RAJAH OF BENKA. 



227 



The household ; Natchees ; guitar ; sundries. Personal attendants, 

 looking like yeomen of the guard in red cloth dresses, variegated with 

 yellow ; the Rajah wearing a Chinese copper hat. 



Lastly, the priests, of whom there were about six. 



These were the best clothed and best mounted, and evinced satis- 

 factory tokens of being corporeally well off. Their dress consisted 

 of a sombre jacket with no sleeves, with either a yellow or red silk 

 back, over this is a sombre scarf. They are great beggars, and the 

 headman was well pleased with a present of four rupees. In return, 

 he gave P. two, B. and myself each one paper of salt, similar to those 

 given to the lookers-on. 



The ponies were all poor, excepting two or three of the Rajah's 

 own, which were handsomely equipped ; these had their tails raised 

 on end, exactly like hobby-horses. In addition to this, each was 

 supplied with supernumerary yak tails, one on either side. 



The whole people collected did not amount to more than 300. 

 The arms, at least were wretched, consisted of culverins, which 

 went off with an enormous report, and matchlocks with short 

 rests, like the end of a pitchfork. The bows were long and good. 

 The helmets were worn on the head when going and coming, but 

 were allowed to sling on the back while resting here ; they are rude 

 iron things, like bowls, but covered for some way up the sides with 

 cloth in a most unbecoming way. Dirt and noise were predominant ; 

 the dancing women, evidently not what they should be, had clean 

 faces, but horridly dirty feet, and were very plain. The dancing was 

 poor, consisting chiefly of ungraceful motions of the hands and fore- 

 arms ; the singing pleasing, harmonious but monotonous. 



A peculiar kind of spirit called Chonghoons is in great requisition : 

 this liquor is pleasant, perfectly clear like whiskey and water, with 

 a small matter of malt in it. 



Fumaria is found here much more advanced than that at Bulphai, 

 Drymaria ovata. They cultivate one sort of Legume, perhaps more ; 

 mangoes, jacks and pomegranates ; all these trees bear fruit towards 

 the end of the hot weather. A young mango tree was observed with 

 opposite leaves, uppermost pair one abortive nearly : thus the Mariam 

 of Burma, may probably present the normal form of foliation. Adoce 

 fish* found in the Monass. 



Bheirs, papia, tobacco, banyan, of these last, poor specimens may be 

 seen here. The place is miserably poor, and as it is reckoned one of 

 * Oreinus progastus, As. Res, vol. xix. pi. 40, fig. 4. 



