1837.] from Ava to the Frontier of Assam. 261 



At Thabyebeng-yila they found a new race of people called Phwons, 

 who descrihed themselves as having originally come from a country 

 to the north-east, called Motoung Maolong, the precise situation of 

 which could not be ascertained. Their native language, which they 

 speak only in intercourse with each other, differs altogether from the 

 Shan and Burmese, but they have no written character. There appear 

 to be two tribes of this race, distinguished by the Burmahs as the 

 great and small : — the former are found only at Tshenbo and in the 

 vicinity of the third Kyouk-dwen, while the inferior tribe is scattered 

 all over the country : the only difference apparently between them 

 consists in some trifling varieties in the dialects they speak. Their 

 extensive cultivation proved their agricultural industry, and four 

 Chinese Shans were constantly employed in manufacturing their im- 

 plements of husbandry. Their houses were of a construction totally 

 different from any that had been previously seen, and consisted of a 

 long thatched roof rounded at the ends and reaching almost to the 

 ground. Inside of this and at the height of eight or ten feet from 

 the ground, the different apartments are formed, the walls of which 

 are made of mat. 



" From the outward appearance of these houses," says Captain 

 Hannay, " it would be difficult to imagine that they were habitations, 

 but inside they are very comfortable, and from the great thickness 

 and peculiar form of the roof, the inmates cannot be much affected 

 either by heat or cold." The same description of house is built by the 

 Shans occupying the valley of Kubo, and it is probable that the 

 Phwons have adopted this style of building from some tribe of that 

 widely scattered nation. 



On the 26th the fleet reached a part of the Irawadi, which is consi- 

 dered the most dangerous point in its navigation. It is called Puskti, 

 and the stream is there confined to a breadth of 30 yards, but 

 with no less than nine fathoms of depth in the centre. The rocks 

 bore every appearance of fierce and irregular volcanic action, varying 

 in color "from brown, yellow, red and green, to a jet black which 

 6hone like a looking glass." The strata also presented a scene of 

 great confusion, some being vertical, some horizontal, and others 

 twisted; "the whole having exactly the appearance of having been 

 poured out from a furnace." 



The navigation of the Irawadi river up to this point had been un- 

 marked by difficulties of any magnitude, and, with the exception of the 

 passes through the Kyouk-dwens, the channel appears to have afforded, 

 even at that season of the year, an abundant supply of water for the 

 2 M 



