to thosè o f the Ganges; but the navigatiön'is much morev6ommbdiou's. ’The
channel is ibeld-and deep, from six knd la half to eight- fathom?, üninter*
rapted by shoals , or inequality of soundings. r uMr:'Wood'judged the river
at this place to be from three-quarters to a mile m' bréadth. Webéntmued
at anchor till next day, in expectation of the promised visit: About noon
the fleet camein sight: it consisted of from'twenty to thirty boats; on- a
nearer approach, only four out of the number seemed to belong to persons
of superiorcondition; these were not Unlike, in form, to the drawings of.
the state Canoes óf some of the South-Sea Islands: they were long and
.narrow, with an elevated stem, ornamented with peacocks^ feathers, and
the tails óf Thibet cows; each boat bore a different-flag,, and had a
tong, flexible, painted pole, with a gilded hall at the extremity, protruding
horizontally from'the stem. Three persons; :apparendy .óf^MgbèWTrank,
came on board; they meant to be civil, but were perfect^ free from
restraint, and took possession of chairs without waiting for any invitation,
or paying the smallest regard to those who were not seated; whilst their
attendants, seemingly as much at ease as their makers, formed a semi- j
circle around them on the deck, in like manner as the servants .of b u rl
former visitor. Being as yet unapprized of the external forms of respect
among them, such conduct surprized us a good deal. The chief of the
three, a good looking young man, of short stature, I understood to be a
person of consideration. He was Governor óf the province of Dalla, on
the opposite side of the river to Rangoon, which he held on the p a ? to f|h e
mother of the Queen, whose jaghire or estate it is. The second* an elderly
plain man, said he was Nak-haan-gee; literally, the royal ear. I was
afterwards informed he was transmitter of intelligence, or reporter to the
imperial court, ail office of much confidence. The third, a Seree, an inferior
secretary,-was..» m^!of>,li^^|!t'rela^M^;iipppr1tarice,^opipargd>with die other
two. Wf i ^ e j o n y h o . p r , tbrqpgh,' tfre medium of gginterpreter who
sgpke the langpag%^4 Hjpdastgn ^.tfejssw^fe^trejaiely inquisitive, and
asked a number oft ques6jppsaQO0p?rnirig thj&jpblqCjts ,$frthe mission, which
were answered' in friendly but general: terms.Ci Having paid their comph-
mept.sT!ftbe.y(' i .d e p a r t ; i^^^jeturhedsito ;tbeir, boats;? making-.lavish
p ro j^ s ip ^ o f friendships and whilst ,the,ship s^ajledxb^forej^.gerrtle, breeze',
t.hey^rpJVjglJ.1 witb, gre.at^yetopit^vffiynd .he^SjpprfpB^mgfa'(yarjety of evq|ijfc
||3ps,-'aqdf^bib^i8gySSiRsM ^ a^fi. SkjJ,i in, tfr £ t e ^ 0 ei,fmnt; pfrfcheir vesspls^,
dixagpkons,; fjotn.;j^entYEp^yt^ {orty^Qarafswe
tUdgpd^t^efrSo.ttg®^iCp ibe(tbet^eg8'^ix-fy and seventyjjeet,.and ,from; six- to
pightdt^.^d%«'i#\thK|jjpfliipers,.wq^Mg^sdj'Hnfli0 fe^tqjp[,and shipr
ping were in view. The princess RoyakEast Indiaman, thm had come
(from Madras Jotc a;ppargq...Qf .timber-, -fired»., ^®du|p||te^dip^Qompafly’s
ppleurs; and tfie^ Sea-Horse paid a-compfiment to the bat,tery on shore,, of
„pLeven , g u n s i $ p r e .|efu ^ ed 1< l ^ ^ OTMii number: thej-pilot qameto,
j^plow the tqwn35 ap^it from th^jOt^er^Jjg^^out’half a mile. A& spurn as
th e , Sea:Hprse; dropped anchor, all the boats withdrew, without further
noticed)!; explanation!
. Being desirous of sending some of our attendants on shore to refresh
themselves, particularly the Hindoos, whose religion enjoins them not to
eat victuals dressed on. board, and who were on that account put to
great inconvenience, being obliged at sea to subsist on dried fruits, sweetmeats,
and parched pulse, I sent one of the attendants, t&Ae,G^veraqx%Qf
Da|fr, to acquaint him with,-my wish. He, in reply, desijed that I would
defer landing till the following, day; when a habitation that was preparing
for our reception would be in readiness: with this request I acquiesced.