Mr Crawford's Accoimt of the Mission to Ava. 36S 



'* After the audience, the gentlemen of the mission were occupied for seve- 

 ral successive days in paying visits to the heir apparent, the Prince of Sarra- 

 wadi, the Dowager Queen, and the Queen's brother. By all these person- 

 ages they were received with marked politeness and attention. The ladies 

 presented themselves on these occasions as well as the men. There was no 

 reserve in respect to the fair sex. 



" The negotiation was then renewed, and on the 23d of November, besides 

 settling some points respecting frontiers, a short treaty of commerce of four 

 articles was concluded. 



" The mission continued at the Burman capital in all about two months and 

 a half, and quitted it on the 12th of December, after being honoured with two 

 audiences of his Majesty ; the one on occasion of catching a wild elephant, 

 and the other on that of weaning a young one, favourite diversions of the 

 King. On the occasions in question, his Majesty threw off all reserve, and 

 conversed freely and familiarly with our countrymen. On the day of depar- 

 ture, presents were sent for the governor-general, and each of the English 

 gentlemen received a title of nobility. 



" The Irawadi, which, swollen by the periodical rains, was deep and broad 

 in coming up, was found in descending to have fallen from twenty to thirty 

 feet ; and the navigation consequently proved extremely intricate and tedi- 

 ous. The steam-vessel was in all aground fifteen days, and frequently ran 

 the risk of being totally lost. The voyage to Rangoon occupied thirty-five 

 days, which, in a small boat suited for the river, ought to have been performed 

 in ten. At Pugan, about eighty miles below Ava, the mission was for the first 

 time informed of the insurrection of the Talains. At Henzada and Donabew 

 the inhabitants were seen fiying from the seat of insurrection. The insur- 

 gents were first seen at Paulango This place, where the river is not above 

 sixty yards broad, was strongly stockaded in three places, and the Talains 

 were seen standing to their arms. The steam-vessel came-to for a few mo- 

 ments to request a safe passage for the baggage and boats which were behind,^ 

 and for the boats of some merchants which accompanied them, amounting in 

 all to about twenty-two. Boats put off immediately, and the Talains came 

 on board without the least hesitation. They were full of friendly professions, 

 and requested only our neutrality. Our visitors saluted us in the manner of 

 English sepoys, standing up. This, they said, was the positive order of his 

 Talain Majesty, who declared he would permit no one henceforth to crouch 

 in his presence, or that of any other chief. They also boasted that they treat- 

 ed their prisoners after the English fashion, that is to say, disarmed them and 

 set them at liberty, without offering them any personal violence. They 

 claimed the greater merit for this, on account of the conduct observed by tjie 

 Burmans towards them, who, they alleged, put all their prisoners to death, 

 or, as they expressed it, ' divided them into three parts.' 



" On the morning of the 17th the mission reached Rangoon. The Burman 

 flag was seen flying on one side of the river, and the Talain on the other, not 

 600 yards asunder. The town of Rangoon was invested on all sides by the 

 Talains, and the suburbs had been burnt to the ground. We had hardly been 

 at anchor half an hour, and were engaged in reading our letters and news- 

 papers, when the garrison made a sortie, and an action took place, reckoned 



