The winter, so to speak, as it is the rainy and stormy season, begins in April and finishes in October. There is no other season but summer during which abundant crops of beans, grain and fruits are produced; but neither wheat nor rye can be grown. The capital gives a good idea of this kingdom. It is several leagues in extent, its population is equal to that of the largest towns in Europe, and it contains 600 temples. The magnificence of the King's palace shows that gold is plentiful. The Hall of Gold is thus named as it is covered with the precious metal from roof to floor. A hundred ingots of gold each weighing 40 pounds are fixed to the throne, which itself is of massy gold. There are in addition seven golden images of the size of an ordinary man. They are hollow inside, but the metal is two inches thick. They are of immense value owing to the emeralds, rubies, sapphires and diamonds which are set in the forehead, arms and girdles of these vain images. In this hall there may be seen a square stand made entirely of gold upon which is a golden cabinet inlaid with precious stones. The King owns two rubies, each as long as the little finger, and at one end of the size of a hen's egg. These rubies have been the cause of desperate conflicts between the neighbouring Kings owing to the superstition attached to these stones that the possessor will be arbiter of the fate of the others. The King wears them on the day of his coronation only. The people, contented with the products of their land, cannot understand why men risk their lives in the pursuit of wealth. They take up arms for war only, and never for trade, which is carried on solely by foreigners from all parts of the world.
The Mahommedans, especially, carry on a great trade in elephants which they export to the Coromandel Coast, to Golconda and to Persia from whence they import fabrics, silks and spices.
The most plentiful articles of commerce of the country are timber, lead, tin and ivory. It is worth while to make a few remarks on the manners and customs of a nation with which commercial relations could well be established. The Aracanese have broad and flat foreheads which results from a peculiarity of taste rather than from a freak of nature, as the work of nature is marred by the application of a leaden plate to the infant's forehead.
Their nostrils are large and open and the lobes of their ears are so long that they nearly reach down to their shoulders. Their dress consists of a cotton shirt that covers the arms, chest and abdomen. They wear, in addition, a long trailing garment, and so many other articles of attire that when they are fully dressed they look more like rolls of wadding than men. Their hair is piled on the back of their heads in the fashion of the Dutchwomen. The women have no other head gear than their coiffure which is kept in place by clasps, and this style of hairdressing is very effective. Their dishes are not appetising to European ideas. They eat rats, mice, snakes and all sorts of humble creatures. They are also fond of fish,—the staler, the better. Their principal beverage is pure water or a liquor extracted from the trunk of a certain species of palm tree. Female chastity commands no respect whatever. Husbands prefer to risk becoming the fathers of other peoples children rather than to take a virgin to wife. As a rule the Dutch sailors are paid well for their services in this matter.
The King, shut up in his palace, passes a lazy life with the Queen and his concubines.
Every year each of the twelve provincial governors selects a dozen girls of the same age in his district, and exposes them to the ardent rays of the sun in order to induce perspiration.
They are then wiped dry with pieces of fine linen which are sent to the Court so that the odour may indicate those who are most worthy to enter the harem. Those who are refused admittance become concubines of the courtiers who receive them as a pledge of royal favour. It is said that the King's body guard consists of concubines who receive a certain amount of military training.
The King takes the following pompous title.
"Emperor of Aracan, possessor of the White Elephant and of the Two
Rubies, Lawful heir of Pegu and Burma, Lord of Twelve provinces of
Bengal, Disposer of Kings who place their heads beneath the soles of
his feet."
The liberal arts are utterly ignored if one can judge by the scanty progress therein made. Medicine, especially, is only a fraud founded on superstition. The priests known as "Raulins" are summoned to the bedsides of the sick. They breathe over them and mutter mysterious incantations. A sacrifice of fowls, pigs or fat beasts is offered to the god of the four winds. This sacrifice must be repeated four times to prevent the death of the patient. The Raulins, however, devour the sacrifices offered to their gods.