The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1910-04-14


drawback to this beautiful island Is
the prevalence of all sorts of poison
Gus snakes. The guides told us, but
with how much or how little truth
| know not, that three hundred ma
tives spent an entire day killing
snakes in Peradeniya Gardens before
the arrival of the Cleveland party |
never saw a snake in all the tropics
except in Calcutta one night when on
my way home from the theatre | saw
one wriggling its way on the sidewalk
towards a native asleep on a nearby
threshold. For us the Gardens at
Randy were snakeless and in every
way perfect and its beauties are as
elusive and as hard to describe as a
sunset or a song, but like these it will
remain with us. Just as Cey-
Ion stands alone for beauty
of nature, so the Shwe Shuan Dajon
Pagoda at Rangoon, Burma, stands as
the most remarkable symbol of Pa
ganism in the world as we saw it
The main part of this Pagoda was
built about 500 years before Christ
and has been in its present state since
1865. The central dome stands on a
platform high above the street level
and reached by series of stairs en-
closed and bordered on either side by
booths where natives offer for sale
candles, joss sticks and punches of
flowers tied on the ends of sticks.
These last the worshippers clasp in
their two hands folded in front of
them when they are saying their pray
er in the shrine. After climbing q
long time we reached the platform
or base of the temple where grouped
around the central Pagoda are shrines
containing no less than 1000 images OF
Buddha. Some of these are very elab-
crate and rich, covered with gold
leaf; in every shrine candles are con
stantly burning. The principal tow
er of the Pagoda which is visible
from most points in the city is COW
cred with a plating of solid gold cost
ing $250,000 and the apex is studded
with priceless diamonds, emeralds and
rubies The city of Rangoon is beau
tiful. Luxuriant foliage, flowers in
profusion, fine roads and attractive
looking homes. Automobiles prevail
ed here as in India. Seeing Ran
COON" auto cars are common. We
visited the timber yards where We
saw patient elephants " pilin teak
as Kipling writes in On the Way tC
Mandelay." Only these elephants were
'pilin" for our special benefit and moi
really laboring. We must have made
an impression in Rangoon for a loca
newspaper had this to say about the
American invasion: THE Americans
are an alfred dam good looking SCI
of people, the women in pertikler.
In speaking of our friends on tn,
Cleveland, | think | failed to mention
that we had a poet on board. In fact
we had several, but one especially
who saw the funny side of everything
and everybody and was forever max
ing jingles about them. The follow
ing bit was written after we had beer
Zen tour" for several weeks and haC
been through several trying expert
ences at landing stages and had be
come otherwise acquainted with tht
personality of some of the travellers
STEAMER FOLK.
She's a terror, cyclone. putin in
she bird.
She's alw avs foremost In the push, hel
voice is always heard.
She's the only woman board the sh1l
who all with one accord
Would refuse to jump TO save he
should she fall overheard.
DO you know her? OF course you do
He's the man who always sees he get
the best seat on the tender
He likes to shove a woman. neVe
thinks he should defend her.
In his seat he sits content eddy ant
sees the ladies stand,
| He's a porker pure and simple, ad
!
DO you know him? OF course you dc
He's the man who owns the tender
you would know 1t by his air,
He's always first to get on board an
always gets chair
Reserves "A second for his basket, an
other for his kit.
You hear the word Hog murmure'
and you know that he is it.
DO You know him. OF course you dc
There's couple always spoonine
wherever they may be,
Their actions are not pleasant 70
other folks to see.
/ All the world may love a lover, no on
doubts they do
But no one loves this couple, eithe
passengers or crew.
Do you know them? OF course you Dc
! If there were a missionary on the GOO
ship "Clevelands" crew
Should he chivy round the heathe
anu ltdtD tiltIH QOtlIllltS new
Or should he start to work ON boar
and do the best he can
To convert the Yankee pork h
meets into a gentleman.
Do you think so? OF course you do.
| wish time would permit me t
tell you of Java and its charms, G
Borneo and it's wild Men," and of al
the other interesting points which W
visited, but this epistle has alread
reached the limit allowed first elias
mail matter. | cannot, however, clos
without telling you of the great recep
tion we received in Manila and il
Japan. In Manila we were one an
all taken in charge by hospitabl
souls the moment our ship came t.
dock and the festivities did not en-,
till we sailed away. 1t was like com
ing home on Thanksgiving. We reach
ed Manila harbor early in the morn