356 MEMOIR OF A SURVEY OF 



were taken prisoners with the Burmans at Rangpur, but they were not 

 present with the Ambassadors, having been detained by some accident on 

 the river.* 



It may be supposed that I did not neglect to take advantage of these 

 opportunities to investigate as fully as I was able the probability of any 

 connexion of the Irawadi with the Sanpo, but though the existence of a 

 large eastern branch of the former river, hitherto unknown, was proved, 

 there appeared every reason to conclude, both from the information of 

 these various tribes, and from the want of magnitude of any of the branches 

 of the Irawadi, that the Sanpo could not possibly have its exit to the 

 ocean by this channel. 



The Bisa Gam, with the Singfos from Hiikung, constructed several 

 maps for me of that valley, and the route to it from Sadiya ; and some 

 of them who had travelled to the sources of the Diking, confirmed the 

 accounts previously received from the Luri Gohain, of the route to the 

 Khamti settlement on the Irawadi. 



The season was too far advanced now for an expedition to the Mish- 

 mi hills to the eastward, as the frequent rains made the state of the rivu- 

 lets so uncertain. My scheme of crossing to the Irawadi was considered 

 too hazardous in the present state of our relations with the Singfos. It 

 remained then only to wait patiently at Sadiya, for the return of the cold 

 season, and in the mean time to undertake what little was practicable in 

 the way of survey in the neighbourhood. But the rivers could afford the 

 only means of seeing the interior of the country, the dense jungles being 



* Amongst the Ambassadors were Shams, wearing the Chinese dress, who were in the 

 habit of passing the frontier, were acquainted with the language, and dwelt within the boundaries 

 of Yunan, as they are exhibited in our maps. 



