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BIRMAH. 35
son of Shembuan, ascended, as rightful heir, the
throne which his father had wrested from the infancy
of Momien. Arrived himself at maturity, the state of
the Birman empire so flourishing, its foundations laid
so firm, and potently supported by the faithful ad-
herents and able counsellors of his father, every cir-
cumstance augured a prosperous and brilliant reign;
but the short and ignominious career of Chenguza was
marked by shameless debauchery, and by acts of the
greatest cruelty and barbarity. Stimulated by jealousy,
he caused his younger brother, Chilenza, to be put to
death ; his uncle Terroug-mee
also fell a victim to his
suspicions, and his other relatives were either detained
in confinement or harrassed by a vigilant surveillance.
His first marriage being unfruitful, he espoused as his
second wife, a daughter of one of the attawoons, or
chief counsellors of his court. His intemperance
causing mutual alienation, he, in a groundless fit of
jealousy, had the unfortunate victim dragged in open
day from the palace, enclosed in a scarlet sack, and
drowned in the Irrawaddy, in the view of thousands
of spectators, among whom were her agonised father
and many of her relations. His insane caprice induced
him to reverse most of the late king's plans, by recall-
ing his armies, and disgracing Maha-see-soo-ra, the
general in highest reputation; and not content with
having repealed the edicts against drunkenness, he
constantly exhibited himself in a state of inebriety.
By his contemptuous treatment of the sacerdotal class,
with which the sovereign of these regions is closely
and intimately associated, he drew on himself the
hatred of that powerful order, and thereby enabled his
subjects to overthrow his throne, and free themselves
from his yoke. Despotic as are the monarchs of