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172 The Ruby Mines of Burma.
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They
arrived in India in August ; and, after seeing Captain Patton at Simla,
proceeded to Rangoon, and thence to Mandalay, where they were kindly
received by Sir Charles Bernard, the Chief Commissioner, with whom they
had a long conferance on the important subject of native rights at the
Ruby mines.
Delayed
by heavy rains and by sickness among the troops, the Ruby mines column
did not make a start until November. In due course they reached
Kyan-nyat, a township on the left bank of the Irrawaddy, which it was
intended to use as a base. Here news reached the party that organised
resistance was being prepared by the hill-tribes in the mining
districts. The dacoits were also giving much trouble. As the
expedition advanced and approached the mountain pass which leads to
Mogok, the piincipal seat of the Ruby mining, determined resistance was
encountered and skirmishes ensued. One of the Ghoorkhas, who brought to
my son the head of a dacoit, seemed much surprised that the sight of
this trophy, the relic of an enemy just slain, should afford him no
pleasure !
By this time the troops had reached an altitude of some 6,000 feet
above sea level. The thermometer during the night registered six
degrees below freezing point, and as no provision had been made for so
low a temperature, great inconvenience and even hardship was felt. The
gorge in the mountains had been carefully stockaded by the enemy, and
the curiously shaped rocks were skilfully turned into positions of
defence ; but as the troops approached, these posts were abandoned one
after another, and progress was effected without much difficulty.
Mogok was ultimately reached on December 27th ; and, to the surprise of the expedition, was found to be
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