260 Captain Hannay's Route [April, 



dark blue cloth. They are a hill people, and live in the tract of 

 country situated between Burmah and China, but those to the east of 

 Bamo pay no revenue to either country, and are governed by their 

 own Tsobuas. The Singpho traders I saw at Bamo were very differ- 

 ent from those under Burmah, and according to their proximity to 

 either Shans or Chinese, they assimilate to one or other in dress and 

 language." 



" The whole of these people," says Captain Hannay, " pay for 

 every thing they require in silver ; and were it not for the restrictions 

 in Burmah on the exportation of silver, I think an intelligent British 

 merchant would find it very profitable to settle at Bamo ; as, besides 

 the easy intercourse with China, it is surrounded by numerous and 

 industrious tribes, who would, no doubt, soon acquire a taste for Bri- 

 tish manufactures, which are at present quite unknown to them." 

 The revenue of the district is estimated by Captain Hannay at three 

 lakhs of rupees per annum ; and he adds, " If appearance of comfort 

 may be taken as a proof of its prosperity, the inhabitants of Bamo 

 shew it in their dress and houses. I have seen more gold and silver 

 ornaments worn here than in any town in Burmah." 



On leaving Bamo, the appearance of the country became much 

 more hilly, and great precautions were taken to guard against sur- 

 prise by the Kakhyens, who inhabited the different ranges in the 

 vicinity of the river. 



At Hakan the escort was reinforced by 150 soldiers from Bamo, and 

 a number of families who were proceeding up the river, joined the 

 fleet to enjoy the protection afforded by so large a convoy. The 

 Shans who composed the quota from Bamo were a remarkably fine 

 set of men from the banks of the Tapan Khyoung, and formed a 

 striking contrast, in dress and appearance, to the miserable escort 

 which had accompanied the party from Ava. 



At the village of Thaphan-beng they entered the third Kyouk-dwen 

 from which a very beautiful view is obtained of the fertile valley of 

 Bamo, bounded on the east by the Kakhyen hills, which are cultivated 

 to their summits. Serpentine and limestone were the principal rocks 

 found in this defile, as well as the preceding one ; and as the river 

 was here in some places not more than 80 yards broad, with a depth 

 of 30 feet, and its rise is in the rains 50 feet above the present level, 

 the rush of waters must at that season be terrific. The natives, indeed, 

 declared, that the roar at that time was so great, as to prevent them 

 from hearing each other speak, and that the defile could only then be 

 traversed on rafts : now, however, it coursed gently along with an 

 almost imperceptible motion. 



