The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-05-05

Letter FROM CURTIS
Hesitated About Visiting Bur-
ma Because of Reports
TOLD HORRIBLE TALES
Difference of Taste Exists in
Many Matters.

New York. May Nv. E. Curtis in a
letter from Burma to the Globe says: We
were in some doubt about visiting Burma
because the reports We heard from other
travellers were so contradictory and dis
courasins. They told us OF uncomfort-
able steamships and wretcheo hotels. and
warned us that We were liable 10 starye
to death or be eaten up by immoral in
seets. Some Of the people mad been there
related horrible tales OF their experiences.
and almost frightened US out of the jour
ney- Others assured US that Burma is the
most fascinating country III the world.
which We. found TO oe true and that we
would always be glad we went, which
shows how different people look at the
same thing. What is one mans nourish-
ment is anothers poison. and there is
difference of taste in climates. countries.
steamships, and hotels. as well as in
women and fashions. and practical jokes.
We had an excellent steamship from
Calcutta, as neat and comfortable as any
one could ask for. The table was good.
the captain and other officers We're cor
and we could not have planned pleas
snter voyage anywhere And we have
found the hotels quite comfortable also.
fully as good as those of Calcutta The
rooms are clean. and the table is fair.
but they furnish only one sheet per bed.
and crowd as many people into a room
as possible. just exactly as they do in
our own hotels in the United States.
1t is 773 miles across the Bay of Bengal
from Calcutta to Rangoon, the principal
port OF Burma This does not include
voyage of sixty miles down the sacred
waters of the Ganges, which is a mighty
river. and has as many mouths as the
Nile. Both shores are lined with manu-
factories for long distance, then brick
yards, and beyond them palm groves and
jungles. and after a while the rived wild
ems, its banks recede in the distance. and
finally disappear. but the tawny water
stays with us and discolors the Bay of
Bengal for many miles
Burma is part of India for administra-
tive purposes. but is very different in
every respect. in topography. climate. in
the character and habits of it's people in
the style OF architecture. and I'm vegeta-
ton. Coming directly from India. trav-
eller cannot fail to he impressed with
these differences. The bright-eyed. good
natured people Of Murma with their
Chinese features and happy. devil-may-
care habits. are as Ear removed in dis
position from the Hindoos as if they lived
upon another planet They have nothing
in common. Even the wages OF Murmese
coolies are three times as much as is
paid for the same sort of labor in India.
This brings many Hindoos across the
bay to work in the rice paddles. upon the
other plantations. and in the teak forests
Our ship was crowded with them and
the rate of fare which is only SO for a
journey Of more than 500 miles. enables
them to go back and forth between the
two provinces according to the demand
and supply Of labor And the lives of
the people of Burma are as different
from those of India as joy is from sor-
row. There is no caste among the Bur
mese. to begin with in the second place.
their women are as free as those Of the
United States; and finally. the gods they
worship are kind. gentle, helpful deities.
who protect and encourage them instead
Of making the worshirpers wretched. as
the gods of the Rrahmins do. The Bur
mese stand upright. too: they look YOU
square in tie fact with frank and friendly
smiles. The Hindoo crouches on the
ground. and looks no man I'm the eve
His religion has made him fearful. and
has enslaved him to invisible demons and
powers than inspire nothing but fear
The Burmese are short. thick-set and
solid; they have fat features ana almond
eyes, which show their relationship with
the Chinese. The women are very attrac-
tive; the streets are thronged with them
at all times of day. They do all the
marketing and shopping and take the
greatest delight in everything that is
lively and gay. Nearly all the small
shops are kept by women and whenever
YOU find a crowd in a park or other pub
lie place you may be sure that a ma jor-
ity OF tnem are OF the feminine gender.
which seems quite odd when one has
come directly from India. because Of
their habits Of seclusfon there
Burma is the most prosperous province
in India. and. although the people suffered
severely from famine three years ago.
they have entirely recovered. and the
soil. which Is fertile. always yields p
generous harvest II FEES between China
and Slam and the bay q Bengal is semi
tropical. has an area u 17l.s31 square
miles. and population Of about eigh;
million. One Of its great advantages Is
IN the fact that every section e. watercd
by navfzsble stream There are Ave
great rivers. the waddy being nayi-
gable for over 50 miles. ard tn others
for nearly as great distance. There is
scarcely q town that cannot be reached by
boat which gives the people facilities To-
getting their products IN market. and
the population 1--we chiefly along the banks
~ these rivers 4 fe~ miles hack from
their shores the country IL uuculfivated
and unsettled and vast tracts u rich
aIluvizI plains Fave never been disturbed
~ q .lox and have never produced
crop although the soil IS Il unsurpassed
fertility.
II IS estimated that there are 1lalsa 80
acres y tiilshie land IN Burma. % which
50 90 acres are nader cultivation TIE
remainder could S5ppoT- 2 population =
- 80 90 n tire miserable riots or peas
ants who are Struggling for exis;e-Ce
spou the overrrorded farms = EnGta
Here "a a strange phsuorzeu0n. one prov
ince OF ar empire crying foT settlers
while the c7ner prorincAs are 40 over
Hundreds Of Dead Rats.