183^.] Journal of an Expedition to the Chinese Frontier. 997 



about three miles an hour. It here has a N. W. and S. E. course, 

 and is not navigable to any distance down, its course being interrupted 

 by falls two or three days below the town. 



I was admitted the day after my arrival to an interview with some 

 of the petty Tsaubuas, who were almost all here with their contingents. 

 One of them the Talan Tsaubua, who was the minister during the 

 former Tsaubua's time still continued in that post, and the deceased 

 Tsaubua's chief wife, Maha De'vi (but not the mother of the young 

 Tsaubua who is by the second wife) acted as regent for the young lad, 

 nominally by the advice of the petty Tsaubuas ; but the minister was 

 all-powerful, and did as he pleased. He had been the main instrument 

 in the scenes lately acted there, and being a shrewd intelligent man, 

 many supposed he had some design on the throne himself. Though my 

 reception was civil, yet they shewed a degree of suspicion of the 

 objects of my mission, refused to permit me to proceed over to the 

 frontiers of their own territories towards China without a reference, and 

 even hinted I had better return. They at first declined receiving the 

 presents, but after explanations accepted them for the young Tsaubua* 



It was already evident that I should not he permitted to pursue 

 my journey, but I considered it desirable to remain at the place 

 a few days to endeavour to allay any suspicions the authori- 

 ties might entertain respecting the object of my mission, and to be- 

 come better acquainted with them. I therefore requested the autho- 

 rities at Esmok or Muang La might be informed that I was the bearer 

 of letters and presents to them which I wished to deliver. Though 

 they did not for some days make the communication yet I had reason 

 to know the letter sent faithfully detailed the object of my mission and 

 all I had said. I dined the next day at the palace and met all the 

 Tsaubuas and chiefs, who like the day before were clad in Chinese 

 costumes. All the attendants were in the same dress, and the dinner 

 &c. completely Chinese. A few cups of spirits, which some of them 

 freely drank, soon made them throw off the formality of Chinese eti- 

 quette, and strive to make themselves agreeable, particularly the 

 minister, who alone can speak Burmese, though all speak Chinese. 



The reply from China arrived on the 23rd and the same evening the 

 Talan Tsaubua and some others came to communicate its contents 

 to me. It contained the same remarks about merchants, &c. as made 

 by the officers on my first interview, and went on to say that British 

 ships daily visited Canton, and that that was the proper route for an 

 officer deputed on a mission to go ; that they had consulted all their 

 historical records and could not discover a precedent of any officer 

 6 L 



