Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-06

from the mountain ranges; and
four or five there were whose bright red
cotton tunics and baggv blue trousers
showed that they were fugitives from the
army of King Theebaw, whose reign had
now drawn 10 close.
Lonsdale knew enough of the Poong
| yees to be aware that with their strict
ideas-sor in their outward life and the
observance Of rules those Of Burmsh are
more rigid than their brethren in Siam
| such companions would not be
! the choice Of the old man in the palsn-
quin; but none was left him just then by
the force of circumstances, and they were
| in duty bound-after his accident from
the random shot-conveying him to his
monastery, where they arrived about
nightfall three days after, and departed,
leaving Lon dale's head on his shoulders,
but with evident reluctance.
However, he had not seen the last of
them.
There he remained for some weeks,
unable to effect an escape with the least
hope OF safety or success in making his
way through poddy fields, water cuts,
forests and wild jungles infested by saw
age animals and equally savage Dacoits.
Without weapons, q guide, and knowl-
edge Of the language, it seemed impossi-
BILE to reach the Irewaddy, where alone
his desire might be accomplished
He was ignorant now Of all that was
passing in Burmah, ignorant of the OPP
erations of our troops, as to whether they
were still in the land OF the White Ele-
plant CT had returned to India,
and of snythinr subse quent tc
tie surrender OF King TheebaW to
General Prendergtst, and that Bbamo had
fallen to the latter-Bhamo, the great
town of Psgu, where the yearly caravan
from China arrives laden with treasure,
vermillion, velvets, umbrellas and
phessaats; ignorant also of Lord Duffer-
in's important proclamation. to the effect
that ''by command OF the Empress
Queen, it is hereby rotlfed that the ter
ritories formerly governed by King Thee
baW will no longer be under his rule, but
have become part Of Her Ms astV's do
minions, and will, during Her Msiesty's
pleasure, be administered by such officers
as the Viceroy and Governor General of
India from time to time may appoint,"
I. e, that Burmah was annexed by Great
Britain, with it's 150, 900 square miles and
4,00O,0 600 OF souls.
He YVES suffering meanwhile from his
slowly healing wound, and saw with no
small anxiety that his patron and protec-
ter, the aged Pooneyee, was evidently
sinking under the effect Of his lacerated
limb, which medical skill Of g Burmese
kind could not cure.
The monastery WAS rather unteDanted
Just then. MsDy Poongyees had fed to
the hills of Pegu in terror Of the British
invaders, and some who had been found
unworthy to be professed members of the
service Of Buddha, had been stripped of
their yellow garh, degraded ard expelled,
to resume secular course OF life.
Built near pyrsmidsl temple dedicated
to Bud6hs, this monastery occupied the
slope OF hill above minor
tributary OF the Irswsddy, and
though sick Of his inactivity and
apparently hopeless detention there,
( Lonsdele could not, as yet, complain OF
being either ill-lodged or ill-fed; tor it
was not then the three months Of the
Buddh st Lent, and offerings Of fruits,
rice, ghee, flowers and so forth-apart
from many other good tntngs-came
freely in from tn devout, but nothing Of
the nature OF flesh, as the strict religion
OF Buddha forbids the sacrifice OF animal
life for food, SO fer as ecclesiastics
especially 2re concerned.
The most humble OF all Gods creatures
was the poor Poongyee, who, in his spirit
OF gratitude, protected Montague Ions
dale, whom be, no doubt, would have
sent TO the British headquarters had he
possessed the means Of doing so with
any hope OF safety. He setn store upon
the life he was evidently SO soon to leave
himself.
In fhn Etyac ~ fra pF Yr IN l.
ties, Lonsdale saw much that had been,
of course, hitherto quite unknown to
him
No priest ever kindles fire, lest by so
doing he may deprive some animal OF
life; hence he takes the simple food, be-
slowed in charity. just IS he receives il
from the giver. He is bound to procure
that food by "the labor Of his feet;" thus
in the early morning, Londsale saw them,
as soon as they could distinguish on
their hands," setting forth from the
monastery, each with his sabeit or wick
erwork basket, with which, but in deep
est silence, he paused at each door to re-
ceive such cooked food as the devout
chose to accord; and-like that Of the
Scars de Cha tie in Europe-the food
thus obtained was shared with the poor
and necessitious. La every convent is o
cara or reader, VINO is treated with re-
spect and awe. "They are held" says
recent writer, "in the highest
respect by all ranks OF the people, from
the sovereign to the beggar in the street
Their dress, their mode of life, their re-
nunciation of the word ana its pleasures
draw ON them the admiration Of the laitY
When they appear in public places they
are the objects of the greatest Difference,
and all people, whatever may be their
social position, give way before them.
Throughout British and Upper
3urmah the respect paid to the order is
every where apparent, In the literally
with which their wants are supplied, the
size and beauty of the dwellings built for
them by laymen, the respectful language
in which they are addressed, the submis-
sive attitude OF those who appear before
them, or in the pomp displayed On the
occasion OF the solemn cremation OF their
mortal remains after death"
So in the care of these people Lonsdsle
! was safe, apparently, till Dacoits became
rampant over all the land between Ran
COON and Bhamo. Yet bis impotence OF
the life he led grew stronger every day
now that his wound was completely
healed.
His thoughts forever rose on his broth
er officers, on the regiment snd what il
might be doing, on the deaths OF poor
D,gby Montressor and other good fellows,
on the unfortunate Claire, now really 8
widow in q distant land. More than all
did his thoughts, Of course, run on Me-
, LAME md how she might be situated
Had abe heard of his ceDture-it nigh,