526 



B I R M A N E M P 1 11 E. 



Birman 

 XJBptre, 



Principal 



dues. 



commercial transactions, the Birmans, like the Chinese, 

 make no use of coin. Silver in bullion and lead are 

 the current monies of this country ; weight and purity 

 are of course the standard value, and in ascertain- 

 ing these the natives are exceedingly scrupulous 

 and expert. Money scales and weights are all fabri- 

 cated at the capital, when they are stamped and cir- 

 culated throughout the empire, while the use of any 

 other is prohibited. The bankers are also workers 

 in silver, and assayers of metal. This is a very nume- 

 rous class of people, and indispensably necessary, as 

 no stranger can undertake either to pay or receive 

 money without having it first examined by one ot 

 them. Every merchant has a banker of this descrip- 

 tion, with whom he lodges all his cash, and who re- 

 ceives a commission of one per cent, upon it, in con- 

 sideration of which he is responsible for the quality 

 of what passes through his hands ; and there has 

 been no instance, in which a branch of trust was com- 

 mitted by one of these bankers. 



In this place we shall introduce some description 

 of the principal cities of the Birman empire, as it will 

 illustrate the state of society and of the arts in this 

 country. The seat of government has been often suc- 

 cessively changed under different sovereigns. At pre- 

 sent the capital is Ummerapoora, a city which was 

 founded by Menderagee, soon after he ascended the 

 throne, and which has speedily become one of the 

 most flourishing places in the East. It is situated on 

 a peninsula between a lake on the south- east, and a 

 large river with numerous isleson the north-west, and 

 with its spires, turrets, and lofty obelisk, &c. noting 

 the royal presence, seems to rise like Venus out of 

 the waters. The lake is called Tounzemahn, from a 

 village on the opposite side, which isornamented with 

 tall groves of mango, palmyra, and cocoa trees. The 

 number and singularity of the boats which are moor- 

 ed in the lake, and the surrounding amphitheatre of 

 lofty hills, conspire to render the 6cene grand and in- 

 teresting. The fort is an exact square, with public 

 granaries and store-rooms, and there is a gilded tem- 

 ple at each corner nearly 100 feet in height, b;>t far 

 inferior to others in the vicinity of the capital. In 

 the centre of the fort stands the royal palace, with a 

 wide court in front, beyond which is the hall of coun- 

 cil, supported by about eighty pillars disposed in 

 eleven rows. The buildings of this city are chiefly 

 of wood. 



Ava, the former capiuil, is about four miles from 

 Ummerapoora; but since the removal of the seat of 

 government to that city, has fallen into a state of de- 

 cay. " The walls," says Colonel Symes, " are now 

 mouldering into ruin, ivy clings to the sides, and 

 bushes suffered to jjiow at the bottom, undermine 

 the foundation, and have already caused large chasms 

 in the different faces of the fort. The materials of 

 the houses, consisting chiefly of wood, had, on the 

 first order for removing, been transported to the new 

 city of Ummerapoora: but the ground, unless when 

 it is covered with bushes or rank grass, still retains 

 trace:, of former buildings and streets. The lines of 

 the royal palace, of the grand council hall, the apart- 

 ments of the women, and the spot on which the 

 pcasath or imperial spire had stood, were pointed out 

 !f> ns by our guide. Qlumps of bamboos, a few plan- 



tain trees, and tall thorns, occupy the greater part of Birmm. 

 the area of the lately flourishing capital. We ob- r. m pire, 

 served two dwelling houses of mortar and brick, the *~~" " 



rools of which had fallen in. These, our guides said, 

 had belonged to foreigners. On entering one, we 

 found it inhabited only by bats, which flew in our 

 faces, whilst our sense of smelling was aiiccted by their 

 filth, and by the noisome mildew that hung upon the 

 walls. Numerous temples, on which the Birmang 

 never lay sacrilegious hands, were dilapidating by time. 

 It is impossible to i\rd\\ a more striking picture of 

 desolation and ruin." 



Pegu was formerly capital of the kingdom of that 

 name : but after the conquest of it by Alompra, 

 who demolished the buildings, and razed the whole 

 to the ground, it fell into decay. But after Men- 

 deragee ascended the throne, he endeavoured to con- 

 ciliate the native Peguese, by permitting them to re- 

 build their ancient city, within the site of which a 

 new town has accordingly been reared. It is situated 

 in 17 W N. Eat. and 96 11' 15" E. Long. The 

 number of inhabitants appears to be about six or seven; 

 thousand. 



Besides these cities, there are many others of con- 

 siderable importance. Raugoon, one of the principal 

 ports in the kingdom, was founded by Alompra, and 

 is estimated to contain about 30,000 inhabitants. 

 Towards the mouth of the river Pegu stands Siriam, 

 formerly one of the chief ports of that kingdom, and 

 which carried on a considerable commerce when iu 

 possession of the Portuguese. Martaban was another 

 sea-port of considerable eminence, until the harbour 

 was impeded by order of the Birman emperor. The 

 grand river Irrawaddy, the course of which is about 

 1200 miles in length, is adorned with numerous 

 towns and villages. Persaiu or Bassiau stands on it* 

 western branch. At a considerable distance to the 

 north is Prome, celebrated as the scene of many long 

 sieges and bloody battles, the population of which it 

 said to exceed that of Raugoon. Chagaing, opposite 

 to the capital, was once a city of imperial residence, 

 and is still a principal market for cotton. Pagahm is 

 celebrated for its numerous temples, but is now in a 

 state of decay. Towards the north and west there 

 are also Arracan, Quangtong, Baruoo, Munnipora, 

 Monchaboo. 



Of the population of the Birman empire we have population, 

 no accurate information. Colonel Symes, however, 

 says, that he was credibly informed the number of 

 cities, towns, and villages, amounted to 8000, exclu- 

 sive of Arracan. Now, if this be true, and we sup- 

 pose each of them, on an average, to contain 300 

 houses, and every house six persons, the population 

 will amount to 11,400,000 persons. Few of the in- 

 habitants, however, live in solitary houses ; they most- 

 ly form themselves into small societies, and then- 

 dwellings, thus collected, compose their villages ; and 

 therefore, he concludes, that if we estimate the whole 

 population, including Arracan, at 17,000,000, it will 

 not probably exceed the truth. 



In their features the Birmans bear a greater resem- Persons f 

 blance to the Chinese than to the natives of Hindos- the inha- 

 tau. The men are not tall, but they are active and bitanu. 

 athletic, and have a very youthful appearance, as, in- 

 stead of using the razor, they pluck out their beards. 



