336 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
mention, that intriguers had impressed the Court 
with a belief that the British Government was 
desirous of restoring the provinces, and wished 
only for a pretext. In reference to this subject, 
the Myowun observed, that the agent of the 
British Government was hard to deal with, and 
asked how it would answer to begin by offering 
him a sum of five viss of gold, or about 12,000 
rupees as a douceur . Mr. Judson answered him, 
that the customs of Europeans were different 
from those of the Burmans ; that such a pro¬ 
posal as that which he made would be consi¬ 
dered an affront, and must never again be hint¬ 
ed at. He went away disappointed, but by no 
means feeling ashamed of the proposition he 
had made; for the practice of bribery seems to 
be nearly universal among all ranks of the Bur- 
man officers, and no discredit whatever is at¬ 
tached to it, unless when the party is silly 
enough, or unlucky enough, to be detected. 
Nov. 6.—The sixth conference took place this 
morning. The amended draft of a Commercial 
Treaty, to all appearance agreed upon on both 
sides, was read. The following is a translation. 
Notwithstanding the prolixity and amplification 
with which some of its provisions are worded, I 
made no hesitation in assenting to it in its pre¬ 
sent form, imagining that this compliance would 
obviate some difficulties. 
