50 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
“ This day has been attended with a hard storm 
of wind and rain. I have nothing to eat but 
salt beef, which has been on the Island Negrais 
four years—the Buraghmah King has not been 
so good as his promise in sending the provi¬ 
sions.” 
A few miles above Myan-aong, or Loonzay, 
and on the same side, is a brook, or rivulet, on 
which is situated the village of Pashin. This 
rivulet forms the northern boundary of the 
Province of Bassien, and also of the ancient 
kingdom of Pegu, west of the Irawadi. The 
boundary of Pegu, on the eastern bank, is said 
to be Tarok-mau, or Chinese Point. The dis¬ 
trict and forests of Sarawadi are included in 
Pegu. The Peguans, or Talains, do not differ 
materially from the Burmans, except in dialect; 
and even this distinction, in a great measure, 
ceases as we approach the northern confines of 
their ancient domain; for here the Burmese 
language prevails, even with the Peguans. 
As we advanced up the Irawadi, the num¬ 
ber of islands in its bed increased, and it be¬ 
came broader and shallower. It was seldom, 
indeed, that we had a view of its whole breadth, 
on account of the numerous islands in its bed. 
We had one this morning, however, a little 
above Myan-aong, when the stream appeared to 
