The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-20

head, and holds up tho flowers as he
prays. After a time he goes to a chap
Ell and lays them on the knees OF a
great golden Buddha.
There are many family parties pray
ing, mon. women and children kneel-
Ing together. They ali act as though
their religion was one OF rejoicing.
They laugh and smoke on their way to
and from prayers They hold their
heads high. and are evidently proud
OF both Buddha and Burma
Superstitious Worshipers.
But what is this coming around
the corner from the other side OF the
great golden spire. It is middlc-agcd
man. alternately rising and falling.
He wears a turban and waist cloth.
and his skin is as dark as that OF a
negro He is Buddhist from india,
and he must have something OF the
Hindu in his religion. for he is pros
trat!ng himself on the brick platform
and measuring the distance around
the pagoda with his half-naked form.
saying prayer every time ho spreads
himself out with his face to the bricks.
He lies nat on the floor and puts his
bare arms as far out as he can reach,
stretching every muscle from the ends
OF his toes to the tips OF his fingers.
He presses his fingers nard upon the
bricks, and marks his limit Of reach
with candle. He then rises and
walks to this candle. He picks 1t up
| and then prostrates himself once moro
on his face and prays. using the can
die to mark the spot where his finger
tips rest. He goes fast. the whole cir
cult OF the pagoda being covered in less
than an hour. We watch him at the
end OF his Journey. AS ne completes
the circuit he lies praying for three
or four minutes. and then rises with q
beatifc look upon his Sface. evidently
believing that he has acquired merit.
-fand wahlksdIIoarmmarke
About the Shrines.
| Later on we make tour OF the
shrines. There are hundred or more
all ending in spires OF gold far below
the spire of this great golden mountain
All are beautifully carved, and some
are walled with colored glass. so sci
IN golden wires that when the sur
shines they show the many splendors
OF the peacocks tail. The Buddhai
within have Offerings OF flowers
fruit and rico lying before them. a,
some candles are burning, and on theft
| laps offerings OF brocades and silk:
have been placed. we are touched bS
the sentiment shown by the worship.
ers. They are OF all classes and con.
ditions: some poor, sick and sad. bu
most are rich and we'll dressed and ap.
parently Joyful.
All seem self-respecting, and 4
would be unfair to say that they are
not IN earnest in their religion. I an
told that the Burmese are NATURAL,
religious. They are charitable. ant
whenever one has surplus he spend!
It In erecting resthouses, or places
along tho road where travellers cal
have cool drink OF water. They hav.
spotted the whole country with page
das; they are to be found in ever,
town and village and almost on ever,
hill. There arc monastertes every
where. and the country has more re
1 liglous monuments. perhaps. than AM
other Of Its size IN the world, "A cen
sus taken some time ago showed tina
there are more than $4,000 monaster.
les. ana that Murma had on the aver,
ago OF one for every ninety-thret
houses. At that time there were 80 .oot