The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-05-03
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 the
knees, with figures in black ink, Every
man in the country is thus adorned,
and unless his skin he unusually dark,
he looks at a little distance as though he
were clothed in a tight-ftting pair of
knee breeches The Gust ON Is said to be
falling into disuse, but l have seen very
few Burmans without this 'mark Of
manhood" >" which is conferred upon him
when he is about - to Il years old.
The operation is a painful one, and l
was glad of the opportunity that now
offered to see it, though aware that #
takes at least two or three days to com
plete.
Pho Myin. the subject, is lying on
mat quite nude, with a 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.
1 am not surprised at it. If the
| Htokwinsayahgyc was going to cXer-
else his art upon me for four or five
hours, I should follow the Burman's
plan and take opium by way Of an an@s-
tketic.
The tattooing will show we'll upon the
plump, falr-skinned lad before US, and
the professor evidently thinks he IS
subject to take pains with, as he sits
carefully mixing his ink in a joint of
bamboo, and preparing his weapon.
This is a brass rod early 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
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 a spot on the
thigh, he places both feet on it few
inches apart and stretching the skin
tight, draws the outline of the first
figure-a tiger rampant-with an inky
splinter of bamboo; this is soon done,
and relieving himself of a large mouth
full of betelnut, the professor settles
down to work in earnest. Leaning for
ward through his widely parted knees,
he balances the brass style daintiiy, and,
, cIasping it with the finger and thumb of
; the rioht hand, makes n "bridge" OF
the left, which he rests on the surface
, between his feet. After sliding the IN
o strument through his fingers once OF
, twice, as if to take aim, he makes ;
Q start and pricks away steadily with
y lioht, firm touch that is wonderfully
. quick and true. In less than five min
n utes the tiger, with its surrounding
! border is finished, and the artist re
f moves his feet from the distcndcd skin,
! and washes of the superfuous ink to SEE
! how his work has come out. Ever,
D body presses forward to look at the
8 picture which shows up in bold relic
v on the rapidly formed swelling. Moun2
j. Saik exchanges a remark with hi
n wife, and the tattooer resumes his work
W inc position to draw the outline of tn
g next figure.
The boy, stupefied with opium, lie
insensible to the pain, while one ti8ur
after another gradually appears on hi
le skin. Deep as the points of the styl
L sink, they draw little blood, but tn
es limb swells in a manner that woul
y alarm any one who did not know
le would return to its normal size in da
is or two Fever sometimes supcrvenes
id and in that case the patient waits for
he time before the work of illustration
in resumed, so it often extends over
~ period of week or ten days, durin
Y, which the inconvenience suffered is COZ
ID siderable. Without the aid Of opiuI
lg the process would be much longer.
of found that 1 could not endure the al
m plication of the style for more tina
E" thirty consecutive seconds withol
y finching so much as to interfere wit
at the operator movements; for the SKI
It. is prickod over so closely that it b
y comes too tender to sustain their rep
tition.
Eight rupees is the usual fee pail to
tattooer for qndcwing a lad vii
og brcechcs. The figures that compo
c. them vary little, consisting as a rule
Il tigers, "nagas' (dragons), and "beloe
IN (dcvns). Each one is surrounded Wi
m a border of sentences, generally illeg
ais BILE, invoking good luck upon the own
ty of the skin whereon they are inscribc
as The waist and knees are neatly fnish'
'er off with tasteful edging of point
ng scroll pattern; these sensitive parts
I'D the body are the last to be done, al
EN- tattooers have told me that the pa
of caused frequently arOuses the patie
- from his torpor.-LCornhiIl Magazine.