290 Literary Intelligence , §c. [No. 
Gallic friends are. I think it highly important that the Shan States 
he made interested in the British policy before they are permitted to 
he played on by French influence. 
In the midst of this excitement here, I await with confidence the 
opening up of the country. The Woongyee has indeed appeared to 
be convinced that my going over the country can do nothing but 
good, and has even hinted a day or two since, that he will do his 
best to get the sanction of the king to my examining whatever 
mountains I wish to visit, and looking at what I want with all the 
assistance they can give me. This Iron has had an effect on them. 
The king has been told of it, more than once, and discussions have 
taken place how to best reap the benefit of what I have shown to 
them. I shall hint that they might reward me by giving me the 
opportunity to throw open to them other sources of wealth. The 
Woongyee has hinted that I might perhaps go over mountains, &c., 
with this view. 
I give you a short account of my visit to the Iron Stone mountain. 
On Sunday evening, 29th June, I sent to the Prince, to say that 
I thought rain would fall heavily after a few days, and would like to 
go to the Iron mountain “ to-morrow” or next day. The reply was 
an elephant at my disposal at 9 o’clock that evening and ten 
musketeers would be ready to accompany me in the morning, when 
before starting His royal Highness wished to see me. 
On Monday morning then, the Prince ordered the men in com¬ 
mand of the militia to take care no dacoits or thieves came near me, 
and requested me to take care of fever and particularly not to stay 
many nights at the dangerous place. 
Turning the Mandaley (“ Mandive” in Yule’s Map) hill on the 
west and north sides, we skirted the immense artificial reservoir of 
the “ Mandaugan,” cutting through the south-east part in a north 
easterly course, till we neared the little villages that lie between it 
and the foot of the precipitate Shan mountains, like oases in a green 
desert, for the plain was all green paddy, and the village sites were 
clumps of bamboo, palm, mangoe and tamarind trees with little 
gardens and patches of Plantain trees. After about (5) miles, we 
came upon ground evidently formerly cultivated for paddy, but now 
left to the white dhatura, the euphorbias, and scanty herbage, for 
want of rain. My Mahout, a native of this district, said for the last 
