422 Some account of the Wars between Burmah and China. [Jr/NS, 



paved with stone. From a lake situated three taings* to the north-west 

 of the city of Pekin, water is brought into the ditch surrounding the walls 

 of the palace enclosure by a canal, which also conducts it from the ditch 

 into the palace, and thence to the east of the city ; and there are stone 

 bridges over this canal. The southern side is the front of the palace. The 

 principal palace is surrounded by another wall, outside of which stands the 

 palace with the throne (hall of audience), which has a square roof fourteen 

 cubits higli above the terrace, and the terrace stands six cubits above the 

 ground, and is paved witli stone. About one hundred and forty cubits 

 distant from the hall of audience is another large building with a square 

 roof, and on one side of it is the gold treasury, and on the other the silver 

 ti'easuiy, with a line of other buildings. To the left of these buildings, 

 and thirty-five cubits distant, are temporary buildings occupied by the 

 officers of the court, and a line of three buildings occupied by scholars or 

 students, literally 'people learning books.'" (The description of the build, 

 ings within the palace enclosure continues for eight or ten lines farther 

 but in so confused and vague a manner as to render it impossible to be 

 understood by any one but a person who has actually seen the place.) 



" When the emperor of China takes his seat on the throne, flags, chowries, 

 and satin umbrellas are arranged on his right and left hand, and the band 

 of music plays in a large building to the southward. On his right are the 

 military officers, and on his left the civil officers; and they all, at a signal 

 given, bow their heads nine times. The emperor comes out of the palace 

 in the following manner: — He is seated in a sedan chair covered with 

 yellow satin, and preceded by upwards of fifty horsemen, twelve umbrellas 

 of yellow satin, each with three rows of fringe, twelve chowries and twelve 

 flags, upwards of twenty spears having the points sheathed, ten led horses 

 xvith saddles and bridles complete, and upwards of twenty horses with the 

 brothers and sons of the emperor dresstu in y How satin jackets, and 

 armed with bows and swords. Immediately in front of the emperor is 

 carried an umbrella of yellow satin with three rows of fringe, and having 

 the figure of a dragon worked upon it in gold thread, and upwards of an 

 hundred men in charge of the women (eunuchs) surround the emperor's 

 chair. The band of music which plays when the emperor comes out or 

 enters the palace, consists of a pipe with six stops, two trumpets, a fiddle 

 a lyre, and an alligator harp. The instruments used at Chinese historical 

 plays consist of a small gong, a large gong, a pair of large cymbals, two 

 trumpets, a drum, and a pipe. 



" There are fifteen elephants at Pekin. The following are the prices 

 of articles in the bazar there. One and half ticals for a basket of rice; 

 10 ticals for one hundred viss of salt; 125 ticals for one hundred viss 

 of cleaned cotton; 60 ticals for one hundred viss of oil; 1 tical for a 

 basket of pyaung, grain (Madras Cholum) ; l| ticals for a basket of 



* Taing, or when compounded, pronounced daing, is a little more than two 

 English miles. 



