TO THE COURT OF AVA. 
47 
a row of trading boats extended, with little in¬ 
terruption, from the extremity of Myan-aong 
to that of Kanaong. 
At Myan-aong we obtained a supply of 
poultry and fish; but could not succeed in get¬ 
ting beef, although abundance of buffaloes and 
oxen was seen. By the construction which the 
Burmans put on the doctrine of the transmi¬ 
gration of souls, the lives of animals seem to 
be respected pretty much in proportion to their 
magnitude, under the belief, I imagine, that 
the larger the animal, the more advanced to¬ 
wards perfection is the soul of which it is the 
receptacle. Fish are universally destroyed 
without scruple; poultry are only occasionally 
spared; but buffaloes, oxen, horses, and ele¬ 
phants, enjoy almost an immunity. However, 
some calculation of profit and convenience 
enters into all this. The Burmans could not 
live without fish; therefore, there is a general 
dispensation for destroying them. They can¬ 
not afford to use the flesh of the larger domes¬ 
tic animals as food; and in regard to them, 
therefore, it is made a merit to observe the 
law. The same principle does not extend to 
wild animals, which are regularly hunted for 
their flesh, hides, horns, or tusks. In the mar¬ 
ket of Rangoon, there is almost every day to 
