1344.] On the History of Arakan. 37 



from the tree. The king determined therefore to go to China, 

 t hough he was warned by the astrologers that the time was not propi- 

 tious. Before going he presented the queen with a magic ring he had 

 received from Thi-kya, the king of Nats, appointed her to rule over 

 the kingdom in his absence, and directed that in case of his death, 

 he was to be king whom the ring would fit. The king then departed 

 by sea, and passing Jhan-divai reached Henza wadi or Pegu ; he then 

 ascended the Era-wa-ti to Prome, at that time the capital of the Py-u 

 or Burman Empire, and from thence going on northwards, at length 

 reached the country he was in search of, which appears to have been 

 subjected to Theng-dive or Ta-goung. There he was honorably re- 

 ceived by the king, and soon commenced a search for the tree contain- 

 ing the dog's skull ; this being found he caused it to be burnt, and built 

 a Pagoda near the spot. The king remaining a long time as if for- 

 getful of his home, his attendants roused his attention by singing 

 the song of his own country, and then at their solicitation he pre- 

 pared to return. On reaching the sea, the greater part of the boats 

 were lost, and the king was drowned in the sixth year of his reign. 

 This occurred in the year 319, and is supposed to be effected by the Na- 

 ga or Ocean Monster, at the solicitation of his daughter, in order that 

 she may possess the king, whose wife she had been in a former birth. 



The scene of this disaster is laid off the extreme southern point of 

 the coast, a few miles south of Cape Negrais. The chief minister 

 carried the mournful intelligence to the queen ; she suspected 

 him of having contrived the disaster, and banished him from the 

 kingdom. 



Search was now ordered to be made for one whom the ring, left 

 by the king, would fit. All the men of the country, great and small, 

 were tried, but not one could wear it. People were therefore dispatch- 

 ed to search among the hill tribes. They found two brothers, chiefs 

 of the Myu tribe, named A-mya-tu and A-mya-hu, with the son of 

 the latter Pe-byu, casting a net into the waters of the Mi-khy-oung. 

 The ring was found to fit all three, and they were brought to the 

 royal city. The eldest of the brothers, A-mya-tu, was married to the 

 queen Tsau da-de-wi in the month Taboung of the year 319, and 

 was saluted as king. After he had reigned six years, the queen having 

 intrigued with his younger brother A-mya-ku, he enticed the latter 



