urmese, was on our arrival at Tsenpyoo-kywon, about a hundred miles
this side of Ava, where part of the troops, under the command of the
celebrated Bandoola, had encamped. As we proceeded on our journey, we
met Bandoola himself, with the remainder of his troops, gaily equipped,
seated on his golden barge, and surrounded by a fleet of gold war boats,
one of which was instantly despatched the other side of the river to
hail us, and make all necessary inquiries. We were allowed to proceed
quietly on, when he had informed the messenger that we were Americans,
_not English_, and were going to Ava in obedience to the command of his
Majesty.

"On our arrival at the capital, we found that Dr. Price was out of
favour at court, and that suspicion rested on most of the foreigners
then at Ava. Your brother visited at the palace two or three times, but
found the king's manner toward him very different from what it formerly
had been; and the queen, who had hitherto expressed wishes for my speedy
arrival, now made no inquiries after me, nor intimated a wish to see me.
Consequently, I made no effort to visit at the palace, though almost
daily invited to visit some of the branches of the royal family, who
were living in their own houses, out of the palace enclosure. Under
these circumstances, we thought our most prudent course lay in
prosecuting our original intention of building a house, and commencing
missionary operations as occasion offered, thus endeavouring to convince
the government that we had really nothing to do with the present war.

"In two or three weeks after our arrival, the king, queen, all the
members of the royal family, and most of the officers of government,
returned to Amarapora, in order to come and take possession of the new
palace in the customary style. As there has been much misunderstanding
relative to Ava and Amarapora, both being called the capital of the
Burmese Empire, I will here remark, that present Ava was formerly the
seat of government; but soon after the old king had ascended the throne,
it was forsaken, and a new palace built at Amarapora, about six miles
from Ava, in which he remained during his life. In the fourth year of
the reign of the present king, Amarapora was in its turn forsaken, and a
new and beautiful palace built at Ava, which was _then_ in ruins, but is
_now the capital_ of the Burmese Empire, and the residence of the
Emperor. The king and royal family had been living in the temporary