1 36 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
Athan-dhau. Persons mutilated by the sentence 
of the law are condemned to the same condition 
as lepers. All the parties now alluded to, with 
the exception, I believe, of those accidentally 
maimed or mutilated, are forbidden to dwell in 
the towns and villages, and must reside apart in 
the suburbs or outskirts, nor must they even enter 
the house of those deemed 44 respectable and un¬ 
contaminated.” Among them are included pros¬ 
titutes, that is to say, persons who follow prosti¬ 
tution as a trade; but not women of loose cha¬ 
racter, for chastity is not a virtue in high repute 
amongst the Bormans. Prostitutes who relin¬ 
quish their profession are considered 44 honest 
women,” and are received at once into society 
upon renouncing their evil habits. 
The Government of Ava is as complete a des¬ 
potism as can well be conceived, and labours un¬ 
der all the disadvantages which can well be ima¬ 
gined of such a form of polity. The King, as he 
is called, in his customary titles, is lord of the life 
and property of all his subjects. The country 
and people are at his entire disposal, and the chief 
object of Government would seem to be his per¬ 
sonal honour and aggrandisement. In fact, he 
pushes his prerogative in practice to the utmost 
length that is compatible with the personal safety 
of himself and his ministers.* The goodness or 
* The workman who built the present palace committed some 
professional mistake in the construction of the spire. The King 
