TO THE COURT OF AVA. 35 
Henzada. The principal person now in charge 
here paid us a visit, and was very anxious to 
know what part the English would take in the 
present contest. The obvious reply was* that we 
should take no part with either, as to side with 
the Talains would be contrary to good faith and 
existing treaties. As to the Burmans, we added* 
that every Government was the proper asserter 
of its own rights; and that it did not belong to 
strangers to intermeddle. The old Wun of Bas- 
sein, ever since he communicated to us the in¬ 
surrection of the Talains, had been most impor¬ 
tunate in soliciting our interference. One word 
from us, he said, would induce Maong-zat to 
give up his enterprise, and retire with his fol¬ 
lowers into our territories. I informed him that 
we should not interfere in any manner whatsoever. 
Jan. 17.—On the morning of the 14th we quit¬ 
ted Henzada, where we laid in a stock of fuel, 
sufficient to last us to Rangoon. In the evening 
we passed Donabew, and anchored for the night 
within a mile of the eastern branch of the Irawadi, 
leading to Rangoon. Donabew we found consi¬ 
derably enlarged. Both this place and the village 
of ISTyaong-gyung, about seven or eight miles be¬ 
low it, we found crowded with refugees, who had 
fled from the Talain insurrection. 
We prosecuted our journey on the morning of 
the 15th. Before starting we met a number of 
boats, who had come up the main branch of the 
D 2 
