1868.] On the History of the Burma Bace. 77 



the whole people, which is first mentioned in the Maha-radza-weng at 

 this time. The Pyu and Kan-ran peoples fought. The chiefs agreed 

 to settle their quarrel in a way already known in the history of their 

 race, that is, by the building of a pagoda. In this peaceable contest, 

 the Pyu tribe was victorious, and the Kan-ran people retired. The 

 Pyu tribe then fought among themselves. One portion then joined 

 with the Kya-barg tribe, supposed to have been settled on the west 

 of the Irrawaddy, near to what is now the country of the Yau tribe, 

 and also with a portion of the Thek tribe. One division established 

 themselves in the hilly district to the south-east of Prome called 

 Taung-ngyo. After three years, they were there attacked by the 

 Takings and crossed the Irrawaddy river to Padaung. Being attack- 

 ed there by the Kan-ran tribe, they went north to Men-don. After 

 this they moved to the east of the Irrawaddy, and settled under king 

 Tha-mug-da-rit at Yun-hlwot-guen. A period of thirteen years had 

 been occupied in the migrations since the destruction of Tha-re-khet- 

 ta-ra. King Tha-mug-da-rit is called a nephew of king Thupignya. 

 The country where he settled was afterwards called Air-mad-da-na 

 also Tam-pa-di-pa ; and the city Pouk-kan or Pu-gan. King Tha- 

 mug-da-rit established nineteen villages, on the land of which the 

 city was to be built. 



The historian of the Maha-radza-weng then narrates at great length 

 the ancient legends concerning the country of Pugan, so as to connect 

 the kings of the ancient royal race of Tagung, on the upper Irra- 

 waddy, with the kings of the great city which was now to arrive. 

 The scene opens as follows : — - 



• l When the lord Gau-cla-ma was still on the earth, he went about 

 " from country to country in Mits-tsi-ma-de-tha. Standing on the 

 " top of the Tan-kyi* hill, and looking he saw on the top of a pouk 

 " tree, which grew on a steep bank, a white heron and a black crow. 

 " In a fork of the tree, lay a great lizard having seven tongues. 

 11 At the foot of the tree a frog crouched on the ground. Seeing 

 " these the lord smiled. His younger brother the lord A'nanda 

 " asked respectfully, why he smiled. The lord replied, ' Beloved 



* This is the name of a peak on the range of hills on the bank of the Irra- 

 waddy river opposite to Pugan. The name Pugan or Pouk-gan is said to be 

 derived from the Pouk tree. (Butea frondosa.) 



