1869.] On the History of the Burma race. 73 



close to the city. Another army composed of the contingents of the 

 western Shans and other troops, was encamped at Ta-ruk-myo on the 

 bank of the Irawati, about fifty miles below the capital. The 

 invading army on reaching Pu-gan heard such reports of the de- 

 fensive measures that had been adopted, that the commanders 

 considered it prudent to report to the king the state of affairs, and 

 await further orders. The result was, that the army under Ma-ha 

 TT-ba-Ra-dza retired. 



Bhureng Noung now made more strenuous exertions. He collected 

 men and provisions from all parts of the wide territory subject to 

 him. In Pegu and Martaban a vast number of war-boats, and vessels 

 of every description as transports, were constructed and collected. 

 While this work went on, the city of Pegu was improved and a 

 palace built. In the month Wa-tsho of the year 916, the son and 

 nephew of the king of Arakan came, and took refuge with Bhureng 

 Noung. He received them with great favour. The former he 

 married to the daughter of his brother Meng-rai-tsi-thii, king of Mut- 

 ta-ma, and gave him the title of Thi-ri-dham-ma-thau-ka. The 

 latter, named Sheng-rai-myo, he married to one of his own daughters, 

 and gave him the city of Ta-mau for his support. 



The whole of the arrangements for the invasion of Ava were now 

 complete. The strength of the army and flotilla is stated to have 

 been as follows : The flotilla was to proceed up the river Irawati. 

 It consisted of six hundred large boats and war-boats ; three hundred 

 lighter row boats ; and of five hundred provision boats ; one hundred and 

 twenty thousand soldiers accompanied the flotilla, of whom a portion 

 was distributed on board the boats ; while the rest apparently marched 

 from point to point to keep company with the flotilla. The water 

 force was under the command of the tributary king ot Prome, Tha- 

 do-dham-ma Ra-dza. 



The land column of the army of invasion is stated to have con- 

 sisted of one hundred and eighty thousand soldiers, with eight 

 hundred elephants, and nine thousand horses. This included a corps 

 of four hundred Ku-la soldiers, wearing caps, uniforms, and trowsers, 

 and armed with muskets. Their place in the line of march was in 

 front and rear of the royal elephant. This army, under the imme- 

 diate command of Bhureng Noung marched from the city of Pegu in 



