108 
JOUltNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
dragged to prison, and afterwards when he was 
taken to the place of execution. The Burmese 
jailers and executioners, for they are one and 
the same, are all pardoned criminals; and upon 
this occasion displayed the most savage ferocity, 
knowing it was safe to do so towards a man 
who had not only incurred the King’s displea¬ 
sure, but against whom also the public hatred 
was particularly directed. In leading him to 
the prison, he w’as dragged along the ground 
and stripped naked, the executioners disputing 
with each other for the different articles of his 
dress. When led to execution, he was pinion¬ 
ed as usual, and for a distance of two miles was 
goaded with spears, and otherwise maltreated 
to such a degree, that he was nearly dead be¬ 
fore suffering decapitation. 
Immediately after dinner we landed, and 
strolled for two or three hours among the ruins 
of Pugan, the most remarkable and interest¬ 
ing remains of antiquity in the Burman domi¬ 
nions, and for twelve centuries the seat of go¬ 
vernment. We ascended one of the largest 
temples, and from this had a commanding pros¬ 
pect of the surrounding country and ruins ; 
the latter extending for at least eight miles 
along the bank of the river, and being in depth 
often three or four miles. In this space, the 
