( ioo ) 



working from E. to N.W., as far as the eye can reach, pre- 

 sents one vast mountainous system, densely wooded, and inter- 

 sected by rugged gorges and fertile valleys. The hill sides are 

 dotted with Kakhyen toungya cultivation, which has rather a pleasing 

 effect amidst the luxuriant and noble arborescent foliage. 



181. A little further on, and the Manloung stream empties itself 



Manloung stream. ^° the + T ^ h ^. ™ ^ right bank. It 



takes its rise in a lake 01 the same 

 name, situated to the west of Tseekaw, and also receives a constant 

 supply of water from a branch-stream given off by the Taping two 

 miles higher up. 



182. At the junction of the Manloung with the main river, 



._. . there are a number of old ruined pago- 



Town of Tsain-pin-ago. -. , . , , . , ., „ ,, r 9 



das, which mark the site of the once in- 

 fluential town of Tsain-pin-ago, a place of anterior date by many 

 centuries to the city of the same name near Bhamo. 



183. By 5 p.m. Tseekaw was reached, and, as might have been 

 _ . , „ , expected, we found two of the Gover- 



nor s court officials had preceded us 

 by a day, evidently with a view to gag the people, and watch the 

 Assistant Resident's line of action. It is a mistaken idea to sup- 

 pose that, in a place like Bhamo, a single movement of a British 

 subject — much less of a Political Officer — can be concealed from the 

 Governor ; nor is it the least improbable that a system of espionage 

 is maintained through one's own domestics, — for where is the native 

 who is not open to a bribe ? even those we have placed the most 

 confidence in, and elevated to positions with emoluments that should 

 have rendered them proof against corruption, have at last been 

 detected red-handed. After we had settled down in the house that 

 had been prepared by Mr. Cooper's Kakhyen interpreter, who had 

 been sent on ahead for this express purpose, the two officials pre- 

 sented themselves with trays of sweets and fruit : they were remark- 

 ably polite, and gave the Resident to understand that they had been 

 sent by the Governor to see all our wants provided for, and to render 

 us every assistance necessary. The object of our visit was then 

 cautiously solicited, but the question was equally cleverly parried, 

 and Mr. Cooper proceeded to enquire about the probable distance to 

 which the Taping was navigable, as we intended proceeding onward 

 the following day. Of course, endless obstructions were at once 

 thrown in our way ; the first difficulty was our boat being too large, 

 then it was doubtful whether canoes could be obtained, and lastly, 

 the danger of encountering the blood-thirsty Kakhyens, who, but a 

 day previous, had been reported to have plundered two Shan villages 



