MS Autobiography of Tsura Moung' Bo. April 



Not lildntT this state of things, T took an oppor- 

 tunity of absconding clandestinely to Rangoon, but 

 I was pursued and apprehended there, and brought 

 back to Anirapoora where I was imprisoned for one month. 

 From this state I was released through the intercession of 

 the Piemen^s son-in-law who employed me in purchasing 

 paddy for him in the lower provinces. On my return to 

 Ava, I solicited the appointment of Atsee-een to the Mee- 

 awaddee and Piemen's men at Rangoon which I obtained ; 

 but so many exclusive privileges were attached to the of- 

 fice and it gave such great offence to the Myaidemen 

 who was Myowon of Rangoon, that he used his influence 

 to have it cancelled, in which he succeeded. 



Whilst this was taking place the present King's grand^ 

 father who was on the throne was taken very ill, and the 

 heir to the throne, the present King took upon himself a 

 kind of Regency. He summoned the Piemen his uncle, 

 and the Toungoo-men and their principal officers to court 

 by order of the King, but when they arrived he demanded 

 of them to state their sentiments of loyalty to himself 

 They all represented that the king was still living, and to 

 him alone they owed allegiance. On this they were con- 

 fined in prison. 



When the king died, the present king ascended the 

 throne, and one of his first acts was to have the Toun- 

 goomen's neck broken, his body put into a large jar, and 

 thrown into the Irrawaddy. 



The Piemen was also murdered by a secret and different 

 process. The jailor was frequently questioned whether the 

 Prince was dead, and he was handsomely fee'd ; he took 

 the hint, and after strangling the unfortunate Prince re- 

 ported his death in prison as an ordinary occurrence. 



The present king also caused twelve of his uncles to 

 have their necks broken, and murdered many more officers 

 suspected of being unloyal. 



I was fortunate in not going to Amrapoora, for if I had, 

 I should certainly have lost my life along with the others> 



About this time Shukeen-Moung-moo, a relation of 

 the present King's grandfather, w^as appointed Myo- 

 won* of Martaban. I went to him with some pre- 



* Governor of a province 



