﻿A9^ ON THE BURIIHA 



Exclusive of the definition of the game in the 

 Amaracosha, namely, that the four angas or mem- 

 bers are elephants, horses, chariots, and foot soldiers, 

 there are contradictions in the rules given by Go- 

 toma and others translated by R,ad-ha-cant, which 

 are irreconcilable, unless we suppose they treat of 

 different i>ames. The first savs, that " the king-, 

 the elephant, and the horse may slay the foe, but 

 cannot expose themselves to be slain." Hence we 

 infer that the ship and foot soldier alone are vul- 

 nerable. In another place the commentator says, 

 *' If a pawn can march to any square on the oppo- 

 site extremity of the board, except that of the king 

 or ship, he assumes whatever power belonged to that 

 square, which promotion is called shat-pada, or six 

 strides." This contradicts the former rule. And 

 again, " but this privilege of shat-pada was not al- 

 lowable in the opinion of Gotoma ; wdien a player 

 had three pa^ ns on the chess board, but when only- 

 one pawn, and one ship remained, the pawn might 

 even advance to the square of a king or ship, and 

 assume the pov/er of either." From the whole we 

 may gather, that in this game there is much ab- 

 struseness with little science, which affords strong 

 presumption of its being rudimental. 



I have placed the Chinese game the second in the 

 series, because there is a record of its relative an- 

 tiquity ; but not from conviction, for the next im- 

 provement of the ancient Hindoo game appears to 

 me to be that which at present obtains amongst the 

 Burmhas, who are H'wdoos of the Pali tribe, and 

 derive all their literature and science from the com- 

 mon source. * In the Eurmha srame the first dawn 



of 



* The chess men I had made at Amarapoorah, the Burmha capital, 

 were the workmanship ot some Cossajs, natives of the kingdom of 

 Mi-mipore, v^ho, as well as the Burmhas, are oi the sect of Budda, 

 and torni the intermediate link between thera and the Bcngall'ies. 



