1837.] from Ava to the Frontier of Assam. 255 



house of this liberal Woon, Captain Hannay describes " as a very 

 neat and comfortable dwelling, with a remarkably clean compound, in 

 which there is a garden laid out with a great deal of taste, and, besides 

 many articles of costly Burman household furniture, he has a number 

 of very fine muskets and other arms." The party had now approach- 

 ed within a comparatively short distance of Bamo, and the vicinity of 

 this celebrated mart was shewn, in more numerous villages than had 

 been seen for several preceding days. From Shuegu Myu to Balet, 

 a distance of three miles, the houses appeared to extend in an unin- 

 terrupted line, and Kywiin do, the name of a celebrated island in the 

 river, covered with 100 pagodas, is most conveniently situated be- 

 tween these towns, the inhabitants of which hold their principal festi- 

 vals upon it, at particular seasons of the year. 



Near this spot, is the entrance to the second kyoukdwen, the 

 scenery of which appears to be very magnificent, and is thus describ- 

 ed by Captain Hannay. " The river passes directly through the 

 hills, which rise perpendicularly on both sides to the height of 400 

 feet ; they are rocky, and of irregular and singular forms, having at 

 the same time a sufficient number of trees on them to render the 

 scenery very striking. One part of the range, on the right bank, 

 rises as perpendicularly as a wall to the height of 500 feet, forming a 

 grand and terrific precipice. This kyouk-dit.rn extends for four miles, 

 and the hills which form it, are throughout of a rocky nature. The 

 upper part of them appeared to be sandstone, resting on a base of 

 blue-colored limestone, mixed with veins of beautiful white marble ; 

 and at one spot I saw large masses of compact and foliated primitive 

 limestone, along with calcareous spar in large pieces." 



Koung-toun, which the mission reached on the 20th, is said to con- 

 tain about 200 houses, and is Doted for the defence made by its Bur- 

 mese garrison, against a large invading force of Chinese during the 

 last war between these two nations. A ditch surrounds the town, and 

 the remains of a brick redoubt, loop-holed for arrows or musquetry are 

 still perceptible encircling a pagoda. " This is now all that is to be 

 seen," adds Captain Hannay, " of the old fortification, but the town 

 is still surrounded by a double palisade of bambus with sharp stakes 

 placed between them." These defences are intended for the protec- 

 tion of the inhabitants against the Kakhyens, a tribe occupying the 

 hills to the east, who frequently come down in small bodies for the 

 purpose of carrving off cattle. Captain Hannay saw a great number 

 of this tribe at Koungtoun, where they barter their rice and cotton 

 for salt and gnapee, (potted fish) and describes them, with few 

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