14 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
forty-five years of age. Mr. Judson, who had 
seen him, described him to me as a man of 
striking features and handsome person. He 
had a remarkable character for a Burmese 
courtier: he was said to be honest, and his mi¬ 
litary reputation was higher than that of any 
of the Burmese chiefs. He was a strict disci¬ 
plinarian, and celebrated amongst the Burmans 
for what, among all the military virtues, they 
set incomparably the highest value upon,— 
skill in stratagem. His military fame was ac¬ 
quired in the conquest of Assam, and latterly 
by the advantages he gained over our native 
troops on the Arracan frontier. Flushed with 
former successes, and totally miscalculating the 
strength and resources of the new enemy he 
had to deal with, he assumed the command of 
the Burman troops before Rangoon with great 
confidence; but in the sequel did nothing wor¬ 
thy of his former reputation, or indeed any 
thing to distinguish him from the crowd of 
ordinary commanders. Like other Burmese 
leaders, he no where exposed his person ; and 
after his defeat at Rangoon, on the 9th of 
December, his flight was so precipitate, that 
he never halted, but to sleep or eat, until he 
reached Donabew. At this place he main¬ 
tained discipline amongst his troops by those 
