Life And Travel In Lower Burmah - free ebook by C. T. (Charles Thomas) Paske

LIFE AND TRAVEL IN LOWER BURMAH

A RETROSPECT BY Deputy-Surgeon-General C. T. PASKE LATE OF THE BENGAL ARMY EDITED BY F. G. AFLALO ( Authors of “The Sea and the Rod,” &amp;c. ) LONDON W. H. ALLEN &amp; CO., LIMITED, 13, Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, S.W....

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EDITOR’S PREFACE.

When my friend asked me to read through these reminiscences in their original form, with a view to editing them, I had to tell him at the outset that the remoteness of the retrospect might probably prove a serious obstacle. But, being neither a history nor geography, and dealing lightly with a number of topics that should be of interest to many Englishmen, it soon occurred to me that they might perhaps find readers in spite of not being up to date. It is the fashion nowadays—and it seems to me a

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CHAPTER I. THE VOYAGE.

“So long As he could make me with this eye or ear Distinguish him from others, he did keep The deck with glove, or hat, or handkerchief, Still waving, as the fits and stirs of his mind Could best express how slow his soul sail’d on, How swift his ship.” Shakespeare , Cymbeline . The conditions under which we now plough the ocean or fly through continents present so remarkable a contrast to the state of affairs half a century back, that we who are in the autumn of life, with the signal of the “se

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CHAPTER II. STILL UNDER CANVAS.

“O’er the glad waters of the dark blue sea, Our thoughts as boundless, and our souls as free, Far as the breeze can bear, the billows foam, Survey our empire, and behold our home!” Byron , Corsair . Some portion of the time, however, was necessarily spent below. Dancing was the favourite pursuit with the majority, but was only practicable when the wind was light and the sea calm. Although Terpsichore was my least beloved of the Nine, one had but little choice when the promenade deck was cleared,

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CHAPTER III. THE CITY OF PALACES.

“Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.” Franklin. For my own part I remained on board till the deck had assumed a less chaotic appearance, when I resolved to migrate temporarily to one of the hotels. This, however was not to be; for an old friend, anticipating my resolve, and bent on frustrating it, suddenly appeared on board with the welcome information that he had hired a room for me at his quarters. Nothing loth, I bundled my traps into the boat, and prepared to ac

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CHAPTER IV. ON THE MOVE ONCE MORE.

“Mark! where his carnage and his conquests cease! He makes a solitude, and calls it peace!” Byron. Just as I was getting more reconciled to the new order of things it was ordained that I should move farther south; move, too, in light marching order, for the dogs of war were already astir in a land flowing with milk and honey, the inhabitants of which professed that wonderful faith that takes its name from Buddha, about which I shall have more to say anon. A week’s steaming brought us to Rangoon,

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CHAPTER V. FIRST IMPRESSIONS.

“He hears, alas! no music of the spheres, But an unhallowed, earthly sound of fiddling.” “A spark neglected makes a mighty fire.” These temples were by no means good specimens of Burmese architecture, which perhaps culminated in the Kyoungs , or resorts of the priests: a large quantity of elaborately carved timber entered into the construction of these edifices, the roof of which gradually diminished from below upwards, and were on this account far more pleasing to the eye than the more abrupt s

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CHAPTER VI. THE TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA.

“For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight; He can’t be wrong whose life is in the right.” The discussion of a national religion is always a delicate task, but, having so far considered only the physical and political aspect of the Burmese, I feel that I may no longer avoid giving some account of their conception of the universe and the Hereafter, matters with which, truth to tell, they were wont to trouble themselves less than any other Eastern nation with which I ever came in contact. I s

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CHAPTER VII. RIVER-LIFE UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

“How many perils do enfold The righteous man to make him daily fall.” I once had the temerity to volunteer my valuable services for an expedition which was fitting out for the purpose of reducing a rebel stronghold; and the answer to my application informed me in somewhat laconic terms that “due information would be given when they were required.” This was a trifle rude; but I had long since sacrificed my independence, and had to grin and bear it. Very shortly afterwards, however, they were want

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CHAPTER VIII. UNDER ORDERS.

“He is a soldier, fit to stand by Cæsar, And give direction.” Shakespeare. Facile est descensus! It was one thing to be pulled against a strong stream; quite another to have it in our favour. It was one thing to ascend the river, a solitary European in the company of many natives, but very different to be one of a fleet going down with some two hundred Europeans fully armed, men of training and renown, who had won many a hard-contested fight in the face of fearful odds. I do not suppose that any

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CHAPTER IX. PROME.

“A Daniel come to judgment! yea, a Daniel! Oh wise young judge, how I do honour thee!” Uninviting as may have been the immediate surroundings of the last place, few stations could vie with Prome in all that was picturesque. Situated on the left bank of the river, it consisted of a limited and undulating tract of country, covered with fine trees, from the branches of which hung beautiful creepers in graceful festoons; shrubs and undergrowths also grew thickly among the timber. The Burmese must, i

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CHAPTER X. A SECRET EXPEDITION.

“He deserves small trust, Who is not privy councillor to himself.” One evening when at dinner, I received an official letter, which ordered me to proceed on the following day to a spot some miles down the river, and on the opposite bank. My luggage was not to exceed a specified weight, and further instructions would await me on arrival. I was moreover to consider the communication of a confidential character, which pointed clearly to some enterprise only to be revealed to those actually concerne

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CHAPTER XI. FURTHER DETAILS.

“Oh solitude! where are thy charms That sages have seen in thy face? Better dwell in the midst of alarms, Than reign in this horrible place.” Presiding at the table was the Commissioner, who, with the rest, appreciated the ludicrous position in which I had been placed. I do not think that he was altogether pleased at having come across the people at all; but it now only remained to look the matter boldly in the face, and, as far as possible, to prevent the news from spreading. In this I think he

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CHAPTER XII. “EL DORADO.”

“Lovely indeed the mimic works of art, But Nature’s work far lovelier.” The march was resumed next morning under the most favourable auspices, though still in the same methodical order; for although we were no longer in continual fear of molestation, it was nevertheless incumbent on those in command to make assurance doubly sure. News arrived en route that “all was well” in the stockade, and that there were no signs of any gathering in the immediate neighbourhood. While traversing one of the las

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CHAPTER XIII. CLOUDY WEATHER.

“Diseases, desperate grown, By desperate appliance are relieved, Or not at all.” “Angry looks can do no good, And blows are dealt in blindness; Words are better understood If spoken but in kindness.” Thus far, the tide of prosperity had been flowing without a check; we had visited many scenes, encountered dangers and surmounted difficulties, when a sudden and unexpected ebb set in. I had quite made up my mind to remain in the country on the principle that a bird in the hand is worth two in the b

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CHAPTER XIV. “LEAVE OF ABSENCE.”

“There is a divinity that shapes our ends, Rough hew them how we will.” The selection of the route narrowed itself to that of “Hobson’s choice”; for the embers of the Mutiny were still smouldering in various quarters, where the roads were consequently unsafe. I was therefore compelled to reach the sea by river, and was the more ready to adopt this course as an old friend and his wife were going as far as Moulmein. My antipathy to the country was by this time as deep-rooted as the lilac crocus in

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CHAPTER XV. MOULMEIN.

“Gutta cavat lapidem non vi, sed sæpe cadendo.” The capital of the Tenasserim provinces is situated on the left bank of the river, about half a day’s steaming from its mouth. It is, if anything, even more picturesque than Prome; and, at that period, civilization had made considerable strides, calculated to enhance its beauty, in the shape of good roads and tasteful houses. The site on which it was built was of an undulating character, with imposing hills in the background, between which interven

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CHAPTER XVI. AMHERST.

“Oh! that a dream so sweet, so long enjoyed, Should be so sadly, cruelly destroyed.” The glory of this place had departed. As Moulmein rose in importance this once busy centre fell into decay, assuming for the most part its primeval condition of luxuriant vegetation. It was, nevertheless, the spot chosen for a sanatorium during the second Burmese war, and it certainly fulfilled the requirements of all concerned. Being built on the seashore, and at the mouth of the river, it combined great salubr

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CHAPTER XVII. TAVOY.

“Like a dull actor now, I have forgot my part.” The somewhat tedious journey up the river was to an extent beguiled by a review of our recent experiences, which, if not unique, were by no means commonplace. My friend, taking up the parable, contrasted our present position with what might have been, if he had perforce returned alone. He made one of the longest speeches I ever heard from him, which for obvious reasons I shall not reproduce; remarking, inter alia , that he would not have had the co

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CHAPTER XVIII. THE MERGUI ARCHIPELAGO.

“Alone she sat—alone! that worn-out word, So idly spoken and so coldly heard; Yet all the poets sing, and grief hath known, Of hope laid waste, knells in that word—alone!” Anyone glancing at a map of the world’s two hemispheres, cannot fail to notice that all the continents end in more or less pointed extremities looking due south, and that most of the larger islands, showing length in lieu of breadth, also lie nearly due north and south. The first half of the above remark is pointed by such exa

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CHAPTER XIX. MERGUI.

“It gives me wonder, great as my content, To see you here before me.” “Whether we shall meet again, I know not, Therefore our everlasting farewell take!” The anchorage off Mergui is guarded by an almost perpendicular rock, which in our case necessitated steering a point to starboard. Although destitute of even a blade of grass, this rock is extremely valuable on account of a certain species of swallow, thousands of which nest there year after year, their dwellings being the much prized edible ne

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CHAPTER XX. AND LAST.

“My pen is at the bottom of a page, Which being finished, here the story ends ’Tis to be wished it had been sooner done, But stories somehow lengthen when begun.” The reader may mentally alter the title of this concluding chapter to “ At Last!” and if he has found my reminiscences dull or humdrum, he will soon have his reward by closing the book and consigning it to oblivion—or to Mudie’s cart! Nevertheless, in glancing back over the foregoing pages—a retrospect of a retrospect—I seem to have fu

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