Yatsauk - Encyclopedia

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

YATSAUK, called by the Shans LAwKSAwx, a state in the central division of the southern Shan States of Burma. Area, 2197 sq. m. Pop. (1901), 24,839, of whom less than one-half are Shans; revenue, £2000. The crops grown are rice, segamum, cotton, ground-nuts and oranges. As a whole the state is moun tainous, with ranges running N. and S. The main range has a general height of 5000 ft., with peaks, such as Loi Sampa, rising to 7846 ft. The middle and S., however, consist of open rolling country, with an average height of 3500 ft. To the N. the country falls away to the Nam Tu (Myitnge), where there are fine teak forests, as well as along the Nam Lang and Nam Et, which with the Zawgyi form the chief rivers of the state. Most of them disappear underground at intervals, which makes the extraction of timber impossible except for local use. Lawksawk, the capital, stands on the N. bank of the Zawgyi, near a small weedy lake. The old brick walls and the moat are falling into decay. The chief at the time of annexation had been at war with the Burmese, but refused to submit to the British, and fled to Keng Tiring, where he died some years afterwards. The sawbwa chosen in 1887 belonged to another Shan ruling house. He died in 1900, and was succeeded by his son.