Mon 2. [2 March 1903] We got to Myingyan about 9.30 and Mr Cabell got off. Also Mr Mayhew who did not dare to risk another stick as he wd have missed his boat in Rangoon [Yangon]. We didn't stick however and had a lazy peaceful day. Saw otters, fresh water porpoises and advocate birds. The country round Pakokku and Myingyan used to be the forest for Dacoits. Beyond the plain of Irrawaddy silt there are low barren hills, broken and quite waterless where the Boks used to live and flourish. The Irrawaddy is like the Nile. It becomes 4 miles wide in the rains ............ land with silt. At dusk we came in sight of Sagaing with a hill behind white with pagodas. Out in the plain there is a very big {Stupa} Tope in shape exactly like Mankyala - the only one of that kind in Burma they say. At dusk we saw the brick fort of Ava and anchored just above for the channel was too risky. Wonderful sunset, the river red gold like ......... jewels. The Captain told tales. He had been here before the annexation when the Irrawaddy Flotilla Co was pioneer in Burma. His name is [space left blank]. He told of how the Resident Le [space left blank] fled from Mandalay being terrified by the massacres, after which the Co. was guaranteed no protection by the Brit. Govt. They hadn't much trouble. If a man was caught stealing in their yards or stabbed one of their servants, they sent him to the nearest Woon[?] who fined him and pocketed 9/10 [nine tenths] of the fine, sent a 1/10th [one tenth] as compensation with a message announcing that he wd be delighted to deal with the next offender. The Captain twice had an audience with Theebaw. He said Theebaw was quite well meaning but very weak and always did everything he was asked. It was Suprya[?] Lat that asked. At the outbreak of the war he was in Mandalay. The Co. was under contract to the Burmans to supply them with a certain number of boats if they wanted them. There was one other boat in Mandalay. The Burmans asked why the next[?] wasn't coming up - she was due. The Capt. replied that the boats were cargo boats and couldn't run empty. As soon as there was cargo enough the other boat wd come. This explanation satisfied them and they let him go. He tried to persuade the other Capt. to go down with him, but the Capt. thought it his duty to stay and did. Eventually he got down all right. At one place he was called on to stop by one of the King's boats, he refused and got away before it. The Burman boat wanted his pilot. He got down to the next stopping place where he was under contract to be allowed to leave within 3 hours. In an hour all the cargo was done, but they kept him, he in mortal fear of his enemy boat coming up and seizing his pilot. He sent a man ashore to let go, but they beat him and sent him back. Then he secretly cut the ropes and went off, all the village running after him down the bank. He had to pass 2 Burmese gunboats and feared they wd fire on him, but they didn't. They crucified his pilot - crucifixion is not life taking. If a man will die when you nail him onto a post, that's not your fault. He got to the frontier just as our troops crossed and was sent up again with small arms and soldiers. (He had carried Burman soldiers down and 2 generals. He kept the generals on the upper deck and said he was busy. The soldiers drew nearer and nearer to his cabin every day, sharpening their daks.) He was in Mandalay at the surrender and went into the palace next day. But the maids of honour had carried away all the stray loot. While he was there a large elephant howdah set with rubies was found, but put under a guard. He said the French had really brought about the annexation, for when the Resident left they thought their time had come and took all the abandoned English subjects under their protection. The French consul gave a great party to celebrate the occasion. Then they proceeded to make a treaty with Theebaw which would have ousted Eng altogether. The Co.'s agent, an Italian, heard the Burman's talking of it and sent down word. Fortunately matters hung because the king wouldn't or couldn't pay certain lakhs of rupees he owed to Frenchmen in his employment. The English asked if the treaty were concluded and because of this ..... were told it wasn't. Thereupon they sent in their ultimatum. After this the 2nd officer sang Coon songs to the Banjo and the Captain sang songs from the Belle of New York - hateful.