to the king’s command.  They have never done anything to deserve such treatment; and is it right they should be treated thus?  ’The king does as he pleases,’ said she, ‘I am not the king, what can I do?’ You can state their case to the queen and obtain their release, replied I. Place yourself in my situation—­were you in America, your husband, innocent of crime, thrown into prison, in irons, and you a solitary, unprotected female—­what would you do?  With a slight degree of feeling, she said, ’I will present your petition; come again to-morrow.  I returned to the house, with considerable hope that the speedy release of the missionaries was at hand.  But the next day, the property of Mr. Gouger, (one of the Englishmen,) amounting to 25,000 dollars, was seized and carried to the palace.  The officers on their return, politely informed me, that they should visit our house on the morrow.  I felt obliged for this information, and accordingly made preparations to receive them by secreting as many little articles as possible; together with considerable silver; as I knew if the war should be protracted, we should be in a state of starvation without it.  But my mind was in a dreadful state of agitation, lest it should be discovered, and cause my being thrown into prison.  And had it been possible to procure money from any other quarter, I should not have ventured on such a step.

“The following morning, the royal treasurer, the governor of the north gate of the palace, who was in future our steady friend, and another nobleman, attended by forty or fifty followers, came to take possession of all we had.  I treated them civilly, gave them seats, and tea and sweetmeats for their refreshment; and justice obliges me to say, that they conducted the business of confiscation, with more regard to my feelings than I should have thought it possible for Burmese officers to exhibit.  The three officers with one of the royal secretaries alone entered the house; their attendants were ordered to remain outside.  They saw I was deeply affected, and apologized for what they were about to do, by saying that it was painful for them to take possession of property not their own, but they were compelled thus to do by order of the king.  “Where is your silver, gold, and jewels?” said the royal treasurer.  I have no gold or jewels, but here is the key of a trunk which contains the silver—­do with it as you please.  The trunk was produced, and the silver weighed.  This money, said I, was collected in America by the disciples of Christ, and sent here for the purpose of building a kyoung, (the name of a priest’s dwelling;) and for our support while teaching the religion of Christ.  Is it suitable that you should take it? (The Burmans are averse to taking religious offerings, which was the cause of my making the inquiry.) “We will state this circumstance to the king,” said one of them, “and perhaps he will restore it.  But is this all the silver you have?” I could not tell