Observations of' the late Mission to Ava. 11 



liarly picturesque and beautiful, after passing through the 

 long tiresome champaign of the Delta of the Irawadi, we reach- 

 ed Prome on the evening of the 15th. This is one of the 

 largest towns in the Burman empire, and appeared to be not 

 less populous than Rangoon. The inhabitants since the war 

 had returned to their homes — the place was in a good measure 

 restored, and although it had been long the head-quarters of 

 the British Army, there was now no reaction or persecution. 

 All this bore favourable testimony to the moderation of the 

 Myowun, or governor, whom we found an extremely respecta- 

 ble man. 



We left Prome on the 17th, and on the 20th reached Pat- 

 nagoh and Melloon, the scene of the conferences in December 

 1825, which led to the first treaty, which was never ratified or 

 even transmitted for ratification, a breach of engagement for 

 which the Burmese received signal castigation on the spot. 



On the 21st we left those places, and on the 22d reached 

 Renangyoung, or the '' fetid oil brooks," — in other words, the 

 Petroleum wells. In the afternoon we visited the wells and 

 the remarkable and sterile country which surrounds them, 

 abounding everywhere with fossil remains of one of the last 

 great changes which the globe has undergone. 



On the 23d we left Renangyoung, and in the course of the 

 forenoon passed Senbegyoung, from which leads the best road 

 from Aracan, and by which Major Ross and a battalion of se- 

 poys proceeded in the month of March last. 



On the morning of the 24th we reached Pugan, and staid 

 there for that day, and part of the following, examining the 

 curious antiquities of this place, the most remarkable in the 

 Burman dominions, and the extensive ruins of which, if such 

 evidence were not too well known to be delusory, might lead 

 to the supposition, that in former ages the Burmese were a 

 people more powerful and civilized than we now find them. 



On the 27th we passed the confluence of the Kyen-dwen 

 and the Irawadi. The prospect afforded by their junction 

 is far from imposing. Both rivers are here confined to a nar- 

 row bed, and the tongue of land which divides them is so low, 

 and covered with reeds, that it may easily be mistaken for an 



