over time,* and who pass on the head to each other's laps as the old year goes out and the new one comes in.†

* This tradition, also, is not improbably connected with the Pleiades. See note at foot of page 91.

In describing the above festival and the boxing-match, I have, with the author's permission, drawn largely upon "Heathen and Holy Lands," by Lieut. -Col. J. P. Briggs, a work containing many good sketches of the habits and customs of the Burmese.

CHAPTER III.

FOUR YEARS' ADMINISTRATION OF BRITISH BURMA,

1867-1871.

Our commerce with China confined to sea ports.-Ancient overland commerce between Burma and Western China via Bhamo.-Brought to a close in 1855.-Early history of the Panthays or Chinese Mahomedans.-They establish a Mahommedan kingdom in Yunnan. -Monoply of trade between Burma and Yunnan confined to Chinese inhabitants of Mandalay and Bhamo.-Their jealousy regarding it.-Despatch of a Mission under Major Sladen to Western China viâ Bhamo.—Burmese suspicion of it.The King ultimately sends the expedition in his own steamer to Bhamo.Hill ranges and valleys occupied by Kakhyens and Shans.-Description of these tribes.-The Governor of Bhamo defeated and slain by the Kakhyens.-Difficulties of the Mission in consequence.-The Mission starts for Momein.-Secret agencies at work to stop the Mission.—Mission delayed at Ponsee.-Delay profitable in some ways.-Valuable collection of specimens of natural history made by Dr. Anderson.-Bambusicola Fytchii. Kakhyen ideas of marriage.-Their superstitious observances.— Communication opened with the Governor of Momein.-The Chinese freebooter, Li Hsieh-tai.-Destruction of his stronghold.-Mission escorted by Shans and Panthays to Momein.-Hospitality of Ta-sa-kon.--All objects of Mission successfully obtained.—Mission returns to Bhamo.— Return journey quite an ovation.-Description of Kakhyen oath.—Exposition of the policy in despatching the Mission.-Objects not political but commercial.-The tact and gallantry shown by Major Sladen.— Favourable view taken by him of the Panthay rebellion.-Policy of the British Government towards Yacoob Beg, Sultan of Kaskgar.-An English political agent appointed to Bhamo.-Large increase of trade.-A Panthay Embassy proceeds to England viâ Rangoon and Calcutta.-Collapse of Mahomedan power in Yunnan.-Despatch of a second Mission to Western China.-Its failure. - Murder of Mr. Margary.-Lord Lawrence retires from the Viceroyalty of India.-Lord Mayo appointed Viceroy.— Correspondence with Lord Mayo.-Important measures carried out during my administration of British Burma.-Speech at a public dinner.

THE details of four years' administration of a province like British Burma would have but little

interest for English readers.

Blue books respecting

remote regions do not constitute the popular reading of the day, yet measures have been carried out in Burma which might have engaged the attention of the empire. The expedition which I sent to China was of this description. It opened up scenes and countries which had been for generations a terra incognita to Europeans. It brightened up the hopes of every merchant in Burma with the prospect of new markets for British industry, new fields for British capital and enterprise.

Few

Our intercourse with China has been of growing importance for more than two centuries, but hitherto it has been confined to the sea-ports. attempts *have been made to open it up on the land side, and for all practical purposes the interior of China has been a sealed book to Europeans. Yet within the memory of the present generation, a prosperous trade was carried on between Upper Burma and Western China.

Burma, amongst other articles of minor importance, exported cotton, salt, and rubies; China exported silk, tea, and gold leaf. The intermediate region between the two countries consists of hills and valleys occupied by barbarous and semi-civilized

* The routes surveyed by Major Sladen, as also those by Dr. Richardson, Captain McLeod, and other explorers in different parts of Burma and the adjacent countries, are shown in the accompanying map.

tribes known as Kakhyens and Shans. They are as ignorant and credulous as children, but are fully alive to the profits of the carrying trade. This state of things was brought to a close by political revolutions.

About 1855 the Panthays* established a Mahommedan kingdom in the province of Yunnan in Western China. The Chinese failed to crush the movement. The local Chinese authorities ignored it in the eyes of the central authority at Pekin. Indeed, they could have had no desire to draw the attention of the imperial government to their own weakness and incapacity. Meanwhile they tried to harass the Panthay dominion after Chinese fashion. They encouraged the freebooters, who preyed upon the Panthay kingdom from all sides, and so far they succeeded in cutting off the Mahommedan dominion from the world of civilization.

On the side of Burma these freebooters had put an effectual stop to the trade, or only suffered it to pass on the payment of a heavy black mail. The result was that the trade became small but profit

The Panthays belong to the Sunni sect of the Mahommedans. In physical aspect they are a tall, strongly built, fair-skinned, race, with a type of face differing distinctly from the Chinese. Their dress for the most part resembles the Chinese; but, unlike them, they wear their hair long, coiled in the folds of large white turbans. In character they are great traders, very industrious and enterprising. A memorandum on their origin and early history, together with other matters connected with the race, read by me before a meeting of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in December, 1867, will be found in the Appendix. (Appendix E.)

VOL. II.

H

able. It was a monopoly in the hands of the Chinese of Bhamo and Mandalay, who bribed the freebooters and did their utmost to keep what little trade there was entirely under their own control.

The revival of this trade under British auspices would render Burma the most flourishing province in the empire of British India. It would open out a new market for British manufactures, which in due time would extend over a greater area than that of India. But, before this could be attempted, it was necessary to arrive at the actual facts. Accordingly, the main purpose of the expedition of 1868 was to investigate thoroughly the causes of the cessation of trade: to discover the exact political condition of the hill tribes between Burma and China, known as Kakhyens and Shans: to obtain as much information as possible respecting the Panthay kingdom in Yunnan and to endeavour to interest the local communities in the restoration and extension of the trade.

:

It was obvious that the success of any expedition to Western China depended upon its being cordially supported at starting by the Burmese government. All this had been apparently secured by my treaty of 1867. The Burmese ministers issued orders or said they had issued orders to the Governor of the frontier town of Bhamo, and to the head men of all the towns and villages on the route, to make every arrangement in anticipation of the