Mexico weekly ledger., 1888-06-07
sides at the base Of the pagoda are
places of worship filed with .
variety Of images and containing

variety Of images and containing
altars upon which gifts are left.
Extending around the edifice be-
tween the affairs are rows Of large
stone images of griffins, elephants
and men, altogether making quite
an impressive appearance. There
are sorne very large bells here, one
of which is kept ringing in slow,
measured tones the whole day.
Buddhist priests are numerous and
they make frequent visits to the
altars, where on their knees they
salaam to the images and chant
their prayers I noticed rather
amusing incident one day at one Of
these affairs. In Burmah there
are swarms Of small crows that
are very tame and have much
intelligence. In this instance
while the priest was making his
salaam and lnurmuring words of
the exalted Buddha, a crow flew
down beside him and cawed vo-
icferously. Whenever the priest
bowed his head the crow did like
wise, and apparently tried to inn
itate his voice also. The priest
took no notice of the bird, and it
stayed there cawing and salaaming
until he arose, then it few away.
A constant stream of worshippers
ascend the steps, religiously taking
off their sandals at the bottom,
and natives old and young may be
seen at all time kneeling before the
altars. The pungas, or priests,
here, are study for the phil
osopher Numbers of them lie
along the steps leading to the
pagodas, each holding small cop
per plate, and though not demon
strative in soliciting backsheesh
like Musselmen, they, when not
asleep, look expectantly for someth-
ing from the passers-by. They wear
only coarse yellow toga, have
their heads closely shaven and
their daily routine is to beg, pray
and sleep. They are supposed to
be celebrates, and the appearance
of most of the. older ones would
seem to indicate that they had
succeeded in extinguishing the
sexual faculty, but the younger
members of the fraternity manifest
as much gallantry as other men,
flirting with the maidens and be-
having as oudinary mortals gener-
ally. The shaven heads of the
older priests invariably show great
depressions In the skull and
meagreness of brain, which would
appear to confirm the phrenologi-
cal theory, that by disuse of mental
faculties, the strength and bulk of
certain portions of the brain
diminish. These priests live in
a row efpagoda shaped houses in a
jungle to the east of the temple and
are said to subsist upon one meal
of rice day, taking nothing in the
afternoon. Looking down to the
southeast from the pagoda the
Royal Lakes are seen, which tradi-
tion says owe their origin to the
excavation of soil for building the
great mound. On the western side
the view rests upon broad plain
interspersed with occasional groves
of mango and banyan trees and
cocoanut palms. There are some
excellent drives around the pagoda
and lakes and in the cool of even
ing the larger portion OF the foreign
population will be found in their
carriages out that way. In the
river and along the wharves are
many scenes that will interest q
foreigner, notably coolies handling
cargs, sanpans and queer native
craft. The river coolies here are
all black Madrasse Killings, the
Burmese, and even the Chinese,
who are well represented here, al
a rule performing no heavy labor
These Killings, though jet black ane
low in social standing, are not ar
unhandsome race, having regular
genial features and straight hair.
While at their work, they sing
away in loud, melodious tones, the
echoes of which once heard are
never forgotten. The men are
darker somewhat than the Chinese,
a little taller but not possessed Of
as much bodily strength. The
women when young are often quite
pretty, being perfect models in
form and possessed of delicate and
intelligent features. They are,
however, so small that when full
grown, they will not compare in
size with Caucasian girls twelve
years of age. Their dress is SIM
pie and pleasingto the eye, always
fitting neatly and with no super
fetal additions TO the form divine.
w. K. ROBERTS.
Babyland for June is here, bright
as ever. This little magazine is
better than candy for keeping your
baby in good humor. Why don't
you try it once A years sub