From Pegu I went to Jamahey, in the country of the Langeiannes, whom we call Jangomes, which is twenty-five days journey north from Pegu[426], in which journey I passed through many fertile and pleasant countries, the whole being low land, with many fine rivers; but the houses are mean and bad, being built of canes and covered with straw.  This country has great numbers of wild elephants and buffaloes. Jamahey is a large handsome town, well peopled, and the houses are well built of stone, with broad streets.  The men are strong and well made, having a cloth about their middles, bareheaded and with bare feet, as in all these countries they wear no shoes.  The women are much fairer than those of Pegu.  In all these countries they have no wheat, living entirely on rice, which they make into cakes.  To Jamahey there come many merchants out of China, bringing great store of musk, gold, silver, and many Chinese manufactures.  They have here such great abundance of provisions, that they do not take the trouble to milk the buffaloes as they do in other places.  Here there is great abundance of copper and benzoin.

[Footnote 426:  The names here used are so corrupted as to be utterly unintelligible.  Twenty-five days journey north from the city of Pegu, or perhaps 500 miles, would lead the author into the northern provinces of the Birman empire, of which the geography is very little known, perhaps into Assan:  Yet the Langeiannes may possibly refer to Lang-shang in Laos, nearly west from Pegu. Jamahey may be Shamai, in the north of Laos; near the N.W. frontier of China.—­E.]

In these countries, when people are sick, they make a vow to offer meat to the devil in case of recovery; and when they recover, they make a banquet, with many pipes and drums and other musical instruments, dancing all night, and their friends bring gifts of coco-nuts, figs, arecas, and other fruits, and with much dancing and rejoicing they offer these to the devil, giving him to eat, and then drive him out.  While dancing and playing, they often cry and hallow aloud, to drive the devil away.  While sick, a talapoin or two sit every night by the sick person, continually singing, to please the devil, that he may not hurt them.  When any one dies, he is carried on a great frame of wood like a tower, having a covering or canopy made of canes all gilded, which is carried by fourteen or sixteen men, preceded by drums, pipes, and other instruments, and being taken to a place out of the town, the body is there burned.  On this occasion, the body is accompanied by all the male friends, relations, and neighbours of the deceased; and they give the talapoins or priests many mats and much cloth.  They then return to the house, where they feast for two days.  After this, the widow, with all her neighbours wives, and female friends, goes to the place where her husband was burnt, where they sit a certain time lamenting, and then gather up all the pieces of bones which have not been burnt to ashes, which they bury; they then return home, and thus make an end of mourning.  On these occasions, the male and female relations shave their heads, which is only done for the death of a friend, as they greatly esteem their hair.