prove very rapidly, and that she has a prospect of more pupils. They
did not immediately visit the palace, as the royal family were absent on
a visit at Amarapoora, their old capital, where they were to remain
until the new palace in Ava should be finished. She found her old friend
the viceroy's wife now degraded by the death of her husband to a low
rank, but a sensible woman, and more capable, Mrs. J. thought, of
receiving religious truth than when in public life. She adds that in
consequence of war with the Bengal government, foreigners are not in as
much esteem at court as formerly--even Americans shared the same
disfavor as Englishmen, for being similar in features, dress, language
and religion, it is not surprising that the Burmans should have
confounded them as subjects of one government. From the circumstance of
money being remitted to them through English residents in Ava, they were
even suspected of being paid spies of the East India Company--but this
was at a somewhat later period.

* * * * *

The capital of Burmah is not fixed, but changes with the caprice of the
monarch, for wherever he fixes his imperial residence, there, for the
time, is the capital. Ava, the former capital, having been forsaken
during the reign of the old king for Amarapoora, was again to be the
royal residence, and for this purpose a magnificent palace had been
there erected, of which the emperor was now to take possession. On these
occasions, all the gorgeousness of oriental magnificence has its full
display. Such a scene the missionaires witnessed soon after their
arrival at Ava. Mrs. Judson gives an animated description of that
splendid day, when majesty with all its attendant glory entered the
gates of the golden city, and amid the acclamations of millions, took
possession of the palace. The numerous horses, the immense variety of
vehicles, the vast number and size of richly caparisoned elephants, the
myriads of people in their gala dresses, the highest officers in the
kingdom drawn from the most distant as well as the nearer provinces to
grace the occasion, each in his robes of state, the magnificent white
elephant, caparisoned with silk and velvet, and blazing with jewels, the
king and queen, in simple majesty, alone unadorned amid the gaudy
throng, surpassed any pageant ever exhibited in the western world. Alas!
this pomp and pride were soon to receive a disastrous humiliation.

CHAPTER XVI.