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BIRMAH. 11
the Birmans discover their affinity to the Hindoo
family, while the Siamese, the Annamese, and the
Peguans bear a more strongly-marked resemblance to
the Chinese.*
The political divisions of the Indo-Chinese countries
have undergone the perpetual changes consequent on
ill-defined boundaries, and the constant struggles of
the various rival states to obtain the supremacy. The
most powerful monarchy at one time, as it is probably
the most ancient, was that of Siam, which extended
from the Gulf of Martaban to Cambodia, and southward
to Malacca.f Afterwards, Pegu appears to have
been the most flourishing state. Its tyrant is stated to
have demolished the capital of Siam, made himself
master of the white elephant, and sacked the town of
Martaban. Between Siam and Pegu, there seems to
have been carried on a constant struggle for supremacy
from time immemorial. At one time, Pegu is said to
have been conquered by a king of Tonghoo; but the
white elephant, the Buddhic Apis was wrested from
Pegu by a king of Arracan.J When the Portuguese,
Birman language by an Armenian, for the use of the Birman
emperor, in 1795.
* The Indo-Chinese languages are reckoned to be fourteen in
number. Seven of these are polysyllabic, viz. 1. Malayu; 2.
Jawa; 3. Bugis; 4. Bima; 5. Batta; 6. Ta-gola; 7. Pali, the
learned language. The other seven are monosyllabic, viz. 1. Rakheng
(Arracanese); 2. Barma (Birman); 3. Mon (Peguan); 4.
Thay (Siamese); 5. Khohmin (Cambodian); 6. Law(Laos); 7.
Anam.
t "The king of Siam," says Tavernier, " is one of the richest
monarchs in the East, and styles himself king of heaven and earth,
though he be tributary to the kings of China." Travels, part ii.
b. Hi. c. 18. Tavernier travelled in 166070.
| The Lord of the White Elephant is the distinctive title of the
rightful possessor of an incarnate symbol of Buddha, who is thereby
exalted above his equals ; it therefore is not an empty sound, but
confers an actual supremacy. In like manner, the kings of Egypt