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PAST AND
WITH
PRESENT
PERSONAL REMINISCENCES OF THE COUNTRY
BY
LIEUT.-GEN. ALBERT FYTCHE, C.S.I.
LATE CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF BRITISH BURMA, AND AGENT TO THE VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA.
Ηδη μὲν πολέων κεκορήμεθ ̓ ἀέθλων.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. II.
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.
LONDON:
C. KEGAN PAUL & Co., I, PATERNOSTER SQUARE,
1878.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE.
The Burmese the standard language of the country.-The Talaing little
used.-The Burmese and Talaings received their religion and alpha-
bet from India.-Description of the Burmese and Talaing languages.
-Great reverence paid to the numerals III. and IX.-Use made of
the numeral V.-Burmese metaphysical works are in the Pali language.
-Books, how formed. -Writing of the Burmese.-Burmese literature.
-Their sacred books.-The Bee-da-gat-thoon-bon and the Baideng.
-Secular literature. - The disputed wife.-The Burmese drama.—-
Description of a Burmese theatre.-Dress of the actors.-The orches-
tra.-Plots of the plays.-A ballet at the Palace at Mandalay.—
Burmese great lovers of both vocal and instrumental music. --Transla-
tion of a Burmese drama, The Silver Hill
PAGE
I
CHAPTER II.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION, AND HABITS AND CUSTOMS
OF THE BURMESE.
Physical characteristics of the Burmese race.-Male costume.-Tattooing.
-Its absence considered a mark of effeminacy.- Female dress and
ornaments.-Ear-tubes.-Universality of smoking.-Singular custom.
- Burmese altogether a different people from the inhabitants of
Hindostan.-Absence of caste prejudices. —Their pleasing manners.
-Happiness of the people. - Absence of pauperism.—Affection of
parents for their children. -Fondness for amusement and excitement.
-As a rule not laborious.--Marriage customs.-Perfect freedom of
marriageable girls.-Marriage purely a civil rite.-Hla-pet.-Curious
custom pursued by a bridegroom's bachelor friends.- Privileges of
the female sex.-Code of divorce. - Polygamy.-Sensitiveness to
raillery.-Tendency to suicide.-Suicide of a bridegroom.-Attempted
suicide of a girl.—Food.-Description of a Burmese banquet.—Their
treatment of disease. The devil dance.-Disease caused by witch-
craft.-Funerals.-Boat races.-Peculiarity of the boats.—Mode of
rowing.-Description of the goal.-" Palmam qui meruit ferit."-
Vaunting songs, and grotesque attitudes of the winners.-Subscrip-
tion purses.-Game of football.-Boxing and wrestling.-Admirable
temper of the combatants.-Description of the Ta-soung-doing fes-
tival.-Weaving the sacred cloth.-Relays of workers.-Working
and courting.-Floating lights.-Water festival on New Year's Day.
-Meaning of the observance.-Mythological legend
59
CHAPTER III.
FOUR YEARS' ADMINISTRATION OF BRITISH BURMA,
1867-1871.
Our commerce with China confined to sea-ports. —Ancient overland com-
merce between Burma and Western China viâ Bhamo.-Brought to a
close in 1855.-Early history of the Panthays or Chinese Mahom-
medans. They establish a Mahommedan kingdom in Yunnan.—
Monopoly of trade between Burma and Yunnan confined to Chinese
inhabitants of Mandalay and Bhamo.-Their jealousy regarding it.-
Despatch of a Mission under Major Sladen to Western China viâ
Bhamo. - Burmese suspicion of it.-The King ultimately sends the
expedition in his own steamer to Bhamo.-Hill ranges and valleys
occupied by Kakhyens and Shans.-Description of these tribes.—
The Governor of Bhamo defeated and slain by the Kakhyens.-Diffi-
culties of the Mission in consequence. --The Mission starts for
Momein.-Secret agencies at work to stop the Mission. -Mission
delayed at Ponsee.-Delay profitable in some ways.-Valuable collec-
tion of specimens of natural history made by Dr. Anderson.-Bam-
busicola Fytchii.-Kakhyen ideas of marriage.-Their superstitious
observances. - Communication opened with the Governor of Momein.
-The Chinese freebooter Li Hsieh-tai.-Destruction of his strong-
hold.- Mission escorted by Shans and Panthays to Momein.-
Hospitality of Ta-sa-kon.-All objects of Mission successfully
obtained.-Mission returns to Bhamo.-Return journey quite an
ovation. Description of Kakhyen oath.-Exposition of the policy in
despatching the Mission.-Objects not political but commercial.—The
tact and gallantry shewn by Major Sladen.-Favourable view taken
by him of the Panthay rebellion.--Policy of the British Government
towards Yacoob Beg, Sultan of Kashgar.-An English political agent
appointed to Bhamo. —Large increase of trade. —A Panthay Embassy
proceeds to England viâ Rangoon and Calcutta.-Collapse of Mahom-
medan power in Yunnan.-Despatch of a second Mission to Western
China. Its failure.-Murder of Mr. Margary.-Lord Lawrence retires
from the Viceroyalty of India. - Lord Mayo appointed Viceroy.—
Correspondence with Lord Mayo.-Important measures carried out
during my administration of British Burma.-Speech at a public
dinner
• 95
CHAPTER IV.
BUDDHISM AND EDUCATION IN BURMA.
Shamanism the ancient religion of Burma.—Adoration of nats and other
spirits. —Three religions preceded Buddhism in India.—Buddhism a
wide-spread religion. -Propagated by persuasion alone.—The Buddhas
previous to Gautama. -The Jātaka fables.-Birth and parentage of
Gautama.-His miraculous conception. -Education of Gautama.--
Gautama's four visions --He deserts his palace and assumes the garb
of an ascetic.-His trials and temptations in the wilderness.-He
becomes a Buddha.—The sacred Bó-tree. —Gautama proceeds towards
Benares to preach his doctrine.—He visits his father-Attempts on
his life.-Punishment of Déwadat.-Gautama's death -His funeral.
-Gautama's relics.-The Shwé-dagon pagoda at Rangoon.-The
three Synods.-The Pitakatayan, or Buddhist scriptures.- Powers of
memory of Buddhist priests.-Two Buddhist missionaries arrive at
Thatún.-Buddhagosa. -Talaings received their religion and alphabet
from Ceylon.-The Burmese from the Talaings.-Karma and Nirvâna
described.-Buddhism and Brahminism compared.-Dana, or alms-
giving.-Purity of Buddhist ethics.-Singular analogy of Buddhistic
rites and observances to those of Romish Christianity.—Early Roman
Catholic missionaries in the East.-Their opinions regarding Budd-
hism.-Buddhism existent in the western world previous to the birth
of our Saviour.-Gautama a saint in the Roman calendar.-Phongyees.
-Rules of the Order.-The Novitiate.-Ordination.-Celibacy.-
Diet.-The Habit. -The Order of Nuns.-Funerals.-Monasteries.
-Education in Burma. - Monastic and lay schools. - System of
education lately adopted by the British Government.-Difficulties
regarding it. How overcome. -Success of the system
. 137