Population.—This must be considered as scanty. From a list of towns and villages, observed by Captain Hannay, between Ava and Mogoung inclusive, I estimated the population at 100,000 souls, but from this one-third at least must be deducted. In this estimate of the number of houses, Captain Hannay was probably guided, either by the Burmese census, or by the statement of the writer who accompanied him. From the numbers given by this officer, in almost every case one-third, and occasionally one-half, or even more, must be deducted: as instances, I may cite his statement of the number of houses in Bamo and Katha.
In almost every case Mr. Bayfield counted all the houses, and in all doubtful cases, I counted them also at his request, so that I am enabled to speak with great confidence on this point.
As a collateral proof of the scanty population of this extensive portion of the Burmese territory, I may allude to the fact that Bamo, the third place in Burmah, and the emporium of great part of an extensive Chinese trade, contains only even at the rate of seven souls to each house, which is two too many, 4,250 inhabitants. The capital may be adduced as an additional instance; for including the extensive suburbs, no one estimated it as having a larger population than 100,000. It must be remembered also, that there is no doubt, but that the banks of the Irrawaddi are more populous than any other portion of the kingdom.
Throughout the above rather long journey, we were treated, with one exception, tolerably well; indeed our delays arose from the unwillingness, real or pretended, of the authorities to forward us on while the country remained so unsettled. The headman of Kamein on our first arrival was extremely civil, but on our return after he had received news of the revolt of the Tharawaddi, he behaved with great insolence, and actually drew his dha on Mr. Bayfield. It must be remembered however that he had been brought to task by the Mogoung authorities for having, as it was said, accepted of a douceur for allowing us to proceed to the serpentine mines.
The general idea entertained by the people through whose countries we passed, was, that we had been sent to report upon the country prior to its being taken under British protection. Of the existence of this idea, Mr. Bayfield met with some striking proofs.
On reaching Katha our troubles ceased, and these, excepting at Kamein and Mogoung, only arose from the evident wish of the natives to keep at a distance from us, and not to interfere in one way or the other. At Mogoung I consider it probable that we should have been detained had it not been for the firm conduct of Mr. Bayfield, and his great knowledge of the Burmese character. At this place the authority of the Myoowoon, who was absent in Hookhoong, was totally disregarded, and his brother the Myoowoah, was in confinement, the Shan Matgyee having espoused the cause of the prince Tharawaddi.
Conclusion.—For the brief and rapid manner in which I have run through this last section of my report, as well as for having forsaken the arrangement adopted in the previous sections, I trust I shall be excused. In the first place, this portion of the route had been previously travelled over by Captain Hannay and by Mr. Bayfield, by whom much additional information will be laid before Government; and in the second place, I would advert to the hurried nature of this part of our journey, and to the disturbed state of the country. For similar reasons I have only drawn up this account to the period of my reaching Ava. It will be at once seen that the information might have been much more extensive, especially as regards the revenues of the districts, but I abstained from interfering with subjects which were in every respect within the province of Mr. Bayfield; and the minute and accurate manner in which this officer performed the duties consigned to him, reconciled me at once to the secondary nature of the objects which were left for my examination.
I subjoin a tabular view of the marches, this will not agree entirely with those given in the body of the report, as one or two of those were unavoidably short. I give the table to shew the shortest period in which the journey could be accomplished by an European without constantly overfatiguing himself. If the total distance be compared with an estimate made from charts, all of which however are imperfect so far as the country between Meinkhoong and Beesa is concerned, the tortuousness of our course will be at once evident.
Marches. Miles
1 From Sadya to Noa Dehing Mookh, 6
2 To Rangagurreh, 12
3 To Moodoa Mookh, 12
4 To Kidding, 9
5 To Namroop Puthar, 12
6 To Beesa Lacoom, 12
7 To Halting place in the hills, 12
8 To Darap Panee, 12
9 To the Namtuseek, 12
10 Namtuseek, 10
11 To the Boundary Nullah, 12
12 To the Namaroan, 15
13 Namaroan, 13
14 To Khathung Khioung, 15
15 To Khussee Khioung, 13
16 To Kuttack Bhoom, 13
17 To Namtuseek, 10
18 To Nhempean, 18
19 To Kulleyang, 17
20 To Tsilone, 10
21 To Meinkhoong, 17
22 To Wullabhoom, 13
23 To Halting place towards the
Mogoung river, 22
24 Mogoung river, 15
25 Ditto ditto, 13
26 Ditto ditto, 14
27 Kamein, [{145}] 14
28 Mogoung, 25
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Total number of miles, 378
The remaining distance performed in
boats may be thus estimated down the
Mogoung river to the Irrawaddi, 45
From the confluence of the Mogoung
river down the Irrawaddi to Ava, 240
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663
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Allowing twelve days for the performance of this last portion, which however is too short a time, the entire distance may be performed in forty days.