( 153 ) 



ance, and assisted in the collection of some Podostemon and Lohit 

 campanula, for which we had to climb steep rocks : they also gathered 

 some Thuribergia laurifolia and Clematis, both now in flower, 

 with the slender stems and graceful foliage of which they decorated 

 my hat on their descent. Returning to the village, I found Yan Sing 

 in a great state of distress ; for I had left the house with the 

 intention of returning in a few minutes, and my long absence led 

 him to imagine I had been killed. 



263. Acheenoung now put in, an appearance smiling from 

 ear to ear, and looking none the worse for his last night's debauch : 

 he patted me familiarly on the back, and remarked all was right ; 

 the Tswabwa and his sons intended calling, but I was not to refer 

 to last night's affair, but receive them in a friendly manner. Regard- 

 ing the presents I proposed to distribute, he suggested I be silent, 

 as he would refer to them when explaining the object of our visit: 

 accordingly, when the Tswabwa and his sons arrived, I was all 

 smiles and politeness ; the former apologized for his conduct of 

 last night, and explained that he was much annoyed with Achee- 

 noung bringing us here uninvited, and that, being under the 

 influence of liquor, he did not know what he was doing. Now that 

 he had learnt from our guide I was not evilly disposed towards 

 Kakhyens, and would not bring about their destruction by cursing 

 the ground on which I trod as my relations had done years ago,* 

 he was glad to make my acquaintance and secure my friendship. 

 The usual eating and drinking part of the entertainment being 

 over, I distributed a few presents, and invited the Chief and his vil- 

 lagers to the proposed entertainment at Talo. 



264. He accepted, but said all his clan could not be present, 

 as they were busy getting in their crops, though he would bring 

 with him as many as could be spared. Curiosity now led me to 

 enquire the contents of the silver tinselled box in the corner of 

 the room we occupied, and to my disgust, I found it contained the 

 corpse of the Tsivahva's brother, who had died three months ago : 

 this amply accounted for the unpleasant scent I had noticed on 

 first entering the house. Accompanied by the Tsivabwa, his sons, 

 and a few other of the male community, I took a walk round 

 the village to note the different crops cultivated ; in some instances, 

 they had been reaped, but in every case there were sufficient traces 

 left to identify them. There was paddy, wheat, maize, cotton, 

 roselle, chillies, poppies, egg-plant, gourds, beans, and potatoes, 



* This is the second time allusion has been made to the land-slips spoken of by Dr. Anderson 

 at page 366 of his report of the Expedition to Western Yunan. 



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