The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-02-02 00:00:00

SIB GDLAR SCENE AT THE ZOOLO-
GICAL GARDENS.

In London on Saturday a small party of sped sl'ye
invited persons, composed almost exclusively of repree
eentstivee of the press, were privileged to witneks 4
'o-ealled Burmese religious service in the Lectnee
Room at the Zoological Society's Gardees. Mr.
Pninerse Barnum's representatives, with a view doubt.
le-s to etimulating curiosity in their white elephant,
had resolved to entertain the public in the elephant-
house with a repreientation of Burmese rites in which
the new arrival was to take a leading part. The car-
rying out of this intention, however, was frustrated by
the action of the society's officials, as constituting an
eutraee upon the religion of King Theebaw's subjects,
and :thus, as frequently happens in this country in
matters small as well as great, a oompro-
i, ise was effected. " Toung" was left in
pence in his den to eat the buns offered to him
by the visitors, while two individuals described as
"priests," who have accompanied him on his journey
from the United States, mast obligingly exhibited
themselves at their devotions. These appeared to be
addressed to two wooden idols, depicted in a squatting
attitude, like a couple of black tailors. On them were
carved tawdry gilt sashes, set with a profusion of sham
jec.els, and their heads were crowned wish a gilt
bonnet surmounted by a small bump, as though the
hair underneath were twisted into a knot at the back
of the crown. As for the worshippers, there was a
curious want of dignity of the priestly office both in
their appearance and manners. They are apparently
mere youths, of sallow complexion and a decidedly
Mongolian type of countenance. The'r dress consisted
of a pale yellow skirt and turban of the same colour,
with a loose flowing mantle of a dark orange colour.
On rneking their appearance however, they had on
long overcoats and lace-up boots evidently of Western
manufacture, and thus attired there was nothing
to distinguish them to all outward appearance,
with their turbans and their trcuserlegs, from the per-
formers in a travelling circus or menagerie. Both
seemed eminently docile, and took instructions for the
conduct of their sacred rites from Mr. Bernurn's repre-
sentative. That gentleman, after they had retired
for awhile into an adjoining apartment to divest them-
selves of their coats and change their boots for
embroidered slippers, brought them forward, and they
stood up patiently before the assembled guests as he
explained that they could not speak a word of English,
although they had been in the United States or
England since last July, and that they would not
come into the room with their shoes on until the idols
had been put out of sight. The idols, which had been
put under a counter, were then produced, and the
priests, having removed their slippeee, assumed a
devotional attitude by rquatting down in imitation
of the images which they appeared to be wor-
shipping. For a brief space of time they remained
thus, neither uttering a word, and neither betraying
the slightest sign of religious fervour. After a brief
space of time spent in this way they rose, and the
ceremony, it appeared, was over. Mr. Barnum's
representative then invited any gentleman who chose
to do BO to "come up" and inspect them closely, or,
as be intimated, the priests would, if preferred, Dam
round among the audience. Besides the idols there
were two gilt umbrellas on long bamboo canes, alleged
to be of the kind which none but priests are allowed
to carry in Burmsh. In England, it seems, matters
are different, for these sacred emblems were handled
without any seeming reverence by the visitors, and it
did not appear that the susceptibilities of the two
priests present were in any way hurt. The names of
the two priests are given as Bahchone and Hpochoe,
eech being dignified with the prefix of Monng or
Mister. They proceeded afterwards to the elephant
house, where they are quartered for the present, a bed-
room having been fitted up there for their use, pending
their departure to fulfil an engagement with the white
elephant in the provinces.