It is worthy of note that the unfortunate King then reigning in Pagán, had in 1274 finished a magnificent Pagoda called _Mengala-dzedi (Mangala Chaitya)_ respecting which ominous prophecies had been diffused. In this pagoda were deposited, besides holy relics, golden images of the Disciples of Buddha, golden models of the holy places, golden images of the King’s fifty-one predecessors in Pagán, and of the King and his Family. It is easy to suspect a connection of this with Marco’s story. “It is possible that the King’s ashes may have been intended to be buried near those relics, though such is not now the custom; and Marco appears to have confounded the custom of depositing relics of Buddha and ancient holy men in pagodas with the _supposed_ custom of the burial of the dead. Still, even now, monuments are occasionally erected over the dead in Burma, although the practice is considered a vain folly. I have known a miniature pagoda with a _hti_ complete, erected over the ashes of a favourite disciple by a _P’hungyi_ or Buddhist monk.” The latter practice is common in China. (_Notes by Sir A. Phayre; J. A. S. B._ IV. _u.s._, also V. 164, VI. 251; _Mason’s Burmah_, 2nd ed. p. 26; _Milne’s Life in China_, pp. 288, 450.) NOTE 3.—The Gaur—_Bos Gaurus_, or _B. (Bibos) Cavifrons_ of Hodgson—exists in certain forests of the Burmese territory; and, in the south at least, a wild ox nearer the domestic species, _Bos Sondaicus_. Mr. Gouger, in his book _The Prisoner in Burma_, describes the rare spectacle which he once enjoyed in the Tenasserim forests of a herd of wild cows at graze. He speaks of them as small and elegant, without hump, and of a light reddish dun colour (pp. 326–327). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] This is the name now applied in Burma to the Chinese. Sir A. Phayre supposes it to be _Túrk_, in which case its use probably began at this time. [2] In the Narrative of Phayre’s Mission, ch. ii. [3] Dr. Anderson has here hastily assumed a discrepancy of sixty years between the chronology of the Shan document and that of the Chinese Annals. But this is merely because he arbitrarily identifies the Chinese invasion here recorded with that of Kúblái in the preceding century. (See _Anderson’s Western Yunnan_, p. 8.) We see in the quotation above from Amyot that the Chinese Annals also contain an obscure indication of the later invasion. [4] Compare the old Chinese Pilgrims Hwui Seng and Seng Yun, in their admiration of a vast pagoda erected by the great King Kanishka in Gandhára (at Peshawur in fact): “At sunrise the gilded disks of the vane are lit up with dazzling glory, whilst the gentle breeze of morning causes the precious bells to tinkle with a pleasing sound.” (_Beal_, p. 204.) CHAPTER LV. CONCERNING THE PROVINCE OF BANGALA.