1870.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society* 233 



Early the next morning we made enquiry for the letter, but 

 were again told that our haste was ill-mannered. " The Gham," 

 they said, " eats first, and after that he is at liberty to pay atten- 

 tion to matters of less importance." About noon we obtained pos- 

 session of the letter, which was written in Shan, the Singfoos 

 having no written character of their own. A Kamptee boy, who 

 came with us from Assam, read out the contents, of which the fol- 

 lowing is a translation : — 



" Sibbom Gham and Seroj Gham having consulted all the other 

 Ghams send this. Jenkins Sahib is not permitted to visit our vil- 

 lages. No European has ever come this way. If the Sahib wishes 

 to see our country, he should come through Burmah. The Ghams 

 will not allow him to come by the Patkoi. He must return." — By 

 Legandoi messenger. 



Ningroo Menoh then handed us another slip of paper conveying 

 to him the following instructions : — 



To Ningroo Menoh. 



" Detain the Sahib at your village till you hear from us. If you 

 are unable to detain him or turn him back, send us a message, 

 and let your messenger travel day and night." Erom Sibbom and 

 Seroj Ghams. 



On questioning Legandoi, the bearer of these letters, he at first 

 laid the whole blame on the Burmese Woon or Governor of 

 Magong, who, it appears, though he does not attempt to govern 

 the Singfoos, is supposed to exercise political control over them to 

 a certain extent. It would seem, however, that the influence this 

 officer possesses in Hookoong at present is little more than nomi- 

 nal ; for the messenger explained that when the Ghams are agreed 

 amongst themselves as to any particular line of conduct, they ig- 

 nore the existence of the "Woon. Burmese authority, he told us, 

 was maintained by the excitement of dissensions amongst the 

 different clans — no single Chief who has any cause of disagreement 

 with his neighbours dares incur the displeasure of the Woon, lest 

 the Chiefs with whom he is at variance should be invited to burn 

 and plunder his village. 



Whatever the cause may be, it is certain that the Burmese are 

 heartily detested by the Singfoos. 



