212 
Notice of Dr. Richardson’s 
[July 
Old Louberfe, in his account of Siam, says, that he understood Chi&m4tobe 15 
days above the frontiers of Siam ; and in his map he places it far too high — in 
north latitude 25°. The authors of the Universal History place it in about 20°. 
30'; Dalrymple in his map in Symes’s Ava, and Mr. Crawfurd in the map 
accompanying his account of Siam, place it in about Lat. 20°. 15'. Ia any 
map of Siam I had placed it still lower — in Lat. 20°. But Dr. Richardson, 
from some altitudes of the sun, which he was able to observe at Labfing, but 
upon which he is not disposed to rely implicitly, would place Zemi so low as 
19°, or even less. Mendez Pinto gave some account of Zemi in 1545 ; but 
the best description of it is given by an English traveller, Fitch, who went 
there in 1587. He says he was twenty-five days travelling to it from the city of 
Pegu, shaping his course morth*east, and that he passed through many pleasant 
and fruitful countries, which were very flat and full of rivers. Dr. Richardson 
found the road difficult and mountainous, and saw few traces of habitations. This 
country, like every other in this quarter, although by early European travellers 
described to possess a very dense population, can now only show desolate wastes, 
with insignificant towns, and a scanty impoverished race of inhabitants. Dr. R. 
saw only some small villages besides the town of Labfing, the population of which 
even he does not think exceeds 2500 souls. I take this Labfing to be the same 
place which the Siamese name Lamphfin, but Crawfurd in his map has it down 
by the name of Labfin, and places it correctly with reference to his Chang-me. 
The chief of Labung lias the same title given him by his people as that applied 
to the king of Siam, — Chao-Chivit ; i. e. Lord of life or soul. He described himself 
as being the chief of Northern Laos, governing not only Labfing, but Zemi, and a 
large town called by the Burmese Lagwfin, and by the Siamese Lac,hw6n; the 
same as Mr. Crawfurd’s Dagfin ; the D in which I take to be a mistake for L- — 
The c,h of the Siamese is pronounced like g by the Burmese, according to a well- 
known rule in their language. The chief and people of Labfing took great pains 
to assure Dr. R. that they are not tributary to Siam, and that they only occasionally 
send some teak timber down to llangcfic, once in six years. But putting aside 
what I ascertained at Bangc6c, I am satisfied from all Dr. R. states, that this part 
of Northern Laos is subject to Siam, and that the latter exercises as much controul 
over the former, as the power or caprice of the one and the weakness of the other 
may suggest or permit. The moment Dr. R. arrived at Labung, an express was 
sent down to Bangc6c, to which also Mr. Maingy’s presents were carefully pack- 
ed up and forwarded ; and the utmost anxiety was shown for a reply from Siam. 
The chiefs of Northern Laos assisted with a force the Siamese invasion of 
Southern Laos, and destruction of its capital, L6.ncha.ng, or rather Vlncb,hang, 
about two years ago ; and the Siamese monarch detains at Bangcfic as hostages, 
several of the sons and relations of the chief of Labfing. Zemi, you may recol- 
lect, is said by Dr. Bucbanan to have been subject to Ava about the time of Col. 
Symes’s mission in 1795. But not shortly after, the Siamese appear to have 
recovered it; and as the language of the people is very nearly the same as that of 
Siam, their subjection to, or dependence on, the latter state, is the more natural 
condition. 
Ur. R. was not allowed to visit Zemi, and he was privately informed, that the 
Labung chief was afraid of his learning at Zemi, that some of the captive Burmese, 
who had been taken during the war from the country near Martabhn, and who 
liad been ordered by the king of Siam to be released upon my requisition at 
Bangcfic, are still detained at Labfing. 
Dr. R. describes the country of Labfing to abound in elephants and cattle. He 
saw no wheat, and observed that the principal grain used by the people is the de- 
scription of glutinous rice called by the Malays Paint, and by the Burmese cauc- 
nhiigen . He saw no snow’ or lrost, hut the thermometer at 8 a. m. was so low as 
46°. He could not see the snowy range of mountains to the north, nor does he 
appear to have observed any very lofty mountains. The language of the people is, 
as 1 have before said, the same as that of Siam, with some slight difference of 
dialect. The appearance of the men did not strike him as being of so robust and 
large a make as what usually distinguishes the northern race. But the women 
are eminently handsome and fair, with fine large gazelle eyes, showing no re- 
semblance, which is surprising, to the Tartar or Chinese eye. Dr. R. has reason 
to believe that a great part of the population consists of a mixed race between the 
Siamese and Burmese, or Laos and Burmese. He learnt that the cruel and hor- 
rible system of border warfare and man-catching, to which our occupation of the 
Tennasserim provinces has put an end to the southward, still continues in force 
