d brought them up for them, sending a message that they
would come and see the _Great Water-dog_ (meaning me) the next day.

We remained two days at anchor, off the town of Naputah, waiting for
this boat, as it was our intention to go down the river, and attack the
two other gold chatta chiefs, if they did not send in their submission.
On the second day the chief came on board to ask us if we would attend a
Nautch which he gave that evening in compliment to us; but requested
that we would not bring all our people, as it would frighten his own.
Although it was not pleasant to trust ourselves on shore in the night,
in the midst of so large a force, yet, anxious to make friends with him,
we thought it advisable to accept the invitation in the manner he
desired. I replied, "that I would only bring on shore a few officers,
and my usual attendants of six marines without arms." At eight o'clock
some of the officers and I went on shore: it was quite dark, but we
found the chief at the landing-place ready to receive us. The marines
had their bayonets, and the officers had pistols concealed in case of
treachery, and the first lieutenant kept a good look out, with the
broadside of the ship all ready at the first flash of a pistol, but
these precautions were unnecessary; the chief took me by the hand and
led me up to his house, in front of which had been erected a sort of
covered circus, brilliantly lighted up with oil in cocoa-nut shells, and
round which were squatted several hundred Burmahs. He took us all to
the raised verandah of the house, which was fitted up for the ceremony,
where we found his wife, and all his attendants, but not his daughter,
who was said to be very handsome. As soon as we had taken our seats the
Nautch commenced. About twenty men struck up a very barbarous kind of
music, in which the bells and drums made the most noise. After a few
minutes of discordant sound, the play began. The actors were in a sort
of costume, and appeared quite at home in their parts. The story
consisted in the attempts of a young prince to obtain the hand of a
young princess; and the dialogue was constantly interrupted by an actor
who appeared to be a looker-on, but who made his remarks upon what
passed, so as to excite bursts of laughter from the audience. He was
the Jack Pudding, or wit of the piece, and several of his jokes were not
very delicate. At all events, he was the Liston of the company, for he
never spoke nor mo