1841.] Account of Arakan. 687 



as the history has it, in the midst of a bush ; the doe started off, and 

 the hill chief taking up the infant conveyed him home. The child 

 when grown up, marries the chief's daughter ; but not from this union 

 was the royal race of Arakan destined to spring. The doe-born youth 

 is named Ma-ra-ya ; he becomes the favourite of the Nats^ who furnish 

 him with magic weapons, and he clears the country of the monsters 

 who ravaged it. By some strange accident, which is not explained, a 

 princess of the Pun-na dynasty has been preserved amidst the general 

 ruin ; she is discovered by the doe-born son of Ang-dza-na, and they 

 are married. The country once more becomes populated, and the 

 city of Dha-gnya-wa-ti is built to the north of the present city of 

 Arakan. 



Of this race fifty-five kings reigned throughout a period of 1800 

 years ; another dynasty then succeeded, which numbered twenty-four 

 kings, whose reigns extended throughout a period of 835 years. Then 

 came the king Tsan-da-thoo-vee-ydi who was not of a different dynasty, 

 but in his reign the Boodh Gau-ta-ma, having been born in Ma-gadha^ 

 visited Arakan; the pious king in honour of him built the famous 

 temple of Ma-ha-mu-ni^ which still exists; before Gau-ta-ma left 

 Arakan, the king caused a brazen image of him to be cast ; or rather 

 it was miraculously formed by the Nats, being a likeness of the Budh 

 when living, and being for ages after endowed with the faculty of 

 speech, it became celebrated in all Budhist countries. This image 

 was carried away by the Burmese after their conquest of the country 

 in A. D. 1784, and is still to be seen in Amerapoora, where it is 

 regarded with peculiar devotion.* 



The successors of Tsan-da-thoo-wee-ya are recorded in regular suc- 

 cession, though the dynasties are frequently changed. One hundred 

 and thirty-five kings extend from Tsan-da-thoo-vee-ya to the last 

 king, Ma-ha-tha-ma-ta, who reigned when the country was conquered 

 by the Burmese. The Arakan kings in the interim, " if they have 

 writ their annals true," carried their victorious arms into the valley 

 of the Ari-wa-ti, to Siam, and even to China. The present Arakan 



* Before their conversion to Budhism, the Myam-mas had probably the same simple 

 religious rites which we see among the hill tribes to this day, i. e. occasional offerings 

 of food, flowers, &c. to the Nats or Spirits, placed in the open air. Indeed these offer- 

 ings are still common throughout Burma, though they are disallowed by strict 

 Budhists. 



4 s 



