Chinese are to be found, and the few that
are here seen, are ultra-provincials; none are acquainted with the
manufacture of tea. This article is procurable here, but at a high rate;
it is sold in flat cakes of some diameter; it is black, coarse, with
scarcely any smell, and in taste not much superior to the Assamese
article; 20 tickals weight sells for 1.25. All the blue cloths of the
Shans are dyed, Bayfield informs me, with Ruellia, or jungle indigo.

It is with these people that the only trade seems to be carried on, and
this is limited to amber and serpentine. They are very dirty, and
excessively penurious, but industrious. Owing to their habits and
extreme penury, there is no outlet for our manufactures in this
direction; so that I fully agree with Hannay's statement, that 500 rupees
worth of British goods would be unabsorbed for some years. Rosa is
common, also a Rumex; a Sisymbroid plant also occurs. Among the trees,
all which are stunted, Gmelina arborea occurs. There are some Assamese
slaves here among the people, one of them is said to be a relation of
Chundra Kant, the Suddiya chief: slaves are held in very small estimation
with the Burmese. Thus Bayfield asked his writer, who such a one
standing near him was, whether a Shan or Singpho? The man answered, "My
lord, it is not a man; it is a Waidalee."

Altogether, Mogoung is an uninteresting place; the surrounding plains are
barren-looking, and inhospitable, and clothed with grass. Here and there
a ragged Nauclea, Careya, etc. is visible with Gmelina arborea. The
undershrubs are chiefly a Rhamnoidea, and a Phyllanthus. Rosa is common;
Rumex and Nasturtium are both met with.

News arrived yesterday evening to the effect, that the King is drowned,
the heir-apparent in the palace: and that Colonel Burney is with
Thurrawadi!!!

My collections up to this place amount to 900 species.

_April 19th_.--Left at 12, and halted after having gone about four
miles. The river continues the same as above; it is a good deal impeded
by trees, and much more so by sandbanks.

_April 20th_.--Reached Tapaw in the afternoon; our progress is,
however, very slow the stream being slight, but the river is much
improved; being less spread out, owing to its greater proximity to the
low hills: often very deep, generally clothed with jungle to the water's
edge. On the hills near Tapaw are some Khukeens of the Thampraw tribe,
and on these hills bitter tea is reported to be