TO THE COURT OF AYA. 
51 
on both banks. Shortly after, we met a boat full 
of Chinese with their families in distress, endea¬ 
vouring to escape from both the belligerent par¬ 
ties : they begged to be taken on board and con¬ 
veyed to our settlements, and their request was 
complied with. 
The following account of Rangoon was collect¬ 
ed by me while I resided there in civil charge of 
Pegu, a period of more than six months. This 
place is situated about twenty-six miles from the 
sea, on the eastern branch of the Irawadi, five 
miles below the junction of the Lain and Pan- 
lang rivers, and about two miles above the Syrian 
river. It lies on the left bank, and on a reach 
which runs nearly due east and west. The town 
and suburbs extend about a mile along the bank 
of the river, and are in depth about three-quarters 
of a mile; but the houses are very unequally 
scattered over this area. The fort, or stockade, 
is an irregular square; the north and south faces 
of which were found to measure 1145 yards; the 
east, 598; and the west, 197- On the north face 
there are two gates and a sallyport; on the south, 
three gates and three sally-ports; on the east, two 
gates; and on the west, one gate and one sally¬ 
port. The stockade is fourteen feet high, and is 
composed of heavy beams of teak timber. It has 
in some places a stage to fire musquetry from, in 
the parapet over which are a kind of embrasures, 
or loop-holes. On the south side there is a miser- 
e 2 
