1868.] On the History of the Burma Race. 101 



In the year 643, answering to A. D. 1281, the Takings rebelled. 

 They killed the Governor of Martaban named A-leim-ma, and Wa-ri- 

 rii made himself king. The same year the Emperor of China sent am- 

 bassadors to demand gold and silver vessels as tribute, saying that 

 king A-nau-ra-hta had presented such tokens of homage. The 

 ambassadors were insolent in their conduct, and the king, against 

 the remonstrance of his ministers, had them put to death. The Em- 

 peror of China now assembled an army to punish this outrage. The 

 king appointed two brothers named A-nan-da-pits-tsin and Kan- 

 da-pits-tsin to command his army. They marched to the city of 

 Nga-tshaung-gyan, which appears to have been near the Ba-mau or 

 Ta-ping river. This city they fortified, and then for three months 

 resisted the invaders at the passage of the Ba-mau river. But they 

 were overpowered by numbers, and forced to retreat. The Ta-ruk 

 army then crossed the river, and Nga-tshaung-gyan was destroyed. 

 The two generals then retreated and built two stockades on the east 

 side of the Marie hill. There a fierce battle was fought. But A-nau- 

 da-pits-tsin was killed, and the Ta-ruk army being superior in num- 

 bers, the Burmese were again defeated. In the meantime Na-ra-thi- 

 ha-pa-te had abandoned the city of Pu-gan with his whole court, and 

 had gone down the river Irrawaddy to Bassein. The army arriving 

 at the city and finding no one, followed in the same direction. The 

 Ta-ruk army pursued to the city, and then further south as far as 

 Ta-ruk-mau, but the way being long and food scarce for a large army, 

 they returned. The flight of the king is stated to have occurred in 

 the year 1284. and he is called " Ta-ruk-pye-meng" or the king who 

 fled from the Ta-ruk. After five months he sets out on his return up 

 the Irrawaddy. The historian records the excessive luxury in which 

 the king lived, even amidst the desolation of his country. He went 

 on until he reached Prome. There his son Thi-ha-thu was Governor. 

 This prince forced his father to swallow poison. 



This king left several sons by different mothers. Three of them 

 U-za-na, Kyau-tswa, and Thi-ha-thii now disputed the throne. Finally 

 Kyau-tswa, who was Governor of Dalla in Pegu, succeeded, and became 

 king in the year 648 or A. D. 1286. The Burmese empire had now 

 almost fallen to pieces. The several nations who had formerly been 

 tributary are enumerated, and it is added they now became indepen- 



