fu'nerdd 'to-attend the ftgps of a c'oOrt
heEMtimony on the outfide of the roof. The cuftom of TelHnfl their
women to ftrangers, which has before been adverted to, is confitied'to
the loweft daffes of fociety, and is perhaps oftener the confequence of
heavy pecuniary embarraffment, than an a£t of inclination: it is. not
however confidered as fhameful, nor is the female dishonoured, "partly
perhaps' from this caufe, .and partly from their habits of education,
women Surrender themfelves the vidtims of this barbarous-cuftom with
apparent refignation. -It is alfo faid that: they are very feldom unfaithful
to their foreign matters ; indeed they atre often eflentiaily-ufeful, particularly
to thofe who trade-, -’by keepiug.their account si and tranfadting
their bufinefs ; but when a man departs from- the country he is not
Tuffered to carry his temporary wife along with him; on'that' point' -tlfte
law is - exceedingly rigorous, eVifry^flripy before She receives her ^clearance,
is diligently fearc-hed by the; officers of t^e .cufto m-h oufeeven
if thelrflv%|l^pep,^ere to •
and it wpuH he.fodn diicovered in what ve'flel Ihe;had goneJ nor could
that -Ship [everreturn to a Birman; port, but .penalty'of .can?.
fifcation of the property, land ,thf infliction of a Eeasyy-flf}^ and .imprif«™-
ment on. the -matter: female •chtldxen alfo*: bora of a Bitmap
are tjOt fufttred to be taken aWay. Menra*e'spermitted-' to .emigrate':
but they think that the expatriation of. women would ifnpdveriflvfhe
bate, by diminishing the Sources'of its population.” 1
The women though free are generally too much occupied in the
labours of the loom to admit of infidelity, the offspring of idlenefs. In
war the men difplay the ferocityof favages, while in peace-they oan
boaft a considerable degree of gentlenefs arid civilization. The Birman
year comprifes twelve months Of 29 or 30 days alternately, a month
being interpofed every third year. The fubdivifion of the month is
peculiar, as they number the days not only from the new moon but from
the full, which laft is called the decreafing moon. They are fond of
poetry and mufic, and among their inftruments is the heem, refembling
the ancient pipe of Pan, formed of Several reeds neatly joined together,
* Symes, «, 384.
■andliföu®ded ipyl a oornmomipouth ipiece,.‘£b 'as'tb'pr©diiie ® plaintive Mak**m
melody. ' ■ f t < , 'p l , )?> ■ , C ustoms.
The allphabet^reptefents? -3 3 fimjpfe~;fqppdsj ,arid is w ritten from -l^ft
to aright like 1;^; Enrfpeaol'v The 'Birman |bopks ane.mjore-neatly eg- ture.
pep ted txhap thpfe^of -the Hindpo^kiltf in py ery tkipqlir}jih; monafrery,
ther-g is a library o-r repository ^f|feoQks4^^1^hl,frryh!£s,Mfas furp^Zj-efl
at the .'UfUmbei .Contained ip •tfie-.friyalj litpaVy,1 in wbMu thg largg'dhgfts
mr-sbahly -apiOUftted, t,Ojjfop,+' “ .‘TbeA^iks w bre^Eegulafly.(daued,,arid
tjie contgms of eaoh eheftfwey written intgtold Tet'tefr'’pn tfi e Jim. The *
librarian opened two^apd Ihewed me Tome Very*beaut1,fuJl; writing on
thèi'r lèaves, of'1 ïvpryj the „margins lof-‘which' were rornartiepted. with
fiowéfs orgqfd, .neatly executed. I Taw. aïfp Tome pooksvfrittfen'in,'the
-ancienT^Talli, the religious wtextT ‘ Every thing' deemed tO' Ke’1 arranged
wim^erfealrdghkrity^'and^l’wdsl mfprmed that tteje Wöe ö^cs'pp6p
ïïivera fubje^sï" morey on divinity than^|Lkny ptlfer : but ‘ Hiffor y,
jmufiG, medicipe, painting, andfjptEap&^hlid their Tppkfaje ireatifes.
The volumes were difpofed under diftimtt’ "beads, regulariy numbered :
and if all the othêè clefts wpre as well fillecl as tbpfe fha^werè fubmittgd
to' our ■ inipjêÖion, <it 'is pot ïmhrpbabm 'that'bis Birihan majefty may
.pofrefs'a^morb numerous library than any ^pqtentate, frpm the‘batiks of
of X3 iina.’,sk
'yThe'ftudy'df the laws and'national rdl?|idn‘muft'6f ‘courfé cbnftitute
a'connderabie branch of education among tfie grgaf ; ‘ fbat* óf thejpopr
Teems to;be utterly neglected.
1Ava, the ancient' c'apital, has been jpCfmitted to fink ;into ruin Tince Ciue*.
the recent ‘foundation of ummet-apoofd, onf‘ the eaftern fidfe df a -great
fiver whièh flows int?o melrrawady if, 'in the'impdrfèfS;geography of
‘fhe^l^cob'ntries, we regard1 the’ feeen-Öuéfi1 ak'the"chief ttreani'!,mp-
pofirion little countenanced' by Mr. Wood’s map,1 iofettéd* m^Cdlonel
SythesrS'‘account, in which thé;E.een-Duen 'is a finajBriveF flowing, into
the Irrawady, which laft is faid’ to pafs by ^iffé dapiial» On the
oppbfite fide of the river is Chagaing, once a city of imperiaWéfidencb,
featèd partly at the‘ fobt-and partly on‘the fide of a fugged hill, brokén
into' ’ eminences, each of which is crowned by a fpiral temple; ■ TJm-
* ill g’j . - ) * Xb. 961''