( 105 ) 



the human body. The detached square block, which lies a few 

 yards below, is called the " zoorjce thittar," which signifies the box 

 of this great personage. I now proposed a tramp over the hills 

 before we returned ; the first ascent was sufficient to pump the 

 Burman minister, and of his own accord, he suggested that myself 

 and party should ferret about by ourselves. I continued to follow 

 the river up for some miles, but found it unchanged in character 

 from where the rapids first commenced, obstructions were quite as 

 frequent, and the precipitous cliffs on both sides continued to be 

 fringed with sombre vegetation, damp and dripping with moisture, 

 and covered with pendulous mosses, lichens, and ferns. We are 

 told by those, however, who have crossed the Taping still further 

 east that it is a river of considerable breadth. Before returning, 

 I managed to bag a couple of peacock-pheasants and three jungle 

 fowl ; I also got a shot at a splendid leopard, but unfortunately 

 missed him. Porcupine quills were constantly being picked up, 

 and one of my peons caught a chameleon alive, which was pre- 

 served in spirits when I returned to Tseekaw. Before I rejoined the 

 minister, the sun had nearly set, and he was in a great state of 

 mind ; I fancy the old gentleman had never before in the whole 

 course of his life been picketed out in the heart of a forest under 

 such uncomfortable circumstances. Before quitting the defile, we 

 came on a band of armed Kakhyens crossing the river on a raft of 

 bamboos. No questions were asked, nor the men interfered with, 

 though I was afterwards told they were a gang of dacoits evidently 

 on their way to plunder some village. 



189. I parted company with my keeper at old Bhamo, and re- 

 turned to Tseekaw by land. On my 



Return by land to Tseekaw, and way J pasged sev eral little hamlets, and 

 observations during journey. J L ~ „, „ . , ' , 



among them was a Shan-Taloke col- 

 ony, who had settled down here only a fortnight ago, having been 

 driven from their homes near Momein by the outrages committed 

 by the Chinese and Panthay armies. In mode of living and gene- 

 ral appearance, these people nearer resemble the Chinese than 

 Shans ; yet, in disposition they differ from both. They are a 

 mild, inoffensive, industrious tribe, and though so cut off from 

 the civilized world, they rather court than avoid intercourse with 

 Europeans who are kindly disposed towards them. When I enter- 

 ed their village, I found many of the men engaged making buckets 

 of toon wood, the hoops being of thin strips of plaited rattan. 

 They told me they had to leave their homes with as few things 

 as possible, and were consequently obliged to work by moon- 

 light to supply themselves with the articles in daily requirement. 



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