CHAPTER IV.
Arrive a t Peguè—polite Reception— invited to the Celebration o f the Annual
jS'eslivcd— Procession described.— Sports in honour o f me Di^-^-Pugt-
Aisiic Exercises—Birmans expert a t fVreslling.— Formal Êdrodpjdiain
to the Maywoon, or Viceroy.— Companies fr om the different D istric ts
o f the Province p a s s in Review.— Grand D isp la y o f Firewo rk s—
orderly and sober Demeanour o f the Populace.— Curiosity o f the B irmans.—
Attention p f the Viceroy to oür Accommodation.— Invited 10 a
Dramatic Representation.— Siamese Actors— an extraordinary Performer—
Description o f the Pla y.— Birmans close the Year . path' a
purificatoryCeremonial, in which the Eng lish Gentlemen bear-a p a r t.
A x noon we got underway, and soon passed-a village-on tn^rSgnt,
consisting of about twenty houses; the river gradually duhimshed in
breadth, and at this place was not more than forty yards wide,Thé 'bafijks
covered with coppice and long reeds: after passing another and larger
village, where there was a chokey or watch-house, we proceeded through
a cultivated country, and numerous villages appeared on each side.' At
seven in the evening we were in sight of Pegue, and judged the distance by
water from Rangoon to be about ninety miles, most part of the way in a
northward direction ; but the windings of the river are so great, that the
road in a straight line must be much less. When we approached the
làndm^plaiçét IMrsA^ootfe^Mië. tLowrjKtï&tmejst-, us,:;, and the'1 favourable
ajscojsnt .hOi g^ve^owft^feeeptionjaathiedfeMtia;4little torthe 'satisfaction of
havings, finished o,u<j^|éÇÎmey we^aJIqlibun^sBabâ-Slieen. onr tfte^bank
vailing ouisanivahjiflihis personjgfrAmhifitedms v idi great jc;t\ility
habitation, which wc|_.wer_ pleased ab^ii ndiilg fin, superior' t&that r'w ,e,.it> & d
;It wa si'situatednto giainpa fewihuridred y^Mawithouw|:^p®ncipal
gate, of|t^e^pr^eii^tttwn)'> but^Wathm#i&ffortjfiedi1ine®,ofi-the arieiëft# city.
Like.JKi^f^li^feMin;general r,tfedasnniscd between, bln ce md loin feet
froTin thc.ffiounddcompdsuLwhgll}''o%bllnbdt/s and nuts. andiindiULantly
thati hcfsk^lhisïjis aadcfu trthhii'extends ufin ciisall^ toHhen-ownï’dw clMg*>,
and ,'af(oids*tiin iticr ol urpuse* ni3.aUniiit>i>)i» when » ijiegco i^sc^gr rs-r used
forthatching is&so spleuiihihr., \Vc lud etch* a* sin dl/.ipanmuit.,'as«a bedf
grhambeE, jVSfith carpi tv spic wither thc“in its. aud' .b- hugon.idoni^totduic in,
and^to^rLA-i.vo \ lsilors : huts were also erected- f<{tjoui attendants
‘ btaHiboo’ p^h|hdei mdosirigt/a couit sidhcjcntly spauous-^^fiiioiinded die
whole We ait()|'ethcr'hadj.reason,<to b||j^isfied,5Wii;th.our;dweIUingJr( it was
^Mmmodiojus,. •at-coiding to the ideas!of thuipi^hle-Chepiselvesf-anibwt had
.npkjmhu toigirrpplain obthal which, w ts^%Jl mKiidpd j^SIipM^dlei oui
arrival, ;twoetqjfi.cers .of government •wabedgob’.'me,- vuh^qijiplimeins ol
^okg^atuhtion .from^bhelNjfaywoon ■ they staked» hub ajshart, tin^|B©i^iv.-
:|^^^®P4t^wfeset.'busymr arrangft^canyenim'cest for the night.
i-E^âa-Sërvâ'nts ..yvere joÇcnpied during <tho geeafen? part, of the next day,
in bringing up our haggage from thetxhoa^J^O; .thel 'house, a1’ drstjgnee’' of
nearly hill-annule. In the* afteinotin. an offices oalJed’Che-ki v ,tsceond ih r>
rank' to the Maywoon, and ' tfyebSere-dageéÿ or s^èé^t^r^ihfibiÉeîîgroe^Mial
government, aocompahied by'Baba2Shhen;ftpaid us »»■ 'iMpito tea.-; They
infôrüieîî mOThit the Maywoon, or Yicertry, whoi hadibeenimkchlèlijgaged