Ir was January 15, late in the cold season, when I left Maulmain, a seaport in Burmah, for the Shan city of Zimmé, in order to make that city the base for my explorations in Northern Siam and the Shan States, which Mr Colquhoun and I hoped would result in proving that it was practicable at a reasonable expense to connect Burmah with Siam and China by railway.

After crossing the hills which separate Maulmain from Muang Haut, a town on the Meh Ping in the Siamese Shan States, I engaged two boats, and proceeded up-stream for 82 miles to Zimmé. When within 4 miles of the walled city, I halted for the night at the monastery which is attached to the beautiful pagoda of Chedi Leeum, the largest seen by me in the Shan States.

This pagoda, which is 60 feet square at the base and 120 feet high, may be said to mark the southern extremity of the suburbs of Zimmé. It is peculiar in shape, and resembles a rectangular church steeple, rising in five steps or tiers, cut off from the tower and placed on the ground. Each side of each tier has three niches, and each niche contains a statue of Gaudama Buddha larger than life. At each corner of each tier is a pedestal finished off with a flame-like ornament at the top.

Rain fell heavily during the night, washing the face of Nature, burnishing the trees, clearing the air, and thus brightening the whole landscape. The cool fresh morning air, that bathed our hands and face as we started soon after daybreak, was scented with the fragrance of flowering shrubs and

trees, and the panorama we passed through was delightful. Temples decorated with dark red and gold, and picturesque monasteries, were set like gems in the beautiful fringes of foliage that skirted the banks. Women and girls, gaily attired in a striped petticoat, or one of a small tartan, and a silk scarf thrown over the left shoulder, tripped along barefooted on their way to the market with baskets of flowers and garden - produce. Here a group of men and women sat squatting on the sands, having a chat before crossing the ford. There men, women, and children, with their garments tucked up above their knees, laughed and joked as they waded the stream. Groups of children playing in the water dashed it about and splashed each other. Cattle were lowing on the banks on their way to pasture. The sun was lighting up the bald pates and yellow garments of the monks and acolytes, who were passing in procession carrying their begging bowls through the streets. Women and children were reverently awaiting the approach of the monks, and heaping little cups of rice and saucers of fish and condiments into their bowls; whilst the monks-at least the young ones, who have the reputation of being a jovial crewpeeped over their fans, which were intended to veil fair women from their sight.

On we went past numerous sandbanks, which were now covered with vegetable gardens, past the American Presbyterian Mission establishment, which was hidden amongst the trees, until we reached the wooden bridge which spans the river, and halted to inquire

as to the position of the Missionhouse.

In the meantime Dr M'Gilvary, hearing that our boats had passed, had hurried off a servant to follow them and conduct us to his house. The house is built in a large palisaded garden, which is separated from the east bank of the river by a cart-road.

Entering the garden, where English roses were growing amongst the glorious flowers and flowering shrubs of the tropics, and the air was scented with the sweet blos. soms of orange and pomelo trees, we were met by Dr and Mrs M'Gilvary and their little son, who gave us a hearty welcome, and insisted upon our enjoying their hospitality during our stay in Zimmé. Nothing could be more agreeable to us. Pleasant friendly faces, lovely flowers, beautiful fruittrees, a fine, large, commodious house, a splendid view of Loi1 Soo Tayp, and the best possible position for collecting informationwhat more could be desired? The house was constructed for the accommodation of two families of missionaries. One-half was unoccupied, as the Rev. Mr Martin and his wife were on their way from Bangkok, so no one would be cramped by our taking up our quarters there; besides which, Drs M'Gilvary and Cushing were old friends. We therefore gladly accepted the offer.

The Mission-house is built of teak with a shingle roof, in the ordinary style of bungalows in Burmah. A staircase leads up to a broad verandah, from which the front bedrooms and sitting-rooms are entered. At the back are the bath-rooms and another verandah, with a flight of steps leading to the garden and kitchen. The or

chard contains fine shady clumps of bamboos, cocoanut, mango, tamarind, pomegranate, custard-apple, pomelo, guava, orange, citron, papaw, and coffee trees. The passionflower grows in great luxuriance, and affords a luscious fruit, which can either be eaten as a vegetable, or like a papaw or a melon.

After the constant strain upon my attention during the journey, I greatly enjoyed reclining in a long-armed chair in the front verandah of the house, and watching, whilst I lazily puffed at my cigar, the ever-changing expression of the great mountain at the back of the city. The lights and shades swiftly flitting across its forest-clad slopes, as the clouds coursed betwixt it and the sun; the beautiful bijou views in the early morning, as the mist opened out and closed in when dissolving under the influence of the sun; the foreground formed by suburbs on the other side of the river, embosomed in orchards, amongst which the areca-nut, palmyra, and cocoanut palms reared their graceful stems and beautiful plumes; the stream of ever-varying and ever-picturesque life moving along the road and river; the music formed of the murmur of distant voices; the clearer notes of those that were near, and the clash and clatter that proceeds from the busy haunts of men,the whole was like a pleasant dream, such a one as Ole Luk Oi, in Andersen's 'Fairy Tales,' showed the good little boy when he had thrown dust in his eyes and led him into Dreamland.

Having been shown our rooms, we had the luggage carried up and the necessary things unpacked, adding some of our stores to Mrs M'Gilvary's cuisine for the forthcoming banquet.

What a banquet that was Never in my life, since or before. have I so enjoyed a repast. A nice white tablecloth and napkin once more under one's nose, and European food, with American dainties, and dessert, where fresh strawberries, gathered in the Mission-garden, made their appearance, and violets were placed in glasses by our side. I felt more inclined to feast my eyes and my sense of smell than to eat-everything was so tempting and so tasteful. Then the fragrance of a wellcooked dinner; and fresh vegetables, and plenty of them; and that pumpkin-pie, the first I had ever tasted,-it was a feast for the gods. A gourmet who wishes to revel in the highest pitch of epicurean enjoyment, could not do better than take a trip into the jungle, and after recouping his jaded appetite, suffering six weeks' privation and frugal fare, taste the relish of such a feast.

After dinner was over, we received a visit from the Rev. Jonathan Wilson, who had been with the Mission at Ziminé since 1868, the year after it had been established there by the Rev. Daniel M'Gilvary. After giving me a hearty shake of the hand, he asked what he could do for me, and was delighted at the prospect of a railway being carried from Burmah through Siam and the Shan States. Railways were the grandest civilisers in the world, and would do wonders in ameliorating the wretched condition of the people and in spreading Christianity through the land. "Don't be afraid of troubling me," he said; "I shall be only too delighted to aid in your good work." He then

asked me to come and talk matters over with him at his diggings. He lived next door, all by himself. His wife was recruiting her health

in America, and the two young ladies, who resided in one-half of the house and taught in the Mission schools. were away in the district. We accordingly strolled through the gardens to his house, where, after talking over matters, he promised to have my gold-leaf changed into silver; to collect all the information he could about trade and prices from the people; to inquire about the manners, customs, spirit-lore, and superstitions of the people; and give me a written meniorandum about them. I was certainly most for: tunate in securing the aid of missionaries who had been so long in the country as Mr Wilson and Dr M'Gilvary, particularly when they manifested such interest in gathering information for me.

The ancient kingdom of Zimmé, or Kiang Mai, according to M'Leod, "comprised fifty-seven cities, mentioned in the Burmese books as fifty-seven Kraings (corruption of Kiang, a fortified or walled city), many of which at present exist, or their ruins can be traced. Muang Nan and Muang Phé (Peh) were included in the number, and the capital was both Kiang Mai and Kiang Hai, a place to the northward on the Mé Khok (Meli Khoke). It extended from the Mé Khong (Cambodia river) to the Mé Khóng (the Salween river) east and west. To the northward it was bounded by the territories of Kiang Tsen (Hsen) and Kiang Tung, which extended to the Mé Khók; to the southwards to the territories of Kampeng, belonging to Siam." The kingdom, according to the Siamese history, was known as Sawakamala, and its capital as Krung (Kiang), see Satanalıkanahut, probably Pali names, and not used colloquially, but merely in religious and State documents.

The city of Zimmé, which lies 430 yards to the west of the river, is divided into two parts, the one embracing the other, like a letter L, on the south and east sides. The inner city faces the cardinal points, and is walled and moated all round. The walls are of brick, 22 feet high, and crenelated at the top, where they are 3 feet broad. The moat surrounding the walls is 30 feet wide and 7 feet deep. The outer city is more than half a mile broad, and is partly walled and partly palisaded on its exterior sides. Both cities are entered by gates leading in and out of a fortified courtyard.

The inner city contains the palace of the head king, the residences of many of the nobility and wealthy men, and numerous religious buildings. In the outer city, which is peopled chiefly by the descendants of captives, the houses are packed closer together than in the inner one, the gardens are smaller, the religious buildings are fewer, and the population is more dense. The roads in both cities are laid out at right angles to each other; no rubbish is allowed to be placed outside the gardens of the houses, which are palisaded; water is led into the town from a stream flowing from Loi Soo Tayp; the floors of the houses are all raised 6 or 8 feet from the ground; and the whole place has an air of trim neatness about it.

The suburbs of the city extend for a great distance, straggling along both banks of the river, and it is therefore difficult to fix the line where they may be said to cease. Dr Cheek, a son-in-law of Dr M'Gilvary, had an extensive practice among the princes and people of Zimmé, and endeavoured to arrive at an approximate estimate of its population. Taking a Taking a length of 9 miles and a breadth

This was

Another estimate formed by Dr Cheek concerned the population of the State of Zimmé. based upon an incomplete list of the houses upon which a levy was to be made for feeding the Yaks, or local deities, at the yearly sacrifice. The list included 97,000 houses at the time Dr Cheek saw

it; and as seven people on an average live in each house, the population of these houses could not be less than 600,000 souls. Allowing for the other houses not then noted, and for the houses of Lawa, Karen, Muhseu, and other hill people who are not enumerated in the subscription lists, the gross population of the Zimmé Stateincluding Zimmé, Kiang Hai, Kiang Hsen, Muang Pow, Muang Houngson, Muang Fang, Muang Ken, and its other sub-provincesmust be about 700,000 people.

The following day, accompanied by Drs Cushing and M'Gilvary, I made a round of visits to the king and members of the Court at Zimmé. Leaving the house, we followed the bank of the river to the timber bridge, and crossed it to the western suburbs. The centre span is removable, so as to allow the royal boats of the chiefs to pass through, and is raised about a foot above the rest of the flooring, thus being a great hindrance to the passage of carts and carriages. over the bridge, our carriage had to be lifted on and off this raised portion. No nails or bolts were used in the structuro; consequent

When driving

ly the planks moved up and down like the keys of a piano as we passed over it.

Following the road through the western suburb, I entered one of the shops to purchase some Chinese umbrellas, as mine were the worse for wear, and was served by a person dressed in ordinary female costume, who seemed to be very masculine in appearance, and considerably above 4 feet and 10 inches in height—a height few Zimmé Shan women attain to. On telling Dr M'Gilvary, he informed me that the individual was an hermaphrodite; that this peculiar form of Nature's freaks was by no means uncommon in the country; and that all such people were obliged to dress in female costume.

It is a pretty sight in the early morning to watch the women and girls from the neighbouring villages streaming over the bridge on their way to the market, passing along in single file, with their baskets dangling from each end of a shoulder-bamboo, or accurately poised on their heads. The younger women move like youthful Dianas, with a quick, firm, and elastic tread, and in symmetry of form resemble the ideal models of Grecian art.

The ordinary costume of these graceful maidens consists of flowers in their hair, which shines like a raven's wing, and is combed back and arranged in a neat and beautiful knot; a petticoat or skirt, frequently embroidered near the bottom with silk, worsted, cotton, or gold and silver thread; and at times a pretty silk or gauze scarf cast carelessly over their bosom and one shoulder. Of late years, moreover, the missionaries have persuaded their female converts and the girls in their schools to wear a neat white jacket, and the custom is gradually spreading

through the city and into the neighbouring villages.

The elder women wear a darkblue cotton scarf, which is sometimes replaced by a white cotton spencer, similar to that worn by married ladies in Burmah, and have an extra width added to the top of their skirt, which can be. raised and tucked in at the level of the armpit.

On gala occasions it is the fashion to twine gold chains round the knot of their hair, and likewise adorn it with a handsome gold pin. The Shans are famous for their gold and silver chased work; and beautifully designed gold and silver ornaments, bracelets, necklaces, and jewel-headed cylinders in their ear-laps, are occasionally worn by the wealthier classes.

After passing through the gates of the outer city, we entered the market, which extends for more than half a mile to the gates of the inner city, and beyond them for some distance towards the palace. On either side of the main road, little covered booths or stalls are set up; but most of the women spread a mat on the ground to sit upon, and placing their baskets by their side, expose their provisions upon wickerwork trays or freshly cut plantainleaves.

The variety of vegetables exposed for sale is not very great, and consists chiefly of sweet-potatoes, yams, onions, mushrooms, cucumbers, pumpkins, gourds, swordbeans, garlic, Indian-corn, young bamboo-shoots, chillies, and serileaf for chewing with tobacco, areca-nut, and lime.

Some of the market-women bring ducks and fowls, others tobacco, areca - nuts, native confectionery, jaggery, rice, wax, and flowers; besides oranges, citrons, pomeloes, mangoes, tamarinds, plantains, co