138

CHARMS LET INTO THE FLESH.

but have their hair dressed either in the ancient or modern Siamese styles. The modern style much resembles the European fashion; the ancient style consists in shaving the sides and back of the head, and merely leaving a tuft like a clothes-brush at the crown. Their bodies are tattooed from the waist downwards, sometimes as far as the ankle. This custom does not now extend either to the Siamese or to the Lao Shans, who occupy Luang Prabang and the portion of the Meh Kong valley that lies to the south of it, although tattooing is known to have been general among their ancestors in the country to the north and south of the Yangtze Kiang long before our era commenced. It is not unlikely that the Burmese acquired the habit from the Shans. tattooing generally consists of figures of birds and beasts and mythical monsters, including dragons and ogres. Men who prize the reputation of being dare-devils have charms in the form of cabalistic signs, arrangements of numbers and words, contained in squares tattooed in red on their chest, back, and

arms.

The

The tattooing instrument is a single split needle set in a heavy brass socket. Having filled the needle with a preparation of indigo, the operator pricks the pattern by a series of small punctures into the skin. Vermilion is used when tattooing the upper part of the body.

Some dacoits let in talismans under the flesh, and precious stones are carried about in the same manner. The talismans are mystical incantations inscribed on gold, silver, lead, pebbles, pieces of tortoise-shell, or even horn. It is not at all uncommon to meet a Shan with several knobs on his chest, concealing the talismans that he has inserted as charms to render him proof against bullet and sword. There is per

haps not a man in the country who does not carry about with him one or more charms; some string them like beads and wear them as necklaces.

As a rule, the Zimmé Shans are a very quiet and tractable people, and have a strong sense of what is just and right. Very few crimes occur among them: this may be partly due to the people not being allowed to leave their neighbourhood without the permission of their local head-men,

SURVEYING UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

139

and to villagers being held responsible for any loss or crime that may occur in their district, unless they can prove that the loss was accidental, or can trace the crime to the culprit.

Having enjoyed our Sunday's rest, we left early the next morning, and continued skirting, and frequently crossing, the stream. The deep forest through which we passed was scented by the fragrance of bauhinea-blossoms, and decked with the flowers of the pinleh kathyt and poukbin. The covering of my howdah was soon nearly destroyed by the bamboo-bushes, which in places had partly overgrown the path. The mahouts were lopping off the overhanging branches and sprays that were likely to interfere with the howdahs; the elephants were tugging down saplings and crushing them under foot; and I had to be constantly on the alert to guard against the spear-points of the lopped bamboos that pierced through the roof and threatened to poke out my eyes. Surveying the constant twists of the path under such circumstances is both difficult and dangerous.

The valley became wider as we proceeded, and little plains from 400 to 800 feet across were of frequent occurrence. The procession of elephants frequently closed up, owing to our having to cut our way, and I was able to see the pranks the little elephant accompanying the prince played with the men he was making little rushes and hustling them over, and at times giving a sudden lurch as he trotted by them, which, unless they were ready and nimble, had the same effect. Every one was laughing at each other's discomfiture, and Ramasawmy, Dr Cushing's boy, was crowning Portow's great straw hat, unbeknown to him, with a garland of leaves.

The granite boulders ceased near the 288th mile, where pine-trees still crowned the low spurs on either side of us. Shortly afterwards we passed a caravan of thirty-one laden. cattle. Soon great glades appeared in the forest, which gradually assumed a park-like appearance, and it became apparent that we were on a great rolling and formerly cultivated plain which extended as far as the eye could reach. Through

140

122

PLAIN DEPOPULATED.

the vast plateau now spread before us, the Meh Low, flowing north, passes on its way to the Meh Kong, and to the east of it the Meh Wung, flowing south, proceeds to join the Meh Ping. The dip to the Meh Low was not perceptible, and the rise in the plateau dividing that river from the Meh Wung seemed one with that which we were descending. Loi Mun Moo, the range to the east of the Meh Wung, was 18 miles distant, and not perceptible, being hidden by the haze. The water-parting between the two rivers, I found on a subsequent journey, was only 2148 feet above the sea, or 181 feet lower than the camp we had breakfasted at.

<114

81,

SOURCE OF

THE MEH WUNG

LIMESTONE PEAKS

FOREST AND BAMBOO JUNGLE

View of Loi Mok and the head of the Meh Wung at 4.42 P.M. 10th March.

The plain had evidently been at one time under cultivation, as very few trees had been left standing: the population had doubtless been swept away in the wars of last century, and was still too sparse to cultivate onetwentieth of the splendid plain. The scrubjungle and grass on the slope of the high plateau to the north-west was in a blaze as we turned to the north and approached it; the elephants began trumpeting with fear, and we were forced to make a slight detour in order to prevent them from becoming panicstricken. Elephants, although immense in size, are very timid, and easily startled. We had to take them off the path and turn their heads away into the jungles whenever we heard the tinkling bells of an approaching caravan; and they will turn tail and run at the sight of any audacious little dog that thinks fit to bark at them. I have been told that their eyes slightly magnify objects, and they imagine the little dogs are much larger than they really are. This may be so, but one requires to be very cautious in accepting such statements from gentlemen who, on meeting a stranger, are glad to take him in.

431

-420

333

REACH VIANG PA POW.

141

Near the 295th mile I entered the rice-fields of Ban Fuee Hai, and after crossing the Meh Low, 30 feet broad, 8 feet deep, with 1 foot of water, halted near Viang Pa Pow to sketch the hills in which the Meh Wung takes its rise. We camped for the night at three rest-houses lying to the north-west of the palisade and moat of the city. Another rest-house in palisaded grounds at the south-west of the city has been set apart for the residence of the local demons, and their offerings are frequently made to appease them and keep them in good temper. Our camp was 300 miles from Hlineboay, and 1721 feet above the sea.

CHAPTER XIV.

A CHINESE FORTIFICATION-CHINESE ARMY DESTROYED BY FAMINEVIANG PA POW-KIANG TUNG LAWAS-WITCH VILLAGES-AN INTELLIGENT PRINCE- BEST DIRECTION FOR RAILWAY — PURCHASE AN OX FOR FOOD-AN ANCIENT LAKE-LEAVE PA POW-UPPER GORGE OF THE MEH LOW-KIANG TUNG LAWAS A JUNG TRIBE, AND DISTINCT FROM BAU LAWAS-BURMESE SHANS-CATTLE WITH NOSE-BAGS AND MASKS-EFFECT OF SOIL ON FOLIAGE-SURPRISES IN THE JUNGLETEMPLE AT BAU MEH PIK-OFFERINGS TO DECEASED ANCESTORS THE VALLEY OF THE MEH SOOAY A GAME-PRESERVE-INDICATIONS OF GOLD-ROAD TO VIANG POW-LOWER GORGE OF THE MEH LOW

PORTOW, THE LITTLE ELEPHANT'S PLAYMATE-LOI KOOK-LOI CHANG

1888

SHANS RETURNING FROM FRONTIER DUTY-UNWARRANTABLE ACTION OF CHINESE GENERAL-KIANG HUNG SHANS BURMESE SUBJECTS IN 1886-REMOVAL OF CAPITAL-KIANG HUNG ANNEXED BY BRITISH IN SHANS DREAD ENTERING DESERTED TEMPLES DECEASED MONKS CLASSED AS DEMONS WORSHIPPING DECEASED MONKSSUICIDE OF A PRINCESS AND TWO OF HER MAIDS-SOUSED BY AN ELEPHANT COURTESY OF THE CHOW HONA OF KIANG HAI-AN IMMENSE PLAIN.

VIANG PA POW-the City of the Croton Forest—is a Viang Hau or Yunnan-Chinese city, which was fortified and stockaded by the Chinese when they sent four armies to attack Burmah (A.D. 1765-69), and was unoccupied when M'Leod passed it in 1837. The Chinese forces are said to have been much harassed by the Lawas and other hill tribes, and being entirely cut off from their supplies, had to kill their ponies for food, and ultimately to retreat. Famine proved their chief enemy, and very few lived to reach Yunnan.

The city is surrounded by a double moat and an inner rampart, the latter palisaded on the top with teak-logs