structure'to which-he is toots'OlegaEy entitled : the- disfeietlon consists
ehiffi^iin the' nuiaber tof stages of which the roof is composed-. The sufe-
ordifiafctevoferaftk' is LMatotastoed and marked'by .the Birmans with the
most-tenacious strictness,, and rfotr6nly houses, but even-domestic implements^
suc'h as thefbefetleufeswcs water Haggon, drinking cup, and horse
fciriiltrirpyatt express and mamfest,' by "shape and Quality, the precise stst-
tioniof-the owner y'nor.can one person intrude upon the rights of-another,
under penaMy cff iinturring a most severe punishment, which is-never rer
lEitted. The MaywtK»:had oWgingly^giYm directions t®>h®v|| a house-
constructed on the bank for usroftheorder appeFtainingtotodbilityybut
of what -par&euiar class I could not easily ascertain, and refrained from
minute inquiriesv as it might appear fastidious, and give an unfavourable
impression to those. Whom it Was my inclination to conciliate..
' The materials of which these houses are made, are dw ay s easy to be
procured ; and .the structure is so simple, that a spacious, -andibyjtno-
means uncomfortable dwelling, suited, to the climate, may .be.-erected itt
one day. Our habitation, consisting of th re e sm a ll rooms#: a n d , a hall
open to the north, in little more than four hours, was. in .readinesstfqE.o.ur
reception: fifty or sixty-feboureES completed it imthat time,and,’on emergency,
could perform the work in muck less. Bamboos, grassifoEihateking,
andthe ground rattan, are all the materials requisite ;, not :anaili is
used in ’the whole edifice: a row of strong bamboos, from.eight ;|o ten
feet high,.are fixed firm in the ground, which.describe *he:6utfine<.and are
the supporters o f the building; smaller bamboos are then tied horizontally
by strips of the ground rattan, to these upright posts;, the walls, composed
of bamboo mats, are fastened to the sides, with similar* ligatures ;
bamboo rafters are quickly raised, and a roof formed, over which thatch
is -s-pread in regulas-lay’eiSv'atid bound to the ioofhyfijaments o f rattan ; a
floor ©ftemteovg^ali-ng Ss’-ndxttMdr j i b ttey&i^tC ^vabefl'tjwp-w'three
feet above-the ground ; this graitjngds; s.uppoEtedi&^!b&hadS,, and-coyered
•wiith-mats and carpets: thus endstilfopBMJ^s^whreht4shnot more simple
.than- effectual: W-hen the workmenUake pains, a hou^tdfithasr.shrftis. proof
•apihst Very inclement weather.; -WreXperii^oed, duri'figdouE^siay -at
$4eeaday, a 'severe storm’ of wind and rain# hut no .wateii penat-ratetfe 9r
thatch escaped, and ifothe?5tdferpe$t should .blowidown ifcteho,use#,thetlrf-
habitantslwould run no r.isld ©fehaving 'theirj .brains sJm&Gkqcboufc; or their
bones broken: /the Tall df'.thewholefgbiao -yrould'nSt^bEush’a'l-ady’s lap-
■Edg. . \
Having got possession o f our dwelling, Mr. Woo#? ©^iBuohk/yn, and
■jsoiyself, took -a walk to rview the down and |a|l|ace^fe iQoun&y,: pur boats-
had brought^ to at dhe southern extremitylof Meeaday. It isf&y^i&ul lib
greatinp9gnitude, hut extremelyneat: there are -tw.oip^in.cipalistiEeets, and
at the north end of the present town are, to-ibgjfen.the^gums ^ ‘ari^ridc
fart, which, like all other forts-,of masonryvin d h e ^ i^% ,em |i^ e ? f^ in u a
state of dilapidation. At a short J . i s t |i a ^ h e ^ i s ^ p le l^ i^ E ^ ^w ,h ip h
flows.thtatgha fertile pfeinuafifo^ing^on;etrich^p^teeqg^ut9d#'tansd inte^
jtjterted with plantations of tobaoco. ,Q& t h s t ^ l ^ s ! ?
the-town isinefosed by a deep -raviinejithe banks p f which apsei©^ perpendicular,
and the remains o f an oldf-brick wall were'- d-iscovei;able,.whjoh’
was .probably a.defence, to the/former suburb: VWe’iobsetysrfman^mall
temples andnonvenfefhps^ Aomithe towny situated-jih. grgyos.of toWgPr
tamarin d a n d ' pipal vfitees .of^uriaoinmon, stateliness <md beauty- S h e
Maywoon had-a-residencehere, /also a pleasure -hpuisq and be^^fgasdpn
at some distance. -Notwithstanding his -manners were. stifl ive ^'^P lftlT