112 OF THE CITY OF PEGUE, AND THE 



In the center of each fide there is a gateway, about 

 thirty feet wide. Thefe gateways were the principal 

 entrances. The pafTage acrofs the ditch is on a mound 

 of earth, which ferves as a bridge ; and was formerly 

 defended by a retrenchment, of which there are now 

 no traces. 



Nothing can exhibit a more ftriking picture of de- 

 flation than the infide of thefe walls. AlompRaw, 

 when he carried the city by aflault in the year 1757, 

 razed every dwelling to the ground, and difperfed or 

 led into captivity all the inhabitants. The pagodas, 

 or praws, which are very numerous, were the only 

 buildings that efcaped the fury of the conquerors ; and 

 of thefe the great pagoda of Shoemadoo has alone 

 been attended to, and repaired. After the demolition 

 of the city, Alomfraw carried the captive monarch 

 w ith his family to Ava y where he remained many years 

 a irate prifoner. Yangoon, or Rangoon, founded 

 about this time, was by a royal mandate conftituted the 

 feat of provincial government, and Pegue entirely aban- 

 doned. 



The prefent king of the Birmans, whofe government 

 has been lefs difturbed than that of any predeceflbr of 

 his family, entirely altered the fyftem which had been 

 adopted by his father, and obferved during the fuccef- 

 iive reigns of his two brothers, Nam doge Praw, and 

 Sembuan Praw, and of his nephew Chenguza. He 

 has turned his attention to the population and im- 

 provement, rather than the extenfion, of his domi- 

 nions ; and feems more defirous to conciliate his new 

 fubjecls by mildnefs, than to rule them through terror. 

 He has abrogated fevcral fevere penal laws, impofed 

 upon the Taliens or Peguers : juftice is now distributed 

 impartially; and the only diltinclion at prefent be- 

 tween a Birman and ^alien. confiits in the excluflon 

 of the latter from all public offices oftruft and power. 



No 



