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BIRMAH. 37
guza, informed of his danger, had shut himself up in
the strong fortress of Chagaing. There he was in-
vested by the forces of the new king, and soon finding
that the weakest of all beings is a despised and de-
throned tyrant, he determined on fleeing to the Cassay
country, and soliciting protection from the Munnipoora
Rajah. During the six years of his reign, he had
observed the most pacific conduct towards his vassals
and neighbours; he might, therefore, have received
the shelter which he courted. From this resolve he
was, however, dissuaded by the voice of his mother,
the widow of Shembuan-praw, who urged him to
prefer death in his own golden courts, rather than to
depend on the precarious bounty of a vassal. Chen-
guza, although so long immersed in vice and profligacy,
yielded to this counsel, and thus gave in his last act one
proof of a lofty and magnanimous spirit. Having pri-
vately prepared a small boat, in disguise, and with only
two adherents, he crossed the Irrawaddy to the principal
ghaut, or landing-place, at the foot of the walls of
the palace, where he was speedily challenged by the
sentinels. No longer seeking to conceal himself, he
called out in a loud voice, that he was Chenguzanandoh-yeng-praw
Chenguza, lawful lord of the
palace. A conduct so unexpected and lofty, surprised
the guards, who, overawed and restrained by the
Birman law, which expressly forbids the shedding of
the blood of one of the royal family, suffered him to
proceed, and the crowd that had quickly collected,
respectfully opened for his passage. He had penetrated
to the gate of the outer court of the palace; and
so rapid are the changes in human affairs, especially in
eastern climates, that he might again have reached the
summit of .power, when he was confronted by the
PART I. D