INTRODUCTION. XVU 



Prom Hotha, we marched direct to the plains, without encountering any further 

 difBculties, and, from Bhamd, returned to Mandalay hy boat. 



The Second Expedition was appointed to leave Burma in January 1875, in 

 order to accomplish the passage of the hill country before the setting in of the 

 rainy season. 



The command was entrusted to Colonel Horace Browne, of the Burmese 

 Commission. The post of geographer was filled by Mr. Ney Elias. Mr. Margary, 

 a most promising member of the Consular Service, thoroughly versed in the Chinese 

 language and etiquette, had also been appointed to accompany the Mission, and had 

 crossed China from Shanghai to Bham6 for the express purpose. The Mission had 

 also the services of Mr. Allan, another ofiicer of Her Majesty's Chinese Consular 

 Service. The preparations for ensuring the success of tliis Mission in every depart- 

 ment were made as complete as foresight could make them. 



The Mission was despatched with the intention of thoroughly examining the 

 country to the east of Teng-yue-chow, and of traversing China to Shanghai. Its 

 history, however, was excessively brief and most disastrous. After vainly at- 

 tempting to penetrate into Yunnan by the Sawady route, a few miles to the south 

 of Bhamo, Colonel Browne resolved to revert to the route pursued by the Pirst 

 Expedition u.nder Colonel Sladen. 



The Mission, however, was only permitted to make three marches, when it was 

 attacked by a large body of Chinese, and compelled to make a precipitate retreat 

 to Burma ; Margary, who had preceded the mission by one march, having with 

 four of his followers been treacherously murdered at Manwyne. 



It is evident, from the foregoing brief summary of the history of these Missions, 

 that the opportunities they afforded for the prosecution of Natural History inqui- 

 ries, and for the investigation of the subjects that were allotted to me, were very few 

 indeed. I have thought it desirable to bring these difficulties out prominently, 

 because there can be little doubt but that the area traversed is very rich in animal 

 life. Its geographical position, along with the little knowledge we have gained of 

 it, leads to the conclusion that, when facilities are offered for its thorough examina- 

 tion, it will yield many new specific forms of great interest. 



I have elsewhere^ described in detail the physical features of the country 

 traversed, and have given some illustrations of these in another work,^ from photo- 

 graphs and sketches taken on the Expeditions. It is therefore unnecessary that 

 I should again re-enter on this subject. 



' Report on the Expedition to Western Yunnan via Bhani6. Calcutta, 1871. 



^ Mandalay to Momein : a naiTative of the Two Expeditions to Western China of 1868 and 1875. London : 

 Macmillan & Co., 1876. 



