the gilding renewed, carpets spread on the rugged boards, banners waving,
and the courtiers in full dress, no doubt the effect would have been
materially improved. The vista from the throne of the great hall of
audience looked right through the columned arcade to the "Gate of the
Chosen"; and that we might imagine the scene more vividly, we considered
ourselves as on our way to Court on one of the great days, and going back
to the gate again began our pilgrimage anew. The pillared front of the
Palace stretched before us raised on the terrace, its total length 260
feet. Looking between the two gilded cannon, we saw at the foot of the
central steps a low gate of carved and gilded wood. That gate, it seemed,
was never opened except to the King--none save he might use those central
steps. Raising our eyes we looked right up the vista of the hall to the
lofty throne raised against the gilded partition that closed at once the
vista and the hall. We had been looking down the great central nave, as it
were, toward the west gate, in the place of which was the throne. But
along the eastern front of the terrace ran a long colonnade, whose wings
formed transepts at right angles to the nave. The throne-room was shaped
like the letter T, the throne being at the base of the letter and the
cross-bar representing the colonnade. Entering at the extremity of one of
these, we traversed it to the centre and then faced the nave. The throne
was exactly before us, at the end of the pillared vista. Five steps led up
to the dais. Its form was peculiar, contracting by a gradation of steps
from the base upwards to mid-height, and again expanding to the top, on
which was a cushioned ledge such as is seen in the box of a theatre. On
the platform, which now was bare planks, the King and Queen on a great
reception day would sit on gorgeous carpets. The entrance was through
gilded doors from a staircase in the ante-room beyond. There was a rack of
muskets round the foot of the throne, and just outside the rails a
half-naked soldier lay snoring. Our Burman companion assured us that
seeing the throne-room now in its condition of dismantled tawdriness, I