274 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
Queen’s brother. The dwelling of this person¬ 
age, who in consequence is beyond all compari¬ 
son the first subject of the Burman Govern¬ 
ment, is in the inner town, a short distance be¬ 
yond the palace. This is a good house of brick 
and lime, with a spacious and convenient court 
in front. Our reception here was far more splen¬ 
did than at the palaces of the Heir-apparent 
and the Prince of Sara wadi, and it was evident 
that the owner had the key of the royal trea¬ 
sury at his command. A tent pitched in the 
street in front of the house served as an ante¬ 
room, but instead of benches, we had European 
chairs to sit upon. We were not detained here 
above twenty minutes, when we were ushered 
into the hall prepared for our accommodation : 
this was the front part of the house. The ve¬ 
randah, or front gallery, through its whole 
length was shaded by a canopy of scarlet broad¬ 
cloth, which threw the most singular shade 
upon every object within, making the candles 
especially appear as if a phosphorescent light 
issued from them. At one end of the hall, 
the King’s numerous band of dancing-women, 
richly and most fancifully attired, was playing; 
the players were all young females, and some 
of them very handsome. Two dancing-women 5 
still more richly dressed than the rest, one in 
