388 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
so unreasonably calculated upon, and that it 
was as yet quite unprepared to decide upon the 
propositions which had been made to it. 
On the 10th instant, a circumstance took 
place, which in almost any other country would 
have been very immaterial, but which was here 
attended with unpleasant consequences to the 
Mission. His Majesty, contrary to the custom 
of his predecessors, is frequently in the habit 
of going abroad with little pomp or ceremony. 
On the occasion now alluded to, he was amu¬ 
sing himself on the river-side with an elephant 
fight. Four or five soldiers of the European 
escort happened about this time to cross the 
river, and passed by without noticing the King, 
or indeed being aware that he was present. 
This gave high offence. According to the 
Barmans, the soldiers ought to have squatted 
down,—thrown off their shoes, and held up 
their hands in an attitude of supplication. I 
was immediately waited upon by the chiefs to 
remonstrate upon the conduct of the soldiers, 
which was represented by them to be such as 
would have cost a Burman his head! I had 
the satisfaction to find, on inquiry, that the 
soldiers were not in the least to blame ; and 
assured the chiefs, that had they been aware of 
his Majesty’s presence, they would have con- 
