When, On February 17,
Colonel Browne And His Companions Approached The Limits Of Burmese
Territory, They Found Themselves In Face Of A Totally Different State Of
Affairs From What Had Existed When Mr. Margary Passed Safely Through Three
Weeks Before.
The preparations for opposing the English had been made
under the direct encouragement, and probably the personal direction, of
Lisitai, a man who had been a brigand and then a rebel, but who at this
time held a military command on the frontier.
As Colonel Browne advanced he was met with rumors of the opposition that
awaited him. At first these were discredited, but on the renewed
statements that a large Chinese force had been collected to bar his way,
Mr. Margary rode forward to ascertain what truth there was in these
rumors. The first town on this route within the Chinese border is Momein,
which, under the name of Tengyue, was once a military station of
importance, and some distance east of it again is another town, called
Manwein. Mr. Margary set out on February 19, and it was arranged that only
in the event of his finding everything satisfactory at Momein was he to
proceed to Manwein. Mr. Margary reached Momein in safety, and reported in
a letter to Colonel Browne that all was quiet at that place, and that
there were no signs of any resistance. That letter was the last news ever
received from Mr. Margary. On February 19 he started from Momein, and the
information subsequently obtained left no doubt that he was treacherously
murdered on that or the following day at Manwein.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 612 of 704
Words from 166028 to 166295
of 191255
