, 1888-03-15
IN RuRMAH.


How 1t Is Performed-Opium rs an An
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
Of all Burmese customs, one of the
most singular is that of t~attooing the
person, from the waist to below the
knees, with figures in black ink. Every
man in the country is thus adorned, and
Unless his skin be unusually dark, he
Looks at a little distance as though he
we're clothed in n tight fitting pair of
lnec breechcs. The custom is said to be
Itling into disuse, but l have seen very
few Burmans without this mark of
='anhood, which is conferred upon him
when he is about IL to IA years old. The
operation is n painful one, and / was glad
&C the opportunity that now Offered to
re it, though aware that it takes at least
40 or three days to complete.
Tho Myin, the subject, is lying on n
Rat quite nude, with n dazed look in his
J Al! closed eyes,, and breathing heavily.
7 ouag Daw mods at him meaningly.
He has taken much opium" he says,
rinning to me.
l am not surprised at it. If the Htok-
y insayahgyCe was going to exercise his
I upon me for -four or five hours, l
&. ould follow the Burman's plan and
Ike opium by way of an anmsthetic.
Thu t~attooing will show well upon the
hump, fair skinned lad before us, and
c professor evidently thinks he is n
S object TO take pains with, as he sits
.'rcfully mixing his ink in a joint of
F.! lmboo and preparing his weapon. This
l. 4 brass rod nearly two feet long and
t5out half an inch thick it is weighted
{. the top with n little ornamental figure,
I'D at the other end has n hollow point
,vided by two cross Sits into four fine
ticks. The professor examines the
business end critically, and, having
s,tisfied himself that it is sharp enough,
{ ,cks up his rrtsoe and squats at Pho
,.yin's side. Selecting q spot on the
/ Ugh, he places both feet ON it a few
i chc5 apart, and stretching the skin
I ;ht, draws the outline of the first
(. ,urc-a tiger rampant-with an inky
Inter Of bamboo; this is soon
,onc, and relieving himself of n large
youthful Of betelnut, the professor set
les down to work in earnest. Leaning
onward through his widely parted knees,
: balances the brass style daintilv, and,
GLssping it with the finger and thumb of
Eco right hand, makes n bridge" Of the
I G., which he rests on the surface be-
( con his feet. After sliding the instru-
. cut through his fingers once or twice,
{. il to take aim. he makes n start and
0 ,ca,5 away steadily with n light firm
lch that is wonderfully quick and true.
"a less than five minutes the tiger, with
o surrounding border, is finished, and
c artist removes his feet from the dis
{ Eded skin, and washes Off the superflu-
IS inlVto gee how his work has come
ut. Everybody presses forward TO look
The picture, which shows up in bold
: lief Oh the rapidly formed swelling.
1ung SaiiS exchanges n. remark with
l ; wife. and the t~attooer resumes his
- orAing position to draw the outline of
1 &c next figure,
The boy, stupeiiel with opium, lies in
3 'nsiblc to the pain, while one figure after
loiher gradu' NY appears on his skin.
! cp ns the points OF the style sink. they
& dw l!ttlc blood. but The limb swells in
. manner that would alarm any one who
IL not know it would return to its nor
N size il a day or two. Fever some
I .nCg intCrvcnes, and in that case the pu-
4! mi waits for n timc before the work of
lStration is resumed, so it often cx-
{ lds over . period CT a week or ten days.
1" IrinG which the Inconvenience suffered
considerable. Without the aid of
nrium the process would lie n much
! niger one. l found that l could not en-
e. ire the application of the style for more
! an thirty consecutive seconds without
I 'nChing SO much as TO interfere with the
: 1%crator's movements; for the skin is
! licked over so closely that it becomes
/ 70 tender to sustain their repetition.
Eight rupees is the usual fee paid to n
t~ttooer for endowing a lad with brooches.
The figures that compose them vary
| tie. consisting as a rule of tigers,
nagas' tdragons) and "beloes" devils.
Zach one Is surrounded with n border of
sentences. generally illegiblc, invoking
rpod luck upon the owner of the skin
nhercon they are inscribed. Tho waist
sad knees are neatly finished off with n
tasteful edging Of point or scroll pattern
!aese sensitive parts of the body are tho
List TO he done, and %tattoocrs have toll
nc that the pain caused frequently
Il the patient from his torpor.-
tornhill Magazine.
Bismarck's Personal Habits.