84 INDIA BEYOND THE GANGES. 



cities in all Asia. The emperor of this country was anciently a very 

 rich and powerful monarch; but about the beginning of the seven- 

 teenth century, Pegu was conquered by the king of Ava or Birmah, 

 and the kingdoms united ; till about the year 1740, when the Peguers 

 rebelled, and in a few years subdued, in their turn, the kingdom of 

 Ava. In 1754, however, the Birmans, under Alompra, who became 

 their sovereign, shook off the yoke, and again subdued Pegu, which 

 now forms a part of the Birman empire. 



Ava, Birmah, or as it is called by the natives, Miama, is bounded 

 on the west by a ridge of lofty mountains which divide it from Ara- 

 can ; on the north-east and east by China and Siam ; and on the south 

 by Pegu. The Birman empire consists of Ava, Pegu, Aracan, Meek- 

 ley, and part ot Siam, which are now all subject to one sovereign. 

 It is difficult to ascertain the exact limits of this empire, but accord- 

 ing to major Symes, in his account of an embassy to Ava, in the year 

 1795, it appears to include the space between the 9th and 26th de- 

 grees of north latitude, and between the 92d and 107th degrees of 

 longitude east of Greenwich; being about 1050 geographical miles 

 in length, and 600 in breadth. The number of cities, towns, and vil- 

 lages, in the Birman dominions, major Symes was assured by a per- 

 son wlio might be supposed to know, amounts to 8000 ; from which 

 he concludes, that the population of the whole empire is not less than 

 17,000,000. Major Francklin, a later traveller, estimates the popula- 

 tion of the Birman dominions, at 1 1,200,000 persons. 



The climate of Ava is extremely salubrious ; the seasons are re- 

 gular, and the extremes of heat and cold seldom experienced ; at 

 least the duration of the intense heat, which immediately precedes 

 the commencement of the rainy season, is very short. The soil is re- 

 markably fertile, and produces as luxuriant crops of rice as are to be 

 found in the finest parts of Bengal Sugar-canes, tobacco of a supe- 

 rior quality, indigo, cotton, and different tropical fruits, in perfection, 

 are all indigenous products of this fertile country. The kingdom of 

 Ava abounds in minerals : it contains mines of gold, silver, rubies^ 

 and sapphires ; it also affords amethysts, garnets, very beautiful chry- 

 solytes, jasper, loadstone, and marble. An extensive trade is carri- 

 ed on becween the capital of the Birman dominions and Yunan in 

 China. The principal article of export from Ava is cotton. Amber, 

 ivory, precious stones, betel-nut, and the edible nests brought from 

 the eastern Archipelago, are also articles of commerce. 



The general disposition of the Birmans is strikingly contrasted 

 with that of the natives of Hindoostan, from whom they are separated 

 only by a narrow ridge of mountains, in many places admitting of an 

 easy intercourse. Notwithstanding the small extent of this barrier, 

 the physical difference between the nations could scarcely be great- 

 er, had they been situated at the opposite extremeties of the globe. 

 The Birmans are a lively inquisitive race, active, irascible, and im- 

 patient ;' the character of their Bengal neighbours it is well known is 

 the- reverse. The unworthy passion of jealousy, which prompts most 

 nations of the east to immure their women within the walls of a ha- 

 ram, and surround them with guards, seems to have scarcely any in- 

 fluence over the minds of this extraordinary and more liberal people. 

 The wives and daughters of the Birmans are not concealed from the 

 sight of men, and are suffered to have as free intercourse with each 

 other as the rules of European society admit. The Birmans are ex- 

 tremely fond both of poetry and music. Their religion, is, in fact, tha^ 



