COLQUHOUN. In 1882, Messrs. Colquhoun and Wahab crossed China from Canton to Burma. Mr. Wahab subsequently died. They found the river Canton navigable by light - draught steamers for 400 miles to the upper portion of the gorges and rapids ; and numerous fine cities in Yun-nan, now fast decaying, owing to the Mahomedan rebellion driving the traffic to the Yang-tze river. The Yun-nan country is a moun tainous plateau about 6000 feet high, with ranges of 15,000 feet in the north, falling to 9000 in the south. Its scenery, climate, peoples, languages, and costumes change rapidly. Numerous fine eities attest the former prosperity of the popula tion. Opium, minerals, and tea are the main exports ; the imports were cotton from Laos and Bhamo, English salt and piece-goods from the latter place, and large caravans from Tibet, con veyina- tea. The portion of Yun-nan west of Tali had been ' a stronghold of Mahomedanism before and during the late rebellion. Traces of its rule were found in these places, in the greatly superior architecture, aud especially in the decoration of the buildings, both private and sacred. A con siderable portion of the population of the plain, sparse 21S it 1S, iS still Mahomedan, and the doc trines of Islam are taught in some of the schools of Mong-hoa. The aborigines in this region, dwelling chiefly in the hills and hill-valleys, are mostly Lo-lo in the northern portion while Han jen prevail in the south ; although I:o-lo, Ka-tu, Oni or Hami, and Pai are plentiful, among whom a few Kut-sung and Pa-tu are found. To the
south and south-west of Tali the Lo-lo are most numerous, while round the Tali lake the Min-chia tribe (literally, native family) is alone found. The Lis-sou, a division of the Lo-lo, are to be met with to the N.W. of Tali. I-jen and I-chia are names applied by the Chinese and others to the Lo-lo. They mean savage people ' and savage family,' which is also the complimentary term in use by the Chinese for Europeans. Mr. Colquhouu met with Lo-lo,—often black and white tribes,— Tou-lao, Poula, Lung-jen, You-jen, Mit-u) (black and white), and Pai, as well as others of less importance. I-bang is a Laos district tributary to China, situated seven stages sonth-east of Ssu mao, and supplies most of the so-called Puerh tea. At Talifu the aboriginal people met with were hospitable, pleasant, and kind. , The explorers left Tali at the end of May, pursued their way to Bhamo by the route followed by 3fargary, M'Carthy, Gill, and lastly by Soltau and Steven son. Yung-chang, the Vochan of Marco Polo, land the westernmost prefectoral city of China, ' was reached on the 7th of June 1882.