Journal of an Embassy from the Governor General of India to the Court of Ava ... With an appendix, containing a description of fossil remains, by Professor Buckland and Mr. Clift. Second edition

Front matter

JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY Til THE COURT OF AVA. VOL. I. LONDON : PRINTED BY SAMUEL BENTLEY, Dorset Street, Fleet Street. JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY FROM THF„ GOVERNOR GENERAL OF INDIA TO THE COURT OF AVA. BY JOHN CRAWFURD, ESQ. F.R.S. F.L.S. F.G.S. &c LATE ENVOY. WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING A DESCRIPTION OF FOSSIL REMAINS, BY PROFESSOR BUCKLAND AND MR. CLIFT. SECOND EDITION. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: PUBLISHED FOR HENRY COLRURN, BY R. BENTLEY; BELL AND BRADFUTE, EDINBURGH ; AND JOHN CUMMING, DUBLIN. 1834. TO HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE THE FOURTH. May it please Your Majesty ; I humbly hope that a faithful account of barbarous countries suffering under slavery and superstition may be no unwelcome offering to the Sovereign of the greatest of free nations. In contemplating the unhappy lot of Tyrants, debased and corrupted by the ab solute power which they are doomed to exer cise, your Majesty may see new reason to be gratified with that constitutional exertion of authority by which you redress the griev ances of your subjects, and enlarge the fabric of civil and religious liberty, for the preservation of which the illustrious House of Brunswick was called to the Throne of Great Britain.

A 3 VOL. I. DEDICATION. May I presume to add that the Dedica tion of this Work is peculiarly due to Your Majesty, inasmuch as the materials for it were collected in the service of the British Government in India, where a comparison of the condition of the people of the British territories with that of the subjects of the surrounding States, is sufficient to show the beneficial power of the English Constitution, even in its remote and faint influence ; and to awaken sanguine hopes of the blessings which await your Indian subjects, when the benefits of that Constitution shall be fully and directly imparted to them, under your Majesty's paternal administration. I have the honour to be, Sire, Your Majesty's faithful Subject, John Crawfurd. CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

Chapter I

Preparation for the journey to Ava. — Departure from Rangoon. — Pagoda Point. — Affair between the Burmese and British troops. — Village of Panlang, and branch of the Irawadi of that name. — Donabew. — Capture ofthe place by the British troops. — Death of the Burmese General Bandula, and his character. — Village of Lethakong. — Town of Henzada. — Visit to the Wungyi and Viceroy of Pegu. — Wungyi returns the visit, and discussions which ensued. — Second visit to the Wungyi. — Journey from Henzada to Myan-aong, or Loonzay. — Account of Kanaong and Myan-aong. — Confines of the Peguan and Burman country. — Shue-taong and Padaong. — Arrival at Prome. — Excursions in its neighbourhood. — Ruins of an ancient city and capital. . . 1

Chapter II

Departure from Prome. — Curiosity of the Inhabitants to see the steam-vessel Promontory of Napadi. — Actions fought here, and in the neighbourhood, between the British and Burmese. — Tong-taong, or Lime-hill. — Meeaday. — Island of Loongie.— Patanago and Melloon. — Action fought here be- VI CONTENTS. tween British and Burmese. — Monument to a Burmese King. —Village of Wet-ma-sut. — Striking change in the appearance of the country. — Fossil wood. — Visit to the Petroleum wells, and account of them. — Sembeghewn. — High road to Aracan, through the fertile district of Salen. — March of a British de tachment by it. — Village of Sillah. — Town of Pugan. — Ac tion fought in its neighbourhood between British and Bur mese. — Description of the remarkable ruins of Pugan. 70

Chapter III

Departure from Pugan. — The large trading village of Pa-k'hok-ko, formerly the estate of the King's buffoon. — Junction of the Kyen-Dwen River with the Irawadi. — Orthography of Burman names of places. — Character of the Burmese Government. — Village of Samaikom. — Manufacture of Saltpetre. — Village of Ra-pa-tong. — Wreck of the Burman army assembled her,e after its last defeat. — Village of Kyauk-ta-long. — Arrival of a deputation from the Court. — Village of Paok-to. — Husbandry. — Tenure of Land. — Another deputation from the Court. — Arrival at Ava, and first reception. — Navigation of the Irawadi. . . . .126

Chapter IV

Excursions to the neighbourhood of our residence. — Husbandry and tenures of land among the Burmese. — Visit from Dr. Price, an American Missionary. — Chinese settlers residing in Ava. — Visit from a Burman deputation. — Mr. Lanciego, a Spanish gentleman residing in Ava. — Burman husbandry, and wages of labour. — Wheat grown near Ava Commencement of the negotiation. — Festival of the boat-races. Town of Ava.— Second conference. — Visit to the town of Sagaing. — Water excursion round Ava. CONTENTS. VII

Chapter V

Mission presented to the King. — Procession. — Arrival. — Rungd'hau, or Hall of Justice. — Appearance of the Princes *and Public Officers. — Expostulation with the Burman Officers. — Description of the Palace. — Audience. — Presentation of Offerings. — Account of the King and Queen. — White Elephant. — Burman constables, pardoned malefactors. — Military display. ...... 220

Chapter VI

Renewal of the Conferences. — Inquiries made by the Burman Negotiators. — Commercial Treaty discussed. — Remonstrance touching some circumstances connected with our reception at Court. — British Mission is presented to the Heir-apparent. — Visit to the Prince of Sarawadi. — Wives of the Burmese Chiefs presented to the Queen. — Visit to the Queen's Brother. — Character and History of this Chief. — Account of the King's Pagoda. — Comparison between Siamese and Burmese temples. — Description of the King's Water-palace. — Death and Funeral of the senior Burmese Negotiator's Wife. — The Mission removes to Sagaing, on the western bank of the river. — Visit to the widow of the late Heir-apparent. — Visit to the manufactories of Marble Statues. — Excursion to the Marble hills of Sagaing. — Chief Ministers punished for want of alacrity. — Court Historiographer's account of the war with the English. .... 254

Chapter VII

Conferences renewed. — Employment of Spies. — Description of the hills of Sagaing. — Monthly Proclamation ofthe Burmese, enforcing good Morals. — History and description of a man covered with hair. — Conference. — Letters and dispatch inter- CONTENTS. cepted. — Visit to the great Temple of Kaong-m'hu-d'hau, and description of it. — Conference. — Excursion to a Salt Lake, and account of the Manufacture of Salt. — Conference. 305

Chapter VIII

Excursion to the Sagaing Hills. — Description of Temples and Monasteries upon them. — Conference. — Offence given by the Soldiers of the Escort to the King. — Burman Government hints at its desire to send an Embassy to England. — Character of a Burmese Courtier. — Description of a Temple constructed by the late King of Ava, and its history. — Conference. — Leave given to Botanize in the neighbouring Mountains. — King incensed at his Courtiers, on hearing the result of the Negotiation. — Another Conference. . . 369

Chapter IX

Treatment of Prisoners of War by the Burmese. — Conference. — Village of Lepers. — Treatment by the Burmese of maimed persons and those labouring under incurable maladies. — Conference, at which the Commercial Treaty is signed. — Mission receives letters and dispatches, and jealousy of the Burmese Government. — Visit from the Burmese Negotiators, **- ' and conversation which ensued. — Visit from a Burmese chief. — Burmese loud talkers. — Second visit from the Burmese Negotiators, and conversation which ensued. — Burman compliments.— Dr. Wallich's account of his visit to the chain of hills north-east of Ava. .... 421

Chapter X

Visit to Amarapura, the late capital. — Celebrated Aracanese Image of Gautama, and Temple containing it.— Numerous ancient Inscriptions.— Translation of two of them. — Description of Amarapura. — Burman Funerals and singular custom. — Visit from the Atwenwuns, and discussion which ensued. CONTENTS. IX — A fire breaks out in the city of Ava, on account of which the first Minister is punished. — Another visit from the Atwenwuns. — Arrival of a dispatch from Bengal, and discussion respecting it Another Visit from the Atwenwuns. — Mission presented to the King, and account of the catching of a wild Elephant, with other Amusements. — Another Audience of his Majesty. — Weaning of a young Elephant, and Elephant Fights. — Description ofthe King of Ava's Elephants. — Farewell Visit from the Atwenwuns. — Titles of honour conferred by the King on some Officers of the Mission — and presents delivered for the Governor General of India. . .

X ILLUSTRATIONS. VOL. I. The White Elephant . . . Frontispiece Map of the Burman Dominions and adjacent Countries, To face page 1 Ancient Temple at Pugan . . . . 116 Profile of a Man covered with hair. — Portrait of a Woman of the Kyen Tribe . . . .319 Shwe-Maong, a Native of Lao. — Infant Child of Shwe- Maong . . . . . .323 Image of Gautama on his Throne, from a Temple at Sagaing ...... 393 Vignette. Images of the Cochin-Chinese Buddha . . . 473 VOL. II. Image in Gold with precious stones, taken from the Great Pagoda at Rangoon, and imagined to represent the Burman Conqueror Alompra the Burman conqueror Alompra . Frontispiece Plan of the Fortress and City of Ava . To face page 1 Vignettes. A Burman Chapel, or Zayat . . \ The Budd'h of Tibet, from a Nepalese drawing . 10 10 A Modern Burmese Temple at Sagaing . . 5g Household Temple in Silver with an Image of Budd'ha TO THE COURT OF AVA.

Chapter I

Preparation for the journey to Ava. — Departure from Rangoon. — Pagoda Point. — Affair between the Burmese and British troops. — Village of Panlang, and branch of the Irawadi of that name.— Donabew. — Capture of the place by the British troops. — Death of the Burmese General Bandula, and his character. — Village of Lethakong. — Town of Henzada. — Visit to the Wungyi and Viceroy of Pegu. — Wungyi returns the visit, and discussions which ensued. — Second visit to the Wungyi. — Journey from Henzada to Myan-aong, or Loonzay. — Account of Kanaong and Myan. aong. — Confines of the Peguan and Burman country. — Shue-taong and Pa-daong. — Arrival at Prome. — Excursions in its neighbourhood. — Ruins of an ancient city and capital. September 1, 1826. — I had resided at Ran goon for above six months, as Civil Commis- VOL. I. B sioner on the part of the British Government, when I received instructions to proceed on an embassy to Ava.

My companions were Lieu tenant Chester, assistant to the Envoy ; Dr. Steward, Medical Officer ; Lieutenant Cox, of His Majesty's Service, commanding the escort ; Lieutenant de -Montmorency, of the Quarter- Master-General's department ; and Mr. Judson, of the American Missionary Society, translator and interpreter. I had also the great advantage of the society of Dr. Wallich, Superintendent of the Government Botanical Garden at Calcut ta, deputed to accompany me for the purpose of examining and reporting upon the resources of the forests of Pegu and Ava, as well as of those of our recently acquired possessions to the south of the Saluen river. The Diana, of about one hundred and thirty tons burthen, the first steam-vessel which ever appeared in India, and which had proved so eminently serviceable during the Burman war, was appointed for our personal accommodation.

We had besides, five Burman boats for the ac commodation and conveyance of some of the writers and draftsmen, our baggage, and the pj^sents from the Governor-General to the Burmese Court. The escort consisted of twen ty-eight picked grenadiers and light infantry of His .Majesty's 87th regiment, and fifteen picked Sepoy grenadiers. The Europeans of the escort were accommodated on board the steam-vessel, and the Sepoys on board the na tive boats. The object of the Mission is suffi ciently described in my Instructions, which will be found in the Appendix. The heaviest baggage-boats having proceeded up the river some days, and three of what we supposed the lightest, a few hours before ourselves, we embarked on the Diana, on the afternoon of the 1st of September, and in the course of the evening weighed anchor and com menced our journey.

We rested for the night, at a place called, by the English, Pagoda Point. This is a low tongue of land which separates, just at their confluence, the two branches of the Irawadi, those of Lain and Panlang, which form the Rangoon river. It is nearly visible from the town of Rangoon. As a military position, Pagoda Point is remarkably strong, and an enemy of any military skill or spirit might have fortified and defended it in such a manner, as to have rendered this route the only good one to the upper provinces and capital by water, quite impassable for an in vading force. The Burmans, shortly after the arrival of our army at Rangoon, had fortified b it after their fashion ; erecting a stockade on the Point, — one on the right bank of the Panlang, and one on the left of the Lain river, neither of which streams are here above one hundred and fifty yards broad.

Sir A. Campbell attacked these stockades, on the 8th of July 1824, with the gun-boats of the expedition, carrying a detachment of Euro pean and native troops. The stockades were cannonaded for some hours. This was the practice in the commencement of the war, un til it was found that the Burmese wanted cou rage to face the close attack of the Europeans, and that they invariably took to flight when closed with. After this discovery, the mode followed was to run up to the stockades at once, place the ladders against them, and scale. A few casualties occurred in the advance ; but the scaling-ladders were scarcely placed, when the Burmans abandoned their works, and ex cept when accident prevented their escape, an occurrence which happened on a few occasions only, they sustained little loss. From the per sonal intrepidity of the European troops, and their physical strength, they were peculiarly well suited for this mode of attack.

Neither the moral nor physical energy of the Sepoys was found so suitable. In the attack on Pagoda Point, the European soldiers had scarcely landed, when the Burmans abandoned their stockades, and took to flight. The casualties on our side were very few, nor did the Bur mese sustain any considerable loss. On the same day with the attack on Pagoda Point, the 8th of July, took place one of the most important affairs of the Burmese war, an affair which first convinced the Burmans of their infinite inferiority to European troops. The principal Burman force was encamped at Kamarot, a place about seven miles distant from Rangoon, where they had thrown up a series of stockades. The Kyi Wungyi, the commander in chief, whose tardiness in not driving the invaders out of the country was complained of at Court, had been superseded by Thaongba Wungyi, described as a brave but rash man.

He had not been above three days in command of the army, when his entrenched camp was attacked at a moment when he was preparing, according to his own belief, a formidable assault on the British lines. The esca lade was so sudden, that the Burmese had no time to escape, and a great number of them perished, Thaongba Wungyi himself among the number. The report of this affair at Ava, as was afterwards well ascertained, struck the Court with consternation ; and then, for the first time, it seemed to repent of its rashness in entering into the war. Sept. 3. — At day-break yesterday morning we left Pagoda Point, and in the course of the forenoon overtook the boats which had left Rangoon some hours before us, as well as a number of Burman trading-boats, that, on account of the numerous banditti which at the time infested the narrow channel of the Pan lang branch of the river, were anxious to take advantage of our safe convoy.

At five in the evening Ave reached the village of Panlang (Panleng), the place which gives name to this branch of the Irawadi. Two small branches of the river, navigable during the rains, strike off at this point : the one running to the East communicating with the Lain branch ; and that proceeding to the West, with the river of Bassien. The village of Panlang, at present perhaps not exceeding one hundred houses, is scattered over the several points of land at the bifurcation of these streams. It was the scene of one of the most decisive victories of Alom pra over the Peguans, in the year 1755. In February 1825, the place had been strongly stockaded by the Burmese; but, on the approach of General Cotton's division, was aban doned without resistance. Several boats came alongside the steam-vessel ; and among our visitors were two chiefs, who had taken an active and friendly part with us during the war.

One of them said, that it was unsafe for him to remain in the country, and that he had every thing ready to emigrate, along with the Enolish, to our new settlements to the south of the Saluen river. We anchored for the night a few miles above the village of Panlane. This branch of the Irawadi is notorious for being infested with swarms of musquitoes : they were extremely troublesome last night ; and our servants, who had no protection against them, did not get a wink of sleep. We met in the course of the day five gun-boats, and took two of them along with us as far as Henzada, having on board a detachment of an officer and twenty European soldiers. Sept. 4. — We had taken in tow two of the luggage-boats ; which so greatly impeded the progress of the steam-vessel, that we did not reach the Irawadi until this morning at nine o'clock.

Its first appearance is not striking ; and even now, in the height of the rains, it scarcely appeared a mile broad. The first vil lage, upon its left bank, is Yangain-chain-yah (Ran-gen-san-ra), now a very trifling place, but before the war a populous village. The Panlang river, from Pagoda Point to the Irawadi, is about sixty miles in length; has a very tortuous course, and varies in breadth from eighty to one hundred and fifty yards. For about half its course, or to the village of Panlang, the influence of the tides is felt dur ing the freshes, but in the dry season as far as the Irawadi itself. The water, however, at all times is fresh and potable even at Panlang. The least depth which we had, in passing through, was two and a half fathoms, and this was only upon some sand-banks near the point where it issues from the Irawadi.

Gene rally we had from three to four fathoms. In the dry season, the least water upon the sand banks now mentioned is five feet. This shows that the rise and fall of the river, in this part of its course, is ten feet. The country from Rangoon throughout is a low champaign. As far as the tide reaches, it is covered with a thick forest of moderate-sized trees, among which the most frequent and remarkable are the Sonneratia Apetala, and Heritiera Fomes. Here and there, there were a few grassy plains. As soon as the influence of the tides ceased, the character of the Aegetation altered very greatly. The country Avas then generally covered with a tall, rushy grass, a species of Saccharum, among which Avere scattered trees of from tAventy to sixty feet high, Avithout any underwood. Of these trees, the most common and striking Avere the Acacia elata, the Lager stroemia regince, a species of Butea, and a species of Dillenia.

This last Avas the tree which our countrymen had frequently observed during the Avar, and, on account of some resemblance in the size and shape of the leaf, de nominated bastard teak. The appearance of inhabitants and cultivation was extremely scanty. Here and there, on the immediate banks, were a few villages of Talain fishermen. The Karian (Karen) villages, somewhat more frequent, were to be seen noAV and then in the interior only, with a few patches of rice culture about them. The only culture of any extent Avas that of the banana, of Avhich Ave saw extensive groves close to the river-side. The fruit Avas of a very indifferent quality, and the plant very care lessly groAvn — being intermixed with the tall grass already mentioned to such a degree, that we at first imagined that it Avas in a state of nature.

There can be no question but the soil is fertile and suited to the production of grain, especially beyond the reach of the tides. The situation also possesses great advantages for irrigation. The banks on both sides are ob- JOURNAL OF AN EMRASSY viously a foot or two above the level of the surrounding country : and thus, in the season of the rains, the circumstance may be taken advantage of for watering the land to a great extent. This, in fact, has been done to some degree toAvards the north-Avest extremity of the river, where we saAv a number of recently cut canals, carrying a full stream of Avater to fields in the neighbourhood. Sept. 5. — At five in the evening Ave arrived at DonabeAV (Danubyu), twenty miles above the entrance of the Panlang river. Here we overtook such of our boats as had not already joined us.

A little way beloAv this place, we were overtaken by a dispatch-boat from Ran goon, which it had left on the 2nd. On board of her Avas a Burmese officer, who had brought a letter from the Wungyi, and future Governor of Rangoon, iioav residing at Henzada, to the British Commissioners. I had the reply Avith me, and, at his request, delivered it to this person, who Avould certainly reach before our selves. The village of DonabeAV Avas by far the largest Ave had seen, and consisted of one long rOAv of houses, extending along the very brink of the river, which here and elsewhere was full to the level of its banks ; although the latter, in the dry season, are twenty feet AArA. from the Avater. Near Donabew Avas to be seen an extent of rice culture much beyond Avhat I had observed in any other part of Pegu.

BeloAV the village, there was one field extending along the river-side for at least two miles, Avhich was in some places a mile in depth. We observed that the practice of transplanting Avas folloAved. At DonabeAV the British force received the only serious check which it met with during the Avar. Bandula, the Burman commander, after being repeatedly foiled or beaten before Rangoon, retired to this place in December 1824, and, in the interval betAveen that and the beginning of March following, had erected field-works more formidable and extensive than we had at that time encountered, or indeed did encounter at any future period of the Avar ; and in these he had collected a numerous force. We examined the remains of these Avorks, which were already, in the short space of eigh teen months, as much overgrown and obscured by rank weeds, as half a century would have made them in Europe.

The principal work was a square fort of earth, supported by pali sades ; its river face, and that corresponding to it, being scarcely less than a mile in length. The flanks were probably not above half this extent. This fortification, Avith the exception of the river face, was surrounded by a ditch of tolerable depth, and about tAventy feet broad. The river face was protected by a deep abattis, which constituted the strongest part of the Avorks. Within, there were dug numerous pits, covered over with trunks of trees, to pro tect the besieged from the effects of our shells and rockets. A chain of redoubts, extending for half a mile below the fort, connected it with a group of seven or eight temples. The force Avhich defended these works was estimated at twenty thousand men. Our com manders, unacquainted at the time Avith the nature of the country, as Avell as with the movements of the enemy, considered Dona beAV only as a petty post.

Sir A. Campbell had consequently passed it with the main co lumn, and proceeded two marches beyond Sar- Avah, Avhen he received news of our repulse. The capture of DonabeAV had been left to Bri gadier-general Cotton, Avith the Avater-column of the force. On the 7th of March, he at tacked the place Avith about seven hundred men. The group of pagodas Avas captured ; but the European troops, who Avere less steady than usual, were repulsed in attempting to pe netrate the abattis, and lost their two commanders, the captains of the flank companies of His .Majesty's 89th regiment, who Avere bravely attempting to lead the troops into the Avorks. General Cotton, upon this repulse, retired to a large island in the IraAvadi, a few miles beloAV DonabeAV, and there continued until the retrograde movement of General Campbell brought him to DonabeAV in the end of March.

The place was then regularly besieged, batteries having been erected on the island Avithin a feAv hundred yards of the north-east angle of the fort. The fate of Donabew was truly characteristic of the rude warfare of the Burmans, and of the character of the government and people. An accidental shell, one of half a dozen discharged as an experiment to ascertain the range of our mortars, and before our fire had regularly opened, killed Bandula, as he lay reclining upon a couch. The Burman chiefs offered the command to his brother, who refused it ; upon which the troops forthwith abandoned the place, and dis persed. Bandula's brother fled to Ava, where he found an order ready for his execution ; and was, in fact, put to death for refusing the com mand, as Avell as for his flight, Avithin a short half hour of his arrival at his own house in Ava.

Bandula, at the time of his death, was about forty-five years of age. Mr. Judson, who had seen him, described him to me as a man of striking features and handsome person. He had a remarkable character for a Burmese courtier : he was said to be honest, and his mi litary reputation was higher than that of any of the Burmese chiefs. He was a strict disci plinarian, and celebrated amongst the Burmans for Avhat, among all the military ATirtues, they set incomparably the highest value upon,— skill in stratagem. His military fame Avas acquired in the conquest of Assam, and latterly by the advantages he gained over our native troops on the Arracan frontier. Flushed with former successes, and totally miscalculating the strength and resources of the new enemy he had to deal with, he assumed the command of the Burman troops before Rangoon Avith great confidence ; but in the sequel did nothing wor thy of his former reputation, or indeed any thing to distinguish him from the croAvd of ordinary commanders.

Like other Burmese leaders, he no Avhere exposed his person ; and after his defeat at Rangoon, on the 9th of December, his flight was so precipitate, that he never halted, but to sleep or eat, until he reached Donabew. At this place he main tained discipline amongst his troops by those brutal and rigorous practices which are so con genial to the character of the Government. One of his principal commanders Avas a com mandant of the palace, an officer of high rank. This person, Avho had been guilty of some breach of discipline, or disobedience of orders, he caused to be put to death, by sawing him asunder, — the body of the sufferer being, for this purpose, placed between tAvo planks. Sept. 6. — We stopped all day at Donabew, laying in a supply of fire-Avood, and Avaiting the arrival of the two gun-boats, which had been unable to keep up Avith us.

At day break this morning, after Avriting letters and dispatches for Bengal and Rangoon, we pro ceeded on our journey. We found the stream rapid, running probably not less than four miles an hour, and had no Avind to assist the boats. The Aveather was generally clear, and Ave had very little rain. When calm, it was sultry, and the thermometer occasionally rose to ninety degrees. More generally, however, it did not exceed eighty-three degrees, and the nights were cool and agreeable. Impeded in our progress by a heavy accommodation-boat which we had in tow, and finding it dan gerous, when it became dark, to approach the shore, for the purpose of avoiding the most rapid part of the current, we were compelled to come to an anchor late in the evening, two miles beloAV the village of Lethakong. Sept. 7- — Struggling against the stream, this morning, betAveen eight and nine o'clock, Ave struck upon a sand-bank in the middle of the river ; but got off in half an hour, Avithout injury.

Yesterday, the range of hills called in our maps Galladzet, — a name not known, Iioav eA^er, to the Burmans, — were in sight, to the east ; and to-day both these and branches of the Arracan mountains were visible, the latter lying north-west of us. The breadth of the valley of the Irawadi, eA-en here, is therefore very inconsiderable. From the mouth of the Panlang river, up to Lethakong, both banks of the IraAvadi are covered eArery where with a narrow belt of the tall reedy grass, already mentioned. Behind this belt is a thick and continuous forest of middling-sized trees, com monly from twenty to forty feet high. The most frequent of these Avas the Acacia elata, already mentioned. Last evening, a Myosare, or ToAvn-Secretary, in a four-and-twenty-oared boat, came doAvn to us from the Wungyi, to ascertain how far we had got, and Avhen we might be expected at Henzada.