THE BURMESS KING.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4317, 31 May 1879, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE BURMESS KING.

A correspondent of thfi ." Daily Newe" who- r haa visited • the objectionable yto&sfg monarch of Burmah at grve»"ttie following account of him; — ihe King sitting down, resting hw right ana dd the crffcson cushion on the ledge in the centre of the railing. Hβ worea. T wMte sflk jacket and leonghi or petticoat robe, of rjph yellow and green eilkv Hia ! 6nly 'ornaments were jhis diamond ear jewels. Aa'he entered, all' bent low, and, when he had seated himself. » herald lying on Tursiiomaob. read aloud my credentials. jjjjiFJie literal translation is as follows ;—" So-and-aq ; a. great newspaper teacher of the '} 3>aily News" of lionpon, tenders to his most glorious Esoellont Majesty, Lord of the Ishadhan, King of Elephants, master of many wbSfce elephapte, lord of the mines of gold, eilrux, rubies, amber, and : the noble serp"en= tin?,- Sovereign of the Empires of Thunaparanta, and Tampadipa, and other groat empires and countries, and of all the umbrellaswearing chiefs, the supports £f religion, the Son-descended Monarch, arbiter'of life, and groit rigMeons King, King , of JK&gs, and possessor of boundless dominions and supreme wiedom, theJiollowing presents. The reading -was intoned in a comical laigh reoi&isive, •trpnely- resembling that c*ed-when our "church eerrioe in intoned; aud the longdrawn " Phya-a-a-a-a" (my lord) which concluded it, added to the resemblance, as it camo iueiactly like the u Ameti"sl the liturgy^.; reading over, the rettirn' presents were pioked up by an official, and bundled oY^as , to ■&c without any ceremony, the Esng mes«s----s while looking ahp. in eilende, chewing betel and smoking a cheroot. SaTaralof fche eourtie?e following- his. example in fche latter respect. Presently tho King spoke -ia ;ia distinct, deliberate tbfbe, "Who is ho?" Dif. WilHams, aoting as my iatroducer/i-eplied 'P^ Burmese, ;••'A writer of the Ife^a. ,,, of "london,, your Majeaty." ' "Why doee he come?" "To see your Majesty's country, and , in the hope of. 4beirig£ perniitted 'fo rererence the G-oldon Sace, "Whence does he come ?" " From the British army in Afghanistan, engaged in "war ageihet the Prince of Oabul." " And does the war prosper for my friend* tte EcgUsh?" i'He rep'orte that ithae done !«6 greatly, andrtfeat the Prince of Oabul Jβ a fugitive."i '< Jfhero does Cabul lie in relation to Kaehmirf" " between; Sjuhmir • and PerMa, 'iin* a rery mountainous and cold -region." There had been pauses, more or hit long' between each of these qneetiotß j the 1 3King, ob'tiotiely reflecting what he, should ask next, then there .was a longer and, indeed, a wearfsomo paiiso. Then the King epoka again. "Where is the Kijogwapn MengbjlT , " .'" Jnf Cdiiut, "*your Majesty," replied Pio Nono, *" It is a Court day." ;' It ie well. I wish the Minj»ter» to make day n Court doy, and; to. labor hard to giro prompt justice to suitdra, so that Jihere beno Qomplftint of arreara." With this laudable injunction bis Majesty rose and -walked: away, ■_ and' the' audionca was ■ lores. The King of Burmah ie little orer twonty, and he has b'eeb barely foiir mohtb* oh the throne. is' a-tail, ■well-built young man,. HeLiijrerjr fair in oompleiion, has &■ good forehead, dear, eteidy eyes, Mnd a firm but pleasant mouth. His .ohin s- i% fulj, md somewhat Sensual looking, but"tnttiel•■'Bβ is a manly, frank-faced youngiellow, end is said to hflfVe gained self-pooeeasioa, and ; ,l()at 'the early norrous awkwardnoej ef hisjjjaw positionwith. great rapidity. Qf his ipbaraoter little'has yet dereloped, but clrcumetarces have occurred to: tixairhe: ia' Very far from destitute of a will of his own, and that he has no. fondness for any diminution of the royal prerogative. ■ ■■".•