1837.] Some account of the Wars between Burmuh and China. 409 



placed, the royal presents being arranged on each side. The princes of 

 the blood and the other great officers of state then passed into the palace 

 in state, surrounded by their respective suites and with all their insignia 

 of rank. Last of all passed the heir-apparent, the glorious Ain-ye-meng. 

 When all was quiet the ambassadors, preceded by the royal letter and pre- 

 sents, were taken in, the ambassadors being made to stop and bow their 

 heads repeatedly along the whole road in the usual way*. The king's 

 writer bearing the box containing the royal letter, stopped not far from 

 the eastern steps of the hall of audience, when a Than-do-zenf went 

 down and took the letter up, and placed it on a white mat that was spread 

 for the purpose. The ambassadors ascended by the northern steps, and 

 took their seats at the appointed place ; whilst all the presents were put 

 down on the ground in front of the hall of audience. The whole being 

 assembled, the lord of many white elephants, the lord of life, and great 

 king of righteousness, wearing the Mahd-muni crown of inestimable value, 

 and the principal queen, dressed in the Gana-matta-pa-kua jewel, sur- 

 rounded by all the other queens and concubines, came forth, and on the 

 U-gen folding doors being opened by the princesses, his majesty the king 

 and the principal queen took their seats on the Thihdthana ydzd throne. The 

 state drum, beat when his majesty comes out, was then struck three times 

 forcibly and three times gently, and the whole band played. When the 

 music ceased, the eight consecrating Brahmans performed the customary 

 ceremony of consecration, and the flowers and water presented by the 

 Brahmans, were received by Baung-do-pyen and Nanda-then Khaya 

 in a gold cup ornamented with the nine precious stones. 



"The Na:khan-do^, Zeya N6rat,ha, then brought to the king's notice 

 seven images of Bud'dh which his Majesty was to give in charity. His 

 Majesty observed, ' Let the royal gift be suitably escorted and delivered;' 

 which order was repeated by the Na:khan to the Shue-tait~wun, who 

 after ordering the royal drum to be beaten, conveyed the images out of 

 the hall of audience. 



" The Than_do-gan§, Meng-ngay-thiri, then came up the steps used by 

 the king, and kneeling at the usual place, read out a list of the royal 

 presents. The Na:khan-do, Ky6-zua'n6-rat,ha', next proceeded right in 

 front of his Majesty, and kneeling, read out from an ornamented book, the 

 following translation which had been made of the emperor of China's letter. 

 ' The elder brother, Udi' Bua'||, (emperor of China, J who rules over 

 the great kingdoms to the eastward and a multitude of umbrella-wearing 

 chiefs, addresses affectionately his younger brother, the lord of the white, 

 red and mottled elephants, who rules over the great kingdoms to the 

 westward and a multitude of umbrella-wearing chiefs, lord of the amber 



* The British resident refused to make these obeisances. 



f Register of royal orders. 



X Royal hearer or reporter. § Receiver of royal mandates. 



U Udi, I am told, means east in the Pali language. 



