“_November 28._ Spent the whole day at the palace, in endeavoring to secure the ground petitioned for. At night, the land-measurer-general’s secretary accompanied me to ascertain the premises, and make out a plan of the place. “_November 29._ The land-measurer-general reported to the a-twen-woons that the ground was not actually occupied, but, having been the site of a _kyoung_ when formerly the city was the seat of Government, must be considered sacred and inalienable; in which opinion nearly all the a-twen-woons coincided, notwithstanding the king’s decision to the contrary. “Had an interesting interview with Prince M., and presented him with a copy of the last three chapters of Matthew, in compliance with his wish to have an account of the death and resurrection of Jesus-Christ. He appeared concerned for our failure to-day in the privy council, but still maintained that, though the ground was sacred, it might with propriety be given to a priest, though not a priest of Gaudama, and advised me to make another application to the king. “_December 25._ I have had nothing scarcely of a missionary nature to notice since the last date, having been employed, most of the time (that is, in the intervals of two more attacks of fever and ague), in endeavoring to procure a piece of ground within the city, but have been defeated at every point. “In prosecuting this business, I had one noticeable interview with the king. Brother Price and two English gentlemen were present. The king appeared to be attracted by our number, and came toward us; but his conversation was directed chiefly to me. He again inquired about the Burmans who had embraced my religion. ‘Are they real Burmans? Do they dress like other Burmans?’ etc. I had occasion to remark that I preached every Sunday. ‘What! in Burman?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Let us hear how you preach.’ I hesitated. An a-twen-woon repeated the order. I began with a form of worship which first ascribes glory to God, and then declares the commands of the law of the Gospel; after which I stopped. ‘Go on,’ said another a-twen-woon. The whole court was profoundly silent. I proceeded with a few sentences, declarative of the perfections of God, when his majesty’s curiosity was satisfied, and he interrupted me. In the course of subsequent conversation, he asked what I had to say of Gaudama. I replied, that we all knew he was the son of King Thog-dan-dah-nah; that we regarded him as a wise man and a great teacher, but did not call him God. ‘That is right,’ said Moung K. N., an a-twen-woon who has not hitherto appeared very friendly to me. And he proceeded to relate the substance of a long communication which I lately made to him, in the privy council room, about God and Christ, etc. And this he did in a very clear and satisfactory manner, so that I had scarcely a single correction to make in his statement. Moung