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BIRMAH. 161
demarcation shall be drawn between the two armies,
commencing at Comma, passing through the village of
Nenbonzick. and continuing along the road from that
village to Tonghoo. The negociations for peace were
to be carried on at Nenbonzick, or Nembenziek, as
being half way between the armies, the British quartered
at Prome, and the Birman head -quarters at
Meeaday. Here, then, we shall for the present suspend
our progress northward; and before we take
leave of the kingdom of Pegu, on the confines of which
we now find ourselves, we shall gather up what further
information we possess respecting this important pro-
vince of the Birman empire.
PEGU.
THE site of Pegu, the ancient capital, situated about
ninety miles by water above Rangoon, in lat. 17 40'
N., long. 96 12' E., may still be traced by the ruins
of the ditch and the wall which once surrounded it.
The inside displays a striking and melancholy picture
of fallen grandeur, and gives sad evidence of the ruthless
character of Birman warfare. Alom-praw, when
he took the city in 1757, razed every building to the
ground, and dispersed or led into captivity all the in-
habitants : the praws, or temples, only were spared,
and of these, the great pagoda of Shoe-madoo has alone
been kept in repair. After it had long lain in desola-
tion, Minderajee-praw, to conciliate the natives, issued
orders, about the year 1790, to rebuild Pegu, and in-
vited its scattered families to re-people their deserted
city.* At the same time, the maywoon was ordered to
* The order for the rebuilding of the ancient capital of the Ta-
lien monarchy, which Col. Byrnes represents as originating in
liberal policy on the part of Minderajee-praw, is ascribed by Dr.