1837.] Some account of the Wars between Burmah and China. 441 



within the large town. We think the walls of the outer* town are 

 ahout 20 cubits high and 14 thick, and those of the inner town 18 cubits 

 high and 10£ thick — and the former are complete in parapets and plat- 

 forms. The walls of the large outer town are entirely of brick, and the 

 top of the walls of the inner town is covered with sheets of copper, on 

 which there is a coat of yellow paint. On the southern side of the large 

 town there is a large hog's headf of brick work, extending from the south- 

 east angle to the north-east, and we entered by the Khanshyi-mhein gate- 

 way of this hog's head, and by the centre gateway of the great town cilled 

 Taheng.mhein. We first went to the house of the Wun-gyih Li-pu'-ta - 

 yeng, situated within the large town, and were requested by him to 

 deliver the royal letter; and on our doing so, he bowed his head down 

 respectfully and came forward to receive it. There is no Lhuot or Youn 

 (minister's council house or court house, in which it is customary for 

 ambassadors in Ava to deliver their letters). We were lodged in a brick- 

 house with a conference shed within the large town, and to the north- 

 west of the palace enclosure walls. 



" The outer large town may be about 14,000 cubits from north to south, 

 and about 6,300 cubit9 from east to west. The inner town may be about 

 4,200 cubits from north to south, and about 3, 500 cubits from #ast to 

 west. There are twenty gates, and their names are — to the southward, 

 in the hog's head, there is the Toun-byan-mhein gateway ; then, going to 

 the westward, the Shya-hu-mhein, Shya-ko-mhein, Youn:-tshein-mhein, 

 Nan-shyin-mhein, Khan-shyi-mhein,and lastlytothe south-west, the Shyin- 

 byan-mhein, altogether seven gateways. On the eastern face of the great 

 city, there are to the eastward, the Toun-tshein-mhein gateway, and to 

 its southward the Tshi-wa-mhein. On the southern face to the south-east, 

 the Tshu-wein-mhein ; then, in the centre the Tsheng-mhein, and to the 

 south-west, Shyun-tsi-mhein. On the western face, to the south-west, the 

 Phyeng-tso-mhein, and to the northward of it the Shyeng~tsi-mhein. On 

 the northern face, to the west, the To-shyan-mhein, and the east, An- 

 t,hein-mhein, making sixteen gateways altogether in the large town. In 

 the inner town there is to the eastward To-wha_mhein, to the southward 

 T,ha-tseng-mhein, to the westward Shyin-wa-mhein, and to the north- 

 ward Ho-mhein gate, making four gateways in the inner town, and 

 twenty altogether in the two towns. 



" The second and inner wall around the residence of the emperor of 

 China is surrounded by a moat with water and has towers and fortifications. 

 Its extent from north to south is 1,400 cubits, and from east to west 

 about 2,300 cubits, and it is 20 cubits high and 14 thick. The front of 



* This appears to be "the Tartar city," anil by the " inner town" 1 conceive 

 the external enclosure of the palace is meant. 



f This is the usual term for the bastion of a fort, but here it appears to be ap- 

 plied to the whole of that portion of Pekin called " the Chinese city." 



