Prince Bigit’s expected visit—Leave Lakon—Cicadas and their music—A battle-field—Duplicate kings of Siam—Truant elephants—Dr Cushing has smallpox—A beautiful dale—A dangerous pass—Water-parting between the Meh Wung and Meh Ping—Number of villages in the Zimmé plain—The Mai Cha-lau tree—Pagoda on Loi Tee—A cart-road—Reach Lapoon—The great temple and celebrated pagoda—Lapoon built like Aladdin’s palace—Description of city—Deserted for forty years—Visit the chief—Leave Lapoon—Scene on the road—Reach Zimmé—Report of the R.G.S. on my survey, 283 CHAPTER XXIV. House for Dr Cushing built in two days—Fumigation and disinfection—Bribery and extortion at frontier guard-house—Travellers delayed—Mr Webster’s journey—Trade between Zimmé, Bangkok, and Maulmain; enhancement of prices—Comparison between Russia and Siam—Oppression and tyranny causes cunning and deceit—Siamese the greatest liars in the East—An amusing interview with a prince—Religious buildings in Zimmé—Description of monasteries—Bargaining with an abbot—Palm-leaf books—Evil practices of monks—Sentencing the descendants of criminals to slavery—Begging for meals—Giving, a privilege—Rules for the acolytes—Shaving the head and eyebrows—Teaching in a monastery—Learning manners, 294 CHAPTER XXV. Leave Zimmé without interpreters—Borrow a tent—Reach Ban Pang Kai—The cry of gibbons—Legend—A primitive pagoda—Three kinds of pagodas—Description—Low plateau dividing Meh Low from Meh Wung—Branch railway from Lakon—The head sources of Meh Wung—A storm—Teak—Reach Muang Wung—Cockle’s pills—A temple at night—Tower muskets—A plague of flies—Moosurs—Dr Cushing leaves for Bangkok—His excellent arrangement—Translator of the Bible into Shan—Loss of Shan interpreters—Mr Martin joins party—Bau Lawas in Southern Siam—Arrival of Mr Gould—Elephant titles—Dinner at the Martins’—A present of cigars, 306 CHAPTER XXVI.