294 JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
their company under the shed, was an officer 
called Myo-lat-wun, or “ governor of vacant 
governmentsrather a lucrative office, from 
the frequent removals which are made. This 
personage, a corpulent and good-natured look¬ 
ing man, was husband to the nurse of the little 
Princess, the King and Queen’s only child, and 
hence his promotion. He had been engaged in 
the military operations against the English, and 
entered into conversation with Mr. Montmo¬ 
rency on the subject, who found him a great 
boaster. He said, for example, that he himself 
was a match for three Englishmen ! I inquired, 
after coming home, into the achievements of 
this worthy, and found that he had made but a 
sorry figure in the war. In one of the engage¬ 
ments before Rangoon, he was among the fore¬ 
most to run away, and is said to have saved his 
life by hiding himself for two or three days in 
a dry well. He was consequently in disgrace 
at Court for many months, but had lately been 
restored to favour on account of his connexion. 
Oct. 28.—From our first arrival at Ava, we 
were very desirous of occupying a good, com¬ 
fortable stone and lime house at Sagaing, on 
the right bank of the river, and fronting the 
town and palace : this was the property of Dr. 
