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BIRMAH. 22o
nerable personage appears to have been held in the
highest estimation. Her sister had been the wife of the
famous Alom-praw, and her daughter being espoused
to the reigning monarch, she stood in the double rela-
tion of aunt and mother-in-law to Minderajee-praw.
Her rank gave her precedence over all the sons of the
emperor, except the heir-apparent. Col. Byrnes found
her residing in a very handsome mansion, near the pa-
"
lace. We entered the enclosure," he
"
says, without
any of the parade observed in our former visits. At the
bottom of the stairs we put off our shoes, and ascended
into a handsome hall, supported by several lofty pil-
lars ; at the further end, a portion of the floor was ele-
vated six or eight inches, and separated by a neat
balustrade from the rest of the room; within this
space, under a white canopy, was placed a large
cushion of blue velvet fringed with gold, on a carpet
covered with muslin. There was a numerous assem-
blage of both sexes, but particularly women, sitting
round the balustrade. As soon as we entered, a space
was immediately vacated for us to occupy, in front of
the door and opposite to the cushion. After we had
been seated a few minutes, the old lady came forth
from an inner apartment, and walked slowly towards
the elevated seat, supported by two female servants,
whilst another held up her train ; her long white hair
hung loose upon her shoulders, but she wore neither
covering nor ornament upon her head. Her dress,
which was extremely fine, without being gaudy, became
her advanced years and high dignity : it consisted
of a long robe of white muslin, and over her shoulders
was thrown a sash of gauze, embroidered with sprigs
of gold. She advanced to where the cushion was
placed, and took her seat on the carpet, supporting
her head on her arm that rested on the pillow, whilst