The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-07-15
MANY STATUES OF BUpoAH.


The Burmc.e Limo their Rivcr Hanks
with lmagea u tho God 1hey wor-
ship.
The Budlhists 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 little
book entitled "A Sanitary Crusade
Through the East and Australasia, has
given description of a number of these
rude carvings, many Of which are very
impressive. On the Irriwadi, below the
city of Trome, - a cliff about two miles
long and three hundred feet high, on
the face Of which hundreds of figures of
Buddah are carved. 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 them
are richly gilded, and the whole forms
"a very brilliant and curious sight"
Here is one of Mr.. Boyle's illustra-
tions showing the great recumbe
figure of Buddha In the province of
Pegu. Mr. Boyle says this figure meas
ures about two hundred and fifty feet
in length and is seventy feet high Mt
tho shoulder. The remarkable monu-
ment is of brick, and is well proper.
toned throughout 1t is supposed to
have been in existence for nearly four
hundred years, but. strange to say, It
was for long time hidden from view
by jungle, and was entirely forgotten
until, In 1881, 1t was accidentally dis
covered by railroad contractor. Tho
theory of the Buddhists Is that these
numerous statues keep thoughts of re.
ligion ever present in the minds of the
people and incite to morality and re-
ligious observances. NJ"
Among the Catskills in our own coun.
try there is some sculpturing of the
rocks on very small scale. Such rocks
are found at Prattsville. and were
carved Mt the expense of the eccentric
tanner and capitalist the Hon. Zadoc
Pratt, who thus colnnemorated the
heroism of his son, who fought in the
civil war, md the exploits OF Mr.. Pratt
himself rs stock rniser, dairy farmer
and tanner. They are unique, attract
some visitors to Prnttsville, and are
rather better executed than most Of the
sculptures that adorn the cliffs along
the rivers Of Burmah.,
Mr.. BOYLE visited tho orient, not for
the purpose of collecting such curious
facts, as these, but to study sanitary
science and prepare the way for tho in
PRODUCTION of ventiiating and sanitary
appliances Among the striking facts
he observed are those relating to
leprosy, which he believes Is spreading
to an alarming extent all over the
world. In Burmah the evil has as
sumed very great proportions He says
the steps of the great Shwedagon
pagoda ut Rangoon, to which Buddhists
make pilgrimages from all over Indo.
China, were. when he visited the
pagoda, lined from top to bottom with
lcpcrs. The victims were suffering
from the disease in its worst form and
most advanced stages No provision
had been made for their sustenance and
they depended upon mendicancy for
existence. He saw similar horrors at
Mandalay, where the entrance of the
great Arakan pagodn were crowded by
hundreds Of lepcrs SO that the visitor
mad to pick his way carefully among
them. In the Hawaiinn islands, also,
Mr.. Boyle WIS Rrently impressed with
the trightful ravagcs the disease is
making amonv t,'a native population.
n. Y. Sun.