TO THE COURT OF AVA. 
255 
punctual, and would come as agreed upon. They 
came accordingly at twelve o’clock. 
Before entering upon business, many ques¬ 
tions were put to us respecting our reception at 
the Court, and the things we had seen. The 
Burman chiefs expressed a confident hope that 
we were pleased with our reception. On this 
point, I replied, that I would give my opinion 
fully, and in a public form, towards the close 
of the conference. They knew that I had visit¬ 
ed the Court of Siam, and a great object with 
them was to obtain a favourable answer to the 
comparison which I should draw between that 
and the Burman Court. No essential point con¬ 
nected with the wealth or strength of the two 
nations was at all touched upon. The principal 
topics were the comparative splendour of the 
two Palaces, of the Court, of the courtiers, and 
of the King. They were especially desirous to 
know, whether the King of Siam had, or had 
not a white elephant. On the first-mentioned 
topics they received such replies as gratified 
them; but on the important subject of the 
white elephant, it seemed, under all circum¬ 
stances, not necessary to withhold the truth from 
them. They were sensibly mortified when I in¬ 
formed them, that the King of Siam had six 
white elephants instead of one, and that I had 
