CHAPTER XXVI.

Leave for Muang Fang—The temple of the white elephants—Training elephants—Evening service in a temple—Legend of Wat Pra Non—Snake and Siva worship—Caravans—Stick-lac trees not cut down—The 400 footprints of Buddha—Wild tea—Visit to Shan ladies—Low dresses—Rules of hospitality—Worshipping the manes—A zylophone—Implements of expectant Buddha—Straining water—Legends of Loi Chaum Haut and Loi Kiang Dow—The palace of the angels—Demons cannot harm Christians—Christianity a great boon—Accident to aneroid—A vicious elephant—Foot-and-mouth disease—Snares for demons—A panorama of hills—Sources of the Meh Ping and Meh Teng—A river passing under a mountain—Muan Hang an ancient lake-basin—Rival claims of Ping Shans and British Shans or Ngio—The upper defile of the Meh Ping—A moonlight scene—Entangling demons at the frontier—A Chinese fort—Loi Pa-Yat Pa-Yai—Mapping the country—Dr M‘Gilvary’s sermon—Reach Kiang Dow—Petroleum at Kiang Dow and Muang Fang, 315