New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-30
Communicated
DAGON PAGODA.
A Tale Of Burnlah.

~~~--s~-s
One Of the first objects to strike the eye
in ascending the Rangoon river is tho
Dagon Pagoda. Rising in simple but ma
jestic grandeur to height of nearly 300
feet, it's gilded dome shining in the sun like
FURNISHED gold, the golden crown at its
summit sparkling with thousand vari-
colored jewels, it forms altogether bit of
barbaric brightness and splendor not to be
surpassed in all the lands Of "Oman or of
Ind" In the latter part Of the year 1869
visited Rangoon in command Of the United
States clipper Calypso, and during my stay
there the following thrilling tale was re-
lated to me by one who had been an eye
witness of the fearful events herein do
scribed. will tell the story in the words
of the narrator as nearly as l can recollect:
During the erection of the great pagoda
Rangoon was in a continual ferment of ex-
element. The streets were filed with men
and women, whose gaunt, baggard faces,
disheveled hair, and eyes cleaning with
the fierce light of religious fanaticism, pro-
claimed them to be pilgrims from the fur
Their confines of Burmah, all of whom had
made long and wearisome pilgrimages for
the purpose of being present at the conse'
Grafton of the great pagoda.
In the immediate vicinity of the pagoda
q most curious and interesting scene was
presented to the observer. As each stone
was laid in its place, sacrifices were made
of birds and animals, and throngs of eager
deVotees pressed forward to cast their
ieweled offerings into the mortar; others
replacing them as fast as they fell back;
while, ever and anon, the sonorous tones of
the priests were heard, proclaiming that
the holy temple was rising higher and
higher. 1t is one of the popular supersti-
tions of the Burmese faith, that all jewels
cast into the mortar and built in the walls
Of pagoda will be returned to the giver
after death. much beautided and enriched.
In consequence of jhis superstition, when
ever q psgoda is to be built, its proposed
site is made known throughout the king
dom, 60 that all who desire to do SO may
have an opportunity to clay up their treas
ures." Every day the excitement grew
more intense, and at last, when the grand
high priests arrived, bringing with them
the peacock which was to be sacrifce0 on
the very summit of the dome, the excite
ment knew no bounds.
At last, the pagoda being finished, the
great cupola, the tomb of so many beautiful
Jewels, had been covered with copper; this
had, in its turn, been gilded, and nothing
remained to be done but to place in position
the jeweled crown, the gift of the King, and
make the last grand sacrifice at midnight.
The night appointed for the final sacrifice
was one of those serenely beautiful ones
never seen out of the tropics. The heavens
were studied with myriads of bright con-
stellations, unknown to the dweller in the
northern hemisphere. All nature seemed
at rest, and no sound broke the stiffness of
the night save the trilling of the nightin-
gales in the adj AGENT oranges groves. AT
about ten o'clock the moon rose in all her
tropical splendor, disclosing scene of weird
and almost supernatural beauty; far in the
distant background, as far as the eye could
reach, was assembled a countless multitude
of white-robed worshipers, clad in the lose
and flowing garments of the East, while
around the base of the psgoda were gather
ed throng of priests, whose richly jeweled
attire bore q striking contrast to the simple
dress of the macs of pilgrims gathered
there to do homage Leading up to the dome
of the pagoda was light ladder, or stairway,
constructed out of the plant branches of
the banyan tree, and lighted by small trans
parencies not unlike Chinese lanterns,
strung along at intervals of every few feet.
Up this gossamer structure-whichl looked
like the web of spider, so frail and inse-
cure did it seem when contrasted with the
magnificent solidity of the pagoda itself
the two high priests were to climb to make
the final sacrifice. Directly in front Of the
foot of this ladder was erected temporary
throne, where, reclining on rich carpets OF
native workmanship, under a canopy form
ed of the gorgeous feathers of the peacock
1.-THE Burmese emblem Of royalty, was the
reigning King Of Burmah.
As midnight approached the silence grew
most oppressive, and all the spectators,
both native and foreign, seemed impressed
with the deep, religious solemnity Of the
scene. just before midnight, to the low
instruments, the two high priests, accom-
panied by q neophyte bearing peacock
bound on golden salver, began their per-
ilous journey toward the clouds. The as
cent occupied some minutes, ard after
reaching the summit and laying the pea
cock on the altar which had been erected
there, the assistant turned to retrace his
steps. The priests then busted themselves
in preparing fer the sacrifice. The sandal
wood and caesia were piled in readiness for
lighting, the sacrifcial knife was uplifted,
when q wild cry Of horror, bursting stimuli
taneously from ten thousand threats, caused
them to look from their dizzy height
toward the ground, and the sight that met
their eyes was one that might well have
caused them to start from their sockets in
terror. The attendant, in his haste to de-
scend, had overturned one Of the lamps
near the bottom. The flames were mount
ing up the light stairway with lightning
like rapidity, and death by burning, that
most horrible Of all deaths, would be their
inevitable fate. For single instant they
seemed unnerved; then, fully realizing that
no human aid could avail them, they turned
| to their appointed tasks with the stoicism
of martys. With a fearful death looking
them in the face, they went through all the
ceremonies attendant on the sacrifice "a
l ,n,r o.. ;f ~v;+h;n a temnle and as the