Mr Crawford's Account of the Mission to Ava. 361 



a few miles, an order from the court arrived, requesting that we might stop 

 where we were, as it was the intention to send down a deputation of persons 

 of superior rank to conduct us. The promised deputation, consisting of 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 appointed 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 every where else on our journey, nearly the 

 whole population of towns and villages turning out to see her. 



" On landing, we were received with ceremonious politeness by a Wungyi 

 and Atwenwun, the two highest classes of officers under the Burmese govern- 

 ment. These were the individuals who had negociated and signed the treaty 

 of Yandabu. The politeness which dictated the selection of these two indivi- 

 duals was obvious. 



" Our audience, under various pretexts, was put off from day to day, until 

 the 21st of October. In the mean while 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 etiquette. Meanwhile 

 the negociation had commenced, and on the 13th, 14th, and 15th, we were 

 present, by special invitation, 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 present. The splendour of 

 this pageant far exceeded our expectation, and would have made a figure in the 

 Arabian Nights' Entertainments, as one oi' the good things got up by virtue 

 of Aladdin's Lamp. 



" The period chosen for our presentation was that of one of the annual fes- 

 tivals, when the tributaries, princes, and nobility, offer presents to his Majes- 

 ty, and their wives to the Queen. 



" Boats were sent for our accommodation, and about 10 o'clock in the fore- 

 noon we reached the front of the palace. An elephant was appropriated to 

 each of the English gentlemen, 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 Burmese court, but, above all, to afford the 

 court an opportunity of displaying it. 



" At that place the whole court, with the exception of his Majesty, passed 

 in review before us, beginning with the officers of lowest rank, and ending 

 with the princes of the blood. The courtiers were in their dresses of cere- 

 mony, and each chief was accompanied by a numerous retinue, besides ele- 

 phants and horses. The retainers of Menzagyi, the Queen's brother, the 

 most powerful chief about the court, could not have been fewer than 300. 



" We were at length summoned into the royal presence. The etiquette in- 

 sisted upon with Colonel Symes seemed not to have escaped the recollection 

 of the Burman officers, and they would have us to practise the same ceremo- 

 nies he had been necessitated to submit to ; but times had changed. These 

 ceremonies consisted in making repeated obeisances to the walls of the palace, 

 ♦ Principal secretaries. 



