198 
JOUKNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
pairs start during the races. The boats of the 
nobility run against each other, and the chiefs 
frequently sit in their own boats ; but of this 
exhibition they are not fond, except when 
confident of victory, for the loser is generally 
made a butt for the merriment of his friends 
and companions. The prizes consist of money, 
dresses, and, for the poorer classes, rice. The 
boats run with the stream for the distance of 
a taing, or two miles, and the goal is a vessel 
anchored in the river opposite to the King’s 
barge. They are all pulled by paddles, each 
boat having seldom less than forty. Their speed 
is very great, and I should suppose they would 
outrun our fastest wherries. The matches ap¬ 
peared to excite great emulation in the parties 
immediately engaged, and much interest in 
the spectators, composed principally of persons 
about the Court and their retainers, all of whom 
were in their boats. Both on this day and yes¬ 
terday there were very few spectators on the 
shore. The interest of the festival, indeed, ap¬ 
peared to be confined to the Court, and it seem¬ 
ed to excite little curiosity in the people. The 
King, hearing that we had been gratified at 
seeing the evolutions of the gilt boats, sent to¬ 
day thirteen war and three state-boats to ma¬ 
noeuvre in our presence. The repast was sent 
