( 38 ) 



I sat. At right-angles to us was a double line of minor court offi- 

 cials. The attitude observed by all but Captain S trover and myself 

 was such as to necessitate sitting on one's own calves, bringing 

 the soles of the feet in line with the back of the head — an almost 

 impossible position for Europeans, who have to compromise 

 matters by sitting lop-sided, doubling the legs under, so that the 

 soles of the feet do not front His Majesty. The Ministers and other 

 minor officials were all dressed in silk putsoes of different colours 

 and patterns, and over gowns reaching to below the knees of loose 

 white muslin and goung-boimgs of the same material ; this appeared 

 the half-dress court costume, for I noticed one of the Ministers 

 slipping on this coat just before entering the Audience Hall. 



68. After being seated for about ten minutes, a guard of soldiers 



Ceremony of His Majesty's en- entered from a door leading into the 



trance and exit, and what occurred passage by which we came, and drew 



at the audience. n p i n ^ ne ^ Q ^g rear Q f fae minor 



officials. Their uniform was a coloured put so and short jacket 

 buttoned up to the throat, the original colour of which was red 

 I was told, but now it presented that shabby changed appearance 

 which age, dirt, and perspiration are calculated to bring about. Their 

 muskets appeared to be Enfields, but of this I am not certain. 

 Next followed one of the court attendants carrying His Majesty's 

 gold pdn-suparee box, lepet (pickled tea) box of the same costly metal 

 borne on a silver stand, a gold spittoon, and pair of binoculars, all 

 of which he carefully arranged on the carpet after dusting it with 

 the end of his putso, and then retired. This being the signal appa- 

 rently for His Majesty's arrival, the ministers and other minor official 

 discharged their quids through the holes in the perforated floor, 

 and bringing their hands together in front of them, bowed their 

 heads to the ground, in which position they remained until the 

 ceremony was over. A door immediately behind the dais was 

 thrown open, and His Majesty entered with a short, quick step 

 and upright gait followed by one of his little daughters, a child of 

 about seven years old, who waited until her father had settled 

 down, and then seated herself behind him : she was a pretty little 

 thing, and remarkably well-behaved, amusing herself during the 

 interview counting her little fingers, or playing with her handsome 

 diamond necklet. His Majesty has decidedly the Burman type of 

 physiognomy, but is below the average height of his countrymen : 

 he has a pleasing expression, though of a much darker complexion 

 than the generality of the people of this province. He was dressed 

 in a rich silk putso, of a vandyked pattern, a white muslin goung-boung 

 and jacket of the same material, fitting tightly at the neck, but open 

 below, exposing the chest and stomach. 



