DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4651#0095
IN THE BURMHAN EMPIRE.
85
should pull off my shoes, I declined the invita-
tion. In about five minutes we again proceeded.
When I came to the gate, I requested that my
interpreters, the two orphan boys * who came with
me from Calcutta, and one servant might attend
me, to which the mayhoon immediately agreed.
While this was settling, they appeared very
anxious for my pulling off my shoes, and alarmed
for fear I should not comply ; however, I told
them, they need not doubt my performing all I
had agreed to, and immediately I took them off,
and sent back the other servants. The great door
of the tent is close to this east side of the enclo-
sure, but we entered at another gate a little to
the right, on purpose I suppose, that the multi-
tude might see me walking in the sun, on the
bare ground without my shoes. Before we ad-
vanced, the sandogans and rayhoon kneeled down,
closed their hands fiat together, lifted them to
their foreheads, and bowed their heads three
times to the earth. At their request we took oil
our hats, and bowed in our own style three times,
and then put on our hats again. The request
was made with respect: we then advanced slowly
towards the north face of the tent; midway the
* These were two boys from the orphan school at Calcutta,
who had accompanied me for the purpose of making themselves
masters of the Burmhan language ; that they might eventually
be useful in some of the public government offices.
85
should pull off my shoes, I declined the invita-
tion. In about five minutes we again proceeded.
When I came to the gate, I requested that my
interpreters, the two orphan boys * who came with
me from Calcutta, and one servant might attend
me, to which the mayhoon immediately agreed.
While this was settling, they appeared very
anxious for my pulling off my shoes, and alarmed
for fear I should not comply ; however, I told
them, they need not doubt my performing all I
had agreed to, and immediately I took them off,
and sent back the other servants. The great door
of the tent is close to this east side of the enclo-
sure, but we entered at another gate a little to
the right, on purpose I suppose, that the multi-
tude might see me walking in the sun, on the
bare ground without my shoes. Before we ad-
vanced, the sandogans and rayhoon kneeled down,
closed their hands fiat together, lifted them to
their foreheads, and bowed their heads three
times to the earth. At their request we took oil
our hats, and bowed in our own style three times,
and then put on our hats again. The request
was made with respect: we then advanced slowly
towards the north face of the tent; midway the
* These were two boys from the orphan school at Calcutta,
who had accompanied me for the purpose of making themselves
masters of the Burmhan language ; that they might eventually
be useful in some of the public government offices.