TO THE COURT OF AVA. 
197 
means of bribes received for begging off crimi¬ 
nals ; for it is seldom that any one suffers death 
or other severe punishment in this country who 
has funds to purchase immunity; and the fa¬ 
vourite, therefore, has a wide field for the exer¬ 
cise of his influence. He wore the highest chain 
of nobility given to a subject; but his manners 
were flippant and undignified, and he was de¬ 
scribed as being utterly unprincipled. He was 
disliked by the courtiers, but feared by all of 
them. We were not much disposed to receive 
such a person with attention ; and there being 
no spare chair, he was obliged to continue 
standing. The Atwen-wun, much superior to 
him in rank, observed this, and said, <c Is there 
no chair for the King’s favourite?” but the hint 
was not taken. 
Oct. 14. — We appeared at the boat-races 
again yesterday, being conducted as the day 
before. The amusements were exactly the same, 
and the King and Queen were of course pre¬ 
sent ; for they never land from their water- 
palace, as the great vessel I have described is 
sometimes called, from the commencement to 
the conclusion of the festival. The boats are 
matched in the races two and two, no greater 
number ever starting. The King’s boats are 
matched in pairs against each other, and sixty 
