Burmese Sketches - Khamkoo

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BURMESE SKETCHES.
of the Buddhist scriptures, as he was assured that his being
versed in them would procure his father's favour. He duly
passed the Pathamabyan examination and received his reward
from the hands of the King and the late Chief Queen. Mindon
Min was highly pleased with his son, and henceforth the latter
was treated better than before. Thibaw, when young, was of
a retired disposition. He did not like to mix with his highborn
half brothers and sisters but kept to himself. Consequently
he was very little known outside the palace precincts.
Once it is said, that he sent his servants to offer some brass
coverings of alms bowls to certain monks. The venerable recipients
asked by whom the gift had been sent, and thev were
answered " Thibaw Kodaw " (My Lord Thibaw). They were
in wonder as to who this Thibaw Kodaw might be, and conjectured
whether he was a Bishop or not, till their doubt was
solved by a fellow monk, who knew about the palace better
than they.
It was such a prince that the tactful and ambitious Queen
Ale Nandaw hit upon for the successor of King Mindon. She
knew that he was only eighteen, that he was in love with her
second daughter, Supayalat, or rather that her daughter was
in love with him, that he was born of a queen of low rank,
and would, therefore, easily bend to her yoke, that, having
passed the greater part of his life in a secluded monastery, he
knew little or nothing about the affairs of the world, and,
lastly, that if she could only set him up as a puppet king, she
might enjoy the sway of the whole kingdom as her mother, the
notorious Me Nu, had done half a century ago.
But a throne obtained by chicanery and supported by a virago
queen would soon be tottered by the very discordant elements
which helped in setting up Thibaw as king. It was soon found
that the royal exchequer had been impoverished. The 'ivu7is
expected to get more presents from the King. The pay of the
royal retainers was commuted to payment in kind, while the
numerous executive officers all over the kingdom were clamouring
for pay. The Governors of the several districts received
strict orders to remit more money to the royal treasury. And
they, in their turn, tightened the screw on the people.
During this crisis, the King was advised to open lotteries and
levy commission on the money collected. This advice was
adopted and lottery booths were erected within and without
the city walls. At first large sums of money flowed into the
King's treasury ; but it was ultimately found that the people