1868.] On the History of the Burma Race. 103 



The Pu-gan dynasty ends with the deposition of Kyau-tswa. The 

 three Shan brothers exercised what power remained to the kingdom. 

 Their authority was gradually consolidated, and about sixty years 

 later, the city of Ava was founded. There or in the immediate neigh- 

 bourhood, the capital of the Burmese monarchy has been established 

 up to the present time. 



Observations. 

 It has been shown in a former paper, that after the conversion of 

 the rude Turanian tribes, dwelling in the country of the upper Irra- 

 Avaddy to Buddhism, they assumed the national name of Mran-ma. Tn 

 later times other cognate tribes have been absorbed in that nationality. 

 Probably the most remarkable instance of this assimilation, is that of 

 the Tabling or Mwun people, which, in about a century, has become 

 nearly lost in name and language, amidst the Mran-ma in their own 

 country of Pegu. In the early time of the Mran-ma people, a 

 monarchy was established, having the capital city at Tagttng or old 

 Pu-gan. It was afterwards overthrown by an invasion of tribes who 

 came from the east or north-east. The conquered people or portions 

 of them, retired down the Irrawaddy, and established themselves in 

 the country near to the present town of Prome. There kindred tribes 

 already existed ; the Pyii or Byii being on the east bank of the river, 

 and the Kam-ran or Kan-ran being in the hilly country to the west, and 

 in the southern part of the country now called Ra-khaing or Arakan. 

 A city was now built to the east of the present town of Prome and 

 received the name of Tha-re-khet-ta-ra. The remains of this city still 

 exist, and the positions of the walls and gates are shown by the pea- 

 sants of the neighbourhood. Some ancient pagodas, built of stone are 

 also to be seen. The city is now generally called Ra-the-myo, or 

 city of the hermit, from the legend of the hermit recorded in the 

 Maha-ra-dza-Weng. The name Tha-re-khet-ta-ra appears to be the 

 Burmese form of the Pali, Thi-ri-khet-ta-ra, the latter word being 

 the same as Kshatriya and referring to the supposed Indian descent 

 of the hermit and of Dwot-ta-biing the founder of the city. It 

 has already been shown in a former paper, that the Burmese royal 

 family, claim to be descended from the race to which Gau-da-ma 

 belonged, that is, the Sakya tribe included in the Kshatriya division 



