TO THE COURT OF AVA. 
221 
therefore confined to agricultural labour; and 
the ox, whether for burthen or draught, is alone 
used in conveying goods and merchandize on 
long journeys. 
The full-sized horse is unknown in Ava, as in 
every country of tropical Asia, east of Bengal. 
The Burman horses rarely exceed thirteen hands 
high. They are somewhat larger and stronger 
than the races of the Indian islands, but inferior 
to these in symmetry, spirit, and action. They 
are also much more costly. It is the general 
practice to castrate the males, which is contrary 
to the usage of the Indian islanders. Horses 
are rarely used by the Burmese as beasts of 
burthen, and never for draught; and their chief 
use is for the saddle. In the alluvial districts, 
where, indeed, there is seldom any footing for 
them, horses are rarely to be seen ; but they pre¬ 
vail in every other part of the country, and ap¬ 
pear to be most numerous in the hilly country of 
Lao, from whence they are brought for sale to 
the capital. The true Burman horse, however, is 
preferred to that of Lao. 
Respecting the elephant, I have communicated 
in the Journal whatever came under my obser¬ 
vation. In Ava, this animal is at present a mere 
object of royal luxury and ostentation; for, unless 
probably in Lao, I do not find that it is any where 
used as a beast of burthen ; although, as such, it 
might, no doubt, be very advantageously em- 
