Evening journal., 1922-05-03


ney a machine operator in The
Evening journal office, and an ar
dent church worker, went to Ran
COON, Burma, India, to become an
! assistant superintendent in the big
printing department of the Ameri-
can Baptist Mission Press He was
accompanied by his wife and little
baby. Before he left he was asked
TO write some descriptive letters. for
publication in The Evening Journal.
after he had gotten his bearings in
that. to him, new environment The
first of those letters was received to-
day. 1t is as follows:
"Rangoon, Burma, India.
March 2e, 1929.
"Mr. George Carter,
Editor. The Evening Journal.
Dear sir-The past seven months
have passed with a rush, and / can
hardly realize that such a long time
has elapsed since bidding The Jour
nal force goodbye. Yet, when 1 en-
deavor to review the new sights and
experiences which have come in that
period, then the feeling of being alb
sent an age overtakes me.
ITO travel halfway around the
world, getting a glimpse here and
there OF the various cities and peo-
Piles, is very interesting. And then
10 settle down 90 life in Burma is
like transferring oneself TO another
world.
"Rangoon is the largest city in
Burma and the third largest port in
the Indian Empire The population
Is given as approximately three
hundred and fifty Thousands cos
mopolitan city, with native Indians
in the majority. As you walk the
streets a veritable review of the ma
tions is presented, each country be-
ing characterized by the native dress
of the men and the women.
Here no hard-and- fast rules of
dress are found, and from the dainty
silks OF the Burmese, the brilliant
reds and yellows OF tho Indians, the
of the Chinese black and
the styles and cut OF European dress
there develops complication OF the
highest degree that very often is
comical, indeed, as the European
styles are adopted plecemeal
Because of the conglomeration of
peoples with their varied religions,
holidays and festivals seem to be un-
ending. Each body OF believers cele-
brates in its own way. and generally
In a very marked manner. Recently
A Bengal feast day was observed
and the popular diversion was to
splatter each other with a purple
or powder. Large squirt
guns were used for this pur-
pose and a sorry looking spectacle
hese people presented for several
lays In a few weeks the Burmans
viii observe their water festival.
Then will ensue several days when
will be enforced in any way
water can be administered.
One of the striking features Of the
native Burman life is the belief in
Ind the use OF nature. The sap of
he Padouk tree is for sore throat {
md tonsilitis; the root of the Frangi-
,ani is used for collie; the plantain
eaf Is used as a plate in eating: .
Ind yesterday, when the unusual
happened and, after Ave months
without a bit Of rain, a heavy thun-
ierstorm occurred, accompanied by
arge hailstones, a rare sight was af
,orded. As the Burmans observed
the hail fall they shouted with glee:
Mo-thee, mo-thee-slxy fruit, sky
'ruit,' and. forgetting the rain. they
for the pieces OF hail
With smiling, Jubilant faces theyi
placed the hailstones on their eyes
md their chests and ate them, shout
ng continually. 'Mo-thee, mo-thee.
four-months"-ol baby nearby re-
'eived numerous applications of this
wonderful ointment. un-
II the helpless infant screamed and
Iquirmed with cold and discomfort.
Then its nursing bottle was partly
He'd with hailstones. no doubt, for
uture use.
Here, as in many other Eastern
ands, the head is used for carrying
,urdens. 'Tis an ar, indeed. to bal
nee the recsptac.os Of varied sizes ,
hapes and weights as skilfully as (
10Th men and women 10. And Il Is s
.lso quite con venien., too. The other {
ay I saw nan ear-yig a large s
ail in each hand and balancing Two '
ig pumpkins piled on his head
pad double my carrying capacity c
sanitation is unknown by the 4
majority. and the milkman is a gem :
inc example. To prevent the milk s
FLASHING over the sides as he car n
les the pail he uses a wad of straw. t
Z he has bottles as well as loose o
lilk. the bottles float around in the a
an, thereby getting probably their &
My washing. The measuring cup g
sually sinks to the bottom and is t,
shed out, when needed. with an
nwashed hand. a
"As to our method of living here, a
ie best way I believe 10 describe 7
is to say that we are Off in the "
Ills on vacation. with the excep j
on, of course. that every day but
inday is a work day. The homes
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