TO THE COURT OF AVA. 
107 
sultory attacks and bush-fighting, for which the 
extensive ruins of Pugan, and the low woods 
on the bank of the river, which characterised 
the scene of action, were well suited. But the 
Biirman troops refused to fight, and took to 
flight on the first assault. A post on the bank 
of the river was entered by our troops at the 
charge. The Burmese, who occupied it, preci¬ 
pitated themselves into the river, and here three 
hundred of them are said to have been bayonet¬ 
ed or drowned. Ze-ya-thuran fled to Ava after 
his defeat, and had the indiscretion, on his first 
audience of the King, to ask for reinforcements, 
and to tender fresh promises of victory. The 
King, provoked at his assurance, and angry 
with himself for having broken off the nego¬ 
tiations, which he felt must now be renewed to 
a disadvantage, ordered his vanquished general 
for immediate execution. Ze-ya-thuran was 
disliked by his fellow-courtiers, and odious to 
the people as a notorious oppressor. In the 
hour of need he had therefore no one to be¬ 
friend him. He was dragged from the Hall of 
Audience by the hair of the head and conduct¬ 
ed to prison, where he remained only one hour, 
when he was led to the place of execution, and 
beheaded. Mr. Judson told me, that he hap¬ 
pened by accident to be present when he was 
