IDO THE COURT OF AVA. 37 
we saw no inhabitants except a few Karians, 
who came down to the river" side out of curio¬ 
sity. At one o’clock we arrived at Panlang. 
We found the river here strongly stockaded in 
three places, and in occupation of the Talains. 
We came to an anchor for a moment to request 
a safe passage for our boats, which amounted in 
all to two-and-twenty, twelve of which only were 
our own, the rest being Burman trading-vessels, 
belonging to European and other foreign mer¬ 
chants that had sought our protection. We made 
a signal that we wished to communicate with the 
garrison, and three boats pushed off without any 
hesitation. Our visitors were very communica¬ 
tive. Their manner was full of gesticulation, and 
their language rather boastful: they said they 
were afraid only of the English ; and that if we 
would not interfere, or, as they expressed it, 64 if 
we would but stand upright, and move neither 
to the right hand nor to the left hand,” they 
would soon settle their quarrel with the Bur- 
mans, as one hundred Talains were an equal 
match for one thousand of the former! The 
chief, commanding at the post, whose name was 
Maong-sh we-lung, was anxious to come on board 
and pay us a visit of ceremony ; but I evaded 
this proposal, which might have led to embarrass¬ 
ment, by becoming the subject of misrepresen¬ 
tation. The Talains informed us that they had 
been fifteen days in possession of Panlang, and in 
