THE SOUTH CHINA BORDER LANDS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3723, 21 June 1883, Page 4

THE SOUTH CHINA BORDER LANDS.

Mr. Archibald R. Colquhoiin lectured a short time wince at the Edinburgh Literary Institute, on his recent adventurous journey, made in company with the late Mr C. Wahab, from Canton, by the Sikiang River and Yunnan, to Bhamo, on the Irrawaddy. The main objects he bad in view when he started on his journey were to test the present condition of tho Shan States and Yunnan, and the prospects of future trade extension there. In sailing up the Sikiang he was struck with three tilings—the large amount of piracy on the river, the number of ruined cities, denoting a past affluence and prosperity, which was destroyed by tho great Mahommcdan revolt, and tho unfriendliness of the people- to strangers. What struck him in travelling through Yunnan was the great difference between tho south and tho north. Hitherto Yunnan had been depicted to the European world as a wild, barren and thinly-peopled country, offering few inducements to trader or travoller. But such a description did the south an injustice. The valleys and plains, and also the plateau part, -were most fertile, covered with luxuriant crops. The valleys and plains were studded with innumerable villages, and having largo citios with good houses and hostelries, and the people wore kind, friendly and civilised. In tho north the climate wrts inclement; in the south tho reverso was tlio case—the climate being probably one of the most charming in the world. Everywhere in this region the poppy was grown for the manufacture of opium—about one-third of the whole land being devoted to its cultivation. In all, the travellers had a journey of '2000 miles, 1300 of which were through unknown country. A very interesting scries of photographs and sketches were shown by tho oxy-hydrogen light, which included views of Chinese temples, carvings, bridges and scenery ; photographs of mandarins and \ of the aboriginal inhabitants of Yunnan "'•and tho Shan States—the .sketches of the men and women of the two latter-mentioned country showing great diversity and pieturosqueness in the methods of attire. In a few words the Rev. Dr. Goold expressed tho thanks of a large audience to Mr Colqulionn for his very interesting and instructive address.