The Leavenworth weekly times., 1879-05-22

virtues according to the lunar periods dur
ing which they are gathered. The
| universal principle with regard to
| the diet of persons suffering from
| fever or other scute diseases
is that they should eat more than usual, in
| order that the constitution msy have
strength to Withstand the complaint. Fun
| erals are celebrated with great ceremony (;
the corpse being washed, coin put in the
mouth, snd then wrapped in clean linen
and laid in state in front room OF the
house for three days, at the expiration OF
which time it is placed in a wooden cotio,
carried in procession 10 the cemetery, and
there cremated. A band Of music as well
as gifts for the priests and the poor pre-
cede the coffin, which is borne by the
friends Of the deceased, while Immediately
behind it walk the nearest relatives, clad in
white. A sort of service, consisting OF the
Buddhist five commandments, creed and
" ten good works" ia recited by the priests
before the corpse is placed on the funeral
pyre; the chief mourner pours water on
the ground, and then all retire TO a dis
tance, leaving the departed in the hands OF
those whose Office it is to burn the dead
The aims are distributed to the priests; all
present partake OF pawn, be,el and picked
tea, and then retire to tueir respective
homes. When three days have elapsed, the
relatives return to the cemetery, collect the
ashes in an urn and bury il in the earth.
The Burmese as a nation are remarka-
bly, good at sports. Europe has imported
from them the now fashionable game of
polo. They box and wrestle, play species
of football with a wicker ball, and train
for their annual boat races on the Ira
waddy as zealously as any Varsity eishts
among ourselves. In rowing they usually
keep time with the oars, or rather paddles,
with which they attain high degree OF
speed They are exceedingly fond Of both |
vocal and instrumental music, and the |
drama is national Institution. The |
theatres are only bamboo structures,
with grass and draped with gayly |
eolored cloths. The stage is in the centre,
green boughs do duty for sylvan scenes, the
footlIghts are esrthen bowls of petroleum
On plantain stems, cane platforms
supply the place of boxes, and the mass of
the spectators sit in an orderly circle on
the ground.
The great festival of the year is at its
and lasts for four days.
The people go TO the psgodas at daybreak,
sprinkle them with water, offer up prayers
Tor fruitful season, and present ars OF
Pater to the priests, begging absolutIon for
all sins of word, thought or deed committed
during the past year. This done, they give
themselves up to merry m aking. decor ating
the houses and streets, and throwing scent
ed water and flowers about, much as Ro-
man jewellers pelt each otEer with confetti
during the Carnival. The Buddhist faith
Inculcates the instruction OF youth az a
neritorious action, and this hes given rise
10 the establishment OF lay and monastic
schools in such numbers that the people
have every opportunity of receiving the
-udiments of education, and consequently
4 Burmsn is rarely met with who cannot
II least read, write and cipher.
Every one has heard of the white ele-
Dhant to which royal and divine honors
ire paid in Burmah. This extraordinary
animal, which is much more brown than
white, lives within the palace enclosure, i.
erved from golden vessels, has lands set
.part for its maintenance and ranks next
o the heir apparent and before all great
Ministers OF state. In case OF illness 1t is
lttepded by the kings physician, prayers
ire offered for its recovery by the priests,
md when il dies its funeral is conducted
With royal hoDors.
M,ndalsy, the present capital, is city
ess than twenty years Old, and was founded
" the late king. 1t is about mile square,
nd enclosed by brick wall-twenry six
eet high, pierced with twelve gates. The
oyal palace is in the centre, and within Its
nclosure are the mint, treasury, powder
nagsziue, arsenal and council halls, as well
8 the private apartments and pleasure
rounds. 1t is defended by stockade OF
eak timber and two brick walls, and has
hree gates, one of which is on the eastern
ide and is grsced by lofty tower contain
lg a wa.er-clock, which gives the time to
ne city. One more peculiarity of the Bur-
lese and We have done-they have an e1-
passion for large bells with
sonorous sound, and towards |
le close of the last century cast the largest
ell but one in the world, weighing no less
IAN ninety tons.