nearly at the same place where he had dismounted: 20 or 30 men followed these, holding long gilded wands; then came 18 or 20 military officers of rank, with gilded helmets; next the civil officers of his household and his council, wearing the tzaloe, or chain of nobility, and arrayed in their robes and caps of state, varied according to their respective ranks. The prince, borne on men's shoulders, in a very rich palanquin, but without any canopy, followed; he was screened from the sun by a large gilded fan, supported by a nobleman, and on each side of his palanquin walked six Cassay astrologers, of the Braminical sect, dressed in white gowns and white caps, studded with stars of gold; close behind, his servants carried his water-flaggon, and a gold betle-box, of a size which appeared to be no inconsiderable load for a man. Several elephants and led horses with rich housings came after; some inferior officers, and a body of spearmen, with three companies of musketeers, one clothed in blue, another in green, and a third in red, concluded the procession.

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"In every part of this ostentatious parade perfect regularity was maintained, which considerably increased the effect. things seemed to have been carefully predisposed and properly arranged. If it was less splendid than imperial Delhi, in the days of Mogul magnificence, it was far more decorous than any court of Hindostan at the present day. The rabble was not tumultuous, the attendants and soldiery were silent, and every man seemed to know his own place. No noisy heralds, as is the custom in India, ran before, vociferating titles, and overturning people in their way. The display of this day was solemn and dignified, and I doubt much whether, in any other capital, such multitudes could be brought together with so little confusion; as, besides the attendants and the military, there were many thousands of spectators.

A few minutes after the engy teekien, or prince royal, had entered, we received a summons, in compliance with which we proceeded from the rhoom. On entering the gate, the greater part of our attendants were stopped, and not permitted to follow us; and we were desired to put off our shoes, with which we immediately complied.

except the

The area we now entered was spacious, and contained the lotoo, or grand hall of consultation and of audience, where the woongees (or the first counsellors of state) meet in council, and where affairs of state are discussed and determined. Within this inclosure there is an inner court, separated by a brick wall, which comprehends the palace, and all the buildings annexed to the royal residence. Within the gate a troop of tumblers were performing their feats, while dancing girls were exhibiting their graces in the open air, and on the bare ground, to the sound of no very harmonious music. We were next ushered up a flight of stairs into a very noble saloon, or open hall, called the lotoo, where the court was assembled in all the pomp that Birman grandeur could display. On entering this hall, a stranger cannot fail to be surprised at the magnificence of its appearance; it is supported by 77 pillars, disposed in 11 rows, each consisting of seven. The space between the pillars I judged to be about 12 feet, central row, which was probably two feet wider. The roof of the building is composed of distinct stages, the highest in the eentre. The row of pillars that supported the middle, or most lofty roof, we judged to be 35 or 40 feet in height; the others gradually diminish as they approach the extremities of the building, and those which sustain the balcony are not more than 12 or 14 feet. At the farther part of the hall there is a high gilded lattice, extending quite across the building, and in the centre of the lattice is a gilded door, which, when opened, displays the throne; this door is elevated five or six feet from the floor, so that the throne must be ascended by means of steps at the back, which are not visible, nor is the seat of the throne to be seen, except when the king comes in person to the lotoo. At the bottom of the lattice there is a gilt balustrade, three or four feet high, in which the umbrellas and several other insignia of state were deposited. deposited. The royal colour is white, and the umbrellas were made of silk of that colour, richly bespangled with gold. Within this magnificent saloon were seated, on their inverted legs, all the princes and

the principal nobility of the Birman empire, each person in the place appropriated to his particular rank and station:

proximity to the throne is, of course, the most honourable situation; and this station was occupied by the princes of the blood, the woongees, the attawoons, and great officers of state. The engy teekien (heir apparent) sat on a small stool, about six inches high; the other princes on fine mats. The space between the central pillars that front the throne, is always left vacant, for this curious reason, that his majesty's eyes may not be obliged to behold those whom he does not mean to honour with a look.

'After we had taken possession of mats that had been spread for us, it was civilly intimated that we ought not to protrude the soles of our feet towards the seat of majesty, but should endeavour to sit in the posture that was observed by those around us. With this desire we would readily have complied, if it had been in our power, but we had not yet learned to sit upon our own legs: the flexibility of muscles which the Birmans, and indeed all the natives of India, possess, is such, as cannot be acquired by Europeans. A Birman, when he sits, seldom touches the seat with his posteriors, but is supported by his heels. It is scarcely practicable for an European, dressed in close garments, to place himself in such an attitude; and if he were able, it would be out of his power to continue long in it. We inverted our legs as much as possible, and the awkwardness with which we did this excited a smile from some; not a word, however, was uttered, and our endeavours, I thought, seemed to give satisfaction. In a few minutes eight Bramins, dressed in white sacerdotal gowns, and silk caps of the same colour, studded with gold, assembled round the foot of the throne, within the balustrade, and recited a long prayer in not unpleasing recitative; this ceremony lasted a quarter of an hour. When they had withdrawn, the letter from the governor-general, which I delivered to a woondock (second counsellor of state), was placed on a silver tray in front of the railing, and a sandohgaan, or reader, advanced into the vacant space, and made three prostrations, touching the ground each time with his forehead; he then read, or rather chanted, in a loud voice, what I understood was a Birman translation of the letter. When this was done, the reader repeated his

prostrations, and next proclaimed a list of the presents for the king. These several readings being finished, he repeated his obeisance and retired: after an interval of a few minutes, an officer, entitled nakhaangee, advanced, and proposed a question to me, as if from his majesty; on receiving my answer he withdrew, as it might be supposed, to communicate the reply; and returned in an adequate time to ask another: thus he put three separate questions to me which were as follows: "You come from a distant country; how long is it since you arrived? How were the king, queen, and the royal family of England, when the last accounts came from thence? Was England at peace or war with other nations? and was your country in a state of disturbance ?"

In a few minutes after my last reply had been conveyed, a very handsome dessert was brought in, and set before us; it consisted of a variety of sweetmeats, as well China as Birman; læpack, or pickled tea-leaf, and betle, formed part of the entertainment, which were served up in silver, China, and glass-wares: there appeared to be not less than a hundred different small dishes: we tasted of a few, and found some of them very palatable; but none of the courtiers partook, or moved fom their places. About half an hour had elapsed, when we were informed by the sandohgaan that there was no occasion for us to remain any longer. The non-appearance of his majesty was a considerable disappointment, as I had been taught to expect that he would have received the governor-general's letter in person: it was not, however, until some time afterwards, that I was made acquainted with the true reason of his absence.

When we rose to leave the lotoo, the sandohgaan desired us to make three obeisances to the throne, by a slight inclination of the body and raising the right hand to the head; we were then reconducted to the saloon, where we were informed it was necessary we should remain until the princes came forth from the palace, and had got upon their elephants, as their etiquette did not allow any person, on such occasions, to mount before the members of the royal family; we accordingly took

our places in this hall as before: shortly after the court broke up with as much form and parade as it had assembled.

While major Symes was gratified with the splendour of the court, he was justly offended at the little artifices used in order to gratify the arrogance of the Birmans. On complaining, however, he received assurances of respect, and that care would be taken not to offend again. On the next day he visited the heir apparent; and, on the same day, was gratified with an audience by the mother of the principal queen, a thing uncommon among the jealous nations of the east. 'At the bottom of the stairs,' says our author, we put off our shoes, and ascended into a handsome hall, supported by several lofty pillars; at the farther end a portion of the floor was elevated six or eight inches, and separated by a neat balustrade from the rest of the room; within this under a white canopy, space, was placed a large cushion of blue velvet fringed with gold, on a carpet covered with muslin. There was a numerous assemblage of both sexes, but particularly women, sitting round the balustrade. As soon as we entered, a space was immediately vacated for us to occupy, in front of the door and opposite to the cushion. After we had been seated a few minutes, the old lady came forth from an inner apartment, and walked slowly towards the elevated seat, supported by two female servants, whilst another held up her train; her long white hair hung loose upon her shoulders, but she wore neither covering nor ornament upon her head; her dress, which was extremely fine, without being gaudy, became her advanced years and high dignity; it consisted of a long robe of white muslin, and over her shoulders was thrown a sash of gauze, embroidered with sprigs of gold. She advanced to where the cushion was placed, and took her seat on the carpet, supporting her head on her arm that rested on the pillow, whilst the two female attendants, neatly dressed, kneeling, one on each side, fanned her with long gilded fans. Every person seemed to pay her profound respect, and when she entered, both men and women bent their bodies in the attitude of submission. I had brought, as a token of my veneration,