1835] Autobiography of Tsiira Moiwg Bo. 159 



sents, and he expressed his surprize at seeing 

 nie, and congratulated me on having escaped the 

 fate that seemed so unavoidable ; told me the fire was 

 not yet quenched/' and advised me to accompany him to 

 Martaban which I did, and was appointed by him to a'ct 

 for the Myo-ok,* of Dure in the island of Belew during 

 the absence of that officer at court. Thukeen Moung-moo 

 had been sent to Martaban to supersede Moung-tsat, or 

 Thumoin Broo, who had got into disgrace in consequence 

 of not proceeding to court when ordered to do so on the 

 death of the king. He was directed to be seized, but he 

 fled to Rangoon, where eventually he was apprehended. 



At the end of five months I v/as relieved from my tem» 

 porary office of Myo-ok of Dure by the return of the 

 Myothooghee, and took up my residence again in Marta- 

 ban. Shortly after this an army of about 10,000 men with 

 the Sekkia-won as commander-in-chief, and Menghee 

 Oozina lieutenant general commanding the van arrived at 

 Martaban. The Sekkia-won made his head quarters there, 

 whilst Menghee Oozina was despatched with the advanced 

 division consisting of 3,500 men to Azimee up the Atraun 

 river. This took place in the year 1183 about the month 

 of Natdau. A stockade w^as erected at Azimee, and I 

 employed myself in carrying provisions to the army from 

 Martaban. 



The object of this expedition was to seize and secure 

 any of the Siamese who might quit their country through 

 dread of the cholera morbus which was raging amongst 

 them. A very exaggerated account of this dreadful scourge 

 had been carried to the king of Ava from Tavoy, and it 

 was said that the king of Siam had lost two of his queens by 

 the disease, and W'as so terrified, that he had quitted his 

 palace, and became a wanderer from monastery to monas- 

 tery. 



This force continued as an army of observation till 

 the month of Thudeergyot, and the only affair of arms 

 wdiich took place during its occupation of Azimee was the 

 attack on Kutoinzoin stockade, the advanced post of the 

 Siamese, by the troops of Menghee Oozina. The garrison 



* Chief of a district. 



