46 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
her title of Princess of Kanaong from it; for 
this is the custom with all the members of the 
royal family. In the month of March last, and 
after the peace of Yandabo, both Kanaong and 
Myan-aong were burnt to the ground by ban¬ 
ditti. Although in a good measure rebuilt 
already, we saw them therefore under disad¬ 
vantage. It must however be observed, that 
the burning of a town constructed of such 
cheap and wretched materials as those of Ava, 
is but a trifling calamity, after all, compared 
with a similar one in countries where indus¬ 
try and property are better protected. The 
prosperity or decay of a Bunn an town is quite 
ephemeral. A short interval of forbearance or 
protection, under a moderate governor, brings 
on an appearance of the former; and a period 
of oppression still shorter, will induce the lat¬ 
ter. The prosperity ascribed to Myan-aong by 
Syme and Buchanan Hamilton, in 1795, was 
altered for decay in 1809, as stated by Major 
Canning; who adds, that the town was totally 
destroyed by fire in the following year. Yet 
Mr. Judson, who saw the place in 1819, gives 
a still brighter picture of its prosperity than 
that of Syme and Hamilton. Many of the 
houses were constructed of plank, the acme of 
Burman luxury in domestic architecture; and 
