1867.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 181 



whatever creed or denomination. The dress of the Panthays is in 

 accordance, for the most part, with Chinese habit ; though many of them 

 cut their hair to a certain length, and allow it to fall back on the nape 

 of the neck. They also wear, in many instances, a distinctive turban 

 of more ample form than in use amongst Chinese. They are fair, tall, 

 and strongly built men : are an interesting race or community of 

 people : and after twelve years of absolute government in Yunan, it is 

 not improbable that their future independence is secure. 



" Panthay traders state that, during the past year, an embassy was 

 received from the Emperor of China, in which the Imperial Government 

 sued for a cessation of hostilities, and volunteered to cede Yunan to 

 the Panthays, provided they would come to terms, and commit no 

 further acts of aggression on neighbouring Provinces. The offer it is 

 said was indignantly refused, and the Embassy was obliged to return to 

 Pekin, without accomplishing its object. 



This, if true, bodes evil to our future intercourse with China through 

 Yunan by Railway or otherwise. The trade via Bamo between China 

 and upper Burma, amounted in 1854 (the year before the Mahomedan 

 insurrection) to half a million of pounds sterling. No caravans from 

 Sechuen or other Provinces of China, since the establishment of Ma- 

 homedan rule, have passed through Yunan ; and trade by this route has 

 almost altogether ceased. But with Yunan alone, a large trade was for- 

 merly carried on, and it is hoped that the caravan route, at any 

 rate, may be shortly re-opened. It possesses the unusual advantage 

 of having been used for centuries as a line of traffic, and has main- 

 tained its vitality hitherto among all the disturbing influences of the 

 flow and ebb of the Chinese and Burmese power, and is a cogent proof 

 of the necessity for interchange of commodities between the respective 

 countries. 



"An apparent interminable feud has doubtless arisen between theMan- 

 chur dynasty, and the Mahomedan population of China which may, pro- 

 bably combined with other numerous causes, ultimately end disas- 

 trously to that dynasty. How long it will take for the Chinese Govern- 

 ment to disintegrate and reappear under a new form ; what effect such 

 a change would have on the independent Mahomedan population of the 

 Western Provinces ; and whether the change will be brought about by 

 them, are questions which may probably affect a future generation, 



