1837.] Journal of an expedition from Mouhnien to Ava. 1021 



ever I called, but on the whole there was little cordiality in my re- 

 ception ; perhaps the uncertainty regarding the views of the new go- 

 vernment were enough to account for this, and we had no communica- 

 tion with the capital for upwards of three weeks. The principality of 

 Neaung-eue or Neaung Sheway, though reduced within very narrow 

 limits, was at no distant period one of the largest of the nine Tso-boa- 

 ships ; the extensive territory of Laygea lately elevated to that dignity- 

 formed a part of it. The present Tso-boa, a dull, heavy, vulgar-looking 

 man of about 45 years of age, has been the cause of much distress and 

 misery to the people by a feud of two years with his uncle, during 

 which there were repeated battles fought in the sequestered corners 

 of this valley, and about the banks of a famous and very beautiful lake 

 which occupies about 40 square miles of its southern extremity ; he 

 at last succeeded in defeating him (his uncle) ; but the population of 

 the district was much reduced by emigration of many of the inhabi- 

 tants to districts a little less harrassed : for they are seldom perfectly 

 quiet. He was involved in debt by the bribes he was obliged to make 

 at court to procure his investiture ; to liquidate which he has ever 

 since exercised a system of extortion on the people which has rendered 

 him very unpopular. 



On the 13th of May after an anxious detention of a month I receiv- 

 ed the expected order from Ava, authorizing me to proceed, and a 

 suitable guard to be furnished me, which the resident had obtained 

 with difficulty after several days' discussion with the new government, 

 (during which the king first intimated his determination not to abide 

 by the treaty of Yan-da-boo or Ava) ; the order had been sent through 

 head-quarters at Monay y and as the party from Keintaung with the 

 annual tribute was expected to reach Pochla (which is one long day's 

 march from this) in four or five days after the order would reach me, 

 theTseet-kay sent a message by the people who brought it, advising me 

 to join them at that place, when we should form a party of nearly 

 200 people, and strong enough to bid defiance to any of the marauding 

 parties which still infested the road. On the morning of the 18th, I 

 left Neaung-eue, but owing to the unmanageableness of one of the 

 elephants and the loss of two of our horses, I did not reach Pochla till 

 next night, where we found the Shans had arrived in the morning. The 

 following day continued our march for Ava. On the 23rd at the village 

 of Yea-guan we met the Shoe-hlan-bo who has been appointed governor 

 of the Shan countries under the new government, in the room of Meng- 

 myat-boo the king's brother ; as his is the supreme authority now 

 throughout the whole country from Nat-tike to Kein-young-gyee, 

 6 o 



