Untitled - Sabrizain.org

134 BIBMAH.
the viceroy had directed that all foreign priests should
appear at the court-house ; and this edict had afforded
the inferior officers the means of summoning and
harassing the members of the mission, who were led
to expect their own banishment. At length, a sum-
mons, on a Sunday morning, incited Mrs. Judson to
attend with the Rev. Mr. Hough, who had joined the
American missionaries^ and to present a petition
stating the grievance. As soon as she caught the
viceroy's eye, he, in a very condescending manner,
called her to come in and make known her request.
On hearing the petition, the viceroy reproved the
offender in the most austere manner; at the same
time giving a written order that Mr. Hough should
not be called on " his sacred day," and that he should
be molested no more.
"
1819. April. This evening I went, for
second time,
the
to hear a popular Birman preacher. On
our arrival, we found a zayat* in the precincts of
one of the most celebrated pagodas, lighted up, and
the floor spread with mats. In the centre was a frame
raised about eighteen inches from the ground, where
the preacher, on his arrival, seated himself. He
appeared to be about forty-five years of age, of very
* The zayat is raised four feet from the ground, and divided
into three parts. The first division is laid entirely open to the
road, without doors, windows, or a partition in the front side; it
takes up a third part of the building. Their size is of course re-
gulated by the probability of the resort of hearers. They are
made of bamboo and thatch. The building erected on the road
to the Dag-un pagoda by Mr. Judson, to attract the passers-by,
(an experiment highly hazardous,) was twenty-seven feet by
eighteen. It must be considered as a very decisive proof of the
mild administration of the Birman government, that this bold
step was persevered in by Mr. Judson for some time, and he had
made very considerable progress without any personal injury or
danger.