110 Tlie Pegu Pagoda. [No. 2, 



•the following fable is narrated. When Gaudama, in the eighth year 

 after he became a Buddha, was on a preaching tour in these parts, he 

 passed by the hill on which Hanthawadie was afterwards built, and 

 there seeing two " Hanthas," which with joined wings paid him 

 obeisance, he foretold that 1116 years after his death, there would be 

 built on that spot a town which would become the capital of a race 

 of monarchs and an important city. As he foretold, so it came to 

 pass. On this site, which is just outside the eastern wall of the 

 present town, the original founders of the Talaing kingdom of Pegu, 

 Thamala and Wiemala, built the old city of Hanthawadie, about 573 

 A. D. The district, which took its name from the capital town, 

 contained at its most floursihing period 32 cities or townships, and 

 included the eastern half of the present district of Rangoon, with 

 parts of Toungoo and Shwegyeen. The following are the names of 

 the thirty-two cities. 



1. Dengmai; 2. Zarayboon; 3. Hmawbyo ; 4. Lagwonbyeng ; 

 5. Akharaing; 6. Ma-oo ; 7. Ramanago; 8. Rarnawatie ; 9. Hniaw- 

 bee ; 10. Hlaing; 11. Hpoungleng; 12. Htandawgyee ; 13. 

 Deedwot; 14. Zeta; 15. Zoungdoo ; 16. Hpa-aing ; 17. Merengzaya 

 18. Tagnabhoung; 19. Meng-raihla; 20. Kawlieya; 21. Zaingana- 

 ing. 



The whole of these twenty-one townships are within the limits 

 of the present district of Rangoon, and the names may all, with the 

 exception of Nos. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 16, 18 and 19, be found in 

 the Map of Pegu. Those which are not now traceable among the 

 existing towns or divisions of the district, were situated as follows : 

 No. 1. Dengmai, on the bank of the Sittang river, south east from 

 Pegu. No. 2. Zarayboon, now known as Zwaiboon, in the same 

 neighbourhood. No. 3. Hmawbyo, doubtful. No. 6. Ma-oo, part 

 of Akharaing: No. 7. Ramanago, the present town of Rangoon. 

 No. 8. Ramawatie, the country round the present town of Rangoon. 

 No. 13, Deedwot, north of Pegu. No. 14, Zeta, north of Pegu. 

 No 16, Hpa-aing, on the bank of the Irrawady, opposite to Danoobyoo. 

 This division existed up to the annexation of Pegu, when the circle 

 of Hpa-aing was amalgamated with that of Tagay. No. 18, Tagna- 

 bhoung, between Hmawbee and Hlaing. No. 19, Mengrai-hla, next 

 to Tagnabhoung. 



