CHAPTER XXVIII.

Muang Fang—Deserted for 200 years—Proclamation resettling the province—Population—Settlements of Ngio ousted by Siamese—Land yielding 250-fold—Ruined cities—320 ruined temples—Purloining images—Mr Archer’s report—Method of forming new settlements—Separation of races in the cities—Colonies of refugees and captives—Chinese Shans as labourers—City sacked by the Burmese—Governor and wife drown themselves—Cost of carriage—Dr Tiger the hunter—Bargain for a dagger—Sworn brothers—Cambodian and Karen ceremonies—The augury of fowl-bones—Passing merit by cotton-threads—First hair-cutting in Siam—Lao marriage—Visit the ruined cities—Fallen idols—Putting fugitives in chains—A deer-hunt—Sketching the hills—Visit to Ban Meh Hang—Out of provisions—Fever and dysentery—Mahout attacked by vicious elephant—Spreading cattle-disease, 347