286 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
or accommodation. He informed us that he had 
a population of fifty thousand persons at his 
disposal, by which we understood the whole 
number of inhabitants assigned for the main¬ 
tenance of the establishment, including those 
appropriated for the pensions or salaries of the 
chiefs. The actual number of boats belonging 
to the King amounts, I am told, to about one 
thousand. 
Oct. 26.—The conference which had been ap¬ 
pointed for to-day was put off in consequence of 
the death of the first Atwen-wun’s chief wife, 
which took place on the night of the 24th. This 
was intimated to us yesterday, on our return 
from our visit to the Queen’s brother. We sent 
compliments of condolence to the Atwen-wun, 
and hearing that it would be well taken, pro¬ 
posed to appear at the funeral; which, accord¬ 
ing to custom, was to be a public one, and at¬ 
tended by all the principal officers of Govern¬ 
ment. The place where funeral ceremonies are 
performed, is to the west of the city, close to 
the river-side, and not above three-quarters of 
a mile from our dwelling. About eleven o’clock, 
word was sent that the procession had left the 
city, and we proceeded to meet it. A conveni¬ 
ent and comfortable open shed had been spread 
with carpets, and here we found chairs ready 
