2 9 0 I®BASE S T ‘WO AVA.
Ghjaese-;fi the latter never^lft ihenpreriftetsr off their habitation,' or. maniw
fested a ’.d e# e ito leavedt*'except.to loll in seasy.chairs,hand smoke-their
long pipes in-thpihool of the evening-on the. margin-of the lake,aahaut
two:or three hundrediyards in front of their, house. ‘The English .gen- ■
tlemenaccustodeAthemsel ves, either to walkrmvrode three ordbupmdes-in
the mottling before breakfast, and the same distance in the -afternoon, a
- epfcumktasGC that I did not eseape the'n0tkei'of'! tfte Birahshs;: My
tomarjr rpute ^vas in a southern directions over, pathways* ;-that*led ■ through
W dW d ^ " in my return makM|;a circuit along the .gröèh border’ èfHhe
lake. AKhough them was not the least cause to apprehend eitherffmjmy
otr; insolence,: I was always attended in my e*cürsions.'by-'sl^örJ'eight
soldiers, and by as fflapy of my private servants, arme&with
who seemed to attract no less-motice than myself. WhemLmet-any* of
the natives, particularly women, they sguatted down into the posture
of respect. A s soon as the novelty of my appearance had a little worn
off, I was told th a t they were still anxious to know why a person con-
sulting his own amusement, and master of fajs own time, should walk so
fast; but on being informed that I w a sB H g g g g f or stranger, and that
it was the Custom of my country, they were reconciled to- this' a» Wêlbas -to
every ptfter yet that did not ceiaridewith their own prejudices and-usage;
In a few days the return of the King was announced b y the discharge óf
rackets, and by the general bustle that so important an event caused among
all clashes of people: we saw nothing of the display, which we understood,
on this occasion, was not at all pompous.
The period of our arrival occurred a t a juncture that supplied the Birman
court with a plausible excuse for postponing the consideration of public
business, and delaying my formal reception, as well as the delivery of
| -"291
.thede%r*frpm -thejJS^f^^^ener^jffmjfehe ilying. fit softappenedisthat in
thp.faw«u mg. amont^ there wasdohd,ya^e|,|^„ejafi1;he,^io,on, ;ap operatiefaftf
nature they^ Oft
« W^poCgasion f aff®i» pfe^fte^amd- <a!l|Tip®psb#%;iftattdrs p|ibusjhpss,
-jthat will.p ^ j fe raf.precrastinatioili are put. nf^ft)4kcfQll%wft^,fioftth.. ,The
^ to lo g e rs were^assfembfe<^.tgi«:on!s^trcnrthefti^yf0rt:uhat.e^flfty^f|eft-thfe
lapse eff that'inad^i4puS'^Qffls^'hsCtthey^i^oprcdjt-hSt the,seypp.t-ecnth
p f the'mopth Tou«elkn,j.G0i;r.espcgiding, with thp ^Othlpl^ngj^t^Va^.tbe
parlies that tiiat»da^i w.as appointed for the
public ^ e c e p tip n - c f f ^ -A n g h s h ^ l^ g ^ v 1
- ^Cautionyand^policydjadj-peihaps, asjgr,eat,a share.-with the Birmans a?
/superstition,, in thus; retarding r th g ^ r gm ^ y r fW r ^ i^ |aG t iq n | it was
lo.jhem a goyel incftkpt; WP^idesirous infcp
the ohj^ts^weyhad ip -view, Jqefore any p a rt ^ t h e ^ e q t . ^ a ^ ^ l f t p
’ fqpnal discussipm. Tftgy.m^ht.p^hahly^lso,.wisih: t o ^ y e
|.-.ta*isB^gp oftour. national character ay ft ft);
in ,what manner to regulate their o w n - s u c h .they
consistent w ith that .sag^EtjtyrJvhich I found,-inlva'lably'd'ts-pla^edvhy
the Birman government in all its resolutions and.aGlvuiftri' publit* nhturoa
.;>fBut the provaiiingtfdjaraCtonsfto-,.01 thc.Bnmrfn.eouiu^ptidli^ftU. die
sovereign o f China, his Majesty ^f,A-ya ftdcnowl'edgefdnoftquai ^indeed
itjis the fixed jgrio&iple of ali.aitiohs »eastward,-# Bp»gpl4jjtp.\ebnKixIer
foreign ministera-as SUppllaHts^gotfae to solicit ipr@teGti®r>j - hot- as? represen-
;^ftve&whp naaydemandmdvo?sfe, lather as vassals tq .rehM hojftage^hah
; aSipeTSOns vested With authority -to treat 'on£1|qstilJte£ins-iipftthis- system I
W^j,e%rly apprized, and felt-mo disapppijhttaent ak-M^'W&'-ftf a ^general
rumour curi®nham©ng the highar.japkstof -Bh-iMngyithafffi.’ deputy had ar