OF A "BURMAN PRIEST. 189 



figures Were drawn in procession, one after another, in the following 

 order ; first, six or eight flags were carried, these were followed by a 

 number of dancing boys and girls, then the carriages with the figures, 

 some drawn by boys, and others by bullocks, followed; and after them 

 went a number of young women, dancing and singing, with an older 

 woman between each row, .to keep them in order. Women were never 

 known to attend such processions before, but this was done in conse- 

 quence of a particular order from the viceroy. On this occasion even the 

 wives and daughters of the principal officers of government were obliged 

 to dance, some with umbrellas held over them, and others under an awn- 

 ing large enough to shade forty or fifty persons, and supported by six or 

 eight men ; last of all followed the men in like manner, singing, clap- 

 ping their hands, and dancing, with two men between each row to keep 

 them in order. 



The people of each street attended their own carriages, and in this man- 

 ner proceeded round the town, one company after another. The figures 

 were very large, much larger than the animals they were intended to re- 

 present. Some of them were representations Gf buffaloes, others of bulls, 

 lions, bears, elephants, horses, or men. There were not less than thirty, 

 of a very large size, about thirty feet in height, and a great number of 

 smaller ones. 



The next day was spent in drawing the body of the Poongee in his car- 

 riage, backwards and forwards, or rather in pulling against each other. 

 All the people, being divided into two parties, drew the corpse, from the 

 place where it formerly was, to an extensive valley, near the hill where it 

 was to be burnt. In the front of the valley the viceroy had a temporary 

 house erected, from which he could view the whole shew. Four cables 



Z 2 



