1835.] Autohiography of Tsura Moung-Bo. 14T 



His Majesty gave him for a wife my mother, who with 

 her sister had been taken prisoners in the war against 

 Pegue carried on by Alompra, and had been presented to 

 Noung-daughee the heir apparent ; in whose palace they 

 remained as Kolouks* for two years. 



My father was a clever man, and commenced teaching 

 me to read and write as soon as I had attained the age 

 of seven years. I continued my studies under him till I was 

 twelve years of age, when he died, leaving my mother, an 

 elder sister and myself. He had some property in slaves, 

 cattle, ground &c. but Government demands to the amount 

 of six thousand Tickalsf of silver were brought against 

 his estate. The property was sold to meet these demands^ 

 and did not prove sufficient. The Myowon ordered me to 

 pay my father's debt, and to take upon myself his office. 

 I pleaded inability in consequence of my youth, and my 

 want of means. He sent me to Ava, to which place I was 

 accompanied by my half-brother Moung-O. I was there 

 presented to the ministers in the KlotdauJ who offered 

 me the situation left vacant by my father's death. 1 

 pleaded inability to fill it. The Ministers said, one of 

 my elder relations should do the duty for me during my 

 minority. They represented the circumstance to the King, 

 who agreed that I was too young for the office, and there- 

 fore directed that my half-brother Moung-O should per- 

 form the duty in my name, and that I should always be 

 seated in his lap when he was administering justice in the 

 Goum.§ 



I returned to Prome, and lived with my mother, enjoy- 

 ing the fruits of the newly bestowed office for about one 

 year. At this period my mother's younger sister who 

 had been presented to theToit-thooghee of Dalla, and had 

 gone on business to Ava with her husband, was on her way 

 back when she found her sister at Prome. After a most 

 affectionate meeting, my mother formed the determination 

 of quitting Prome, and retiring to her sister's house. No- 

 thing of this was mentioned to me, but one night I was 



* Ladies of the palace. 



t About li Rupee is equal to a Tickal of silve r 



t Principal hall of justice where the ministers sit in council. 



§ Court of justice. 



