The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-03-08
TATTOOING.
How the Men Of Burmah Are
Adorned with Figures.
Covering Portions of the Body
with Pictures In Ink.

WIN PICTURES IN INK
OF all Burmese customs, one Of the
most singular is that of tattooing the
person, from the waist to below the
knees, with figures in black ink, Every
man in tho country is thus adorned,
and unless his skin be unusually dark,
he looks at little distance as though he
were clothed in tight-ftting pair of
knee-breeches. The custom is said to be
falling into disuse, but have seen very
few Burmans without this ''mark of
manhood" which is conferred upon him
when he is about 10 to IA years old.
The operation is painful one, and I
was glad Of tho opportunity that now
offered to see it, though aware that it
takes at least two or three days to COM
plete.
Pho Myiu. the subject, is lying on a
mat quite nude, with dazed look in
his half-closed eyes, and breathing
heavily. Moung Daw mods at him
meaningly.
"He has taken much opium" he says,
grinning to me.
am not surprised at it. II the
Htokwinsayahgy ee was going to exer-
else his art upon me for four or five
hours, l should follow the Burman's
plan and take opium by way of an anes-
tketic.
The tattooing will show we'll upon the
plump, falr-skinned lad before us, and
the professor evidently thinks he i, a
subject to take pains with, as he sits
carefully mixing his ink in joint of
bamboo, and preparing his weapon.
This is brass rod nearly two feet long
and about half an inch thick; it is
weighted at the top with little orna-
mental figure, and at the other end has
a hollow point divided by two cross
Sits. The professor examines the
Cuisines cnd' critically, and, having
satisfied himself that it is sharp enough,
tucks up his putsoe and squats at Pho
Myin's side. Selecting spot on tho
thigh, ho places both feet on it few
inches apart, and stretching the skin
tight, draws the outline of the first
fgure-a ii ;er rampant-with an iuky
splinter of bamboo; this is soon done,
aud relieving himself of large mouth
| full ef beselnut, the professor settles
down to work in earnest. Leaning for
ward through his widely parted knees,
he balances the brass style daintily, aud,
clasping it with the finger and thumb of
the right hand, makes "bridge" OF
the left, which he rests on the surface
between his feet. After sliding the in
strument through his fingers once or
twice, as if to take aim, he makes a
start and pricks away steadily with a
| light, firm touch that is wonderfully
quick and true. In less than five min
utes the tiger, with its surrounding
border, is finished, and the artist re-
moves his feet from the distended skin,
and washes off the supcrfuous ink to see
how his work has come out Every
body presses forward to look at tho
picture, which shows up iu bold relief
on the rapidly formed swelling. Moung
Saik exchanges remark with his
wife, and the tattoocr resumes his work
ing position to draw the outline Of the
next figure.
The boy, stupcficd with opium, lies
inscusiblc to the pain, while one figure
after another gradually appears on his
skin. Deep as the points Of the style
sink, they draw little blood, but the
limb swells in manner that would
alarm any one who dld not know it
would return to its normal size in day
or two. Fever sometimes supervcnes,
and in that case the patient waits for n
time before the work of illustration is
resumed, so it often extends over 9
period of q week or ten days, during
which the inconvenience suffered is con.
siderable. Without the aid of opium
the process would bo much longer.
found that l could not endure the ap.
plication of the style for more than
thirty consecutive seconds without
f1inchins so much as to interfere with
the operators movements; for the skin
is pricked over so closely that it be-
comes too tender to sustain their repc-
tition.
Eight rupees is the usual fec paid to .
tattooer for endowing a lad with
breechcs The figures that compose
them vary little, consisting as rule Of
tigers, "nagas' (lragons), and "belocs'
devils. Each oac is surrounded with
border of sentences, generally illegi-
bic, invoking good luck upon the owner
of the skin whercon they are inscribed.
The waist and knees are neatly finished
off with tasteful edging of point Of
scroll pattern; these sensitive parts o.
the body arc the last to be done, and
tattooers have told me that the pair
caused frequently arouscs the patient
from his torpor. =. Cornhill Magazine.