e military equipment of the Chinese soldiers of
Western Yunnan. The soldier who was with me to-day was a type of the
warlike sons of China, not only in the province bordering on Burma, but,
with slight differences, all over the Middle Kingdom. Now, physically,
this man was fit to be drafted into any army in the world, but, apart
from his endurance, his value as a fighting machine lay in the weapon
with which the military authorities had armed him. This weapon was
peculiar; I noted down its peculiarities on the spot. In this weapon the
spring of the trigger was broken so that it could not be pulled; if it
had been in order, there was no cap for the hammer to strike; if there
had been a cap, it would have been of no use because the pinhole was
rusted; even if the pinhole had been open, the rifle would still have
been ineffective because it was not loaded, for the very good reason
that the soldier had not been provided with powder, or, if he had, he
had been compelled to sell it in order to purchase the rice which the
Emperor, "whose rice he ate," had neglected to send him.

An early start in the morning and we descended quickly to the River
Shweli.

[Illustration: THE RIVER SHWELI AND ITS SUSPENSION BRIDGE.]

The Salween River is at an elevation of 2600 feet. Forty-five li further
the road reaches at Fengshui-ling a height of 8730, from which point, in
thirty-five li, it dips again to the River Shweli, 4400 feet above sea
level. There was the usual suspension bridge at the river, and the
inevitable likin-barrier. For the first time the Customs officials
seemed inclined to delay me. I was on foot, and separated from my men by
half the height of the hill. The collectors, and the underlings who are
always hanging about the barriers, gathered round me and interrogated me
closely. They spoke to me in Chinese, and with insufficient deference.
The Chinese seem imbued with the mistaken belief that their language is
the vehicle of intercourse not only within the four seas, but beyond
them, and are often arrogant in consequence. I answered them in English.
"I don't understand one word you say, but, if you wish to know," I said,
energetically, "I come from Shanghai." "Shanghai," they exclaimed, "he
comes from Shanghai!" "And I am bound for Singai" (Bhamo);--"Singai,"
they repeated, "he is going to Singai!"--"unless the Imperial
Government, suspicious of my intentions, which the meanest intelligence
can see are pacific, should prev