Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-05-10
The ewes Of the houses generally

descend to within six or eight feet OF the
ground very few being of more than
one story, or having any other covering
than thatch. Cellars are unknown, and
all the houses are raised two or three feet
above the ground for GOODNESS and ven
tilation. AS the floors are of split bam
boo, all dirt falls through, and what is not
picked up by crows, dogs. fowls, &c, is
occasionally swept out, and burned. For
nearly half the year the city presents
most singular appearance, halt sad, half
silly. BY standing law, on the setting
in Of the dry season, all the thatch must
be removed, except particular kind, not
common, made partly Of split bamboo.
which will not easily burn. Were it not
for the people in the streets, and the cloths
Of various kinds put up in the houses to
keep off the sun, it would seem like
city deserted.
The streets are narrow, and paved with
half burnt bricks, which, as wheel car
riages are not allowed within the city, are
in tolerable repair. There is neither wharf
nor quay. In four or five Places are
wooden stairs, at witch small boats may
land passengers, but even these do not ex-
tend within twenty feet of low-water mark
Vessels lie in the stream and discharge
into boats, from which the pac kages slung
to bamboo are logged on mems shout
ders to the custom-house.
The commerce of the place is still con-
siderable, though greatly crippled by
enormous port-charges, and absolute pro-
hibitions against exporting rice or the
precious metals Specie is exported by
adroit smuggling. Could rice be export
ed freely, a most beneficial trade, both TO
Government and people, might be carried
on, the agriculturalist receive better re-
ward for his toll, and the price of land be
raised throughout the kingdom. PADDY
THAT is rice uncleane1,) is now selling at
five rupees the hundred baskets that is,
about S2,5O for hundred bushels.
The best of cleaned rice is four annas
basket, about IL cents a bushel =
Wheat, as good as l have ever seen, is
selling at thirty rupees per hundred bas-
kets. Such prices would send here half
the vessels in Bengal bay. How strange
that Governments must always be doing
damage, by dabbling into matters which,
if left to themselves, would prosper -
However, the policy IS certainly more
wise than that of Great Britain, which
lets some of her subjects annually starve,
and thousands Of others constantly suffer,
by keeping bread-stuf away.
Other necessaries are equally cheap in
Rangoon. Fowls about two rupees per
dozen, black tea, brought down the IRA =
waddy from China, one rupee per viss
that is, nearly IL cents pound. Almost
every kind of British, manufactures may
be had in the bazaar, at rates not higher
than they cost in Boston. Medicines are
not easily procured, and many kinds are
excessively dear.
During the long wars of Europe, in the
days of Napoleon, many vessels were
built here, chiefly by the English, amount
ing, on an average, from 1890 to 1902
ID three or four thousand tons per annum
At the time of Col. Symes' visit in 1906
there were several ships on the stocks, o.
from 600 to 1000 tons burden. This
branch of business is now almost annihi-
lated.
Two miles from Rangoon is the cele.
brated pagoda, called Shoo-da-gon. 1
stands on a small hill, surrounded BY
many smaller pagodas, some fine zayat'
and kyoungs, and many noble trees
The hill has been graduated into success
sive terraces, sustained by brick walls
and the summit, which is completely
levelled, contains about two acres.
The two principal approaches from tn
city, are lined on each side for a mile
with fine pagodas, some ALMOST vying 70
: size with Shoo-da-gon itself These ar
in every state Of repair; from beautiful
4 white new ones, to mere grassy
{ heaps. In most Of them the aperture
u still remain, through which the Englis
soldiers penetrated, to take the treasure a
r ways deposited in them. Even the gres
}, pagoda did not escape but it is so pei
b fectly repaired, as to show no signs of tn
d indignity.
Passing these on your way from th
i city, you come to flight of time-wor
; steps, covered by a curious arcade of Iittl
], houses of various forms and sizes, one
u bove another, some in partial decay, otl
) ers truly beautiful After crossing som
10 terraces, covered in the same manner, vo
L reach the top and passing a great gat
re enter at once this sad but imposing the
tire Of Gaudama's glory. Ones first ir
s, pressions are. what terrible grandeur
"a what sickcntng magni6cence-what a
9. surd imagery-what extravagant expene
Is ture-what long SUGGESTIONS of devote
- to procure this throng OF buildings ofsuc
80 various dates-what poor religion th
Oh . makes such labors its chief meritoriou
=. a. ness. Before you stands the huge She
"a "a da-gon, its top among the clouds, and
~ golden sides blazing in the glories of
r eastearn sun. Around are pompous "a
y, ats noble ma vements nnthic mansnlenn