LIT'ERATURE OF THE BURMAS. 20j 



by him as proof, namely " that no bafe creature caii 



*' be lov.er than a Yavan or Grcek"^^" only expofes 



their miferable ignorance, and dirguf'ting illiberality. 



" XVII. Below the habit-ation Zadumaharit" fays 



the milhonary copying from the Burma writings, 



' are found many Nat who inhabit waters, woods, 



' and mountains, in the fliape of large birds, dragons, 



' and the like. The Burma writings however by no 



' means alledge, that thefe beings enjoy the fame hap- 



' pinefs, or the fame duration of life, as the Nat 



' Zadumaharit. Thefe circumftances vary, accord- 



• ing to the nature of the aft ions performed by thefe 



• Nat, when in a human form. It is faid that the 

 ' king of the dragons faw the firft God, who appeared 

 ' in this world t, and that he will fee the laft; or in 

 ' other words, that the duration of his life will be 

 ' nearly equal to that of the world. It is alfo faid 

 ' of this king of the dragons, that he always flceps 

 ' at the foot of thofe mountains, from whence the 

 ' river Cajfe fprings; and that he only awakes on the 

 ' appearance of a new God. That is, when any 



• being has arrived at fuch a degree of merit, as to 

 ' deferve to be declared a God, he eats rice, which 

 ' has been boiled in a golden goblet; he then, in 

 ' order to give the people a proof of his having ac- 

 ' quired divinity, throws the goblet into the river 

 ' Cajfe. The goblet fwims up againft the ftream, till 

 ' it arrives at the place where the king of the dragons 

 ' fleeps. There it ftrikes againft the rock, and makes 

 ' a noife, till the king awakes. There are alfo a kind 

 ' of Nat, named Bommazo, who live longer than 



• thofe of Zadumaharit.''' 



" XVIII. Above Zaduviaharit \s t\\Q honor habi- 

 ' tation Tavatnnza, v/hich,as has been faid, is fituated 

 ' on the plane of Mienmo's fummit. The fupreme ruler 

 ' or emperor of this habitation has fubjeft to him 

 ' thirty-two inferior Nat princes. The great city 



MahafudaJJana^ 



* Afaiick Refearches, II, 306. 

 4 The Burrnas believe; thiC in everv v;orld there anfe foar or five Gois, 

 oi.z cd'ic: ihe other. 



