RANGOON. 



Birman empire, fituated on a branch of the Irrawaddy, 

 called the Rangoon river, which forms the only communi- 

 cation that the Pegue river has with the fea. The town, in 

 its prefent ftate, has been extended by increafing trade and 

 confequent population far beyond the limits which for- 

 merly comprehended Rangoon, as it was originally founded, 

 in 1755, by Alompra, the fovcreign of the Birman empire. 

 Rangoon, or Dzangoon, which lignifies viftory achieved, 

 was denominated Dagon, before Alompra took it, and laid 

 the foundation of the prefent town. Here ftood, in for- 

 mer days, a large and populous city, called in the Pali, or 

 facred language, Singounterra ; the fcite of which Alompra 

 dihgently explored, and raifed on its ruins the prefent flou- 

 rifhing fea-port of the Pegue dominions. Dagon, often 

 called Shoe-Dagon, or the golden Dagon, is a name pe- 

 culiar to the temple; a noble edifice, three miles diftant 

 from the banks of the river. (See Dagoung.) Rangoon 

 ftretches along the bank of the river about a mile, and is 

 not more than a third of a mile in breadth. The city, or 

 miou, (mious being a term applied either to a city or a dil- 

 trift,) is a fquare furrounded by a high ftockade, in the 

 manner of the country, and on the N. fide it is further 

 ftrengthened by an indifferent folTe, acrofs which a wooden 

 bridge is thrown ; in this face there are two gates, in each 

 of the others only one. Wooden ftages are erefted in fe- 

 veral places wnthin the ftockade, for mufqueteers to Hand 

 upon in cafe of an attack. On the S. fide, towards the 

 river, which is about 20 or 30 yards from the palifade, there 

 are feveral huts, and three wharfs, with cranes for landmg 

 goods. A battery, of twelve cannon, fix and nine-pounders, 

 raifed on the bank, commands the river ; but the guns and 

 carriages are in fuch a wretched condition, that they could 

 do little execution. Clofe to the principal wharf are two 

 commodious wooden houfes, ufed by the merchants as an ex- 

 change, where they ufually meet in the cool of the morning 

 and evening, to converfe, and tranfaft bufinefs. The ftreets 

 of the town are narrow, and much inferior to thofe of 

 Pegue, but clean and well paved ; there are numerous chan- 

 nels to carry off the rain, over which ftrong planks are laid, 

 to prevent an interruption of intercourfe. The improve- 

 ment of the town has been very much owing to the aAivity 

 of the defcendant of a Portuguefe family, named Jaunfee, 

 of low origin, but advanced at length to the important 

 office of Shawbunder, or intendant of the port, and re- 

 ceiver of the port-cuftoms. Under his diredlion and in- 

 fluence, the ftreets were paved, feveral well built wooden 

 bridges were conftrufted, and alfo a wharf, which, extending 

 into the river, and raifed on pofts, enables the (hips to de- 

 liver and receive cargoes without the affiftance of river- 

 craft ; under his direction alfo a fpacious cuftom-houfe has 

 been erefted. This is the only lay building in Rangoon 

 that is not conllrufted of wood, it is compofed of brick and 

 mortar, and the roof covered with tiles ; within, there is a 

 number of wooden ftages for the reception of bale goods. 

 The houfes, in general, are raifed on pofts from the ground ; 

 the fmaller fnpported by bamboos, the larger by ftrong tim- 

 bers. All the officers of government; the moft opulent 

 merchants, and perfons of confideration, live within the 

 fort ; (hipwrights, and people of inferior rank, inhabit the 

 fuburbs ; and one entire ftreet, called Tackally, is exclu- 

 flvely afhgned to common proftitutes, who are not permitted 

 to dwell Within the prccinfts of the fortification. Swine 

 are fjfff red to-roam about the town at large ; they do not 

 belong to any particular owners, but are regarded as Ser- 

 vants of the public, or common fcavengers ; as they go 

 under tlic houfes and deftroy the filth. The Birmans are 

 alfo fond of dogs, numbers of which infeft the ftreets ; the 



breed is fmall, and very iioify. The borders of the terrace 

 on which the temple of Dagoung is raifed, are planted with 

 fliady trees in regular rows ; and from this eminence there 

 is a beautiful and extcnfive profpeft ; the Pegue and Ran- 

 goon rivers are ieen winding through a level woody country, 

 and the temple of Syriam, little inferior to others at Pegue 

 and Rangoon, Hands near the junction of the ftreams. The 

 road leading from the city to tlie temple is formed with care, 

 a wide caufeway in the centre throwing off the rain to the 

 fides ; and numberlefs little fpaces are ranged along the edge 

 of the road, in which are niches to receive fmall images of 

 their divinity Guadma. Several kioums or monafteries lie 

 in this direftion, generally removed at a fhort diilance from 

 the public way, under the {hade of pipal or tamarind trees. 

 The Birmans being, like other inhabitants of the eaft, fond 

 of proceflions, fcarcely a week pafles in which there is not 

 a religious difplay at Rangoon ; cither a funeral of feme 

 perfon who leaves fufficicnt to defray the expence of a pom- 

 pous public burning, or the ceremony of admitting youths 

 into the convents of the Rhahaans, on which occafion pa- 

 rents and friends fpare no expence in entertainments andpre- 

 fents to the Rhahaans. See Rhahaans. 



The population of Rangoon is confiderable ; there are 

 5000 regiftered taxable houfes in the city and fuburbs ; fo 

 that if each houfe be fuppoied to contain fix people, the 

 eftimate will amount to 30,000. Having long been the 

 afylum of infolvent debtors from the different fettlements of 

 India, it is crowded with foreigners of defperate fortunes, 

 who find from the Birmans a friendly reception, and gene- 

 rally fupport themfelves by carrying on a fmall trade. The 

 exchange, if it may be fo called, exhibits a motley affem- 

 blage of merchants, fuch as few towns of much greater 

 magnitude can produce ; Malabars, Moguls, Perfians, Par- 

 fees, Armenians, Portuguefe, French, and Enghfti. The 

 members of this difcordant multitude, engaged in various 

 branches of comm.erce, are not only permitted to refide un- 

 der the proteclion of government, but likewife enjoy the 

 moft liberal toleration in matters of rehgion. They cele- 

 brate their feveral rites and feftivals, totally difregarded by 

 tlie Birmans, who have no inclination to make proielytes. 

 In the fame ftreet may be heard the folemn voice of the 

 Muezim, calling pious Iflamites to early prayers, and the 

 bell of the Portuguefe chapel tinkling afummonsto Romifti 

 Chriftians. Proceflions meet and pafs each other without 

 giving or receiving caufe of offence. The Birmans never 

 trouble themfelves about the religious opinions of any fe£t, 

 nor difturb their ritual ceremonies, provided they do not 

 break the peace, or meddle with their own divinity Gaudma ; 

 but if any perfon commit an outrage, which the Muftulmen, 

 in their zeal for the true faith will fometimes do, the offender 

 is fure to be put into the flocks ; and if that does not calm 

 his turbulent enthufiafm, he is baftinadoed into tranquillity. 



The Parfees, the Armenians, and a firall proportion of 

 Mufiulmen, engrofs the largeft fhare of the trade of Rangoon ; 

 and individuals from their number were frequently felefted 

 by government to occupy employments of truft, tliat related 

 to trade and tranfaftions with foreigners, the duties of 

 which the Birmans conceive that fuch perfons could per- 

 form better than themfelves. Thefe people, particularly the 

 Armenians, naturally behold with a jealous eye any ordinance 

 of a commercial nature, that may tend to diminifh their 

 influence, and deprive them of that dift atorial power, which 

 they aflume and esercife over all merchants and mariners that 

 refort to Rangoon ; but of none are they fo apprehenfiveas 

 of the Englifli : a conneftion^with whom might teach the 

 Birmans to tranfact foreign bufinefs without their affiftance, 

 and give them a more adequate fcnfe of their own intereft. 



The 



