and including the suburbs, which consist of two small villages at the northern end, one at the southern, and one occupied by Assamese at the eastern, it contains about 750 houses.  These are generally of the usual poor and mean description; indeed, not even excepting the Governor’s house, there is not a good Burman or Shan house in the place.  One street which occupies a portion of the river bank, is inhabited by Chinese, and contains about 100 houses; these are built of unburnt brick, and have a peculiar blueish appearance; none are of any size.  The best building in Bamo is the Chinese place of worship.  Those occupied by the Burmese have the usual form.  The country adjoining Bamo is flat, dry, and I should think unproductive; it is intersected by low swampy ravines, one or two of which extend into the town.  To the south there is an extensive marsh, partially used for rice-cultivation.

The population of Bamo including the suburbs, may be estimated at about 4500, of whom 4 or 500 are Chinese.  The governor is a bigoted Burman, of disagreeable manners; he expends much money in the erection of Pagodas, while he leaves the streets, roads and bridges by which the ravines are passed, in a ruinous and disgraceful state.

The Bazaar of Bamo is generally well supplied:  British piece goods and woollen cloths are procurable, but at a high price:  the show of Chinese manufactures is much better, particularly on the arrival of a caravan; considerable quantities of Tea are likewise brought in the shape of flat cakes, of the size of a dessert plate, and about two inches thick.  This tea is of the black sort, and although very inferior to the Chinese case teas, is a far better article than that of Pollong.  In addition to this, warm jackets lined with fur, straw hats, silk robes, skull-caps, and sugar-candy are procurable; pork of course is plentiful, and is excessively fat; grain, vegetables and fish are plentiful.  On the whole Bamo is a busy and rather flourishing place:  it derives its consequence entirely from its being a great emporium of trade with the Chinese, who come here annually in large numbers; for the accommodation of these people and their caravans, two or three squares, fenced in with bamboos, are allotted.

The principal article of Burmese export is cotton, and this I believe is produced for the most part lower down the Irrawaddi.

The climate of Bamo is in April dry and sultry:  the range of the thermometer being from 66 degrees or 68 degrees to 94 degrees or 96 degrees.  North-westers are of common occurrence in this month, and are frequently of extreme severity.  I saw very little cultivation about Bamo, some of the ravines alluded to had lately been under rice-culture; the chief part of the cultivation for vegetables, etc. is confined to the sandy islands, which occur here and there.