TEMPLE OF SHOEMADOO PRAW. II5 



materials, the inhabitants are under continual dread of 

 fire, againft which they take every precaution. The 

 roofs are lightly covered 5 and at each door flands a 

 long bamboo, with a hook at the end, to pull down 

 the thatch : alfo another pole, with a grating of fplit 

 bamboo at the extremity, about three feet fquare, to 

 fupprefs flame by preiTure. Almoft every houfe has 

 earthen pots of water on the roof. And there is a par- 

 ticular clafs * of people, whole bufinefs it is to prevent 

 and extinguifh fires. 



The Mayoon's habitation is a good building, in com- 

 parifon with all the other houfes of Pegue. It is raifed 

 on pofts, ten feet high. There feems, from an outfide 

 view, to be many apartments, beftdes the hall in which 

 he gives audience. It is in the centre of a fpacious 

 court, furrounded by a high fence of bamboo mats. 

 There is in the hall, at the upper end, a fmall eleva- 

 tion in the floor, on which the Viceroy fits when he 

 receives vifits in form. 



The object in Pegue that moil attracts and mod 

 merits notice, is, the Temple of ShoEx\iadoo f, or the 



H 2 Golden 



* Thefe people are called Pagwaat. They are flaves of the 

 government ; men who have been found guilty of theft, and 

 through mercy have had their lives fpared. They are diftinguifh- 

 ed by a black circle on each cheek, caufed by punctuation : alfo 

 by having on their breads, in Birman charatters, the word 

 Thief ; and the name of the article ftolen ; as on one (that I afked 

 an explanation of) Putchoo Khoo, or Cloth Thief. 



Thefe men patrole the fhreets at night, to put out fires and lights 

 after a certain hour. They act as conftables, and are the public 

 executioners. 



+ Shoe is the Birman word for golden ; and there can be little 

 doubt that Madoo is a corruption of the Hindu Maha Deva or 

 Deo. I could not learn from the Birmans the origin or etymology 

 of the term ; but it was explained to me as importing a promontory 

 that overlooked land and water. Prazo fignifies Lord, and is always 

 annexed to the name of a facred building. It is likevvife a fovereign 

 and facerdotal title ; and frequently ufed by an inferior when ad- 

 drefling his fuperior. The analogy between the Birmans and the 

 ancient Egyptians, in the application of this term, as well as in 

 many other inftances, is highly deferving notice. 



Phra was the proper name under which the Egyptians nrft 



adored 



