xvi INTRODUCTION. 



the Tiger-ndt to kill the then reigning Chief. It was therefore impossible under 

 these circumstances to do much at Sanda in investigating its natural history. As 

 the same liabihty to attack was anticipated on the march from Sanda to Muangla 

 as had been experienced between Manwyne and the former place, the Mission had to 

 keep well together, and to be on the alert. At Muangla, we were warned not to go 

 any distance from the town, and I had therefore to confine my observations to a 

 radius of about two miles. 



Prom Muangla to Nantin, and from thence to Teng-yue-chow (Momien), a 

 large caravan of merchandise, which had long been delayed in its progress by 

 reason of the dangers of the road, took advantage of the fancied protection 

 afforded by the Mission. A short way from Muangla, however, the advance of the 

 caravan and Mission was retarded for a few hours, as the Panthay Officers who had 

 met us at the latter town reported that a large body of armed men had assembled 

 to oppose our progress, at the head of the narrow defile which closes in the valley. 

 This report, however, proved to be erroneous, and to have had its origin in a 

 murderous attack which had been committed on a poor Shan trader, whom we 

 passed lying dying on the road. Beyond the defile, our advance was protected 

 by bodies of armed Mahomedan rebels (Panthay s), who beat their gongs and fired 

 their matchlocks as we passed, in honour of the Mission and to scare away the 

 robber bands of hillmen. At Nantin, we remained only two days, during which 

 I had to show all my alcoholic collections in order to remove an impression from the 

 minds of the officials that we carried about with us flying dragons, to let loose on the 

 people. A few miles beyond the town, we were attacked by Chinese, and lost three 

 of our Panthay guard, and two mule-loads, chiefly consisting of my property, and 

 which entailed on me the irreparable loss of most of my notes on Natural History. 



As it became evident that the further progress of the Mission beyond Momien 

 would be at once dangerous, and, in the existing state of things, liable to embroil 

 it with the Chinese constituted authorities, it was resolved not to attempt the pro- 

 secution of our enquiries beyond Momien. During our residence there, we were not 

 permitted to go beyond sight of the town without the protection of an armed guard, 

 and were only once allowed this doubtful privilege. The marches back to Manwyne 

 were nearly a repetition of our advance, but without experiencing any open 

 hostihties. 



Prom Manwyne we diverged and crossed the mountain range on the south of 

 the Sanda Valley into the sequestered valley of Hotha and Latha, where we remained 

 about three weeks, still bearing with us the unenviable reputation of bringing flying 

 dragons and other evils upon the inhabitants, who alleged that a person had died 

 in every village we had visited. In this valley I shot neither bird nor mammal. 



