1869.] On the History of the Burma race. 39 



younger prince suffered a severe defeat from the king of Pegu. The 

 two princes then consulted, and as the rains were near at hand, when 

 military operations by land in Pegu are impracticable, and as Louk- 

 bya did not appear to render assistance, they retreated. The king 

 of Pegu, fearing another attack, sent presents and a letter to Meng- 

 kyi-tswa. These were well received. But the Myoung-mya chief 

 also sent to make excuses for his failure to co-operate, and urged 

 another invasion of Pegu. In the following year, therefore, the king 

 sent another army. The advance was made only by the line of the 

 Irawati. The force consisted of a large army, and a considerable 

 flotilla, which the king accompanied in person. The king's son Pyin- 

 tsin-meng with a force was left to guard the capital. In passing 

 down the Irawati, the Mgoung-mya chief joined the king at the 

 entrance to the Pu-thein river. The Burmese force again marched to 

 Hlaing and the town of Mau-bi. The Takings there had strong 

 stockades, which the king of Ava could not take. His army suffered 

 much from sickness, and he was obliged to retreat without effecting 

 anything. 



In the year 751, the king married his son Meng-Tshwe to the 

 daughter of Tho-ngan-bwa, the Shan chief of Mau. The same year 

 the king's ally, Louk-bya, the chief of Myoung-mya, was attacked by 

 Ra-dza-di-rit, king of Pegu. Louk-bya was taken prisoner. His son 

 Phya-kwan, and his son-in-law Phya-kyin fled, and took refuge with 

 Meng-kyi-tswa. The former received the district of Tsa-leng, and the 

 latter that of Prome, each for his support. In the same year the 

 king of Pegu, suspecting the loyalty of his son Pau-lau-kyan-dau, 

 determined to put him to death. The prince went to the great 

 pagoda at the city of Pegu, with those who had been sent to kill 

 him, made offerings, and thus prayed : " If I have imagined the least 

 " evil against my royal father, may this body when it dies, suffer in the 

 " eight great hells, and in the hundred and eighty-eight small hells; 

 " and may I never meet the future Phra. But if I have not imagined 

 " any evil against my royal father, then when this body dies, may it 

 " be conceived in the womb of a royal Mran-ma, and be born ; and 

 " when of age, may I conquer and oppress the Taking country." 

 Having uttered this imprecation, the prince drank the water of 

 truth, and was forthwith killed by the executioners. Ail this was 



