Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-09
THE TOMB OF THEBAw,s DOG.

ings, palaces, temples and wherever an eff
fort is made at display. It Is cheap and
tawdry, and in striking contrast with the
artistic carving and rich gliding often
found in connection with 1t. Beside the
tomb of Mindon is another smaller pagoda.
erected in honor of favorite son among
his family of 100 children, and a little
farther away. across road. Is a third pa
goda more beautiful than either, and one
of the most graceful little gems you ever
saw, constructed of teak wood, carved.
gilded and lacquered in the cinnabar red in
the most elaborate manner, under which.
1t Is said. King Thebaw buried pet dog
"a Scotch terrier, which he is said to have
obtained under peculiar circumstances from
Gen. Pendergast, commander OF the British
forces during the war of 1885. The author
lied native guides who show strangers
about the palace grounds tell dramatic
story in which this animal figures.
They say that after the complications be-
tween Burma and England became hopeless
and King Thebaw issued his proclamation
calling upon his subjects to arm them
selves and drive the British into the sea, a
beggar carrying beautiiui dog IN ms arms TINS
appeared within the walled city and said
that he wanted to sell the animal TO the
king. AS Thebaw was very fond or animals
and his affection for dogs amounted to a
passion, this seemed perfectly natural
errand. but as a precaution the guards ar
rested the intruder, locked him up safely In
prison and reported the matter to head
quarters, but no farther. 1t SO happened.
however that the man was placed In
cell with one of the kings cooks who was
being punished for some misdemeanor, ana
when released the latter told Thebaw about
the beggar and the dog. Thebaw sent TO
the iail had the man brought to the palace,
questioned him closely and purchased MS
net The beggar hung around the palace
FOR several days and then disappeared.
Monument to the Dog.
Thebaw became very fond Of the little
terrier. and took 1t with him several times
when he retired to the monastery In the
grounds to get rid Of his wife and mother.
One day the animal sickened and died. 1t
was evidently poisoned by somebody about
the palace, probably the she-demon who
shared Thebaw's throne. The king was
overcome with grief. He could endure the
massacre of hundred or SO OF MS orotn-
ers and sisters and other relations with
out tears and allowed their graves to re-
main unmarked. but the death or MS dog
rendered him inconsolable, and he erected
this beautiful monument to its memory.
This Is a very pretty story, but can
find nothing In history to connrm T.
Furthermore, Gen. Pendergast was an old
man. and is not likely to have appeared al
Mandaiay in the guise of beggar He
never saw Thebaw until he received the
latter's surrender, November 20. 1885. Yet
there Is evidently some foundation Tor the
yarn 1t Is not made out OF whole c.otn,
and some younger officer may have been
the hero. taking that method OF entering
the walled city and securing Information
concerning its defenses. It Is q we'll
which he was very much attached. He
elevated the animal to the nobility. made
him a general In the army. and gave him
a royal funeral and tomb.
At the left OF the Red Gate. as 1t Is
called. Of the palace grounds. stands a
shapely tower, similar to the tomb OF the
dog. 1t Is literally covered with carving
and gliding, and was erected to shelter
Burma by the Emperor of China several
centuries ago. Near 1t is the stable Of the
sacred white elephant. which has been va
used for the prosaio purpose of storing
commissary supplies for the soldiers.
The Sacred White Elephant.
The famous sacred white elephant. an
object of reverence throughout all Burma.
and supposed to be inhabited by the soul
Of some powerful deity. was not white at
all. as Is popularity supposed. The white
elephants that are worshiped In Siam and
other eastern countries are usually albi-
nos. and are very rare; but this was an
ordinary beast, afflicted with q skin dis
ease. which caused white blotches or
freckles to appear upon its neck and sides.
and thus was fraud, like almost every
thing else associated with the Burma gov
eminent. Yet 1t had peculiar sanctIty It
was venerated by all the priests and
prophets. and its possession was supposed
to be evidence OF the divine approval OF
the policy of the king All OF the edicts
Of the throne began with these bombastic
words:
THE sovereign of the rising sun. the king
OF all the earth. who rules over the coun-
try OF Thunaparanta and the country OF
Tambadita, and all other doIninions and
countries and lands Of the universe. and
all tbs notwithstanding chiefs Of the east,
whose glory Is exceeding great, whose wis.,
dom Is profound and whose words are ex-
cellent, the master of Saddan. the king
of elephants. the lord of all elephants. the
lord OF life, the eminentiy wise. powerful