( 160 ) 



288. I was further informed that Hajee Syecl Ebrahim visited 

 England with the embassy in 1872, and that he is a cousin of Tussa- 

 cone, who befriended the expedition in 1868, in return for whose 

 services he requested my presence and assistance, both of which I 

 was forced to refuse. 



289. News reached us this evening of the King's dak boat hav- 

 ing been attacked at the mouth of the Mogoung river, but that the 

 rebels were repelled, losing their guns and other arms ; also 

 that Hokah had been attacked and plundered with a loss of twenty 

 lives, the dacoits only having lost one man. A reference to my 

 diary of the 19th January 1874 shows that this village was not 

 stockaded, the people having placed themselves under the protec- 

 tion of the Kakhyens ; — the Tswabwa, in consideration of certain 

 grants allowed him, having guaranteed to them safety. It now 

 turned out, however, that the outrage was committed at the sugges- 

 tion of the Tswabwa himself. This corroborates the practice refer- 

 red to in my diary of the 20th January 1874. 



290. The hot bed of disturbance at present appeared to be in the 

 Moohaian District, where the Thainbows are reported to be a most 

 uncontrollable lot. I had received no royal pass-port to travel 

 through this district, though eventually I had to explore parts of 

 it, as anticipated. 



291. To the east of Winemew, and quarter of a mile beyond 

 the stockade, are ten Ficus elastica, growing among the other forest 

 trees at some distance apart. In size, and luxuriance of growth 

 they rival even those noted at Katcho. This year for the first time 

 they were to be tapped. No information was forthcoming regard- 

 ing the origin or date of their birth, but it had been satisfactorily 

 proved that all the rubber purchased here comes from the western 

 forests, and that the tree is not known to the people of this side 

 of the river. Defoliation had commenced. The peach likewise 

 thrives here, and produces fruit plentifully, which the people eat, 

 though it is not much in favour. From description it is of a 

 flat variety, and the seed was first introduced by traders from the 

 East. Here, also, I noticed an improvement in the canine tribe : 

 the pariah of the village is not the sorry, miserable -looking beast 

 hitherto met with, but a fine, noble, shaggy-haired dog, taking some- 

 what after the St. Bernard, though not quite so tall. I offered 

 Rs. 30 for one, but the owner would not part with him. Here 

 again, the river presents a floating village for the accommodation 

 of women and children at night ; firing is also kept up till early 

 dawn, but with little good effect, considering that five buffaloes were 

 reported to have been stolen last night from within the stockade. 

 My followers ran short of rice, and although every effort had been 



22 



