Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-08
LAND OF FAMOUS PAooDAs.
American Womans Letter Describes
the Attractions and Drawbacks of
Burns.


| land of high rents--is on lovely hill
top and commands a fine view. When
| not raining tthis is the wet season.. our
| evenings are glorious; the breeze rustes
| in the surrounding palms and above all
rises the magnificent Shwe Dagon Pa
CODA, its golden spire cleaning in the
tropical moonlight. 1t all seems more
like fairy-land than reality
I'VE often climb the long stairs to the
platform of the Pagoda 10 watch the
happy Burmese at their deyotions, kneei-
in gbefore the many statues of Buddha
The worshipers are clad in brilliant col
ored silks. and the dainty women weas
wreaths of lovely little white orchid
blossoms in their shining hair Burma
is the land of Pagodas, and Shwe DagonI
the most renowned temple Of the Bud
dhist faith.
1T was built about SIS y. c., when,
however. it was only 27 feet high, and
through the centuries many alterations
have been made. 1t now rises to a
height Of 321 feet, built upon mound
far above the street, and its platform
measures 900 feet in length. IN American
missionary has told us that the Burmese
are the most difficult of ali Eastern races
to convert to Christianity.
I'VE are quite gay at present. being in
vited to several dinner parties, one at
grand affair at the house of a High
Court Judge, to meet Sir Harvey and
Lady Adamson, the Lieutenant GovFnor
of Burma and his wife, who are spend
ing two weeks in Rangoon They reside
at Government House up in the hills,
two days journey from here. There viii
be a regatta at the beautiful boat club
on Saturday afternoon and a dinner at
Mimic Mansions. followed by a. concert.
Dinners are given in Rangoon with much
style, and even at those which are in
formal they stick to prestige and people
are placed according to their rank.
THE English officers are SO nice and
natural, not n bit as English officers are
pictured abroad. At dinners one always
expects TO be seated in arm chairs us
ually made Of teak. as one gets perfectly
limp before the long meal is concluded.
50 trying is this climate. People make
a great objection to dinners at 4 certain
house. Dine there? Why. l nearly fall
off their chairs. without any armsp
I'VE take our morning exercise at golf
very carly. going at go before the sun
gets well up. this being n help 10 ward
off fever. Even wearing topecs. we find
the sun too dazzling to play after s
o'clock The golf links are so pctur-
esque, being really the parade grounds.
and often hundreds of both native and
white soldiers, mounted and on foot are
drilling as well as signaling with flags
and Photograph While n fine band plays.
"Often all are nearly hidden in Il thick
mist, or wet fog. This is the dampest
climate imaginable, and ones clothing
must be aired and dried daily by char
| coal fires, even in the dry season 4 rug
at my feet is white like snow with mil
dew, Just over night Were it not for
the unhealthness of the climate, the hid
eous caste system and the high price of
| living, Rangoon would be q delightful
post.
Yesterday Puppy had to be bathed
| and imagine. at one time no less than
| seven servants We're 'on the job'-one TO
| make fire and heat the water, another
to carry away the dirty water and TIVE
| to scrub! Each could do no more than
| his caste allowed. II I had put forth my
hand to help, l should never again have
been treated as white person, or with
| any respect. You can't imagine more
| beautiful animal than Muettia the dog
along like huge tiger.
"a few days ago the Chinese Consul.
came to call and take a cup of tea with
us He arrived at our door in a vie
toria with a fine pair of horses and at
| tended by several servants. He expects
| his Government TO send him to Durbar
great expense, but everybody is excited
| over that event and TO tell you the
| truth. we are rather bored, hearing il
| forever discussed the costumes to be
| worn. and other details. Even in Ran
| COON, thousands of rupees are to be spent
| TO celebrate that day by people who can
not go to Delhi To illuminate the lakes
here for one night S0000 rupees are to be
expended $4,000. y rice famine. too
and poor people starving,
"At the Gymkhana Club one afternoon
a snake was found around the leg of a
chair. right in the room where a hum
| bred or more people We're dancing We
were there, and all did consider it a
| joke as the snake had chosen a chair by
the door leading TO the bar
| II wish YOU might have beheld eor-
| geous funeral that has just passed here
| and held a sort of review at our corner.
: 1t evidently was that of a rich Burman.
| First came a kind of ballet of Burmese
in bright colored silks. dancing the Wild
est kind of contortons. anything but
graceful After this came the hearse.
!, drawn by several black horses Oddly
enough, it was huge black English
1 hearse With attendants in black and white
| srdles, not the usual gaudy Burmese
! hearse, with the models of dancers ana
race horses. Next came a brass band
| playing "Yip-i-Yaddi." to which music
the ballet was dancing. Aheut a mile of
| ox-carts followed with quaint tops of
| colored mating, crowded with CAV
"mourners" and no end of refreshments.
A big Burman in brilliant pink silk, car
rying a large fan. was playing the mas