1837.] from Ava to the Frontier of Assam. 247 



respecting the trade carried on between Ava and China in this remote 

 corner of the Bur man empire — the habits and localities of some of the 

 principal tribes occupying the mountainous tracts bordering on wes- 

 tern Yunan have been successfully investigated — the position of the 

 very remarkahle valley of Hdkong has been determined — the Pyen~ 

 dwcn or amber mines have for the first time been examined by the 

 eye of European intelligence — the latitudes of the principal towns be- 

 tween Ava and Mdngkhong have been ascertained by astronomical 

 observation with a degree of accuracy sufficient for every purpose of 

 practical utility, and they may now be regarded as established points, 

 from whence inquiry can radiate in every direction with a confidence 

 which the most zealous and enlightened investigators have been hi- 

 therto unable to feel in prosecuting their researches, from the want 

 of a few previously well-determined positions at which to commence 

 or terminate their inquiries. 



To an act of aggression on the part of a Singpho tributary of Ava 

 against a chieftain of the same clan residing under our protection, 

 are we indebted for the opportunity of acquiring the information now 

 gained, and the feud of two insignificant borderers may prove the 

 immediate cause of a more intimate communication than had ever 

 previously existed between our recently acquired possessions in Assam 

 and the northern provinces of the Barman empire. 



The Bisa and Dupha Gaums are the heads of two clans of Sing- 

 phos, occupying the northern and southern faces of the chain of 

 mountains, which forms a lofty barrier between Ava and Assam. The 

 former chieftain, on our conquest of the latter country, tendered his 

 submission and was admitted within the pale of that feudatory depen- 

 dence which many other tribes of the same clan had been equally 

 anxious to enter ; — he was uniformly treated by the local authorities 

 with great consideration, and was located at the northern foot of the 

 Patkoi pass leading from Assam to the Hdkong valley. Between this 

 chieftain and the Dupha Gaum a feud had existed long previous to 

 our assumption of the sovereignty of the country ; and the latter, at 

 the close of the year 1835, headed a party, which crossing the 

 mountains from the Burmese province of Hdkong, entered Bisa, the 

 residence of the chief of that clan, and after ravaging and plundering 

 the village, sealed their atrocity with the indiscriminate murder of 

 all the inhabitants that fell into their hands. The circumstances were 

 made known to the British Resident at the Court of Ava ; inquiry 

 was demanded, and security required against the recurrence of simi- 

 lar acts of aggression. A deputation from the capital was ordered 

 2 k 2 



