The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-02-09
The white Elephant.

The white elephant, well named the
Apis OF the Buddhists, has long been
an appendage to Burman state. Mr..
Ralph Fitch, who travelled through
Burma about the year 1882, speaking Of
the king who reigned at that time, says,
in his quaint black-letter folio, that
"among the rest he hath foure white
elephants, which are very strange and
rare, for there is none other king that
hath them but he. II any other king
hath one, hee will send ynto him for II.
When any Of these white elephants Is
brought ynto the king, allthe merchants
in the city are commanded 10 see them,
and 10 glue him present Of halle
ducat, which doth come TO q great
summe, for that there are many mer-
chants in the city. After that you have
giuen your present, you may come and
sec them at your pleasure, although
they stand in the kings house. The
king, in his title, is called the king Of
the white elephants. II any other king
haue one and will not send 1t him, he
will make ware with him for It, for he
had rather lose great part OF his king
dome than not 10 conquere him. They
do very great seruice vnto these white
elephants. Emery one OF them standeth
in q house gilded with golde, and they
doe feede in vessels Of siluer and gilt.
One OF them, when he doth go to tho
riuer to be washed, as euery day they
do, goeth under q canopy Of clothe Of
Rolde or OF silke, carried ouer him by
sixe or eight men, and eight or ten men
goe before him playing on drummes,
Bhawmes (clarionetsl, or other instru:
ments; and when he is washed, and
cometh out OF the riuer, there Is gen.
tleman which doth wash his feet in a
siluer basin, which in his office giuen
him by the king. There is no account
made of any blacke elephant, be he
neuer SO great. And surely there be
wonderful iaire and great, and some be
nine cubites in height" Again, in
Father Sangermano's Description Of the
Burmese Empire, some two hundred
years later, we have interesting accounts
Of the capture, transportation to the
capital, and more than royal treatment
OF the white elephant how, when
caught in the forests Of Pegu, 1t was
bound with scarlet cords, and waited
upon by the highest mandarins Of the
empire how. the place where 1t was
taken being infested with mosquitoes, a
silken net was made TO protect II from
them; how II was transported to Amara.
poora in a boat having pavilion draped
with gold.embroidered silk, and COW
cred with roof similar TO those cover.
ing the royal palaces how, on It's ar
rival in the city, q grand festival, con.
tinuing for three days, was celebrated
in its honor; and how the most costly
presents were brought to 1t by the man.
darins, one offering vase Of gold
weighing 4S0 ounces. This animal was
honored no less at It's demise than dur:
ing life. Being o female, It's funeral
was conducted with the same forms and
rites as those practiced at the death OF
a queen. The body was burned upon o
pile OF sassafras, sandal, and other aro-
matte woods, the pyre being fired with
the aid OF four immense gilt bellows
placed at It's corners. Three days after
ward It's ashes were Rntnereu py tue
chief mandarins, enshrined in gilt urns,
and buried in the royal cemetery. A
superb mausoleum, Of a pyramidal
shape, built OF brick, richly painted
and gilt, was subsequently raised over
Tho tomb. II this elephant had been o
male, II would have been Inferred with
the same ceremony as that used for the
sovereign. And even at this day the
+" celestial white elephants are still the
objects Of great yeneration, royal favor,
and attention. Aside from their divine
character Of Cbeing) tranSmigrating
Buddhas, their possession, according to
Burmese superstition, is considered to
bring prosperity TO the country in peace
and good fortune in war, and therefore
their death Is regarded as nothing less
than natural calamity. At such times
the entire nation shave their heads, and
perform such deeds Of sorrow and
mourning as are customary on the loss
Of the nearest and dearest Of their rela-
tiyes.