1836.] lying north of the Tenasserim Provinces. 619 



that they had sent to Siam to endeavour to bring him under the king's displea- 

 sure for having received me as he had. 



" I begged to know if Chow-ni-moi-Koin and Ponva-tche would be allow, 

 ed to accompany me, and told him I was anxious to start on Sunday 31st. He 

 said in that case it would be impossible for them to accompany me, and hoped 

 I would wait nine days, when every thing would be ready, and a lucky day, and 

 they should then proceed along with me. After some consideration, I said that 

 though my instructions were to return immediately, I would take on myself to 

 remain. ' Then,' said he, ' every thing is settled very soon ; if you have any 

 thing to ask or communicate, do it without reserve.' I then produced the 

 General's pass, which mentions 1100 people, though there are now scarcely 100 

 remaining, the others having escaped as opportunity offered ; and asked what 

 were his intentions regarding those people ; and as I had little doubt of his refus- 

 ing to liberate them, and I had no authority to demand them, I added, that as 

 our friendship was sealed and they were apprehensive of the King of Siam, I 

 did not wish to press their immediate release, but begged he would allow the 

 heads of the villages now left (who was the person they had selected to bring 

 the letter to Maulamyne) to accompany me, and communicate his case to the 

 Commissioner, that from the constant and friendly intercourse we had with the 

 King of Siam, and his having given up our people who were carried off from 

 Mergui, 1 had no doubt of the result. He readily agreed to the man's accom- 

 panying me, but begged jocularly that I would not give him up to the Burmans, 

 who were a thorn in their eye, which seemed a signal for the conversation to 

 become general ; amongst other things he told me he had 80 wives, 18 sons, and 

 16 daughters, of whom one is an inferior wife of the King of Siam, but has 

 unfortunately no children ; that his relations in the three towns amount to 

 upwards of 700 ; that there were 30 guns in this town, and 40 in Lagon and 

 Zimmay each ; (a Burman prisoner here has offered to eat all above ten in the 

 three places ;) that there are 4,000 inhabitants in Laboung, 40 or 50,000 in 

 each of the other towns : — this is also of course very much exaggerated. The 

 people who accompanied here to-day, after many pros and cons, received an order 

 to buy forty-two bullocks for carriage. A Chinese who is here (father-in-law 

 to Chow-tche-Weet) is to start to-morrow tor Zimmay, to bring up some of 

 the principal Chinese traders said to have arrived there, and I have strong hopes, 

 from the enterprizing character of the Chinese, they may be induced to visit 

 the coast, 



" I was invited into the fort at 3 p. M. to an entertainment, and had the cere- 

 mony called " jPow/c" 59 performed ; beyond which I am told there is no possible 

 mark of friendship. It consisted in two old men saying a prayer of some length 

 for long life, riches, and happiness to one of the English Chiefs of elephants and 

 horses and conqueror of the Burmans, and tying seven threads of white cotton 

 round my wrists : the latter ceremony was also performed by Chow Raya 

 Woon, the chief's elder brother, and by Chow-ni-moi-Koin, and I returned the 

 compliment to them. Two large bouquet of flowers, one ornamented with a num- 

 ber of thin silver plates, and some of the flowers being of very considerable but 

 oppressive fragrance, were presented. Sweetmeats were also served up to me, 

 and rice with various currie6, both to the people who accompanied me and to 

 the natives, in large silver bowls, to the number of probably fifty, varying in size 

 4 L 2 



