m
future residence,-and the .seat -of: provinciafigovernment. öfiffei thiFf^two
distfihts of fdéMawuMy-i? t *
;if te ^ ^ i^ ö ö * « f tS |S « ^ * h a » te .so . far succeeded, .that.alnew town, has
been'built within thm te .n fte e -an c ien t city; but Rangoon p o s s e s SO
many advantage's overPeguefin a commercial point of view, that persons
of próperty who are engaged in business, will not easily be prevailed upon
tdTéave -onéte47thé -finest sea-ports in the world, to encounter the difficulties
of a new settlement,where commerce, if any can subsist, must be very
confined, from the Want of a commodious navigation. The present inhabitants,
who fiaVè'-bëèb Induced to return,-consist chiefly of- Rhabaans, or
priests, followers of the-provincial court, and. poor Taliën families, who
were glad to regain a settlement in their once magnificent metropolis. The
number altogether perhaps does not exceed six or seven thousand; . tfio.se who
dwelt in Pegue during its former- days of splendor are now nearly extinct,
and their descendants and relatives scattered over the provinces of Tongho,
Martaban, and Talowmeou; many also live, under the-protection ..of the
Siamese. There is-fittle doubt, however, that the respect paid to their
favourite temple of worship, and the security and encouragement .held out
to -those who venture to return, will, in time, accomplish the...wise and
-humane intentions of the Birman monarch^
Pegue, in its renovated and contracted state, seems'to.be built on the
plain-of the former city, and occupies about one half, of its - area. It is
fenced round by a stockade.from ten to twelve feet high; on the north and
east sides it borders on the old wall. The plane of the town is not yet filled
with houses,' but a number of new ones are building. There is one main
* TheShanscrit name given to the province of Pegue by the Birmans.
[«
streeTfBnning easrahd-rvest, crossSdtat-rightMafigleiS by two smaller stre et,
grorjy et^fiflislied'. At each-extremity SiUhtr-p^lneijjah’sireetstehBrc'Ushd. gaffe'
in' We Vtltkade,--which74 is* i Shu 1 in . clijn'g ifeSficteSiat »»hour
entrance during the^igJp3is1 confined' io'?a?vfli>kcfr-1 'baeht"aftthese! gates,
^^[mShtlld^by a w re f® d s pifec^ofPBrmtfaticejfand a ft w arfiisipvtSci &, fit ho
ner ei‘ post^bntirrds., and aie usud‘Hy*&slfclp in dn'hdfOnlfrig shld'*^fl*liere
rare !tw'd fmertHFga'teyion' tf e nfirtfi' and's'Shth side- ofthe stoekk&WI
The streets of Pegue art spacious,’as mchhose? o’wlMfij^.Eirni.m* tow
that I hare seen.1 Tiro mlw! i iw rfiivw elli’*j5a\'ijd«w fwttFljriok^jvoniHll'^thh!
iiiins'bF the ole! plentifully supply*;.Ini wafeh^hleSil^t’auw at bficieTas*A
diam to cany oil the water* Houses ol h h t‘mcdm-if- pras.uit~N,)li
te d throughout the liirin.m empire; possess1 manifest advaridigei^vo^Kiili.tin
dw ellmgs,‘by being'raised liom the giound 'eithu"on wno'den'p'bsttl or
bamboo's, according to the' si at of the building The kioumscommorias-
^ l e s ’ofthe Rhahaaris-, and the habitations of the;%i|jhteranks.,'-are usually
elfevated' six^hr eightthose" oP't-nh'ldwer .classes/hom'Uwdf toifour feet.
There are no brick building1- eithei m Pegue'phJRVi^ooBf’exrt.pi
as belong to the Kmr, or, are dedicated Ip. I heir,[fit in ^ '^ aw dm i : 'J w
Majesty has prohibited the use of brick oi stonC’hispiiV.Ue buildings. Irorn
the^appehtesionf I was infefmed, that ifilperople^gjohf&aiw’to’' buildsiSiack'
■ npuses, they might erect brick fortification!,, d® jpfrdtKWthe s t i c k y of the
-State. The^ houses, therefore, are all mace of'mats, oi sheathing* Doaids,
’supported on bamboos or posts; but from their'bcing-CpinposStl of-fiich
combustible materials, the inhabitants are undej.cpnt-inua^che^cl pfj.fire'fj
against which ffifey take every precaution. The roofs ar'dJightl^^tjgedg
and at eacli'door stands a long bkmfrob,' with' an'hoh-hook aWthe,end, to
pull down the thatch; there is also another pble, with' a gfatirl^ of'irbn at
. ■ B b .