ernment of India,

ponding with the countries through which they were made, reserving a ta

diya to Be

sa Lacoom t

mtuseek to

llabhoom t

Mogoun

DIYA TO BE

H GOVERNMENT, AND FORMING PART OF THE SOU

Mookh. Direction east. Distance 6 miles performe

Noa Dihing. Direction SSE. Distance 12 miles, c

on the same river. Direction south-ea

9 miles, course south-east, along the bed of the Noa Dihing a

course lying through very heavy jungle, crosses the Karam Panee, {115b} which here is not

e course extending at first over low hills and difficult ground, thence through heavy

he fourth, the country is occupied by the heavy jungle so prevalent in these parts. The chief difficulti

does not hold good either above or below the place I crossed. They all discharge mu

These are

ted by Kamptees lately settled in our territory, and is a respectable vi

as an adherent of the Duphas, and is by all account one of the worst-disposed Sing

aining about 10 houses, inhabited by

left bank of the Namroop. The village, which is a

l houses. The Gam is, I believe, an uncle of the Beesa Gam, and exercises exclusive control over the tribe of Beesa Nagas. This infl

he better sort of Singpho villages. With the exception of the Kamptee village the average number of people to each house cannot exceed f

acoom and Namroop Puthar, but the cultivation of this, as well as of all the other necessaries, is limited to the quantity absolutely required. Scarcities of grain are of frequent, indeed almost of annual, occu

ins is very deep, and were it not for the rapids which intervene between the site of the mineral and the Booree Dihing, it would be difficult to conceive a spot affording similar facilities for the transmission of the mineral. I must however, observe, that even in the dry sea

hern side, and one on the Puthar itself, at the foot of the range alluded to. The springs are either solitary, as in that of the Puthar, or grouped, a number together; the discharge varies extremely from a thin greenish aqueous fluid to a bluish grey opaque one, of rather a thick consistence: the quantity poured out by these latter springs is very considerable. On the surface of all, but especial

igantic Dipterocarpus, wood-oil or dammar tree; of this particular tree I have seen specimens measuring 100 feet from the base to the first branch. The wood is o

SA LACOOM TO

D OF THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE VALLEY OF ASSAM: THE NORTHER

n of 770 feet above the sea. Direction SSE. Distance 12

ifficult places; crossed the Darap twice before we reached the halting place, course throu

e 12 miles, country more open: summit of the hills covered with grass and scattered

E. Distance 10 miles, course almost entirely up the bed of the river ove

for a short time along the bed of the Namtusseek, until we crossed a small stream, the Tukkakha: then ascen

me places very steep, and owing to the unsettled state of the weather, very difficult. Reached the boundary nullah, along which we proceeded for some time; we the

on ESE. Distance 10 miles, course along the bed of the

rection ESE. Distance 7 miles. Course t

long the Nam-maroan, the whole way: ground much less difficult. Passed close to a Singpho village of two

ry steep and difficult, and continued until we had reached an elevation of 5600 feet. The descent then commenced, and continued until we reached the Khussee-khioung, pass

hed it again before long. Continued to descend considerably, until we reached the Nam-thuga, thence the descent incre

onkharankha, then ascended considerably. The descent then recommenced, until we reached the Namtusseek. Heavy jungle occurred through

the range, both on the northern and southern sides. But from an elevation of 1000 feet to that of Yoomsan, a great change for the better takes place on the northern face, the hills being covered with clay, and generally not very high grass jungle, among which trees are scattered. This character is particularly evident along both sides of the valley drained by the Namtusseek o

streams, and these, it has been seen, are far the most numerous; they are particularly difficult for elephants, the boulders affording a very precarious footing to these weighty animals. The difficulty is much increased by rain, when even coolies find considerable difficulty in making any progress. Several elephants accompanied Major White as far as the Darap Pan

ssed at the heads of the rapids. The boundary nullah is a mere streamlet: it runs between two ridges of the Patkaye: its course being about ESE.

hed hut is visible here and there on a high mountain close to, and NE. of Yoomsan. On the Burmese side there is, as I have mentioned before, a village

hich is as I have previously said chiefly clothed with grass, and the peculiar and generally imperfect aspect of the trees, can only be accounted for, by supposing the country to have been extensively cleared, particularly when it is remembered that the highest portions of the range are thickly wooded. But allowing this supposition to be correct, it is no proof, that the total population has been on the decline, for we must take into

ther hill tribes with which I am acquainted. Their clothing is miserable, the chief protection consisting of a number of rings, made of rattan, which encircle the abdomen. They are as usual excessively dirty, and much attached to the use of tobac

e Patkaye. I have before said that the puthars on the Nam-maroan bore evidence of having been inhabited, and apparently to some extent. But even during the stay of Major White on these hills, an irruption of Singphos from Nimbrung had taken place, and had totally unsettled the peace of the

r less yellow, and somewhat clayey; the hollows having a thin superstratum of black mould. Taking the deserted state of the country into account, this part of the Nag

red abundantly in some other more available points of the range. We saw on

is a new species of tea, which I believe to be a genuine Thea; it is called Bun Fullup, or jungle tea, by the Assamese, in contra-distinction to the true tea plant, which is called Fullup. This species makes its appearance at an elevation of about 1,000 feet, and is met with as high up as 4,000 feet. It attains the size of a tree of 30 feet in height; it is used only as a medicine. No real tea exists on this route; several plants were pointed out to me as

Assam, and that of Hookhoom, it becomes almost impracticable. I allude to the extreme difficulty of procuring grain in Upper Assam, in which, at least around Sadiya, annual scarcities are by no means uncommon, and to the utter impossibility of drawing any supplies from Hookhoom in its present miserable state. All the necessary supplies would require to be drawn fr

AMTUSSEEK T

THORITY, FORMING GREATER PORTION OF THE

18 miles, crossed the Namtusseek, then passed through heav

SSE. Distance 4? miles, course along

13 miles, country covered either with tree or high g

e 10 miles, country rather more open. Puthars are o

urse at first along the Namtunai, {124a} country ope

ance 13 miles. Course over plains intersected by tr

ppearance, I imagine they are wooded to their summits. The lowest hills are those which form the southern boundary, and these scarcely deserve the name. From Kuttack-bhoom a fine view of the valley is obtained; it is here very narrow, and does not I should think exceed 25 miles in breadth. The features of the country are in a striking degree similar to those of Upper Assam, that is, it presents a plain surface intersected freq

t of Upper Assam. In April the daily range of the thermometer was very considerable, from 60° to 88°. T

, varying in breadth from 270 to 350 yards. The next in size is the Namtoroan, which has more of the character of a mountain stream; it is of considerable breadth (opposite Nhempean it is 270

the following were

n extensive open grassy plain, it is stockaded: it contains about

d within quarter of a mile of Nhempean, it is o

ree-quarters of a mile above its junction with the Namto

g-kha contains about 8 ho

ry small village, containing four o

is is the Dupha Gam's village: it is of the ordi

e above stream; and contains about 25 houses, none of which are however large. It is here that the first

ficant stream. This village is not stockaded; it contains ab

d had in consequence erected a small square stockade for his own use; he had howe

ading to this is crossed soon after leaving Namtusseek, and another stockaded villa

oyed by the Singphos. The interiors of the stockades are dirty, the houses are built without order, and generally fill the stockade completely, so that the people inside might be burnt out with the greatest ease. The average number of houses in each of the above villages, may be estimated at about 12, of these the largest occur at Wullaboom. They are bui

traversed, and during which route 75 miles of ground were passed over, does not present a single sign which, in the absence of direct evidence, would lead one to suppose that it contained a considerable population. During the before mentioned marches, I saw only four paths, crossing or diverging from that which we followed. Of these, one leads, as I have mentioned, to Bone, one to the hills on the NE., one to a Singpho village, some miles to the south of our track, and the fourth diverged from the path leading to the Amber mines through the village of a chief call

se slaves, and these last form a considerable portion. This was particular

e women wear the Thumein, or Burmese dress, a costume which is entirely unknown among the Singphos of Assam. The most superior men I saw belonged to the Lupai tribe, from the east of the Irrawaddi; they had come to Meinkhoon for the purpose of

. They are sub-divided into tribes, among whom there is but little unanimity. The Dupha Gam is much disliked, as he is considered the cause of the visit of the Burmese. His power has been much exag

nce. The occurrence of several old burial places on the route, some of which are of considerable extent, might be considered by some as a pro

and as the soil is generally rich, approaching in external characters to that of some pa

on the brow of a hill: they are square, and of various depth, the deepest being about 40 feet, the diameter not exceeding three feet; the workmen ascending and descending by placing their feet in holes made in two faces of the square. No props are used to prevent the sides of the pits from falling in, the tenacity of the soil rendering this precaution unnecessary. The instruments used, are small wooden shovels, a wooden crow-bar tipped with ir

s in both these, the clue to its existence being the presence of small masses of lignite. The searching occupies but very little time, as the presence of the lignite is readily ascertained; all I saw dug out occurred as small irregular deposits; it did not appea

riced, and a first rate pair of ear-rings are procurable at Meinkhoong for 5 tickals; in Assam 10 rupees are occasionally given. Meinkhoong is annually visited by parties of Shan-Chinese, for the purpose of procuring this mineral; the carav

-fourths of these are no longer worked. Compared wit

n of the existence of the former I saw, was a mass of lign

same genus as the Saul, occur between Nhempean and Namtusseek, an

ith food a species of silkworm. From the silk a coarse species of cl

d from low hills some distance from Shellingket. On this subject Mr. Bayfield made very frequent and minute enquiri

igofera Mihi) is in use for dyeing c

ts of the inhabitants. Owing to the presence of the Myoowoon's force, rice was scarce during my vi

poultry. But on this subject it is unnecessary to enlarge, as the habits and

ULLABHOOM

LE PORTION OF THE MOGOUNG VALLEY, TH

ion nearly S. distance 22 miles, course at first along the Namphyet, thence

er similar low hills until we reached the Mogoung river after a ma

S. distance 13 miles, course

distance 14 miles, course conti

ting left the Mogoung river: course throughout over

ourse over high open plains and dry woods. Many nullahs occurr

raversed while following the Mogoung river, is most uninteresting, the road following almost entirely the sandy bed of the river, the banks of which are either covered with grass or tree jungle. On leaving this most tortuous river, the face of the country improved and be

es and

ill the other at the foot. Both together contain about 32 houses. The inhabitants are Shans. It is a place of some consequence, as i

ockade, similar in construction to those of Burmah proper. The houses are mostly small, and I speak within bounds when I say, that there is not a single one that bears the stamp of respectability. There is a bazaar, but nothing good is procurable in it. Tea and sugar

though one of small extent, is that occupied by the resident Chinese, none of whom however are natives of China proper. Of this people I should say there are ba

uch increased by Shan-Chinese returning from the Serpentine mines; and as there was a considerable number of boats

sized boats a considerable distance above the town. In the upper part of the course this river abounds with fish to an u

s (during the Shan dynasty) been of extent and consequence, it is at present a mean and paltry town. It derives any little

is the Serpentine; the mines producing which, we

es, course over low hills covered with jungle, with intervenin

ection SSW. Distance 14 miles. Course over a similar tract of country; c

we changed our course on reaching the path which leads to Kionkseik, a Singph

we ascended in a WNW. direction, extreme altitude attained 2,799 feet. The descent was steep, varied by one or two steep ascents of s

sses off into a ravine, down which a small streamlet that drains the valley escapes, and along this, at a distance of two or three miles, another spot of ground affording Serpentine i

direction, and in the most indiscriminate way; no steps being taken to remove the earth, etc. that have been thrown up in various places during

s vary much in form, some resembling trenches; none exceed 20 feet in depth. The workmen have no mark by which to distinguish at sight the Serpentine from the other boulders; to effect this, fracture is resorted to, and this they accomplish, I believe, by means of fire

one were carried by four or five men, on bamboo frames; the smaller, but which still are of considerable size, on ingenious frames which rest on the nape of the coolies' neck; the frame has two long arms which the bearer grasps in his hand, and which enables him to relieve himself of his burden, and re-assume it without much sacrifi

y jungle, and the occurrence of one or two marshy places contribute to rende

by the aid of the Endawkhioung to Mogoung. At this place duties are levied upon it. Hence almost the wh

rior, which is found in small portions generally within the larger masses, rings, etc. The stone is, I a

that its revenue is said to exceed that of any other Burman Province. The sum derived

Serpentine is found, specimens should be sent to Mogoung. As the Shan-Chinese are reported to be a most penurious race, a small reduction in the price below that of the Burmese, would suffice to divert the current of the trade into Assam. Another interesting product, although of no value, exists in the shape of an Alkaline spring on the Sapiya Khioung, w

n a distance of three or

nd Kamein, as well as between Kamein and the Serpentine mines. The natives do not however appear to cut it, probably ow

in another place on this route, and among the same hills, but I did not succeed in procuring specimens. Throughout both routes scarcely any cultivation was seen. Between the Mogoung river and Mogoung town considerable portions of some low hills to the East, presented the appearance of clearings. It must however be observed, that the appearance of clearings is a most fallacious ground o

ch towards the mines, and bearing about WNW., and Kioukseik. This latter place we visited on our return from the mines, it is a stockaded village, containing 16 houses, and about 120 souls. It is situated about 100 yards from a small stream, the Nam Teen: it is inhabited by Singphos: it is about a mile from the divergence of th

From an open spot on the eastern face of Kuwa Bhoom, it bore nearly due south, and was estimated as being 15 miles distant. We could not distinguish its outline, but we saw enough to satisfy us that it was a large body of water. It is situated in an extensive plain near a range of hil

MOGOUN

BETWEEN THE TWO ABOVE PLAC

e rapids commence immediately the river in its course approaches some low ranges of hills. Boats of considerable size however manage to reach Mogoung; they ascend the severer rapids in channels made along the sides of the river, by removing and piling up on either side the boulders which form great part of the bed of the river in these places. The descent is managed in the same way, the speed of the boat bein

for navigation; in one or two places troublesome shallows are met with, and in several places the channel near the banks is impeded by rocks. It is only in the upper defile, or Kioukdweng, that the navigation is during the rises of the river dangerous, and at times impracticable. On our reaching Tsenbo, which is about 12 miles below the junction of the Mogoung river with the Irrawaddi, the river continued to rise in a most rapid degree, Mr. Bayfield ascertaining by measurement that it rose 16 inches an hour. We were consequently compelled to push on, as we were informed that the next day the defile would be impassable. The Kioukdweng alluded to commences about two miles below Tsenbo, the river becoming constricted from 1000 to 150 yards. The rush of water was great, and was rendered fierce by rocks which exist in the midst of the river. Still further within the defile the difficulties were increased; at one place the whole of the enormous body of water rushes through a passage, and it is the only one, certainly not exceeding 50 yards in width. The passage of this was really fearful, for on clearing it w

ually obtains, except during the rises of the river cau

Irrawaddi between M

edentedly small: this tends to increase the astonis

to the Irrawaddi within

e Mogou

n Khioung,

ewe Lee

ring the rainy season. The Shewe Lee at its mouth, is between 5 and 600 yards wide, b

that the great body of water comes from the eastward, for between the Mogoung river and Borkhamtee, in which country Captain Wilcox visited the Irrawaddi, and where it was found to be

extensive tract of country; for it appears to me that if all its waters are poured in by mountain streams,

rs, few nullahs exist, but these ar

and continue for a distance of 16 or 20 miles, during the whole of which they form the banks of the river. These hills are scantily covered with trees, most of which are in addition stunted. The vegetation within the ma

cenery occurs, the banks are generally tolerably high, often gravelly or clayey. About Tsagaiya, a few miles below the mouth of the Shewe Lee, low hills approach the river, and they continue along one or both banks {139} at variable distance until one reaches Ava. These hills are all covered with a partial an

s, but all are small, mean, and insignificant. Strange to say, they are defenceless, although the neighbouring Kukkeens are dangerous and cruel neighbours. Nothing can be more calculated to shew the weakness of the Burmese government than the fact, that the

sub-divided into two tribes, the greater and lesser Phoons. About 12 villages occur in this defile, and Mr. Bayf

yards. It is surrounded by a timber stockade, the outer palisades being well pangoed; the defences had just undergone repair owing to an expected attack from the Kukkeens. It contains within the stockade rather less than 600 houses, (the precise number was ascertained personally by Mr. Bayfield,) and including the suburbs, which consist of two small villages at the northern end, one at the southern, and one occupied by Assamese at the eastern, it contains about 750 houses. These are generally of the usual poor and mean description; indeed, not even excepting the Governor's house, there is

e governor is a bigoted Burman, of disagreeable manners; he expends much money in the erection of Pagodas, whi

two inches thick. This tea is of the black sort, and although very inferior to the Chinese case teas, is a far better article than that of Pollong. In addition to this, warm jackets lined with fur, straw hats, silk robes, skull-caps, and sugar-candy are procurable; pork of course is plentiful, and is excessively fat; grain, vegetables

s cotton, and this I believe is produced

currence in this month, and are frequently of extreme severity. I saw very little cultivation about Bamo, some of the ravines alluded to had lat

of the Tharawaddi. Kioukgyee, the residence of the above governor, had a short time before our arrival been invested by a force in the interest of the Tharawaddi, but had been repulsed. The governor was to proceed with the whole population, amounting to several hundred souls, to Bamo, to join his forces with those of the Bamo governor. This part of the country was most unsettled and almost deserted. On reaching Katha th

curred here. I counted 200 houses, and judging from the extent of the ruins, I should say it might probably have numbered between 4 and 500. T

on of the journey our

Tap

goung

goung

n the upper

B

Tse

iouk

Kat

Tsa

Tago

entrance of the

in the lower

Ma

Meng

.

country we were compelled to avail ourselves of the first opportunity that offered to enable us to reach Ava; in addit

enkan and elsewhere. This tree seems to abound in the hills forming th

ller, than those of the Assamese plants, and they occurred both serrated and entire. No use is made of the wild plants in this direction, and the Chinese at Bamo, asserted that it was good for nothing. It must be remembered, h

informed, exten

ble from the opposite town, Mala. From the same place and to the SE., low hills are visible, from which all the marble in extensi

ne-third at least must be deducted. In this estimate of the number of houses, Captain Hannay was probably guided, either by the Burmese census, or by the statement of the writer who accompanied him. From t

in all doubtful cases, I counted them also at his request, so

Chinese trade, contains only even at the rate of seven souls to each house, which is two too many, 4,250 inhabitants. The capital may be adduced as an additional instance; for including the extensive suburbs

remained so unsettled. The headman of Kamein on our first arrival was extremely civil, but on our return after he had received news of the revolt of the Tharawaddi, he behaved with great insolence, and actually drew

at we had been sent to report upon the country prior to its being taken under British

e other. At Mogoung I consider it probable that we should have been detained had it not been for the firm conduct of Mr. Bayfield, and his great knowledge of the Burmese character. At this place the

al information will be laid before Government; and in the second place, I would advert to the hurried nature of this part of our journey, and to the disturbed state of the country. For similar reasons I have only drawn up this account to the period of my reaching Ava. It will be at once seen that the information might have been much more extensive, es

e to shew the shortest period in which the journey could be accomplished by an European without constantly overfatiguing himself. If the total distance be compared with an esti

hes.

a to Noa De

angagu

odoa Mo

Kiddi

mroop P

esa Lac

g place in

arap P

e Namtu

mtuse

Boundary

he Nama

maroa

athung K

ussee Kh

uttack

Namtus

Nhempe

Kulley

Tsil

Meinkh

Wullab

ing place

ng ri

oung r

to dit

to dit

ein, {

ogou

-

mber of

ng distance

thus estima

er to the I

nfluence of

he Irrawaddi

-

6

-

last portion, which however is too short a time,