Connecticut western news., 1888-03-14
TATTOOING.
How the Men of Burmah Are
 Adorned with Figures.
Covering Portions of the Body
 with Pictures in Ink.

Of all Burmese customs, one of the most singular is that of tattooing the person, from the waist to below tho knees, with figures in black ink. Every man iu the country is thus adorned, and unless his skin be unusually dark, he looks at little distance as though he were clothed in tight-fttiug pair of knee brooches, The cust om is said to be falling into disuse, but have seen very few Burmans without this 'smark of manhood," which is conferred upon him when he is about 12 to IA years old. The operation is painful one, and l was glad of the opportunity that now offered to sec it, though aware that it takes at least two or three days to om- plete. .....
 Pho Myin. 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, grianiug to me.
 I am not surprised at it. If the Htokwinsayahgyee ee was going to exer- else his art upon me for four or five hours, I should follow the Burman's s plan and take opium by way of an au@s- tketic.
 The tattooing will show we'll upon the plump fair-skinned lad before us, and the professor evidently thinks he is Q subject to take pains with, as he sits carefully mixing his ink in a joint of bamboo, and preparing his weapon. This is brass rod n 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 "business end" critically, and, having satisfied himself that it is sharp enough, tucks up his putsoe and squats at Pho Myin's side. Selecting spot on the thigh, he places both feet on it few inches apart, aud stretching ths skin tight, draws tho outline of the first fgure-a tiger rampant-with an inky splinter of bamboo; this is soon done, and relieving himself of large mouth full of betelnut, the professor settles down to work in earnest. Leaning for ward through hls widely parted knees, he balances the brass style daintily, and, 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 bricks away steadily with a light, firm touch that is wonderfully quick and true. In less than five min utes the tiger, with it's surrounding border, is finished, and the artist re- moves his feet from the distended skin, and washes off the superfuous ink to sec how his work has como out. Every body presses forward to look at the picture, which shows up in bold relief on the rapidly formed swelling. Moung Saik exchanges a remark with his wife, and the tattooer resumes his work ing position to draw the outline of the next figure.
 The boy, stupcfed with opium, lies insensible 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 did not know it would return to its normal size in a day or two. Fever sometimes supervenes, and in that case the patient waits for a time before the work of illustration is resumed, so it often extends over 6 period of week or ten days, during which the inconvenience suffered is con. siderable. Without the aid of opium the process would be much longer. found that I could not endure the ap- plication of the style for more than thirty consecutive seconds without 1inching 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 fee paid to a tattooer for endowing Q lad with brooches. The figures that compose them vary little, consisting as rule of tigers, "nagas' (dragons), and 'beloes'' (devils). Each one is surrounded with border of sentences, generally illegi- ble, invoking good luck upon the owner of the skin whercon they arc inscribed. The waist and knees are neatly finished off with tasteful edging of point or scroll pattern; these sensitive parts ol the body are the last to bo done, and tattooers have told me that the pain caused frequently arouses the patient from his torpor. T lCornhiil Magazine.
 Piute Epicures.