LITERATURE OF THE BURMAS. ISS 



*' X. Let us now consider tlie opinions of the 

 *' Burmas concerning the inhabitants, or men of 

 " the other three great islands. The life of the in- 

 " habitants of Pioppavideha, and Amaragoga, is 

 *' not liable, like ours, to increase and diminution ; 

 ^'' but always lasts for .500 years. The form of their 

 *'■ countenances resembles, respectively, that of the 

 " islands they inhabit; that of the eastern islanders 

 *' being like the moon in her quarter, and that of 

 ^^ the western round like a full moon. These islanders 

 " also differ from us in their stature; those of Pic>/?- 

 ^^ pavideha being nine cubits high, and those of 

 " Amaragoga being six. In their manners, agri- 

 *' culture, commerce, and arts, these islanders re- 

 ■*' semble us of Zabudiba. Each of the four great 

 *' islands has its peculiar sacred tree, which being 

 *' produced at the beginning of the world of its own 

 " accord, and by the power of fate, will continue 

 *' as long as the world itself. The height of these 

 ** trees is said to be 100 juzana, and the branches 

 *' extend in a circle on every side to the distance of 

 *' Mty juzana ; so that the whole circuit of each tree 

 *' is 300 Juzana, and the trunk is eighteen juzana 

 ^' in circumference.^' 



" XI. The inhabitants of the northern island 

 *' differ totally from those of the others: for they 

 *' neither practise agriculture, commerce, nor any 

 ^' other profession. There grows in their island a 

 *' tree called Padeza-bayn, on which, in place of 

 *' fruit, hang precious garments of every kind: so 

 *• that from these trees the inhabitants are supplied 

 " with all manner of cioathing. Neither have the 

 ■" inhabitants oi' Unchcgru any need to cultivate the 

 " ground; as the szxiiq Padtza-bayn produces a cer- 

 " tain excellent kind of rice, which has no husk. 

 " Some of this rice, when the natives are hungry, 

 *■ ' they put on a certain kind of stone called Zotrassa, 

 ^ ' which immediately of itself emits fire, and dresses 

 '' the rice : and as soon as this is done, the fire dies 

 *' away. Whilst these people are eating their rice, 

 " various meats of the most exquisite flavour, ac- 



31 4 cording 



