The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-07-01
MANY STATUES or aunnAH.

NAtNt y ~ SG~7 NJ SVG]AFt.
rhe Burmese Line Their River hanks
With Images OF the God 1hcy wor-
ship.
The Buddhists OF Burmah for many
ages have been carving inuumcrable
figures Of Buddah on the rocks that line
some Of their important rivers Robert
Boyle, who has just published a little
book entitled "A Sanitary Crusade
Through the East and Australasia" :" has
given description of number OF these
rude carvings, many of which are very
impressive. On the Irriwadt, below the
city Of Trome. ~ n cliff about two miles
long and three hundred feet high, on
the face Of which hundreds Of figures Of
Buddah are cnrvcd. The entire face Of
the rock Is covered with these figures,
arranged In tiers from top TO bottom,
and many Of the figures are not less
than twenty feet high. Most Of thcm
Gre richly gilded. and the whole forms
- very brilliant and curious sight"
Here is one OF Mr.. Boyie's illustra-
lions showing the great recumbent
figure Of Buddha In the province Of
Pegu. Mr. Boyle says this figure meas
In length and Is seventy feet high at
the shoulder. The remarkable monu-
ment is Of brick, and 10 we'll proper.
toned throughout II Is supposed to
havo been In existence for nearly four
hundred years, but, strange 10 say. IL
was for long time hidden from view
By Jungle, and was entirely forgotten
until, In 1881, II was accidentally dis
covered by . railroad contractor. The
theory Of the Buddhists 10 that these
numerous statues keep thoughts Of re-
ligion ever present In the minds Of the
people and incite 70 morality and re-
ligious observanceA
Among the Catsleills In our own coun-
try there IL some sculpturing Of the
rocks on very small scale. Such rocks
are found at Prattsville, and were
carved st the expense Of the ECCENTRIC
tanner and capitalist the Hon. Zadoc
Pratt, who thus commemorated the
heroism Of his son, who fought in the
civil war, and the exploits Of Mr. Pratt
himself as stock raiser, dairy farmer
and tanner. They are unique, attract
some visitors 70 Prattsville. and ore
rather better executed than most Of tho
sculptures that adorn the cliffs along
the rivers Of Burmah
Mr.. Boyle visited the orient not fol
the purpose OF collecting such curious
factA as these. but to study sanitary
science and prepare the way for the in
PRODUCTION Of ventilsting and sanitary
appliances Among the striking facts
he observed are those relating tc
ieprosy. which he believes is spreading
70 an alarming extent all over the
world In Burmsh the evil has a.
sumed very great proportions He sayl
the steps Of the great Shwedagor
psgods at Rsngoon. to which Buddhist,
make pilgrimsges from ell over Indo
China, were. when he visited The
pagoda, lined from top to bottom with
lepeIa The victims were suffering
from the disease In its worst form and
most advanced stagea No provision
had been made for their sustenance anc
they depended upon mendicancy TO
existence. He saw similar horrors q
Mandalay. where tho entrance Of th,
great Araksn pagoda were crowded b,
hundreds OF iepers 30 that the visito
had TO pick his way carefully anon:
them. In the Hawaiian islands. also
Mr.. Boyle WAS greatly impressed will
the fri@htful ravnges the disease l
making among tile native population :
N. Y. Sun.