The Burmese are desirous of great wealth, and, although by nature a warlike race, it is rather the lust of pillage than the mere idea of glory that incites them to risk their persons. War is but a trade, according to their way of thinking, and he who returns with the richest spoils receives the greatest honour from his country. Those who fall into their power have every thing to fear if they are unable to satisfy their greed, and it is quite certain that avarice is the mainspring of their cruelty. A poor Christian, who was believed to be possessed of great wealth, was put to the torture to make him reveal the hiding place of his non-existent riches; but no amount of suffering could extort a word from him. The angry Burman in the presence of his wife and dying mother drew his sword to cut off his head. Frightened at the near approach of death, he begged for a respite, in the vain hope of discovering some means whereby the greed of his savage master might be satisfied. He was unable to fulfil his promises, and, to punish his failure, he was bound hand and foot and cast into the river. His mother at the point of death, summoned up all her strength and looked at the surface of the water fated to be the tomb of her son, and, just as he was sinking, she grabbed him by the hair and saved his life. A shipmaster by name Rolland was highly respected at Mergui where he carried on a considerable amount of trade. For a long time he was uncertain as to which party he should favour. When he saw that the Burmese had gained possession of the town, he thought it expedient to set sail, but as his vessel was out of repair, it appeared that this course would be too dangerous. He retired with some of the members of his family to the hut of some Christians who had showed hospitality towards him, but he was shortly afterwards discovered and robbed of all his possessions. Unfortunately for him, he was found with arms in his possession. On being questioned as to their use, he replied, that, at the first rumour of the Burmese arrival at Mergui he had thought that a force of Malays a people well known in the Indies for their piratical tendencies, was about to make an attack, and that having at once resolved upon flight, he had taken up weapons with which to defend himself against tigers which were numerous in the forests. The shipmaster and his companions had no longer any fear for their life or their liberty. The enemy were graciously pleased to give them back some garments and a fair supply of provender, more than they had expected from conquerors already pressed by famine. To the Burmese, any attempt at self-defence is a heinous offence, and whoever has lifted his hand against them need not hope for any mercy. Thus instead of respecting the bravery of a foeman, they show pity only on the poltroon who grovels before them.