1837.] from Ava to the Frontier of Assam. 271 



In its relation to Assam and China, the trade of the Hukong valley 

 naturally attracted a share of Captain Hannay's attention, and from 

 his account it appears that " the only traffic of any consequence carried 

 on in this valley is with the amber, which the Singphos sell to a few 

 Chinese, Chinese-Shans, and Chinese Singphos, who find their way 

 here annually. The price of the common or mixed amber is 2| ticals 

 a vis or four rupees per one and a half seer : but the best kind and what 

 is fit for ornaments, is expensive, varying in price according to its 

 color and transparency*." 



" The Chinese sometimes pay in silver for the amber, but they also 

 bring with them warm jackets, carpets, straw hats, copper pots, and 

 opium, which they give in exchange for it. They also barter their 

 merchandize for ivory and gold dust, but only in small quantities. 

 A few individuals from the Burman territories likewise come here, 

 with cloths of their own manufacture, and also a small quantity of 

 British piece goods for sale. But as they are obliged on their way 

 hither to pass through the country of the most uncivilized of the 

 Kakhyen tribes, they seldom venture to come. The greatest part 

 therefore of British and Burman manufactures which are used in this 

 valley, are brought from Mogaung by Singpho merchants. But I 

 understand that within the last few years, several of them have gone 

 to Assam with gold dust, ivory, and a little silver, for which they receive 

 in return muskets, cloths, spirits, and opium. The following is a list 

 of British piece goods now selling at Meinkhwon — common book-muslin 

 used as head dresses, 14 rupees a piece ; coarse broad cloth worn as 

 shawls, 1\ yards long, 18 rupees each; good cotton handkerchiefs, 4 

 rupees a pair ; and coarse ones, 1\ rupees a pair. These are the prices 

 of goods bought at Ava, but what similar articles from Assam may cost, 

 I cannot ascertain. The broad cloth, however, that I have seen from the 

 latter place is of a very superior quality. The merchants who come to 

 this valley from the Burman territories are natives of Yo, and the man 

 who is now selling goods here has frequently visited Calcutta. The 

 dress worn by the Singphos of this valley is similar to that of the Shans 

 and Burmans of Mogaung, but they frequently wear jackets of red 

 camlet, or different velvets which they ornament with buttons, and 

 those who can afford it wear a broad-cloth shawl. The arms in com- 

 mon use amongst them are the dhd (or short sword) and spear. The 

 women wear neat jackets of dark coarse cotton cloth, and their thu~ 

 mines or petticoats are full and fastened round the waist with a band, 

 being altogether a much more modest dress than that worn by the 

 * Specimens in matrice are deposited in the Society's Museum. — Ed. 

 2 n 2 



