Cities.
Edifices.
Inland N e gation.
Manufactures.
Commerce.
Merghi little is known ; but Tanaferim maintains the dignity of a
city,
The grand river of Irrawady is bordered with numerous towns and
villages. Perfain, or Baffien, Hands On its weftern branch. - At a con-
fierable diftancé to the north is Pröme, celebrated as the feenie 'of many
long fîegés and bloody conflicts. The number of inhabitants exceeds
that of Rarigoom Tagahm is- alfo a .confiderablè place. lS{or muff
Aracan, a recent acquifition,be. forgofteh, which is divided "by federal
canals derived from a river of the fame namei ’
Towards thé Chinefe frontier are Quangtong, correfponding in name
with the diftant province called Canton by: Europeans ; Barrioo ; and
in the country of Caffay, Munnipora. Monehaboq is a confiderable
town to the north of the capital.
The moft remarkable edifice is the Shotfiadoo BèfoieÀèfiaribed. 'The.
Kioums are often of Angularly rich Mid fantaftic architecture, as may be
obferved in the delineation given by Colonel Symês ; who has ah©, pub-
Iifhed a view of the grand ball of audience, perhaps as fplendid an
edifice as can well be executed in wood. -His reception at the “ golden
feet,” -fuch is the term nfed far the imperial prefencè; was alfo refaxarkably
grand, the pomp in fome degree correfponding with that of the ancient
Byzantine emperors.
Nature has fo amply provided the means of inland navigation, by
the numerous mouths arid ftreams of the grand river Irrawady, that
additional ihduftry feems fuperfluous.
The Birmans excel in gilding, and féverâl other ornamental riianu-
faéturés. Their edifices and barges are conftruCted with fingular oriental
tafte and elegance ; and at, Chagain is a manufacture of marble divinities,
the material being remarkably fine and almoft tranfparent.
A confiderable trade is carried on between the capital and Yunan,
the neareft province of China, confifting chiefly in cotton, with amber,
ivory, precious ftones, and -beetle nut ; the returns being raw and
wrought filks, velvets, gold leaf, preferves, paper, and fome utenfils of
hard ware. Several thoufand boats are annually employed in tranfport-
ing rice from the lower provinces to fupply Ummerapoora, and the
northern diftriCts. Salt and gnapee, a kind of fifh fauce ufed with rice,
i i are
are alfo articles of internalwcominfrce. European broad cloth and hard Commerce.
Ware" cdiirfe s Bengal mufliris,' china ware, arid1 glafs, are imported by
foreigners. The Birmans, like the Chinefe, have no coin : but filver in
bullion, and lead, are current. ’
CHA P T E R IV.
N a t u r a l " G e o .gjr. a p h y.
Climate and Seafens.— Tace r of-the Country.—Rivers.— Lakes.—Mountains.—
Fef efts.— Botany.—Zoology.—Mineralogy.—Isles.
rTpHE vigordris health of the" natives attefts the falubrity of the cli- Climate
i . mate, the fe'Sfons being regular, and the extremes of heat and cold Se^ dk1>
lrtJtfe^ known; for "the interife heat which precedes the-beginning of the
rainy feafon* is of flhort• duration. 1
'The face of the country affords almoft every variety, from the Face of the
fwampy Delta ‘of the Irrawady to pleafarit hills and dales, .and con- Counb7'
fiderable ranges of mountains'. •“ The foil Of the fouthern provinces of
the Birman empire is remarkably fertile!, and produces as luxuriant crops
of rice as are to be found in the fineft parts of Bengal,- Farther northward
the country becomes irregular and mountainous; but the plains
afid- valleys, particularly near the river, are exceedingly fruitfulthey .
yield1good wheat, and the various kinds of fmall grain which grow in
Hiiidoftan; as likewife legumes and moft of the.efculent vegetables of
India. Sugar-canesj':tbbacco of a fuperior quality, indigo, cotton,- and
the 'different tropical fruits in perfection, are all indigenous products .of
this favoured land.” * Agriculture feem's to be purified with-.confiderable,
avidity, but the mode has not, been particularly illuftrated.
See * ! f | '* Syiftesf» 372.',
yoL. 11. c c The