an has been navigated:
our next island is Borneo."

MR. STANLEY. "But I suppose there would be no objection to my
putting in a word on the Burman Empire, which probably you are not
_much_ acquainted with. Parts of it are in the same longitude as the
north of Sumatra; and I merely wish to mention some peculiarities
connected with the Burmese. The government is entirely despotic, and
the sovereign almost deified. When anything belonging to him is
mentioned, the epithet 'golden' is invariably attached to it. When
he is said to have heard anything, 'it has reached the golden ears:'
the perfume of roses is described as grateful to the 'golden nose.'
The sovereign is sole proprietor of all the elephants in his
dominions; and the privilege to keep or ride on one is only granted
to men of the first rank. No honors here are hereditary. All
officers and dignities depend on the crown. The 'tsaloe,' or chain,
is the badge of nobility, and superiority of rank is signified by
the number of cords or divisions."

GEORGE. "Is it true that they are a proud, consequential people?"

MR. STANLEY. "Yes, quite true. Men of rank have their barges tugged
by war-boats, common watermen not being admitted into the same boat
with them.

"A singularly absurd custom takes place in this country, in certain
forms of political homage shown to a white elephant,--a
preternatural animal kept for the purpose,--superbly lodged near the
royal palace, sumptuously dressed and fed, provided with
functionaries like a second sovereign, held next in rank to the
king, and superior to the queen, and made the recipient of presents,
and other tokens of respect from foreign ambassadors."

CHARLES. "Well, that _is_ an odd superstition. I am much obliged to
you for going out of the track to tell us these strange 'sayings and
doings' of the Burmese. Are we now to resume our station?"

MR. WILTON. "You are pilot. Charles; we rely on your guidance! Go
where you please: we are not to control your movements."

CHARLES. "Then, like Sir James Brooke, I will go to Borneo; but I do
not expect to be made a rajah for my trouble: indeed I scarcely know
if I should like to live there, although it is the largest island in
the world, and is very fertile, and contains diamond mines and vast
quantities of gold."

MR. STANLEY. "By-the-by, that reminds me of the fact that the petty
prince of Mattan, in Borneo, is in possession of one of the largest
diamonds in the world. It was o