthpiece, and the sound is full, soft, and pleasing. The -long brazen trumpets, which are a sort of state<span class="pagenum" id="Page_302">[Pg 302]</span> appendage of the -tsawbwa, are only blown to announce his arrival, or to do honour to his -guests.</p> - -<p>The chiefs, although paying an annual tribute to the authorities at -Momien, exercise full patriarchal authority in their states; assisted -by a council of headmen, they adjudicate all cases, civil and criminal. -The tsawbwa is the nominal owner of all land, but each family holds a -certain extent, which they cultivate, paying a tithe of the produce to -the chief. These settlements are seldom disturbed, and the land passes -in succession, the youngest son inheriting, while the elder brothers, -if the farm is too small, look out for another plot, or turn traders; -hence the Shans are willing to emigrate and settle on fertile lands, -as in British Burma. The chiefs naturally do not approve of this, -and it is to be feared that the recent emigration of these Shans to -our provinces has in the last few years excited the ill-will of the -tsawbwas against the British officials, whom they accuse of inducing -their people to desert them. In ordinary times of peace and prosperity, -the inhabitants of these valleys must have been very thriving, and the -chiefs very wealthy, tokens of which appeared in their haws, though -most of them had been much injured before our visit; but at this -time they were certainly impoverished, and, without doubt, many of -the valuable articles of dress and jewellery offered to us for sale -belonged to the chiefs and their families. The great anxiety of the -peaceable Shans was for the restoration of order, and though they all -earnestly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_303">[Pg 303]</span> longed for the re-establishment of the imperial Chinese -<em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">régime</em>, they were, in the meantime, most ready to befriend those -whose mission was to establish a route for commerce, necessitating -peace and order as the conditions of its maintenance.</p> - -<p>We found it impossible to obtain a guide to the southern side of the -valley of Hotha beyond the Namsa, which is a very small mountain -stream. The tsawbwa declared that the bridge had been washed away, and -that the road was deep in mud; but he himself planned an excursion for -us to visit another house belonging to him at Tsaycow, some miles to -the east of Hotha. The chief set off early in the morning to prepare -for our reception, and we followed at midday. The road, paved with -boulders, and near the villages with long dressed slabs of granite, -wound over the grassy spurs, the slopes of which were cultivated -with tobacco and cotton. The mountain streams, running over rocky -channels encumbered by large boulders particoloured with green moss -and lichens, were spanned by bridges of gneiss or granite, those -over the larger streams being handsome arched structures, twenty to -twenty-five feet in span, with a rest-house at either end, and the -parapets often guarded by stone dragons. Each village was approached by -a long narrow lane arched by trees and feathery bamboos, terminating -in a picturesque gateway, and bordered by stone drinking fountains. -The houses were embowered in trees, pear, apple, chestnut, peach, and -sweet lime, forming<span class="pagenum" id="Page_304">[Pg 304]</span> orchards round the villages, and the triple roofs -of substantial khyoungs and occasional pagodas crowning the knolls, -completed the rural picture, with a background of green slopes of -grazing land running up to the rearward wall of mist-clad mountains. -One small pagoda, called Comootonay, differed altogether from the -ordinary Burmese type, in its peculiar shape and attenuated long spire, -which rose to a height of fifty feet. Five miles of pleasant riding -past a succession of thriving and picturesque villages, orchards, and -khyoungs, brought us to Tsaycow, or Old Hotha, a much larger place than -the present town of that name, embowered in trees, and delightfully -situated on a spur at the opening of a little dale, down which flowed -a fine mountain stream. The chief’s house, formerly his head-quarters, -which was built in the Chinese fashion, though smaller than our -residence, had the advantage of a better site and superior condition, -the private apartments especially being richly decorated with elaborate -carvings. In the inner reception hall we were welcomed by the tsawbwa, -and, after being refreshed with tea, were conducted by him to see two -khyoungs, one Shan and the other Chinese, built, after his own designs, -one above the other, on the hillside behind the village. The Chinese -temple, which occupied the highest site, was enclosed by a high wall, -with a gate leading into a courtyard bordered by cloisters on either -side, while a raised pavilion occupied the end, opposite to which, -and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_305">[Pg 305]</span> above all the other buildings, towered the shrine, crowning the -highest of two terraces faced with granite. Covered staircases led -from the cloisters to the higher level, each terminating in a little -rounded tower containing a large bell. The temple occupied the whole of -the terrace, with verandahs, paved with stone, to the front and rear. -A little stream bubbled up into a small basin in the front, and then -formed a cascade from terrace to terrace into the court below. Two -entrances led from the verandah into the temple, between which a large -window exactly faced the altar-piece. On a table in front of the window -stood vases with incense and flowers, and a number of boxes containing -the library. The altar-piece, an admirable example of open woodcarving, -about twenty feet high, resembled a huge triptych, containing three -recesses about ten feet from the ground. It was enclosed by a simple -wooden railing four feet high, and before it stood a small table, -whereon incense is burned, and at either end two others, with a wooden -fish and drumstick on each. The three recesses contained life-sized -figures, each with a gauze curtain in front. A beam projecting to the -front wall from either side supported two life-sized figures, and along -each side wall eighteen small figures were ranged on a platform, with -a vase and joss-sticks before each. The tsawbwa acted as cicerone, -and explained that the central figure was Chowlaing-lon, the king of -all nats, who had existed before Gaudama. The figures on either side -are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_306">[Pg 306]</span> called Coonsang, and act as his pawmines or agents, to execute -his orders; and the four standing figures are the rulers of the four -great islands or quarters of the globe, who keep a record of all the -actions of their subjects. After death each man is brought before -Chowlaing-lon, and by him consigned to the Coonsang, who, according -to the report given by the rulers, make them over to one or other of -the thirty-six nats representing the army of the Thagyameng, ranged in -order along the sides. One of these nats was represented with six arms, -armed respectively with a belt, bow, arrow, club, and dagger, while one -hand was empty as though ready to seize a victim. All the others were -in different attitudes, each holding some kind of weapon, and having -a long scarf-like band round his neck and shoulders, reaching to the -ground, to serve as wings, recalling to our minds the flying people -visited by Peter Wilkins.</p> - -<p>The lower or Shan khyoung consisted of two oblong buildings on -different levels. A grim-looking nat or Beloo guarded the door leading -into the temple, where sat three colossal Buddhas, the Past, Present, -and Future. On either side were two guardian figures, one mounted on -a pigmy elephant, and the other on a mongrel monster, half lion and -half tiger. At the feet of the Buddhas was a well executed figure of a -tortoise; while vases of incense and sweet-smelling flowers placed on -a table sent up their sweet odours to the calm impassive faces above -them. At<span class="pagenum" id="Page_307">[Pg 307]</span> each side of the building, sat a row of life-sized figures, -cleverly executed, and one especially, representing a shrivelled old -man, with his chin resting on his knees, and the flesh tints admirably -given, displayed real artistic power. In the lower temple, which -was open in front, the middle of the central wall was occupied by a -figure of Kwan-yin holding the child, and surrounded by a number of -small adoring figures sculptured in relief; above her head a parrot, -holding a rosary in its bill, was perched on a twig. On the other side -of the wall, so as to be back to back with the Chinese goddess, sat a -colossal Buddha flanked by two gigantic figures, one of which held a -rat. The tsawbwa declared that all these temples had been erected in -honour of Buddha; and he narrated the history of Kwan-yin, who was the -daughter of an ancient emperor of China, but, assuming the white robe -of a rahanee, spent her days in a forest, devoted to pious meditation. -The mixture of ancient polytheism and Buddhism in the story was an -apt illustration of the confused form of religion represented in the -shrines.</p> - -<p>Our visit was concluded by a sumptuous dinner at the tsawbwa’s house, -the great point of etiquette apparently being to leave no part of -the table unoccupied by dishes, save a margin for the guests to use -their chopsticks. After dinner the tsawbwa introduced the subject of -religion, and was much surprised at our not believing the doctrine of -successive existences. Speaking of Gaudama, he<span class="pagenum" id="Page_308">[Pg 308]</span> distinguished him from -Buddha, and was anxious to learn from us in what country he, Gaudama, -was at present living.</p> - -<p>The Buddhism of the Shans is, as has been already noticed, marked -by great laxity among the phoongyees, and the most active religious -feelings among the people belong to the belief in and worship of nats. -During our stay, on the 13th of August, the fire festival of the Shans -was celebrated, and about twenty bullocks and cows were slaughtered -in the market-place; the meat was all speedily sold, part of it being -cooked and eaten, while the remainder was fired out of guns at sundown, -the pieces which happened to fall on the land being supposed to become -mosquitoes, and those in the water leeches. Immediately after sunset -the tsawbwa’s retainers began to beat gongs and blow long brass -trumpets; after dark, torches were lit, and a party, preceded by the -musicians, searched the central court for the fire nat, who is supposed -to lurk about at this season with evil intent. They then prosecuted -their search in all the apartments and the garden, throwing the light -of the torches into every nook and corner where the evil spirit might -find a hiding-place. Three other festivals are annually devoted to the -nats of rain, wind, and cold.</p> - -<p>The eclipse of the sun which happened on the 18th of August, commencing -at 9.5 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, had been predicted by us at various places, and -here also. The diminution of light was, as the Shans admitted,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_309">[Pg 309]</span> not -sufficient to have called their attention to it, unless forewarned. -The tsawbwa showed his usual intelligence by being able to use the -telescope. As soon as he had satisfied himself that the eclipse had -really commenced, he ordered his saluting guns to be fired, and the -long trumpets to be blown, while, at his earnest request, we were -obliged to order out the police guard to fire two volleys; all this was -to terrify some monster that was threatening to devour the sun. The -chief, however, listened attentively to our endeavour to explain the -natural causes of the phenomenon, and even imparted them to the excited -crowd which flocked eagerly about us.</p> - -<p>Some of the khyoungs in the valley were altogether sacred to the -Chinese deities Kwan-yin and Showfoo, the Prah, or god of the Yunnan -Chinese, with various evil nats and famous teachers, such as Tamo, to -the utter exclusion of any trace of the Buddhistic creed.</p> - -<p>At a dilapidated little temple close to Hotha, dedicated to certain -nats, the entrance was guarded by two horses, each with a horseman -standing at its head. Similar figures of horses, tended by a man in -Tartar costume, occurred in the khyoung at Muangla, and the reader may -remember that the Manwyne women paid daily offerings of rice to the -horse’s image in the khyoung at that town. The fact that the Shans are -a race of horse-breeders and horsemen may account for the preservation -of this curious relic of their pristine religion, along with the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_310">[Pg 310]</span> -primæval propitiation of the dangerous nats, or powers of earth, air, -and water.</p> - -<p>The principal Buddhist khyoung of the valley, situated in the pretty -walled village of Tsendong, is perfectly free from any admixture of -their older superstitions. The tsawbwa, who acted as our cicerone, -seemed very proud of the temple, which was declared to be very old. -It is built on a low stone platform, surrounded by a narrow terraced -verandah, the whole of the outside being roughly but skilfully -carved. It contained richly gilt book cabinets, and elaborately -carved altar-pieces, and might have been transported entire from the -Burmese plains. The remains of an old and venerated phoongyee, who -had died two months previously, lay in state under a double-roofed -temporary pavilion, close to the khyoung. The sarcophagus, supported -on two dragons, was a handsome structure, surmounted by a richly -carved miniature pagoda. The ground had been levelled, and was kept -scrupulously clean, and the whole enclosure carefully railed off. -On a neighbouring terrace stood an octagonal zayat, enclosing a -small pagoda. It was built almost entirely of wood, with five roofs, -diminishing in size upwards, and capped by a golden htee. A series of -open windows of carved wood-work ran round the building, and over each -were two beautifully carved panels, representing a single object, as -a bird, deer, plant, or bat. Each roof was raised on three projecting -bearers, terminating in grotesquely carved heads. The enclosed pagoda -was a square<span class="pagenum" id="Page_311">[Pg 311]</span> structure, with a delicately tapered spire reaching to -the interior of the highest roof.</p> - -<p>The presence of these purely Burmese buildings in the Hotha valley, -while pagodas are altogether wanting in the valley of the Tapeng, is -probably due to the vicinity of the ancient embassy route, but in 1769 -the Burmese appealed to the existence of pagodas in this valley as a -proof of their ancient right to include it within their boundaries.</p> - -<p>The heavy rains which continued during our stay at Hotha delayed our -progress, and at the same time prevented more complete explorations of -the neighbourhood.</p> - -<p>As already mentioned, we were to proceed over the Kakhyen hills, at -the western end of the valley, the plan of crossing into Muangwan -being impracticable, so far as we were concerned, although a Burmese -surveyor was detached to examine the route. As before stated, we were -debarred from even visiting the southern heights, but <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Gordon and I -made an excursion to the eastern head of the valley, where it is closed -in by a transverse ridge connecting the two ranges. A good road led -to the ridge, which was crossed by a narrow track, the highest point -not being more than four hundred feet above Hotha. A steep declivity -led down into another valley, probably branching off from Muangwan. -To the east-north-east, another valley could be descried, leading in -the direction of Nantin, which lies one thousand one hundred feet -lower. Through the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_312">[Pg 312]</span> mist and heavy rain, glimpses of high hills were -dimly seen on every side, and we concluded that the Hotha valley, as a -thoroughfare to Momien via Nantin, would present more difficult heights -to be surmounted than the valley of the Tapeng.</p> - -<p>We learned that from Old Hotha a road led to Muangla, reaching the -Sanda valley by a gorge of lower elevation and more gradual descent -on the northern slope than the route by which we had climbed up and -scrambled down in our passage from Manwyne. Even an excursion, however, -beyond the limits of the Hotha valley was rendered impossible by the -presence of Li-sieh-tai and his force in Shuemuelong. We accordingly -addressed ourselves to quit the pleasant quarters at Hotha, and recross -the Kakhyen hills to the Burmese plain, all the chiefs of the hill -tribes along the route having attended in person or by deputy at a -meeting on August 22nd, when satisfactory arrangements had been made -for our transit.</p> - - -<p class="footnote" id="fn38"><a href="#fna38">[38]</a> <em>Analysis by <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> Macnamara.</em></p> - -<p class="footnote">One gallon contains:—</p> - -<ul class="footnote index"> -<li class="isuba">49·7 grains of solid matter;</li> -<li class="isuba">3·6 ” salts of alkalies, chloride of sodium;</li> -<li class="isuba">19·7 ” silica, earthy salts, and oxide of iron;</li> -<li class="isuba">Traces of sulphuric, carbonic, and phosphoric acids;</li> -<li class="isuba">No nitric acid.</li></ul> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn39"><a href="#fna39">[39]</a> <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Thaï-neua</em> is applied to the northern Shans. ‘Voyage -d’Exploration,’ <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 409.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_313">[Pg 313]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.<br /> -<span class="small">FROM HOTHA TO BHAMÔ.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Adieu!—Latha—Namboke—The southern hills—Muangwye—Loaylone—The -Chinese frontier—Mattin—Hoetone—View of the Irawady plain—A -slippery descent—The Namthabet—The Sawady route—A solemn -sacrifice—A retrospective survey. -</div> - - -<p>On the 27th of August we bade adieu to our friends at Hotha, the wife -and daughters of the chief coming out to “see us off”; while their -tears, and reiterated requests that we would soon come again, might -have been called forth by the departure of some near relatives or very -dear friends. We offered to shake hands, “English fashion,” which the -eldest daughter declined, as it was contrary to Shan etiquette, but the -young wife of the chief mustered up courage to defy public opinion. -The saluting guns were fired, and we started amidst the good wishes -of a large crowd. The tsawbwa rode with us as far as the boundary of -his domains; and all along the route his people turned out with many -demonstrations of goodwill to the departing strangers. On the borders -of Latha, our friend took leave of us with evident<span class="pagenum" id="Page_314">[Pg 314]</span> regret, and handed -us over to the care of the Kakhyen chief of Namboke.</p> - -<p>The Latha district is naturally even more picturesque than that of -Hotha. The hills are nearer, and the glen, as it might be called, is -more thickly wooded. The town of Latha, which we passed near at hand, -though separated from the road by the Namsa river, appeared to be -the largest and most populous in the whole valley. We were precluded -from visiting it by the unwillingness of the old chieftain to receive -the foreigners. A present and polite messages were, however, sent by -our leader <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en passant</em>, and a return present and complimentary -message, personally dictated by the chief, were brought back by our -messengers. The message attributed his inability to receive us to the -prejudices of some of his subjects. He promised that, whenever we -should come again, he and his people would be prepared to welcome our -presence. His subjects seemed to be no less thriving than those in the -other section. All along the route, many-roofed khyoungs, rising above -the rich greenery, marked the whereabouts of villages, and pagodas of a -very striking type covered the rounded hills and thickly wooded knolls.</p> - -<p>We crossed the Namsa by a long wooden bridge, and soon found ourselves -involved in a perfect maze of little conical grassy hills, which -blocked up the western end of the valley. The road turned to the left -from the narrow glen of the Namsa, and gradually ascended, following -the course of the Namboke<span class="pagenum" id="Page_315">[Pg 315]</span> stream, and, crossing a number of small -hills, attained the summit of the first spur of the easterly barrier -of the valley. From this point to Namboke, the road wound over a -succession of spurs, till the village was reached, lying among a group -of little wooded hills formed by the junction of spurs of the secondary -Hotha range with the great southern barrier of the Tapeng valley, which -here unite. After a march of fourteen miles, performed in five hours, -we arrived at 5 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> in a downpour of rain, which did not make -the roofless shed provided as quarters at all inviting. The tsawbwa -then conducted us to his house, where we alighted under a salute of -three guns, and were accommodated partly in the strangers’ hall and -partly in the portico, which latter proved populous with enemies to -sleep. The urgent hospitality of the Namboke chief compelled us to -gratify him by a day’s halt; and it was only by dogged determination -that our leader succeeded in effecting a start at midday on the 29th.</p> - -<p>From Namboke we descended into a deep hollow, and thence gradually -ascended to the ridge of the main range bordering the Tapeng gorge, -along which we travelled to Ashan, eight miles distant, where we put up -for the night in Kakhyen houses. The footpath which did duty for road -had been recently cleared of jungle by the Kakhyens, the fresh marks of -whose dahs were visible on either side, as we wound through magnificent -virgin forest. From occasional points of vantage on open hill brows,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_316">[Pg 316]</span> -we looked down on a sea of foliage, unbroken by any clearing or sign of -human habitation. From the summit level of the ridge, we looked to the -right across the valley of the Tapeng, and saw Ponsee lying, a little -speck, on the opposite slope, halfway between the Tapeng and the summit -of the lofty Shitee-doung, also called Shitee Meru, as if after the -Sacred Hill. The territory of Ponsee extends from this summit to that -of Kad-doung, which rose behind us, so that Ashan with its dozen houses -lies within the Ponsee borders. Below us, to the left, two narrow deep -valleys ran east and west, separated by a low ridge, the termination -of the southern boundary of Hotha, which speedily lost itself in the -bewildering maze which results from the division and commingling of -the great spurs of the main lines of upheaval of these mountains. In -every direction, as far as the eye could reach, extended a sea of -hills, some rising in great dome-shaped masses six thousand feet above -the sea, clothed to their summits with dense forest, unbroken by any -cultivation. The greater number of the lesser hills had been evidently -cleared, and their abrupt slopes seemed, as it were, fashioned into -huge flights of broad steps, the terraces for the rice and maize crops, -while by the aid of a good field-glass little Kakhyen villages could be -detected dotting the slopes.</p> - -<p>We left Ashan in heavy rain, and commenced to descend in a southerly -direction. The path led along the crest of a spur running down to a -village. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_317">[Pg 317]</span> ponies and mules could not keep their feet on the wet, -slippery paths, and kept sliding down on their hindquarters. As steep -declivities bordered the path, the descent was not without risk, and -a pedestrian could only keep his footing by catching hold of the long -grass, and so lowering himself down.</p> - -<p>Having crossed the Namkhong, swollen by the rains into a tempestuous -stream, which taxed the uttermost strength of the ponies, the path -lay over a wet and muddy alluvial flat into another valley and across -another torrent. We then made a very steep ascent up the mountain side, -passing the village of Lasee, perched on a lofty rounded peak. From the -height we gained a full view of the ranges to the southwards, running -nearly parallel to each other, east-north-east and west-south-west, -with intervening valleys, much broken up by spurs. A descent of a few -hundred feet brought us to the village of Muangwye, on the southern -slope of a hill covered with trees and enormous granite boulders.</p> - -<p>Our halt here was a device of the local tsawbwa, who was anxious to -have the honour of entertaining us. The other chiefs had gone on to -Loaylone with the baggage and commissariat, expecting us to proceed to -that village as our resting-place for the night. The chief did his best -to reconcile us to his hospitable <em>ruse</em> by a hearty welcome and -liberal supplies of sheroo and samshu.</p> - -<p>The usual and direct route from Ashan to Hoetone, the last Kakhyen -village before descending to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_318">[Pg 318]</span> plain, only occupies one good day’s -march; but the anxiety of the respective chiefs to entertain us caused -them to lead us from village to village, and make three marches instead -of one; and as the rain was almost incessant, and the path up and down -the hillsides slippery in the extreme, we found Kakhyen regard almost -as embarrassing as the former hostility.</p> - -<p>The next day we crossed the Muangkah stream, about fifteen feet across, -and flowing in a deep nullah, which is the boundary line between the -Lakhone and Cowlee Kakhyens, into whose borders we now entered. The -glen was very narrow, but the rich black soil very fertile, judging -from the appearance of the small rice fields. The only bridge was a -felled tree, less than a foot broad, with a ricketty bamboo tied on as -a handrail, along which we scrambled, almost envying the animals, which -swam across. Ascending another ridge, we passed the remains of the old -Chinese frontier fort, commanding this route, as a custom-house, as -that above the Nampoung commands the Ponsee road. A hundred feet below, -the village of Loaylone occupied a steep slope, stretching out in an -amphitheatre. This was the largest and most thriving Kakhyen village -we had yet seen, and the chief’s house presented the unusual feature -of a high bamboo fence enclosing it. The chief was bountiful in his -supplies of fowls and sheroo; and in the evening his younger brother, -the tsawbwa of Mattin, paid us a visit, and proved to be the most -polished and intelligent Kakhyen we had met, his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_319">[Pg 319]</span> manners and style -being fully equal to those of any Burmese or Shan gentleman. His dress -was a mixture of Shan and Chinese, but his hair was arranged in Burmese -fashion. He proved to be perfectly acquainted with Burmese and Chinese, -and held a long conversation on the advantages of re-establishing -trade, in which he professed the utmost readiness to co-operate. He was -very anxious that we should become his guests at Mattin for several -days; and, after exhausting the pleas of the ill-health of some of the -party, the rains, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., we were obliged to urge that delays on the way -would prejudice the minds of our rulers against the embassy route. It -was necessary to remain a day at Loaylone, as, according to custom, -the mules and porters had to be paid off here, and replaced by others -belonging to the Cowlee Kakhyens. The ordinary central route to Momien -is said to be from this place to Muangwan, a view of which valley can -be gained from the Chinese fort of Loaylone, whence the road leads to -Nantin, avoiding the Hotha valley. There was, of course, some trouble -with the muleteers, who invariably put forth extortionate demands, only -to be met by firm refusal. At the very moment of our departure, two of -the Namboke pawmines laid an embargo on a mule-load of luggage as a -pawn for payment for some rice, which they had already received.</p> - -<p>The direct road to Hoetone is only six miles by a comparatively level -route along the paddy fields,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_320">[Pg 320]</span> but the necessity of accepting Mattin’s -invitation lengthened our march to fifteen miles, involving the ascent -of one of the highest ranges. In a glen below Loaylone we met a caravan -of mules from Bhamô laden with cotton and salt. From this point steep -ascents over a succession of spurs, and descents into shallow valleys, -brought us to the summit of the main ridge at an elevation of five -thousand feet. Close to our left, and five or six hundred feet higher, -rose the high dome-shaped hill which we had sighted from Ashan. To the -south-east and south rose a few still higher peaks, but none apparently -exceeding an elevation of six thousand feet. The summit of this ridge -was covered with fine turf and a few trees, and strewn with enormous -granite boulders, under the shelter of which were built the houses of a -small village named Loayline.</p> - -<p>From this point we began to descend the main mass of the Kakhyen hills, -and soon arrived at the village of Mattin, situated on the ridge of a -spur. A salute of three guns and a musical clash of gongs and cymbals -announced our arrival, and we were ushered up a broad flight of stone -steps leading to a Chinese gateway in a substantial brick and stone -wall. Within this stood the chief’s house, of Kakhyen design, but, by -its construction and rich ornaments of carving, deserving the name of -a Kakhyen palace. After being duly presented to the chief’s family, -and admired by an enthusiastic crowd of his subjects, who, be it said, -were vastly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_321">[Pg 321]</span> superior both in their appearance and dress to their -compatriots of the northern hills, we were conducted into a small -external pavilion, and refreshed ourselves in privacy.</p> - -<p>From Mattin a descent of two miles brought us to Hoetone, situated on -a flattened depression of the same spur, strewn with huge gneiss and -granite boulders. In front of the tsawbwa’s house three flat blocks of -stone, about three feet high, were fixed in the ground in line, which -were described as the altar whereon buffaloes were offered to the -nats. We had observed similar stones in a grove outside the village, -which the numerous skulls strewn about showed to have been the scene -of numerous offerings. In this place there was also a circular wall, -three feet high, with one of the standing stones built into it, and -the ground covered with the decaying skulls of sacrificed buffaloes. -The next morning we were visited first by the aged tsawbwa of Hoetone, -accompanied by his wives, children, and grandchildren, all in their -best attire, and laden with the usual presents of fowls, vegetables, -cooked rice, and sheroo. The next to appear were the tsawbwas of -Kadaw and Sakhiy, dressed in ancient black satin jackets, with their -womankind attired <em xml:lang="es" lang="es">à la</em> Kakhyen, but decorated with a profusion -of Shan silver ornaments. The sub-chief who had followed us to Momien, -and died there of small-pox, was a son of Kadaw, and although he had -come to Momien of his own accord, Sladen considered it just to promise -to the old father that,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_322">[Pg 322]</span> when at Bhamô, he would consult with the other -chiefs as to compensation for his son’s death. With this assurance the -father departed well pleased; but a younger brother of the deceased -thought fit to bully and demand instant payment, and enlisted a few -of the muleteers on his side. The usual Kakhyen wrangle and bluster -ensued, but being met with firm expostulation, according to custom, -ended in nothing; but our departure had been thereby delayed till -midday, when we gladly recommenced our descent to the plains.</p> - -<p>In dry weather it is usual to travel from Hoetone to Bhamô by Momouk, -across the plain, on the left bank of the Tapeng; but the low grounds -being now under water, it was necessary to proceed to the Tapeng below -its exit from the hills, and descend it in boats to Bhamô. A short -distance below Hoetone, we came to a division in the road, and a -discussion ensued with the Mantai tsawbwa, who was acting as guide to -the advance party of the cavalcade, as to the proper path to follow. -One road, along the spur which we had descended, appeared evidently -to be the direct route, as the other turned off to the left down a -deep hollow, towards another spur to the southward. This, the tsawbwa -insisted, was as good and as short as the other, and we perforce -followed him. From the brow of the spur a noble panorama of the -extensive plain of the Irawady burst upon our view.</p> - -<p>The great river, now swollen to its fullest width,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_323">[Pg 323]</span> wound like a broad -band of silver through the plain, and our followers literally jumped -and shouted with joy at the prospect, realising the speedy termination -of their six months’ wanderings. Those of our party whose dignity -forbade such demonstrations rejoiced no less in spirit; for even this -grand hill scenery becomes wearisome when one has to scramble up the -steep mountain paths and slide down the counter slope in torrents -of rain. We could not grumble at the slight detour which the Mantai -chief had imposed upon us, for the whole population of his village was -eagerly awaiting our arrival, and saluted us with five guns. In his -house, which was enclosed with a bamboo palisade, mats were spread for -us, and his wife and daughters, two almost handsome maidens, vied with -each other in demonstrations of welcome and proffers of very excellent -sheroo. Leaving them highly delighted with a few bright silver coins -and compliments, we remounted, and began a slippery descent through -bamboo jungle, in which there was a fair chance of being impaled on the -fallen stems, as the ponies slid down on their haunches, utterly unable -to change their course. Having at least reached four thousand feet -below Hoetone, we had to cross at the bottom a roaring mountain torrent -by a newly constructed bridge. A large boulder lay in midstream, and -two large bamboos were placed from it to the banks on either side, with -smaller cross pieces to keep all secure; this primitive and rickety -bridge, about<span class="pagenum" id="Page_324">[Pg 324]</span> eighteen inches wide, sloped down to the stone, and -then rose up at a steep incline to the other bank. It was a perilous -path for man and beast, for to lose one’s balance meant being swept -down by the resistless current into the Tapeng. The level ground on -either side of the stream was closed in by high hills, which echoed -with the roar of the latter river; but the high grass which covered -the alluvial flat hid it from us, until, having crossed a low spur, we -came upon the banks of the foaming yellow flood, rushing down to the -plains in a magnificent torrent. About two miles further, we left the -Tapeng, and turned to the south-west, and, crossing a low spur, came -upon the right bank of a moderate-sized, deep-flowing stream, with a -very strong current, called Namthabet, which flows into the Tapeng, -at its exit from the hills. This stream had to be crossed by a raft, -which two Kakhyens had been sent from Hoetone to construct, but they -had only completed half their task when we arrived. We were therefore -compelled to bivouac, and all hands set to work to construct the small -bamboo huts thatched with grass, which the Burmese call <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tai</em>. The -night was fine, but the sandflies proved utter foes to sleep, defying -mosquito curtains; and the morning brought a tremendous thunderstorm, -followed by torrents of rain, as if the hill nats wished to give us a -farewell benefit.</p> - -<p>As soon as the raft was completed, the jemadar and a number of -Burmans embarked, furnished with long bamboos to pole it across; but -the current<span class="pagenum" id="Page_325">[Pg 325]</span> swept it down stream, and it was only saved by the men -jumping into the water and pushing it to bank, where all held on by the -overhanging branches. The Kakhyen method of stretching a rope across -the stream was next resorted to, and under the experienced direction -of Captain Bowers a strong rope of the outer layer of the bamboo was -speedily improvised. This attempt also failed, for the rope broke in -two when the raft was in midstream, but the men kept firm hold, and -hauled themselves to the opposite bank. At last we succeeded, by means -of two ropes, in ferrying all the party across, drenched to the skin by -the rain and river water. On the left bank we were met by the choung-sa -of Tsitgna with an escort, sent to accompany us to Nampoung, on the -Tapeng. Before us lay a line of low hills, running nearly north and -south, dividing the valley of the Namthabet from the Burmese plain, -into which they fade gradually by long undulations. Their eastern face -is covered almost exclusively with bamboos, but the western slope is -thickly wooded with numerous species of forest trees, until the plain -is reached, when eng trees and tall elephant grass take their place. On -arriving at the Tapeng, after a march of five miles, we found two large -boats in readiness, one of them nicely carpeted, and carrying a band -of musicians beating gongs and tomtoms. All our party, including the -Kakhyen chiefs who had accompanied us, being embarked, we were towed by -two war-boats, each manned by thirty men, across the broad and quickly -flowing<span class="pagenum" id="Page_326">[Pg 326]</span> Tapeng, to the village of Tsitgna, where we were conducted -by the Woon’s private secretary to a small pavilion, comfortably -arranged for our reception. The Burmese officials were most attentive; -gratuitous supplies of eatables were brought in abundance, and even the -Kakhyen chiefs and their followers were supplied with all they needed.</p> - -<p>On the 5th of September we settled the hire of the mules and porters -without the slightest disagreement, all the baggage having been safely -delivered, without the loss of a single article between Hotha and -Tsitgna. Even the load of the mule detained at Loaylone, which had been -divided into bundles for two porters, arrived safe, and, to the honour -of the Kakhyens be it said, without so much as even an opened bottle of -brandy being tampered with.</p> - -<p>The next morning we embarked on boats constructed of two canoes, -carrying a platform and a canopy or roof of leaves overhead, and -glided down the broad deep Tapeng, which this season is one thousand -five hundred feet wide, and deep enough for an ordinary river steamer, -as far as the hills. On the way down, we looked back for a parting -glance at the Kakhyen hills. On either side of the river rose the two -lofty peaks, the Shitee-doung on the north and the Kad-doung on the -south, seeming to stand like sentinels, to guard the routes to China, -and in a very literal sense, for the old Chinese forts and frontier -custom-houses occupied strong positions on either mountain, and the -boundary line<span class="pagenum" id="Page_327">[Pg 327]</span> of the Flowery Kingdom is almost defined by these -heights. Near the mouth of the river we were met by the tsare-daw-gyee -with two war-boats, which towed us to Bhamô, where we landed at 2.30 in -the afternoon of September 5th, having left it on the 26th of February.</p> - -<p>The Burmese surveyor who had been despatched from Hotha to examine the -route to Sawady had arrived at Bhamô on the 26th of August, having -accomplished his journey in ten days. He had travelled in the disguise -of a Shan, accompanied by a guide recommended by the Hotha chief, and -our own Kakhyen interpreter. Carrying no instruments except an aneroid -for measuring the heights, he had performed his task of observations -very satisfactorily. From Hotha he had crossed the intervening ridge, -seven hundred feet above the Muangtha valley, into the much larger -valley of Muangwan, lying at about the same level as that of Nantin. -This Chinese Shan state was governed by the grandmother of the youthful -tsawbwa, acting as regent during his minority. She and her headmen -agreed in promising safe conduct to all English traders adopting that -route. A constant stream of mules and pack bullocks was described as -passing from Sawady to Muangwan, whence they proceeded either to Nantin -or to Muangkun. The route was clear of all obstructions, and smooth -and even throughout. Two Kakhyen districts were passed through, named -Bhagon and Phonkan, in the latter of which the highest elevation<span class="pagenum" id="Page_328">[Pg 328]</span> -occurs. Both agreed to maintain the old Chinese tariff of one rupee for -mules and eight annas for bullocks, and the Phonkan chief expressed his -wish that English traders would adopt this route, and guaranteed their -safety.</p> - -<p>Our old quarters in the town of Bhamô had been thoroughly repaired, -and were ready to receive us, while the tsawbwas, who had accompanied -us, to the number of thirty-one, all of whom ruled districts adjacent -to the central route, were housed by the Burmese in zayats outside the -stockade. The object of their attendance was to take part in a solemn -sacrifice according to their custom, and to enter into an engagement -ratified by the most binding oath, that they would afford safe conduct -and protection to all traders and travellers who might hereafter cross -their hills between Bhamô and the Shan states. The ceremony took place -on the 13th, after sundry open objections and hidden obstacles raised -by the Burmese, who, no doubt, were at first rather puzzled by the -transaction, but, after clear explanations by Major Sladen, raised -no further difficulty. A species of scaffold was erected, consisting -of strong posts sunk into the ground, with cross pieces, to which -the victim, a buffalo, was bound. An altar was reared twenty feet in -height, with a square platform of bamboos, on which the offering was -placed. Before the sacrifice, and again before the offering was made, -the nats or deities were duly invoked in a solemnly chanted prayer. -The buffalo<span class="pagenum" id="Page_329">[Pg 329]</span> was firmly bound by its horns to the scaffold, and then -thrown on one side, so that the whole weight of the body bore on the -partially twisted neck. A Kakhyen rushed forward, in one hand holding a -plantain leaf cup full of water, and brandishing his dah in the other. -Simultaneously the water was thrown over the victim, and the fatal blow -delivered in the neck with a force and effect as fatal as the stab of -the matador. The carcase was at once cut up, the blood being received -in a large vessel, while the entrails were laid as offerings to the -nats on the elevated altar. With the blood a quantity of samshu was -mixed, and stirred up with the points of dahs and spears, and each -chief in turn drank from the bowl, and uttered his vow of fidelity to -the common cause. Such was the rite that the three chiefs had joined in -at Ponsee when leagued for our destruction, and now thirty-one chiefs -bound themselves solemnly to maintain peace and give protection to -future travellers through their borders. This was the concluding act -which terminated our expedition, and it may be permitted to us to look -back with satisfaction to the fact, that of the whole party which set -out of Bhamô, with the exception of one sepoy and a native collector, -who succumbed to disease, all returned in safety. The natives of the -Kakhyen hills and of the Shan valleys had learned to regard their -at first suspected or dreaded visitors as friends and benefactors; -and if the advance had been slow, and in the opinion of some costly, -the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_330">[Pg 330]</span> return had been easily accomplished, and not without a wealth of -“golden opinions” won from the various chiefs with whom Englishmen for -the first time had been brought in successive relations.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>It is scarcely within the scope of this volume to review the political -aspect of the work performed, but it is impossible to refrain from some -comments. The term failure has been freely applied to the outcome of -this expedition, and the conduct of the leader has been, only recently, -most harshly criticised. Considering that his instructions, as received -from the Chief Commissioner of British Burma, were to investigate -thoroughly the causes of the cessation of trade, to discover the exact -political position of the Kakhyens, the Shans, and the Panthays, and to -influence these communities in favour of the restoration of commerce, -it can hardly be alleged that the prescribed objects were not fully -attained. While it had been considered by the superior authorities -desirable to advance to Yung-chang, or, if possible, to Tali-fu, the -leader had been strictly enjoined not to risk the safety of the members -of the mission. From Bhamô he had to feel his way, contending against -intrigues on the part of the Kakhyens and misunderstanding on the part -of the Shans, fomented by the misrepresentations of the jealous Chinese -merchants at Bhamô. The country to be traversed was unknown, and in an -abnormal state of confusion. Where Burma ended, and China commenced, -was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_331">[Pg 331]</span> a problem, for the ancient frontier lines had been temporarily -obliterated, the authority of the mandarins had receded into the -interior of Yunnan, and that of the usurping Mahommedan rulers was -only partially felt to the westward of Momien. Not till that town was -reached could the desired information be obtained, or the true relation -of the intervening valley states to Burma or China be discerned. Not a -step forwards had been taken without securing beforehand the consent, -and, as it proved, the welcome, of the various rulers, subordinate -or supreme; and care was especially taken to disown any political -partisanship, and to proclaim to all that our object was to explore in -the interests of commerce.</p> - -<p>When, after a short stay at Momien, it became evident that further -progress was at once dangerous and in the existing state of things -liable to embroil us with Chinese constituted authorities, a return was -resolved on, and only retarded by uncontrollable circumstances. To have -obeyed orders, and in various and trying positions to have manifested -a patient endurance in order to reach the farthest possible goal, and -return thence with the wished for information, and thus prepare the -way for future travellers, may not be accounted brilliant exploits; -but these are the arduous duties of a careful scout and a successful -pioneer. The reader can form his own opinion as to whether these were -not worthily performed by Major Sladen.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_332">[Pg 332]</span></p> - -<p>Those who shared his journeyings, though not his responsibilities, and -witnessed his cautious and resolute bearing under novel and perplexing -conditions, cannot but record their opinion that he deserves a larger -meed of praise than has been as yet accorded to his conduct of the -first English expedition to Yunnan.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_333">[Pg 333]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.<br /> -<span class="small">INTERMEDIATE EVENTS.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Appointment of a British Resident at Bhamô—Increase of native -trade—Action of the king of Burma—Burmese quarrel with the -Seray chief—British relations with the Panthays—Struggle in -Yunnan—Li-sieh-tai—Imperialist successes—European gunners—Siege -of Momien—Fall of Yung-chang—Prince Hassan visits England—Fall -of Tali-fu—Sultan Suleiman’s death—Massacre of Panthays—Capture -of Momien—Escape of Tah-sa-kon—Capture of Woosaw—Suppression -of rebellion—Imperial proclamation—Li-sieh-tai, commissioner -of Shan states—Re-opening of trade routes—Second British -mission—Action of Sir T. Wade—Appointment of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary—Members of -mission—Acquiescence of China and Burma. -</div> - - -<p>The first active step taken by the Chief Commissioner of British Burma, -as a result of the expedition of 1868, was to recommend the appointment -of a British Resident at Bhamô. The various Shan and Kakhyen chiefs, as -well as the governor of Momien, had concurred in the opinion that such -an appointment would be beneficial to the future trade.</p> - -<p>By the 6th article of the treaty of 1867 it had been provided that -British steamers should be allowed to navigate the Burmese waters, that -British merchants should be permitted to reside at Bhamô, and, lastly, -that British agents might be appointed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_334">[Pg 334]</span> at all customs stations, such -as Bhamô and Menhla. The government of India, however, while approving -of the appointment of a British Resident at Bhamô, declined to pass -final or definite orders until the king’s sentiments should have -been ascertained, and a distinct assent given by him. His Majesty -had already, when the matter was mooted, declared that he would take -care that his officer, the Woon, should co-operate with the Resident; -but, according to the instructions given, that the plan should be -laid before him as one “requiring a clear understanding, and a full -approval on the part of his Majesty,” it was made the subject of a -special audience. The king expressly declared that the appointment of -a Resident at Bhamô had his full consent and approval; but he hoped -that “obstinate or intractable officers, guided solely by their own -opinion, without regard to advice or reason,” would not be sent. He -further desired that the new official might be presented to himself, -when he would introduce him to the Woon of Bhamô, in order to arrange -their mutual relations. The spirit in which the king entertained and -acquiesced in the proposal may be taken as an illustration of the -manner in which the king of Burma has shown himself disposed to deal -with the formidable power which holds the seaboard of his kingdom. -Fully alive, as he must have been, to the possible embarrassments that -might arise from his relations to England on the one hand, and to his -suzerain, the emperor of China, on the other, it cannot be said that he -has failed to carry out<span class="pagenum" id="Page_335">[Pg 335]</span> his treaty obligations to our government; and -when the misrepresentation of which he has been the subject is taken -into account, it will appear that the king of Burma has some right to -complain of the treatment he has received at the hands of the British -public.</p> - -<p>In March 1869, Captain Strover was gazetted as the first British -Resident at Bhamô, and in due course the British flag was hoisted at -that ancient entrepot of Indo-Chinese trade. It is almost needless -to remark that, as regards direct British commerce, no considerable -results followed. In 1872 it was reported that not a single consignment -belonging to British firms had arrived at Bhamô during the three -previous years. The native trade increased considerably, and the -Chinese merchants of Rangoon and Mandalay had despatched large -quantities of cotton and salt, and other commodities, as well as a -moderate supply of piece goods. In the spring of 1870, the arrivals at -Tsitkaw averaged eight hundred mules a month. During the two following -years caravans of one thousand beasts of burden are recorded as -arriving from the Chinese territories. The river-borne trade increased -so much that the agents for the Irawady Flotilla Company found that -the monthly steamer service to Bhamô was insufficient, and besides the -extra steamers placed on the line by them, the India General Steam -Navigation Company despatched steamers and heavily laden flats. To -quote a correspondent of the <em>Times</em>, “in four years the steam -navigation developed itself into<span class="pagenum" id="Page_336">[Pg 336]</span> an almost regular fortnightly -service, which, during the year ending October 1874, carried cargo to -the value of about £200,000 to and from Bhamô.”</p> - -<p>The king of Burma showed his anxiety to restore the trade of the Bhamô -route by erecting and garrisoning a line of guard-houses through the -Kakhyen hills, from the plain to the Nampoung, beyond which river, as -being the boundary line of China, Li-sieh-tai would not permit their -erection.</p> - -<p>In 1872, no less than one hundred and fifty thousand viss of royal -cotton were stored at Manwyne under the charge of the king’s agents -there resident, and it is expressly noted that, so far as the Burmese -are concerned, British goods could have been forwarded with perfect -security. The Mandalay Chinese, however, were deterred (1871) from -buying cotton for the Yunnan market by the information that the -imperialist officers had laid an embargo on the caravans, to prevent -them from supplying the Panthays with provisions. The caravans were -not infrequently attacked by dacoits, especially near Nantin, and the -Kakhyen chief of Seray was accused by the Burmese of having intercepted -royal presents on their way to China. The tsare-daw-gyee of Bhamô, -by way of reprisal, seized thirty mules belonging to the Seray chief, -whence arose a feud, which was not forgotten at the period of the -second expedition. At this time, it resulted in the messengers sent by -the Resident to the governor of Momien being warned by the Seray<span class="pagenum" id="Page_337">[Pg 337]</span> chief -not to travel that road, as it was unsafe for any Burmese.</p> - -<p>It was a necessary, but regretable, consequence of the reception given -to the first expedition by the governor of Momien that he maintained -friendly relations with successive Residents. It appeared desirable, -with a view to maintain the security of the trade route, to keep on -friendly, though strictly neutral, terms with the holders of the -commanding position of Momien. It is, doubtless, easy to look back, and -be wise after the event; but, rightly or wrongly, the intercourse once -begun could not be well abandoned; at all events, it was judged prudent -to maintain it. It certainly created in the minds of the Chinese at -Bhamô a distinct impression that the interests of their possible -commercial rivals and of their actual political foes were identified. -The Kakhyen chiefs of the southern route even complained that since -they and the Shans had become friends of the English the Bhamô Chinese -were no longer amicably disposed towards them. The presents sent by -the Residents from time to time were, doubtless, magnified by the -popular imagination, and neither side found it easy to believe that the -sole object was the assurance of safe and commodious transit. Thus at -least it may be conjectured from the study of the course of subsequent -events, as well as from the manifestations of feeling on the part of -both Panthays and Chinese.</p> - -<p>The conflicting accounts and reports which were<span class="pagenum" id="Page_338">[Pg 338]</span> brought in, and -which enable us in some degree to trace the progress of events in -Yunnan, which led to the complete overthrow of the Mahommedan power, -all combined to show that, from the time of our visit to Momien, the -Chinese government would seem to have aroused itself to the necessity -of recovering the almost lost province. Whatever the real strength -of the Mahommedans may have been in 1868, it is certain that they -had gradually lost ground in 1869. The various reports furnished -were too contradictory, and, in truth, both the governor of Momien -and the Chinese were too much given to exaggeration to furnish any -trustworthy data. In 1870, as was well ascertained, Li-sieh-tai was the -acknowledged leader of the imperialist Chinese troops in the Momien -district, and had invested Momien, but had suffered a defeat, and -been obliged to retreat into the Shitee-doung range of hills. He soon -recruited his forces, and levied contributions from the Shans, and also -from the Chinese merchants both of Bhamô and Mandalay. The latter were -not moved by patriotism, but by the national feelings of affection for -their kindred, and respect for their ancestral graves in Yunnan.</p> - -<p>Towards the end of that year, Momien had been again invested by the -Chinese, but a Panthay force from the north had succeeded in throwing -reinforcements into the city, notwithstanding which, entrenchments -were subsequently thrown up by the Chinese troops, who, under Li and -Li-quang-fang and another<span class="pagenum" id="Page_339">[Pg 339]</span> officer, pressed the place hard, but to no -purpose. The imperialists seem to have poured troops into the province, -and a proclamation signed by Li was posted in Bhamô, announcing that -ten thousand troops had surrounded Yung-chang. In the beginning -of 1871, the northern districts, which had been the cradle of the -rebellion, were held firmly by the Mahommedans, and the city of Tali-fu -was reported by two natives of India, who came to Bhamô, to have been -free two months before from the presence of imperialist troops. The -Mahommedan troops then were in great force, and had been despatched to -the relief of the threatened cities of Yung-chang and Shin-tin. The -imperialist troops were then attacking Yeynan-sin, to the north-east -of Tali-fu, and as they had cannon directed by three European gunners, -the Mahommedans, though fighting with their usual bravery, suffered -great losses, and could scarcely make head against them. Thus there -were three lines of attack, one army assailing Yung-chang and the -neighbouring cities south of the line between Momien and Tali; the -main force advancing on the holy city itself, and Li-sieh-tai with -his troops pressing the siege of Momien, where the governor doggedly -held out, though reported to have been severely wounded, and kept up -constant communication with the Residency at Bhamô. By the end of -1871, Yung-chang had been taken by the Chinese, and Tali-fu was said -to be closely invested. Around Momien constant fighting continued -with varied success, one Chinese leader having been killed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_340">[Pg 340]</span> and his -troops defeated; but the Mahommedans were bravely fighting a hopeless -battle against overwhelming numbers, and the more faint-hearted among -them were advising surrender, or meditating treachery. The Sultan -Suleiman resolved on sending his son and heir, Hassan, to solicit the -aid or interference of the British government, in order to avert the -threatened overthrow of his power, or secure tolerable terms of peace. -The young prince, as he may be called, made his way in disguise, with -a few attendants, to Rangoon, and thence proceeded to London, where he -arrived in the spring of 1872. It is needless to say that his errand -was bootless; but he was treated as a private guest of the government, -and remained for some time in this country. On his return he was -accompanied by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Cooper, who was appointed in England to conduct him -to the frontier of our territory. The prince had himself proposed that -thence this well-known traveller should proceed with him to Tali-fu, -and thus accomplish the object of his former venturous journey. <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">En -route</em> they visited Constantinople, where the Sultan received the -prince as a distinguished guest, and finally arrived at Rangoon. Here -they received the intelligence of the capture of Tali-fu, the death -of Suleiman, and the utter destruction of the Mahommedan power. This -necessarily put a stop to their further journey, and the unhappy Hassan -set out on a pilgrimage to Mecca.</p> - -<p>During his absence in Europe, the Chinese generals had put forth all -their power to capture the head-quarters<span class="pagenum" id="Page_341">[Pg 341]</span> of the rebels. For some -months the natural strength of the position of Tali-fu, to which all -the Mahommedans of the surrounding country had retired before the -advancing Chinese armies, defied its assailants. Abundant provisions -were stored in the granaries; and the garrison, said to number thirty -or forty thousand Mahommedans, were determined to resist to the last. -The chief minister of the Sultan was entrusted with the command of -Shagwan, as the Burmese call the fort of Hia-kwang or Hsia-kwan, and -he was bribed to admit the Chinese forces and surrender to them the -granaries. The artillery of the Chinese, directed, as already stated, -by European gunners, rendered it impossible for the sultan to cope with -them in the field; but he held out within the walls of the city till -provisions failed, and approaching famine compelled him to enter into -negotiations. He was led to believe that, if he surrendered himself, -his people would be spared, and willingly agreed to sacrifice his own -life to save those of his followers. Knowing the fate which awaited -himself and his family, he administered poison to his three wives and -five children, and, having taken a fatal dose himself, proceeded in his -chair to the Chinese general’s quarters, but died on the road. His head -was cut off, and, preserved in honey, was forwarded to Pekin, and it is -said that his three youngest sons were sent as prisoners. The Chinese -general then demanded that the Mahommedans should surrender all their -arms<span class="pagenum" id="Page_342">[Pg 342]</span> and ammunition, which was done. The officers were then required -to repair to the Chinese head-quarters to pay their respects to the -general. Forty-one obeyed the summons, and on entering his presence -were at once seized and beheaded. Orders were then issued for a general -massacre of the disarmed and leaderless garrison, and an indiscriminate -slaughter of thousands of men, women, and children, completed the -conquest of Tali-fu. Thence the army marched to Chun-ning-fu and -Yin-chaw, which towns were successively captured, no quarter being -given to any of the Mahommedans.</p> - -<p>Another version of the fall of Tali-fu narrates that the Mahommedans -invited the Chinese to a conference at one of the gates, having -previously mined the ground. The Chinese came in force, but, struck -with a sudden suspicion of doubt, retreated just before the explosion -of the mine, which destroyed the gate and part of the wall. The -Chinese then returned and stormed the city, but the citadel was too -strong for them, and held out till surrendered as above described. The -Mahommedans claimed in their version to have been successful in their -stratagem, and to have destroyed great numbers of the enemy, of whom -many panic-stricken rushed into the lake, and perished there. The fort -or position of Hsia-kwan was stated by the Chinese to have been stormed -by a night attack, headed by the Tartar general in person, who led the -way over rocky heights supposed to be inaccessible. At all events, it -is certain that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_343">[Pg 343]</span> Tali-fu fell in August 1872, and on the New Year of -1873 the governor-general of Yunnan sent forward letters to the king -of Burma announcing the fact, and requesting the king to assist in the -reopening of trade, as the rebellion was at an end; but, to use the -words of Sir Thomas Wade, “the rebellion died hard,” for Momien and -Woosaw still held out.</p> - -<p>The governor of the former place had been visited by a high Panthay -official, who was secretly a traitor to the cause, and advised -surrender; whereupon the governor invited him into his Yamen, and -promptly beheaded him. In February three officers arrived from Momien -at Bhamô with letters addressed to the Chief Commissioner of Burma, -and were forwarded to Rangoon. The town was finally captured in May, -the strong south-western gate described in page 192 having been -successfully mined; but the victors found no one in the city. The -governor had succeeded in bribing the officer in command of the troops -to the north of the town, who had been a former adherent of his own, -and suffered his few remaining co-religionists to escape by night, -much to the disappointment of the Chinese, who could not consider the -country tranquillised while so brave and able a leader was at large. In -June a proclamation was posted throughout the Shan valleys, announcing -the marriage of the emperor and the fall of Momien, and inviting all -the people to return to their homes and cultivate their lands.</p> - -<p>The ex-governor was heard of from time to time as<span class="pagenum" id="Page_344">[Pg 344]</span> lurking in the -mountains with a few faithful followers, and orders were issued -from the king of Burma that he should be seized if found on Burmese -territory, and surrendered to the Chinese. This order was issued in -compliance with a request sent by an envoy from the viceroy of Yunnan -to the king; but he managed to elude both Chinese and Burmese, and -succeeded in entering Hoothaw or Woosaw, the last remaining stronghold -of his party.</p> - -<p>This place, three days’ march north-west of Momien, is described as -a town of one thousand houses, surrounded by a stone wall twenty -feet high, and defended on one side by a deep stream, and altogether -stronger and more flourishing than Momien. Its position must be at -a high elevation, as in winter the swamps are frozen hard enough to -bear men on the ice. Communication is carried on between this place -and Lay-myo, one hundred miles north of Bhamô, on the Namthabet, an -affluent of the Irawady, by which route the officers from Momien -reached Bhamô.</p> - -<p>Woosaw was captured at the end of May 1874, but the ex-tah-sa-kon and -the principal officers succeeded in escaping to Chang-see, a town -south-west of Woosaw, and eight days distant from Talo, on the Irawady, -while his sons were at Tseedai assisting the tsawbwa in a fight with -the Wacheoon chief.</p> - -<p>The Panthays, in their turn, had become dacoits, as they had formerly -termed Li-sieh-tai’s troops, and from their lurking-places on the hills -near Nantin attacked the caravans going to Momien; while the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_345">[Pg 345]</span> last news -of the ex-tah-sa-kon, who for a time was supposed to be dead, were -that he had joined the Shan rebel Tsan-hai, who was committing acts of -brigandage in the Burmese Shan state of Namkan, on the left bank of the -Shuaylee.</p> - -<p>Thus in the middle of 1874 the Chinese authority had been thoroughly -re-established. As early as August 1873, an imperial proclamation -had been issued in the <em>Pekin Gazette</em>, in which the emperor -congratulated himself on the termination of the war, which had lasted -eighteen years, and in which the half of the prefectural and district -cities had been taken by the rebels. All arrears of taxes due up -to 1872 were remitted, and the <em>le-kin</em>, or special war tax, -was declared to be no longer required. Li-sieh-tai was appointed -commissioner of the Koshanpyi or Shan states; and Sie-ta-lin, the -newly invested Chinese governor of Momien, and the officials of the -other strong towns, set themselves to restore trade and resettle the -country, which had been deserted and left desolate for years. It can be -well imagined that no little hatred of the Panthays, not unmixed with -fear, animated all the border Chinese, and the constant rumours that -the rebels were collecting for a new attack combined with the actual -robberies committed to keep all the Chinese officials on the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">qui -vive</em>.</p> - -<p>It has been already mentioned how the trade between Burma and China -increased from 1872, as soon as the head of the Mahommedan revolt was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_346">[Pg 346]</span> -crushed at Tali-fu. It is a significant fact that in 1873 the Chinese -governor of Muanglong, situated to the south-west of Momien, sent -orders to his feudatory, the tsawbwa of Sehfan, to open trade to Bhamô -at any risk; and the chief, in announcing the intended departure of a -large caravan, requested the Resident at Bhamô to send a deputy to meet -him at Hotha.</p> - -<p>The routes were regularly open, and large quantities of cotton, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., -exported, both by Bhamô and Theinnee, although disorders still existed, -and straggling dacoits and lawless Kakhyens frequently attacked the -caravans. Under these circumstances, the Chief Commissioner of British -Burma, the Hon. Ashley Eden, conceived that the time had come for -renewing, under more favourable conditions, the opening of the overland -trade route to British commerce. In this he was strongly seconded by -the commercial community at Rangoon. The question of the establishment -of a British Consul at Tali-fu was also discussed. The first point to -be attained was to secure a safe transit from Burma into China. The -passage of a peaceful British expedition, which would on its journey -thoroughly examine the capabilities of the country beyond Momien, and -perhaps discover an easier and better route from Bhamô to Yunnan, was -still regarded as the direct method of preparing the way.</p> - -<p>In 1874, Lord Salisbury, the Secretary of State for India, decided -to send a second expedition to penetrate China from Burma, and -pass through, if<span class="pagenum" id="Page_347">[Pg 347]</span> practicable, to Shanghai. To avoid possible -misunderstandings, and to make it plain to the Western Chinese -mandarins that the foreign visitors were of the same nation as the -English who lived and traded in the treaty ports, her Majesty’s -Minister at Pekin was instructed to send a consular official, duly -furnished with imperial passports, to meet the mission on the frontiers -of China. Having secured the full permission of the Pekin government, -Sir T. Wade selected <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary, a young but most promising member -of the consular service, thoroughly versed in Chinese language and -etiquette, to proceed from Shanghai to Momien. A plan had been at first -proposed of despatching a party by way of the Theinnee route from -Mandalay, but had been negatived by the king of Burma, on the ground -of a rebellion then existing in a Burmese Shan state on the road. -Consequently there was no other alternative but to proceed by one or -other of the routes from Bhamô. The consent of the king was secured -to this measure, although at first his Majesty objected to an armed -escort, as he was quite willing to send a sufficient force to convoy -the mission to the Chinese frontier; but when he understood that the -armed escort would only consist of fifteen Sikhs, he withdrew his -objection, and promised his full support and assistance. A considerable -quantity of valuable presents were prepared for distribution among the -chiefs and officials <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em>. These included a supply of edible -birds’ nests, jewellery, binoculars, musical-boxes,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_348">[Pg 348]</span> and silver-mounted -revolvers. Two valuable horses, one a magnificent Australian or Waler, -and the other an Arab, were destined as presents to the viceroy of -Yunnan, and a pair of large Australian kangaroo dogs were added to the -convoy.</p> - -<p>The command of the expedition was entrusted to Colonel Horace Browne, -of the Burmese Commission; the post of geographer was filled by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> -Ney Elias, whose successful and intrepid journey through Mongolia and -survey of the Yellow River had won for him the Gold Medal of the Royal -Geographical Society of London; and the remaining scientific duties of -medical officer and naturalist were entrusted to myself.</p> - -<p>In November 1874, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias, who was then Assistant Resident at -Mandalay, was commissioned to proceed to Bhamô, there to concert with -the Resident measures for providing carriage so as to avoid delay. He -accordingly visited the Kakhyens holding the route selected, and made a -contract with their chiefs for the conveyance and convoy of the mission.</p> - -<p>The expedition was appointed to leave Burma in January 1875, in order -to accomplish the passage of the hill country before the setting in -of the rainy season. As it was possible that <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary, who left -Shanghai on September 4th, might not be able to reach Momien in time, -<abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Allan, of the Chinese consular service, was sent by sea to Rangoon -to accompany the mission, and facilitate our intercourse with the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_349">[Pg 349]</span> -Chinese authorities. The preparations for ensuring the success of the -mission were thus rendered as complete as foresight could make them. -The respective governments of Burma and China had been fully informed -of the nature and purposes of the expedition, and had both given to -our diplomatic representatives their full consent and promises of safe -conduct. The personal goodwill of the border chiefs and mandarins -was expected to be conciliated, in the same degree as their official -co-operation had been secured by the passports furnished from Pekin; -and although there was an element of uncertainty arising from the -possible jealousy of the border Chinese and the plundering habits of -lawless factions among the Kakhyens, the precautions taken might be -well considered as enough to ensure success.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_350">[Pg 350]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.<br /> -<span class="small">SECOND EXPEDITION.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Start of mission—Arrival at Mandalay—The Burmese pooay—Posturing -girl—Reception by the meng-gyees—Audience by the king—Departure -of mission—Progress up the river—Reception at Bhamô—British -Residency—<abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary—Account of his journey—The Woon of -Bhamô—Entertains Margary—Chinese puppets—Selection of route—Sawady -route—Bullock carriage—Woon of Shuaygoo—Chinese surmises—Letters -to Chinese officials—Burmese worship-day. -</div> - - -<p>In November 1874, Colonel Browne and myself arrived at Calcutta, having -left England on receipt of telegraphic instructions in the preceding -month. A short time was devoted to the purchase and preparation of the -various articles intended as presents; while the necessary equipment -of scientific instruments was completed under the personal supervision -of Colonel Gastrell, of the Surveyor-General’s office, and nothing was -spared by this well-known officer to make the fullest provision for all -scientific purposes. Fifteen picked men were selected from a Calcutta -regiment of Sikhs to form the guard, and all being thus ready, we -proceeded to Rangoon, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_351">[Pg 351]</span> thence, in the <em>Ashley Eden</em> steamer, -began our journey up the Irawady on December 12th.</p> - -<p>At Prome we picked up a Chinese named Li-kan-shin, who proved to -be a nephew of Li-sieh-tai. He had been driven from his abode at -Hawshuenshan by the Panthays, and had lived at Prome, where he bore the -Burmese name of Moung Yoh. He now wished to return to Yunnan to visit -his mother; as he spoke Burmese fluently, in addition to writing and -speaking Chinese, he was taken into the service of the mission as an -interpreter. At first he hesitated, fearing to be punished for bringing -foreigners into Yunnan, but a sight of the imperial passport removed -all his scruples.</p> - -<p>We arrived at Mandalay in the evening of December 23rd, 1874, and -were received on landing by officials sent from the palace with -royal elephants to carry us up to the Residency. Very different -was the reception accorded to the members of this mission from the -apparent neglect which had seemed to ignore our existence when on the -expedition of 1868. All the marks of honour that are usually conferred -on distinguished visitors were duly paid. Silver dishes loaded with -dainties were sent from the palace, and we were declared to be the -king’s guests, not only at the capital, but until we should have passed -his frontiers, and have been safely handed over to the Chinese. For -our delectation, also, the royal <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">corps dramatique</em> appeared -to perform a <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">pooay</em>, or play, the most favourite amusement of -the Burmese, even to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_352">[Pg 352]</span> very youngest, who will sit for hours, and -night after night, listening to the adventures of the royal heroes and -heroines, and enjoying the jokes which are freely interspersed. The -performance takes place under an open pavilion of bamboos erected for -the occasion. There is no stage, but a circular space covered with -mats is reserved for the performers, and the audience squat around the -edge of the matted portion. The only indication of scenery is a tree -set up in the centre to do duty for the forest, in which the scene of -all Burmese dramas is laid. By this tree a huge faggot is placed and -a large vessel of oil, and the blazing flame, fed from time to time -with oil poured over it, illuminates the performance with a lurid -light, which gives a fantastic appearance to the figures. A portion of -the circle is reserved for the orchestra, the leader taking his place -inside a hollow cylinder hung round with drums and cymbals, while the -lesser musicians group themselves around the noisy centre. No permanent -theatre exists even in the capital, nor are the performers paid by -the audience. It is the custom for those who desire on any particular -occasion to “give a pooay” to engage one of the various troupes of -players, for whom a pavilion is extemporised opposite the house, -while the public form regular rows around, and enjoy the gratuitous -spectacle. Such an enclosure was set up in the Residency compound. -The first intimation of the coming pooay was the early arrival of the -orchestra some hours before the performance was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_353">[Pg 353]</span> to commence, making -their presence known by a noisy rehearsal of the music of the play, -which soon drew together an expectant crowd. As in pooays generally, -the actors and actresses then by degrees dropped in, each accompanied -by a friend or servant to assist in the toilettes, which were made -in public; the men and women taking their places on opposite sides -of the orchestra. The actors arrayed themselves in robes stiff with -tinsel, over which they placed an apron of curious work and cumbrous -form, and crowned their heads with a species of tiara shaped like a -pagoda. Each actress brought with her a small box containing cosmetics, -flowers for adorning her hair, and a little mirror. Seating herself -on a mat, she substituted for her ordinary jacket a bespangled gauze -coat over her richly woven silken <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tamein</em>, or skirt, which -was tucked so tightly round her limbs that it gave her a shuffling -gait. The decorating of her hair with sweet-smelling flowers, the -powdering of her face, and the painting of her eyebrows, constituted -however the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">chef-d’œuvre</em> of her toilette, requiring constant -appeals to the mirror to ensure its success. She then as a finishing -stroke threw around her neck numerous strings of imitation pearl -beads, which reached down to nearly the knee, and in each lobe of -her ears inserted a solid cylinder either of gold, jade, or amber, -called a <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">nodoung</em>. She then smoked a cheroot while unconcernedly -awaiting her call. This occupation, indeed, was never pretermitted -during the performance,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_354">[Pg 354]</span> except while the actor’s lips were occupied -in declamation or song. The royal prima donna, whose professional -reputation is very high, and who sang sweetly, would at the end of a -passionate outburst coolly relight her cheroot at the blazing faggot -by the tree, and smoke it till her next speech or song. Besides the -dramatic performers, the royal tumblers and jugglers appeared every -afternoon, and executed surprising feats, which were witnessed by -an enthusiastic crowd. The agility of the tumblers was remarkable. -One man would, as it were, fly rather than spring over a row of nine -boys arranged as if for leap-frog. He also leapt through a square -formed by keen-edged knives held by two men, and disposed with the -edges at right angles to his progress, and giving barely space for -the passage of his body. One remarkable exhibition was that of a girl -of sixteen, who possessed most singular elasticity of body. She laid -herself on the ground, and, without apparent effort or distress, bent -her body backwards till her toes rested on her head, as shown in the -illustration taken from a photograph. She also possessed the power of -moving the muscles of one side of her face and body, while those of -the other side remained in a perfect state of repose. The feats of the -jugglers were even more puzzling than those of the Indian performers, -and seemed to be very popular with the crowd.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img018"> - <img src="images/018.jpg" class="w75" alt="POSTURING GIRL AT MANDALAY" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">POSTURING GIRL AT MANDALAY.</p> - -<p>The day after our arrival, the foreign minister, or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kengwoon -meng-gyee</em>, paid us a visit, and invited<span class="pagenum" id="Page_355">[Pg 355]</span> us to a breakfast, which -was served with great profusion, and was almost English in its style. -At a separate table tea was prepared of two sorts; one the ordinary -infusion of tea leaves, the other from hard black cakes stamped with -Chinese letters, and exactly resembling tablets of Indian ink. These -are prepared by the Shans from the Chinese leaf tea, and produce a -liquor as pale as sherry, but of excellent flavour. The visit and -breakfast of the foreign minister was followed in due succession by -similar civilities on the part of the other meng-gyees; and a day -was appointed for our presentation to the king, an honour which had -been vouchsafed to the mission of 1868 neither on its outward nor -homeward journey. Accompanied by the British Resident, Captain Strover, -we proceeded on royal elephants, sent for our use, to the palace -enclosure, where we found the meng-gyees seated on carpets in a small -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">hlot</em>, or open hall, outside the palace gate. Having doffed our -shoes, we seated ourselves on the carpets with feet carefully hidden, -according to court etiquette, and conversed with the ministers, while -attendants served tea, fruits, and cakes. At last we were informed that -the king was ready to receive us; so, having resumed our boots, we -proceeded through a small postern in the inner palace stockade into the -large open space, on the far side of which rose the lofty temple-like -structure with its nine roofs, topped by the golden htee which marks -the centre of the capital and state of Burma. Boots were again removed, -and we ascended the short<span class="pagenum" id="Page_356">[Pg 356]</span> flight of steps into a spacious open hall -with rows of gilded pillars, and filled with a numerous guard, all -prostrated on their knees before the august presence of the meng-gyees -who escorted us. Two more halls were successively passed through, and -then through a side passage the audience hall was reached. This was -a large apartment painted white, with a gilded railing cutting off -two-thirds of its area. In the wall opposite to the railing were a pair -of gilded folding-doors, and on the right and left a row of pillars. -From amidst the ranks of the body-guard, all dressed in spotless white, -and squatted on the ground, we entered within the railing, and imitated -in our own way the uncomfortable position prescribed by etiquette, -carefully turning our feet to the rear. Behind either side of us, were -the ministers of state duly crouching. Before the folding-doors, and a -few yards removed from us, was spread a gorgeous velvet carpet of red -and gold pattern, on which stood a golden couch richly bejewelled. A -square pillow, an opera-glass, and two golden boxes were laid ready for -the absent occupant, and by the head of the couch stood a betel box in -the form of a golden <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">henza</em>, or sacred goose, inlaid with jewels.</p> - -<p>Presently the folding-doors were thrown open, disclosing a long vista -of golden portals, through which we saw his Majesty of Burma advancing, -accompanied by a little boy five or six years old. The Burmese -ministers, courtiers, and body-guard<span class="pagenum" id="Page_357">[Pg 357]</span> instantly bowed their faces to -the ground, and remained prone with hands held up in the attitude of -supplication. The Europeans bowed after their fashion, and the king, a -man of about sixty years, with a refined, intellectual face, quick eye, -and pleasing but dignified manners, reclined on the couch and saluted -us graciously. He then entered into a complimentary conversation, -looking at us through his opera-glass, though not twenty yards distant. -He expressed himself in the most friendly manner, and offered one of -his steamers to convey the party to Bhamô, which was politely declined -on the ground of all arrangements having been already made. All his -questions were duly repeated by one of the officials crouching at -our side, who rendered into courtly phraseology the somewhat laconic -replies of Colonel Browne. After the interview had lasted about fifteen -minutes, the king suddenly closed the conversation, the folding-doors -flew open, and he disappeared. The Burmese raised their heads, the -Englishmen stretched their legs, fruits and cakes were served on silver -salvers and cold water in golden cups, while the meng-gyees themselves -helped us and pressed us to eat.</p> - -<p>Thence we were conducted to view the so-called white elephant in his -small but richly adorned dwelling, which, with the concomitants of -golden umbrellas and attendants, he does not deserve by his rarity, as -he is not whiter, except about the head, than many elephants I have -seen in India.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_358">[Pg 358]</span></p> - -<p>For the rest of the palace and the surrounding city, the short -description already given will still serve. The suburbs manifested a -decided increase in the number of buildings and population, and the -inhabitants seemed more busy and prosperous than ever, as a proof of -which we remarked a new bazaar, built two years ago, twelve hundred -feet long and five hundred broad. The beauty of the environs, as viewed -from the angle towers of the city wall, seemed as striking as when -first beheld, and was enhanced by the lake-like waters of the broad -moat which now surrounds the walls of the city. Besides this additional -defence, the king is engaged in the construction of a fort on the left -bank of the river between Ava and Amarapoora. When approaching the -capital, we had noticed the works, distant at this season more than a -mile from the channel, though in the rainy season the river must reach -almost to the walls. Immediately opposite, on the right bank, rise the -chimneys of an iron foundry erected to work the iron obtained from the -neighbouring Tsagain hills. Like other Burmese works, both are still -unfinished, and are likely never to reach completion.</p> - -<p>The steamer <em>Mandalay</em> arrived on January 2nd, bringing the -numerous and cumbrous boxes of presents, the Australian and Arab -horses, and the kangaroo dogs, all under the charge of the Sikh guard -and <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Fforde, superintendent of police, who was to bring the guard -back from the frontiers of China. A list of the fire-arms on board -had been<span class="pagenum" id="Page_359">[Pg 359]</span> forwarded to the royal officials, and the Burmese customs -officers had examined those brought at the frontier station of Menhla -to see that they tallied with the list. On the following day we -embarked, accompanied by Captain Strover and his medical attendant, <abbr title="doctor">Dr.</abbr> -Cullimore, who, with a tsare-daw-gyee deputed by the king to look after -our wants, were to accompany us as far as Bhamô.</p> - -<p>The cordial reception experienced at the capital, and the readiness -shown by all the officials to “comfort and assist” the mission, seemed -to prove from the first that the king of Burma was sincere in his -promise to secure us a safe passage through his dominions. Sinister -rumours of his real dislike to the mission were, it may be said, of -course, not wanting, some of which reached our ears in the capital -itself, and others at a later period. However, we felt more inclined -to regard actions than mere words, and there has been no reason -subsequently to doubt the king of Burma respecting the promises he -had made. A royal steamer, laden with cargo and passengers, left the -capital for Bhamô before we got our steamer and its flat under weigh. -The latter was a large barge, somewhat resembling a Thames shallop, the -hull loaded with three hundred tons of salt, and the main deck, over -which the upper deck, or rather story, was raised on iron uprights, -crowded with steerage passengers. Our party occupied the cabins in -the fore part of the flat, the forecastle of which served us as an -open-air saloon. The navigation of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_360">[Pg 360]</span> the Irawady in the dry season -is somewhat uncertain, and the voyage proved unusually long. We had -scarcely proceeded a few miles when it was discovered that the stores -for the guard had been unloaded at Mandalay, and it was necessary for -the steamer to cast off the flat, and return for the missing provender. -The next morning, soon after starting, some native boats, laden with -firewood, coming down the river, were swept by an eddy under the -paddle-wheels. The steamer had been stopped, but the crews, being -short-handed, were unable to pull their boats clear; they managed, -however, to save their lives, but boats and cargo were totally lost. -The next incident was the grounding of our too deeply laden flat on -a sandbank, where we were obliged to remain for four days, until the -steamer returned to Mandalay for a second flat, into which part of the -cargo was transhipped. Thus by the end of the first week, we had only -made twenty-five miles out of the two hundred and fifty to Bhamô.</p> - -<p>From this point, no further delays were experienced, save those due -to the usual morning fogs; and our upward voyage was, in all other -respects, agreeable. We were received with every demonstration -of respect by the officials of all the towns <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em>. On -approaching the places of most importance, we were met by war-boats -sent to escort us for a mile or more to the landing, where the local -militia was arrayed as a guard of honour. Reception halls had been -erected, and the young women were assembled<span class="pagenum" id="Page_361">[Pg 361]</span> singing and dancing, or -rather posturing, as the performers do not stir from one spot, but sway -the body and arms in measured and not ungraceful movements. Sometimes, -when unable to stop, we saw the dance proceeding on the river bank. At -Myadoung, the “army” drawn up in our honour consisted of three hundred -men, ranged along the bank, who executed a serpentine manœuvre, as -they marched to receive us at the landing-place, apparently to make -their array seem more imposing; they wore no uniforms, and, besides -dahs and spears, carried very old and well-worn flint muskets. At this -place a handsome shed had been erected, where no less than sixty-four -fair performers were assembled, and in the evening we patronised, by -request, the performance of a regular pooay. All these entertainments -had been commissioned by royal order, which the local officials obeyed -to the best of their ability. Thus the Shuaygoo Woon came on board, and -most earnestly invited us to halt for an hour, and honour his pooay -by our presence, a request which, if we had known his real sentiments -towards English visitors, would scarcely have been complied with. Above -the second defile, we met the steamer which had preceded us coming down -on her return trip, with a large flat laden with cargo and passengers.</p> - -<p>We did not complete our journey till January 15th, having spent -twelve days on the voyage, the last twelve miles of which, owing to -the difficulty of the channel, took ten hours to accomplish. As the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_362">[Pg 362]</span> -steamer neared the high river bank, the southern end of Bhamô, twelve -large war-boats, each manned by thirty men, and one of which contained -Captain Cooke, the British Resident, the Woon, and the other Burmese -officials, paddled out to meet us, with much beating of gongs, and, -passing in order, turned and followed in a long procession. The high -bank was crowded with the townspeople, Shan-Burmese and Chinese, with -an intermixture of Chinese Shans and Kakhyens. As soon as the steamer -and flats were moored, the Resident and the Woon, with his tsitkays, -came on board, and welcomed us to Bhamô. The Burmese had prepared a -house in the town for our accommodation, but the Resident pressed us to -take up our quarters in the Residency, whither we according proceeded. -This is a fine building of teak, which has been erected at a cost of -£1100, though a similar one at Rangoon would have cost at least £2000. -It occupies a commanding position on the site of an old Chinese fort -near the river bank, about a mile north of the town. This old fort, -at my first visit, was completely hidden in jungle; the moat is still -wonderfully perfect, and encloses a large area, of which the residency -compound, about two acres in extent, forms but a small portion. This -is surrounded by a fence or wooden framework, covered with mats. -Outside the gate a zayat has been erected, which at this period was -occupied by about fifty Kakhyens of the Mattin clan, whose chief had -been summoned to Bhamô in reference to the possible claims of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_363">[Pg 363]</span> -central or embassy route. Living within the compound were a number of -Shan families from the Sanda valley, who were waiting for the arrival -of the <em>Mandalay</em> to carry them down the river, on a pilgrimage -to the shrines of Rangoon. It was impossible to avoid regretting that -the Residency has been built so far from the town, and in a situation -so exposed to any sudden attack from Kakhyen or any other marauders. -The jungle grows to the very edge of the moat, affording complete cover -for assailants, while the interstices of the fence afford abundant -opportunities for intruding guns or spears. One would think that the -selection of a site within the town, and near the Woon’s house, would -have seemed to argue more confidence in the Burmese authorities, with -whom the Resident should be in constant and friendly intercourse, in -order to effectually look after the interests confided to him, without -setting up an <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">imperium in imperio</em> over the Kakhyens of the -hills. Recent events have shown the insecurity of the present position, -which, in the case of any serious attack, could not be defended by the -sepoys of the Residency guard, who, at the time of our visit, could -only muster eight effective men.</p> - -<p>At the Residency we were welcomed by Mrs. Cooke, who shares with -her husband the risks and banishment of life in this far-off place, -giving a striking proof of the pluck and devotion to their lords which -characterises our countrywomen. Here, too, we made the acquaintance -with our future travelling companion,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_364">[Pg 364]</span> <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Ney Elias, and received the -information that <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary had arrived safely at Manwyne, and might -be daily expected to make his appearance at Bhamô.</p> - -<p>The day after our arrival, we decided that Colonel Browne, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Fforde, -and myself, should reside in the town of Bhamô, for the greater -convenience of communication with the Burmese, and, as far as I was -concerned, with my staff of collectors. The Woon at once placed at -my disposal a small bamboo structure, built on the site of the house -tenanted by us in 1868. Opposite to it was the house, newly built, in -readiness for the present mission, in which Colonel Browne and <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> -Fforde took up their quarters. The Woon was evidently much gratified by -this proceeding on the part of the officers of the mission, as showing -a friendly appreciation of his good offices. A temporary pavilion was -speedily erected over the street between the two houses, and on our -return from the Residency in the evening, a pooay was in full play -before an admiring audience. As soon as we had taken our seats in the -front of the verandah, trays of sweetmeats were set before us, and we -sat and viewed the performance till nearly midnight, as the jovial -laughter of the Burmese at the very broad jokes of the artists was not -conducive to sleep.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img019"> - <img src="images/019.jpg" class="w75" alt="VIEW IN BHAMÔ" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">VIEW IN BHAMÔ.</p> - -<p>On the 17th, we were agreeably surprised by the arrival of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary, -looking none the worse for his long overland journey from Hankow, -which he had left on the 4th of last September. But for a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_365">[Pg 365]</span> delay at -Loshan of six days, while waiting for new instructions, he would have -accomplished this tremendous journey in just four months. Starting -from Hankow, and passing the Tung-ting lake, on the Yang-tse, he had -ascended the Yuen river through Hoonan, and travelled by land through -Kweichow and Yunnan.</p> - -<p>The only real difficulty he experienced was at a town called Chen-yuen, -in Kweichow, where the boat journey ended on October 27th. Here the -populace endeavoured to prevent the removal of his luggage from the -boat, and it was only by means of an appeal to the mandarin, who at -first was uncivil but speedily yielded to the power of the passports, -and the interference of an armed guard sent by that official, that -he was enabled to proceed. It was necessary for him to sleep at the -Yamen, and leave the town in the early morning. When the mob learned -his departure, they wreaked their vengeance on the boatmen, and -destroyed their boat. On his land journey the people were everywhere -civil, though intensely curious, and the mandarins polite. He described -the scenery in Kweichow as splendid, but the roads rough and ragged, -carried almost always at a high level along pine-clad hills overlooking -valleys far beneath. The province appeared to have been sadly -devastated—the cities reduced to mere villages, and the villages to -collections of straw huts; everywhere ruins of good, substantial stone -houses abounded to show the former prosperity of the region before the -Miaou-tse<span class="pagenum" id="Page_366">[Pg 366]</span> came down from the hills and butchered the whole population. -Although twenty years have elapsed since this incursion, the cities -still remain like cities of the dead—their extensive walls surrounding -acres of ruins, with a few of the wild hillmen dwelling in them.</p> - -<p>His reception by the governor of the province at Kwei-yang-fu was -very cordial; and the latter promised to compensate the boatmen for -their loss in the destruction of their boat by the Chen-yuen mob. From -this city twenty days of steady travelling in a chair, twenty miles a -day, over fine mountains and through valleys almost deserted, brought -him to Yunnan-fu on November 27th. He met with civility everywhere; -but the acting governor-general of Yunnan, who was then <em xml:lang="la" lang="la">locum -tenens</em> of the absent viceroy, proved himself a most friendly and -indeed an unexpected ally. Not content with loading the Englishman with -honours and courtesies, he sent two mandarins to escort him the rest -of the way, and despatched an <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">avant-courrier</em> bearing a mandate -to all the local authorities, which secured marked respect for the -traveller, and also sent a quick courier with orders to the mandarins -on the frontier to take care of the expedition in case he should not -have met us before our entrance into China. From Yunnan to Tali a -dreadfully rough road or track of deep ruts and jagged stones led -over high mountains and into deep valleys. The ascents were so steep -as to require a team of eight or ten coolies harnessed with ropes to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_367">[Pg 367]</span> -drag the chair up the dangerous incline, often skirting the edge of a -precipice; and in the narrow and dangerous path strings of mules and -ponies laden with salt were often met with, to the great risk of the -traveller.</p> - -<p>The state of the country is best described in his own words:—“It is -melancholy to see these fine valleys given up to rank grass, and the -ruined villages and plainly distinguishable fields lying in silent -attestation of former prosperity. Every day I come to what was a busy -city, but now only containing a few new houses inside walls which -surround a wide space of ruins. But the people are returning gradually, -and the blue smoke can be seen curling up here and there against the -background of pine-clad hills. It must take some few years to re-people -the country, rich as it is.”</p> - -<p>The last four days’ travelling before reaching the plain of Tali passed -through a mountainous district devoid of cities. The authorities of -Tali were at first averse to his entering the city, pleading their -fear of the turbulent and dangerous populace, against whom he had been -already warned by the viceroy; but by an adroit appeal to the laws -of etiquette, which constrained him to pay his respects to the high -authorities, he got over the difficulty. The much dreaded city populace -treated him not only with courtesy but with profound respect, calling -him <em>Ta-jen</em>, or Excellency. The several officials received him -well, and the Tartar general, an enormously large man, who had been<span class="pagenum" id="Page_368">[Pg 368]</span> -foremost in the storming of the city, placed him in the seat of honour -by himself, asked innumerable questions about England and Burma, and -promised to invite the mission to stay a few days at Tali-fu.</p> - -<p>Yung-chang was reached on December 27th, after passing through -“glorious scenery,” by a road leading over high mountain regions, but -with nothing so bad as “the horrid passes” previously encountered. -A daring robbery had been just committed on the highway, and a halt -was necessitated for the soldiers to scour the hills for fear of -lurking dacoits. The people were gradually returning to the villages, -and burning the jungle grass, which had overgrown the long abandoned -fields. The mandarins at Yung-chang were inclined to be obstructive; -but those at Teng-yue-chow, or Momien, which was reached in four days -from the former city, were “delightfully civil.” Here he received -the despatches informing him of the plans of the mission, and in -accordance with them he set out for Manwyne, arriving there after a -journey of five stages through the Shan country, which he described as -a lovely valley, and the people as sociable and amiable. At Manwyne -he found the Burmese guard of forty men, who had been sent forward -from Tsitkaw to escort him through the Kakhyen hills. Here also he met -with the redoubtable Li-sieh-tai, “now a Chinese general,” who was -negotiating a tariff of imposts on trade with the Kakhyen chiefs and -Shan headmen. Li received his first English visitor with the greatest -honour, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kotouing</em> to him before all the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_369">[Pg 369]</span> assembled chiefs and -notables. The Burmese officers requested a delay to recruit their -men, after the march over the hills, and Margary, who was anxious to -press on, endeavoured vainly to induce Li to give him a guard, under -whose protection he could advance, leaving his followers and baggage -to follow with the Burmese. He recorded his opinion that there were -intrigues going on in this district adverse to the advance of the -mission, but notwithstanding he relied strongly on the express commands -of the all-powerful governor of Yunnan in its favour.</p> - -<p>His stay at Manwyne was marked by the most friendly intercourse with -the tsawbwa and his family, whose guest he was. He walked through the -town and shot over the banks of the river freely and unmolested; and, -as he writes, “I come and go without meeting the slightest rudeness -among this charming people, and they address me with the greatest -respect.”</p> - -<p>Under the escort of the Burmese guard he crossed the Kakhyen hills, -bivouacking one night in a clearing, as we had done on the former -journey, at Lakhon. He passed through eight or nine villages of the -Kakhyens, the savage appearance of these hill people striking him -forcibly after the civilised aspect of the Shans of the valleys, and -they treated him to a specimen of their bold impudence. His servant -Lin was menaced by one of these with a large stone, which he raised to -strike him with, and another drew his dah and made a daring attempt<span class="pagenum" id="Page_370">[Pg 370]</span> to -rob one of the men of his bag. After remaining a night at Tsitkaw, he -and his party descended the Tapeng by boat, and reached the Residency -early in the forenoon. It can easily be imagined with what feelings -we congratulated the first Englishman who had succeeded in traversing -“the trade route of the future,” as he called it, and with what -pleasant anticipations we heard of the accounts of his arduous but -successful journey, and the reception accorded all along the line of -route, crowned by the politeness shown by the dreaded Li-sieh-tai. The -astonishment and admiration of the Burmese was even greater. In their -own minds they had never realised the existence of English officials in -China, and now there appeared a veritable Englishman speaking Chinese -fluently, and versed in the use of chopsticks and all other points of -etiquette. This Petching <em>meng</em>, or Pekin mandarin, moreover, was -attended, besides the rest of his retinue, by a most imposing literate, -whose huge round spectacles gave him an aspect of wonderful wisdom, and -commanded the greatest respect from his countrymen at Bhamô.</p> - -<p>This worthy man, whose real name was Yu-tu-chien, and whose office was -that of writer or Chinese secretary, was a Christian from the province -of Hoopeh, one of the many sincere converts made by the Lazarist -missionaries. His intelligence and anxiety for knowledge, with his -amiable and faithful disposition, made him justly a favourite with all. -From the Woon downwards, every inhabitant who<span class="pagenum" id="Page_371">[Pg 371]</span> could speak Chinese was -anxious to interview and pay respects to the new-comers from Pekin, -and devoutly believed that the writer was a lesser mandarin sent in -attendance on the great man, and it must be confessed that Yu-tu -evidently increased in self-respect as he realised the estimation in -which he was held by the Chinese-speaking people, including the tsawbwa -of Mattin and his followers.</p> - -<p>The Woon, or governor of the town or district of Bhamô, was most -zealous in carrying out the royal orders, and was personally most -friendly. He was a short, elderly Burman, with prominent eyes and -good face, whose chief occupation seemed to be incessantly muttering -prayers, as he slid through his fingers the beads of the black amber -rosary which he invariably carried. His principal wife and his children -had been left in Mandalay as hostages for his good behaviour, according -to the usual Burmese policy; but his establishment was presided over -by a second or inferior wife, a stout elderly lady, whose acquaintance -I was privileged to make. This was on the occasion of an entertainment -given by him in honour of Margary, the day but one after his arrival. -We sat with him on carpets in his verandah, while about forty of the -prettiest and best dressed women of Bhamô, ranged in lines, postured -and sang in the covered courtyard below. The various officials formed -a background, and the crowd surrounded the performers. The infusion -of Shan blood is evident in the superior good looks and physique of -these<span class="pagenum" id="Page_372">[Pg 372]</span> daughters of the land. All were well dressed and adorned with -silver and some with gold bracelets and other jewellery; the older and -very much uglier women stood behind the last row of performers, and -led the singing. We squatted Burmese fashion, and smoked, while tea -and Huntley and Palmer’s biscuits were served with nuts and persimmons -dried in sugar, followed by the customary betel and pan. Fortunately, -etiquette did not oblige us to continue too long in the uncomfortable -posture, which Burmese adopt by habit, and we could come and go as -we liked during the two hours that the performance lasted. In the -evening we visited the Chinese temple, in which a ceremony or function -was proceeding on behalf of a Chinese townsman who had recently -become insane. One part of the ceremonial consisted of a theatrical -performance or puppet-show, viewed through a transparency, the actors -being represented by small figures cut out of leather, with talc heads; -they were moved by bamboos, one fixed at the back and another to one -of the arms. The figures were placed close behind the transparent -window, and a Chinaman in charge of each shouted the words of the part, -while he manipulated the figure with great skill. We were permitted -to go behind the scenes, and by a narrow wooden staircase ascended to -a lobby leading into a large room, which was full of Chinese, smoking -and drinking tea. Hundreds of the leather puppets were suspended round -the room from lines, as if they had been clothes<span class="pagenum" id="Page_373">[Pg 373]</span> hung up to dry. This -was at once the stage, green-room, and orchestra. The musicians were -seated along the walls on benches; the instruments were a flageolet and -a small violin, formed of a segment of bamboo, with a snake skin over -the opening, and two strings stretched to the end of the bamboo handle. -One man thumped two stones on a desk by way of drum; another played -the cymbals, and others small gongs. Behind the transparent windows, -at one end, stood a row of Chinese moving the puppets and shouting the -dialogue. All were amateurs engaged in a work of charity, though how -the patient was to be benefitted did not appear.</p> - -<p>During this exchange of civilities, the preparations for as early an -advance as was possible were not pretermitted. With regard to the -route to be traversed by the expedition, the Woon had fully expected -that the embassy or central road would be selected, and the Mattin -tsawbwa, through whose territory it passes, had come to Bhamô to make -arrangements for our transit. The Burmese preferred this route, as they -had more influence over those Kakhyens, and declared that they could -guarantee our safe passage more certainly by this route than any other. -The line to be followed would correspond with that travelled over on -our return journey in 1868. A Burmese embassy, carrying tribute to -China, had recently gone by this road, but was reported to have been -detained in the hills for more than a month, the mountaineers having<span class="pagenum" id="Page_374">[Pg 374]</span> -barricaded the road, in order to effectually extort black mail. This -embassy, or some of their members, had been heard of by Margary, as -he was passing near Momien. The fact that the tribute-bearing Burmese -embassies were accustomed to travel by this route did not recommend -it as advisable for the passage of our expedition, and the Political -Resident, with <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias, acting under orders, had, before our arrival, -made arrangements for us to proceed by the Sawady route. From thence -the road leads to Mansay, ten miles distant, a Shan village under -Burmese and Kakhyen protection, which is the regular rendezvous for all -Kakhyens coming down to Sawady or Kaungtoung to barter their goods for -salt and <em>ngapé</em>. From Mansay, four marches through the country of -the Lenna Kakhyens conduct to Kwotloon, in the Shan state of Muangmow, -on the right bank of the Shuaylee. Thence the proposed route goes by -way of Sehfan, a Chinese Shan state, dependent on the governor of the -walled town of Muanglong, up the valley of the Shuaylee, and crosses -the watershed to Momien. Such information as was possessed had been -obtained by Moung Mo, the Kakhyen interpreter, who had been despatched -by the Resident, in 1873, to Muangwan, and thence to Sehfan. He -described the country between this and Muangmow as a cultivated plain, -studded with villages, and the Shuaylee as a deep river a hundred yards -wide. Sehfan is a small town of three hundred houses, surrounded by -numerous large villages. Its chief had been brought up by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_375">[Pg 375]</span> the Chinese -governor of Muanglong, and was a firm friend of the Chinese; he had -recently married the eldest daughter of my old friend, the Hotha chief, -with whom we had spent such pleasant days in 1868.</p> - -<p>In 1873, great disturbances were caused by the aggressions of a Shan -rebel from Namkhan, a Burmese Shan state on the left bank of the -Shuaylee; and the Maran Kakhyens, who were at feud with the next clan -of the Atsees, frequently attacked caravans and looted Sehfan villages. -Beyond Sehfan lay the populous Chinese Shan states of Muangkwan, with -two large towns of one thousand houses, and Muangkah on the Salween. -The Chinese towns of Muanglong and Muanglem were both described as -containing four thousand to five thousand houses, which is probably an -exaggeration.</p> - -<p>Agreements had been entered into with the Paloungto Kakhyen chief, -who had undertaken to provide two hundred bullocks for carriage, -mules not being procurable, and to escort the mission safely into the -Muangmow district. The necessity of employing pack bullocks extended -the time likely to be required for the journey to Momien to thirty or -forty days; as, however, it was a principal object to explore this -partially known route, which was universally admitted to present the -fewest physical difficulties, the time so expended and the slow rate -of travelling appeared likely to afford the scientific members of the -mission more ample time for inquiry and observations. In this view of -the case, the leader did not wholly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_376">[Pg 376]</span> concur, and though deciding to -proceed to Muangmow, he contemplated striking off thence via Muangwan -and Nantin.</p> - -<p>It turned out to have been overlooked in the preliminary arrangements -that Sawady is not in the Bhamô district, but under the jurisdiction of -the Woon of Shuaygoo, to whom no orders had been sent from Mandalay. -The Woon of Bhamô was rather nonplussed by our decision to adopt the -Sawady route, but sent to request his colleague of Shuaygoo to come -and advise on the subject. This, however, the official, who, as it -afterwards appeared, is utterly hostile to Englishmen, altogether -refused to do; but the Bhamô Woon decided to send his own troops under -the command of a tsitkay, a veteran officer, to escort us as far as -Mansay; but he evidently considered the Kakhyens beyond that point as -refractory, though nominally in the Burmese territory. The Kakhyen -pawmines declared their willingness to be answerable for our safety -from Mansay if the Burmese would convoy us thus far, and then reviewed -our two hundred packages, at the size of which they shook their heads. -The boxes had all been carefully calculated to hold seventy-five pounds -each, half a load for a mule, which carries fifty viss, equal to one -hundred and fifty pounds, and had been constructed for package on the -cross-trees used in mule carriage. Bullocks, however, cannot carry so -much, and the goods are loaded on them in bamboo baskets, which, lined -with the bamboo spathes, are almost watertight. It became<span class="pagenum" id="Page_377">[Pg 377]</span> necessary, -therefore, to rearrange the cumbrous baggage, which was a work of some -days.</p> - -<p>Profiting by the experience of the former expedition, Colonel Browne -resolved not to be encumbered with a cash-chest. All the coined -money was exchanged for <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">sycee</em>, or lump, silver, at the rate -of one hundred rupees for seventy tickals of the finest quality, or -seventy-three tickals and a half of the more alloyed which passes among -the Kakhyens, and these ingots were distributed among the private boxes -of the party.</p> - -<p>Our inquiries about the several routes brought out the fact that the -Chinese fully believed us to be intent on making a railway, one man -remarking that the Sawady route was much the longest, but, “of course, -the best for the railway.”</p> - -<p>It is hard to follow the workings of the Chinese mind, but it was plain -that the objects of our expedition were as far from being perfectly -understood by them as ever, and that they watched the movements of -the mission with a secret feeling that the objects contemplated were -somewhat beyond the peaceful pursuit of the interests of commerce and -scientific inquiry.</p> - -<p>During the delay consequent on the alteration of the packages, our -friend the Woon got up <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">pooays</em>, or dances, for our amusement, and -for three hours at a time relays of women from the different quarters -of the town danced and sang.</p> - -<p>Shan letters were sent to the tsawbwa of Muangmow,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_378">[Pg 378]</span> and Margary -despatched Chinese letters to the governor of Momien and to -Li-sieh-tai, who had sent Kakhyen messengers to Tsitkaw to carry them -forward. It subsequently appeared that the letter had not reached -Li, as he had left Nantin before the arrival of the messenger, and -proceeded to Muangmow to await our coming.</p> - -<p>The 21st was a day of heavy rain, which seriously interfered with -packing arrangements; and as it was full moon, all amusement was -interdicted by the observance of the Burmese worship-day, which was -ushered in by the tolling of the Woon’s gong at seven, and at eight -o’clock we found him presiding over a congregation which assembled in -his house, the prayers being led by several priests. Our <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tai</em> was -quite free from the motley group of Burmese, Shan, and Kakhyen visitors -who had daily thronged it. This strict observance of what may be called -the sabbath was due to a recent revival of piety, stimulated by royal -orders on the subject.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_379">[Pg 379]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.<br /> -<span class="small">SAWADY.</span></h2> -</div> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -The <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">hun pooay</em>—Mission proceeds to Sawady—Visit from -Woon—Rumoured opposition—The Woon as a musician—Sawady -village—Royal orders—Baggage difficulties—Arrival of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Clement -Allan—Paloungto chief—Kakhyen pilfering—Abandon route—Adopt -Ponline route—Reasons for change—Tsaleng Woon—Departure of mission -to Tsitkaw—Elias and Cooke proceed to Muangmow—Dolphins—Up the -Tapeng—Tahmeylon—Arrive at Tsitkaw. -</div> - - -<p>On the following day the greater part of the baggage was stowed in -boats ready for departure to Sawady, which was fixed for the 23rd. The -Woon made his appearance at an early hour, bent on inviting Margary and -his writer, and all of us, to spend this the last day with him. In the -forenoon the usual <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">ying pooay</em>, or dance, went on, but in the -evening a <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">hun pooay</em>, or pooay acted by marionettes, was given. -This was a much more artistic affair than that of the Chinese puppets, -the marionettes being well made, regularly dressed figures about three -feet high. The stage on which they are presented is removed to a -distance, the proscenium<span class="pagenum" id="Page_380">[Pg 380]</span> forming, as it were, a frame proportioned to -the size of the figures; and the movers of the puppets stand behind a -screen at the back, and manipulate the little heroes and heroines by -means of strings. To the spectators they have a most real appearance, -being very cleverly handled, and the speeches are made by the invisible -actors with such art as to really seem as if proceeding from the -puppets, so as to suggest ventriloquism. This performance was evidently -the most popular form of entertainment. The Woon sat eyeing the puppets -intently through his binocular, just as his royal master had eyed -us at the audience, and the townspeople, squatted in rows, remained -till midnight eagerly watching the mannikins. The Woon produced an -alarum clock which had been rendered incapable of going, and amused -himself tinkling the alarum; but he was quite ignorant of the value of -the hours, and even after several lessons illustrated by a watch, he -utterly failed to fix the hands.</p> - -<p>On the next day, most of our party rode to Sawady, to which place -the guard and all the baggage had preceded them. <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias and I, -however, remained behind until we should receive the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">mot d’ordre</em> -from Browne, as the operation of packing the bullocks was likely to -occupy some days. The Woon, whom I had not seen that day, came in the -afternoon to apologise for his apparent neglect, as he had been engaged -in receiving public subscriptions for the regilding of the Shuaykeenah -pagoda. He was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_381">[Pg 381]</span> delighted at my offering a small contribution, and -waxed eloquent on the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">entente cordiale</em> engendered by such -conduct, and sent for his wife to bring a large silver vase containing -the collection, to which my donation was duly added. We had a long talk -on the archæology of the district, the old cities of Tsampenago and -Kuttha, and the founder of the Shuaykeenah pagoda, whom he asserted -to have been a king of Ceylon, named Thee-yee-da-ma-thanka, a legend -commonly current regarding the more ancient pagodas of Burma. In the -evening he sent the tsare-daw-gyee and the two tsitkays to pay a -visit, from whom I learned that there existed ancient histories of -the district in some of the khyoungs, one of which they promised, -if possible, to obtain. When they were shown a photograph of the -Soolay pagoda at Rangoon, they expressed their regret that during the -municipal improvements of the town the site of the sacred building -had become the junction of cross-roads, which seemed in their minds a -desecration. They were, however, relieved by the assurance that this -must have been done by the British authorities in ignorance of the -religious prejudices thereby affected.</p> - -<p>Two or three days passed without any incident of consequence, save that -on the 25th a Chinaman came to the Residency to report that he had -overheard some Yunnan Chinese talking in the bazaar, and had gathered -that an armed force had been despatched from Momien and Tali-fu to -Muangmow, under the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_382">[Pg 382]</span> command of Li-sieh-tai, to oppose our entrance -into China. His account, however, was very confused, and he had not -succeeded in hearing any very distinct statements, as the men had -evidently been suspicious of him. It is probable that this was merely -a garbled version of the fact that Li-sieh-tai had crossed from the -Tapeng valley to Muangwan with a few men <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em> to Muangmow. -The same day letters arrived from Sawady to say that the departure of -the mission was fixed for the following day, upon which we went at -once to the Woon to secure boats, who most readily placed them at our -disposal. He afterwards paid us a visit, bringing his Burmese harp -of twelve strings, on which he showed himself no mean performer. He -was accompanied by a boy who played a sort of harmonicon, or musical -glasses constructed of slips of hard wood, which vibrated with a sweet, -full tone. Another performer clashed a pair of cymbals, and clicked -split bamboos like castanets. The airs were sweet and plaintive. -After the music we had a long conversation about England, Prussia, -France, and Persia, with the general relations of which governments -he showed himself to be well acquainted. Railways and the mode of -transit to England were also discussed; my interpreter, however, -though an educated Burmese and son of a native official, proving very -incompetent, and putting absurd statements into my mouth. The Woon had -brought a present of a fruit, which he said was a great rarity from -Yunnan. It was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_383">[Pg 383]</span> the size of an apple, of a bright yellow colour, with -a delicate skin enclosing a jelly-like pulp, the coolness of which -he expressed by a pantomimic passing of his hand from the throat to -the epigastric region. He called it <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tsay-thee</em>; but inquiries -from Elias and Margary identified it as a persimmon. Of this fruit, -quantities in a dried form are imported to Burma, where they are a -favourite sweetmeat; but the fresh fruit is unknown.</p> - -<p>On the 27th we were ready to take boat to Sawady, and I bade farewell -to my friend, the Woon, who charged me to write to him. Elias and -myself started from Bhamô about 11.30, and arrived at Sawady in a -little more than a couple of hours.</p> - -<p>Sawady is a miserable village of about forty houses, though formerly -containing five times that number; but continual inroads by the -Kakhyens have reduced it to its present scanty dimensions. It is under -the protection of the Phonkan tsawbwa, who also, for a yearly payment -of salt, protects the village of Yuathet, situated about three quarters -of a mile to the north on the high bank of a small creek called -Theng-leng, which flows into the Irawady between high alluvial banks. -The village of Sawady is defended by a double bamboo palisade, and a -similar palisade runs along the narrow path dividing the two rows of -houses. As a further protection, boats, corresponding to the number -of houses, are moored to the river bank, and nightly the inhabitants -retire to them for sleep, and thus secure<span class="pagenum" id="Page_384">[Pg 384]</span> themselves against the not -infrequent nocturnal attacks of the Kakhyens. Sawady and Yuathet are -both small emporiums for trade, whither the Kakhyens resort to procure -fish and salt, and they bring bamboos to be floated down the river; -they are also ports for the trade to the interior. Around stretches a -vast plain, bounded by the distant hills, profusely covered with forest -and jungle, sometimes of underwood, sometimes of thick grass fifteen -feet high, with frequent swamps, which in the wet season are covered -with water. Before our arrival, Margary and Fforde had made expeditions -into the forest in search of game. Peafowl abounded there, perched at -inaccessible heights, on the highest trees, and they found the tracks -of tigers and other large game, but the solitudes were still as death, -and they returned without having started any animal. We found the -convoy of bullocks, under the charge of some hundred Kakhyens, encamped -outside the village. The Paloungto tsawbwa, a respectable-looking -man, clean and well dressed, with a huge roll of gold-leaf by way of -ear-ring distending the lobe of his ear, along with his pawmines, was -ready to receive the baggage. The Burmese guard encamped in hastily -improvised <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tais</em>, while the Englishmen were accommodated in a -rickety zayat screened with curtains.</p> - -<p>On the second day (January 24th), orders came from Mandalay that -the Burmese guard should escort the mission right up to the nominal -frontier of Burma and China or to Kwotloon,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_385">[Pg 385]</span> instead of Mansay, as -previously arranged and approved by the Kakhyens, whose opinion of the -change was not given. They continued to take over the packages, giving -receipts for each, and making panniers suitable for carriage on the -bullocks, into which the boxes were to be packed.</p> - -<p>On the 25th, objections began to be raised to the size of the packages, -which had been previously altered at Bhamô, and next the tsawbwa -appeared to say that he had brought three hundred and thirty-six -bullocks, although we only required two hundred. He explained this, -by stating that Elias had doubted their ability to provide two -hundred bullocks. The chief, therefore, had brought three hundred and -thirty-six, to prove the contrary, and expected to be paid for the lot, -although he admitted that the Resident had contracted for one hundred -and fifty bullocks and twenty ponies. This proposal being got rid of, -the next demand was for payment of the hire in advance, which Colonel -Browne also negatived, but promised to pay him one-half the amount, -provided all was ready for a start in two days.</p> - -<p>The next day was accordingly spent in transferring all the remaining -baggage, with the exception of the boxes containing the wardrobes of -the officers and the cash, which were placed under the immediate care -of the Sikhs.</p> - -<p>The 27th found the preparations for starting still backward, a state -of things which was not improved by heavy rain, against which the -Englishmen<span class="pagenum" id="Page_386">[Pg 386]</span> and their followers were but slightly protected, and the -baggage not at all. The chief and his pawmines appeared to receive the -promised advance of hire, but he declined to fix a time for starting, -as he required salt wherewith to load the extra bullocks. When met -by a refusal to delay for this purpose, he departed in a bad temper, -leaving his pawmines to continue the discussion. They finally settled -to start the day but one after, on condition of receiving one viss -of silver in advance, and one hundred and forty rupees as demurrage -expenses, being ten rupees for each of the fourteen villages whence the -bullocks had come. This was a fair charge, as the men and their beasts -had been awaiting our arrival for some days. Elias and I arrived while -the payment was being made in lumps of sycee silver, one of which was -declared by a pawmine to be bad, and, being bitten, proved to be hollow -and filled with sand. Soothed by the receipt of the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">compraw</em>, the -Paloungto chief declared that we were brothers, and he would be ready -to start “the day after to-morrow.”</p> - -<p>The evening brought a pleasant surprise to our party by the arrival of -<abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Clement Allan, who had come from Mandalay in ten days, in a royal -boat. While passing on the river, he heard one of the Sikhs talking to -a Chinaman on the bank, and, hailing them, discovered our whereabouts. -He was thus saved the journey to Bhamô, and all our party were now -assembled, and notwithstanding the heavy<span class="pagenum" id="Page_387">[Pg 387]</span> rain, we spent a pleasant -evening in anticipation of a speedy departure.</p> - -<p>While at breakfast, we were disturbed by hearing a number of gun shots, -and learned that the Kakhyens had endeavoured to remove our clothes -boxes in order to add them to the general baggage. The Sikhs on guard, -having received orders not to lose sight of them, declined to permit -their removal, whereupon the indignant Kakhyens fired their muskets -in the air. The Burmese tsitkay expressed uneasiness as to the temper -of the Kakhyens, and seemed to fear a collision with them, as they -numbered about four hundred men armed with muskets. There evidently -existed some ill-feeling between the Kakhyens and the Burmese, and -it unfortunately happened that all interviews with the chief were -conducted in presence of the Burmese officials. It came out in the -course of the day that the Paloungto chief had not entered into any -convention with the other tsawbwas of the route. The Resident had -been assured that a passage through their territories was certain on -payment of the ordinary dues. The chief had declared that most of -them would support his arrangements, but that it would be necessary -at Mansay to agree with the Phonkan tsawbwa, who would not come to -Sawady. The inveterate curiosity and pilfering habits of the hillmen -were exemplified by their boring holes in several provision tins in -order to ascertain the contents, the holes being afterwards carefully -stopped<span class="pagenum" id="Page_388">[Pg 388]</span> with cotton; our sugar, salt, and bags of rice were taken -toll of, and sundry bottles of brandy had mysteriously disappeared; -and it was subsequently discovered that the screws had been drawn -out of the boxes. Still, when it is remembered that a number of wild -hillmen had been detained in this place for a fortnight, with scanty -provisions, allowance must be made for petty thieving, without arguing -a deliberate intention of plunder. Our leader, however, began to be -seriously anxious about the prospects of safe transit through the hills -by this route. To the difficulty arising from the known antipathy of -the Burmese to the Lenna Kakhyens, there was now added the declaration -of some Shans of Muangmow, that the hillmen would not be permitted to -cross their borders, and this tended to make Colonel Browne suspicious -of the real intentions of the Paloungto chief. The climax was reached -when the old interpreter, Moung Mo, announced in the evening that our -expected start was postponed <em>sine die</em>, and that the chief, -displeased at being refused the charge of our clothes boxes, declined -to accompany us, devolving our escort on his pawmines. Upon this, -Colonel Browne resolved to return to Bhamô, and make arrangements for -proceeding by the old Ponline route, instead of that by Sawady and the -Shuaylee. But I think it doubtful that the Paloungto chief had any -dishonest intentions. He could not have divined the presence of the -specie in the boxes, and it was natural that he should require all the -baggage to be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_389">[Pg 389]</span> made over on the eve of starting, and should resent the -obvious imputation on his honesty, implied in the refusal to surrender -these boxes.</p> - -<p>We rode to Bhamô through jungle grass fifteen feet high, interrupted -occasionally by hollows studded with trees. The intersecting creeks -were difficult to cross, as the path, or rut, through the high -sandbanks was steep, and barely wide enough for a passage, so much so -that one of the ponies, with his rider, rolled back into the water, -which was only about three feet deep. Having arrived at Bhamô, and -decided to go by the Ponline route, if practicable for the led horses, -the Resident started for Tsitkaw, to summon the Kakhyen chiefs, and -provide mules. The Woon, fearing that the Paloungto chief would not -surrender the baggage, despatched a reinforcement of armed men on board -of four war-boats, mounted with gingals. We returned to Sawady by -water, bringing several large boats for the baggage, which were left -at Yuathet, by way of precaution against alarming the Kakhyens. On the -30th the tsawbwa and his pawmines came in from their camp, and Browne -recapitulated the delays and broken promises of the past week as well -as the want of arrangements with the other tsawbwas of the route. The -chief replied that his refusal to start had been caused by his anger at -being refused the care of the boxes; that he was willing to start “the -day after to-morrow;” but if we refused to go by his route, he should -expect to be paid the agreed hire for the bullocks brought down. The -reply to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_390">[Pg 390]</span> this was that, whatever the Resident and pawmines, who had -made the original contract, agreed to as justly due should be paid. -Browne, however, offered a douceur of a viss of silver as soon as the -baggage was restored. This was agreed to; and the men at once set to -work to bring back the boxes, which were transferred to the large -boats, and on January 31st the entire mission, escorted by the Burmese -war-boats, returned to Bhamô, having definitely abandoned the route by -Sawady, and elected to travel by the northern or Ponline road.</p> - -<p>Letters had been received from the Resident, written from Tsitkaw, to -the effect that plenty of mules were procurable, and that the Burmese -officials had summoned the Kakhyen chiefs. On our arrival at Bhamô, we -found a force of three hundred men in war-boats armed with gingals, -collected under the command of the Woon, who had been about to come in -person to Sawady to deliver us, if necessary, from the hands of the -Lenna Kakhyens. This was an additional proof, if any had been needed, -of the care of the Burmese for our welfare, and of the uncertainty -of their relations with the southern hill tribes. It was with great -reluctance that I for one turned my back on the Sawady route, the full -exploration and eventual establishment of which as the future trade -route had been proposed as a special object of our mission. It was -generally understood to be, though the longest, the one which presented -fewest physical difficulties; and of its actual employment<span class="pagenum" id="Page_391">[Pg 391]</span> we had -ocular demonstration in the trading parties, numbering many mules and -bullocks, which were continually coming and going during our stay at -its terminus.</p> - -<p>The northern route had been thoroughly explored six years before, -and full information collected concerning its physical and social -conditions, while the change in the political relations affected all -routes alike. As was afterwards ascertained, we were expected by the -Chinese at Muangmow, whither, it appears, Li-sieh-tai had gone to meet -the mission, and, as far as may be judged by his conduct, without -hostile intentions; and besides all this, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias, cooperating with -the British Resident at Bhamô, had visited the Lenna Kakhyens a month -before, and had made arrangements with them, according to which they -had brought down their beasts of burden for the conveyance of the -mission. Among various reasons assigned for abandoning the route were -the suspicious bearing of the Paloungto chief, and the possible, if not -probable, risk of delay in the hills. This would have been aggravated -by the chance that the provisions of the Sikhs, who were only supplied -with flour for thirty-five days, might run short. Another danger was -conceived to lie in the want of arrangements with the Phonkan chief, -who might prove as obstructive as he of Ponsee had done, and either -stop or fleece the mission. With regard to the behaviour of the Lenna -chief of Paloungto, it might have been expected that any<span class="pagenum" id="Page_392">[Pg 392]</span> lurking -ill-will would have been aggravated by the disappointment experienced -at losing the fair profits of a convoy, for which he had brought down -carriage and waited so long. At the time, the presence of the large -Burmese force may be thought to have restrained him; but the subsequent -reception given by him and his brother of Wurrabone to <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias and -Captain Cooke showed him to be thoroughly well affected, and almost -anxious to prove the absence of any ill-feeling. It was a generally -wise and proper policy to thoroughly conciliate the goodwill of the -Burmese officials, and to carry them with us in all our proceedings. -This line of conduct was carefully and consistently adopted by our -leader, but, consequently, there was no opportunity afforded to the -Kakhyen chief of expressing his sentiments as to the Burmese guard. -His only intercourse with our party was by interview held in presence -of the tsitkay, at which he was expected to take the position of an -inferior, squatting on the ground before men to whom he acknowledged -no subordination; and it is to be regretted that he did not find an -opportunity for confidential communication which might probably have -led to a better understanding. It must also be remembered that Kakhyen -chiefs do not comprehend the value of time, or share our notions as -to procrastination, and are not above “trying it on” in order to gain -a little more silver. As regards the possible complications with the -Phonkan tsawbwa, who six years before had announced his wish for the -passage<span class="pagenum" id="Page_393">[Pg 393]</span> of British commerce through his country, although he could not -or would not come into Sawady, he might have been induced to have met -and conferred with us at Mansay, while, if supplies of flour were not -procurable at Bhamô, yet, according to the experience acquired in 1868, -they were available in the Shan valleys and at Momien.</p> - -<p>On February 1st, we were all assembled in our old quarters at Bhamô. -The Woon was rather nonplussed at the adoption of the Ponline route, -and anxious as to the dangers of attack to which the mission might be -exposed before reaching Manwyne, though no whit relaxing his efforts to -carry out our wishes. Another Woon, he of Tsaleng, arrived in the royal -steamer, and seemed to fill the post of counsellor to his colleague, -who was perplexed by the news which arrived from Cooke, that all the -tsawbwas were at Manwyne discussing the tariff, and could not return -for some days. The same steamer brought up from Mandalay two Kakhyen -chiefs of the central route, <abbr title="videlicet">viz.</abbr> Muangkha and Poonhya. In return for -services rendered to the recent Burmese embassy, these two chiefs had -been received with high honour, and presented with gold umbrellas and -gilded saddles. They rode through Bhamô on ponies decorated with the -gilded equipage, while each rider wore a golden head-band bearing his -titles, preceded by a man carrying the golden umbrella, and escorted by -others beating gongs and proclaiming his rank.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_394">[Pg 394]</span></p> - -<p>On the 3rd, the heavy baggage and guard were embarked in boats to -proceed to Tsitkaw, accompanied by Fforde and myself, leaving Colonel -Browne and Margary to follow by land, while Elias had arranged to -attempt the passage by the Sawady route, and join the rendezvous at -Momien. The flotilla started from the river bank at Bhamô, and poled -up the Irawady to the mouth of the Tapeng, our progress against the -rapid stream being slow, and impeded by numerous projecting snags and -occasional sandbanks, where the water was so shallow that the crew were -obliged to jump overboard and push or drag the heavily laden boats -along. Immediately outside the mouth of the Tapeng extended a bar of -sandbanks, beyond which the great river suddenly deepened to about -eighty feet of water. In this deep reach numerous round-headed dolphins -were sporting. This being the pairing season, the males were chasing -the females. Some were swimming with their heads half out of water, -and <em>jerking from their mouths</em> large quantities of water to some -distance. One or two were noticed apparently standing erect in the -water, with their heads elevated straight above its surface, so that -nearly the whole of the pectoral fins was plainly visible; others, in -pairs, were rolling about on their sides. One was fired at, but simply -responded by a splutter and a dive. The boatmen, seeing our interest in -them, declared that they would come if called, and proceeded to utter -a peculiar sound of <em>hrr, hrr</em>, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_395">[Pg 395]</span> to drum on the side of the -boat with a stick. They informed us that the dolphins do not proceed -higher up the river than a rocky headland in the first defile, called -Labein-hin, or Dolphin Point, because the nats have established a -customs station there to collect an impost, which the dolphins are not -willing to pay. The dolphin of the Irawady (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Orcella fluminalis</em>, -Andr.) is the only round-headed form as yet known to be found in fresh -water, individuals having been rarely observed much below Prome, three -hundred miles from the sea, or nearly so. The colour of the body is -a dusky slate, and the under part of a dirty white; they attain a -considerable size, individuals ten feet in length being not uncommon. -Besides the round head, they are distinguished from the long-snouted -dolphin of the Ganges (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Platanista gangetica</em>, Lebeck), which -also inhabits fresh water exclusively, by the much larger, fully -proportioned eye. The latter, as a tenant of the muddy water of the -Ganges, which must be almost impervious to vision, has a very minute -eye. In the Yang-tze and in the great lake of the Cambodia, dolphins -are also found, and will probably prove to be closely allied to those -of the Irawady; but as yet we have no knowledge of their characters. -In the estuaries of the Bay of Bengal there is a small, round-headed -dolphin closely allied to this Irawady cetacean, but it never ascends -to the fresh water of the rivers. Apart from the scientific interest -of these large fluviatile mammals, they form a striking feature in the -river scenery of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_396">[Pg 396]</span> Irawady as they roll and tumble in long lines up -the deep reaches, and seem to delight in keeping pace with or outracing -the steamers. They do not appear to migrate through the whole distance -of the river’s course, but to confine themselves within certain -districts. The fishermen of the river regard them with a superstitious -respect, and each village is believed to be under the protection of a -particular dolphin, which guards the fishery. An offer of one hundred -rupees altogether failed to induce the people to catch a specimen; and -it was only by the fortunate acquisition of a dead carcass thrown upon -the bank, and secured by Captain Bowers, that I was enabled to make a -thorough comparison of the structure of this remarkable inhabitant of -the river. It should be added that the great black-headed gull is so -regular a companion of the dolphin that it is called by the fishermen -the <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">labein-nuet</em>, or dolphin-bird.</p> - -<p>The progress of the flotilla of six laden boats against the rapid -stream of the Tapeng was necessarily slow. The right bank presented a -wide stretch of level country studded with tall cotton trees and oil -trees. The highest leafless branches of the former furnish eyries for -the ring-tailed eagle (<em xml:lang="la" lang="la">Haliaetus leucoryphus</em>, Pallas), a pair -of which birds were perched on a tree close to the bank commanding the -river. One bird was added to our collection. The left bank was clothed -to the water line with an impenetrable forest of magnificent trees, -rising from a jungle with ratans and luxuriant musæ. Numerous<span class="pagenum" id="Page_397">[Pg 397]</span> peacocks -displayed their splendid plumage on the high branches, most provokingly -out of shot. Hornbills, brown doves with violet necks abounded, and in -the jungle, barking deer, hog-deer, and sambur. The exposed sandbanks -were covered with snake-birds; terns, black-headed egrets, plovers, and -Brahminy ducks and wild geese also were frequent. We moored for the -night at the village of Queyloon, in time for a short excursion to some -abandoned rice plantings, in search of wild ducks; returning from which -we observed numerous small owls, the soft eccentric flight of which -resembled that of the goat-sucker.</p> - -<p>Soon after sunrise we were again <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em>, having waited some -time for a promised supply of buffalo milk, this being an almost -unattainable luxury in Burma; but the baby buffalo had anticipated our -demand, and disappointed our hopes. At the village of Tahmeylon, where -we had made a stoppage on the first ascent of the Tapeng in 1868, the -changes of the river channel were exemplified. At that time the water -ran deep under a high bank, but now a broad sandbank extended in front -of the village. We had landed on the other side of a neck of land which -caused a bend in the river, intending to strike the public path, which -we missed, and had to make our way by buffalo runs, which penetrated -the tall thick grass like tunnels. Along these we had to proceed nearly -doubled up, occasionally caught and almost choked by creepers, drenched -by the dank<span class="pagenum" id="Page_398">[Pg 398]</span> grass overhead, and knee-deep in miry clay. By dint of -keeping the sun before us, we succeeded in reaching Tahmeylon by noon. -Beyond this, the course of the river winds in a remarkable manner, -doubling successive long tongues of land, and enclosing a large island -overgrown with impenetrable jungle, until the village of Maloolah is -reached, on the left bank. The villagers warned us to moor our boats -for the night at some distance from the bank for fear of tigers, which -are numerous, and attack boats near the bank, and even the villages, at -night. In the neighbouring village of Tsitgna, ten of the inhabitants -had been killed by tigers in the preceding twelve months. We crossed -the stream in the morning in a dug-out, intending to shoot peafowl in -the forest which covered the rising ground on the right bank, but the -margin of the forest proved so swampy as to prevent all access. Jungle -fowl and squirrels were numerous, and our servants reported hog-deer. -We rejoined the boats at the outflow of the Manloung stream, having -breakfasted at the pagodas of Old Tsampenago. A labyrinth of streams -and swamps extends on the right bank to the place where a branch of -the Tapeng flows round and joins the Manloung stream. On the left -bank the forest is dense and high, and beyond it rises the irregular -outline of the Kakhyen hills, gradually becoming more distinct as -Tsitkaw is approached. At this village we found a khyoung outside the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_399">[Pg 399]</span> -stockade prepared for our accommodation, and the baggage was stored -in a large shed used for the storage of the royal cotton. A Burmese -guard, under the command of the tsare-daw-gyee, formed a cordon around -our residence, and by night had erected a number of huts, while their -fires formed a circle within which no robbers nor tigers were likely to -penetrate.</p> - -<p>At five in the afternoon of the next day, Browne, Margary, and Allan -arrived from Bhamô, which they had left at 10.30. The necessity of -avoiding the network of streams and swamps had obliged them to cross -the river three times in boats, while the two led horses and the ponies -swam across.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_400">[Pg 400]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.<br /> -<span class="small">THE ADVANCE.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Residence at Tsitkaw—View from our house—The Namthabet—Junction -of the rivers—Arrival of the Woon—Conference of -tsawbwas—Hostages—Kakhyen women—Rifle practice—A night alarm—A -curious talisman—We leave Tsitkaw—Camp at Tsihet—Burmese -guard-houses—Lankon, Ponline—Camp on the Moonam—Hostile -rumours—Camp on the Nampoung—Departure of Margary for -Manwyne—Escape of hostages—Letter from Margary—We enter China—Camp -on Shitee Meru—Burmese vigilance—Visit to Seray—Conference -with Seray tsawbwa—Suspicious reception—Return to camp—Burmese -barricades. -</div> - - -<p>The village of Tsitkaw, which seemed little changed as to its dirty -poverty since my recollections of 1868, consists of about eighty huts, -built on piles, enclosed within a bamboo stockade, which was being -repaired. The western half of the village is occupied by Chinese, and -for the first time the Chinese women are seen, for there are none -in Bhamô. At this time the Celestials were busy erecting a wooden -temple outside the stockade. Their principal men came to our khyoung -to greet Li-kan-shin, otherwise Moung Yoh, who was known to them, and -had been supposed to be dead. In the Buddhist khyoung,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_401">[Pg 401]</span> two French -missionaries, Father Lecomte and another, whom we had met at Bhamô, -had taken up their abode. They professed to be engaged in opening -communications between their mission in Burma and that in Yunnan, and -had made interest to accompany our party. It now appeared that they -proposed proceeding to Manwyne by themselves; but the Woon of Bhamô -interfered, and refused to allow them to enter the Kakhyen hills on the -north of the Tapeng. We were rather puzzled to understand their exact -object or account for their sudden change of plans.</p> - - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img020"> - <img src="images/020.jpg" class="w75" alt="TSITKAW, ON THE TAPENG, LOOKING TOWARDS THE KAKHYEN HILLS" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">TSITKAW, ON THE TAPENG, LOOKING TOWARDS THE KAKHYEN HILLS.</p> - - -<p>We had to remain at Tsitkaw some days, until the Kakhyen chiefs -assembled and the mules for carriage to Manwyne arrived. The air and -water are better than at Bhamô, and our sojourn, with its excursions, -was a pleasant time. Our residence consisted of two bamboo houses, as -it were, placed side by side, the drainage of the two roofs in the -centre being caught in a hollowed log of wood. A wooden ladder led -up to the first apartment, beyond which the sleeping room was shut -off by a <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kalagah</em>, or curtain. To the rear a wide alluvial flat -stretched away to the dense jungles swarming with tigers, and beyond -which lay the Manloung lake and its adjoining swamps. From the front -a charming view presented itself. Below a grassy bank ran the swift, -smooth stream, one hundred and fifty yards broad, bordered on the other -side by yellow sandbanks, fringed by a high screen of rich verdure -marking the limit of the Tapeng in flood. Beyond this rose the wall -of the luxuriant<span class="pagenum" id="Page_402">[Pg 402]</span> forest, backed by the lofty, well wooded Kakhyen -mountains. Six miles distant, this wall appeared unbroken, for the -gorge by which this river debouches is masked by a low line of hills, -round which the Tapeng is deflected in a north-west direction, until -it comes round above Tsitkaw, to flow towards the Irawady. There were -manifold temptations for a sportsman or a naturalist; on the long -alluvial flat, in the morning, flocks of parrots, Sarus crane, and -Brahminy ducks, were seen feeding in numbers, and large snipe and -glossy ibis abounded in the paddy fields. On the sandbanks bordering -the river, flocks of wild geese were wont to settle, and afforded us -some most literally wild goose chases. In the great trees, as Margary -said, the gorgeous peacocks were as plentiful as magpies, and he -was most anxious to secure some of their feathered spoils, to send -to General Chiang at Momien, who wanted the plumage for his hat. We -participated in most enjoyable excursions, and, to quote his words -again, led a regular gipsy life. One was to Manloung lake, where our -havildar shot a deer, to the delight of the Sikhs, who expressed -unqualified admiration of the country, and a strong desire that we -should annex it.</p> - -<p>One day was devoted to a long walk to the Namthabet river, beyond the -detached range of low hills. From the village of Tsitgna, we crossed in -a dug-out to the opposite village of Kambanee, where we observed some -Kakhyen women, who seemed almost<span class="pagenum" id="Page_403">[Pg 403]</span> too frightened to raise their eyes -from the ground. The road, at first broad and good, led through a level -tract, covered by forest of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">eng</em> tree and high grass, of the same -character as that which extends between Bhamô and the hills. As the -land rose in long undulations, the character of the forest changed, a -variety of timber succeeded the <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">eng</em> trees, and dense groves of -bamboos filled the hollows. The slopes soon led up to a tolerably high -ridge, covered with dense forest, except where patches had been cleared -for the cultivation of maize. The summit commanded an extensive view -of the Tapeng plain, and of the Manloung lake, which was seen to cover -a large area. We descended by a steep path, winding through bamboo -thickets and clearings. In traversing this richly wooded tract, which -seemingly contained all the essentials of a sylvan paradise, we were -impressed with the paucity of bird life; only a few parrots screeched -their surprise at the intruders. On a high tree, three pigmy hawks were -seen, one of which fell a victim to the exigences of science.</p> - -<p>We presently came on the Namthabet, a clear, rapid stream, winding in -a rocky channel down a narrow valley, beyond which rose the mass of -the Kakhyen hills, clothed with dense forest. A Kakhyen woman was just -about to cross from the opposite side, but fled at our appearance, and -no persuasion on the part of our guide could induce her to return. We -descended the valley, passing a fire, on which rice was cooking in a -green bamboo, but the owner<span class="pagenum" id="Page_404">[Pg 404]</span> had hidden himself in the bush. We reached -the Tapeng at a place where a sort of slide had been cut in the banks, -down which the bamboos, when felled, are launched into the river, to -be floated into the Irawady, where they are made into rafts, and sent -down stream to the capital. A party of Kakhyens were seen busy at work -cutting bamboos, and we passed their temporary huts in a clearing; and -those of our party who were unacquainted with them seemed surprised -at their peaceful and friendly demeanour. A scramble over the rocky -left bank of the Tapeng brought us to the junction of the two rivers, -and the day’s march of fifteen miles was more than repaid by the -magnificent beauty of the gorge through which the Tapeng debouched from -the main range. The towering masses and walls of rock, clothed to their -summits with forest, at the base of which the river flowed deep and -slow, the exquisite foliage, and the rich colour of brilliant flowers, -made up an enchanting scene, very different from that which the same -river presented when last I viewed it, under lowering clouds and in -full flood, the height of which was now indicated by a faint brown line -on the rocks, thirty feet above its present level. The Namthabet flowed -out of a lesser gorge spanned by a ricketty bamboo bridge, which one of -us tried to walk over, but was speedily reduced to fall on hands and -knees and crawl across the vibrating structure. We made our way back -by a forest path through tangled vegetation,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_405">[Pg 405]</span> over the ups and downs -of the ridge, until the proper road was struck, by which Kambanee was -reached near sundown.</p> - -<p>An armed party, preceded by a sonorous gong, were descried making for -Tsitkaw, and at Tsitgna we learned that our old friend the Woon had -arrived in person from Bhamô to expedite the arrangements for our -progress to Manwyne. A conference had been held some days previously -with the tsawbwas of the northern hills; among whom were conspicuous -our old friend or enemy, Sala, the Ponline chief, and the pawmine of -Ponsee whom we had nicknamed “Death’s Head;” with them were others, -whose names were unknown to us. It had been agreed that the hire to be -paid per mule to Manwyne should be seven rupees eight annas, besides -a fee, by way of tax or toll, of five rupees for each animal. The -final arrangements had been postponed for five days, when a buffalo -sacrifice was to be held, at which all the chiefs interested could be -present. They had been convened at Manwyne not by mandarins but by -merchants, who wished to remonstrate with them about the robberies of -caravans, which constantly occurred on the Ponsee route. An instance -of this was reported during our stay, by some Chinese, who came in and -averred that they had been fired on by Kakhyens, near Ponsee, and had -been compelled to pay two hundred rupees blackmail. The day following -the Woon’s arrival, the Seray chief was alleged to have brought in a -drove<span class="pagenum" id="Page_406">[Pg 406]</span> of mules. Colonel Browne, on the Woon’s invitation, attended a -second conference, at which all the chiefs were present, and signed -an agreement, drawn up in Burmese. It was stipulated that they should -convey us safely to Manwyne, at which place the agreed upon presents -should be distributed to them, and that the sons of the Ponline, -Ponsee, and Seray tsawbwas should be detained as hostages for the -fulfilment of the contract.</p> - -<p>The son of the Seray chief was a young man whose demeanour and -countenance gave a most unfavourable impression; in fact, he appeared -to be a dissipated young ruffian, and decidedly unfriendly to the -strangers. Sala’s son was a lad of fourteen, much superior to his -father in appearance and manner; he was a frequent visitor to our -khyoung, and also a patient, as he suffered, like many of his -countrymen, from inflamed eyes, for the cure of which he seemed duly -grateful. He was rather a favourite of the old Woon, who took him to -Bhamô, and it is to be hoped that the better education and training -will fit him to be a better chief than his avaricious and treacherous -father.</p> - -<p>Consequent on the arrival of the tsawbwas, was a large influx of their -subjects, who flocked in in great numbers, both of men and women, -bringing presents of fowls and vegetables, and bamboo flasks of sheroo. -The members of our party who saw them in their native independence for -the first time were greatly interested in the “little scowling women”<span class="pagenum" id="Page_407">[Pg 407]</span> -and the half savage men. An unpublished letter, almost the last written -by Margary, graphically depicts them:—“We let them ascend to our ratan -floor, raised on stakes, and apart from the novelty, and indeed fun, of -trying to buy their various curiosities, it is by no means a savoury -infliction. The shocks of an electric machine produce a constant flow -of merriment, and we roar with laughter at the grimaces and contortions -of our savage guests. The women are getting bold by this time, and -come in considerable numbers, bringing us their simple offerings of -friendship. They are the queerest creatures imaginable, and dirty -beyond all description. Yet there is no small degree of coyness about -them, which makes them interesting, in spite of their red-stained lips -and unwashed legs. They wear the most marvellous girdles of loose rings -of ratan split to the thickness of a thread, and a belt covered with -cowries. The ears are pierced with big holes, in which they insert -silver tubes six inches long, adorned with tufts of red cloth. We have -been trying to-day to tempt them to sell these strange ornaments for -dazzling bead necklaces, but to no purpose. One creature permitted -me even to draw a tube out of her ear, but my attempts at bargaining -only produced good-humoured laughter from the men and giggles from the -women.”</p> - -<p>The curious crowds became at last so troublesome that we were obliged -to close the mat screen in front of our entrance hall, to secure -ourselves from the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_408">[Pg 408]</span> intruders who wished to watch us at our breakfast. -The excitability of their nature was exemplified when the Sikhs were -paraded at rifle and revolver practice at a target. The Kakhyen -eye-witnesses shouted and flourished their muskets, and some sprang to -the front blowing their matches, and indicating that they wished to try -their skill. The Burmese officers had to restrain them, and afterwards -the pawmines came forward, and formally asked the tsare-daw-gyee to -permit them to fire at the targets, at the same distance, three hundred -yards. This was refused, and the excitement gradually subsided. The -Burmese said that it all arose from the fact that a Kakhyen cannot even -hear a gun fired without instantly discharging his own piece, if only -in the air.</p> - -<p>On February 14th the Ponsee pawmine arrived to inquire when we would -start, and was informed that we were ready to set out at once. -Thereupon a conference of chiefs took place under a sort of cotton -tent or canopy, which had been erected by the Burmese, apparently -from mistrust of the ability of our floor to bear a crowd. It was -then decided that we should march on the 16th, as the Burmese wished -that a Chinese caravan should precede us. The <span xml:lang="my" lang="my">tsare-daw-gyee</span> remarked -that if the Kakhyens intended to attack either party, he would give -them the opportunity to do both, to avoid mistakes. He reported that -orders had been received at Manwyne, from the governor of Momien, -that the English mission was to be treated “according to custom,”<span class="pagenum" id="Page_409">[Pg 409]</span> of -which phrase no one could furnish any explanation. In the night we -were alarmed by what seemed to be an apparent stampede of mules, and -a prodigious shouting from the Burmese guard. It turned out that a -buffalo which the Kakhyens were slaughtering had broken loose, with its -throat gashed, and after a chase had been despatched just opposite our -khyoung, where in the morning they were cutting it up, having fixed -the head on a post of the zayat, probably in our honour as founders -of the feast. At noon, the <span xml:lang="my" lang="my">tsare-daw-gyee</span> appeared, accompanied by a -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">tsitkay-nekandaw</em>, or deputy, from Bhamô, who had been sent by -the Woon to report progress. The official activity was stimulated by -the fact that the officer who had been sent up with us to Mandalay, and -had returned thither, had been condemned to banishment in chains to -Mogoung, because he had not waited to see us off. As the poor old man -had returned with our consent, and was in bad health, our leader wrote -to Mandalay to intercede for his pardon, which was subsequently granted -by the king. The tsitkay-nekandaw afforded a curious illustration of -a custom mentioned by Colonel Yule.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna40"><a href="#fn40">[40]</a></span> The upper part of his cheeks -was disfigured by large swellings, caused by the insertion under the -skin of lumps of gold, to act as charms to procure invulnerability. -Yule mentions the case of a Burmese convict executed at the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_410">[Pg 410]</span> Andaman -Islands, under whose skin gold and silver coins were found. The stones -referred to in the text of Marco Polo, as well as the substances -mentioned in the note by his learned editor, do not appear to have -been jewels. The custom prevails among Yunnan muleteers of concealing -precious stones under the skin of the chest and neck, a slit being -made, through which the jewel is forced. This, however, is not to -preserve the owners’ lives, but their portable wealth. While at -Mandalay, I examined some men just arrived from Yung-chang, and found -individuals with as many as fifteen coins and jewels thus concealed, -as a precaution against the robbers who might literally strip them to -their skin, without discovering the hidden treasure. But our Burmese -official regarded his disfiguring gold as a certain charm against -danger.</p> - -<p>During our interview with the Burmese, some of the pawmines came to -receive an advance of one-third of the mule hire, which was paid them; -and then Sala appeared to definitely agree on the amount of toll. One -of the other chiefs was asked to be present, but he preferred leaving -it to Sala’s decision. The latter agreed to receive five rupees per -mule, and was most careful to keep off any inquisitive hillmen while he -was debating, and afterwards receiving the whole amount. As all baggage -was ready, save such articles of bedding, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., as were daily in use, -the next day was fixed for the actual departure. Browne, as a final -preparation, distributed red turbans<span class="pagenum" id="Page_411">[Pg 411]</span> to the Burmese guard, which gave -something of a uniform appearance to the otherwise motley horde.</p> - -<p>We rose at 6 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> on February 16th, and made all our personal -baggage over to the Kakhyens, who were slow in completing their -preparations for a start. The Ponsee pawmine first appeared, and the -burden of his complaint, conveyed in the strongest affirmatives, and -with most expressive pantomime, was that he had not received any of -the blackmail, all the payment having been appropriated by Sala. The -tsare-daw-gyee declared that the latter had been obliged to disgorge -his plunder, but as a precaution he should be kept as a hostage at -Tsitkaw. A difficulty then was occasioned by the size of the box of -edible birds’ nests, which no muleteer would take; settlement of this -was left by Colonel Browne to the Kakhyen chiefs. A sharp dispute -relative to the method of taking the tallies of the number of the mules -broke out between the “Death’s Head” pawmine of Ponsee and the Burmese -choung-oke. This ran so high that the pawmine threatened to shoot the -choung-oke, and the old Burman swore he would cut down the Kakhyen, but -the contest resolved itself into abuse, and the Burman prevailed by -strength of lungs. A discussion then arose between the Ponsee pawmine -and another, whose contingent of mules the former was desirous of -reckoning, wholly or in great measure, amongst his own.</p> - -<p>The muleteers, having been delayed by the squabble, unloaded their -animals and drove them off<span class="pagenum" id="Page_412">[Pg 412]</span> to graze; the regathering of them was a -work of time, but they at last filed off, preceded by Margary and Allan -with a division of the Burmese guard. The rest of the mission, however, -was retarded by the difficulty of finding porters for the rejected box -of birds’ nests, the medicine chest, and photographic apparatus, all of -which had been left out in the cold, and had to be carried by Burmese. -At four o’clock, we finally cleared out of Tsitkaw, watched by Sala, -who waved an adieu from the porch of the house where he was to reside -as a hostage for our safety. We observed by the roadside several women -sitting with <em>carafes</em> of water, each containing a flower, from -which they poured libations as they muttered prayers for our safety. -As we passed the succeeding villages of Hantin, Hentha, and Myohoung, -the road was lined with women similarly occupied. An hour and a half -of slow progress brought us to the hamlet of Tsihet, at the foot of -the hills, outside of which men awaited us with welcome draughts of -pure and cool water. There are two small villages, each within its own -stockade, separated by a space of thirty yards. We took up our quarters -in a rickety zayat within the northernmost village. The camp outside -presented a most busy scene. Burmans were cooking their dinners, -while others were erecting temporary huts of freshly cut bamboos, or -thatching them with bamboo leaves and long grass. Groups of Kakhyen -muleteers, who had arrived first, were sitting in their huts, smoking -and chatting; others were collecting<span class="pagenum" id="Page_413">[Pg 413]</span> and marshalling the mules in -lines between the baggage, each animal having one of its feet fastened -to a wooden peg driven into the ground. The Burmese had encamped in a -cordon enclosing the Sikhs and Kakhyens, and of course all the baggage; -and outposts had been established at the north and south of the village.</p> - -<p>The locality of Tsihet, owing to the proximity of the hills, appeared -to be unhealthy, and the children looked very sickly. This is not to -be wondered at if the ordinary supply of water was to be judged by -that furnished to us in the evening, which seemed to have come from a -buffalo wallow. All the villagers assembled to watch the kalas at their -<em xml:lang="es" lang="es">al fresco</em> dinner, and eagerly accepted our empty bottles, which -were regarded as precious prizes.</p> - -<p>At eight o’clock next morning we were in motion, and almost immediately -began to ascend, crossing a succession of ridges, till at 9.30 the -first Burmese <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">kengdat</em>, or guard-house, was reached, called -Pahtama Kengdat. It is situated in a hollow, and, like the rest, -consists of a small house built of teak and bamboo, raised on piles, -and surrounded by a double bamboo stockade, with two poles bearing -white pennants raised in front. The garrison consisted of some -half-dozen Burmese soldiers. Still ascending, we reached the district -of Singnew and at a place where the road diverged, several Kakhyen men -and women had collected to see us pass. The second Burmese guard-house, -or Lamen Kengdat, and soon<span class="pagenum" id="Page_414">[Pg 414]</span> afterwards the village of Pehtoo, or Payto, -were passed, and we entered the territory of Ponline. From the first -village and the third guard-house, Tap-gna-gyee, we ascended to the -principal village and residence of Sala, called Lankon, where we spent -our first night in Kakhyen land in 1868.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna41"><a href="#fn41">[41]</a></span></p> - -<p>We halted at noon in front of the chiefs house, by which grew a fine -peach tree in full bloom. A few old Kakhyens were assembled, and among -them the tsawbwa-gadaw, who produced sheroo, and demanded payment, -receiving four annas, with which she seemed very dissatisfied. The -road, or rather track, no wise improved during the last seven years, -was marked on either hand by tufts of raw cotton which the lower -hanging branches had taken as toll from the frequent caravans. From -this village our route lay to the north of that formerly travelled -by us, and a descent of an hour brought us to a small stream called -Moonam, on the other side of which we found the camp formed on a slope -which had evidently been recently cleared for the site of the fourth -guard-house, named Tsadota Kengdat, surrounded by high hill spurs on -all sides. We put up in the guard-house, which occupies the highest -point of the slope, and the Burmese formed their usual line round the -Kakhyens. The tsare-daw-gyee made his appearance later, having followed -a different route, which brought<span class="pagenum" id="Page_415">[Pg 415]</span> him to the north-eastern end, where -he encamped his party. All around us during the evening we heard the -gongs answering each other, and the loud shouts, or “All’s well!” of -the Burmese outposts.</p> - -<p>After a refreshing bath, we took a stroll up the hill under the -guidance of a Kakhyen to look for pheasants, from which we brought back -nothing but a portion of an enormous fungus. Before bedtime, Browne -announced that a Kakhyen had come to him with the information that -four hundred evil-disposed Kakhyens had assembled themselves beyond -Ponsee to dispute our advance. More friendly visitors were promised in -the shape of the tsawbwa-gadaw of Woonkah and her followers, who were -expected to arrive in the morning from her husband’s village, situated -on the mountain to the north of Ponline.</p> - -<p>While waiting in the morning of February 18th for the arrival of our -expected visitors, the tsare-daw-gyee with his subordinate officers -appeared, and in a very serious tone repeated the information that -four hundred evil-disposed Kakhyens and Chinese hill dacoits had taken -obligations among themselves to attack us, probably for the sake of -plunder. The amount of credence to be given to the report was variously -estimated, both by Kakhyens and Burmese. Moung Mo and Moung Yoh -disbelieved it; but the former wretched old man became suddenly unwell, -to such an extent that he feared he would be unable to go forward. The -Ponsee pawmine scouted<span class="pagenum" id="Page_416">[Pg 416]</span> the story, and averred it to be an invention of -a worthless Kakhyen who met us yesterday. Our Sikh havildar promptly -volunteered to advance with his fifteen men, and clear the road of -any number of these mountaineers, whom his observations at Sawady and -elsewhere made him hold very cheaply. The tsare-daw-gyee declared -that he and his men were ready to fight, but that it was desirable to -advance peaceably if possible. It was finally decided that we should -proceed to the last Burmese guard-house on the banks of the Nampoung, -and the caravan set out about nine o’clock.</p> - -<p>After a short, steep ascent, within hearing of the roar of the distant -Tapeng, the road descended to the Nampoung. Passing over two short -ridges, whence a magnificent view of the glen running south-south-west -to north-north-east is obtained, and then traversing a steep path in a -succession of narrow zigzags to the banks of the stream, we arrived at -the fifth Burmese guard-house by 10.30 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span></p> - -<p>The valley of the Nampoung is a deep, narrow glen, bordered on either -side by high mountains, and in no place is it broader than two hundred -yards. The river is a rapid clear stream, flowing in a rocky channel -between rock-strewn flats edged by high grass on either side. The -banks rise abruptly, covered with lofty forest trees, tangled with -magnificent creepers and festooned with orchids. Some miles to the -north a rather treeless valley communicates<span class="pagenum" id="Page_417">[Pg 417]</span> with the glen, apparently -running in a direction behind Manwyne. The guard-house occupies a level -open space, covered with terraces of paddy cultivation. To the south -the glen terminates in a deep gorge, down which the river rushes to -the Tapeng. We found the encampment formed, and the people, as usual, -busily preparing their huts, as, notwithstanding the advice of the -Ponsee pawmine, that we should proceed to Shitee, it had been decided -that we should remain here.</p> - -<p>Another Burman had arrived from Manwyne, confirming the report of -danger ahead, but Margary discredited it, and expressed his readiness, -if necessary, to proceed to Manwyne to inquire into the truth of the -rumoured opposition. The tsare-daw-gyee approved of this step, and it -was decided to send Margary forward, as he was known to the Manwyne -people from his recent stay at that town, and to all the Chinese -officers in the district as being under the protection of the viceroy -of Yunnan.</p> - -<p>During the afternoon gongs and cymbals were heard beating high up the -hill on the Chinese or left side of the valley, and Kakhyens were -seen peering down at us from among the trees. These proved to be the -followers of the Shitee Meru tsawbwa, who, however, would not come -across into Burmese territory, and after some time distant shots -announced his return to his village. In the evening the encampment -presented a picturesque scene, the red turbans of the Burmese -combining<span class="pagenum" id="Page_418">[Pg 418]</span> with the rich greenery of the palm leaves which thatched the -numerous huts. The Ponsee pawmine had erected for himself a wigwam of -feathery palm fronds, and the gleam of the bright fire, round which a -group of men in blue were chatting and smoking, lit up a picture that -one longed to sketch.</p> - -<p>We had a farewell dinner in the evening, to which Margary’s Chinese -writer was invited. Our discussion of the prospects of the mission, -though clouded by no anticipations of the fearful fate to which our -gallant comrade was about to set out, lasted till a late hour, while -the gongs of the watchful Burmese sounded as usual from various points -all round our position.</p> - -<p>Margary started for Seray <em xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">en route</em> for Manwyne early in the -morning of February the 19th. He was accompanied by his writer, -Yu-tu-chien, of whom I have already spoken, an intelligent Chinese -Christian, who during his stay with us had made himself both liked -and respected. The other attendants were his official messenger, or -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">ting-chai</em>, Lu-ta-lin, from the consulate at Shanghai; his boy, -Ch’ang-yong-chien, known by the name of Bombazine; Li-ta-yu, a servant -from Sz-chuen; and his cook, Chow-yu-ting, a native of Hankow, all of -whom had accompanied their master in the journey across China. Besides -his followers, Moung Yoh, or Li-kan-shin, and a pawmine of Seray, of by -no means prepossessing appearance, and remarkable for a peculiar loud -voice, escorted him to Seray.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_419">[Pg 419]</span></p> - -<p>The morning was devoted by myself to an attempt under the guidance of -a Kakhyen to explore the valley, which was rendered difficult by the -dense jungle, and the unwillingness of the native to proceed more than -two or three miles from the camp.</p> - -<p>The reports of threatened opposition were as rife as ever; but -some Chinese who arrived during the day professed ignorance of any -uneasiness among the hill tribes. A Kakhyen was brought in by the -Burmese to the guard-house, who had come from Manwyne on the previous -day on purpose to tell us, at some risk to himself, that a body of men -had been collected to attack us, by one Yang-ta-jen, in league with -the Seray tsawbwa. The messenger seemed half-witted, but was clear -in his story, which certainly agreed with the previous reports. News -arrived that all the hostages detained at Tsitkaw had escaped with the -exception of Sala. One of them was the son of the Ponsee pawmine, and -his father, who had been detailed to accompany Margary, was kept back -to be sent to Tsitkaw in place of his son. The tsawbwa-gadaw of Woonkah -duly arrived with her gift of fowls, eggs, and sheroo, and received -broadcloth and other presents, with which she speedily disappeared, not -without grumbling that she had not been paid in money for her fowls!</p> - -<p>Nothing further occurred till next morning, when messengers brought -a letter from Margary, dated from Seray, announcing that so far the -road was unmolested, and all the people met with were civil,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_420">[Pg 420]</span> and that -he should proceed to Manwyne. He noted that when in the Seray chief’s -house, the Seray pawmine evinced his contempt for the Burmese by -spitting on the ground.</p> - -<p>On the strength of this communication, although the tsare-daw-gyee -urged that no movement should be made until the news of Margary’s -reception at Manwyne reached us, Colonel Browne resolved to proceed -at once, and, if possible, reach that town in one march. The camp was -accordingly struck, and, crossing the Nampoung, we entered China.</p> - -<p>The road we were to pursue led straight up a steep spur of the main -range dividing the Tapeng from the Nampoung, the highest point of -which, Shitee Meru, rises immediately to the north of Ponsee, the -position of the long detention of the first expedition of 1868. I set -out in advance of the rest, accompanied by my men and the Kakhyen -scout who had brought the information from Manwyne. The ascent -commenced directly from the Nampoung valley, and three hours’ climb -of the hill-path brought us to the first Shitee village at noon. -The tsawbwaship has been divided among three brothers, each having -a village of his own, but the youngest, according to Kakhyen rules, -being the chief of Shitee Meru. At the first village we were hospitably -received and refreshed with sheroo, and the children were delighted -with beads and small coins. Here we found a native of India, a slave, -who had come from beyond Assam, and had forgotten most<span class="pagenum" id="Page_421">[Pg 421]</span> of his -language, but made himself known by calling out <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">pani</em>. On the -hillside I met the Shitee Meru tsawbwa coming down with two men, one -of whom escorted me some way; and next appeared the Wacheoon tsawbwa -with a party of forty armed followers, some of them mounted on ponies. -He was very friendly, and sent an escort back with us, one of whom -had brought a lizard for the Englishman. The road wound up and over -the spurs running down from the backbone of the Shitee-doung to the -Nampoung, which flows from the north-east along a valley lying below -the north-western slope of the main range that defines the right bank -of the Tapeng. The greatest height reached on Shitee Meru Doung was -about five thousand seven hundred feet above the sea, from which we -descended slightly to the site chosen for our encampment, the altitude -of which was found to be five thousand five hundred feet, where we -halted at 3.30, after a march of about eight miles.</p> - -<p>Between two rounded ridges running down to the Nampoung, one in our -rear covered with forest, and the other with grass, about five hundred -yards distant to the north-east, extended two flat clearings, where -the caravans were accustomed to bivouack, the first and smaller -clearing being close to the western spur. On the second and larger -space, divided from the first by a mountain stream, and lying at a -somewhat higher elevation, immediately along the grassy spur, the camp -was pitched. Around and above the encampments the forest had been -cleared,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_422">[Pg 422]</span> and the open space was covered with high grass interspersed -with boulders. Just below the encampments the ground sloped abruptly -into a grassy hollow between the ridges, which served as a grazing -ground for the mules. The main mountain ridge, which rose to a -height of six hundred feet above us, was clothed to its summit with -dense forest, which formed a continuous covert, extending along the -projecting ridge in the rear, and thus enclosing and commanding our -position on the south and east. Below the hollow, the hillside, clothed -with impenetrable jungle, sank abruptly to the Nampoung. The country -over which the road wound along the slope, in the direction of Seray, -consisted of old clearings covered with jungle grass and patches of -uncut forest. The immediate exit of the road led through a depression -in the ridge, and descended the intervening hollow, and, thence -reascending, crossed the next spur.</p> - -<p>We bivouacked in the open among the mules and baggage, and surrounded -by the fires, the smoke from which was at first most intolerable, but -no other annoyance or disturbance was experienced, and our Kakhyens -enjoyed themselves listening to the melodies of a musical-box, which -had become an especial favourite with them. The Burmese were as -vigilant as ever, and their sentinels seemed to be on the alert all -night. The tsawbwas of Wacheoon and Ponwah visited the camp, and they -had heard nothing of any suspicious movements of troops, and the other<span class="pagenum" id="Page_423">[Pg 423]</span> -Shans who brought fowls for sale confirmed this. Our interpreter, -Moung Yoh, returned to the camp in company with the Seray men, the -latter being remarkably well dressed and equipped, and evidently old -acquaintances of the Burmese. He reported that the Seray chief was -dissatisfied on account of the payment of the mule tax or dues to Sala, -which, however, had been done with the knowledge and approval of the -son of Seray. Moung Yoh then suggested that presents should be sent -to Seray, whom he had discovered to be a great friend of his uncle, -Li-sieh-tai, and to whose house he returned the same evening to await -our arrival.</p> - -<p>We were in readiness to start by seven o’clock in the morning of -the 21st, but the tsare-daw-gyee intimated that he did not think it -prudent to move until the tsawbwas of Shitee Meru, Woonkah, and others -arrived. His real intention, however, was to remain in this camp -until definite news came from <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary; but as the arrangement had -been made with the latter that we were to advance if we did not hear -from him warning us to the contrary, Colonel Browne resolved to push -forward to Seray with the Sikhs, leaving the Burmese guard and caravan -to follow. I started with my men in advance, but in a short time was -overtaken by Browne, Allan, and Fforde, followed by the Sikhs and their -servants, with the two led horses, the camp having thus been left to -the Kakhyens, under the charge of the Burmese. Their cavalcade soon<span class="pagenum" id="Page_424">[Pg 424]</span> -outstripped my party, as we were shooting, and collecting plants. The -road lies over numerous spurs and through deep wooded hollows, and -then crosses the watershed dividing the Nampoung valley from the gorge -of the Tapeng; on the southern or Manwyne side of the ridge lies the -district of Seray. Here a Shan Burman, wearing the red turban of our -escort, accompanied by a Kakhyen, overtook us, and by signs gave me -to understand that the tsare-daw-gyee wished us to return. As none -of us could speak Burmese, I signed to him to proceed quickly and -communicate his news to Colonel Browne, which he did, and I ordered my -men to press forward to overtake the rest of the party, while I waited -behind for my groom and pony. The messenger on his return signified -that Colonel Browne was continuing his progress to Seray. The road -descended into a hollow, from which a steep ascent leads to Seray. -Here a difficulty arose about the road, as several paths diverged, -and there was nothing to indicate which had been taken by Colonel -Browne’s party. Unfortunately, I took a wrong one, and soon arrived -at a strange village, the inhabitants of which had, doubtless, never -before seen an European. According to Kakhyen custom, I dismounted -before entering, and, seeing some women standing at the door of the -first house, indicated by signs that I desired to know the road. They -sulkily waved to me to go on upwards. Imagining that the end of the -village was reached, I prepared to remount, but this was resented<span class="pagenum" id="Page_425">[Pg 425]</span> by a -number of men who rushed out of a house, and, shouting, drew their dahs -in a threatening manner. I tried to induce some of them, by the offer -of <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">compraw</em>, to show me the way, but none would do so. Proceeding -onwards, followed by the hillmen, I suddenly found my big dog by my -side. As his presence was evidence that some of my men were behind, I -turned my pony’s head, and all the Kakhyens bolted. After retracing my -steps for some distance, I discovered my collectors and servants hiding -for fear in a deep hollow. Presently I met a Kakhyen boy, who conducted -us to the village of Seray.</p> - -<p>Seray, like the majority of Kakhyen villages, is finely situated on -the summit of a ridge, among lofty trees, enclosing a grassy glade -in its centre. The paths approaching the village are broad, and its -vicinity is indicated by groups of high massive wooden posts, with -simple devices in black, and by groves to the nats, and by small -circular walled enclosures devoted to the worship of the sky spirit. -On arriving, I found all the Sikhs ranged in front of the tsawbwa’s -house, also the chiefs of Woonkah and Wacheoon, and Allan’s Chinese -clerk. It was so dark on entering that at first I could not recognise -Colonel Browne, Allan, and Fforde, save by their voices. The chief, who -knew me again, was seated on the ground, and it was observable that -he and all his men were armed. The restlessness which he exhibited, -his withdrawing outside for private conferences<span class="pagenum" id="Page_426">[Pg 426]</span> with his pawmine, and -the fact that all the women had left the house, excited suspicion; -but when the latter returned, and the chief and his pawmine divested -themselves of their dahs, I concluded that any hostile intention that -might have been originally entertained against us had for the present -been abandoned. Then sheroo and hard boiled eggs were brought in and -set before us; but further parley with the chief produced no results, -and we adjourned to a grove of oak and hazel trees on the outskirts -of the village. Moung Yoh, or Li-kan-shin, the professed nephew of -Li-sieh-tai, who had been acting as our interpreter, and addressing -Seray as uncle as a mark of friendship, presently came to request -Colonel Browne to return to the chief’s house. There it was decided -that the Seray and Woonkah tsawbwas should proceed to Manwyne at once, -and ascertain the actual state of things, and take a letter to Margary. -Another Burman had arrived from the camp to request us to return, and -we mounted our ponies, and retraced our steps. On the road we met some -Kakhyens, one of whom seized the bridle of Browne’s horse, and signed -him to go back, as the road was beset, but as our friend was under the -influence of sheroo, we spoke to him pleasantly and proceeded. This man -was a pawmine of Shitee, who returned to the camp in the evening, and, -when taxed with having been intoxicated, admitted that he had started -with a bamboo flask full of sheroo, which he had finished. These -incidents showed that<span class="pagenum" id="Page_427">[Pg 427]</span> there was an uneasy apprehension of danger, but -that in the immediate vicinity the Kakhyens were friendly.</p> - -<p>During our absence, the Burmese had thrown up barricades or breastworks -of stones and earth, at points above the camp, and commanding the -road to Seray. The tsare-daw-gyee announced to Browne that we should -certainly be attacked by the Chinese either that evening or on the -march the next day. Some men were observed peering down from among the -trees on the hill-brow, as if reconnoitring our position. The Burmese, -who were collecting firewood, came running down as fast as they could, -and the whole camp set up a fearful shout to scare the supposed -enemies, who disappeared, and the excitement gradually subsided.</p> - - -<p class="footnote" id="fn40"><a href="#fna40">[40]</a> Yule’s ‘Marco Polo,’ <abbr title="volume">vol.</abbr> ii. (1875), <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 244.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn41"><a href="#fna41">[41]</a> See page 73. The name of the village was understood by us, on that -occasion, to be the same as that of the district, <abbr title="videlicet">viz.</abbr> Ponline.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_428">[Pg 428]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.<br /> -<span class="small">REPULSE OF MISSION.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -Appearance of enemy—Murder of Margary—Friendly tsawbwas—Mission -attacked—Woonkah tsawbwa bought over—The jungle fired—Repulse -of attack—Incidents of the day—Our retreat—Shitee—Burmese -reinforcements—Halt at guard-house—Retreat on Tsitkaw via -Woonkah—Elias and Cooke’s visit to Muangmow—Li-sieh-tai—Return -of Captain Cooke—Elias at Muangmow—Father Lecomte and the Mattin -chief—A forged letter—The Saya of Kaungtoung—Reports regarding -Margary—The commission of inquiry—Return of Elias—Visit to the -second defile—Mission’s return to Rangoon. -</div> - - -<p>We were all astir with early daylight on February 22nd, and prepared -our baggage for the advance to Manwyne; but about seven o’clock large -bodies of armed men were observed on the heights above us hurrying -downwards in the direction of Shitee, as if to cut off our retreat. -There was no mistaking their hostile purpose, and the Burmese -immediately detached parties to occupy the positions which they had -fortified, one being above the camp, and another thrown forward to a -point of the road leading to Seray, which commanded the next hollow -and the opposite ridge. The Woonkah tsawbwa came into the camp, -and communicated to Colonel Browne a report<span class="pagenum" id="Page_429">[Pg 429]</span> which received almost -instant confirmation. The tsare-daw-gyee appeared with a very serious -countenance, and produced two letters received from the Burmese agents -at Manwyne. They briefly narrated the horrible murder of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary -on the previous day at Manwyne; his writer and other attendants were -also reported to have been killed. No particulars were given; but the -tsare-daw-gyee was warned that we were about to be attacked, and that -it would be for his own interest to detach himself by some miles from -the English, failing which precaution he would incur the same danger, -although the Chinese bore no ill-will to him and his party. The Burmese -officer, however, promptly addressed himself to the defence of the -camp, and we went up with him to the spur just above to reconnoitre, -while the Sikhs took up a position behind a long low boulder lying at -the western end of the camp, which served as a natural breastwork, -whence they commanded the road by which we had come. The friendly -Kakhyen tsawbwas of Woonkah and Wacheoon had hastened away to bring up -reinforcements, and the mules were driven down into the grassy hollow -below the camp. These preparations had not been completed when the -enemy opened fire from all sides but one. The assailants had descended -the ridge, hidden by the forest which, as already described, surrounded -our position on two sides. This had masked their advance, and served -as a perfect cover for them, the report and smoke of their fire-arms -alone showing<span class="pagenum" id="Page_430">[Pg 430]</span> their whereabouts; it was plain, however, that they were -in force to the south and east, and they evidently selected our party -as the object of attack, avoiding the Burmese, who, however, actively -returned the fire. Presently some of the assailants, led by a Chinese -brandishing a long trident, rushed out from the jungle to the smaller -open space. The Sikhs at once opened fire on them, which drove them -behind whatever cover could be found, and stopped any further advance -for a time. As soon as they were hidden, our men ceased firing. This -seemed to embolden the enemy, and a second detachment rushed down and -distributed themselves among the bushes. A brisk and well-aimed volley -drove them out in a mass, up the narrow entrance to the road. One man -at least was seen to fall dead, and others, wounded, were dragged up by -their companions. For some hours, firing from the men concealed in the -forest continued on all three sides. As these Kakhyens and Chinese only -raised their firelocks to the side of the head, looked for a second -forwards, and then fired, the bullets went over our heads. The steady -firing of the Sikhs at last seemed to be too much for the enemy, and -about 2 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> they were seen retreating along the ridge above, -and the firing to the south ceased. As they were retreating, we fired -on them at about a thousand yards’ range, and this evidently astonished -them, as they rushed past, stooping at the exposed points where the -fire told. When everything seemed quiet, and the road appeared clear,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_431">[Pg 431]</span> -the mules were brought up from the hollow, and the muleteers hastened -to get the loads ready. While this was being done, a party of our -Kakhyens made a rush to the open space, where one of the enemy had been -seen to fall, and returned with his head, which was tied up by the pig -tail to a tree. It was subsequently reported that he was a Chinese -officer, but his dress and appearance hardly indicated such rank. -Before the preparations for a start were completed, the enemy returned -in much greater force, and reoccupied the coverts, and it was estimated -that they were at least five hundred strong. Firing recommenced from -the heights and the forest around, and our position appeared to be -completely surrounded, except on the side of the descent to the -Nampoung valley. The question of abandoning the baggage and effecting -a retreat by this, the only line left open, was mooted, but the -tsare-daw-gyee urged delay, and his men as well as ourselves maintained -a steady fire on the enemy.</p> - -<p>The Woonkah tsawbwa, with a number of his men, had returned to the camp -just before the first repulse of the enemy, and he informed Colonel -Browne that the Seray chief had offered him five hundred rupees if he -would join in the attack on us. The drift of this remark was at once -seen by Colonel Browne, who promptly offered him ten thousand rupees -if he could succeed in bringing off all the baggage. It was difficult -for the Kakhyen’s mind to conceive so large an amount of coin, and the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_432">[Pg 432]</span> -tsare-daw-gyee had to make him comprehend it by stating that he would -receive “three basketfuls of silver.”</p> - -<p>Just as this arrangement had been concluded, we heard the shouts of -men, apparently coming up behind the southern spur, which was occupied -by the enemy. The Burmese at first thought that this indicated the -approach of a reinforcement which was hourly expected to arrive from -Bhamô. Presently, however, the forest in front of them burst into a -blaze, having been fired by the Shitee tsawbwa and his Kakhyens with -those of Woonkah. This manœuvre proved most successful, and the enemy -was speedily forced to retire, and as other coverts were successively -fired below the heights by the Burmese, they were soon in full retreat -along the heights, exposed to the fire of our rifles, which told on -them at several open places. Firing, however, continued for some time -below the heights, and on the side of the ridge commanding the Seray -road a desultory fire was also kept up. The Burmese guard were here -posted behind an earthwork, and kept the enemy at bay on that side; and -after the southern spur and eastern heights were cleared, we took the -Sikhs down to support the Burmese, and fired into the further hollow, -the only remaining covert of the enemy.</p> - -<p>All firing had nearly ceased by about five o’clock. The jungle on all -other sides being now cleared and the road to Shitee open, the order -was given to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_433">[Pg 433]</span> reload the mules. They were speedily brought up out -of the hollow, where they had remained in safety, and all were soon -loaded. Some mules and drivers had disappeared, but willing Kakhyens, -either of Shitee or Woonkah, speedily shouldered the remaining loads, -and the vacant pack saddles were heaped up and burned before we left. -At the close of the day, though bullets had been flying about in -all directions, the casualties on our side only amounted to three -men slightly wounded, and a mule shot in the neck. The firing was -mainly directed at the officers of the mission, and whenever we moved -towards the baggage, bullets fell freely about us, while the Chinese -shouted to the tsare-daw-gyee that they did not wish to kill his -men, but the “foreign devils.” Our Burmese showed great spirit, and -the tsare-daw-gyee, from first to last, was deserving of the highest -praise. One of his men, while trying to drive out some Chinese, had -his red turban carried off by the prongs of a trident, but succeeded -in evading a more fatal thrust of the weapon. The loss of the enemy -was variously reported, and it is impossible to give an accurate -return. Some perished in the burning jungle, and so far as the reports -afterwards furnished could be relied on, of the assailants about eight -or ten were killed and thirty wounded. I noticed that young men not -more than twenty years of age, and even boys, were numerous among -their ranks. The well-known loud voice of the Seray pawmine was heard, -and the tsawbwa’s<span class="pagenum" id="Page_434">[Pg 434]</span> son as well as the tsawbwa of Ponsee were said to -have been present. The son of Seray was detected by the report of his -double-barrelled gun, a present to his father at the time of the former -expedition, both barrels of which were fired at once, making the double -report easily distinguishable.</p> - -<p>The letters received from Manwyne had stated that the party about to -attack us was the vanguard of a force of three thousand men, whom the -governor of Momien had despatched to oppose our progress. The reader -will remember that our camp at Ponsee was menaced with attack, in April -1868, by the lawless Kakhyens of this very district, and, although on -the other side of the mountain, our position on this occasion was close -to that place. Numerous robberies had been previously reported in this -district, and the attacking party undoubtedly consisted largely of the -Ponsee and Seray Kakhyens. These belong to the Lakone tribe, while the -clans of the Woonkah, Wacheoon, and Shitee chiefs, who rendered such -faithful assistance, are offsets of the Cowlie tribe. With the Kakhyens -were associated a number of Chinese rowdies or perhaps soldiers; but -the assailants could hardly be reckoned other than local robbers, who -thought that the Burmese would not resist, and that our own guards were -too few, while the prospect of such a rich booty was enough to make -them encounter the risks of a fight. The staunch defence, the effect -produced by the long range of the rifles, and the bold diversion in -our<span class="pagenum" id="Page_435">[Pg 435]</span> favour directed by the Shitee and Woonkah chiefs, who fired the -jungle, combined to disappoint their expectations. It must not be -understood from this that the subsequent reports of the advance of -Chinese troops, and of hostility on the part of the Momien officials, -are discredited. The frontier Chinese were strongly prejudiced against -our entrance into Yunnan, and the Kakhyens and local robbers would be -stimulated by the reported or actual advance of troops to anticipate -any overt acts of hostility, and try to secure the rich booty for -themselves.</p> - -<p>When the baggage train had all moved safely off, escorted by some of -the Burmese guard, we set out on the return to Shitee, followed by the -Sikhs, the rear being brought up by the tsare-daw-gyee. <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Fforde, -with a few of his men, remained for a short time, while the Burmese -posted on the road to Seray held their position until all were clear -off, then followed slowly after us to cover the retreat. We started -at 5.30, and in half an hour reached Shitee, having met on the road -some of the Burmese reinforcements which had come up from Bhamô. The -baggage was all collected in a pile before the tsawbwa’s house, and -the tsitkay-nekandaw, who commanded the newly arrived detachment, was -posted with forty of his men behind an earthwork which they had thrown -up, covering the approach to the village. Both the tsawbwa and the -tsare-daw-gyee wished us to remain for the night at this<span class="pagenum" id="Page_436">[Pg 436]</span> place. The -chief feared that the Chinese would come down and burn his village -in revenge for his having aided us. The Burmese argued, that if the -members of the mission continued the retreat, it would appear as though -we were deserting the baggage, which could not be brought further -that evening. The position of the village, situated on the slope of -the mountain spur, and closely surrounded by dense jungle, seemed too -much exposed to a night attack, and Colonel Browne decided to push on -to the guard-house on the Nampoung. We started accordingly at 6.30, -accompanied by the tsare-daw-gyee and some of the Burmese. It soon -became very dark, and the descent down the rocky footpath, bordered -on one side by a steep declivity, was tedious and dangerous. We could -not see the stones or the edges of the track, and when passing through -thick groves of trees, even a white pony right in front of me was -invisible.</p> - -<p>For nearly four long hours we stumbled downwards, the latter part -of the journey being somewhat facilitated by the moonlight, which, -however, was obscured by the impenetrable forest and the surrounding -heights. Crossing the Nampoung, the guard-house was safely reached, and -we were comfortably housed. As four of the mules had brought on some -bedding, food, and cooking utensils, we were not so badly off as the -Sikhs, who had marched laden with ammunition besides packets of sycee -silver, which had been distributed among them for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_437">[Pg 437]</span> safety in the crisis -of the attack, and had only supplies of dry rice.</p> - -<p>The next morning it was resolved that the Woonkah tsawbwa, who had -accompanied us, should return to Shitee, and bring down the remainder -of the baggage, while we should await his arrival. Two hours later -the tsare-daw-gyee reported that the Chinese were collecting in force -at the northern and southern ends of the Nampoung valley to renew the -attack. He therefore advised us to proceed at once to Tsitkaw by the -Woonkah road. In a short time we were toiling up the steep ascent -leading to the district and village of Woonkah, which lies on the -summit of the high ridge forming the western watershed of the Nampoung, -and must be at an altitude equal to that of Shitee. The tsare-daw-gyee -brought up the rear of the party, and during the march sent forward a -messenger to urge us to press on, because the Chinese were reported to -be rapidly assembling. The people of the first Woonkah village welcomed -us with evident satisfaction, and the tsawbwa-gadaw brought a grateful -supply of sheroo, which was most refreshing. Here we were joined by the -tsare-daw-gyee, and it was proposed to him that we should leave the led -horses behind, but he objected to this as unnecessary.</p> - -<p>From Woonkah the descent of the hills commenced, the road passing -through a forest of very lofty trees clear of underwood. As we neared -the junction of a road from the north with the Woonkah<span class="pagenum" id="Page_438">[Pg 438]</span> track, our -advanced guard of Burmese beckoned us to follow quickly, and most -carefully reconnoitred the sides of a spur which sloped down towards -us, but nothing but dense jungle was visible. They evinced the same -anxious caution at the point where the Ponline road joined our route -before the third guard-house was reached. The Sikhs were beginning to -be much distressed, and we had to relieve them by giving up our ponies -for their use in turns. Tsihet was reached at 2.30, and, after a short -rest, we proceeded to Tsitkaw, where we arrived at sundown, and were -congratulated on our escape by the second tsitkay-nekandaw, who met -us outside at the head of a guard lining each side of the road. We -put up in our old quarters, but without any supplies, as no baggage -had arrived; and for bedding, we had straw and Shan felt coverlets. -Fortunately, some tins of preserved meat were forthcoming, but we had -to procure from the villagers some clay vessels for cooking, and a blue -bowl to serve instead of plates.</p> - -<p>We remained two days at Tsitkaw expecting the baggage, the lighter -portions of which arrived in charge of the Burmese. Another detachment -of eighty-five men came from Bhamô, on the morning after our arrival, -and marched straight on to the hills. The indefatigable tsare-daw-gyee -also received orders from the Woon to return at once to Woonkah, and -remain there personally to oversee the despatch of all the baggage. -It is impossible to speak too highly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_439">[Pg 439]</span> of the care for our safety on -the march, and the general conduct, of this Burmese officer. Various -reports were brought in as to the loss suffered by the enemy; and both -Burmese and Kakhyens seemed to have been strongly impressed by the -“far shooting” of our rifles. The Kakhyen who had brought the earliest -information of the intended attack made his appearance, and was -delighted at finding his services recompensed with a handsome reward. -He was so elated that, Kakhyen-like, he returned with a “tail” of -followers, and, giving himself out as a tsawbwa, tried to get something -for his companions, in which he was unsuccessful. We were also rejoined -by our old interpreter, Moung Mo, who had disappeared at Shitee; but -of Moung Yoh, or Li-kan-shin, and Allan’s Chinese clerk, who had been -last seen or heard of at Seray, nothing certain could be ascertained. -Subsequent reports stated that they had both been murdered, but no -trustworthy intelligence was received either of their death or escape.</p> - -<p>On the second day of our stay at Tsitkaw, letters were received from -the Resident at Bhamô in reply to the despatch announcing our repulse. -He had fortunately been on the point of sending some Lenna Kakhyens -with letters to Elias at Muangmow, and had promised them a reward if -they escorted our companion safely back. The Woon sent to request our -return to Bhamô, as he had heard of an intended attack on Tsitkaw by -the Khanloung<span class="pagenum" id="Page_440">[Pg 440]</span> Kakhyens, a most lawless race of robbers inhabiting the -hills above the Molay river. Extra guards were accordingly posted by -the choung-oke, and all the soldiers were ordered to be on the alert; -but the night passed off quietly. We all returned, some by road and -the rest by boat, to Bhamô, on February 26th, and were welcomed at the -Residency by Captain Cooke.</p> - -<p>He had no news of Elias, who on the 17th instant was still at -Muangmow, and whose position, alone in the power of Li-sieh-tai, -seemed precarious and alarming. To explain it, I must again mention -that Captain Cooke and <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Ney Elias had started, under the convoy -of the Lenna chief of Paloungto, by the Sawady route, intending, if -possible, to meet us at Momien. They went from Bhamô to Mansay, and, -leaving the latter place early in the morning, arrived at the Kakhyen -village of Kara by nine o’clock. The chief Kara village, named Peetah, -lies a few miles distant. Two miles from this place, they entered the -country of the Lenna Kakhyens, and a march of seven miles brought them -to Wurrabone, a small village situated near the summit of a mountain. -This is the seat of the elder brother of the Paloungto chief, at whose -house they spent the night, being received with the utmost attention -that Kakhyen hospitality could show. From their observation, the Lenna -tribe appear to be a very superior race of Kakhyens, their houses and -manners evincing a higher degree of civilisation than is found amongst<span class="pagenum" id="Page_441">[Pg 441]</span> -the Kara or Lakone tribe. Starting at midday from Wurrabone, the party -arrived at sunset at Paloungto, a village of twenty houses. A march -of six miles over a rough hill road led to Namkai, the largest Lenna -village, containing forty houses, whence a road leads to Muangwan and -Hotha. Here the road, passing through a part of the Lakone country, -descended for nine miles to Pamkam, a small village lying at the foot -of the hills on the right bank of the Namwan or Muangwan river. From -this point, at which the Chinese frontier is crossed, and the level -valley of the Shuaylee is entered, Kwotloon, in the territory of -Muangmow, is only a mile distant. Arriving at sunset, the travellers -halted for the night, the Shan inhabitants proving sullen and inclined -to be uncivil. Their behaviour was a marked contrast to the demeanour -of the dreaded Lenna Kakhyens, through whose hills the party had passed -without any difficulty, while their expenses had not amounted to five -rupees, the hospitable tsawbwas insisting on supplying everything -required. The only chance of delay arose at Paloungto, where the -tsawbwa wanted to give a grand buffalo sacrifice and feast in honour of -his guests, and to propitiate the nats in their favour. He postponed -the ceremonial at Cooke’s request until the return journey of the -latter. After leaving Kwotloon, the Namwan stream was crossed, and a -day’s march on the left bank of twenty-four miles in a south-easterly -direction, and ascending<span class="pagenum" id="Page_442">[Pg 442]</span> the right bank of the Shuaylee through an -open, level country, brought the party to the Shan town of Muangmow. -This place, the residence of the tsawbwa, like the towns of the Sanda -valley, is surrounded by a brick wall sixteen feet high, without -bastions or embrasures, but backed by an earthwork. Four gates, -corresponding to the points of the compass, lead into the town, which -occupies a square of about six hundred yards, and is inhabited by Shan -Chinese. The travellers at once proceeded to call on Li-sieh-tai, who -was residing in a ruinous yamen, and commanded a force of apparently -about fifty Chinese soldiers, although said to number three hundred. -This redoubtable Chinese official received them with great civility, -addressing Elias as “his elder brother,” and assigned them quarters in -a khyoung close to the western gate of the town.</p> - -<p>Li-sieh-tai is described as a little but broad-shouldered and powerful -man, with a large head and ugly visage, having an unusually wide mouth, -with thick and protruding lips. In conversation he looks straight at -his interlocutor, which is in marked contrast to the usually downcast -or shifting glance of the other Chinese. He showed his literary -acquirements by carefully perusing the imperial passports, which he -declared to be quite satisfactory, and amply sufficient to ensure the -bearer’s safety if once in the mandarins’ country beyond Sehfan. The -difficulty would be in the journey<span class="pagenum" id="Page_443">[Pg 443]</span> from Muangmow to Sehfan, as there -was a feud between the tsawbwas of these states.</p> - -<p>Captain Cooke resolved to return to Bhamô, as his presence might render -it more difficult or tedious for <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias to proceed to Momien. When -he with his followers proposed to depart, he found the western gate -closed, and was told that it could not be opened without the leave -of some official. He had been already requested to sign a letter of -indemnity for <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias’ safety, which had, as a matter of course, -been declined, and the closing of the gate was intended as a species -of pressure. He outmanœuvred the officials by ordering his Kakhyens -to wait till the gate should be opened, while he took his departure -by another gate. They rejoined him outside the town, and all arrived -without further difficulty at Paloungto. Here the nat sacrifice duly -took place, and a bullock, pig, and fowls were slaughtered, a leg -of the first victim being presented to Cooke, which is a mark of -honour only paid to chiefs. A grand palaver was held in the tsawbwa’s -house, the occasion being a dispute between the chief and one of his -villages, the people of which had stolen a bullock from him. To atone -for this insult, a fine of ten bullocks was imposed, to be paid in -five yearly instalments. At least fifty Kakhyens were present, and -sheroo and samshu were liberally supplied, but the assemblage was -quiet and orderly. At midnight the English guest expressed a wish to -sleep, and all at once departed, while the chief<span class="pagenum" id="Page_444">[Pg 444]</span> produced for his -accommodation two carpets which he had recently received as a present -from the Residency. The chief explained the difficulties which had -arisen between himself and the leader of the mission at Sawady, by -the fact that he had only agreed to convoy the British mission, and -would not admit a Burmese guard into his country. It is certain that -no mention of the passage of a Burmese guard had been made during the -previous negotiations by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias, who was at that time unaware of -and subsequently opposed to the plan. The tsawbwa complained bitterly -of the humiliation he had experienced in being obliged to squat on -the ground before the Burmese officials, and that he had not had any -opportunity of a private interview with the English officers. It is -very much to his credit that he asked for nothing beyond what he had -been promised; and his conduct and that of his brother, the chief of -Wurrabone, and their subjects, showed conclusively that, so far as the -Kakhyens are concerned, this route to Muangmow was unattended by any -real difficulty.</p> - -<p>On the day after our arrival at Bhamô, our anxiety concerning the -position of Elias was relieved by the arrival of two Lenna Kakhyens, -bringing letters from him dated from Kwotloon on the 24th. The -messengers had thus accomplished their journey in two days, and were -immediately sent back with letters. As it was probable that <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias -would have received the letter of recall, his speedy arrival<span class="pagenum" id="Page_445">[Pg 445]</span> was -looked for; and all our suspense on his account was ended on March 2nd, -when he made his appearance, escorted by the Wurrabone pawmine.</p> - -<p>Subsequently to Captain Cooke’s departure from Muangmow, Li-sieh-tai, -whose conduct and character had made a rather favourable impression -on <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Elias, held out hopes that he might be able to arrange for his -safe conduct to Sehfan. The tsawbwa, however, was more explicit, and -assured him that it was impossible in the then state of the country. -Subsequent observations, and refusals of access to the tsawbwa, on -various pretexts, convinced Elias that there was no intention to let -him proceed. He therefore bade farewell to Li, who accepted a rifle -as a parting present, and returned to Kwotloon, to which place two -Shans brought the news of the attack on our camp. The aged tsawbwa of -Wurrabone, with his pawmines, went to Kwotloon to escort him safely to -Mansay; and leaving Kwotloon on the 28th, they accomplished the journey -of sixty-four miles by a direct road, avoiding Paloungto, in two days. -While passing Peetah, the Lennas evinced some apprehension that the -Kara Kakhyens, who had previously grumbled about the smallness of their -gains, might prove troublesome; but the party passed through without -opposition.</p> - -<p>It is impossible to avoid the reflection that, if the murder of Margary -and the attack on our camp had been directed by Li-sieh-tai, he could -easily, by direct or indirect means, have disposed of his visitor;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_446">[Pg 446]</span> -and his civility and consideration for his safety by not allowing him -to advance are surely to be esteemed a strong argument in his favour. -Among the Lenna Kakhyens the opinion was freely expressed that the -opposition was due to secret tactics on the part of the Burmese. That -this idea prevailed among the hill tribes to the south of the Tapeng -was further confirmed by Father Lecomte, who returned from a visit to -Mattin at the time of our arrival at Bhamô. When he and his companion -reached the first Kakhyen village, there was an incessant discharge of -fire-arms, and the villagers appeared unwilling to receive them, until -they assured them that they were not Englishmen. Their sacerdotal garb -assisted to make the Kakhyens believe that they belonged to a different -race, and they were then entertained, but informed that at first the -people had said, “If these are kalas, let us kill them, because the -king of Burma does not wish them to enter our hills.” The tsawbwa -of Mattin, whose intelligence and general knowledge impressed them -strongly, told them that there was no chance of the mission reaching -Yunnan. He further remarked that the Kakhyens were glad to see the -Englishmen at Bhamô; but “what will become of the trade and occupation -of our people if they make a railway from Bhamô to Momien?” This -feeling, both among the Chinese merchants and the Kakhyens, especially -those under Burmese and Chinese influence, that our gain in the way of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_447">[Pg 447]</span> -open trade would prove their loss, must be largely taken into account -in estimating the difficulties of progress.</p> - -<p>The opinion that the king of Burma was hostile to the mission owed -its origin to a forged royal letter, directing the Kakhyens to oppose -us. A copy of this letter was obtained by the Resident, and there was -no doubt that it had been widely circulated. The forgery was brought -home to no less a personage than the chief <span xml:lang="my" lang="my">phoongyee</span>, or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">saya</em>, -of Kaungtoung. The Woon of Shuaygoo, whose district includes both -Kaungtoung and Sawady, it will be recollected, refused any co-operation -with his colleague at Bhamô. I personally experienced his hostility to -foreigners during a boat voyage through the second defile on the return -from Bhamô, when he not only refused a guide, but sent instructions -to the headmen of his villages to forbid my landing. He has been -since deprived of office, and the actual perpetrator of the forgery -has been tried by the ecclesiastical court of Mandalay, degraded from -the priesthood, and sentenced to carry one hundred loads of water -into the khyoung of the court. The sentence ran as follows:—“In the -case of rahans, if in a matter not ordered by our most excellent -Lord Buddha, one represents it to be a sacred order, he is guilty of -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">dakka-apat</em>. In the case of laymen, if a person represents that -which is not a royal order as a royal order, the customary punishment -is to widen his mouth (by slitting the cheeks) or to cut<span class="pagenum" id="Page_448">[Pg 448]</span> off his hand. -In the present instance, Shin Thula Tsara, the Saya of Kaungtoung, -without orders from an ecclesiastical court, by making that which was -not a royal order into a royal order, was the one who ordered the -obstruction of the British mission proceeding to China. He accordingly -has been deprived of his office of bishop; but as a rahan and a soldier -of the Buddhist religion is not punishable according to the civil law, -the decision, in accordance with the rule given in the Wini, made by -the assembled members of the ecclesiastical court, is—Let him be -punished by carrying one hundred loads of water,” <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. This isolated -case of hostility on the part of Burmese officials in nowise detracts -from the good opinion which the zeal and energy displayed in our -service by the Bhamô authorities earned from all who witnessed and -profited by them.</p> - -<p>Upon our safe arrival, the Woon sent letters to the governor of Momien -to inquire into the causes of the opposition offered to the progress -of the mission and the murder of one of its officers. The report that -Chinese troops were still marching in great numbers from Momien to -Manwyne was also the subject of inquiry. He did not disguise his fear -that the Chinese would attack Bhamô; and the preparation of bricks for -the construction of a wall around the town, which had already begun, -was actively pressed forward.</p> - -<p>During our stay, all opportunities for ascertaining, if possible, -the exact details of the murder<span class="pagenum" id="Page_449">[Pg 449]</span> of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Margary and his followers -were eagerly availed of by us; but beyond the melancholy fact, though -various reports were current, it was impossible to collect evidence -either as to the perpetrators or the circumstances of this atrocious -crime. It seemed, however, agreed that there were Chinese officials and -troops at Manwyne. The muleteers and others who accompanied Margary had -fled for their lives into the jungle. One reported that he had been -examined as a friend of the foreigners, and had escaped by asserting -that he was a resident of the district, and not connected with us. The -most trustworthy account was furnished by two of the six Burmese who -were at Manwyne, and whom the Chinese officials threatened to kill. -The most intelligent one stated that he saw Margary walking about the -town, sometimes with Chinese and at other times alone. On the morning -of the 21st, the very day of his murder, some men invited him to go and -see a hot spring, and when he was outside the town, they knocked him -off his pony and speared him. His writer and messenger and two servants -were killed in the khyoung. This was only hearsay, and no one had seen -the heads of the victims, which were reported to have been affixed to -the town wall, or, according to another account, to have been sent to -Momien. Our informants had not seen any troops, though one had heard -them marching at night while he was concealed in the jungle.</p> - -<p>Later accounts stated that the Chinese officers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_450">[Pg 450]</span> had been ordered back -in disgrace to Momien, because they had allowed our party to escape, -and that the Shans were at feud with the Chinese, as the phoongyee -complained that the khyoung had been desecrated by blood-shedding.</p> - -<p>It is to be hoped that the commission of inquiry now traversing China -from the east will be able to elicit the facts, and to determine to -whom the guilt of the barbarous murder of a British officer attaches. -It is in no wise fitting to prejudge the case. Whether local marauders -or the Momien officials, actuated either by prejudice against -foreigners or commercial jealousy, or, it may be, a groundless fear of -encouragement to be derived by the Mahommedans from the presence of -the English, violated the rights guaranteed by treaty and the express -commands of an imperial passport, remains to be seen. It is possible -that the authority of the viceroy of Yunnan was prostituted to oppose -the entrance of the hated foreigners; and the recent reports seem to -indicate a determination in the Yunnan yamens at least to screen the -offenders.</p> - -<p>For my own part, I desire to record the deep sympathy entertained for -those who mourn for the loss of one so beloved. Our brief intercourse -lasted long enough to win for him the esteem and cordial friendship -of us all; and while we deplored the early loss to his country of the -services of one whose past career and talents promised to raise him to -high distinction, we lamented his untimely death<span class="pagenum" id="Page_451">[Pg 451]</span> as that of an old and -dear friend. To his family and those who looked forward to share his -future, the loss is irreparable; and the punishment of the guilty will -bring but little consolation. But he may be said to have bequeathed it -as a public duty—made more imperative by its being the most fitting -tribute to his worth—to establish in those border lands the right of -Englishmen to travel unmolested.</p> - -<p>The death of this young officer and the repulse of the British mission -from the frontiers of China have left a marked impression on the minds -of the various populations. The question of opening trade routes may -be left to the future. Overland commerce cannot be forced, or even -stimulated, by extraordinary efforts. The existence of a channel of -trade between Burma and China has been demonstrated; and when the -restored prosperity of Yunnan shall create a demand, the steamers -of the Burmese rivers and the entrepot of Bhamô, where the British -flag assures protection to British interests, are ready to furnish -the supply. For the present, above and beyond the task of avenging -his murder on the guilty, of whatever rank they may be, the name of -<span class="smcap">Augustus Raymond Margary</span> will be most fitly honoured by a -party of his countrymen formally asserting the right to traverse, in -honour and safety, the route between Burma and China, which he was the -first Englishman to explore, and which should be maintained as his most -durable monument.</p> - -<p>By the arrival of <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Ney Elias, our chief cause<span class="pagenum" id="Page_452">[Pg 452]</span> of anxiety was -removed, and when on March 3rd the boats arrived from Tsitkaw freighted -with the baggage and stores which successive officials had been -despatched to expedite, there was no farther necessity for delay at -Bhamô. Everything, with very trivial exceptions, was delivered safely -according to the inventory which had been taken at Woonkah, and the -tsawbwa of that place received his promised reward of £1000, which -undoubtedly made him the richest chief among the northern Kakhyens.</p> - -<p>As the steamer from Mandalay had not arrived, I hired a native boat, in -order to make a leisurely inspection of the second defile, and dropped -down to Sawady. The Woon of Bhamô had informed me that there was danger -to be apprehended from the Kakhyens on the hills of the defile, and -advised an application to the Shuaygoo Woon, who was at Sawady, for a -guide. After some delay, the Woon received me, but most ungraciously, -and declined the request, as the Bhamô Woon had sent no official letter -on the subject. Not content with this refusal, he sent a boat with -soldiers to convey orders to the villages not to allow me to remain -for the night, the result of which we experienced at a place called -Thembaw-eng, where the headman came down and compelled us to leave -our moorings. We were not assailed by Kakhyens, but had a nocturnal -alarm of a tiger, which the boatmen declared to be not a real tiger, -but the nat of the locality, who was enraged at their having cut down -some branches<span class="pagenum" id="Page_453">[Pg 453]</span> which interfered with my camera, when photographing the -great cliff. A more disagreeable incident was a violent storm, almost -amounting to a tornado, which overtook us in the river. The hurricane -was presaged by a most brilliant light seen, in the west, from which -quarter the wind soon after burst upon the river with tremendous -fury, lashing its surface into great waves, while incessant flashes -of lightning lit up the scene, which was one of terrific grandeur. A -pleasing incident of the trip was the arrival of a boat containing -our old friend and patient, the old tsare-daw-gyee, who had escorted -us from Mandalay, and who had arrived at Bhamô in chains on his way -to Mogoung a few days before. He expressed great pleasure at seeing -me safe, and I congratulated him on having regained his liberty. This -was due to royal orders brought by an express boat from Mandalay two -days previously. As he intended to halt at Shuaygoo-myo, he promised -to neutralise the malice of the Woon, by personal instructions to the -headman, which proved most useful.</p> - -<p>The steamer <em>Colonel Fytche</em>, with the members of the mission, -overtook us at the wooding station of Yuathet on March 7th, and, after -the usual delays caused by grounding on sandbanks, we reached Mandalay -on the 10th, and found the steamer <em>Yunnan</em> about to start for -Rangoon. We were almost amused to hear the various and contradictory -rumours which had been flying about this most gossiping of capitals -as to our dangers and escapes. An account of the attack,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_454">[Pg 454]</span> as being -made by Kakhyens and disaffected Chinese, had been published in a -printed Chinese broadsheet, which professed to give the most recent -and exact information concerning the mission, a curious illustration -of the interest which the subject possessed for the Chinese traders -of Mandalay. The <em>Yunnan</em> conveyed us to Rangoon, where the -welcome of the Chief Commissioner and the hearty congratulations, on -our safety, of our other friends were not lessened by our having been -compelled to return <em>re infecta</em>, leaving the task, it is to be -hoped, soon and successfully to be accomplished by another mission.</p> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_455">[Pg 455]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="APPENDICES">APPENDICES.</h2> -</div> - - -<h3 id="APPENDIX_I">APPENDIX I.</h3> - -<p class="center p0 big"><span class="smcap">A Note by Bishop Bigandet on Burmese Bells.</span><span class="fnanchor" id="fna42"><a href="#fn42">[42]</a></span></p> - -<p>Bells are common in Burma, and the people of that country are well -acquainted with the art of casting them. Most of the bells to be seen -in the pagodas are of small dimensions, and in shape differ from those -used in Europe. The inferior part is less widened, and there is a -large hole in the centre of the upper part. No tongue is hung in the -interior, but the sound is produced by striking with a horn of deer or -elk the outward surface of the lower part. No belfry is erected for -the bells; they are fixed on a piece of timber laid horizontally, and -supported by two posts, at such a height that the inferior part of the -bell is raised about five feet from the ground.</p> - -<p>The largest specimens of Burmese art are the two bells to be seen, the -one at the large pagoda of Rangoon, called Shuay Dagon, and the other -at Mengoon.</p> - -<p>The first was cast in 1842, as recorded by the inscription on it. The -weight of metal is 94,682 lbs.; its height, 9½ cubits; its diameter, -5 cubits; its thickness, 15 inches. But during the process of -melting, the well-disposed threw in copper, silver, and gold in great -quantities. It is supposed that in this way the weight was increased -one-fourth.</p> - -<p>The bell of Mengoon was cast at the beginning of this century. In shape -and form it resembles our bells of Europe. It is probable that some -foreigner residing at Ava suggested the idea of giving such an unusual -form to that monumental bell. Its height is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_456">[Pg 456]</span> 18 feet, besides 7 feet -for hanging apparatus. It is 17 feet in diameter, and from 10 to 12 -inches in thickness. Its weight is supposed to exceed 200,000 lbs.<span class="fnanchor" id="fna43"><a href="#fn43">[43]</a></span> -In the interior, large yellowish and greyish streaks indicate that -considerable quantities of gold and silver have been thrown in during -the process of melting. No idea can at present be had of the power of -the sound, as its enormous weight has caused the pillars that support -it partially to give way. To prevent a final disaster, the orifice of -the bell has been made to rest on large teak posts sunk in the ground -and rising about 3 feet above it.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn42"><a href="#fna42">[42]</a> From ‘The Legend of the Burmese Buddha,’ by Bishop Bigandet, -Rangoon.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn43"><a href="#fna43">[43]</a> It will be observed that these figures are in excess of those -given by Colonel Yule, which I have quoted in the text.</p> - - -<h3 id="APPENDIX_II">APPENDIX II.</h3> - - -<p class="center p0 big"><span class="smcap">Translation of a Chinese Document, which purports to account for -the Origin and Establishment of Mahommedanism in China. By Colonel -Sladen.</span></p> - -<p>The chief queen of the emperor Tanwan adopted a child and called him -Anlaushan. In time the child developed into a man of extraordinary -comeliness and wonderful intellect.</p> - -<p>The queen was enamoured; and the adopted son became her paramour.</p> - -<p>Anlaushan soon rose to distinction. His abilities were of the highest -order, and raised him at once to fame and influence. The queenly -passion was not disclosed; but suspicion had been sufficiently roused -to make it prudent on the queen’s part to get rid of her lover, and -defeat all signs of illicit intercourse.</p> - -<p>Anlaushan was accordingly accused of being privy to a conspiracy to -dethrone the emperor. The influence of the queen prevailed to obtain a -conviction, and her favourite was banished from the royal capital.</p> - -<p>But the injustice of his accusation and a sense of wrongs roused -Anlaushan to action, and induced him to become in reality a leader -of rebellion. He lost no time in collecting a large force with which -he was able to make head against the government, and successfully -encounter the troops of the emperor. In time he had<span class="pagenum" id="Page_457">[Pg 457]</span> approached within -a league of the capital, and city and palace were alike threatened.</p> - -<p>The emperor Tanwan in this emergency adopted the suggestion of his -vizier Kanseree, and despatched a mission to Seeyoogwet, and implored -foreign aid. A force of three thousand men was sent, under the command -and guidance of three learned teachers, who arrived in due time at -Tanwan’s capital. By their aid Anlaushan was defeated and eventually -captured.</p> - -<p>The rebellion was at an end, and the foreign contingent left China, to -return to its own country. Here, however, a difficulty arose. Their -rulers refused them admittance, and alleged as a cause for doing so, -that it was against the constitution of the country to receive back men -who had come into contact with pork-eating infidels. They had herded -in fact with pigs and infidels, and could no longer be regarded as -unpolluted subjects, or as fit members of a society which held pork in -religious detestation.</p> - -<p>They returned therefore to China, and became permanent sojourners in -a foreign land. They are the original stock from which Mahommedanism -has sprung up in China, in various communities, and under several -denominations, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</p> - - -<h3 id="APPENDIX_III">APPENDIX III.</h3> - -<p class="center p0 big"><span class="smcap">List of Nats, or Deities, worshipped by the Kakhyens; obtained from -Native Sources by Colonel Sladen.</span></p> - -<ol> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Ngka</em> nat; Burmese, <em>Me</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> God of Earth.—He is -worshipped on the occasions of digging gold or other mines, founding a -village, and sowing paddy. The offerings made are buffalo, hogs, fowls, -dried fish, and liquor (sheroo). The worship must be celebrated by the -entire population of a village, and for four days next ensuing no work -nor journey must be undertaken.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Mooshen</em> or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Mofitwa</em> nat or nats. These are husband and -wife, called respectively <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Sharoowa</em> and <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Modai-pronga</em>. -Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Thakya-meng</em>; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the King of Gods.—Worshipped on the -occasion of clearing fields, cutting rice crop, and founding a village. -The offerings made are a young male buffalo or bull, hog, cocks,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_458">[Pg 458]</span> eggs, -rice, dried fish, and liquor, with gifts of a silk putzo and women’s -ornaments. The worship is celebrated by the tsawbwa and the whole -village, and cannot be offered by a private person.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Numsyang</em> or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Noon-shan</em> nat or nats; Burmese, -<em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Yuwa-saun</em>; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the Village Guardians.—These are male and -female, the eastern portion of a village being under the custody of -the former, and the western of the latter. They are worshipped twice -a year; also on the occasion of any epidemic or of war, and at the -foundation of a new village. The offerings are as already mentioned, -but the victims must be male, and the worship is celebrated by the -tsawbwa with all his people.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Chan</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Me</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the Sun.—Also two, -husband and wife. Worshipped by chief and people at the time of -clearing fields and harvesting. The offerings are red fowls, boiled -rice, eggs, dried fish, bread, and liquor, with gifts of one gong, a -red putzo, and masculine ornaments.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Sada</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">La</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the Moon.—Worshipped -as foregoing. Offerings, boiled rice, dried flesh and fish, eggs, -and four bamboo flasks of liquor, with gifts of feminine clothes and -ornaments and a silver pipe stem.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Ning-foi</em>, or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Pomp-woi</em>; Burmese, <em>Le</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> -the Air.—Worshipped in sickness, time of war, when going on a trading -journey, clearing fields, or founding a village. Offerings, buffalo, -cow, hog, fowls, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., with gifts of putzo, gong, and silver.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Ning-gon-wa</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Byama</em> nat; the Hindoo -Brahma.—Regarded as the “chief tsawbwa after death.” Offerings, bread; -gifts, flowers, silk putzo, and eight bamboos of liquor.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Boom</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Toung</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the God of -Mountains.—Worshipped in sickness, and when clearing fields or -founding a village. Offerings, buffalo, cow, hog, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Mŭm Sŭn</em>; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Soba</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the Rice -God.—Worshipped for growth of rice crop, and sometimes in sickness. -Offerings the same as to the Moon.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Chegah</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Lay-khyan-saun</em>; the Field and -Garden Keeper.—Invoked to protect them. Offerings of buffalo and cows, -of which the skin is burned and the flesh boiled. Propitiated also with -offerings of tobacco. Said to inflict disease in the skin and eyes.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Waroom</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Ana</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the God of -Disease.—Worshipped<span class="pagenum" id="Page_459">[Pg 459]</span> during sickness, chiefly small-pox and cholera. -Offerings, buffalo, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Khakhoo Kha-nam</em>; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Yei</em> nat; the God of -Water.—Worshipped on the occasion of any one being drowned; sometimes -in sickness. Offerings, two buffaloes, two hogs, two fowls, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Tsethoung</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Tou</em> nat; <abbr title="English">Eng.</abbr> the God of -Forest.—Worshipped on the occasion of founding a village, clearing -fields, war, and sickness. Offerings, a hog, a goat, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Ngkhoo</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Aing</em> nat; the Home God, or God -of Ancestors.—Worshipped in all cases of sickness. Any one wishing to -migrate to another state hangs a bamboo of liquor on a post and invokes -him. New rice is also offered him at harvest. Offerings, buffalo, cow, -<abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Ndong</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Aing-peen</em> nat; the God of the -Outside of Home.—Believed to reside in the house, but worshipped -outside if one of the family is killed in war, or by drowning, fall -from a tree, or the bite of a tiger or snake. Offerings, buffalo, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Mo</em> nat; Burmese, the same; the God of Heaven.—Four -brothers, <abbr title="videlicet">viz.</abbr> Moung-lam, Khreenwan, Seen-lap, Mou-sheeing, and a -sister, Boung-fwoy, the Thunder Goddess. A very high god of the -Kakhyens, worshipped by those who desire profit in trade, victory -in war, or children; also on occasion of founding a village and of -sickness. Sacrifice, buffalo, cow, hog, and fowls—all which must be -white—dried fish, eggs, and liquor.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Lessa</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Tesey</em>, or <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Tuhsai</em>; -the ghost of a person murdered by the dah, supposed to cause -disease.—Offerings, buffalo, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>., and boiled rice, curry, liquor, -exposed in baskets.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Needang</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Meima Tesey</em>; the compound -spectre of mother and unborn child.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Hau-saing</em> nat; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Taroup</em> nat; the Chinese god.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Khokhamla</em>; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Sing-buring</em>; the last king.</li> -<li><em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Phee Lomoon</em>; Burmese, <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Soung</em>; the witch, believed to -be able to destroy life.</li> -</ol> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_460">[Pg 460]</span></p> - - -<h3 id="APPENDIX_IV">APPENDIX IV.</h3> - -<p class="center p0 big"><span class="smcap">Note by Professor Douglas on the Deities in the Shan Temple at -Tsaycow, in the Hotha Valley.</span></p> - -<p>The objects of worship contained within the walls of this temple are -well worthy of note, more especially as they illustrate the curious -manner in which the deities representing the various faiths of -Chinamen—Buddhist, Taouist, and Confucianist—are often intermingled. -As the subjoined list shows, Buddhas, Buddhisatwas, Devas, Arhans, and -Buddhist patriarchs, stand side by side with “True Men,” “Masters of -Heaven,” and princes of the Taouist faith; while Confucianism finds a -solitary representative in the Deva of Scholarly (i.e. Confucianist) -Youths (No. 15). This grouping together of the deities of the “Three -Religions” might appear strange to those unacquainted with the phases -which these faiths have assumed in China. From the first, however, -Taouism was but another form of Buddhism, and the gradual weakening, -which has been going on for centuries, of the distinctive doctrines -of the two sects, together with the introduction of purely Chinese -superstition into both, have tended to obliterate the uncertain line -of demarcation which originally separated the one from the other. -Indeed, the power of absorption, whether of races or of creeds, which -so peculiarly belongs to the Chinese, has served to fuse together the -dogmas of Buddha and Lao-tsze with the teachings of Confucius to such -an extent that, as far as the masses are concerned, they may be treated -as the foundations of a common faith, and the objects set apart by each -for worship are to be found not unfrequently standing in positions of -equal honour—as in the present instance—in the national Pantheons.</p> - -<p>The following is a list of the eighty deities who are enthroned in the -temple:—</p> - -<ol> -<li>Yun lai tseĭh teen = the Deva of the Gathering Clouds.</li> -<li>Jĭh kung tsun teen = the honoured Deva of the Sun Palace.</li> -<li>To wăn tsun teen = Vaishravana.</li> -<li>Keen-na-lo Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, the King of the -Kinnaras.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_461">[Pg 461]</span></li> -<li>Ta hĕh tsun teen = Mahâ Kala.</li> -<li>Sing kung tsun teen = the honoured Deva of the Star Palace.</li> -<li>Tae suy tsun teen = the Chinese Cybele.</li> -<li>Luy shin tsun teen = the honoured Deva of Thunder.</li> -<li>Hoo-kea-lo Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, King Hoo-kea-lo.</li> -<li>Po-kiĕh-lo-tsew (?) tsun teen = the honoured Deva Po-kiĕh-lo-tsew -(?) (Bhaskaravarna?).</li> -<li>Same as No. 8.</li> -<li>Lŭh chai pă Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, the Eighth King of -the Six Fasts (?).</li> -<li>Hing ping kwei Wang tsun teen = the honoured Deva, the -Disease-transmitting Demon King.</li> -<li>Hwa-kwang-meaou-keĭh-tseang tsun teen = Manjusri.</li> -<li>Joo tung te teen = the Imperial Deva of Scholarly (i.e. -Confucianist) Youths.</li> -<li>San chi tsun teen = the Glory-scattering honoured Deva.</li> -<li>Mi-tseĭh-kin-kang tsun teen = the Vajra-holding honoured Deva.</li> -<li>Mo-le-che tsun teen = Maritchi.</li> -<li>Să chin jin = the True Man Să (Taouist).</li> -<li>Kŏ chin jin = the True Man Kŏ (Hang?) (Taouist).</li> -<li>Yuh te = the Jade Ruler (Taouist).</li> -<li>Chang Teen sze = the Master of Heaven Chang (Taou-ling?) (Taouist).</li> -<li>Heu chin keun = the Prince Heu (Taouist).</li> -<li>Ho-le-te-nan tsun = Hariti.</li> -<li>Yen-lo te teen = Yama.</li> -<li>Kwei tsze moo teen = the Demon Terrestrial Deva.</li> -<li>Poo-te-shoo teen = Buddhisatwa Druma.</li> -<li>Keen-lo te teen = the Firm and Strong Terrestrial Deva.</li> -<li>Mo-he-lo tsun teen = Maheshvara.</li> -<li>Kwang mŭh tsun teen = Virupaksha.</li> -<li>Tsăng chang tsun teen = Virudhaka.</li> -<li>Chĭh kwŏ tsun teen = Dhritarashtra.</li> -<li>Same as No. 8.</li> -<li>Kwan shing te teen = the God of War.</li> -<li>Te shĭh tsun teen = Buddha.</li> -<li>Ta fan tsun teen = Brahma.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_462">[Pg 462]</span></li> -<li>Tsze tung te teen = the Deva of the Tsze and Tung Trees.</li> -<li>Ta peen teen = the Great Deva of Disputation.</li> -<li>Kung tĭh tsun teen = the honoured Deva of Good Works.</li> -<li>Hoo fa tsun teen = Dharmarakshita.</li> -<li>Heuen teen shang te = The Sombre-Heaven God.</li> -<li>Pin-too-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan<span class="fnanchor" id="fna44"><a href="#fn44">[44]</a></span> Pin-too-lo.</li> -<li>Choo-cha-pwan-to-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Choo-cha-pwan-to-kea.</li> -<li>Fa-na-po-sze tsun-chay = the Arhan Fa-na-po-sze.</li> -<li>Na-kea-mow-na-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Na-kea-mow-na-lo.</li> -<li>Pwan-to-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Pwan-to-kea.</li> -<li>Fa-chay-fŭh-to-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Fa-chay-fŭh-to-lo.</li> -<li>Po to-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Po-to-lo.</li> -<li>Soo-pin-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Soo-pin-to.</li> -<li>Peen-nŏ-kea-fa-tso tsun-chay = the Arhan Peen-nŏ-kea-fa-tso.</li> -<li>Kan heen = the Watching-the-Righteous (Deity).</li> -<li>Kea-che = Kâsyapa.</li> -<li>Chay-nŏ Fŭh = the Protecting and Answering Buddha.</li> -<li>Shŭh-kea Fŭh = Sakya Buddha.</li> -<li>Pe-loo Fŭh = Vairoshana.</li> -<li>A-nan = Ananda.</li> -<li>Wăn choo = Mangusri.</li> -<li>Pin-tow-loo-to-chay tsun-chay = the Arhan Pin-tow-loo-to-chay.</li> -<li>Kea-kea-po-tĭh-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Kea-kea-po-tĭh-to.</li> -<li>Nŏ-keu-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Nŏ-keu-lo.</li> -<li>Kea-le-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Kalika.</li> -<li>Shoo-foo-kea tsun-chay = the Arhan Shoo-foo-kea.</li> -<li>Lo-hoo-lo tsun-chay = the Arhan Lo-hoo-lo.</li> -<li>Yin-këĕ-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Yin-këĕ-to.</li> -<li>A-she-to tsun-chay = the Arhan Asita.</li> -<li>King-yew tsun-chay = the Arhan King-yew.</li> -<li>Tă-ma tsoo sze = the Patriarch Dharma.</li> -<li>Kea-lan Poo-să = the Sam̃ghârâma Buddha.</li> -<li>Same as No. 41.</li> -<li>Kwan-yin Poo-să = Avalokites’vara.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_463">[Pg 463]</span></li> -<li>Wăn-chang te keun = the God of Literature.</li> -<li>Hoo-fă Wei-to = Veda, the Defender of the Law.</li> -<li>Tsëĕ yin Fŭh = Amita.</li> -<li>Same as No. 3.</li> -<li>Same as No. 30.</li> -<li>Same as No. 32.</li> -<li>Same as No. 31.</li> -<li>Has no name attached.</li> -<li>Shwuy ho kin kang = the Water and-Fire-Varja-(throwing Deity) [an -impossible title].</li> -</ol> - - -<p class="footnote" id="fn44"><a href="#fna44">[44]</a> <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">Arhan</em>, Professor Douglas informs me, has the same -signification as the term <em xml:lang="my" lang="my">rahan</em>, used by me in the text.—J. A.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_464">[Pg 464]</span></p> - -<h3 id="APPENDIX_V">APPENDIX V.</h3> - -<p class="center p0 big"><span class="smcap">Vocabulary.</span></p> - -<table class="vocab bbox"> -<tr class="bt bb"> -<th class="tdc bl br"> -English. -</th> -<th class="tdc bl br"> -Kakhyen. -</th> -<th class="tdc bl br"> -Shan. -</th> -<th class="tdc bl br">Hotha Shan.</th><th class="tdc bl br">Leesaw.</th><th class="tdc bl br">Poloung.</th> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -One -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Langai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Loong -</td> -<td class="bl">Ta -</td> -<td class="bl">Ti -</td> -<td class="bl">Lay.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Two -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Lakong -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Song -</td> -<td class="bl">Seuk -</td> -<td class="bl">Hnuit -</td> -<td class="bl">Eh.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Three -</td> -<td class="bl">Masoam -</td> -<td class="bl">Sam</td> -<td class="bl">Soom -</td> -<td class="bl">Sa -</td> -<td class="bl">Ooay.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Four -</td> -<td class="bl">Malee -</td> -<td class="bl">Si</td> -<td class="bl">Mee -</td> -<td class="bl">Li -</td> -<td class="bl">Pone.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Five -</td> -<td class="bl">Mangah -</td> -<td class="bl">Ha</td> -<td class="bl">Ngwa -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Pohn.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Six -</td> -<td class="bl">Kroo -</td> -<td class="bl">Hoak</td> -<td class="bl">Ho -</td> -<td class="bl">Chaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Taw.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Seven -</td> -<td class="bl">Sanet -</td> -<td class="bl">Saet</td> -<td class="bl">Huit -</td> -<td class="bl">Tshe -</td> -<td class="bl">Ta.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Eight -</td> -<td class="bl">Matsat -</td> -<td class="bl">Pyet</td> -<td class="bl">Het -</td> -<td class="bl">Hay -</td> -<td class="bl">Poo.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Nine -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsikoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Kow</td> -<td class="bl">Kaow -</td> -<td class="bl">Koo -</td> -<td class="bl">Teen.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Ten -</td> -<td class="bl">Shi -</td> -<td class="bl">Sheep</td> -<td class="bl">Takkhay -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsi -</td> -<td class="bl">Kew.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Eleven -</td> -<td class="bl">Shilangai -</td> -<td class="bl">Sheepate</td> -<td class="bl">Khayta -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsili -</td> -<td class="bl">Kewlay.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Twenty -</td> -<td class="bl">Koon -</td> -<td class="bl">Sow</td> -<td class="bl">Sow -</td> -<td class="bl">Meetzee -</td> -<td class="bl">Ehkew.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Twenty-one -</td> -<td class="bl">Koonlangai -</td> -<td class="bl">Sowate</td> -<td class="bl">Sowta -</td> -<td class="bl">Meetzeeti -</td> -<td class="bl">Ehkewlay.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>One hundred -</td> -<td class="bl">Latsa -</td> -<td class="bl">Packlaing</td> -<td class="bl">Tabac -</td> -<td class="bl">Teengha -</td> -<td class="bl">Oobooyaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>One thousand -</td> -<td class="bl">Hainglangai -</td> -<td class="bl">Hainglaing</td> -<td class="bl">Tahaing -</td> -<td class="bl">Titoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Oohaing.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>I -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngai -</td> -<td class="bl">Kow</td> -<td class="bl">Ngaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Nga -</td> -<td class="bl">Ow.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>We<span class="pagenum" id="Page_465">[Pg 465]</span> -</td> -<td class="bl">Antaing -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowshoe</td> -<td class="bl">Ngawtookay -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngaeuh -</td> -<td class="bl">Nuibey.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>You -</td> -<td class="bl">Nongtaing -</td> -<td class="bl">How -</td> -<td class="bl">Kewtakah -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Ee.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>He -</td> -<td class="bl">Torawah -</td> -<td class="bl">Mung</td> -<td class="bl">Mong -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Pĕh.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Of me -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngaihome -</td> -<td class="bl">Kowlai</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Of us -</td> -<td class="bl">Antainglo -</td> -<td class="bl">Howhalai</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Of you -</td> -<td class="bl">Nangtainglo -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowsoo</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Of him -</td> -<td class="bl">Keyraiĕh -</td> -<td class="bl">Hongmyoon</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Of them -</td> -<td class="bl">Kangtengraiĕh -</td> -<td class="bl">Myonhowlai</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Above -</td> -<td class="bl">Lata -</td> -<td class="bl">Kāneh</td> -<td class="bl">Attaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Khanashee -</td> -<td class="bl">Kiggo.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Below -</td> -<td class="bl">Lawoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Kantow</td> -<td class="bl">Loongbaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Meekhya -</td> -<td class="bl">Kirroi.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Far -</td> -<td class="bl">Nowtsanai -</td> -<td class="bl">Kaiyow</td> -<td class="bl">Vaylai -</td> -<td class="bl">Oorăh -</td> -<td class="bl">Loong.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Near -</td> -<td class="bl">Aneesharengai -</td> -<td class="bl">Cowalaí</td> -<td class="bl">Neenăy -</td> -<td class="bl">Tialah -</td> -<td class="bl">Puloang.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Alone -</td> -<td class="bl">Nanaisha -</td> -<td class="bl">Yonlai</td> -<td class="bl">Notah -</td> -<td class="bl">Nwaday -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowloutsay.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Inside -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -<td class="bl">Ahhow -</td> -<td class="bl">Nagwah -</td> -<td class="bl">Kaffan.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Behind -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -<td class="bl">Noongbah -</td> -<td class="bl">Kanashee -</td> -<td class="bl">Howlaybonow.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Before -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -<td class="bl">Numram -</td> -<td class="bl">Jugushee -</td> -<td class="bl">Howlaiow.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>North -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Kaneu</td> -<td class="bl">Oobah -</td> -<td class="bl">Meegoakhew -</td> -<td class="bl">Keyroi.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>South -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Kantow</td> -<td class="bl">Meetope -</td> -<td class="bl">Wadashee -</td> -<td class="bl">Keygo.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>East -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Wanoak</td> -<td class="bl">Neekcoam -</td> -<td class="bl">Godashee -</td> -<td class="bl">Makkayroi.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>West -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Wantoak</td> -<td class="bl">Soobudaykhaybaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Loosoometsighaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsika.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Best -</td> -<td class="bl">Kajai -</td> -<td class="bl">Leesubinah</td> -<td class="bl">Makhay -</td> -<td class="bl">Magee -</td> -<td class="bl">Putzee.</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Bad -</td> -<td class="bl">Inkajah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yunglee</td> -<td class="bl">Highmakhay -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Worst<span class="pagenum" id="Page_466">[Pg 466]</span> -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Toomsa inkajah</td> -<td class="bl"> -Moataykhew -</td> -<td class="bl">Highmakhayaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Oumamagee -</td> -<td class="bl">Putzee.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -High -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Tsawah</td> -<td class="bl"> -Ansoong -</td> -<td class="bl">Mahanglai -</td> -<td class="bl">Moodah -</td> -<td class="bl">Ko.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Higher -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Aykhera soongsa -</td> -<td class="bl">Soobudaymahanglaí -</td> -<td class="bl">Akkeymo -</td> -<td class="bl">Kokakai.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Highest -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Lata -</td> -<td class="bl">Soobudayma-hanglaibaw -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Hoakmureemurra.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Low -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Nemai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Tumalai -</td> -<td class="bl">Mahlawhoonlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Kula -</td> -<td class="bl">Quoikaroi.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -False -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Nangmasonai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Monlonlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Manhay -</td> -<td class="bl">Mungaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Owmow.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Fine -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Tsomai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Sanay -</td> -<td class="bl">Tomelai -</td> -<td class="bl">Byeedah -</td> -<td class="bl">Tseah.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -True -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Raiai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Lonlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Pēybaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Ghooleeaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Hawhoi.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Thin -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Kasherai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Yongmai -</td> -<td class="bl">Hyamlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Battah -</td> -<td class="bl">Mangah.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Fat -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Kubai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Peaeh -</td> -<td class="bl">Powlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsuddah -</td> -<td class="bl">Kalana.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Thick -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Tatday -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Lalai -</td> -<td class="bl">Kanlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Guadah -</td> -<td class="bl">Nakakoi.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Oily -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Toesa -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Hackaylai -</td> -<td class="bl">Kokklai -</td> -<td class="bl">Khuddah -</td> -<td class="bl">Kaiaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Pretty -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Tsomai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Hanglilai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tomelai -</td> -<td class="bl">Bheda -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsi.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Ugly -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Mabyee -</td> -<td class="bl">Putzee.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Beautiful -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Tsomai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Hanglilai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tomebaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Bheda -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsikaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Clean -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Tsomai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Senshitnai -</td> -<td class="bl">Peubaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Phaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Lweehaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Dirty -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Shoeshakai -</td> -<td class="bl"> -Hangwheylai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tseetbaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Neemughoondah -</td> -<td class="bl">Highai.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Dusty -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Soodah -</td> -<td class="bl">Shenggew -</td> -<td class="bl">Peevunay.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Cheap -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Mouwai -</td> -<td class="bl">Polai -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Noodah</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Dear -</td> -<td class="bl">Matzanneh -</td> -<td class="bl">Paneh -</td> -<td class="bl">Kolai -</td> -<td class="bl">Kaddah -</td> -<td class="bl">Gnaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Rich -</td> -<td class="bl">Soneh -</td> -<td class="bl">Me-eh -</td> -<td class="bl">Chodo -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsobo -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Poor -</td> -<td class="bl">Matzaneh -</td> -<td class="bl">Panyon -</td> -<td class="bl">Panlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Saddah -</td> -<td class="bl">Anpan.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Old -</td> -<td class="bl">Toonglasa -</td> -<td class="bl">Tonalai -</td> -<td class="bl">Mungsaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsomaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Takkaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Young -</td> -<td class="bl">Kacheeai -</td> -<td class="bl">Onyou -</td> -<td class="bl">Thoay -</td> -<td class="bl">Lanew -</td> -<td class="bl">Taheelay.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Tall -</td> -<td class="bl">Sawai -</td> -<td class="bl">Soongai -</td> -<td class="bl">Mangbah -</td> -<td class="bl">Moakkaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Onyou-haw.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Little -</td> -<td class="bl">Indehkacheeai -</td> -<td class="bl">Onzalai -</td> -<td class="bl">Asaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Wablaneu -</td> -<td class="bl">Konou.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Small -</td> -<td class="bl">Kacheecheeai -</td> -<td class="bl">Onzeesee -</td> -<td class="bl">Moonmoonsaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Runurraw -</td> -<td class="bl">Konlay-lay.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_467">[Pg 467]</span></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Big -</td> -<td class="bl">Kubai -</td> -<td class="bl">Yanalai -</td> -<td class="bl">Khuybaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Woodaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Langhaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Tight -</td> -<td class="bl">Teetai -</td> -<td class="bl">Kapai -</td> -<td class="bl">Shinglai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsodah -</td> -<td class="bl">Pakkaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Wide -</td> -<td class="bl">Koocabai -</td> -<td class="bl">Quangai -</td> -<td class="bl">Quanglabaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Haydaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Loomhaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Close -</td> -<td class="bl">Meesa -</td> -<td class="bl">Kowai -</td> -<td class="bl">Naygawsabaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Thyeedaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Chamhaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Painful -</td> -<td class="bl">Matzeeai -</td> -<td class="bl">Sipai -</td> -<td class="bl">Atoohenlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Goodoonnuddah -</td> -<td class="bl">Toeowsayowlow.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Pleasant -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneelawkaybaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Teeanaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Khyenhaw.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Red -</td> -<td class="bl">Khrenai -</td> -<td class="bl">Aneng -</td> -<td class="bl">Omnah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeenee -</td> -<td class="bl">Yow.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Yellow -</td> -<td class="bl">Somai -</td> -<td class="bl">Anaing -</td> -<td class="bl">Aloom -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeeshee -</td> -<td class="bl">Eela.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Green -</td> -<td class="bl">Chitai -</td> -<td class="bl">Anhew -</td> -<td class="bl">Akkew -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeneetshee -</td> -<td class="bl">Eevong.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Blue -</td> -<td class="bl">Chitai -</td> -<td class="bl">Anpyah -</td> -<td class="bl">Amyauh -</td> -<td class="bl">Lasay -</td> -<td class="bl">Lenay.</td> -</tr> -<tr class="bb"> -<td> -Orange -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Aloongasaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Attew -</td> -<td class="bl">Quonlaylay.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Black -</td> -<td class="bl">Changai -</td> -<td class="bl">Anam -</td> -<td class="bl">Annaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeenah -</td> -<td class="bl">Eewong.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -White -</td> -<td class="bl">Prongai -</td> -<td class="bl">Angpuck -</td> -<td class="bl">Appew -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeepoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Eelooee.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> -Hand -</td> -<td class="bl">Lata -</td> -<td class="bl">Mew -</td> -<td class="bl">Taw -</td> -<td class="bl">Lapah -</td> -<td class="bl">Tai. -</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Foot -</td> -<td class="bl">Lagong kheytai -</td> -<td class="bl">Ting -</td> -<td class="bl">Hkay -</td> -<td class="bl">Khaypah -</td> -<td class="bl">Ronaw.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Nose -</td> -<td class="bl">Indee -</td> -<td class="bl">Hunglan -</td> -<td class="bl">Nayhong -</td> -<td class="bl">Nahbay -</td> -<td class="bl">Koorookmoo.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Eye -</td> -<td class="bl">Me -</td> -<td class="bl">Waydah -</td> -<td class="bl">Knoydzee -</td> -<td class="bl">Myetzoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Nigh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Mouth -</td> -<td class="bl">Iucoop -</td> -<td class="bl">Soap -</td> -<td class="bl">Myoot -</td> -<td class="bl">Malay -</td> -<td class="bl">Moay.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Tooth -</td> -<td class="bl">Wa -</td> -<td class="bl">Shew -</td> -<td class="bl">Khoway -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsitshee -</td> -<td class="bl">Shang.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_468">[Pg 468]</span></td></tr> -<tr><td>Ear -</td> -<td class="bl">Na -</td> -<td class="bl">Mayloho -</td> -<td class="bl">Neeshaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Nabaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Choak.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Hair -</td> -<td class="bl">Karah -</td> -<td class="bl">Hoonhoẃ -</td> -<td class="bl">Oo -</td> -<td class="bl">Oochay -</td> -<td class="bl">Heuckhyn.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Head -</td> -<td class="bl">Pong -</td> -<td class="bl">Ho -</td> -<td class="bl">Owgong -</td> -<td class="bl">Oodew -</td> -<td class="bl">Khyn.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Tongue -</td> -<td class="bl">Shinglet -</td> -<td class="bl">Lin -</td> -<td class="bl">Whaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Latchay -</td> -<td class="bl">Latah.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Belly -</td> -<td class="bl">Khan -</td> -<td class="bl">Tong -</td> -<td class="bl">Oondow -</td> -<td class="bl">Hickhay -</td> -<td class="bl">Vot.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Rock -</td> -<td class="bl">Shemah -</td> -<td class="bl">Lung -</td> -<td class="bl">Wholoong -</td> -<td class="bl">Kamah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yahow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Iron -</td> -<td class="bl">Phee -</td> -<td class="bl">Lĕh -</td> -<td class="bl">Shan -</td> -<td class="bl">Hhew -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsigh.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Gold -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsa -</td> -<td class="bl">Hum -</td> -<td class="bl">Say -</td> -<td class="bl">Keypah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yoang.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Silver -</td> -<td class="bl">Comprong -</td> -<td class="bl">Goom -</td> -<td class="bl">Noway -</td> -<td class="bl">Poo -</td> -<td class="bl">Reun.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Copper -</td> -<td class="bl">Makree -</td> -<td class="bl">Tong -</td> -<td class="bl">Toangwah -</td> -<td class="bl">Gishshee -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Lead -</td> -<td class="bl">Masoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Chun -</td> -<td class="bl">Keway -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsew -</td> -<td class="bl">Pachat.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Tin -</td> -<td class="bl">Pheyprong -</td> -<td class="bl">Laypuck -</td> -<td class="bl">Shanphew -</td> -<td class="bl">Hoepew -</td> -<td class="bl">Leckleway.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Brass -</td> -<td class="bl">Makree -</td> -<td class="bl">Tonglung -</td> -<td class="bl">Tungpur -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeguw -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Earth -</td> -<td class="bl">Kah -</td> -<td class="bl">Lunglean -</td> -<td class="bl">Me -</td> -<td class="bl">Nayhew -</td> -<td class="bl">Katai.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Father -</td> -<td class="bl">Kowah -</td> -<td class="bl">Paw -</td> -<td class="bl">Apaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Baba -</td> -<td class="bl">Koon.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Mother -</td> -<td class="bl">Gnoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Ma -</td> -<td class="bl">Aggah -</td> -<td class="bl">Mama -</td> -<td class="bl">Ma.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Brother -</td> -<td class="bl">Apoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsailoong -</td> -<td class="bl">Among -</td> -<td class="bl">Aiyee -</td> -<td class="bl">Peeow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Sister -</td> -<td class="bl">Mongsow -</td> -<td class="bl">Nongsow -</td> -<td class="bl">Ham -</td> -<td class="bl">Mala -</td> -<td class="bl">Peenangow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Man -</td> -<td class="bl">Chingpaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Khoon -</td> -<td class="bl">Chow -</td> -<td class="bl">Latchoe -</td> -<td class="bl">Taee.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Woman -</td> -<td class="bl">Noom -</td> -<td class="bl">Pahying -</td> -<td class="bl">Inggnaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Lamurah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeban.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Wife -</td> -<td class="bl">Mashanoom -</td> -<td class="bl">Meh -</td> -<td class="bl">Aymaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Lameuh -</td> -<td class="bl">Peeow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Child -</td> -<td class="bl">Mang -</td> -<td class="bl">Laon -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsoee -</td> -<td class="bl">Lunay -</td> -<td class="bl">Yebanay.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_469">[Pg 469]</span></td></tr> -<tr><td>Son -</td> -<td class="bl">Kashah -</td> -<td class="bl">Look -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsalooalisa -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsobahla -</td> -<td class="bl">Eemeilay.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Daughter -</td> -<td class="bl">Mawhonkashah -</td> -<td class="bl">Looksow -</td> -<td class="bl">Eengnawsa -</td> -<td class="bl">Lameungla -</td> -<td class="bl">Eebanay.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Slave -</td> -<td class="bl">Kashahpyeelai -</td> -<td class="bl">Loogyonow -</td> -<td class="bl">Khyun -</td> -<td class="bl">Chobah -</td> -<td class="bl">Myeh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Cultivator -</td> -<td class="bl">Toangnaiai -</td> -<td class="bl">Toangla -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Shepherd -</td> -<td class="bl">Peinamremai -</td> -<td class="bl">Sowpalingpeh -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Hunter -</td> -<td class="bl">Mounwhomai -</td> -<td class="bl">Sowmonso -</td> -<td class="bl">Muso -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>God -</td> -<td class="bl">Shingrawah -</td> -<td class="bl">Sowpara -</td> -<td class="bl">Oorah -</td> -<td class="bl">Whŏo -</td> -<td class="bl">Chuprah.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Devil -</td> -<td class="bl">Nateabai -</td> -<td class="bl">Peahighloong -</td> -<td class="bl">Tam -</td> -<td class="bl">Gnay -</td> -<td class="bl">Canom.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Sun -</td> -<td class="bl">San -</td> -<td class="bl">Wan -</td> -<td class="bl">Poee -</td> -<td class="bl">Neemee -</td> -<td class="bl">Lata.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Moon -</td> -<td class="bl">Ladah -</td> -<td class="bl">Lhun -</td> -<td class="bl">Pulaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Habackhee -</td> -<td class="bl">Takkew.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Star -</td> -<td class="bl">Lagree -</td> -<td class="bl">Laow -</td> -<td class="bl">Khew -</td> -<td class="bl">Coosah -</td> -<td class="bl">Law.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Fire -</td> -<td class="bl">Wan -</td> -<td class="bl">Phai -</td> -<td class="bl">Poee -</td> -<td class="bl">Attaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Nigh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Water -</td> -<td class="bl">Intzin -</td> -<td class="bl">Nam -</td> -<td class="bl">Tea -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeghaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Em.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>House -</td> -<td class="bl">Indah -</td> -<td class="bl">Huhn -</td> -<td class="bl">Een -</td> -<td class="bl">Ghnee -</td> -<td class="bl">Krep.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Horse -</td> -<td class="bl">Comerang -</td> -<td class="bl">Māh -</td> -<td class="bl">Mang -</td> -<td class="bl">Amho -</td> -<td class="bl">Myong.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Cow -</td> -<td class="bl">Toomsoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Bow -</td> -<td class="bl">Nochoanatsaing -</td> -<td class="bl">Anyemah -</td> -<td class="bl">Muckamah.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_470">[Pg 470]</span></td></tr> -<tr><td>Dog -</td> -<td class="bl">Quhay -</td> -<td class="bl">Mah -</td> -<td class="bl">Quhoee -</td> -<td class="bl">Annah -</td> -<td class="bl">Sŏw.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Cat -</td> -<td class="bl">Ningyoueh -</td> -<td class="bl">Myew -</td> -<td class="bl">Kollaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Urrah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yewh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Cock -</td> -<td class="bl">Oorang -</td> -<td class="bl">Kiephoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Capaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Urupah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yehcrow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Duck -</td> -<td class="bl">Oopyaet -</td> -<td class="bl">Pyet -</td> -<td class="bl">Pāy -</td> -<td class="bl">Ah -</td> -<td class="bl">Pyet.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Ass -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Mahlee -</td> -<td class="bl">Khyamyeh -</td> -<td class="bl">Myonglee.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Bird -</td> -<td class="bl">Nhoopyen -</td> -<td class="bl">Loak -</td> -<td class="bl">Ghnaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Nga -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Mule -</td> -<td class="bl">Latsayla -</td> -<td class="bl">Mālaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Mālaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Teemee -</td> -<td class="bl">Tolelaw.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Bamboo -</td> -<td class="bl">Kawah -</td> -<td class="bl">Myēh -</td> -<td class="bl">Chewgen -</td> -<td class="bl">Wahmah -</td> -<td class="bl">Khyang.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Stone -</td> -<td class="bl">Loong -</td> -<td class="bl">Heen -</td> -<td class="bl">Leekaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Takhee -</td> -<td class="bl">Maou.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Elephant -</td> -<td class="bl">Maguay -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsang -</td> -<td class="bl">Khyang -</td> -<td class="bl">Hamāh -</td> -<td class="bl">Chang.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Buffalo -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngā -</td> -<td class="bl">Why -</td> -<td class="bl">Noloway -</td> -<td class="bl">Annaga -</td> -<td class="bl">Kha.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Flea -</td> -<td class="bl">Wahkaree -</td> -<td class="bl">Mat -</td> -<td class="bl">Ghlu -</td> -<td class="bl">Catteuh -</td> -<td class="bl">Khang.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Louse (body) -</td> -<td class="bl">Sakhep -</td> -<td class="bl">Mien -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Chinutah -</td> -<td class="bl">Oo.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Louse (head) -</td> -<td class="bl">Chee -</td> -<td class="bl">How -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Deer -</td> -<td class="bl">Po -</td> -<td class="bl">Pangdai -</td> -<td class="bl">Twing -</td> -<td class="bl">Myloo -</td> -<td class="bl">Ahjaw.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Goat -</td> -<td class="bl">Painam -</td> -<td class="bl">Pay-yah -</td> -<td class="bl">Pa -</td> -<td class="bl">Utchee -</td> -<td class="bl">Mēh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Sulphur -</td> -<td class="bl">Khan -</td> -<td class="bl">Khan -</td> -<td class="bl">Khanteuk -</td> -<td class="bl">Khang -</td> -<td class="bl">Khan.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Salt -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsoom -</td> -<td class="bl">Khu -</td> -<td class="bl">Khaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsabow -</td> -<td class="bl">Sĕh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Sugar -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsantang -</td> -<td class="bl">Khuwan -</td> -<td class="bl">Saow -</td> -<td class="bl">Shantah -</td> -<td class="bl">Mahmoilooay.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Milk -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Loam -</td> -<td class="bl">Nonow -</td> -<td class="bl">Atchee -</td> -<td class="bl">Emboo.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Sheep -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Toe -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Atchumew -</td> -<td class="bl">Atchaw.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Turban -</td> -<td class="bl">Poonkaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Khynhoe -</td> -<td class="bl">Wootoop -</td> -<td class="bl">Wootew -</td> -<td class="bl">Kameh.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_471">[Pg 471]</span></td></tr> -<tr><td>Jacket -</td> -<td class="bl">Polong -</td> -<td class="bl">Seu -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsay -</td> -<td class="bl">Bucheu -</td> -<td class="bl">Kayeup.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Trousers -</td> -<td class="bl">Teboo -</td> -<td class="bl">Pa -</td> -<td class="bl">Ghlaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Meekee -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Woman’s Jacket -</td> -<td class="bl">Polong -</td> -<td class="bl">Sou -</td> -<td class="bl">Eenawtsay -</td> -<td class="bl">Samen buchee -</td> -<td class="bl">Kayeup yebaw.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Woman’s Turban -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Klynhoe -</td> -<td class="bl">Eenaw ootoop -</td> -<td class="bl">Samen wootew -</td> -<td class="bl">Kameh yebaw.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Petticoat -</td> -<td class="bl">Soomboo -</td> -<td class="bl">Shin -</td> -<td class="bl">Eenaw tungaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Meekyee -</td> -<td class="bl">Kalang yebaw.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Shoes -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Whyepteen -</td> -<td class="bl">Khyapteen -</td> -<td class="bl">Khynee -</td> -<td class="bl">Khypteen.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Earring -</td> -<td class="bl">Lakan -</td> -<td class="bl">Pehwho -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneechaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Knockaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Paywhoo.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Rice -</td> -<td class="bl">Shat -</td> -<td class="bl">How -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsen -</td> -<td class="bl">Dthapoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Lakow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Opium -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeepyen -</td> -<td class="bl">Phey -</td> -<td class="bl">Yappingyen -</td> -<td class="bl">Yappay -</td> -<td class="bl">Yapping.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Serpent -</td> -<td class="bl">Laboo -</td> -<td class="bl">Moo -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowee -</td> -<td class="bl">Who -</td> -<td class="bl">Hhan.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Frog -</td> -<td class="bl">Shoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Koap -</td> -<td class="bl">Pāw -</td> -<td class="bl">Oopah -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Grass -</td> -<td class="bl">Nam -</td> -<td class="bl">Yāh -</td> -<td class="bl">Sieaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Shi -</td> -<td class="bl">Mat.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Tree -</td> -<td class="bl">Poonsaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Tonemai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsidsaing -</td> -<td class="bl">Shidzee -</td> -<td class="bl">Hoi.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Leaf -</td> -<td class="bl">Poonlap -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowmai -</td> -<td class="bl">Skihow -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsibeeyah -</td> -<td class="bl">Phooan.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Wood -</td> -<td class="bl">Poon -</td> -<td class="bl">Mytsing -</td> -<td class="bl">Shake -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsidzee -</td> -<td class="bl">Hoi.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Fish -</td> -<td class="bl">Nga -</td> -<td class="bl">Pa -</td> -<td class="bl">Mushaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngwa -</td> -<td class="bl">Kā.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Cold -</td> -<td class="bl">Kachee -</td> -<td class="bl">Kat -</td> -<td class="bl">Kamlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Gyaddah -</td> -<td class="bl">Kaw.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Warm -</td> -<td class="bl">Katetai -</td> -<td class="bl">Oonai -</td> -<td class="bl">Poolai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsaddah -</td> -<td class="bl">Myahcaeeai.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Ice -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsin -</td> -<td class="bl">Ghonlam -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..<span class="pagenum" id="Page_472">[Pg 472]</span></td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Snow -</td> -<td class="bl">Khen -</td> -<td class="bl">Lie -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Rain -</td> -<td class="bl">Marangto -</td> -<td class="bl">Phoontoak -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowrowbaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Mahă -</td> -<td class="bl">Qnoi.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Wind -</td> -<td class="bl">Umboong -</td> -<td class="bl">Loom -</td> -<td class="bl">Ghli -</td> -<td class="bl">Mayhee -</td> -<td class="bl">Koo.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Thunder -</td> -<td class="bl">Mahmoomooai -</td> -<td class="bl">Phasowai -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowrow -</td> -<td class="bl">Mooggoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Polong.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Lightning -</td> -<td class="bl">Meeprap -</td> -<td class="bl">Phamypai -</td> -<td class="bl">Shapmyng -</td> -<td class="bl">Bhyyeh -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Sky -</td> -<td class="bl">Moo -</td> -<td class="bl">Bhă -</td> -<td class="bl">Annyow -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneerueetchee -</td> -<td class="bl">La.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Day -</td> -<td class="bl">Sheenee -</td> -<td class="bl">Khangwan -</td> -<td class="bl">Knee -</td> -<td class="bl">Myeemalaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsungai.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Night -</td> -<td class="bl">Shenah -</td> -<td class="bl">Khanghŭm -</td> -<td class="bl">Tmoot -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeetah -</td> -<td class="bl">Keisin.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Light -</td> -<td class="bl">Shenee -</td> -<td class="bl">Phalaing -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowbowbaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneeowmah -</td> -<td class="bl">Qneh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Darkness -</td> -<td class="bl">Insin -</td> -<td class="bl">Lapsing -</td> -<td class="bl">Mowchootbaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Nayaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsaymawchoak.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Cloud -</td> -<td class="bl">Soomoay -</td> -<td class="bl">Moay -</td> -<td class="bl">Hangeen -</td> -<td class="bl">Mookoo -</td> -<td class="bl">Mok.</td></tr> -<tr><td>River -</td> -<td class="bl">Mereeha -</td> -<td class="bl">Lamkew -</td> -<td class="bl">Kaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeegyah -</td> -<td class="bl">Emhongfie.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Hill -</td> -<td class="bl">Boom -</td> -<td class="bl">Loiloo -</td> -<td class="bl">Boom -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneekee -</td> -<td class="bl">Panang.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Insect -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Pieta -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Biddee</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -<span class="pagenum" id="Page_473">[Pg 473]</span></td></tr> -<tr><td>Heart -</td> -<td class="bl">Mashin -</td> -<td class="bl">Hosow -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">See -</td> -<td class="bl">Hogiow.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Go -</td> -<td class="bl">Samo -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Kawda</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Eat -</td> -<td class="bl">Shamo -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneeah</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td></tr> -<tr><td>Sit -</td> -<td class="bl">Domo -</td> -<td class="bl">Laugda -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneesh -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Come -</td> -<td class="bl">Wamo -</td> -<td class="bl">Mada -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">La -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Beat -</td> -<td class="bl">Tookmo -</td> -<td class="bl">Tainda -</td> -<td class="bl">Tayda -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Stand -</td> -<td class="bl">Rotmo -</td> -<td class="bl">Lookda -</td> -<td class="bl">Yapda -</td> -<td class="bl">Hatesa</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td></tr> -<tr><td>Lie -</td> -<td class="bl">Karengmo -</td> -<td class="bl">Einlengda -</td> -<td class="bl">Ayda -</td> -<td class="bl">Yeeta -</td> -<td class="bl">Ee.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Die -</td> -<td class="bl">Seesa -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>Call -</td> -<td class="bl">Shegah -</td> -<td class="bl">Ma -</td> -<td class="bl">Lawah -</td> -<td class="bl">Kooyay -</td> -<td class="bl">Tayau.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Throw -</td> -<td class="bl">Shedeng -</td> -<td class="bl">Tim -</td> -<td class="bl">Koondah -</td> -<td class="bl">Law -</td> -<td class="bl">Vuneh.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Drop -</td> -<td class="bl">Hatsa -</td> -<td class="bl">Toak -</td> -<td class="bl">Tahyoudab -</td> -<td class="bl">Tsayloho yeuk -</td> -<td class="bl">Oonsayau.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Place -</td> -<td class="bl">Sherah -</td> -<td class="bl">Teayou -</td> -<td class="bl">Anhedah -</td> -<td class="bl">Takyah</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td> -</tr> -<tr><td>Lift -</td> -<td class="bl">Ta -</td> -<td class="bl">Yōng -</td> -<td class="bl">Koobawdah -</td> -<td class="bl">Qnaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Tayan.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_474">[Pg 474]</span></td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>Pull -</td> -<td class="bl">Rung -</td> -<td class="bl">Teat -</td> -<td class="bl">Shãybawdah -</td> -<td class="bl">Gho -</td> -<td class="bl">Tutanlaybeneen.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Smoke -</td> -<td class="bl">Loo -</td> -<td class="bl">Lŭt -</td> -<td class="bl">Gnawsheubawdah -</td> -<td class="bl">Yehbeckshe -</td> -<td class="bl">Owkynowkuloak.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Love -</td> -<td class="bl">Nheyrai -</td> -<td class="bl">Hachlai -</td> -<td class="bl">Nawnoilawdah -</td> -<td class="bl">Nguanah -</td> -<td class="bl">Owingau.</td></tr> -<tr><td>Hate -</td> -<td class="bl">Neimcome -</td> -<td class="bl">Hhanhau -</td> -<td class="bl">Cachencachaw -</td> -<td class="bl">Kneemahandau -</td> -<td class="bl">Owchungkakai.</td></tr> -<tr class="bb"><td>What is your name? -</td> -<td class="bl">Nung meing ganging sagaieh -</td> -<td class="bl">Nong day pay cainay -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>How old is this horse? -</td> -<td class="bl">Daiee comerang kadeh tinglaeh goon -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">Myang honehyay mang laybounay -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>I do not know -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngai inchengai -</td> -<td class="bl">Cow mhahow shay -</td> -<td class="bl">Ngaw masa -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>How far is it to Sanda? -</td> -<td class="bl">Sanda mying kadeh sanai -</td> -<td class="bl">Muang Sanda kai halow -</td> -<td class="bl">Chanda quhonhay wenenay -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. ..</td></tr> -<tr><td>It is a journey of one day -</td> -<td class="bl">Intwey langai toosa -</td> -<td class="bl">Lam wan qua tenglai -</td> -<td class="bl">Tanyen samhet tah -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .. -</td> -<td class="bl">.. .</td></tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_475">[Pg 475]</span></p> - -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst"><h2 class="nobreak" id="INDEX">INDEX</h2></li> -</ul> - -</div> - - -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Agriculture:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Kakhyen, <a href="#Page_129">129</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Shan, <a href="#Page_299">299</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">Alekyoung, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">Amulets, <a href="#Page_409">409</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">Ashan, <a href="#Page_316">316</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">Attack on mission of 1868, <a href="#Page_167">167</a>, <a href="#Page_185">185</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">Attack on mission of 1875, <a href="#Page_429">429</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst"><span id="bhamo">Bhamô:—</span></li> -<li class="isuba">Early notices, <a href="#Page_5">5</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Town, <a href="#Page_41">41</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Old, <a href="#Page_69">69</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Chinese, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>, <a href="#Page_337">337</a>, <a href="#Page_377">377</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">British Residency, <a href="#Page_333">333</a>, <a href="#Page_362">362</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">Burma, king of, <a href="#Page_335">335</a>, <a href="#Page_347">347</a>, <a href="#Page_357">357</a>, <a href="#Page_359">359</a></li> -<li class="ifrst">Burmese—</li> -<li class="isuba">Treaty, <a href="#Page_6">6</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Costume, <a href="#Page_10">10</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Pooay, <a href="#Page_352">352</a>, <a href="#Page_379">379</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Sabbath, <a href="#Page_378">378</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Bells, <a href="#Page_455">455</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Frontier guard-houses, <a href="#Page_336">336</a>, <a href="#Page_413">413</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Chalktaw river, <a href="#Page_263">263</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Chang-see, <a href="#Page_344">344</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Chinese—</li> -<li class="isuba">Frontiers, <a href="#Page_80">80</a>, <a href="#Page_318">318</a>, <a href="#Page_416">416</a>, <a href="#Page_441">441</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Plays, <a href="#Page_198">198</a>, <a href="#Page_372">372</a></li> -<li class="isuba">The, of Bhamô, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>, <a href="#Page_377">377</a></li> -<li class="isuba">The, of Mandalay, <a href="#Page_454">454</a></li> -<li class="isuba">The, of Manwyne, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>, <a href="#Page_268">268</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Chinese Shans, <a href="#Page_285">285</a>, <a href="#Page_293">293</a>, <a href="#Page_374">374</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Chowkyoung, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Climate of Bhamô, <a href="#Page_40">40</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Climate of Momien, <a href="#Page_206">206</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Coal mines, <a href="#Page_25">25</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Deebay mountains, <a href="#Page_187">187</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Divination, <a href="#Page_79">79</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Dolphins, <a href="#Page_395">395</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Eclipse of the sun, 1868, <a href="#Page_308">308</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Elias’, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr>, journey to Muangmow, <a href="#Page_440">440</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Fish, sacred, <a href="#Page_24">24</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Fishes of the Irawady, <a href="#Page_29">29</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Forged royal letter, <a href="#Page_447">447</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">French expedition, the, <a href="#Page_238">238</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Gaudama, footprints of, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_263">263</a>, <a href="#Page_264">264</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_476">[Pg 476]</span></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Hantin, <a href="#Page_412">412</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hawshuenshan, <a href="#Page_186">186</a>, <a href="#Page_213">213</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hentha, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>, <a href="#Page_412">412</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hlepét, <a href="#Page_15">15</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hoetone, <a href="#Page_321">321</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Horse worship, <a href="#Page_309">309</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hot springs of Nantin, <a href="#Page_182">182</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hot springs of Sanda, <a href="#Page_262">262</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hotha:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Valley of, <a href="#Page_244">244</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Town, <a href="#Page_279">279</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Old, <a href="#Page_303">303</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Chief of, <a href="#Page_176">176</a>, <a href="#Page_280">280</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Hteezeh, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Irawady:—</li> -<li class="isuba">First defile of, <a href="#Page_36">36</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Second defile of, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_452">452</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Third defile of, <a href="#Page_23">23</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Steamers on, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>, <a href="#Page_335">335</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Dolphins of, <a href="#Page_395">395</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Fishes, <a href="#Page_29">29</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Jade manufacture, <a href="#Page_201">201</a></li> - - -<li class="ifrst">Kabyuet, <a href="#Page_25">25</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kad-doung mountain, <a href="#Page_316">316</a>, <a href="#Page_326">326</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kakhyen hills, <a href="#Page_67">67</a>, <a href="#Page_315">315</a>, <a href="#Page_369">369</a>, <a href="#Page_402">402</a>, <a href="#Page_413">413</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kakhyens, <a href="#Page_32">32</a>, <a href="#Page_45">45</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Manners and customs of, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>-<a href="#Page_150">150</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Deities of, <a href="#Page_457">457</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Language of, <a href="#Page_464">464</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kambanee, <a href="#Page_405">405</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst"><span id="kakhyen">Kara Kakhyens</span>, <a href="#Page_440">440</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Karahokah, <a href="#Page_167">167</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Katha, <a href="#Page_31">31</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kaungtoung, <a href="#Page_35">35</a>, <a href="#Page_447">447</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kethung, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Khanloung Kakhyens, <a href="#Page_439">439</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Khyan-Nhyat, <a href="#Page_26">26</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Khyto, <a href="#Page_244">244</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kingdoung, <a href="#Page_157">157</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kowlie Kakhyens, <a href="#Page_126">126</a>, <a href="#Page_434">434</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kuttha, <a href="#Page_48">48</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Kwotloon, <a href="#Page_441">441</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Lakone Kakhyens, <a href="#Page_126">126</a>, <a href="#Page_434">434</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Lakong mountain, <a href="#Page_85">85</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Lankon, <a href="#Page_414">414</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Lasee, <a href="#Page_317">317</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Latha, <a href="#Page_314">314</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Lay-myo, <a href="#Page_344">344</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Leesaws or Leisus, <a href="#Page_257">257</a>, <a href="#Page_265">265</a>, <a href="#Page_276">276</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Lenna Kakhyens, <a href="#Page_440">440</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Li-sieh-tai, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_338">338</a>, <a href="#Page_368">368</a>, <a href="#Page_442">442</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Loayline, <a href="#Page_320">320</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Loaylone, <a href="#Page_318">318</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst"><span id="mahom">Mahommedans</span>, Chinese:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Origin of, <a href="#Page_224">224</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Revolt of, <a href="#Page_233">233</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Conquest of, <a href="#Page_338">338</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Makouk, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Malé, <a href="#Page_3">3</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Maloolah, <a href="#Page_4">4</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Mandalay, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>, <a href="#Page_351">351</a>, <a href="#Page_358">358</a>, <a href="#Page_453">453</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_477">[Pg 477]</span></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Manhleo, <a href="#Page_256">256</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Manloi, <a href="#Page_279">279</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Manloung lake, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>, <a href="#Page_399">399</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Mansay, <a href="#Page_374">374</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Mantai, <a href="#Page_323">323</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Manwyne, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>, <a href="#Page_268">268</a>, <a href="#Page_368">368</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Margary, A. R.:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Overland journey of, <a href="#Page_365">365</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Murder of, <a href="#Page_429">429</a>, <a href="#Page_449">449</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Mattin, <a href="#Page_320">320</a>, <a href="#Page_446">446</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Mawphoo, <a href="#Page_177">177</a>, <a href="#Page_252">252</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Mengoon, <a href="#Page_18">18</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Mentone, <a href="#Page_16">16</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Molay river, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>, <a href="#Page_256">256</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Momeit, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst"><span id="momien">Momien:—</span></li> -<li class="isuba">Valley of, <a href="#Page_187">187</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Town of, <a href="#Page_190">190</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Capture of, <a href="#Page_343">343</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Momouk, <a href="#Page_322">322</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Moonam river, <a href="#Page_414">414</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muang-gan, <a href="#Page_157">157</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangkak, Shan state, <a href="#Page_375">375</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangkha river, <a href="#Page_318">318</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangkwan, <a href="#Page_375">375</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangla, <a href="#Page_173">173</a>, <a href="#Page_253">253</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muanglong, <a href="#Page_346">346</a>, <a href="#Page_374">374</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangmow, <a href="#Page_374">374</a>, <a href="#Page_442">442</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangtee, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>, <a href="#Page_252">252</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangtha, <a href="#Page_289">289</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangwan, <a href="#Page_311">311</a>, <a href="#Page_327">327</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Muangwye, <a href="#Page_317">317</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Myadoung, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>, <a href="#Page_361">361</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Myait-loung hills, <a href="#Page_19">19</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Myit-ngé river, <a href="#Page_16">16</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Namboke, <a href="#Page_315">315</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Namkai, <a href="#Page_441">441</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Namkhan, <a href="#Page_375">375</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Nampoung river, <a href="#Page_80">80</a>, <a href="#Page_416">416</a>, <a href="#Page_421">421</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Namsa river, <a href="#Page_276">276</a>, <a href="#Page_314">314</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Namthabet river, <a href="#Page_324">324</a>, <a href="#Page_344">344</a>, <a href="#Page_403">403</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Namwan river, <a href="#Page_441">441</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Nantin, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>, <a href="#Page_250">250</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Nantin valley, <a href="#Page_182">182</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Nats:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Sacrifice to, <a href="#Page_329">329</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Shan fear of, <a href="#Page_260">260</a>, <a href="#Page_308">308</a></li> -<li class="isuba"><em>See</em> <a href="#kakhyen">Kakhyens</a>.</li> - -<li class="ifrst">Nattoung hills, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Opium, <a href="#Page_135">135</a>, <a href="#Page_300">300</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Overland trade, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>, <a href="#Page_335">335</a>, <a href="#Page_391">391</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Pagan, Old, <a href="#Page_28">28</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Pagoda:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Seebyo, <a href="#Page_18">18</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Stone, <a href="#Page_23">23</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Votive, <a href="#Page_52">52</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Yethaycoo, Sessoungan, <a href="#Page_34">34</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Pagodas:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Shuaybaw, <a href="#Page_33">33</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Shuaykeenah, <a href="#Page_51">51</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Hotha, <a href="#Page_310">310</a>, <a href="#Page_380">380</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Paloungto, <a href="#Page_441">441</a>, <a href="#Page_442">442</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Paloungto chief, <a href="#Page_384">384</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Pamkan, <a href="#Page_441">441</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Panthays, <em>see</em> <a href="#mahom">Mahommedans</a>.</li> - -<li class="ifrst">Payto, <a href="#Page_413">413</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Peetah, <a href="#Page_440">440</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Phonkan, <a href="#Page_327">327</a>, <a href="#Page_387">387</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Ponline, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>, <a href="#Page_414">414</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Ponline chief, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>, <a href="#Page_87">87</a>, <a href="#Page_405">405</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Pong, <a href="#Page_286">286</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Ponsee, <a href="#Page_85">85</a>, <a href="#Page_316">316</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_478">[Pg 478]</span></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Ponwah, <a href="#Page_422">422</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Potatoes, <a href="#Page_209">209</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Queyloon, <a href="#Page_394">394</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">River steamers, <a href="#Page_359">359</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">River terraces, <a href="#Page_182">182</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Routes (<em>see</em> <a href="#map">Map</a>):—</li> -<li class="isuba">Theinnee, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_16">16</a>, <a href="#Page_347">347</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Shuaylee, <a href="#Page_35">35</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Ancient, <a href="#Page_4">4</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Embassy, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_250">250</a>, <a href="#Page_319">319</a>, <a href="#Page_373">373</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Sawady, <a href="#Page_374">374</a>, <a href="#Page_390">390</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Ponline, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>, <a href="#Page_393">393</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Sprye’s, <a href="#Page_2">2</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Sanda:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Town, <a href="#Page_168">168</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Valley, <a href="#Page_255">255</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Temples, <a href="#Page_259">259</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Sawady, <a href="#Page_35">35</a>, <a href="#Page_383">383</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Sehfan, <a href="#Page_374">374</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Seray, <a href="#Page_425">425</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Seray chief, <a href="#Page_98">98</a>, <a href="#Page_419">419</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst"><span id="shan">Shan—</span></li> -<li class="isuba">States, <a href="#Page_286">286</a></li> -<li class="isuba">People, <a href="#Page_287">287</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Manners and customs, <a href="#Page_288">288</a>-<a href="#Page_300">300</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Buddhism, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>, <a href="#Page_306">306</a>, <a href="#Page_308">308</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Sheroo, <a href="#Page_138">138</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shienpagah, <a href="#Page_21">21</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shitee Meru, <a href="#Page_316">316</a>, <a href="#Page_420">420</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shuaybaw, <a href="#Page_33">33</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shuayduay, <a href="#Page_210">210</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shuaygoo, <a href="#Page_32">32</a>, <a href="#Page_361">361</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shuaykeenah, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>, <a href="#Page_381">381</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shuaylee river, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>, <a href="#Page_345">345</a>, <a href="#Page_374">374</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shuay-mein-toung hills, <a href="#Page_29">29</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Shuemuelong mountains, <a href="#Page_177">177</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Silver currency, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>, <a href="#Page_377">377</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Silver mines, <a href="#Page_105">105</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Singnew, <a href="#Page_413">413</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Singpho, <em>see</em> <a href="#kakhyen">Kakhyens</a>.</li> - -<li class="ifrst">Stone celts, <a href="#Page_204">204</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Tagoung, <a href="#Page_27">27</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tagoung-toung-daw hills, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tahmeylon, <a href="#Page_398">398</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Taho river, <a href="#Page_172">172</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Suspension bridge, <a href="#Page_178">178</a>, <a href="#Page_252">252</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Fall of, <a href="#Page_208">208</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tai, <em>see</em> <a href="#shan">Shans</a>.</li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tali-fu, <a href="#Page_235">235</a>, <a href="#Page_367">367</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tali-fu, capture of, <a href="#Page_341">341</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Talone, <a href="#Page_71">71</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tapeng river, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>, <a href="#Page_394">394</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Gorge of, <a href="#Page_324">324</a>, <a href="#Page_404">404</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Valley of, <a href="#Page_158">158</a>, <a href="#Page_272">272</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Source of, <a href="#Page_175">175</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Floods of, <a href="#Page_270">270</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tayshan mountains, <a href="#Page_187">187</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Teng-yue-chow, <em>see</em> <a href="#momien">Momien</a>.</li> - -<li class="ifrst">Theehadaw, <a href="#Page_23">23</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Thigyain, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Thingadaw, <a href="#Page_24">24</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Thubyo-budo hills, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Trade:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Burma and China, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_335">335</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Of Rangoon, <a href="#Page_1">1</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Of Momien, <a href="#Page_199">199</a></li> -<li class="isuba">In salt, <a href="#Page_21">21</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsagain hills, <a href="#Page_19">19</a><span class="pagenum" id="Page_479">[Pg 479]</span></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsampenago, <a href="#Page_26">26</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsampenago, Old, <a href="#Page_48">48</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsaycow, <a href="#Page_303">303</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsihet, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>, <a href="#Page_412">412</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsing-gai, <em>see</em> <a href="#bhamo">Bhamô</a>.</li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsingu, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsinuhat, <a href="#Page_26">26</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsitgna, <a href="#Page_326">326</a>, <a href="#Page_398">398</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Tsitkaw, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_400">400</a>, <a href="#Page_438">438</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Wacheoon chief, <a href="#Page_422">422</a>, <a href="#Page_429">429</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Woonkah chief, <a href="#Page_431">431</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Woonkah village, <a href="#Page_437">437</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Woosaw, <a href="#Page_344">344</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst">Wurrabone, <a href="#Page_440">440</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Yay-law, <a href="#Page_210">210</a></li> -</ul> -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst">Yunnan:—</li> -<li class="isuba">Present state of, <a href="#Page_366">366</a></li> -<li class="isuba">Minerals of, <a href="#Page_202">202</a></li> -</ul> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_480">[Pg 480]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="center p0 small"> -LONDON:<br /> -<br /> -PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS,<br /> -STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.<br /> -</p> -</div> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter transnote"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="Transcribers_Notes">Transcriber’s Notes</h2> - -<p>In a few cases, obvious errors in punctuation and spacing have been -corrected.</p> - -<p>Some inconsistent hyphenization has been corrected.</p> - -<p><a href="Page_xii">Page xii</a>: “Friendly tsawbas” changed to “Friendly tsawbwas”</p> - -<p><a href="Page_41">Page 41</a>: “built of sun-drie bricks,” changed to “built of sun-dried -bricks,”</p> - -<p><a href="Page_94">Page 94</a>: “Ponline tswabwa” changed to “Ponline tsawbwa”</p> - -<p><a href="Page_72">Page 72</a>: “stream of the Tpeng” changed to “stream of the Tapeng”</p> - -<p><a href="Page_238">Page 238</a>: “a treaty of partitition” changed to “a treaty of partition”</p> - -<p><a href="Page_277">Page 277</a>: “and, thorougly tired,” changed to “and, thoroughly tired,”</p> - -<p><a href="Page_308">Page 308</a>: “on the the 13th of August” changed to “on the 13th of August”</p> - -<p><a href="Page_460">Page 460</a>: “found not unfrequantly” changed to “found not unfrequently”</p> -</div> -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MANDALAY TO MOMIEN ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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