242 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
pared to those of our old and densely peopled 
provinces in Hindustan. A day-labourer in Ben¬ 
gal will hardly earn three pounds a-year; and the 
cost of rice is nearly the same as in the lower pro¬ 
vinces of the Borman empire; salt, fish, and 
house-rent, being much higher. An instructive 
example of the beneficial effect of high wages is 
afforded by comparing wages at Calcutta and Ban- 
goon. A carpenter, of the best description, at 
Calcutta, earns only twenty shillings a-month, 
while one at Rangoon will earn thirty. The 
wages of the native of Bengal will purchase about 
eight hundred pounds of rice ; that of the Bur- 
man, about eleven hundred and twenty. Beg¬ 
gary, as may be readily inferred from these state¬ 
ments, is very unfrequent among the Burmese; 
and, with the exception of the voluntary mendi¬ 
city of the priesthood, is confined to a few unfor¬ 
tunate persons, driven to it more by superstition 
than necessity. 
Under the very favourable circumstances now 
described, nothing seems wanting to insure a great 
increase of population in the Burmese dominions, 
but a moderate share of peace, tranquillity, and 
security. In the cessions made to ourselves, those 
benefits may be safely calculated upon ; and in 
such of them as enjoy the advantage of a good 
climate and fertile soil, we may, with some abate¬ 
ment for the stubborn habits of a semi-barbarous 
people, expect to see here a rapidity of increase in 
