lenty.

Now having told you about the province of Mien, I will tell you about
another province which is called Bangala, as you shall hear presently.

NOTE 1.--The name of the city appears as _Amien_ both in Pauthier's text
here, and in the G. Text in the preceding chapter. In the Bern MS. it is
_Aamien_. Perhaps some form like _Amien_ was that used by the Mongols and
Persians. I fancy it may be traced in the _Arman_ or _Uman_ of
Rashiduddin, probably corrupt readings (in _Elliot_ I. 72).

NOTE 2.--M. Pauthier's extracts are here again very valuable. We gather
from them that the first Mongol communication with the King of Mien or
Burma took place in 1271, when the Commandant of Tali-fu sent a deputation
to that sovereign to demand an acknowledgment of the supremacy of the
Emperor. This was followed by various negotiations and acts of offence on
both sides, which led to the campaign of 1277, already spoken of. For a
few years no further events appear to be recorded, but in 1282, in
consequence of a report from Nasruddin of the ease with which Mien could
be conquered, an invasion was ordered under a Prince of the Blood called
Siangtaur [called _Siam-ghu-talh_, by Visdelou.--H.C.]. This was probably
_Singtur_, great-grandson of one of the brothers of Chinghiz, who a few
years later took part in the insurrection of Nayan. (See _D'Ohsson_, II.
461.) The army started from Yun-nan fu, then called Chung-khing (and the
_Yachi_ of Polo) in the autumn of 1283. We are told that the army made use
of boats to descend the River _Oho_ to the fortified city of Kiangtheu
(see supra, note 3, ch. lii.), which they took and sacked; and as the
King still refused to submit, they then advanced to the "primitive
capital," _Taikung_, which they captured. Here Pauthier's details stop.
(Pp. 405, 416; see also _D'Ohsson_, II. 444 [and _Visdelou_].)

[Illustration: The Palace of the King of Mien in modern times]

It is curious to compare these narratives with that from the Burmese Royal
Annals given by Colonel Burney, and again by Sir A. Phayre in the
_J.A.S.B._ (IV. 401, and XXXVII. Pt. I. p. 101.) Those annals afford no
mention of transactions with the Mongols previous to 1281. In that year
they relate that a mission of ten nobles and 1000 horse came from the
Emperor to demand gold and silver vessels as symbols of homage on the
ground of an old precedent. The envoys conducted themselves disrespectfully
(the tradition was that they refused to t