may toe cèlled the modem appendage to ancient Pagahm, yèt we were
above two hours between them, owing to the circuitous cdurse of the riyer,
which lengthens the way to eight or nine miles.
Mention oFPegahm has often occurred in thisnarrative,a city celebrated
for its numerous temples, anckthe paces which i t bears of former magnifi-?
ceftcer To examine its extensive and various -rains with the accuracy;.of
a speculative traveller, would have occupied more time than -we had fo
spare. Shortly after the fleet had brought to, I was visited by the MipU-
dogee, or -the person-who governed the town and district in- the absence- ©f
ïhepffrtcé; he informed me, that his 'ïByaljriteief 3*i* É&
following day from Umraerapoora. In-the afternoon wé walked outii$o/yie?af
a very curious and ancient temple, which was repairing 'at the. êxpencegf
the Engy Teelden, or prince royal. It was huilt of masonry, a*adcompre-
hended several arches forming separate domes, int® whichiforuy arched
porches led, thatfaced th e four cardinal points; m each side^ftfee.dporsyin
recesses in -the wall; were seated gigantic human figures made ofstup&o, with
large staring eyes, and thahead protruded forward, as if to look at those
who approached the threshold. These, I was told,wero the supernatural
porters of the doors, whose power o f perception was such, that; theynould
penetrate the recesses o f the human breast, and discover the sincerity of
devotion. The Mioudogee observed, that it was. the prince’s intention to
gild this temple ; and that four viss of gold, about the value of six hundred
pounds, were already prepared for that purpose; he added that a com
siderable sum of silver had been expended on the repairs.
We were on this occasion, informed of a circumstance,, that shews- how
easily an art once well known', may be lost to a country from disuse and
the caprfeiousness of fashion ; notwithstanding that well formed tf&pa-fif
torickiar-eStiy to -bë 'Seen in many o f the ancient-temples, yet Birman workmen
canno-longt|p*taiUi iÉi<|rh. - Masonry has not in latter ages been much
practised-5= wóödefofeuildings have superseded the more solid structures of
afo#mèrÉti¥£ ■ y
©n afo rerarav tlfo Mfoudpgéé politely i^vited us-to- stop and rest ourselves
at his house. "We * aehepted* the myitatfen, and were ushered into
tt commodious dwelling inclosed by a railing; where we found several
persons'■séated'in auspicious hall. Soon after our entrance, the Mioudogee's
Wife tim e forth from-an inner apartment, and sat down by her husband1;
^ h e '^ S ^ S ^ d ^ ^ l i y two fbmaló serVarits; fold 4teld by the hand hér
!BaApftèr’, 'a' pretty dtelreatè tSfild about‘eight years of age, who was not at
till iidimed-atthe sight o fstiiangers,*--bM é&riëahdexammed my hat and
'^«Aikte^With mUchengagtog famiKtHity. Hèr fkthèr Was extremely civil;
iiïOCtóövsSiïg^that Wë h^h(ftS|S^he''feidly :6fi^ed us thferase of his, if w”e
chose to remain another day, and'.amüsé ourselves by* riding through the
ancient city, which was fob extensive'Co he traversed in so short a-dime
on 'foot. Doctor Buchanan havingl expressed £-■ wish -té -éSUiriihte the
Launzan, a rare species of plant, he.promised to send-one of his people on
the following day some distance off,' to' procure it for him, which he punctually
performed. Such instances of genuine hospitality are amongst
the highest gratifications that a traveller can experience.
Next morning we mounted our horses at an early hour, pursuing an
eastward direction on a road that led to hills, called Torroendong, about
ten miles distant; beyond which,-and more southerly, we perceived Boupa,
a conical mountain mentioned in our former journey. On each side of the
road, innumerable religious buildings appeared, in every stage of dilapidation.
At the distance of two *or three miles from the fiver, the soil