FROM MONGTSE TO SSUMAO 



noticed at a drugo-ist's the head of a two-horned rhuioceros^ 

 which had been killed four miles from here. The chief native 

 industry is a black cotton stuff, of which quantities hung before 

 the houses to dry. Other cotton is brouu'ht from Xiencr-hounQf, 

 and retailed at thirteen taels the pecul ; salt from Makai ; sugar 

 in round sticks from the neighbourhood, where the cane is culti- 

 vated, and sold at twenty-four sapecks the Chinese kilo. 



The European articles of import are English needles, coloured 

 silks from Yiinnan-Sen, and French metal buttons from Canton. 

 7 he natives also sell minute cherries, a species of freshwater 

 shell-fish, tea of the district in small cylinders, rice, joss-sticks, 

 tobacco from the adjacent country in twist and in leaf, the tender 

 sprouts of the bamboo maize and ginger as delicacies, and vege- 

 tables. I also saw chintz from Chu-ping, wooden combs, pipe- 

 stems, and flints. Little opium is to be seen in the outskirts of 

 the place ; it is introduced in large quantities from Xieng-houng or 

 Mien-ling. It is not easy to gauge the caravan traffic, but from 

 what I heard I should estimate it to average about five hundred 

 mules a month, except in the three rainy ones. 



We were off again on the morning of the 30th (March). The 

 rest was useful and necessary, but emphasised the undesirability 

 of staying in towns by an episode among our mafous that might 

 have turned to drama, and clearly instanced the Chinese char- 

 acter. The evenino before we started the makotou discovered 



o 



the loss of a packet of money from the chest in which he had 

 placed it. Suspicion fell on a mafou called Manhao, who had 

 hitherto given no cause for dissatisfaction. Forthwith the 

 makotou, without reference to us, warning, or proof, mustered the 

 other mafous, and with their help bound the suspect tightly to a 

 post. In this position they left the poor devil for the night,. 



75 



