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10. No reference was made by us to that upper eastern branch of the Irrawaddy known to the Chinese as the Chiu River (probably the Aklying of Pottinger), whose basin is inhabited by the little-known tribe of Chiu Tzu. From inquiries made on the Upper Mekong, it seems that the Chiu Tzu are partly tributary to the Chief of Yetche, on the Mekong (left bank), who in his turn is subject to China. The Chinese officials have little or no notion of where the Chiu River is or who the Chiu Tzu are. I therefore thought that it would only confuse matters to raise the question of so distant and difficult a country. It is, I think, out of the question for the Chinese ever to send a military expedition to so remote and inaccessible a locality, except possibly in the wake of the French missionaries, but I hope to gather some more information con- cerning the Chin next autumn. It is submitted, however, that any claims to the Chiu district could be dealt with in the same way as the Teng Keng claims, and that our present knowledge of the general geography of the country is sufficient to justify His Majesty's Government in pressing for a recognition of the Salween-Irrawaddy divide as the frontier as far at least as latitude 28°. If the Chinese reply by raising the ques- tion of Chin, then the present delimitation might be confined to latitude 26° 30′, which is the limit of the Lao Wo Chief on the Salween; or, better still, it might be provided that the divide should be the frontier up to latitude 28", but that His Majesty's Govern- ment would compensate on a liberal scale any Chiefs on the Chinese side who might subsequently be found to have customary rights to dues from tribes in the Irrawaddy basin. The suggestion in paragraph 4 above, that no further joint parties of inquiry should be sent (a demand which the Chinese are very likely to put forward), applies especially to the Chin district, whence the Irrawaddy has its eastern sources. This is probably about the least known and most difficult country in the world. No supplies, even for a small party of, say, twenty-fire, would be procured nearer than Atentse or Yetche on the Upper Mekong, both of which are at least fifteen marches from the Chiu district, crossing two great rivers-the Mekong and the Salween-by rope bridges, and two passes of 11,000 to 13,000 feet. Mule transport is out of the question, and a coole can only carry as much as will feed himself for twenty-four days. Supplies, even from Atentse or Yetche, could be cut off by hostile lamaseries, who are under no sort of control. The Chinese accompanying such an expedition would certainly be insolent and violent to the tribes, and no results could be expected at all commensurate with the expense and danger which such a wild-goose chase would involve. From Barmah or Assam the Chiu country is equally inaccessible. It is desirable that more exact geographical and general information than is now available should be obtained, but if the Chiu country is ever to be explored a Chinese official or soldier is the very last person in the world who ought to be allowed to join the party. Indeed, no Mandarin of any position or influence could ever reach the Chiu, because he would have to walk; but if he could walk, he would not be a man of position or influence.
11. A translation of the despatch which I have addressed to the Taotai is attached. The map of the country examined, with the names in English and Chinese--the latter having been settled by the Taotai-is submitted.
Considerable difficulty was experienced in fixing the Chinese names, for the same place is often differently designated by different tribes and again differently by the Chinese ; often there is no recognized Chinese character for a place; it is therefore suggested that the characters given with the present map should be finally adopted. Further, different reaches of the same river are differently named by the same tribe. Take, for instance, the N'Maikha. Last year I wrongly reported that this was known to the Chinese as the Maiku River, but I now find that the Maiku River is the Shi Ngaw, tributary of the N'Maika, so called from a Kachin village on its bank. The name N'Maikha is unknown to the Chinese except to one or two officials, who have got it from our maps. N'Maikha is the name given to the river by the Ching Paw Kachins near the con- fluence, who are known to the Chinese as Pu Man. The Lashis call it La Pie, which simply means "the river." Some of the Chinese regard it as simply part of the Ngaw Chang or Hsiao Chiang (Little River). Others regard as part of the Irrawaddy, and accordingly call it Chin Sha Chiang, or Golden Sand River. On several occasions I heard it called simply Chiang, or river, which is an adoption of the Lashi word La Pic.
The Upper N'Maikha above the junction of the Ngaw Chang was referred to by the few Chinese I wet who knew of its existence at the Langsu (or Maru) River. After discussion with the Taotai we have adopted the somewhat barbarous "Ngen Mai Ka," or "Ngen Mai Kei," failing any recognized official version.
12. The following is submitted as a suggestion for a draft of the text of a Con- vention which could be accepted by the Government of Burmah :---
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"(a.) From Manung Pum, the high, conical peak in latitude 25° 33′ N., the frontier will follow the crest of the watershed range between the N'Maikha River with its tributaries to the north, and the Ta Ping and Shweli (Lung Chiang) Rivers with their tributaries to the south, until it reaches the watershed between the Salween and the Irrawaddy Rivers.
"The following are the names by which certain points on this crest are known: the Pan Wa Ya Kou Pass, the Tzu Mei (sister) Peak, the Ta Ya Kou Pass, the Tzu Chu Ya Kou Pass, the Fen Shui Ling Pass, the Ta Ho Tou Ridge.
the Valleys "The following localities and natural features belong to China: (Pa-tzu), of Luu Ma and Tan Tsa, the Lang Ya Shan Peak, the Tien Tan Valley, the Ming Kwang Valley, the Ta Tang Valley.
"The following localities and natural features belong to Burmah: the Valleys of the Shi Ngaw, Tun Maw, and Chi Pwi Rivers; the Hparè Valley, the Tzu Chu Valley; the Valleys of the Shi Jang and Kan Sheng Streams, the Pien Ma Valley; and the valley of the Ngaw Chang, otherwise known as the Hsiao Chiang Stream.
"Thence the frontier will follow the crest of the lofty and conspicuous range known locally as the Kao Li Kung which forms the watershed between the Salween and the Irrawaddy as far as latitude (?), passing through the crest of the Pien Ma Ya. Kou Pass.
"The whole of the basin of the Salween (Lu Chiang) thus belongs to China, and the whole of the basin of the Irrawaddy River to Burmah.
(b.) As the frontier now laid down follows conspicuous ranges of hills and is locally well known, no further demarcation on the spot will be necessary, but it is agreed that officers will be dispatched by both Governments to erect boundary pillars at the principal passes over the ranges which form the frontier. Any difficulty in recognizing the places mentioned will be settled by reference to the map which is attached to the English and Chinese versions of this Convention, and which is hereby recognized by both Governments as authoritative.
"(c.) It is understood that this Convention does not affect the frontier of the various Thibetan districts, which will be reserved for future discussion.
"(d.) The Yunnan Government having reported that certain Headmen (Fu Yi) on the Chinese side of the frontier claim customary presents or pecuniary dues from villages situated on the Burmah side thereof, the British Government agrees to pay to the Chinese Government an annual sum of
rupees in full compensation for the extinc- tion of such claims. All jurisdiction and sovereignty over such villages shall henceforth reside in His Britannic Majesty for ever. It is agreed that this sum of rupees shall be paid annually commencing from the
by His Britannic Majesty's Consul at Tengyueh, through the Taotai of West Yunnan, to be distributed to the said Headmen (Fu Yi) in such proportions as the Chinese Government may direct. (And any cus- tomary rights to similar presents or dues which the Chinese Headmen in the Salween or Mekong Valleys north of Teng Keng may be subsequently found to possess will be considered by His Majesty's Government, and, if substantiated, dealt with in a liberal spirit."]
I have avoided all reference to a lease in the above draft, as the Chinese Govern- ment may be averse to the use of such a term, but the same result will be attained if certain territory be formally admitted to be Chinese and a lease in perpetuity granted for the same at a rent of the same amount as the proposed compensation. In this case the Convention might read: "The boundary-line between the territory to be administered by the Provincial Governments of Buruah and Yunnan shall be," &c. (as above), and clause (d) will read "as rent for such villages and their lands," instead of "in full compensation for such rights."
“.
It is important that in the Chinese text such terms as "the Ming Kwang Valley" (Pa-tzu), or the "Tien Tan River," should be used, not merely "Ming Kwang" or Tien Tan," otherwise the Chinese will raise difficulties on the ground that villages on the N Maikha side are an integral part of Ming Kwang or Tien Tan. It also seems very desirable that His Majesty's Minister should insist that a copy of the map, with names of places marked in Chinese, be attached to the Chinese as well as the English version of the Convention.
I have drafted this Report in consultation with my colleague, Mr. Leveson, I am indebted to him for all the information concerning local Kachin polities which it