1837.] from Ava to the Frontier of Assam. 253 



tier town of Santa-fa, called by the Burmahs Mola Santa, and a 

 southern branch from Momeit, the site of the celebrated ruby mines 

 already noticed : the confluence of these streams is represented as 

 occurring at the village of Laha about 40 miles from the Irawadi. 

 Neither branch can be of any magnitude, for Captain Hannay remarks 

 that at the point of junction with the Irawadi, the breadth of the 

 Shutfli is not more than 300 yards, and that it contained but little 

 water, — a satisfactory proof that, this stream can have no connexion 

 with the Tsanpo of Thibet. 



At Yebouk yiia, a day's journey above the Shue' khyoung, two boats 

 passed the party with Chinese in them from Bamo. " They work 

 their boats which are of the Burman round-shaped flat-bottomed de- 

 scription, and seem to be of a tolerable size, as there must have been 

 at least twenty men in each. These boats are particularly well 

 adapted for the navigation of the Irawadi, as they do not draw more 

 than 18 inches of water." 



On the 13th of December the party reached Katha, a town of some 

 extent on the right bank of the river, containing about 400 houses, 

 and a population whose numbers appear to be annually increased by 

 large parties who come from the interior, and take up a temporary 

 abode on the right bank of the river, and on the numerous islands 

 and shoals in its bed, for the purpose of fishing and traffic : at the 

 close of the season they return to their respective homes in time for the 

 resumption of agricultural labour, and a traveller ignorant of this no- 

 made custom, which appears to be very general in the upper part of 

 the Irawadi, would form an exaggerated estimate of the population of 

 the towns and villages in which they are thus temporarily congregat- 

 ed. " The bazar of Katha was well supplied with good native vege- 

 tables of various sorts, fresh and salt fish, pork sold by Chinamen, dried 

 cocoanuts, sugar-cane, and rice from the coarsest to the best quality, 

 the latter selling at 15 ticals a hundred baskets." Captain Hannay 

 also saw a small quantity of stick lac in the bazar, but it was dear, and 

 of a description very inferior, to that which is procurable at Rangiin, 

 and is brought from the Shan territory east of Ava. Even at this 

 remote spot there was a ' tolerable display' of British piece goods, 

 but not nearly to the extent noticed at Kyundoung. Captain Hannay 

 mentions a Kyoung or monastery recently erected bv the Myothagi 

 of Katha, as one of the most remarkable objects of the place. " It 

 is a large wooden building covered with beautiful carved work, and 

 situated near the river. The grounds surrounding it are extensive, 

 and very tastefully laid out with fruit trees and flowery shrubs, 

 2 L 



