TO THE COURT OF AVA. 
307 
copying the latter; for with the Burmans, as 
well as most other Oriental people, writing is a 
tedious process, and the expedition and expert¬ 
ness with which European manuscripts are tran¬ 
scribed is a matter of wonder to them. I omit¬ 
ted to mention, that at all our former meetings, 
several spies had been present from the different 
parties of the Palace, not so much to watch our 
proceedings as the conduct of their own officers. 
All public matters are discussed by the Burmans 
with open doors; a feature of their despotical 
Government not very easily explained, but I 
imagine chiefly owing to apathy and careless¬ 
ness, and certainly, at all events, not originating 
in any desire on the part of those in authority 
to allow the people a share in their own govern¬ 
ment. This custom gives easy admission to 
spies and informers. Among the worthies of 
this class, our officers, who were with the army, 
recognized one man who spoke English, and 
who had been discovered in our camp as a spy 
of the Burmese General, Bandula. His detec¬ 
tion on this last occasion arose from the drollery 
of a sailor, who asked him if he would have “ a 
glass of grog he forgot himself, made a dis¬ 
tinct reply in English, and finally acknowledged 
himself to be a spy sent by Bandula, particularly 
to gain information respecting the steam-vessel, 
x 2 
