599 
Cox's Burmhan Empire. 
varnished pottery, and also on the frieze 
of the cornice. 
The prince of Pagaain has a house 
here ; or, as it is called in the language 
of the country, a palace, surrounded 
by a mat enclosure; but we were not 
permitted to examine it. Near the 
river are a number of betel gardens, 
covered over as in Hindostan, and ap¬ 
parently diligently kept. They are 
watered by paeotes, as used on the Co¬ 
romandel coast; but the lever is 
wrought by the men at the bucket, 
after the Chinese fashion. There are 
but few inhabitants here, and those ap¬ 
parently in indigent circumstances ; 
the trade of this place having been 
transferred with its population to Gu- 
caym, adjoining it to the northward, 
where the principal manufacture of 
lacquered ware is carried on. Near it 
also is a famous pagoda, built by one 
of the ancient kings of Pegaarn, and 
lately repaired and gilt by private do¬ 
nations of the devout. 
CHANBEW-MEW. 
October 24. At seven A.M. we passed 
Chanbew-mew, or the city of the White 
Elephant. The river having thrown 
up a large sand flat before it, its trade 
is carried on in temporary huts, erected 
on the beach in the dry season ; as re¬ 
marked going up, several merchant- 
boats lying there. On the eastern shore 
also is a considerable town, a little to 
the. southward of which are rugged 
downs, which extend all the way as far 
as the Chokey and town of Mumboo. 
There is a considerable flat on the 
western side the river Croad, and 
numbers of uncultivated islands mid 
channel. At one p.m. we passed the 
upper town of Hananghong; at three 
p.m. my Bengal washerman departed 
this life. His complaint was an in¬ 
flammation of the spleen and worms, 
of long standing before he left Bengal; 
besides, he was so irregular and obsti¬ 
nate, that all Mr. Key’s endeavours 
were in vain, although every attention 
our circumstances would permit was 
afforded him. At four p.m. made fast 
at * Wamaehote on the eastern bank, 
and buried him. Wamachote is fa¬ 
mous in legendary lore, as being the 
place where a hog waded the river, of 
such a monstrous size that he passed 
without wetting his belly. There are 
a few miserable huts ; the country in¬ 
land arid, sterile, rugged downs. At 
nine P.M. we were alarmed by some 
war-boats passing up, who approached 
us in a mischievous manner, and would 
not answer when challenged. The 
place also being noted as the resort of 
vagabonds, and the banks overhanging 
so as to give any shore assailants too 
much advantage over us; we, therefore, 
crossed the river and made fast to a 
sandy island mid channel. 
PRINCE OF PRONE. 
October 2J. We proceeded at five 
A.M. with a number of small boats of 
the mew whoon's suite in company ; 
(he land, on both sides, alternately 
hills and small flats near the river ; 
inland, I am told, there are considera¬ 
ble flats and valleys under culture, and 
well inhabited. At nine A.M. we passed 
the town and chokey of Palo, on the 
east bank, belonging to the Prince of 
Prone, and where his jaghire or terri¬ 
tory begins. A little further down on 
the west bank we passed the town and 
chokey of Patoi, belonging to one of the 
queens. The new whoon’s phaeun 
came in sight, surrounded by a great 
fleet of merchant-boats under his con¬ 
voy ; a privilege he assumes whenever 
he goes up or down the river, and from 
which he and his, derive a considerable 
profit at the expense of the cliokeys. 
About ten A.M. he passed us in all the 
pomp of savage state; exalted in his 
own ideas, probably, in proportion as 
he saw us degraded. He, in a commo¬ 
dious phaeun, rowed by 100 men, and 
humble me in a blatchong-boat paddled 
by six or seven ; h is lady deigned to 
look at us, but he did not appear. At 
eleven a.m. we passed the town of Com¬ 
ma; the great route to Bengal by Arra- 
kan goes through it; the distance, 1 
am told, to Arrakan is seventy miles. 
At noon, saw hills on both sides down 
to the water’s edge, clothed with wood 
in full verdure, so as to appear cheerful 
and picturesque. The river from a 
half to three-quarters of a mile broad, 
the current gentle, and water smooth. 
The banks are, in general, tolerably 
stocked with game, deer, hare, par¬ 
tridge, quail, snipe, and jungle fowl; 
so that with proper accommodations, 
and on good terms with government, a 
voyage on this river at this season would 
be pleasant, indeed superior to one on 
the Ganges, or any other river 1 know. 
At four P.M. we passed the city of 
Prone, or Paai-Mew, once the capital 
of the Burmhan dominions, and still a 
place of considerable trade and popula¬ 
tion. Timber is to be had here, cheap 
and in plenty; and iron, the produce 
of mines in its vicinity. Ships of 500 
tons have been built here, and there is 
now 
