280 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
the stair which is to the right, at the bottom of 
which we voluntarily took off our shoes, as we 
had from the first agreed to do. We passed 
through the hall, and seated ourselves where our 
station was pointed out, in front of the throne, 
a little way to the King’s left hand, the presents 
being directly in front of the throne. The King 
made his appearance in about ten minutes. His 
approach was announced by the sound of music, 
shortly after which a sliding door behind the 
throne opened with a quick and sharp noise. He 
mounted a flight of steps which led to the throne 
from behind with apparent difficulty, and as if 
tottering under the load of dress and ornaments 
on his person. His dress consisted of a tunic of 
gold tissue, ornamented with jewels. The crown 
was a helmet with a high peak, in form not un¬ 
like the spire of a Burman Pagoda, which it 
was probably intended to resemble. I was told 
that it was of entire gold, and it had all the 
appearance of being studded with abundance of 
rubies and sapphires. In his right hand his 
Majesty held what is called in India a Chowrie, 
which, as far as we could see, was the white tail 
of the Thibet cow. It is one of the five esta¬ 
blished ensigns of Burman royalty, the other 
four being a certain ornament for the forehead, 
a sword of a peculiar form, a certain description 
