Observations of' the late Mission to Ava. IS 



a Woonduck and three Saredaugyis accordingly came, and on 

 the morning of the 30th we arrived at the capital, anchoring 

 about two miles below the city, opposite to the place appoint- 

 ed for our temporary residence. Thousands flocked down to 

 the bank of the river out of curiosity to see the steam vessel. 

 A similar curiosity was displayed everywhere else on our jour- 

 ney, nearly the whole population of towns and villages turn- 

 ing out to see her. 



On landing we were received with ceremonious politeness by 

 a Wungyi and Atwenwun, the two highest classes of officer? 

 under the Burmese government. These were the individuals 

 who had negociated and signed the treaty of Yandabu. The 

 politeness which dictated the selection of these two individuals 

 was obvious. 



Our audience, under various pretexts, was put off from day 

 to day until the 21st of October. In the meanwhile we were 

 treated with attention. The expences of the whole mission 

 were paid, and we were put under no other constraint than 

 that of not being permitted to enter the walls of the town, a 

 liberty which would have been contrary to established eti- 

 quette. Meanwhile the negociation had commenced, and on 

 the ISth, 14th, and 15th, we were present, by special invita- 

 tion, at the annual display of boat races, which take place 

 yearly when the waters of the Irawadi begin to fall. The 

 king and queen, with the princes and nobility, were all pre- 

 sent. The splendour of this pageant far exceeded our expec- 

 tation, and would have made a figure in the Arabian Nights'* 

 Entertainments^ as one of the good things got up by virtue of 

 Aladdin's lamp. 



The period chosen for our presentation was that of one of 

 the annual festivals, when the tributaries, princes, and nobility 

 offer presents to his majesty, and their wives to the queen. 



Boats were sent for our accommodation, and about ten 

 o'clock in the forenoon we reached the front of the palace. 

 An elephant was appropriated to each of the English gentle- 

 men, and the procession moved on until arriving at the Ring- 

 dau, or Hall of Justice, which is to the east side of the palace, 

 where we were detained for nearly three hours, to afford us 

 an opportunity of admiring the pomp and magnificence of the 



