TO THE COURT OF AVA. 
313 
accustomed to it; on which he pointed to the 
yard of the boat which was close by, and told 
me I might sit there. I told his Majesty I was 
not insensible of the honour he did me. He then 
pointed to the Prince of Persaim, and told me he 
had given him a new name, Mungee Narataw, on 
account of his good behaviour. The King then 
asked me several questions through the above in¬ 
terpreters, viz. 4 Does your King go to the wars 
and expose his person, as I do ? Do you under¬ 
stand the use of ordnance, &c. ? Could you point 
a gun, to kill a man at a great distance ? Is there 
as much rain in your country as in this ? What 
is the reason you wear that at your shoulder? 
(my shoulder-knot.) How much money does the 
Company pay you per month ? Why don’t you 
black your bodies and thighs, as we do ? (at the 
same time rising up, and showing me his thigh.) 
‘ Let me feel your hand feeling my fingers and 
wrist, he said we were like women, because we 
did not black as above. Is there ice in your 
country, as in mine—small creeks froze over ? I 
answered to all the above questions, which seemed 
to please them; and to the last question, I told 
him that I had seen a river, as broad as this his 
Majesty is now in, (meaning London river,) frozen 
over, and an ox roasted whole upon the ice; to 
which the King, as also all the great men about 
him, laughed heartily. The King asked me what 
