272 Captain Hannay' s Route [April* 



Burman women. Those who are married, wear their hair tied on the 

 crown of the head like the men, but the younger ones wear theirs 

 tied close to the back of the neck, and fastened with silver pins — both 

 married and single wear white muslin turbans. The ornaments ge- 

 nerally worn by them are amber ear-rings, silver bracelets, and neck- 

 laces of beads, a good deal resembling coral, but of a yellowish color, 

 and these are so much prized by them that they sell here for their 

 weight in gold." 



During his stay at Htikong, Captain Hannay was visited by many 

 Singphos from the borders of China, from whom he learnt that the 

 Sginmaehha river rises in the mountains bounding the plain of Khanti 

 to the north, and is inclosed on the east by the Goulang-sigong moun- 

 tains, which they consider the boundary between Burmah and China. 

 This river is, on the same authority, pronounced not to be navigable 

 even for canoes, and the most satisfactory confirmation is afforded of 

 the accounts of Captain Wilcox*. Several smaller streams fall into 

 the Sginmaehha from the Shuedoung-gyi hills on the west, and the 

 name of Sitting is given to the tract of country through which they 

 flow. In this district gold is very plentiful, and it is found, says Cap- 

 tain Hannay, " over the whole tract of mountainous country, above the 

 Sginmaehha. The Chinese visit this locality for the purpose of 

 procuring the gold, and give in exchange for it, warm clothing, car- 

 pets and opium." 



Of the several routes by which communication is kept up between 

 the inhabitants of Hukong and the countries around, the principal 

 appear to be, one leading across the Shuedoung-gyi range to the 

 eastern Singphos ; a second, called the Lye-gnep-lhum road, winds 

 round the base of the mountain of that name, and leads in sixteen 

 days to Miinglang, the capital of the Khanti country, which was 

 visited by Captain Wilcox. 



The most important .one, however, with reference to trade, lies 

 in a south-east direction from the Htihong valley, from which the 

 district of Kahyo-wainmo is not more than eight days' march distant. 

 By this route the Chinese frequently travel, and it affords a very 

 satisfactory proof that intercourse may be held direct with China, 

 without the necessity of following the circuitous route by Mogaung. 



* Although Captain Wilcox (As. Res. vol. xvii. p. 463), relying on the ac- 

 counts given by Singphos of this river, appears to have formed rather an exag- 

 gerated estimate of its size, his conjectures as to the position of its sources are 

 fully verified by the statements made to Captain Hannay.— R. B. P. 



