( 112 ) 



most philosophical manner, and said it was hopeless to look to the 

 Burmese Government for redress, or to expect ever to recover any 

 of their property. I was obliged now to push on again, for we had 

 yet a couple of miles to get over before reaching the picket, where 

 I had arranged to rest for the night ; this we accomplished by 5 p.m., 

 and glad enough did my followers appear when the guard-house 

 was in sight. 



194. This was the first plateau of a series of hills, emanating 



Stay at the picket. fr °5? f/pur given off by the main range 



oi Kaknyen mountains. The barometer 

 showed an altitude now of 950 feet. The picket consisted of thirteen 

 Shan-Burmans (including a sergeant), armed with flint-guns and 

 dahs ; they are relieved once a month, and paid a basket of paddy 

 for their service. The sergeant, who is generally an influential 

 man, commands three reliefs, which exempts him and his relations 

 from taxation. These men are not trained soldiers, but of the same 

 stamp as my police escort, and are enrolled under similar condi- 

 tions having to supply their own arms and ammunition. The 

 building was of the zayat or rest-house type, a wooden platform 

 raised three feet off the ground, planked in on three sides, and 

 thatched with grass. It was situated on a cliff, over-hanging a 

 vast valley, and surrounded by a dense, dark forest. The barricade 

 consisted of three walls of stout logs four feet apart, and the inter- 

 mediate spaces filled in with timber transversely piled ; still, did 

 the Kakhyens feel so disposed, nothing would be easier than to set 

 fire to the whole stockade, and burn the guard to death within their 

 own stronghold ; but, from what I afterwards saw, it was quite 

 apparent that peace and order were alone maintained by allowing 

 the Kakhyens entirely their own way : the slightest opposition on 

 the part of the soldiers, and they would be massacred to a man; 

 wisely, therefore, they feign friendship and good-will towards these 

 savages, and carefully avoid offending them. I was surprised to 

 observe that the Shan-Burmese at this picket, who are professedly 

 Buddhists, had in a measure retrograded into ?it^-worship, offering 

 to the spirits of the forests, the mountains, and elements a portion 

 of their early meal before it touched their lips. Perhaps this was 

 more in the form of exorcism and propitiation than actual worship, 

 but certainly I had noticed the practice nowhere else observed by 

 Buddhists. 



195. I had now to consider how I should introduce myself to 



these wild people, in the least unplea- 



Information to the Tswabwa at , f„„ *i, m l, J ^nA^rorl -r.^ 



Roneiein of my intended visit. sant manner, for they had received no 



prior warning ; and, to thrust myseli 

 and party too suddenly on them, would have been most unwise. 



