2 COGGIN BROWN : MINES & MINERAL' RESOURCES OF YUNNAN. 



bated are the Miaos, but they are only found in small and scattered 

 communities. In the south-west, between the Sahveen and the 

 Mekong are the La-hus, who with their cross-bows and poisoned 

 arrows proved formidable foes to the Chinese troops a few years 

 ago. Near them live the Was, many of whom are still unconquered 

 and still carry on their head-hunting raids. Their relatives, the 

 somewhat more civilized Las, occupy much of the country near 

 the southern part of the Burma-Yunnan frontier. In the south 

 of Yunnan are the P'u-mans ; and further east are the Wo-nis 

 and many other tribes speaking Lo-lo dialects/' (D, pp. 307-308.) 

 In addition to these, mention must be made of the various 

 Shan clans which are distributed throughout the valleys and plains 

 but attain their maximum development in the western parts of 

 Yunnan. 



On the west, Yunnan is bounded by Burma, Assam and Tibet ; 

 on the north by the province of Ssu-ch'uan ; on the east by the 

 provinces of Kuei-chou and Kuang-hsi and on the south by Tong- 

 king. The western frontier of the province is naturally the most 

 important one from the Indian point of view :— At a common 

 point on the Mekong river in east longitude 101° 9', and north 

 latitude 21° 47', the three Empires of British India, China and 

 French Indo-China meet. Northwards from this point the frontier 

 line between Burma and China stretches, in an irregular direction, 

 for some 900 miles till the confines of Tibet are reached. As far 

 as latitude 26° 16' the boundary between the two countries has 

 been more or less demarcated, but beyond this point a little known 

 region inhabited by wild and savage tribes is passed through. The 

 frontier line through this wild tract remains undefined and uncertain. 

 following generally the line of the watershed of the Irrawaddy 

 and Salween rivers. 



With the exception of the great journey of Marco Polo, Yunnan 

 was not visited by Europeans until comparatively recent times 

 and but little was previously known about its geography or resources. 

 From the official Chinese point of view there appears to have 

 been a tendency to regard the province as a mere outpost 

 of the Empire, but this view was finally disposed of by the Mahome- 

 dan rebellion which raged for thirty years and was only quelled 

 in 1873 by the fall of Ta-li Fu. 4 



Apart from its size, population and the political importance 

 of its frontiers, marching as they do for hundreds of miles with both 



