TO THE COURT OF AYA. 
103 
of two hundred thousand inhabitants, which 
gives about three hundred and thirty-three to 
the square mile; whereas some of the Bengal 
districts have four, five, and even six hundred 
inhabitants. 
At five in the evening we reached Sillah 
Mew, (Sa-le,) on the east bank of the river. 
From Wet-ma-sut up to this place, after which 
it narrows, the Irawadi has a great breadth. In 
some situations, to all appearance, it was not 
less than four miles across. In this part of its 
course, it is full of large islands. The princi¬ 
pal channel, all the way from Melloon, had 
been close to the eastern bank ; and we had, 
therefore, little opportunity of observing the 
western. We landed at Sale, and inspected 
the village and its immediate neighbourhood. 
A great part of it had been destroyed during 
the war, and it had not yet recovered. The 
inhabitants, indeed, had at one time abandoned 
the place, and returned only three months ago. 
Notwithstanding this, they showed no symp¬ 
toms of timidity, but came down in numbers 
to the bank to see the steam-vessel; and a 
crowd of them accompanied us in our walk, 
behaving in the most kind and respectful man¬ 
ner. Joy at the return of peace, indeed, and 
a deprecation of all war, seemed to be the uni- 
