The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-09
SOME n B00Es.
r,,i,b surn.op.G.u.rai,. "Reminiscences.

in our day IL offered to us In a volume OF some
Ave hundred pages entitled RscoHscttons Of NV
Life, by Surgeon-0enes Sir JOSEPH FAYhE
Bart. Edinburgh, W. Blackwood A Sons), The
principal source OF the books value will be ind
Gated when we say that q large part OF the au-
thor's professional life. namely. from 1880
TO 1879. was passed In India, and that he was
stationed In Lucknow during the memorable
siege Of the Residence. What We have here,
wherefore. Ia the record OF an eyewitness OF
many OF the most important events that oc-
CURED in the Anglo-Indian Empire during
q critical quarter OF a century, and Of the first
hand observations and reflections Of a clear
headed and sober-mindcd man who was brought
into intimate relations with many distinguished
officials. military and civil. and Is qualified
10 express opinions concerning tho Internal
and external policies that have. from time tn
tins, been adopted by the Calcutta Govern
ment. Unquestionably. this autobiography Will
he deemed worthy OF an honorable place among
m<no-res pour ssyrr by the future historian
OF British India,
Our authors father was q son OF Capt )
Fsyrer he entered the navy at an early age
and retired a. a Commander His son. Joseph.
the second son OF q family Of eight, was born
on Dec o. 1874. at Plymouth. During his early
years he was educated st nome under a tutor.
Dut Nusu DttNcbu IL ~ 10 SNoio Wv " 49,
sent 70 a boarding school in Ayrshire, where
he was thoroughly trained In classics and mAth-
ematios. At the age OF IL he was sent 20 q
day school In Liverpool. and about the same
time began the study OF engineering. Three
years later hts father procured him the APP
pointmant Of midshipman TO one OF the West
I~ndian<mau steamers. After making three
voyages In her he decided To study for the
medical profession and In 1874 he went to Lon
don for the purpose. where he was registered
in the ROYAL College Of Surgeons. He passed
the final examination In July, lst7. and a month
later. having obtained a commission In the
Royal Navy, he was detailed to II NJ. \, VIC
tory for service Al Haslsr Hospital, Soon
sfterwsrd he resigned his commission tenn
porarily In order TO omp Lord Mount
Edgcumbe on his travels for a year. While
In Rome he entered as a student at the uni
versity. and In February, Is49. obtained from II
the degree OF NJ. D. On his return to England
he held for a time an appointment In the ord
nanoe Medical Department. but presently
accepted from the Fast India company the
post OF Assistant Surgeon In the medical de-
partment Of the Bengal Army. He reached
Calcutta on oct, .. 1850. and entered upon the
professional life In India which was 10 last
for a quarter OF a century.
In 1882. being then ~ wears old, he scoom-
panied he expedition against Rurmah as Fisld
Surgeon. and Witnessed the capture OF Ran
coon. Some OF the observations made by him
10 Lower Burmah are worth reproducing. The
Burmese, he -ays. are an active. energetic race.
their physique being very different in character
from that Of the nauves OF India. Ii Is OF the
Monaghan. or I~ndo-Chlnese type. They have
long, black hair. and almost beardle~s facrs.
Their color is a light brown. They are of a
cheerful. bright disposition. and very fond N
active exercise. The young men play foot
ball OUTSIDE the VILLAGES. They are also very
fond Of dramatic entertainment each village
having a theatre Of a primitive kind. The
women are not SECLUDED, As they are In india,
but laugh and talk freely. and appear In public
"a much a. the men. The men on their part are
of a frank und indie pendent mien, yet very
dcfercptial 10 all authorities. They PROSTATE
theInselve' in the presence ~ any chief. and
nothing would induce q Ruman To let his head
he higher than his maGter's. Our author sav~
thai they fought we'll. though their military
organization was not very good. They are. II
seems. remark tbiy fond OF tattooinR The chest
and nrns nre ornAmsntsd with a variety OF pat
terms, generally OF dragons or demons. Every
male Burman IL closely tattooed from the waist
down to the knees. often with very intricate and
beautiful devices. chiefly blus, though this color
Is frequently MIXED with red. The absence of
tattoo marks is looked upon a. an evidence Of
great e1cmIuacy. Tie work IL done by de-
gress. and usually completed about adult age.
Its we'll known that the Burmese are buddhists,
and FOL that reason have no castes. as the hindoos
have. neither have they the same restrictions
with regard to food. Thev do not abstain from
alcohol. but they do not indulge in II tn excess.
They are inveterate smokers, both men and
women, and even the children. Their priests live
together In kioungs or monastcries, and are
known by their yellow dress. They are 10 he
met with constantly. rs they 60 about bagginG
for food. which is freely given 10 them. The
education Of the young people iSin their hands.
The Burmese are exceedingly supersutious.
paying great reverence To CHATS. that Is to say
spirits inhabitinc natural objects. whict are
propitiRtcd by offerings. lake other Orienta
nations, they are dexterous in producing fire.
Our author gives an account oil one method by
which It iSdone zone day a Burmese messen-
ger brought me a note. While he was waiting
for the reply | observed an o. object, something
like a boys popgun. suspended round Ids waist.
On asking what II was he showed me that II was
an implement for producing Gre, II was a rude
~eIAnpl Of a scientific instrument employed by
lecturers at homc Ia illustrate the production Of
heat by suddenly compressed air. A piston
fitted into a tube. the former was followed az
the lower end and smeared with wax to receive
a piece OF cotton or finder. which. when pressed
into 1t. adhered. The tube was closed AT on,
end. Placing the piston at the top OF the tube.
with q smart blow he struck n down. and imme-
diately withdrew It with the finder on FIRE, the
sudden conclusion Of air having isnitcd IT,"
In our author was made Resdency Sur
geon at Luck now. and with his arrival In that
place the most interesting part OF his recollection
begins,