837.] Journal of an expedition from Moulmien to Ava. 1015 



"wait till permission for me to proceed was obtained from thence, 

 which he thought would be the best course for us all as he could not 

 take on himself to allow me to go on. I remonstrated with all the 

 arguments I could think of against such a delay, but without success. 

 The conversation then became general, principally on geography, the 

 relative power of different states, and the difference of European and 

 Burman customs, on all of which subjects except the last they are 

 profoundly ignorant. The whole interview was conducted in the 

 most friendly manner, and it was difficult to believe the Tseet-kay 

 to be the same person whom I had met here only two days before. 

 On the following day a report was made of my arrival here, the num- 

 ber of people and amount of merchandize to the " Hloot-dau" at Ava. 

 The letter and presents were forwarded to the king and an answer 

 expected in 20 days. I embraced the opportunity to write to the 

 resident a short account of my route so far, and complained of my 

 reception. On the 1st of March I waited on the Tseet-kay at his own 

 Jiouse, and used all my endeavours to remove any remaining suspi- 

 cions he might entertain as to the motive of my visit, and I have 

 every reason to believe I was perfectly successful. He promised 

 every facility to our people trading ; said they had better expose some 

 of their things at our encampment where they had a large double 

 zeyat ; send some of their people about the town with others, and on 

 market days, which were held every fifth day at one or other of the 

 surrounding villages, they could carry a portion of them out. He 

 promised that there should be no duty levied this time, but probably 

 in future he should be ordered to stamp the goods and levy 10 per 

 cent, as at Rangoon. I reminded him of the difference of land and water 

 carriage, the difficulty of the road and great advantage to the purcha- 

 ser in point of price, &c. He promised in case it was proposed, to use 

 his influence to prevent so heavy a charge. There was a good deal 

 of conversation on other subjects and my visit was altogether satis- 

 factory, my reception civil, kind and conciliatory. I had once to com- 

 plain of one of the Bhodayea's interfering with the " Poe-zas" (shroffs) 

 which only required mentioning to be redressed, and from this time 

 our intercourse was frequent and most friendly. 



On the following day I had a very civil message from the Tso-boa, 

 expressive of his happiness at my visit, and wished to be hospitable, 

 but from my not having brought any letter to the military chiefs he 

 could not be so much so as he wished. He sent me five baskets of rice 

 and forty- eight tickals of coarse silver for my expences, which I was 

 obliged to accept. He wished me to move into the town, but on look- 

 6 n 2 



