Staying in Luang Prabang
Our stay in Luang Phrabang was
not unpleasant. The Commissioner, Phya Ritisong, a cousin of
Phya Surisak, who travelled with him in all his expeditions, did
everything that was possible to make our recess agreeable. Dr.
Massie
was very kind, and though his manner was brusque, he had
a kindly disposition. He was an enthusiastic geologist, and on
Pu Sai, near Luang Phrabang, he found coal, and said besides he
was on the traces of a salt-field. His pockets were always full
of fossils of the reptile and fish period. He also collected
a great number of celts, some of them very beautiful; but he
put himself to a great deal of unnecessary exposure, and in his
geological excursions often got soaking wet, without the slightest
precautions being taken to avoid fever. He scorned all precautions,
as for eight years he had travelled over Indo-China in the same
way, and had never known a day's illness. In such cases, an attack
by fever is usually very severe; so it was with him. The first
seizure carried him off: he died down the Nam Kawng below
Lakawn
Pa Nom
, on his way to Saigon. At Lakawn Pa Nom he met some Roman
Catholic
missionaries; but although his condition even then was
such that he resembled a living corpse, he would not remain with
them, as they were anxious he should, until he was in a fit condition
to proceed on his journey.
The market-place of Luang Phrabang
is pretty well crowded with people in the mornings, and one may
take an interesting stroll through the strange medley of men and
women, and listen to them bartering and jabbering in their different
jargon. The rupee is still very much in evidence, and even the
cowries are to be seen, though now the Siamese small copper coin
alt is plentiful. The foreign articles exposed for sale are for
the most part Manchester goods. The Burmese come from Maulmein,
and take back with them chiefly gum benjamin and raw silk. Raw
silk was once plentiful all over Luang Phrabang, and is in winding
the silk from the cocoons, the method adopted producing very coarse
and knotted threads. The following is a list of some of the prices
of produce:
One hap equals the weight of 2,400 Mexicandollars, or 133 1/3
lbs. avoirdupois.
Gum Benjamin, first quality, per hap, Rs. 200.
Gum Benjamin, second ,, ,, Rs. 100.
Silk (Mai Yawt) first quality Rs. 500.
Silk (Mai Pon) second quality Rs. 250.
Wax Rs. 100 for 133 1/3 lbs.
Cutch Rs. 10 "
Cardamons Rs. 20 "
Klet Klin Rs. 100 "
This last consists of the scales
of the scaly anteater, which are much used by Chinese and Lao
for medicine.
The great difficulty is transport.
The easiest route is by boat to Poklai, the charge being Rs.
20
for 6,000 lbs. of produce, and thence elephants and bullocks
to Utaradit. This is the expensive part of the trip. If as
much care was taken of the elephants as is taken of their Indian
brothers, and the same pads were used, they could carry 1,000
to 1,200 lbs.; as it is, 300 lbs. is a heavy load, and the transport
takes from six to eight days. Each elephant costs Rs. 12 for
the trip. At one time the rates were according to weight.
Besides the above products,
ebony in large quantities is found in the forests, also indigo,
and three kinds of cinnamon-Ke Kai, Ke Mu, Ke Nang. The best
quality, Ke Nang, sells for half its weight in silver, and is
much used in medicine. Trade is also carried on in rhinoceros'
horns, which are used for medicine, ivory, and cotton, which was
once plentiful, but is not now cultivated in any great quantity.
It is sold at the rate of ten pawng for a quarter of a tical.
At one time tea was brought down in large quantities from the
tea-gardens of Ipang and Ingu, at the source of the Nam U. The
common quality is very black, but for the use of the Chief small
lots in rectangular blocks of six inches by four, and of a light
colour, are provided. The stamp, in Chinese characters, signifies
that it is prepared for Pekin.
Continued
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