GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEYS AND EXPLORATIONS. 167 



proceeded with the troops to the Ruby Mines, returning from 

 Mogok, the ruby-mining centre, to Thabeitkyun on the Irawadi. 

 He also took advantage in March of the return of the Tsawbwa of 

 Thibaw from Mandalay to his capital, under escort, to accompany 

 the party which travelled through ISTammaw and Goteik to Thibaw, 

 where he halted and explored the surrounding country. The area 

 reconnoitered and mapped during these various expeditions in the 

 Northern Shan States and the Ruby Mines district amounted to 

 about 3,000 square miles. Major Hobday remarks of the Shans 

 that he believes them to be a peace-loving community, who have 

 only been excited to wage war one against another by the intriguing 

 resident Burmese officials appointed from time to time by the 

 Burmese court. They are naturally very fond of trade, and along 

 every road are to be met hawking their wares. The country is 

 very deserted in parts owing to the petty wars and disturbances 

 prevalent of late years. Lieutenant Jackson, the next officer in 

 charge, was similarly engaged with various expeditions, and his 

 out-turn, together with that of the sub-surveyor with him, also 

 amounted to about 3,000 square miles of reconnaissance survey. 



The general results of the work of these officers, as well as that 

 accomplished by Mr. Wyatt and others belonging to the Upper 

 Burma party, consisted of an area of 15,000 square miles triangu- 

 lated and 11,000 square miles of reconnaissance survey. The 

 difficulties in a country like Upper Burma are very great owing 

 to the dense forests, undergrowth, and high grass encountered 

 almost everywhere, in addition to which an impenetrable haze 

 fills the air from March to the commencement of the rains. 

 These drawbacks, coupled with the necessity of keeping up with 

 troops marching from 10 to 15 miles a day, rendered the carrying 

 on of a connected triangulation and topography a matter of great 

 difficulty, and Captain Hobday and his coadjutors received the 

 special commendation of the Commander-in-Chief for their labours. 



A small survey party accompanied the military column which was 

 despatched from Assam by way of Manipur into the Chindwin 

 valley to co-operate with the field force in Upper Burma, and 

 Colonel "VVoodthorpe, who had just returned from Gilgit, where 

 he had been for more than a year with Sir W. Lockhart's mission, 

 at once volunteered for the work. He selected as his assistant 

 Mr. M. J. Ogle, who had previously accompanied him in various 

 expeditions on the north-east frontier. The results comprised 



