TO THE COURT OF AVA. 
41 
for the moment at least saved the life of the pri¬ 
soner. Thirty ticals, it appears, are paid for every 
Talaixfs head. The prisoners are generally taken 
before the Wungyi, where some are executed and 
others reprieved. Some of our gentlemen who 
entered the town after the action had ceased, 
saw the prisoners brought in. The men were 
dragged by the hair of the head, and the women 
and children were scarcely better treated. Among 
the prisoners there were some Chinese, who were 
sold by the captors on the spot to the highest bid¬ 
der. These had not joined the Talains, nor were 
they taken in arms: they had not, however, quitted 
the suburbs, where their dwellings were, when the 
Barmans retired to the stockade, and this, which 
was considered suspicious, was an offence which 
merited punishment. 
Jan. 19.—The day we arrived I had a message 
from the Wungyi, saying he would be glad to re¬ 
ceive a visit from me ; but it was delivered in such 
a manner, and through sucli a channel, that I 
declined paying any attention to it. Yesterday 
morning the Akunwun, or collector of customs, 
waited upon us and apologized on the part of the 
Wungyi for not having given us a ceremonious 
reception on the day of our arrival, on the plea of 
his being busily engaged in the arrangement of the 
sortie which took place. He requested that we 
would pay him a visit that day or the following. 
I answered, that I did not think a visit necessary, 
