170 • On THE RELIGION AND 



The common year, however, of the Bur mas is 

 lunar ; and h}' this year are regulated their hoHdays 

 and festivals. It is composed of twelve months, 

 which alternately consist of thirty and twenty-nine 

 days, as follows ; 



Of 'JO days. I Ta'goo. 3 2^a-miaung. ,T IVag-.goun. 7 Sa-deen-^iut. gN^a-to. II ta-bu-dua. 

 Of 29 days. iKassoun. ^Wa-goo. 67a'da-lay. 8 Ta-xauiig-mo. loPj'a-zp. Ilta-boun. 



This being eleven days shorter than their solar 

 year, in order to make the beginning o^ Ta-goo co- 

 incide with our 18th of Api'il, the first day of their 

 solar year, the Burmas every third year add an in- 

 tcrcallary moon. This seems to have bpen the ex- 

 tent of chronological science in Hindustan, during 

 the prevalence of the doctrine of Bouddha, as the 

 Rahans will 9:0 no farther. But it was soon disco- 

 vercd by the Brahmens, that this contrivance would 

 not make the commencements of the lunar and solar 

 years coincide. They therefore wish from time to 

 time to introduce other intercallary moons, in order 

 to make the festivals occur at the proper season. 

 The present king, who is said to be a studious and 

 intelligent prince, was conviiiced of the propriety 

 of the Brahmens advice, and persuaded the Rahans 

 of tlie capital to add an intercallary moon during 

 the year wc were there. He had not however the 

 same success in the more distant provinces; for aU 

 though very strong measures were taken at Rangoun, 

 such as ordering the j)eople for some days not to 

 supply the Rahans with provisions, yet in the end 

 the obstinacy of the clergy prevailed, and they ce- 

 lebrated a great festival a month earlier at Rangoun, 

 than was done at Amarapura. 'Jo this obstinacy 

 the Rahans M'cre probably in a great m.casure insti- 

 gated by a jealousy, which they not without reason 

 entertain against such dangerous intruders as the 

 Brahmens ; and they were encouraged to persist by 

 the ignorance of those about the king. Of this ig- 

 norance his majesty was very sensible, and was ex- 

 tremely desirous of procuring from Bengal some 

 learned Brahmens and proper books. None of those 



1 saw 



