The punishments which thieves, and those who drink spirits, &c. meet with in this country, are very frequent and severe. Within a few days, the Baptist missionaries saw the punishment of beheading, of ting off the legs, of crucifying, and of pouring boil ing lead down the throat. In the Oriental Star, a Calcutta newspaper for Jan. 23, 1808, there is the fal lowing account by an English gentleman recently ar rived from Rangoon. ,The viceroy of that city, whose son's head had been cut off at Ava for chewing opium, had upon his arrival at the latter place, just before he landed, drawn his sword on board a boat, and thrown the scabbard into the river. His attendants remarking this extraordinary act, asked him the cause of it. His reply was, " my sword shall never be Sheathed till it has revenged the death of my son." A man for chewing opium was put to death by cru cifixion, in which red hot nails were used. In this position his belly was ript up, and in that horrid si tuation he was left to expire.' His entrails lying at his feet, were immediately devoured by crows and vul tures, several hours before the unhappy man ceased to breathe, and of which he seemed to be sensible. An other unhappy wretch for getting drunk, had hot lead poured down his throat in small quantities of about half a glassful : the two first caused a strong smoke to issue from his mouth, of which he was ap parently sensible, but the third dose put an instant period to his existence. Another culprit for a simi lar crime was sentenced to be roasted alive, and the execution was to take place a few days after the wri ter's departure from Rangoon. Two others, one who had run away from the Birman army, and one whose father had also deserted; but who had not been taken, had their legs cut off above the knees, were alio nail ed up by their hands with red hot nails, and the hair of their heads tied fast up to a pole, and in this situa tion they were left to bleed to death. These misera ble wretches remained alive for some hours, during which their piercing cries were distressing beyond expression, so that not an inhabitant in the place had any rest the whole night. The wives and children of the latter unhappy sufferers were to be blown up three days after. It seems that the viceroy, who or dered these dreadful punishments, had, during a long administration, executed the duties of his office with the greatest mildness and benevolence, screening many offenders from the rigour of the barbarous law of the country ; but the execution of his son by the court of Ava had driven him to the highest pitch of des peration, and caused him to vow, that the bloody cri minal code of his country should be enforced to the utmost extremity.
The Birmans area nation of soldiers ; every man in the kingdom being liable to be called upon military service, and war is deemed the most honourable occu pation. The regular military establishment of the. nation, however, as among our ancestors in • feudal times, is very inconsiderable, consisting only of the royal guards, and as many troops as are necessary to preserde the police of the capital. They are supposed
to amount in • all to about 2000 infantry and 300 ca valry ;.though it is said that the cavalry, scattered in small detachments through the districts adjoining to the capital, amnunt to 2000. The infantry are armed with muskets and sabres, and are not uniformly clothed ; the cavalry seldom use any other weapon than a spear, about seven or eight feet long. When an army is to be raised, government issues a mandate to all the viceroys of provinces, and governors of dis tricts, requiring a certain number of men to be at a general rendezvous on an appointed day ; the levy is proportioned to the population of the province or district, according to the number of the registered houses that it contains ; the provincial court deter mines the burden which each house is to bear ; and a certain number of houses furnish a recruit among them, or pay 300 tackal, which is about X40 or R45. The families of their conscripts are carefully retained in their districts as hostages for the good conduct of their relation. In case of desertion or treachery, the innocent wife and parent of the guilty person are dragged to execution without pity ; even cowardice subjects the family of the delinquent to capital pu nishment, a law which, however barbarous, is rigo rously executed.
But the most respectable part of the Birman mili tary force, is the establishment of war boats. These carry from 50 to GO rowers, who use short oars that work on a spindle. The prow is solid, and is a flat surface, on which, when they go to war, a piece of ordnance is mounted ; a six, a nine, or even a twelve pounder, and several are frequently fixed on the stern. Each rower is provided with a sword and lance, which are placed by his side while he plies the oars. Besides the boatmen, there are usual ly 30 soldiers on board, who are armed with mus kets. Their attack is extremely impetuous ; they advance with great rapidity, and sing a war song at once to encourage their people, daunt their adversa ries, and regulate the strokes of their oars. They generally endeavour to grapple, and when that is effected, the action becomes very severe. The largest of these war boats is from SO to 100 feet long, and they draw only about three feet of water.
The revenue of the Birman from one tenth of all the native produce, and of all foreign goods imported into the country. However, as grants to princes of the blood and provincial governors are made in provinces, cities, villages, and farms, the rent of which they collect on their own account, and as in consequence of this money, is seldom disbursed from the royal treasuries, the Birman sovereign must pos sess immense riches. See Symcs' Embassy to Ara, 3 vols. Asiatic Researches, vol. v. p. III. 143- 156, ; vol. vi. Baptist Periodical Accounts, vol. iii. p. 342, 313. Pinkerton's Geography, vol. ii. (w. n.)