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carrying the three old Brown Bess followed by myself, Yan Sino- 

 bringing up the rear-guard, consisting of the women coolies and 

 Kakhyen escort. The first thing on arrival, I sent to the Governor 

 for a guard of six men to escort my boats up the Mogoung river, the 

 country through which they had to pass being in a state of rebel- 

 lion. I received a verbal reply that the men would be in readiness 

 next morning, but that they would have to be supplied with ammu- 

 nition, and paid at the rate of twelve annas per diem. 



302. Friday, 13th February 1874. — I did not awake till 7 a.m., 

 whenl found the sim well up, and the thermometer at 69° : there was 

 a marked change in the temperature of this place and the country I 

 had just passed through. It was 11 a.m., before the escort were 

 ready to start : they expected to reach the mouth of the Mogoung ri- 

 ver, they said, in two days ; but I had my doubts of this; for, although 

 it was a flat country they had before them, yet I feared daily wages 

 would have had a bad effect. Before calling on the Governor, I 

 sent over a present of carpets, some pieces of muslin and scent, ask- 

 ing him to appoint a time when it would be most convenient for 

 him to see me : in a few minutes I received a message, saying he 

 would be glad to make my acquaintance at once. He was a fine, 

 gentlemanly old man, about sixty years of age ; his house was 

 enclosed by a bamboo mat wall on all sides but that facing the 

 river, and was situated about the middle of the town ; the building 

 was throughout of bamboo with the exception of the posts, which were 

 of teak ; but, nevertheless, had a very neat appearance — indeed, far 

 more tidy than is usual to find even with Burmese officials of his rank : 

 at the bottom of the steps that led up to the reception-hall, which was 

 raised five feet off the ground, were four old pieces of ordnance 

 pointing towards the river. Facing the entrance was a raised plat- 

 form of teak, fifteen by twelve feet square, fronted by a verandah 

 with a trellis -work railing that ran the whole front length of 

 the building. The platform was surrounded by a handsomely-carved 

 railing, and at the back was a stand of well-cleaned arms, including 

 guns, spears, swords and pistols, arranged with some regard to order ; 

 on either side of the little gate, that communicated with the passage 

 leading to his private apartment, were a pair of the finest elephant 

 tusks I had ever seen : these were apparently those that were pre- 

 sented to him, by the Kakhyens of Nansingtoung with a view to 

 the re-establishment of the old route to Western Yunan : the 

 dais was carpeted and furnished with chairs and tables : the whole 

 presenting a striking contrast with the reception-hall of the Gov- 

 ernor of Bhamo. Immediately I arrived, the Governor, who had 

 hitherto been seated on the carpet, rose to receive me, and taking 

 both my hands in his, seated me in a chair opposite to the one he 



