2 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
sioner on the part of the British Government, 
when I received instructions to proceed on an 
embassy to Ava. My companions were Lieu¬ 
tenant Chester, assistant to the Envoy ; Dr. 
Steward, Medical Officer ; Lieutenant Cox, of 
His Majesty’s Service, commanding the escort; 
Lieutenant de Montmorency, of the Quarter- 
Master-General’s department; and Mr. Judson, 
of the American Missionary Society, translator 
and interpreter. I had also the great advantage 
of the society of Dr. Wallich, Superintendent 
of the Government Botanical Garden at Calcut¬ 
ta, deputed to accompany me for the purpose 
of examining and reporting upon the resources 
of the forests of Pegu and Ava, as well as of 
those of our recently acquired possessions to the 
south of the Saluen river. 
The Diana, of about one hundred and thirty 
tons burthen, the first steam-vessel which ever 
appeared in India, and which had proved so 
eminently serviceable during the Borman war, 
was appointed for our personal accommodation. 
We had besides, five Burman boats for the ac¬ 
commodation and conveyance of some of the 
writers and draftsmen, our baggage, and the 
presents from the Governor-General to the 
Burmese Court. The escort consisted of twen¬ 
ty-eight picked grenadiers and light infantry 
