1835.] Autohiography of Tsura Moim.g~Bo, 153 



the water, the faith of the person is irapeachecl: but if itre- 

 tains its globular form, it is a good omen, and the parties 

 drink the blood thus dropped^ each drinking the blood of 

 the other. 



After performing this ceremony satisfactorily, I was en- 

 tertained and fed by the Kariens. I delivered all my mer- 

 chandize to the Isaukai to dispose of according to his dis- 

 cretion. This investment of merchandize was received as a 

 present, and divided by the chief amongst his followers w ho 

 amounted to about live hundred and lived all in one house or 

 barrack. I was entertained by them for about twenty days, 

 when I expressed my intention of returning. The Isaukai 

 communicated this to his followers, and called on them to 

 return to me as a present some of the produce of their fo- 

 rests equal in value to what each had received. Some gave 

 a proportion of elephant's teeth, others bee's wax, &c. The 

 Kariens I allude to were subjects of the Zammai Tsaubwa^ 

 and the penalty of visiting them was great. I was there- 

 fore obliged to return cautiously at night to prevent dis- 

 covery. I dared not enter Martaban wdth my boat, I conceal- 

 ed it in a creek near the town called Dawaikoun. 1 went 

 myself to Martaban, and communicated my success to my 

 friend. I found an opportunity soon of disposing of my goods 

 to a Chinese junk* which was in the river. I had only 

 taken up goods to the amount of two hundred tickals, and 

 my return cargo brought me fifteen hundred tickals of 

 silver. 



In those days there Vv'ere numerous large and populous 

 villages in the province of Martaban. The Talains had not 

 yet rebelled. I made an advantageous speculation in pad- 

 dy. I purchased early in the season a large quantity at 7 

 tickals, per 100 baskets, and at the latter end of the season 

 when it became dearer, I sold it at 16 tickals per 100 baskets. 

 I went to Ye, where I built a large boat, brought it to Mar- 

 taban, and lading it with rice and glazed jars, despatched it 

 with a fleet of six other boats under charge of my nephew 

 to Penang for the purpose of trade. I accompanied the 

 fleet as far as Ye, where I stopped. On our way thither, 

 we encountered violent winds from the east, which obliged 



* Junk, a Chinese tnidinnf vessel 



