all other nations savage and barbarous. As* to the Siamese,
the King of Cochin China thinks he could conquer them in
an instant if he desired it. There is not a person of sense
about the Court or Government except the Governor-General
Tai-Kun, who often smiles at the absurdities o f the
rest, and has even hinted to the King the extravagance of
his pretensions,— since he is, in fact, no more than a tributary
of the Emperor of China.
March 4.— The war-junk intended to convey us to our
own country was this day launched.
March 6.— The Mission received to-day five hundred
and sixteen quans, and one hundred and forty-one baskets
o f rice, reckoned to be three months’ stock of provision for
the voyage. W e were requested to repair next morning to
the fort, for the purpose of viewing the letter and presents
to his Majesty of Ava.
March 7.—A t daylight the members of the Mission
repaired to the fort on foot, ushered by a Mandarin o f the
civil order. W e missed upon this occasion our old guardian,
Ong-Bo; and making inquiry, found he had been
dismissed from his office. In the front part o f the hall of
audience, we found the letter to the King o f Ava, laid out
on a table, and the presents arranged to the left of it.
Within the hall, four tapers were burning. The Mandarins
of the military order were in one line on the right
hand, and the civilians in another on the left. A ll were
standing up, and in their dresses of ceremony. Shortly
after, the Governor made his appearance, and took his
place on the right-hand side ; next to him stood an elderly
Mandarin, said, to be the General-in-chief o f the Army of
Lower Cochin China; the rest followed according to their
ranks. A t the head of the left or civil side was Ong-ho-
baing, the Treasurer; Ong-kim, the First Judge, came next;
then the comptroller. T he Secretary was only fourth in rank.
The music began to play, and heralds on both sides having
given the signal, the whole o f the Mandarins advanced
to the centre of the hall, and made five prostrations to the
throne, as if the King himself had been sitting on it. The
Mandarins who were to accompany the Burmin Mission
then made their prostrations. The members o f the Bur-
man Mission were then ordered to advance and bow five
times in a similar manner, which they did. The King’s
orders respecting the Mission were then explained to them,
the presents to his Burman Majesty were enumerated, and
the gifts conferred upon each member o f the Mission, individually,
were stated. After this ceremony, we were conducted
to the house of the Governor, where we had a long
conference respecting the affairs of the Mission, and particularly
concerning what related to our return. W e now
retired, accompanied by the King’s letter and presents,
which were conveyed with much state, and deposited in
the hall of the house where we resided. The Qgifts intended
for the individuals o f the Mission were then distributed
according to their ranks.
March 10.—.To-day we proceeded to the fort and
delivered the presents of his Burman Majesty. Th e
Mandarins received them with great respect, in a standing
posture.
March 12.— The members o f the Burman Mission, according
to custom, repaired this day to the palace to return
thanks for the gifts which the King had condescended to
confer upon them. W e appeared, on this occasion, in
dresses bestowed upon us by his Cochin Chinese Majesty,
and the courtiers and ourselves performed the same ceremonies
and prostrations as on the 7th. After this was over,
the Governor entertained us at his house, and amused us
with Cochin Chinese plays. W e then finally took leave.
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