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BIRMAH. 71
The Birmans are cheerful and fond of music : not
a boatman of the crew, Col. Symes observes, but had
some instrument to beguile the hours ; and he who
could procure no better, had what we call a Jew's
harp. They greatly excel in the art of gently striking
masses of metal so as to elicit the most melodious and
ringing sounds.
The ancient game of chess, called chit-tha-reen, is
in high estimation among the higher classes. Their
board is exactly the same as ours, containing sixtyfour
squares, and the pieces are the same in num.
her, sixteen on each side, but vary very consider-
ably from ours in power. They have the king
and his minister on two elephants, (a piece with the
power of the queen is unknown among them,) two
rut-ha or war-chariots, two chein or elephants, two
mhee or cavalry, and eight yein or foot troops.
Each party is arranged on three lines, so that eight
squares are left unoccupied ; and the whole scheme is
rendered more complex than ours. The game is of
very high antiquity among them, and is even authorised
by their sacred writings, although every play of
chance is prohibited.
The Birmans, like the Chinese, have no coin, silver
in bullion and lead being the current monies of the
country. Weight and purity are of course the standard
of value : in the ascertainment of both, the natives
are exceedingly scrupulous and expert.
The tecal or
kiat is the most general piece of silver in circulation :
it weighs 10 pennyweights, 10 grains, and f. Its
subdivisions are, the tubbee^ two of which make one
moo, two TTioo one math, four math one tecal, and 100
tecal one visa. Weights are all made at the capital,
where they are stamped, and then circulated through