CHAPTER VI.

Path for a railway—Lawa Sivas—Legends of Poo-Sa and Ya-Sa, and of Me-lang-ta the Lawa king—Story of a Yak—Descent from the Bau plateau—A courageous lady—Weird country—Ruby-mines—Reach Muang Haut—Cabbages—Tobacco-cutting—A bobbery—Fable of the peacock and the crow—Sketching the country—Conversing by signs—Interviewing the head-man—Boat-hire on the Meh Nam—Cost of carriage—Rainfall—Produce of fields—A Shan temple—Method of making images—Bargain for boats—Temperature in sun and shade, 56