602 An account of some of the Petty Stales [Oct. 



of Life," with the supi-eme authority over the others, and the title 

 has descended to each brother successively alive till it reached the 

 youngest, whom Dr. Richardson found on his first and second visits, 

 but who died at the advanced age of 73 years, during his third visit. 

 It is now in abeyance in the family, and awaits the decision of the 

 court of Siam. 



Of the original inhabitants of this country but a very small por- 

 tion now cbtains, — perhaps not above one-third of the whole, owing 

 to the great number that were carried off by the kings of Ava when 

 they overran and subjected the country. The remainder consists 

 chiefly of Burmese' 1 , Peguers 12 and Shans 13 , from the different states 

 tributary to Ava ; either refugees or slaves ; for slavery exists in this 

 country in its worst features. The unfortunate wretches are kidnap- 

 ped and seized by the hill tribes on the west bank of the Salween, 

 of whom some account will be given, and eagerly purchased from 

 them at very low rates, by the people of this country. Dr. Richard- 

 son was unable to form an opinion as to the amount of the popula- 

 tion. He was told that the towns of Zimmay, Lagon, Moung-pay 

 and Moung-nam contain each about 20,000 and I along 14,000, but 

 he thinks these numbers exaggerated. 



In person the Shans bear a great resemblance to their Bur- 

 mese and Siamese neighbours, though somewhat fairer. They 

 are muscular, well formed, and healthy in their appearance: eyes 

 moderately linear ; noss small rather than flat ; the mouth large, 

 and disfigured by black teeth and gums, which they cherish as 

 a beauty ; the hair is long, straight, lank, and almost always black. 

 They tatoo the lower limbs, but to less extent than the Bur- 

 mese. Their dress consists of a cotton putso or cloth round the 

 loins, generally blue, a blue cotton jacket reaching well over the hips, 

 and a coarse red cotton turban ; though many go uncovered. The 

 dress of the chiefs is of the same description, but the materials are 

 more costly, — Chinese crape or satin jackets, with gold or silver lace, 

 the putso of silk. The women are fair and good-looking, and their 

 dress more becoming than that of Burmese or Siamese, — not open in 

 front as with the former, nor tucked up between the legs as with the 

 latter. It is, however, fastened in the same way round the body 

 without pin or string. Old and young have the bosoms bare, or but 

 partially covered by a small scarf thrown round the shoulders. Many 

 of the women are disfigured with goitre, but it seldom attains a 

 large size. The people are a quiet, mild, good-humoured race, and 

 not addicted to many vices. Opium smoking and gambling are 

 scarcely known, and drunkenness is uncommon. The religion is that 



