C it ie s .
Umsnera-
Ana.
merapoora the capital, with, its fplrds* turrets, and lofty piafath, or
obclifk, denoting the royal prefence,' feeras to rife like Venice from.the
waters, being placed^ between a lake on' the S. E. arid; the large river
with numerous ifleS' on the N. W. The lake is called-Töünzemahn,
Trom a village on '‘the oppofite fide, ornamented with tall 'grèvés öf
brfiango, palmyra; and códoa’ freest The number" and Angularity of the
"boats that were‘ mbordd"in the lake, and' the furfdundihg amphitheatre
of lofty hills', confpire'd to render the fcene grand andTrrteVeftiii^.!' The
fort is an Jexaift fquare, with pubfid granaries arid'’ftore' ioo®s; and
theredsa gilded temple at each corner, nearly loo’ feet in height, but
far inferior to others in* the vicinity'"pf the capital. ' ^n tfie^centre of
this fort Hands the royal palace, with a wide Vpurcih'‘front, bevond
which is the Lotoo, or hall of council, fupported by yy pfllarsi aifpoféd
in eleven rows. The extent and population of thfa'jSty havé'not been
accurately Hated, but are probably incppAderablé.
Ava, formerly "the capital, f is alfo flyled Auhgwa“ bmrsm a Hate of
ruin; “ The walls are now mouldering mtbmefay/ivy'cfings'ti'tne
fides, and bufhes, fufferech to , grow at thé bottom, hjnd’efipme "tlie
foundation, and have already caufed large chafms in the different faces *
of the'fort. The materials of the houfes Gonfiftingi chiefly of, wood
had, on the firft, order for removing,' been tran/pprt/dito' the new .city
ef .Ümmerapoora: but the ground, unlefs Adhere it is povered with
bufhes or rank grafs,' Hill rètains traces of former buildings and Hreets. .
The lines-of the royal palace, of the Lotoo,' or grand .council hall,
apartments of the women, and the fpot on which the Piafath, or imperial
fpire had Hood, were pointed out :to us by our guide.. Clumps
of bamboos, a few plantain trees, and tall thorns occupy the greater
part of the area of this lately flouriChing capital. We obferved - twb
dwelling houfes of brick and mortar, the roofs of which had fallen in ;
thefe our guides faid had belonged to Colars, or foreigners ; on entering
one we found it inhabited .only by bats, which flew in our faces
whilH our fenfe of fmelling was offended by .their filth, and by the
noifome mildew that hung upon the walls.- Numerous temples,, on
which the Birmans never lay facrilegious hands,' were del apidafirig by
14 time.
time. It fs impMiMè. to draw a mo^/’ftrikirigipi(Hur&' pf defolatipp and
rtjm-”1' ' . . sfehj, -' _.
PegUj fer.merlyvth'e jmins,; but it ap>
pear? phave 'b'een: .a .quC^ngleƒ ea^'/^e/n^furing nearly a mile and.
a half. Tihewalbmuft have been, abpul^^ifeet/high, and in'breadth at
tKeraWfe not, fbmeptecl
V^kh day;7 It- was Kazed*by ■ Al^ipp'.a in^iWys^e Pijayy/ -9|[,tuples-
being fpar^d; .and .èf^théfe the'ffa%pyrjimi4 \ó4^ P ^ ^
been kefrtvin -tTh^p^efent B/tmap rpon^rch
has,: erwdeavjèijre^leei''? cot^&iiiate 5 the. «pr | egnef^, by, /perrebuild;
.yfathja the- bf? o£|vhich;
.^rfief^it^wn h$| reared;; hut Rangoon •ppffélfe^
r^any p©eta‘ór!/’dvanfageé' that ’ the m embarks -will/cargely ^bandon,it
fdflfhid/new’ foundation. Jhp^qity former j
é ^ t t , and‘i^«hed’èfide»êe ©f itbhMfiywoom,' pr^yernib® of-^egfe It
k ;dfe©Matech with that extraordinary edifice the -Sh'^nadob,' feated on.
a.daulte tei-mcey ©ne-fidpnOfefewer beings i^i^f§0:,%of0he «PPei?
6^4. /The. building is corpppfe&'of brick and. mprtaij,' oft agonal at ike A
fefe, and* fpiral W thecfep; 'without • any' caftity W„hpefttnr«.,. At’ the
fummit is a -Tetf^br facred umbrella^.:of;openen tyoffegJ.it/5§ £eet,m>
i&umference ;Jhöheight oftfiè $ 9-v-é tfey
mner terrafe^.L1 feet. Tradition ,beard.that,ft wasTounded;'al5qvtf
ye^s'beïorebbrifc'.ï A'mpre-.'Gpmplet.e, idpa df sthis'very-finglilar'
may be dhtaihed froiK'the'print publifhed b^.deloüèl .Sy’ines; than,,any
vefbalT dêfcription. can convey hi
Ifcli^eV'bf tbi. chief, ports bf'-the-i Birman- empire is* Rangoon which;
fcBeugb like the?capit^iphfeteceht. foundation^ is/fuppofed to' -contain
éo,b-Qfoujs- »Towards, the-m h u t b / p ^ ,ftaiads.Sirian^
formerly,, on ehofh the „ chief, pprts of - that kingdoffi*»?,^ °h,.GP5^ 4’e^/fe *
commerceh'.when in ppffeflioin cf the ^rWg'uèf^.It was.particularly
odebrated for the export of :rdbie&, and other piecij^u^ö^es». which- \
.feem however to be chiefly found in-the northern• mountains. ,
Martaban tvas- anptherbfea; pórt of dphfi.dtera|fd eminence,-^til 1; vth®
harbour was* impeded1.by prd?r W the Birman empenor.., Of Tavoy and:
® Symes. ii-. '2-70,: nM fM
Mérgbil