, 1874-05-30
An Audience with the king OF J

An Audience with the King OF Avn.
After waiting five or ton minutes, We yyero
summoned to q small piilafod portioo, open Oil
two sides. at our backs there WIS o golden
door lending to another iehamber, and before I'LL
was large greou haizo curtain, extending from
tito coiing to tho floor Of another room which
was some low feet above iii. lii the centre Of
this screen Was an .oponing about ten foet
square; here red velvet cushion and q pair of
silver-uounted binoculars were laid upon tho
floor, whore there waH IN elcgantly-carpeted
btaircaae connecting tho two chambers. Tho
roof was supported by immense pillars grouped
around tho buses Of two Of Which wero the royal
umbrellas and other insignia. No one sayo the
King is allowed to possess white umbrella. and
Princes Of tho blood aro allowed to hayo
two umbrollaa (gilt, with poleH ten or fifteen
feot In lcngth attachcd), carried aboyo thom by
their servants when thoy walk or rido in public
dozen Princes in tho "Audlenco Cllambor,"
among them tho heir-apparent, mn intelligent as
we'll as handsome young man, plainly droasod,
e1ceptlng pair of ilnmonsee, cluster diamond
others whom wo found waiting-wasd disposed OF
in tho following ordor. Tho Princes sat upon
tho right, then camo tho Iaw-Ahttoeen- Woon,
then another Minister. then myself, noxt nlr.
King !. aajoiping tllem were two Portuguese Ro-
man Catloio missionaries, and then two COM
mercial gontlc1nen upon tho exfrom0 left be-
siaeu these, in the rear, where somo dozen or
Ills Majesty upon tho rcccipt Of now appoint
support of Ills loyal foeilngs., Our presents
wore displayed before III, placed on little wood
en- stands about foot in hight: Tho natives
were all prostrnting themselves Hat upon their
stoinaehs. with their noses noarly touching tho
oarpeta and their Dyes Gast down iu d most ab-
ject and soryilo malper. LII few moments we
heard two or three muiltol boomB-tupR on a
largo tom-tom probahly-and then. all of us be-
coming at once ailont, tho King appcared, and
quietly aud slowly laid himself down. reclining
against tho yelyot cushion a1.d only partinlly
facing tho audience. At tho aamo time one Of
tho Queoua entored aud ,placot = golden spit
the floor before him. Tho Klug IL . short, atout,
pensant though, like many OF his Ministers, ali
exceedingly orafty looking. gentloIaan, 81
yoerh Of ago. Ills hair waH thIn, and was tied
in tho usual Burmese knot; tho head was high
at the crown, showing s'self- atoom; large, and
tAo eyoB were closely not, indicating cunning III
we arc to believe chronology mud pliyslognoAly);
tho neck was thick, expressive OF vitality and
cepting a thin black muataoho: His dress was
very plain aud simple, consisting ,neraly OF .
Willto cngie, wllito llnen 1aokot. and silk
1uts0. CLOTH worn around tie hips and thighs /;
their lobou contained holes noaslS iii inul In
diameter. wloh did not improve tho oppression
Of ha conntenance very materially. His Maj
obty Arat took up his opera-gass, though We
woto % not moro than twonty feet distant, alll
ner, ending with flourish Of tho glaBs, as II to
say, y Now, then, for busil,esa.' The Royal
Secretary rohd aloud Our namep, buHtnehs, and
the llht OF tho prosonta whi0h were placau boforo
III; t'!s was dono tn q loud, drawling style, and
concluded with = aort Of supplicating moan.
lih Mnleaty then began the conycrsation
through tho Minister and my ohlueso friend as
interpreters. After the usual questions con-
cerning my ago. business, residence, and trayelH,
1 YR3E EhRh tn n INV