266 



NATURE 



[Jan. 23, 1890 



The problem before him was a difficult one, owing to the 

 geography of Central Indo-China being unknown at the 

 time of his visit. He has filled up a great blank in the 

 map of this interesting region, and has proved that a 

 practicable route for the railway exists, chiefly through 

 great and fertile plains, to the populous parts of the 

 Chinese province of Yunnan, and thence through 

 Southern into Central China. The project has been 

 for some years before the public, and has received the 

 unanimous support of the manufacturing and mercantile 

 communities, who have constantly, through the Chambers 

 of Commerce, pressed the matter upon the attention of 

 the Government. The Siamese section of the line, and 

 several important branches, are now being surveyed and 

 estimated for the King of Siam by English engineers, and 

 are hkely soon to be taken in hand. 



The handsome volume before us contains an excellent 

 index map of Southern China and Indo-China, five route 

 maps, and nearly a hundred original illustrations. The 

 index map shows clearly the projected Anglo-Siamese 

 system of lines, and its continuation into Central China, 

 together with the proposed branch to Pakhoi, the Southern 

 Chinese seaport. On the same map are shown the rival 

 lines which the French propose to construct in order to 

 draw the trade of Southern and Central China and of the 

 Shan States to a French port in Tonquin. The route 

 maps, which are beautifully executed from Mr. Hallett's 

 survey, have the population, geology, and height above 

 sea-level of the country noted on them, which greatly 

 increases their value. Apart from its commercial and 

 geographical aspect, the book will prove of great interest 

 to the politician and the general reader. It gives the 

 account of an able, intelligent, and careful inquirer on 

 the spot, concerning the position of the frontier of the 

 British and Siamese Shan States at the time we annexed 

 Upper Burmah, and it indicates the districts claimed by 

 our new subjects which were then forcibly occupied by 

 the Siamese. It describes the mode of government and 

 the condition of the people in Siam and its Shan States, 

 countries which are now being brought into close political 

 and commercial relations with us. It treats of the 

 threatened absorption of Siamese territory by the 

 French, and shows how vast is our present stake in 

 the country. It points out how imperative it is that we 

 should pay close attention to the proceedings of the 

 French, and safeguard our interests, which include the 

 only known practicable route for the railway connection 

 of Burmah with the populous and fertile regions of 

 Southern and Western China. 



The author expresses himself fluently and concisely. His 

 descriptions of scenery, people, and wayside incidents, 

 are extremely good, and the story of the journey is lightly, 

 brightly, and amusingly told. He was exceptionally fortunate 

 in his companions, and had no trouble in gaining the good- 

 will and assistance of everyone he met during his travels. 

 Dr. Cushing and Dr. McGilvary, who joined the party as 

 interpreters, were masters of the Shan language, and, 

 being missionaries, took a great interest in the welfare 

 of the people. They had made a careful study of their 

 manners and customs, and, having previously traversed 

 the Shan States in various directions, were well known to 

 the chiefs, nobles, and officials of the country. Another 

 missionary, Mr. Wilson, who had resided at Zimmd for 



several years, affi^rded Mr. Hallett great assistance in 

 collecting statistics and particulars of the trade of the 

 country, and information about the religions, supersti- 

 tions, and folk-lore of the various races. In the 

 preface, Mr. Hallett gives an interesting history of 

 the races found in Indo-China, and during his 

 travels he collected several of their vocabularies. 

 The aborigines of Lower Indo-China appear to have 

 been Negritos, probably akin to those of the Andaman 

 Islands and the hills of the Malay Peninsula. Other 

 dwarf races of Negrito origin were met with on the 

 journey, belonging to the Ka tribes in the neighbourhood 

 of Luang Prabang. These are probably of the same 

 stock as the Trao in Cochin China and one of the native 

 races in Formosa, and are, in all likelihood, akin to the 

 Tiao, a race of pygmies with whom the Chinese became 

 acquainted when they entered North-Eastern China more 

 than 4000 years ago. The Bau Lawa tribes met by him 

 in the Shan States, and found in the hills as far south as 

 the latitude of Bangkok, as well as the Mon race in 

 Lower Burmah and the Cham or people of Cambodia, 

 migrated into their present habitat at an early period, 

 and are Mongoloid tribes of a race with Malaysian affi- 

 nities. This Mon race is represented in Western Bengal 

 and Central India by the Kolarian tribes. They are prob- 

 ably descendants of the Ngu stock, including the Pang, 

 Kuei, and Miao tribes, who, with the Shan, Yang or 

 Karen, and King or Chin tribes, formed the chief part of 

 the population of Central and Southern China during the 

 struggle for empire — 604-220 B.C. 



Other interesting tribeSjknown asLa-Hu and Kiang Tung 

 La-Wa, were met with by Mr. Hallett ; and these are said 

 to belong to the same white race as ourselves. They had 

 already settled about the southern bend of the Hoang-ho at 

 the time when the Chinese tribes arrived on the borders of 

 China after their long journey from the neighbourhood of 

 Chaldaea. Part of these various races have been gradu- 

 ally amalgamated with the Chinese, who have doubt- 

 less received from them and other races much of their 

 folk-lore and superstitions. It may therefore prove highly 

 interesting to compare the habits, customs, folk-lore, and 

 superstitions of these early inhabitants of China with 

 those of the Chinese. Many of the customs and super- 

 stitions must have been widespread at an early date. 

 Mr. Hallett notices the strong similarity between some 

 of the customs and superstitions of the Finnish tribes 

 and those of the Shans. The book is rich in legends 

 connected with various events which are said to have 

 happened in the country. Some of these relate to the 

 time when the Lawa were conquered or driven into the 

 hills by the Shans ; others relate to events which have 

 since happened in the country ; and the remainder are 

 adaptations from Buddhistic stories, or refer to the 

 guardian spirits of the country, or to romantic incidents- 

 that have occurred. The guardian spirits universally 

 worshipped by the Shans are, strange to say, the 

 spirits of ancient Lawa kings and queens reigning in the 

 country at the time when wars were carried on between 

 the Lawa and the Shans. Some of these local Sivas are 

 believed to have ogre propensities, and formerly human 

 sacrifices were offered up to them. Even the year 

 previous to Mr. Hallett's visit, the execution of several 

 criminals was hurried on in order to appease the local. 



