CHAPTER XI.

Visit the Siamese commissioner—Description and dress of Siamese—Deceitful officials—Prince Prisdang’s letter—Pie-crust promises—A mountebank—Call on the Princess—Treaty of 1874—Siam’s relation to Shan States—Former obstacles to trade removed—Visit from Chow Oo-boon—Assassinating a lover—Shan queen in English dress—Fast and easy-going elephants prized—Kian Yuen, an old capital—A Chinese pagoda—City of the flower-garden—Muang La Maing, the site of the first Zimmé Shan city—Ascent of Loi Soo Tayp—The pagoda of the emerald rice-bowl—Pagoda slaves—Dr M‘Gilvary joins my party—Visiting Burmese foresters—Religious buildings erected by the Burmese, 113