1835.] Autobiography of Tsura Monng~Eo. 149 



From the emoluments of this office, I had to support my 

 mother and eldest sister, and continued to exercise it for 

 about one year, when my patron the Tsarai-daughee,* on 

 his being summoned to Ava, recommended me to Moungoin 

 the Myothooghee of Zwaithabon who lived in Rangoon. 

 My duty under this latter person was that of an agent. I 

 had to attend at the Yuom, and receive the orders ad- 

 dressed to my master for the levy of money, men or other 

 supplies. These orders T had to take to the Myotsarai,t 

 an officer under my master and demand the amount of 

 requisition from him. To give an example of the pecula- 

 tion which is prevalent amongst the Burmese officers of 

 Government, I will mention that were the order for the 

 levy of 100 tickals of silver from the district, the Myo- 

 tsarai would levy from the inhabitants 110, of the additional 

 10, he would keep 5 to himself and give the other 5 to the 

 Myothooghee. On my receiving the 100 tickals, I would 

 proceed to the Youm, and offer the first day 30 tickals as 

 the whole sum I had been able to collect up to that period^ 

 promising to pay an equal sum the next day, on which 

 I would take 30 tickals more, and promise to pay 20 the 

 following day. The day after paying the 20 tickals, on 

 being asked for the remainder, I would declare the impos- 

 sibility of obtaining any more ; that much difficulty had 

 been experienced in collecting what I had given in. On 

 this I should be seized, tied by the arms and exposed in the 

 sun. I would then promise to produce the money the next 

 day, and should be released, but failure produced a similar 

 punishment ; at last if I could stand out for some days this 

 kind of treatment, it would be taken for granted that I could 

 not collect any more, and the sum to be levied would be 

 rated at 80 tickals. The 20 tickals which I had obtain- 

 ed in this way, I would divide with the Myothooghee. 

 This is a common practice, no shame is attached to it, 

 I had no salary, and w as obliged to pay myself in this 

 way. 



I continued in office under the Zwaithabon Myothoo- 

 o-hee for about one year and a half, at which period I had 



* Royal secretary, 

 t A district writer or secretary. 



