30 On the History of Arakan. [No. 145. 



glory, ability, and skill, was perfect. From that king sprung a son Maha 

 Tha-ga-ya ; to him were born two sons, Tha-ga-ya and U-ba-tha- 

 ga-ya. At the same period in the country A-thet-teng-tsa-na* 

 reigned a prince of the same race named De-wa- keng-tha ; to him was 

 born a son Maha-keng-tha, and to Maha-keng-tha were born two sons, 

 Keng-tha and U-ba-keng-tha ; also a daughter De-wa-kap-yha. At the 

 very moment of that princess's birth, the astrologers (said) thus : From 

 this princess will be born ten sons, who will completely destroy king 

 Keng-tha s line." 



Maha-keng-tha determines therefore to place his daughter in a strong 

 building with one attendant, and surrounded by guards, to prevent the 

 approach of any one. Maha-keng-tha dying, his eldest son Keng-tha 

 ascends the throne. 



At this time Tha-ga-ya ascends the throne of U-ta-ya-ma-dhu-ya ; 

 he becomes suspicious of his younger brother U-ba-tha-ga-ya, who 

 is obliged to fly for his life ; he comes to A-thet-teng-tsa-na, and is hos- 

 pitably received by king Keng-tha. The fugitive prince by chance 

 comes one day in sight of the building where the princess De-wa- kap- 

 pha is immured ; the history proceeds. 



" The Prince U-ba-tha-ga-ya beheld her from a distance ; the prin- 

 cess appeared dazzling as the sun and moon, very beautiful ; shining 

 in perfection, like the heavenly Nat Thu~dza;f from the secret influ- 

 ence of acquaintance in former existences, they had an inclination of 

 the mind towards each other. The prince by many artifices silently 

 concealing himself, conveyed a message through the slave girl Nan-di- 

 gaw-pa ; she indeed is young and indiscreet, and not considering con- 

 sequences, delivered the message to the princess, according to instruc- 

 tions; having obtained the consent of the princess, the prince re- 

 peating charms and spells, and making himself invisible, reached the 

 building, and there united with the princess. Before long she being 

 with child, Nan-di-gaw-pa and the watchmen fearing for themselves, 

 on account of that calamity, represented it to king Keng tha." 



It is finally determined by the king, that as the prediction of the 

 astrologers applies only to male children, his sister shall be given in 



* This is said to be Pegu. 



f Wife to Thi-kya Meng, the king of Nats. 



