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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[FEBRUARY, 1897.
We this day passed through several villages, all well inhabited, men, women, and children flocking to look at as; they were all very respectful, and did not appear in any way alarmed; many of them, from their mode of making salaam, had evidently met with Europeans before. To prove the entire ignorance we were in as to the nature of the country, it was always understood that the Upper Provinces depended on the vicinity of Rangoon and Bassein for their supply of grain, and that oer having the possession of these places would cut off the supplies from the interior, when, in fact, the reverse is the case, as we could now plainly see, for almost the whole country we bad passed from the banks of the Irawaddy was far better cultivated than any we had seen elsewhere. We this day passed by the village of Sheegeoun, which is inbabited by Shans, a very warlike race; they are something similar to the Burmese in appearance, but with features rather more prominent, and they wear loose trousers instead of the silk or cotton loungee worn by the Burmese. We thigday encamped at the village of Ketengah, situated on the banks of the Mine River. The country about is low and jungly. This is the southern boundary of the Lehdine District.
In the evening we had a fine view of the mountains, and in the morning (20th March) we moved at daybreak, and, after twice crossing the Mine River, arrived at the foot of the first range of bills, and were now on the eve of deciding the so-much-questioned point of “whether there was a practicable road or ot from Ava, through, or over, the Mountains to Arracan" -
fact which, could it have been ascertained two years before, would have saved the Government vast trouble and great expense, by being the means of terminating a most harassing warfare in about balf the time it had taken. There was an evident ascent during the whole of this day's march, but nothing but what the cattle could easily surmount; after once more crossing the Mine River, we encamped in the vicinity of the famous Kyoung and Pagoda of Chatvah. The Acenery at this place was really magnificent, the Pagoda and Kyoung standing on the summit of an almost perpendicular hill, the Kyoung being gilt from top to bottom. To the southward and westward was a range of hills, and in the valley beneath, in which we were encamped, the Mine River was flowing over its stoney bed clear as crystal, winding its course within a few paces of our tents. The Pagoda of Shoe Chatvah is considered of great sanctity, and resorted to by pilgrims from all parts of the Kingdom. At the Pagoda is shewn a mark, an indentation on a stone, said to have been impressed by the foot of Gaudma, and which is held in great. veneration. This footmark is enclosed in a small gilt Kioum, surrounded by a quadrangular railings; into its precints admittance can only be obtained by money, exacted by a person appointed by the Government, which demand seemed to be proportioned to the rank of the Visitor, but the lowest demand seemed not to be less than about the value of 20 Rupees. The poorer classes, from whom payment was not enforced, paid their devotions outside the enclosure.
In descending the hill on our return, one of the party had the curiosity to count the number of steps, which were found to be 970, the wbole way covered by a beautiful carved canopy. supported on pillars of carved terkwood.
On moving next morning we followed the course of the river, which winded through the Lills for abont 4 miles. We then ascended a small range, at the foot of which was an extensive plain covered with the most luxuriant pasturage, and cultivated land, watered from the river Mine. After passing two small villages called Servah and Cheetalaing, we arrived at the largo stockaded village of Massah Min, the chief place in the District, and to which it gives its name. and in which are seven villages computed to hold 10,000 inhabitants ; ita quota of fighting men called for during the last war was 300, none of whom were down the country, but were employed as a Garrison in its stockade, and for the defence of the hills in its neighbourhood - the personal appearance of the inhabitants of this part of the country, not only from a more pleasing caste of features, but with their dress, being neater than any we had met with before. The stockade did not appear to be of any great strength, and was falling to decay, bat sorrounded by a thick abittis [sic].
