416 



Captain Hannai/s Route 



[Oct. 



is fit for ornaments, is expensive, varying in price according to its co- 

 lour and transparency*." 



" The Chinese sometimes pay in silver for the amber, but they also 

 bring with them warm jackets, carpets, straw hats, copper pots, and 

 opium, which they give in exchange for it. They also bai ter their 

 merchandize for ivory and gold dust, but only in small quantities. A 

 few individuals from the Burman territories likewise come here, with 

 cloths of their own manufacture, and also a small quantity of British 

 piece goods for sale. But as they are obliged on their way hither to 

 pass through the country of the most uncivilized of the Kakhyen tribes, 

 they seldom venture to come. The greatest part therefore of British 

 and Burman manufactures which are used in this valley, are brought 

 from Mogaung by Sin gpho merchants. But I understand that within 

 the last few years, several of them have gone to Assam with gold dust, 

 ivory, and a little silver, for which they receive in return muskets, 

 cloths, spirits, and opium. The following is a list of British piece 

 goods now selling at Meinkhwon— common book-muslin used as head 

 dresses, 14 rupees a piece ; coarse broad cloth worn as shawls, 21 yards 

 long, 18 rupees each ; good cotton handkerchiefs, 4 rupees a pair ; and 

 coarse ones, 21 rupees a pair. These are the prices of goods bought at 

 Ava, but what similar articles from Assam may cost, I cannot ascertain. 

 The broad cloth, however, that 1 have seen from the latter place is of a 

 very superior quality. The merchants who come to this valley from 

 the Burman territories are natives of Fo, and the man who is now sell- 

 ing goods here has frequently visited Calcutta. The dress worn by the 

 Singphos of this valley is similar to that of the Shans and Burmans of 

 Mogaung, but they frequently wear jackets of red camlet, or different 

 velvets which they ornament with buttons, and those who can afford it 

 wear a broad-cloth shawl. The arms in common use amongst them 

 are the dhu (or short sword) and spear. The women wear neat jack- 

 ets of dark coarse cotton cloth, and their thamines or petticoats are full 

 and fastened round the waist with a band, being altogether a much 

 more modest dress than that worn by the Burman women. Those who 

 are married, wear their hair tied on the crown of the head like the 

 men, but the younger ones wear theirs tied close to the back of the 

 neck, and fastened with silver pins— both married and single wear 

 white muslin turbans. The ornaments generally worn by them are 

 amber ear-rings, silver bracelets, and necklaces of beads, a good deal 



* Specimens in matrice are deposited in the Society's Museum,— Ed. 



