HORACE W. CARPENTER 
 
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Forty Years in Burma 
 
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^:^Oy^ OQ^COO^^Tn, 
 
Forty Years in Burma 
 
 ©^ Dr\ Marks, with a Foreword by the 
 Jlrchbishop of Canterbury . Edited, with an Introduc- 
 tion and a Selection of the Authors Letters and 
 Reports, by the Rev. W, C. B. Purser, M.A.. 
 Examining Chaplain to the bishop of Rangoon 
 
 With Seventeen Jllustratiofis, 
 
 including a Frontisptece in photogravure, 
 
 and a Map. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 E, P, BUTTON AND COMPANY 
 
 681, FIFTH AVENUE 
 
J^^/,w 
 
 Frinhd in Greit Eritmn 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 Lambeth Palace, S.E. 
 
 It must be right that some Biography of Dr. Marks should 
 be pubUshed. A man of remarkable personal powers, he 
 had opportunities of an extraordinary sort, and he used 
 them extraordinarily well. I imagine that the record of 
 St. John's College, Rangoon, is in some respects unique 
 among educational annals in the East, and the romantic 
 elements in its story are as noteworthy as its consistent 
 chronicle of steady work. The dominating personahty of 
 Dr. Marks deserves, and has here, I hope, secured, appro- 
 priate record. The missionary annals of our time would 
 be incomplete without such a narrative in permanent 
 form. 
 
 Randall Cantuar. 
 Easter, 1917. 
 
 r>272(;a 
 
EDITORIAL 
 
 The text of Dr. Marks' memoirs came to me in a somewhat 
 confused state. It consisted of three documents. The 
 first was made up of some articles published in one of the 
 magazines of the Society for the Propagation of the 
 Gospel in the year 1900. Dr. Marks concluded those 
 articles by stating that he intended in the near future 
 to publish in book form the story of his hfe. It is a great 
 pity that he allowed this intention to be frustrated by 
 his constant activity in deputation work on behalf of the 
 Society. His health did not improve with advancing 
 years, and it soon became obvious that in spite of the 
 magnificent memory which he retained to the last, he no 
 longer had physical strength sufficient to fulfil his original 
 purpose. 
 
 In this difficulty his devoted sister came to the rescue 
 with the suggestion that she should write out at his 
 dictation the story which he had to tell, so as to save him 
 the fatigue of sitting up to a table. Increasing cardiac 
 trouble had already caused his medical adviser to prohibit 
 Dr. Marks from sitting at, or bending over, a writing table 
 for any protracted period. , In this way the second docu- 
 ment was produced. It was intended, as far as I have 
 been able to ascertain, to supplement at different points 
 the original story which had already been published, so 
 as to fill in details which had been previously omitted. 
 
 It has been very difficult to find out exactly the points 
 at which this supplementary matter was intended to be 
 fitted in, and I have only been able to do so by diligent 
 
viii EDITORIAL 
 
 reference to the diaries and reports which have been 
 placed at my disposal. 
 
 The third document consisted of the recollections of 
 Mr. David Marks, the only surviving brother, of his 
 numerous and lengthy conversations with Dr. Marks. 
 This document I have found of considerable assistance, 
 especially with regard to Dr. Marks' reminiscences of 
 King Thibaw and Queen Supayalat. 
 
 A narrative prepared in this manner cannot but betray 
 traces of its composite character, especially as I have 
 considered it my duty as editor to preserve the authen- 
 ticity of the narrative at the expense of literary finish. 
 There was a certain amount of redundancy in the narra- 
 tives as they came into my hands, which I have tried 
 to remedy ; but apart from that, the story as it stands is 
 substantially as it came from the pen of Dr. Marks. 
 
 I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to the staff of 
 the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel for the in- 
 valuable assistance which they have given me in my work. 
 Dr. Marks' official reports to the Society have all been 
 placed at my disposal, and I have been allowed to select 
 from among the large number of photographs in the 
 possession of the Society those which I considered of 
 interest. 
 
 W. C. B. P. 
 
 Seaford, 
 
 Feb. 1917. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 This book is written from no desire for mere personal 
 advertisement, though necessarily it contains very much 
 of my own personal adventures and experiences during 
 my long residence in Burma. 
 
 It is the outcome of reiterated demands and urgent 
 requests alike from personal friends and from those 
 whom it has been my duty and privilege to address from 
 the platform or pulpit during my visits to this country, 
 and also, latterly, during my enforced stay at home on 
 account of health, which prevented me returning to my 
 residence and work in the East. 
 
 I am well within the mark in saying that I have given 
 more than a thousand such sermons, addresses and lectures, 
 and I am unable to recall a single instance in which such 
 an effort has not been received with deep interest and at- 
 tention by my audience, whether consisting of ordinary 
 congregations, of University and college assemblies, of 
 Public or Private schools, or gatherings of children of all 
 ages, or even of City merchants. 
 
 From nearly every one of these audiences a request has 
 come to me that I should embody in book form the story 
 in which my hearers have been so interested. 
 
 Newspaper reports more or less accurate — generally 
 the latter — only whetted this desire. 
 
 I have long felt that I ought to comply therewith, and 
 have determined so to do, but my constant absence from 
 home on deputation has afforded me very Httle leisure 
 
t PREFACE 
 
 for such a task ; and, moreover, I have delayed in the 
 earnest hope that with renewed health and vigour, I 
 might be permitted to overcome the scruples of the doctors 
 and obtain their permission to pay a farewell visit to the 
 country that I love so well, and there arrange in order 
 the materials for this work. Unhappily the decision of 
 those to whose verdict I ought to bow has finally shat- 
 tered the hope of my ever being able to return to Burma, 
 and so I feel that now or never must be my motto if I 
 would write my story. 
 
 This, therefore, is the raison d'etre of my book, which 
 I now send forth with the trust and belief that the kind 
 interest and indulgence which have ever been given to my 
 spoken addresses, will be extended to my narrative in its 
 present form. 
 
 I do not undervalue, nor seek to enter into competition 
 with the many able writers — among whom I reckon some 
 of my most valued personal friends — whose works on 
 Burma, from various points of view, are before the public. 
 Necessarily, for the completion of this book, I must 
 traverse much of the ground already covered by them, 
 but I trust that there will be no unnecessary overlapping. 
 
 After all, the story which I have to tell is a personal 
 one, and without undue egotism, I have constantly felt, 
 and as constantly been assured by others, that it is the 
 personal element which gives the greatest interest to 
 such a narrative as mine, whether spoken or written. It 
 is a story, not of what I have read or heard of, but of 
 personal experience : of what I myself have done or tried 
 to do, or in which I have participated. 
 
 J. E. M. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGB 
 
 Foreword . ♦ v 
 
 Editorial vii 
 
 Preface . . . . . . . . ix 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 Introduction 
 
 I. — The Outward Journey . . .39 
 
 11. — First Impressions of Burma . . 46 
 
 III. — Beginning Work in Maulmein . . 52 
 
 IV. — School Work in Maulmein ... 60 
 
 V. — Ordination at Calcutta • • . 75 
 
 VI. — Beginning Work in Rangoon . . 80 
 
 VII. — First Furlough in England . . 89 
 
 VIII. — Return to Rangoon 
 
 IX. — School Routine . 
 
 X. — The Diocesan Orphanage 
 
 XI. — MiNDON Min . . . 
 
 XII. — The Call to Mandalay 
 
 XIII. — First Interviews with King Mindon . 163 
 
 XIV. — Visit to Sir John Lawrence . . 182 
 
 XV. — Work in Mandalay .... 189 
 
 XVI. — Consecration of Mandalay Church . 199 
 
 XVII. — The First Bishop of Rangoon , .211 
 
 XVIIL— Thibaw . 
 
 XIX. — Last Days in Maulmein 
 
 XX. — Last Visit to Burma . 
 
 Appendix 
 
 Index .... 
 
 102 
 122 
 136 
 
 144 
 
 153 
 
 218 
 233 
 239 
 251 
 301 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Rev. Dr. Marks (photogravure) . . Frontispiece 
 
 Pupils and Staff of St. John's College, Rangoon 
 
 Facing p. 26 
 St. John's College with the Cadet Corps „ 36 
 
 Maulmein ,, . 52 
 
 Kutho Daw „ 68 
 
 Bishop Strachan, Dr. Marks and Clergy of Rangoon 
 Diocese ...... Facing p. So 
 
 Mandalay. The Palace . . . ,, 96 
 
 Rangoon. Church of the Holy Trinity, the " Town 
 Church". . . . . . Facing p. 108 
 
 Dr. Marks, the Rev. Tsan Baw and the Burmese Con- 
 gregation of St. John's College, Rangoon Facing p. 124 
 Mandalay. The Moat .... ,, 144 
 
 Mandalay. The State Barge . . ,, 156 
 
 King Thibaw's Throne . . . „ 166 
 
 Dr. Marks and Pupils before King Mind6n ,, 173 
 
 Mandalay. King Thibaw's Golden Kyaung ,, 218 
 
 Mandalay Palace as Garrison Chapel . „ 232 
 
 The " Marks' Memorial " Committee . ,, 238 
 
 Sawbwa Saw Khd, Ko Shwe Hman and Dr. Marks . 
 
 ~ Facing p. 246 
 
 MAP 
 Burma , , , * . • • Facing p. 1 
 
» » ,' 
 
BURMA. 
 
 Mission Stdhons supported by the SPG.art underhntd . other Anglicdn Stations..., 
 By hind permission of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. 
 
 IFacing p. i. 
 
Forty Years in Burma 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 JOHN EBENEZER MARKS was born in 
 London on the 4th of June, 1832. He 
 was of Jewish extraction, and the re- 
 markable vitaHty which, despite persistent 
 ill-health, exacting work and a trying climate, 
 enabled him to live a life of uninterrupted 
 activity until the age of eighty-three, was 
 doubtless an heritage from the hardy stock 
 to which he belonged. 
 
 His early education was received at a school 
 in the East End of London which has long since 
 disappeared. He remained as an unpaid pupil 
 teacher at the school in which he was educated 
 until he received appointments successively 
 at Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Evesham. 
 
 From Evesham he was invited by the 
 Rev. T. O, Goodchild to become master of the 
 
 ^ 
 

 FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 Hackney Free and Parochial Schools in Mare 
 Street. His pupils were notorious for their 
 roughness, and were locally known as the 
 Hackney Bulldogs. He had desperate struggles 
 with them, but his unique sympathy with boys, 
 coupled with his genius for teaching, won the 
 day, and the boys soon became attached to 
 him. 
 
 After spending all the day in school, he used 
 to devote his evenings to ragged-school work 
 and evening classes for lads. In such work as 
 this he gave material assistance to the parish 
 of St. George's in the East, and also to Father 
 Lowder. 
 
 He went out to Burma in 1859 ^^ a layman 
 for educational work in connection with the 
 Society for the Propagation of the Gospel at 
 the school which it had opened at Maulmein. 
 
 After working with great success for three 
 years as a layman, he was accepted as a can- 
 didate for Ordination by Bishop Cotton of 
 Calcutta, and was invited to undergo a special 
 course of preparation at Bishop's College, 
 Calcutta. He was there for a few months in 
 1863, and was ordained Deacon on All Saints* 
 Day in Calcutta Cathedral, After a short 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 furlough in England, necessitated by an attack 
 of abscess on the Hver, he was ordained Priest 
 in Calcutta in 1866. 
 
 The story of his educational work in Maul- 
 mein, Mandalay and Rangoon is told at length 
 in his memoirs, and it would be superfluous to 
 tell it again here. The main facts are enu- 
 merated in the following resolution which was 
 adopted by the S. P. G. on his death : 
 
 ''It is with no ordinary feelings that the 
 Society, assembled in its Monthly meeting in 
 the Society's House on Friday, October 15th, 
 1915, places on the list of those who have 
 departed this life the name of the Rev. Dr. 
 J. E. Marks, assured that posterity will accord 
 him a place among the great educational mis- 
 sionaries of this age. There are few also who 
 have led a life so full of romance, and in situa- 
 tions which brought him into touch with some 
 of the great political movements within the 
 Empire. . . . 
 
 " Burma was the scene of his missionary 
 labours, and he leaves a name in that land 
 educationally, as great as that of Judson on 
 the evangelistic side. In the region of romance 
 there are few missionary episodes more fas- 
 
 3 I* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 cinating than the history of Dr. Marks* associa- 
 tion with Mindon Min and King Thibaw. The 
 former, though a non-Christian, built a church 
 and a school and a residence for Dr. Marks, 
 and sent the royal Princes to the school. 
 
 '* But the monumental work of Dr. Marks 
 was the creation and development of St. John's 
 College, Rangoon, which, under his auspices, 
 became the leading educational establishment 
 in Burma. Not less than 15,000 pupils passed 
 through his hands, composed of almost every 
 nationality in the East. . . . 
 
 *' He was presented with the Lambeth 
 Degree of D.D. in 1879 t>y Archbishop Tait, 
 in recognition of his eminent services to the 
 Church, and retired in 1900, but not to idle- 
 ness. Dr. Marks has been one of the most 
 indefatigable of helpers for the Society's cause, 
 and his presence had become known from one 
 end of the Kingdom to the other. The Society 
 never had a more devoted supporter, and is 
 proud of having had the name of this remark- 
 able man and missionary on its lists." 
 
 The last fifteen years of his life were spent 
 in constant deputation work on behalf of the 
 Society, and during that period he must have 
 
 4 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 preached in almost every Cathedral and im- 
 portant parish church in England. Failing 
 health, aggravated by a motor accident, inter- 
 fered with, but did not put a stop to, his 
 activities. He was preaching constantly to 
 within a few days of his death, and was actually 
 engaged to preach in Chelmsford Cathedral on 
 the Sunday after he passed away. 
 
 The story which Dr. Marks tells in the fol- 
 lowing pages needs supplementing in some 
 respects if the character of the writer is to be 
 properly understood. There were so many 
 interesting events in Marks' Ufe, that the 
 reader is in danger of forgetting that the most 
 interesting thing in the whole story is the 
 writer himself. It is no exaggeration to 
 say that for many years the personality of 
 Dr. Marks was quite an important factor in 
 Burmese life. 
 
 It was not so much his educational or mis- 
 sionary activity that secured him this promi- 
 nence. It was the influence of his own 
 personahty. He had a perfect genius for 
 forming and keeping friendships. Humble 
 Eurasian orphans, Burmese and Indian school- 
 boys, and high Government officials were all 
 
 5 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 attracted to him by his boundless affection, 
 his open-handed generosity and his unstinted 
 hospitahty. His geniahty broke down all the 
 barriers of race, religion and social position, 
 and won for him friends wherever he went. 
 
 Even his faults served to endear him to 
 those with whom he had to deal. His impul- 
 sive nature compelled him to champion the 
 cause of anyone who appealed to him for 
 assistance, and in such cases he did not hesi- 
 tate to tackle the highest in the land. He was 
 often at fault in the causes which he cham- 
 pioned, but the engaging frankness with which 
 he acknowledged it often ended in drawing 
 still more closely to himself the person whom 
 he had attacked. 
 
 His account-keeping was the despair of his 
 friends. He would give away his last rupee, 
 and then wonder where on earth all his money 
 had gone to. His generosity often got him into 
 trouble with the authorities in charge of the 
 finances of the Mission, and it was at last 
 decided, on his own suggestion, to make one 
 of his colleagues responsible for the keeping 
 of the school accounts. But it was just this 
 generosity and complete indifference to finan- 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 cial matters which endeared him to his 
 numerous proteges. 
 
 During his residence at Mandalay, and after- 
 wards at St. John's College, Rangoon, Marks 
 kept open house. The hospitality of St. 
 John's College was for many years a feature 
 in the social life of Rangoon. From the Chief 
 Commissioner downwards, civil and military 
 officials, wealthy merchants, and all the 
 leading lights of Rangoon society constantly 
 accepted the hospitality which Marks so 
 unstintingly offered. 
 
 It was not so much the good fare that was 
 provided as the extraordinary genius for enter- 
 tainment possessed by the host, which at- 
 tracted his many visitors. Marks was a first- 
 rate raconteur. His supply of anecdotes was 
 limitless, and he narrated them with a quiet 
 restraint which added immensely to their 
 effect. Some of his stories were a little in- 
 clined to be Rabelaisian, and very much 
 shocked those who expected missionaries to 
 indulge in nothing but edifying conversation. 
 But his missionary zeal was unquestioned 
 even by those who would have liked to see it 
 accompanied with a more puritanical spirit. 
 
 7 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 His hospitality and geniality did no harm to 
 his missionary work ; rather, they attracted the 
 assistance of many who otherwise would not 
 have been disposed to sympathize with such 
 objects. 
 
 No account of Marks* Hfe would be complete 
 which failed to give some information about 
 his ability in this direction. Unfortunately the 
 present writer is ill-equipped for the purpose, 
 as he only met Dr. Marks on three several 
 occasions. One such story must suffice, and 
 that, alas ! will only be appreciated by those 
 famihar with the Burmese language. 
 
 When I visited Dr. Marks on my first fur- 
 lough, I was rather proud of my knowledge of 
 Burmese, and tried, I suppose, to make an 
 impression upon him. By way of testing me 
 he suddenly asked : " What does Ne ne ma 
 sa hnin mean ? " '* It means, ' Don't eat a 
 little,' '' I replied. '' No, it does not,'' said 
 the Doctor. '' It means, ' Eat a good lot.' 
 I always used that expression when I went 
 round the dining-room to inspect the boys at 
 their meals." 
 
 My own translation was literal enough, but 
 
 Burmese is pre-eminently a language of double 
 
 8 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 entendre, and the interpretation put upon the 
 words by the Doctor would certainly be the 
 one which would be understood by the boys. 
 At the same time, there would be sufficient 
 trace of the opposite meaning for the boys to 
 appreciate the joke. 
 
 It would be a great pity if the numerous 
 stories which Dr. Marks used to tell in Burma 
 were permanently lost. Perhaps one of his 
 many friends will some day give us an account 
 of his table-talk. 
 
 A word must be said here about Dr. Marks' 
 relations with the high officers of the Govern- 
 ment. From the time of Sir Arthur Phayre, 
 the first Chief Commissioner of British Burma, 
 until he finally left Rangoon, Marks was on 
 terms of intimacy with the successive rulers 
 of the Province. The first efforts of the 
 Government to establish English schools had 
 proved miserable failures for lack of the right 
 kind of teachers. The High School in Ran- 
 goon had to be shut up for a time. Marks 
 tells in his diary of a visit to the Government 
 school at Prome. The pupils were all there, 
 but there was no teacher, so he set about 
 giving the boys their lesson himself. 
 
 9 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 Marks' astonishing success with the schools 
 which he estabhshed attracted all the more 
 attention because of the comparative failure 
 of the Government in the same direction ; and 
 though the educational authorities were natur- 
 ally a httle jealous, the other officials con- 
 stantly turned to Marks for advice on educa- 
 tional affairs, and showed their appreciation 
 of his success by lavish grants in aid for his 
 work. 
 
 Of all the successive Heads of the Province, 
 Sir Charles Bernard seems to have been the 
 one who was most intimate with Marks ; and 
 the little glimpses into the character of this 
 magnificent administrator which the memoir 
 gives us will serve to heighten the admiration 
 in which he is already held by those who 
 know Burma. 
 
 His successor. Sir Charles Crosthwaite, speaks 
 of the heroic energy and devotion displayed 
 by Sir Charles Bernard. After the annexa- 
 tion of Upper Burma, Sir Charles Bernard had 
 to administer the newly-acquired territory 
 without adequate machinery, in addition to 
 bearing his previous burden of governing the 
 Lower Province. The Upper Burma Secre- 
 
 10 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 tariat was at Mandalay. ** When Sir Charles 
 was in Rangoon, he relied to a great extent 
 on his memory. Letters and telegrams re- 
 ceived from Mandalay were dealt with and 
 returned with his orders, no copies for refer- 
 ence being kept." Anyone familiar with the 
 work of the Administration of India will realize 
 what an intolerable burden Sir Charles Bernard 
 was attempting to carry. 
 
 His relations with Dr. Marks confirm the 
 impression left on our minds by the above 
 quotation of the tremendous energy of Sir 
 Charles Bernard. When Marks was suffering 
 from one of his periodic attacks of ill-health, 
 the Chief Commissioner came personally to 
 visit him in his little room at St. John's 
 College, and carried him off to Government 
 House. During the last Burmese war Sir 
 Charles copied out all the official communiques, 
 as they were received from the field force, 
 with his own hand, and sent them to Marks 
 at St. John's College. 
 
 This series of notes terminated with the 
 following laconic communication, dated Gov- 
 ernment House, Rangoon, December 2nd, 
 
 1885 : *' There seems a chance of your soon 
 
 II 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 seeing your long-lost and much-cherished pupil. 
 Ex-King Thibaw was to-day at Minhla on 
 board the Thooria on his way down the river. 
 I can't help feehng some sympathy for the 
 poor creature in the pUght to which he has 
 come. — Yours sincerely, C. Bernard.*' 
 
 Was it desirable that a missionary, engaged 
 in the propagation of his own particular reli- 
 gious opinions, should be on terms of such 
 intimacy with Government officials, whose 
 supreme duty it was to administer the Province 
 with absolute impartiahty, and without show- 
 ing any favour to any rehgious body ? 
 
 The question is one of perennial interest in 
 India, where a professedly Christian Govern- 
 ment has to administer the affairs of people 
 who are for the most part non-Christian. 
 Shall the Government show preferential treat- 
 ment to Christian or non-Christian institu- 
 tions ? In the past, the Government has 
 answered this question by asking another : 
 Which kind of institution is the more efficient ? 
 In Marks' time it was the Christian institution 
 which was demonstrably the more efficient, 
 and which received preferential treatment from 
 Sir Charles Bernard and other wise rulers. 
 
 12 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 But in the future this is by no means likely 
 to be the case, and if missionaries should be 
 inclined to lament the change, they will find 
 much in Dr. Marks' memoirs which will tend 
 to console them. 
 
 The favours shown to Marks by King 
 Mindon did little to encourage the spread of 
 Christianity in Mandalay. The help given by 
 Government to St. John's College, while it 
 enabled it to develop into an important edu- 
 cational foundation, did not succeed, in any 
 appreciable measure, in commending Chris- 
 tianity to the Burmese. Dr. Marks' experi- 
 ence tends to prove that Government patronage 
 can do no more now than it did in the time of 
 Constantine to inculcate essential Christianity. 
 
 Marks did not lose his power of making 
 and keeping friends after his retirement from 
 active service in Burma. Many will recall 
 the hospitality dispensed by his sister at their 
 house in Croydon, especially the gatherings 
 which took place annually on the Doctor's 
 birthday. The event was made the occasion 
 for the reunion of friends old and new, and 
 became — what he called his house — a veritable 
 *' Burma " in England. 
 
 13 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 All who were privileged to enjoy the hos- 
 pitality of the Croydon ''Burma" will recall 
 the way in which the Doctor beamed round 
 on his guests ; how untiring he was in relating 
 stories of his work in Burma ; how naive was 
 the pleasure with which he displayed the 
 magnificent rubies and other jewels which had 
 been presented to him by King Mindon and his 
 numerous Burmese pupils and friends. He 
 showed himself there in his true character as 
 the most genial, the most entertaining, the 
 most generous of egoists ! 
 
 There remain three aspects of Marks' work 
 which must be dealt with at some little length 
 in order that the reader may understand and 
 appreciate the significance of the story which 
 he tells. These are : (i) His relations with 
 King Mindon ; (2) his work as an education- 
 ahst ; (3) his connection with pubhc affairs. 
 
 Dr. Marks and King Mindon* 
 
 There is no doubt that the most romantic 
 part of Dr. Marks* life was the period 1868- 
 1874, which was spent in Mandalay, and 
 during which he experienced, in varying 
 
 * cf. The whole series of letters in the Appendix, 
 14 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 degrees, the patronage of the King of Burma. 
 It is important to reaUze that Dr. Marks was 
 not the only Christian Priest to enjoy that 
 fickle monarch's friendship. As he himself 
 points out, the Roman Catholig Priest and the 
 Armenian Bishop were both receiving help 
 from the King before his own arrival in 
 Mandalay. 
 
 It will help the reader to understand the 
 true position of things if I quote the Roman 
 Catholic version of the matter as set down by 
 that most distinguished Prelate, Dr. Bigandet, 
 in his book, " A History of the Catholic Bur- 
 mese Mission." 
 
 " When the Bishop was in Mandalay in 
 1859, ^he King urgently pressed him to give 
 him the Rev. Father Lecomte for the educa- 
 tion of his children and those of his brother, 
 the heir-apparent. The request was granted, 
 though with a certain amount of reluctance, 
 based upon the little hope entertained of the 
 realization of the plan. 
 
 '' Father Lecomte came to Rangoon to 
 purchase what was necessary for the future 
 establishment, and after completing his pur- 
 chases, he returned to Mandalay in all haste. 
 
 15 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 But the mind of the King had abready under- 
 gone some changes, owing to the influence 
 of the Hpongyis, and perhaps of the women 
 of the Palace. He would send to the school 
 only some of the boys who were loitering day 
 and night in the Palace. As the missionary 
 had positive orders not to hold a school except 
 for the benefit of the King's sons, he declined 
 His Majesty's offer. 
 
 *' In 1867 His Majesty placed under the 
 charge of Father Lecomte twelve or fourteen 
 boys belonging to some officers of the Palace. 
 The boys were to learn the English language 
 and the rudiments of those sciences which are 
 taught in European schools. The excellent 
 father has devoted himself to that task with 
 great zeal and courage, and has succeeded as 
 well as it was possible with boys of that 
 country. 
 
 " Ever since his accession to the throne in 
 1852, King Mindon has shown a real dis- 
 position to help the missionary residing in the 
 royal city. Father Abbona had known him 
 well before his accession to the throne. He 
 was . fond of conversations on rehgion, and 
 appeared much pleased with hearing particulars 
 
 16 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 concerning the creed of the foreigners — i.e., 
 the CathoHcs. 
 
 " But this fondness was with him, as with 
 all Burmese, the offspring of mere curiosity, 
 and that even of a very superficial kind. 
 Before His Majesty's mind was so much taken 
 up with mercantile speculations, the writer 
 often had the opportunity of discussing reli- 
 gious matters with him ; but he soon found 
 that the King looked upon such discussions as 
 matters of amusement, or, at the most, in- 
 tended them merely to make a display of his 
 knowledge of the Buddhist books, and par- 
 ticularly of the metaphysical parts of them. 
 Never has he exhibited, even for a moment, 
 the least inclination to reflect upon the capital 
 truths fundamental to every rational being, 
 viz., God, Creation, Providence, etc. With 
 a childish sneer he laughed at the idea of a 
 creating power, and now that his mind is 
 entirely engrossed with the gains and profits 
 which he desires to make, he cares no longer 
 for religious topics. 
 
 " It may be, too, that he has found it im- 
 possible to maintain his footing in carrying 
 on a fair discussion, and that he has given it 
 
 17 2 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 up in despair. Certain it is that, notwith- 
 standing what has been asserted to the con- 
 trary by persons who ought to know better, 
 the King has never had the remotest idea of 
 studying carefully and seriously the tenets of 
 Christianity, and that he has always been a 
 staunch and fervent supporter of Buddhism. 
 Is he led to this line of conduct by political 
 motives ? Does he hope thereby to obtain a 
 greater and stronger influence over his people ? 
 I beheve that his acute and cunning mind can 
 easily reach so far and make religion a means 
 to carry out his plans. 
 
 '* Be that as it may, it is certain that he has 
 been liberal in assisting the Mission of Upper 
 Burma. When the Capital was transferred 
 from Amarapoora to the present site of Man- 
 dalay, the King gave a fine piece of land, both 
 for the church and the dwelHng of the mis- 
 sionary, and bore almost all the expense of 
 building the house. Whenever the Bishop 
 has visited the city, the King has hberally 
 given him money to defray his travelling 
 expenses. 
 
 " The writer is delighted herein to acknow- 
 ledge the many tokens of kindness which the 
 
 i8 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 King has conferred upon the Catholic Mission. 
 But, at the same time, to avoid misunder- 
 standing, it ought to be admitted that the 
 hberahty of the King extends also to the 
 ministers of other denominations, though to 
 different degrees. He has lately contributed 
 most liberally in setting up a school and a church 
 for an English minister belonging to the Pro- 
 testant association for the propagation of the 
 Gospel. It is true that the said minister was 
 backed by the powerful and active influence of 
 the Chief Commissioner of British Burma, as 
 well as by the incessant interference of the English 
 Resident at the Court of Mandalay. The King, 
 as a true and clever politician, never does 
 anything without expecting some return in 
 one way or another. By favouring the English 
 minister he expects to ingratiate himself with 
 the Enghsh Governor, and hopes to find in his 
 protege an individual who, in case of diffi- 
 culty arising, will be able to lend him important 
 support. 
 
 '* Moreover, the King, in the kindness which 
 he vouchsafes to foreign ministers of reUgion, 
 is influenced to a great extent by an ill- 
 disguised vanity and a love of having his 
 
 19 2* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 name honourably mentioned et late et circum, 
 with praises and acclamations for his incom- 
 parable generosity. 
 
 " After the death of the Crown Prince and 
 the almost total destruction of his family, 
 followed by the revolt of his two sons, the 
 King grew fearful and timorous. He thought 
 his position fraught with perils and dangers. 
 Thence his settled idea of concentrating all 
 the power in his own hands. Contrary to 
 the immemorial custom of having always a 
 member of the royal family designated heir- 
 apparent, with a suitable amount of power, 
 influence and retinue, the King would never 
 allow one of his sons to be designated as his 
 successor. He feared lest he might plot against 
 him and hurl him from his throne. 
 
 *' The head of the Buddhist rehgion, called 
 the Thathana-baing, happened to die two years 
 after the heir-apparent, but the King would 
 not suffer another to be appointed in his 
 stead. 
 
 '' He told the writer, in the course of one 
 conversation, that he himself, assisted by four 
 dignitaries, would manage all the affairs of a 
 religious character. He is a true Czar in his 
 
 20 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 dominions. His greed of influence and power 
 is so great, that he wishes to be the only- 
 trader in his dominions, and the only man who 
 has a right to grasp profits. But withal he is 
 not a miser. He is fond of money, but not 
 for the sake of hoarding it as his predecessors 
 did. He wished to have it to spend it as he 
 liked. 
 
 '' His Majesty did all in his power to induce 
 the writer to fix his residence in the Capital. 
 He promised him a monthly allowance for 
 personal support. He gave him a very fine 
 and extensive piece of ground whereupon a 
 spacious brick building was erected for his 
 residence. The writer expressed to the King 
 his grateful acknowledgments for this act of 
 kindness. He took possession of the place, 
 but never dwelt therein. He devoted the 
 building for a school, and up to this day it 
 has been used for that purpose.'' 
 
 I have taken the liberty of quoting Bishop 
 Bigandet at such length because his book is 
 not easily accessible to the general public, 
 because of the high authority of any statement 
 made by so careful and profound a student of 
 Burmese affairs, and because of the light 
 
 21 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 thrown by this particular statement upon 
 the relationship which existed between Dr. 
 Marks and Mindon Min. It is important to 
 remember that Dr. Marks was not the first, 
 much less the only, missionary who enjoyed 
 the Burmese King^s favour. 
 
 The whole episode appears to be nothing 
 less than a deliberate, if somewhat childish, 
 plot on the part of King Mindon. He was well 
 aware of the powers of the priesthood. He 
 fully comprehended the influence wielded by 
 the Buddhist monastic order from the Thathana- 
 haing down to the humblest novice, and, as 
 is indicated in the above quotation, he had 
 deliberately exploited that influence for his 
 own purposes. Could he not* influence the 
 French and British Governments through the 
 French Roman Catholics and the English 
 missionaries ? 
 
 Dr. Bigandet was in a far more diflicult 
 position than Dr. Marks, for what the King 
 expected of him was to connive at, perhaps 
 even aid and abet, a treasonable agitation 
 against the British Government. Those were 
 the days when the French and the English 
 were rivals, and when it was still undecided 
 
 22 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 as to which should be the paramount Power 
 in Upper Burma. It is greatly to the credit 
 both of the wisdom and the integrity of the 
 good Bishop that he immediately perceived 
 this and refused to become the King's agent. 
 
 Dr. Marks well knew what the King expected 
 of him, and set himself from the very first 
 against allowing the King to exploit his in- 
 fluence with the Government. He knew that 
 he took grave risks of compromising himself 
 by accepting the King's bounty, but he trusted 
 to his own transparent bona fides to save him- 
 self from the difficulties that might arise. In 
 his zeal for missionary education he was pre- 
 pared to face the risks involved in being the 
 protege of a Buddhist monarch, but the posi- 
 tion was an impossible one from the first. 
 The King was alternately gracious and over- 
 bearing, according as he approximated to the 
 reaUzation of his ambitions. Time and again 
 only Dr. Marks' extraordinary tact and ready 
 wit saved him from forfeiting the royal favour. 
 
 It must be remembered that in those days 
 Burma was in the Metropolitical See, so that 
 Dr. Marks' Diocesan was the Bishop of Cal- 
 cutta. It was through him that the King 
 
 33 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 hoped to influence the Viceroy, and to get back 
 once more into his own hands the Provinces 
 which had been annexed by England. Dr. 
 Marks' memoir and his letters clearly indicate 
 the eagerness with which the King looked for- 
 ward to the visit of Bishop Milman to Man- 
 dalay for the consecration of the church, 
 and the disgust which he showed when he 
 found that the Bishop had returned to Cal- 
 cutta without even granting him an interview. 
 He took care that this should not happen on 
 the Bishop's second visit. 
 
 The Bishop went to the Palace with Dr. 
 Marks and was graciously received, but when 
 he steadily refused to be drawn into any con- 
 versation about political matters, the King, 
 realizing that his ambitions in that quarter 
 were doomed to disappointment, showed his 
 disgust by bringing the interview to an abrupt 
 conclusion. We are told by Dr. Marks that 
 the King's sons never again attended school 
 after the Bishop's first visit to Mandalay. 
 
 The King did not immediately withdraw 
 his support to Dr. Marks, but there is no doubt 
 that his favours were bestowed more and 
 more grudgingly ; and after experiencing all 
 
 24 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 the bitterness of those who put their trust 
 in princes, Dr. Marks was at length recalled 
 from Mandalay. 
 
 Dr. Marks as an Educationalist 
 
 From first to last Marks' work in Burma was 
 educational. Although he came out to Burma 
 as a missionary, he definitely took the position, 
 from the very outset, that the Burmese could 
 only be influenced by Christianity through 
 educational work. Christianity, as a religion, 
 provoked the Burman to nothing more useful 
 than barren controversy. But Christianity as 
 English custom inspired him with all the 
 respect which he paid to the British civil and 
 mihtary administration. Hence Dr. Marks' 
 lifelong work in establishing English mis- 
 sionary schools all over the country. 
 
 In attempting to appraise the value of such 
 work, it must not be forgotten that those 
 were early days, and that Dr. Marks was a 
 pioneer. Some of the schools which he estab- 
 lished have disappeared. Some of the prin- 
 ciples for which he contended, as, e,g., the 
 co-education of Europeans and Burmans, have 
 
 23 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 been definitely decided against him. Many of 
 the questions which agitated him and his con- 
 temporaries no longer awaken any enthusiasm 
 one side or the other. Has Dr. Marks, then, 
 any right to be considered an educationalist 
 in any real sense ? 
 
 To anyone who knows Burma it would be a 
 sufi&cient answer to this question to point to 
 St. John's College and other smaller educa- 
 tional institutions up and down the country 
 which remain as permanent results of his work. 
 But I do not think that we of a later genera- 
 tion can do credit to his work without reference 
 to one of his contemporaries. I therefore 
 take the liberty of quoting in full a letter 
 written to Dr. Marks by Sir John Jardine 
 in 1913. 
 
 Sir John says : '* I write to announce the 
 coming of an event which you have long 
 desired, I mean the establishment of a Uni- 
 versity at Rangoon. In reply to a recent 
 question of mine in the House of Commons, 
 I was informed that although details have 
 not been settled, the Government of India are 
 making provision of funds for the establish- 
 ment of the University. 
 
 96 
 
a 
 
 3 
 
 a. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 '' You will remember that some of us in the 
 very early days of the Educational Syndicate 
 had a vision that this was to come, and that 
 we did our work in anticipation thereof, keep- 
 ing debates on a high level, providing a library, 
 honouring scholars and scholarship both 
 European and Oriental, protecting and super- 
 intending teachers, creating public opinion, 
 trusting the people and winning pubHc con- 
 fidence, fixing standards of all sorts, making 
 examinations in all kinds of learning, and 
 enlarging jurisdiction in spite of some oppo- 
 sition of officials. 
 
 '* Apparently we laid the foundations well ; 
 the Syndicate has lasted till now, and soon, 
 I hope, will be merged in the greater institu- 
 tion. Not many of our colleagues, perhaps, 
 looked so far ahead. Bishop Bigandet did, 
 but he has passed away before seeing the 
 University he wished for come into being. 
 You are a survivor ; a generation has passed 
 away, but I write in fullness of heart to you, 
 as I shall never forget how thoroughly you 
 worked in this great cause, and how con- 
 stantly and warmly you supported our early 
 
 efforts in the spirit in which Sir Charles Ber- 
 
 27 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 nard created and trusted that important 
 Board. 
 
 *' You and I had to frame a poHcy and to 
 fight for it, and to spend many weary hours 
 over it. I hope that our labours and honest 
 hopes have been blessed, and that we have 
 done something for the public welfare and in 
 the spirit of the Author of our Faith." 
 
 No higher praise of Dr. Marks' educational 
 work could be desired than this, and there are 
 few who can speak with greater authority on 
 the subject than Sir John Jardine. The 
 Educational Syndicate referred to by Sir John 
 was an attempt to co-ordinate the various 
 societies interested in educational work in the 
 country, and, in spite of all its obvious defects, 
 it has been of inestimable service to the cause 
 of education in Burma. That success has 
 been due in large measure to the enthusiasm 
 of the early members, and though Dr. Marks 
 is by no means the only one of these who is 
 entitled to praise, his claim must not be 
 overlooked. 
 
 Marks was too strong a personaHty to work 
 harmoniously on a Board with others. As he 
 himself has told us, he was strongly in favour 
 
 28 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 of a committee of one, and if he fell into dis- 
 favour in later years with the educational 
 authorities in Burma, it must be attributed 
 rather to this defect in his character than to 
 a deficiency in his educational principles. 
 
 It is not, however, as an educationalist, in 
 the wider sense, that Dr. Marks can lay claim 
 to distinction. It was rather in the more 
 restricted sense as a schoolmaster that his work 
 commends itself to us. His genius in this 
 direction is unquestioned. As early as 1861, 
 when he had only been little over twelve 
 months in the country, it was already recog- 
 nized by his colleagues. The Chaplain of 
 Maulmein in his report to the S. P. G. stated 
 that Mr. Marks was a first-rate schoolmaster, 
 zealous and most fond of his particular work, 
 and that ** He has such a happy way with him 
 in the treatment and management of boys, 
 that they soon become strongly attached to 
 him, and his personal influence is very great.'' 
 
 The writer of this report succinctly states at 
 the very outset of his career what was the 
 secret of Dr. Marks' success. It was due, not 
 to his knowledge of high educational prin- 
 ciples, or of extraordinary powers of organiza- 
 
 29 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA \ 
 
 tion. It was due simply to the power of his 
 own personality. 
 
 He had a passionate love for boys and an 
 extraordinary way of winning their affection. 
 He was ready to give anything in his power to 
 help his ** sons/* as he affectionately called his 
 pupils. His time, his money, his health, were 
 all given without stint for their welfare. In the 
 diaries there are frequent entries like the 
 following : 
 
 " 29-1-69. Having sat up all night with 
 Kyay Hmin, who for a long time was delirious, 
 I slept a little this morning." 
 
 '* 30-1-69. Went to bed at 4.30 a.m. Up 
 at 8.30/' 
 
 These are just little indications of what all 
 his old boys say, that he would sit up night 
 after night with sick boys, and yet go on quite 
 cheerfully with his teaching work the next day. 
 
 There is another entry in the diaries, on 
 June 2 1st, 1869, about the time of the opening 
 of the Royal School at Mandalay, which again 
 illustrates the affection which he had for his 
 pupils : " Give me, O Father, wisdom and 
 earnestness to work for Thee and Thy glory 
 in teaching these dear boys. Bring them to 
 
 30 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 the Good Shepherd of their souls and keep 
 them as Thine, now and ever." 
 
 It is not to be wondered at that affection 
 shown in so real and practical a form was reci- 
 procated by his Burmese and Eurasian pupils. 
 Devotion to '* The Doctor " amounted almost 
 to a cult, which, after his retirement from 
 active service in Burma, showed itself in the 
 formation of the '' Marks' Memorial Fund." 
 
 Two little incidents will serve to illustrate 
 the relations which existed between Marks and 
 his pupils. The first is told by the writer of 
 the obituary notice in the Rangoon Gazette. 
 It was on the eve of Marks' return to England 
 after his last visit to Burma. All his packing 
 had been done, and he was to go on board the 
 following day. He had been desperately ill, 
 and was only allowed to see privileged visitors. 
 One of these, on saying good-bye, ventured to 
 ask him how his finances stood. '* After a 
 brief spell the truth came out : the sum that 
 had been put aside for personal expenses had 
 gone ; it had been given to a Burman prot^g^ 
 who had come to him with a tale of domestic 
 distress." One solitary rupee remained to 
 carry him back to England ! 
 
 31 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 The other story was told me in Rangoon by 
 one of the staff of St. John's College. In the 
 early days of that institution some of the 
 teachers were returning from Rangoon in the 
 small hours of the morning after a somewhat 
 riotous evening. They had been coming along 
 the road in a very noisy manner, until one of 
 them suddenly recognized in the distance the 
 little tiny room which for many years served 
 the *' Doctor " as bedroom and sitting-room. 
 He at once put up his hand and said : '' Hush, 
 the Hpongyi I " There was immediate silence, 
 and all of the party, Eurasians and Burmese, 
 sat down solemnly in the road and took off 
 their boots before entering the compound, 
 just as they would have done if they had 
 been going into a Buddhist monastery, and 
 then proceeded silently to bed. 
 
 Marks tell us in his memoir that his educa- 
 tional text-book was ^' Tom Brown's School 
 Days." Dr. Arnold, of Rugby, was the model 
 upon which he tried to fashion himself. It 
 must have been of very great interest to him to 
 find that his first Bishop, Dr. Cotton of Cal- 
 cutta, was the " New Master " of that great 
 book. If Arnold's system was founded on 
 
 32 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 the establishment of a relationship of mutual 
 affection and regard between master and pupil, 
 then it can be affirmed without any danger 
 of contradiction that Marks was successful in 
 introducing that system into the schools which 
 he founded in Burma. 
 
 Allusion has been made above to the founda- 
 tion of the '' Marks' Memorial Fund/' It 
 began its existence in 1898, when Marks 
 retired from active work in Burma. It was 
 virtually an old boys' club, of which the 
 members were the *' sons " of Dr. Marks whom 
 he had educated at one or other of the schools 
 which he had founded. But the fund was 
 founded, not primarily for the encouragement 
 of esprit de corps in St. John's College, though 
 that undoubtedly was one of the results of its 
 establishment, but for the provision of a 
 pension for their superannuated principal. 
 
 Gratitude is not a virtue which is very 
 prominent in the Eastern character. In fact, 
 most Englishmen who have spent their lives 
 and given their best years to the amelioration 
 of the lot of their fellow-subjects in India, 
 frequently complain that their work is but little 
 appreciated by those who have chiefly bene- 
 
 33 3 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 fited from it. They are '' as the remembrance 
 of a guest that tarrieth but for a day." 
 
 Dr. Marks had no such experience. He was 
 remembered by his *' sons " to his dying day, 
 and the gratitude of those whom he had 
 worked for was shown, not in empty expres- 
 sions of regard, but in the practical form of 
 a pension fund. The fund was sustained all 
 the seventeen years which lapsed between 
 Marks' retirement and his death, and the 
 affection which prompted it was demonstrated 
 by the fact that it included a constant supply 
 of the cheroots for which Burma is famous, 
 and which the Doctor never lost his liking for. 
 The *' Marks' Memorial Fund " did not cease 
 even with his death. It is still maintained, 
 and the proceeds are being devoted to the 
 erection of a memorial chapel in connection 
 with St. John's College, and to the foundation 
 of scholarships for poor Burmese students. 
 
 Dr. Marks and Public Affairs 
 
 Dr. Marks took a Hfelong interest in public 
 affairs, especially during his residence in Ran- 
 goon. When the atrocities in Upper Burma 
 
 34 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 were perpetrated by King Thibaw, it was a 
 letter from his pen to the Rangoon press which 
 first called for the vigorous protest which was 
 expressed in a magnificent mass meeting in 
 Rangoon, at which he was one of the speakers, 
 and which ended in the intervention of the 
 British Government. 
 
 But it was mainly in connection with the 
 volunteer movement and with the Rangoon 
 Municipahty that his activities in this direc- 
 tion manifested themselves. How far it is 
 desirable for an educational missionary to take 
 an active part in such affairs is a matter of 
 opinion, and, unfortunately, Dr. Marks did not 
 always see eye to eye with his colleagues on 
 this point. Bishop Strachan considered it his 
 duty to make a protest, and it was one of the 
 causes for the strained relations which existed 
 for a long time between these two zealous 
 missionaries. 
 
 His activities in connection with the volun- 
 teer movement were less open to question, and 
 in this, as in so many other matters, Marks was 
 the pioneer in Burma. St. John's College 
 Cadet Corps was the first volunteer detach- 
 ment connected with any school in Burma. 
 
 35 3* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 For many years it enjoyed the reputation of 
 being the most efficient of all the volunteer 
 corps in the Province. During the last Bur- 
 mese war all the members, with a few insignifi- 
 cant exceptions, volunteered for active service, 
 and though Sir Harry Prendergast did not see 
 his way clear to accept the offer, the corps 
 was placed under active service conditions, 
 and became, for the time being, part of the 
 garrison of Rangoon. 
 
 Since that time several other schools in 
 Burma have started cadet corps, and the 
 movement has passed beyond the experimental 
 stage. It is certain to become more and more 
 important in the future as the duty of national 
 service for all the citizens of the British Empire 
 becomes more clearly recognized. During the 
 present war many of the various races of 
 Burma have asked for permission to serve in 
 the British army, and although the authorities 
 naturally hesitate to enrol all the men of fight- 
 ing age, or to put arms in the hands of those 
 who might misuse them, there seems little to 
 be said against, and much to be said in favour 
 of, training to arms the small minority of 
 students who have had the advantage of an 
 
 36 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 English education, and who realize the privi- 
 leges and responsibilities they enjoy as citizens 
 of the British Empire. 
 
 In this connection it may be of value to quote 
 the Orders passed by the Government with 
 regard to St. John's College Cadet Corps in 
 1885: 
 
 " The Cadet Company of St. John's College, 
 Rangoon, has for several years past contained 
 more than ten per cent, of Burmese lads, and 
 this Company has at repeated inspections ac- 
 quitted itself well under the circumstances. I 
 am to say that St. John's College Company can 
 retain its Burmese Cadets who are already effi- 
 cient, even though they exceed ten per cent, of 
 the whole Company. But for the future, no 
 more Burmese Cadets should be enrolled until 
 the proper proportion of non-European Cadets 
 is brought down to ten per cent, of the Cadet 
 Company. When once the proportion of such 
 Cadets has been reduced to ten per cent., it must 
 not be allowed to exceed that proportion in future.'' 
 
 Dr. Marks was for many years honorary 
 chaplain of the Rangoon volunteers, and he 
 was awarded the Volunteer Decoration for his 
 long and devoted service. He was very proud 
 
 37 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 of his decoration, and always wore the insignia 
 pinned to his scarf when he conducted or 
 assisted at divine service. 
 
 Of his other activities in pubHc Hfe, it is 
 sufficient to remark that he was for many years 
 an active and zealous Freemason. 
 
 3- 
 
CHAPTER I 
 
 THE OUTWARD JOURNEY 
 
 TT was a bleak winter afternoon in 1859 
 -■' when I appeared before the committee 
 of the Society for the Propagation of the 
 Gospel at the office at 79, Pall Mall, and inter- 
 viewed the Rev. Ernest Hawkins and the Rev. 
 W. T. Bullock, the secretaries. 
 
 Few and short were the questions put to me, 
 as I was very well known, and the catechism 
 which was propounded went very much in 
 these words : 
 
 '* Where do you wish to go ? '* 
 
 *' Anywhere where the needs of the Society 
 are greatest." 
 
 ** What kind of work do you chiefly desire ? " 
 
 *' Educational mainly,'*^ 
 
 *' Will you go to Maulmein ? " 
 
 '' With pleasure. Where is it ? " 
 39 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 '* If s in Burma." 
 
 I did not like to confess my ignorance any 
 further, but taking leave of the Committee, 
 I went into Stanford's at Charing Cross, and 
 asked if they could tell me where Maulmein 
 was. The attendant in charge confessed ignor- 
 ance, but when I said it was in Burma it was 
 known that it was somewhere in the neigh- 
 bourhood of India, and so Maulmein was at 
 length discovered. 
 
 Of course there was a lot of preliminary 
 getting ready of outfit and other prepara^tions 
 for a long voyage, for in those days junior 
 missionaries did not travel by the well- 
 appointed liners as they do now. My passage 
 was taken in the Propontts, Captain Barnes, a 
 Penzance brigantine of 235 tons register. The 
 ship was bound from London to Maulmein, 
 Burma, East Indies. The captain, two mates, 
 nine sailors, and one passenger, myself, made 
 her complement, fourteen all told. 
 
 I am not going to describe our voyage in 
 detail. Before I embarked, when I made 
 known my destination amongst my friends, 
 my report was received with consternation, and 
 several attempts were made to dissuade me. 
 
 40 
 
THE OUTWARD JOURNEY 
 
 I did not meet anyone who could give me any 
 information from personal knowledge, but the 
 country had a bad reputation. 
 
 " Don't go to Burma/' said a Madras major, 
 whose regiment had suffered there during the 
 war, " you'll die of malaria in a month, and if 
 you do not die of that, those bloodthirsty 
 Burmans will kill you. Their great delight is 
 to kill white people." 
 
 Another officer assured me that he had lately 
 returned from Bombay, where he had had a 
 bad attack of fever, and by all accounts Burma 
 was worse than Bombay, and therefore he 
 strongly advised me to choose some other 
 country to go to. 
 
 I did not want for advice. It is astounding 
 what an amount of that commodity of all 
 kinds is lavished upon a youngster making his 
 first voyage. Kind old ladies, of both sexes, 
 with most philanthropic intentions, if they 
 have nothing else to bestow, can afford to give 
 advice for what it is worth. In after days one 
 appreciates the motive but is amused at the 
 recollection. But again and again during the 
 voyage, I wished that I could have known 
 what the voyage was likely to be. It was my 
 
 41 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 first experience and I suffered accordingly. I 
 found myself burdened with a lot of useless 
 things and very deficient in things which 
 would have tended greatly to my comfort. 
 
 The captain was a cheery, bright West- 
 country seaman, very companionable and 
 pleasant ; but the tedium of the voyage from 
 December, 1859, ^^ ^^^ middle of May, i860, 
 was more than I can describe. I had thought 
 that I could learn something of the language 
 on my way, and I bought all the books that 
 I could think of. I had Judson's '' Gram- 
 matical Notes,' ' and what I was told was a 
 Burmese New Testament. But it was Karen, 
 and, of course, the two gave me no more help 
 than did some Malay and Sanskrit books 
 which I had also brought with me ! It was 
 like trying to read Welsh with the help of an 
 English grammar ! After several gallant and 
 painful attempts to make something out of 
 the mixture, I had to abandon my Oriental 
 studies in despair. 
 
 I have often thought since, how well it 
 would be if we had in London a bureau to give 
 information to missionaries and others pro- 
 ceeding on their first voyage to the East. It 
 
 42 
 
THE OUTWARD JOURNEY 
 
 would save them from many a foolish notion, 
 many a useless expense, and enable them to 
 proceed in comfort on their journey, free from 
 anxiety and disappointment. They would 
 know what to take and what they could get 
 on arrival, what would be useful on the voyage 
 and what would be superfluous. 
 
 It is amusing to the experienced, but painful 
 to the inexperienced, to observe how fre- 
 quently young travellers overload themselves 
 with what they do not require, or could procure 
 more cheaply, and better adapted to their 
 requirements, on arrival at their destination. 
 
 The worst experience during the voyage was 
 in the '* Roaring Forties " round the Cape of 
 Good Hope, where we encountered a series of 
 storms and cross winds trying to the nerves 
 of even seasoned salts, much more to a lands- 
 man like myself. We were tossed about most 
 unmercifully, the only resting-place being in 
 one's bunk, and even that was invaded by big 
 seas that encroached on one's privacy and 
 gave us more salt-water baths than we cared 
 for. 
 
 But in later days I often called to remem- 
 brance how on the worst morning, when the 
 
 43 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 storm was at its height, I opened my Prayer- 
 Book as usual to read the daily office. It 
 was the 22nd day of the month and the 107th 
 Psalm : ** They that go down to the sea in 
 ships. ... He maketh the storm to cease so 
 that the waves thereof are still." It seemed 
 to me a voice from Heaven, assuring me that, 
 in spite of present peril, there was a kind 
 Providence watching over us, in whose power 
 was the sea and all that is in it, and that He 
 would safely bring us to the Haven where we 
 would be. And so it proved. We thanked 
 God and took courage. The crew joined with 
 me in praise to God who had preserved us so 
 that we might pursue our voyage in com- 
 parative comfort. 
 
 To those of my readers who have had similar 
 experiences in sailing vessels, in voyages of 
 nearly half a year's duration in small cargo 
 vessels ill adapted for carrying passengers, I 
 need make no apology for this description of 
 my adventure. But should aay be tempted 
 to follow my example, I would strongly and 
 emphatically say : '* Don't ! " 
 
 Still, it must be granted that the voyage had 
 for me certain advantages. Mine had been 
 
 44 
 
THE OUTWARD JOURNEY 
 
 a laborious and strenuous career, and a season 
 of retirement for qiiiet reflection and devotion, 
 with an ever-deepening sense of the importance 
 and responsibiUty of the career upon which I 
 was entering, and a sense of reUance upon 
 our Heavenly Father's care, was of immense 
 value, much more than I realized at the time. 
 
 45 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF BURMA 
 
 "\ "\ riTH a feeling of the deepest thankful- 
 ^ ^ ness we came at length within sight of 
 the Island of Kalagouk off the coast of Burma. 
 I cannot say that my first impressions of the 
 country coincided at all with what I had been 
 led to expect from what had been told me. 
 
 Kalagouk seemed rocky, scrubby, unin- 
 teresting. I visited it afterwards in a Govern- 
 ment launch with General Fraser, R.E., and 
 we were in more peril going there and back 
 in the well-appointed steam launch than we 
 were in our saiHng-tub ! 
 
 I have learnt since that Kalagouk, Uke 
 everything else, has its uses. It is being 
 utilized, though under immense difficulties, 
 by the Burmese Government for quarrying 
 purposes. The stone extracted is carried over 
 
 46 
 
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF BURMA 
 
 to the mainland for the purpose of building 
 river walls to protect Rangoon from the erosion 
 of the river banks by the rapid current of the 
 river. 
 
 The beautiful range of mountains and hills 
 on the Tenasserim coast now came into view, 
 and soon the boat came to anchor off the 
 Burmese town of Amherst, where we had to 
 wait till the turn of the tide before proceeding 
 on the last stage of our journey up the estuary 
 of the Salween to Maulmein. 
 
 I went ashore for a few hours at Amherst. 
 It is a beautifully situated town at the mouth 
 of the Salween, which is one of the great rivers 
 of the Eastern Peninsula. I cannot describe 
 its beauties adequately. I have visited it 
 or passed it often since on my numerous 
 voyages along the coast, and never without 
 recalling that delightful first landing after 
 more than five months* confinement in a small 
 ship. I felt that if I was not in Paradise itself, 
 I must be somewhere in the neighbourhood. I 
 walked under a grove of cocoanut palms, glad 
 to be alone again for a short time. I confess 
 that I knelt down under a large tree and 
 poured out my soul in thankfulness to God 
 
 47 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 who had brought me safe to my destination, 
 and I prayed that my coming to this beautiful 
 country might be for the welfare of the people. 
 The words came involuntarily to my lips : 
 '* The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant 
 places." 
 
 My reveries were disturbed most agreeably 
 by the arrival of some half-dozen Burman 
 boys, merry, laughing, cheerful lads, dressed 
 in pretty bright silk garments. In com- 
 plexion they were only slightly brown, the hair, 
 long and black, reaching half-way down the 
 backs of some of them, and tied up in a bunch 
 on the tops of the heads of others. 
 
 We looked at each other in amusement, 
 not to say amazement. I had never seen 
 Burmese boys before, and apparently they 
 had never seen a raw missionary before. 
 I certainly had no fear of them ; they showed 
 no fear of me until I put out my hand and 
 said : " How do you do, boys ? " Then they 
 thought that I was going to hit them and 
 ran away. I burst out laughing, and they, 
 stopping, laughed too, and when I beckoned 
 again, they came up to me, and we greatly 
 amused one another by carrying on a con- 
 
 48 
 
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF BURMA 
 
 versation without a word being understood 
 on either side. 
 
 I made signs to them that I had just landed 
 from the ship which was visible coming up 
 the river, and that I was thirsty ; whereupon 
 one of them^ who had in his dress that won- 
 derful dah — a marvellous bent knife, capable 
 alike of sharpening a lead pencil or of hacking 
 down a tree — climbed a tree with the agility 
 of a monkey, and cut off two of the green cocoa- 
 nuts ; then, as rapidly descending, with his 
 dah he cut off the top of one of them and 
 handed to me the most delicious draught I 
 had had for many a long day, cold and refresh- 
 ing, more than I could drink. 
 
 This was my first introduction to the 
 " bloodthirsty '* Burman, and I thought then, 
 as I have often done since, how incorrect is 
 the sentiment expressed in dear Bishop Heber's 
 hymn — written before he had ever been to 
 India or Ceylon — 
 
 " Where every prospect pleases 
 And only man is vile." 
 
 As my narrative proceeds, I shall have much 
 to say about the country as it was when I 
 
 49 4 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 first made its acquaintance. I will merely 
 remark here, in passing, that Amherst, before 
 the first Burmese war in 1825, was called 
 Kyaikkami, and that it was originally in- 
 tended to be the capital of the newly-acquired 
 territory. It was named after Lord Amherst, 
 who was Viceroy at that time. 
 
 I had to re-embark on the Propontis, and 
 had my first taste of river navigation in 
 Burma, of which I was to enjoy so much in 
 after years. It was as happy as it was novel. 
 An Enghsh pilot came on board with his 
 native linesman and took charge of us, to the 
 great relief of the captain but not of the crew, 
 who had to be watchful and attentive to 
 Pilot Berry*s orders. 
 
 As we went up the river new points ol 
 interest opened out at every turn, while the 
 incessant calls of the leadsman, telling the 
 depth of the water, gave me my first dose of 
 sailor's Hindustani, that amalgam of East 
 and West, Enghsh and native talk, of which 
 I was to learn so much afterwards. I learnt 
 that Bahm meant " fathom," and that Millani 
 meant " No bottom reached." The river 
 Salween was in full flood and was a noble 
 
 50 
 
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF BURMA 
 
 stream, with many windings, pretty wooded 
 banks and interesting villages. The houses 
 seemed to nestle among the trees, to be built, 
 the better class of wood, with thatched roofs 
 of leaves (Dani), showing brown against the 
 green. The greater number of the houses, 
 however, were light and airy, built of bamboos, 
 of whose multifarious uses I had yet much to 
 learn. In Burma this gigantic grass furnishes 
 poles for the houses, flooring for the rooms, 
 thatch for the roof and vegetables for the 
 curry, besides making itself useful in many 
 other ways ! 
 
 The houses are invariably one story, the 
 ground-floor being utilized for cattle, buffaloes, 
 fowls, and for cooking purposes. A very 
 primitive ladder of bamboo reaches the upper 
 chamber, which is the dwelling and sleeping 
 place of the family. 
 
 Along the bank of the river we saw a 
 specimen of '* mixed bathing," and with most 
 perfect decency and thorough enjoyment of 
 the aquatic exercises. I did not, however, 
 observe a single towel among all the bathers ! 
 
 5x 4* 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 BEGINNING WORK IN MAULMEIN 
 
 /^N the afternoon of the third day after 
 ^-^ leaving Amherst we arrived at Maul- 
 mein. I had learnt that one may spell Maul- 
 mein pretty well as one wishes. All that is 
 essential is to get the consonants right, after 
 which you may put in any vowels you like. 
 This is the case with the names of most of the 
 towns of Burma. One frequently finds on the 
 sign-boards of the railway stations that the 
 name of the place is spelt differently on 
 every one ! 
 
 The name Maulmein is not Burmese at all, 
 but Talaing, a reminder of the fact that until 
 two centuries ago there was, in these parts, 
 a Talaing kingdom and a Taking King, quite 
 independent of Burma. The Burmese con- 
 queror Alompra, the founder of Rangoon, 
 
 52 
 
I 
 
BEGINNING WORK IN MAULMEIN 
 
 swept them away, and now the Talaings have 
 almost ceased to exist as a separate people, 
 and their language is all but extinct. 
 
 It was only a village when the British took 
 it during the first Burmese war, but it became 
 the capital of Tenasserim, one of the pro- 
 vinces which were annexed as a result of that 
 war. It flourished wonderfully under British 
 rule until the second Burmese war, when 
 Rangoon became the capital of the whole of 
 British Burma. 
 
 Maulmein and its Pagoda have been im- 
 mortalized by Kipling. Its situation is most 
 beautiful. I have seen Burma from end to 
 end, but I have never lost my first love for 
 beautiful Maulmein. It is situated on the 
 left bank of the river Salween, which is joined 
 just above it by the large confluents, the Gyne 
 and the Attaran. A long range of low hills 
 forms the background. These hills are covered 
 with vegetation through which can be seen 
 the houses of the EngHsh residents and the 
 pagodas and the monasteries of the Burmese. 
 Between the hills and the river lies the town 
 proper, with its Government buildings, 
 churches, schools, bazaars, shops and dwellings, 
 
 53 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 and along the river bank are the wharves, 
 rice mills and timber yards. 
 
 These last are a wonderful sight to new- 
 comers. The huge and highly-trained ele- 
 phants at work all day *' a-piling teak ** for 
 shipment are a source of unfailing interest. 
 With their tusks, trunks and feet they shift 
 huge baulks of timber according to the will 
 of the mahout, or driver, who sits on the 
 animal's neck and directs its movements by 
 means of an iron hook which he holds in his 
 hands. Many curious stories are told of the 
 phenomenal intelligence of these animals. 
 Some of them are said to close one eye and 
 squint down the logs as they lay them, to see 
 if they are straight ! Others are said to object 
 to work on Sundays, and they all *' down 
 tools '' as punctually as the British workman 
 as soon as the luncheon-bell is heard ! 
 
 I was told by my friends when I left England 
 that I ought to provide myself with a revolver 
 and rifle, *' for self-protection " against the 
 Burmese people, who were treacherous savages, 
 and would murder any European on the 
 sHghtest provocation. I dechned this well- 
 meant advice, and during my whole time in 
 
 54 
 
BEGINNING WORK IN MAULMEIN 
 
 Burma I have never possessed or used a 
 fire-arm or weapon of any description. I have 
 never once had occasion for anything of the 
 sort, though I have travelled all over Upper 
 and Lower Burma, For five years in Man- 
 dalay I had no door to my house or guard at 
 my gate. I have often been the only English- 
 man in large districts inhabited by many 
 thousands of Burmans. I have slept in Zayats, 
 or rest-houses, without walls, and with only 
 my schoolboys around me, and all in perfect 
 safety of person and property. I know that 
 some people have not been so fortunate. But 
 let every man speak as he finds. I have 
 trusted my Burmese friends, and no people 
 on earth could have repaid my confidence 
 with greater hospitality and kindness. 
 
 From the wharf where I landed in Maulmein 
 I went at once in a gharri, or cab, drawn by 
 a Burman pony, to the S.P.G. Mission House 
 at Moungan, where the Rev. A. Shears had 
 begun a small school on fines which have 
 been followed ever since in all our S.P.G. 
 schools throughout the country. Children 
 were admitted only on the distinct under- 
 standing that they were to be instructed in 
 
 55 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 the Christian rehgion. No parents or pupils 
 have ever raised any objection. But it would 
 be wrong to suppose that their comphance 
 indicates a strong desire for Christianity. 
 Many parents wish their sons to learn our 
 religion as part of our literature, but they 
 express no desire to see them change and 
 adopt it instead of Buddhism. 
 
 In the year 1869 I was at one of the stations 
 on the Irrawaddy, where I wanted to start 
 an S.P.G. school. The people came forward 
 very readily with money, and we had the 
 offer of a good and suitable house, when all 
 of a sudden the question of religion was 
 mooted by one of the elders. He spoke very 
 calmly and respectfully, and asked me if I 
 meant to make all the pupils Christians. 
 Before I could reply, another elder interposed, 
 and asked whether the same secular subjects 
 would be taught as were being imparted to 
 the boys in Rangoon and Maulmein. I replied 
 that certainly the same course of studies would 
 be followed, adding, however, that while we 
 would do our best in secular work, our great 
 aim was by teaching our " holy religion " to 
 make our pupils '' wise unto salvation." The 
 
 56 
 
BEGINNING WORK IN MAULMEIN 
 
 meeting liked my plain speaking, and after 
 conversation among themselves, the second 
 elder who had questioned me summed up 
 thus : *' We give our children rice as their 
 daily food, and one or more kinds of curry, 
 fish, vegetables or meat, as we can afford. 
 All eat rice, so all must have secular instruc- 
 tion. The curry is like the rehgious teaching. 
 We have given them Buddhism curry; this 
 English priest brings Christianity. So both 
 are set before our boys. Let them taste both 
 and judge for themselves which they like best.'' 
 This speech thoroughly pleased the assembled 
 parents. The school was established and 
 prospered in all things, until it was unfortu- 
 nately burned down by carelessness in 1876. 
 
 Much work lay to our hands in Maulmein. 
 Its extent and interest seemed to be bewil- 
 dering. The first thing was, of course, to 
 learn the language — Burmese. It surprised 
 me to know that over forty different native 
 languages were spoken in that Eastern penin- 
 sula. But though a knowledge of any of these 
 would be useful, and a smattering of some 
 almost essential, Burmese was the language 
 to be learned, and a very difficult language it 
 
 57 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 is. Unlike the languages of India, it is of the 
 Mongolian famil}^ and with sHght exceptions 
 monosyllabic. I set to work to learn it, not 
 in the orthodox fashion with dictionaries and 
 grammars, but by making my Burmese pupils 
 my teachers. Whilst I taught them to speak, 
 read and write English, they taught me to read, 
 write and talk, and preach in Burmese. It 
 was a very interesting process, and we could 
 afford a hearty laugh over each other's blunders. 
 But the result was highly satisfactory on both 
 sides. We had no bitterness of learning, no 
 sleepiness, but many an opportunity of know- 
 ing each other's mode of thought and pecu- 
 Harities, and of forming a real and lasting 
 friendship. My chief tutor-pupil was my 
 companion for many years afterwards, and 
 my fellow- worker. His son is occupying a 
 responsible position as a Christian teacher in 
 one of our Mission schools. 
 
 Then we needed for our school and chapel 
 more and better accommodation. The house 
 that we rented was large, but not large enough 
 for our increasing numbers. So at last we 
 resolved to make an entire alteration, which 
 gave us a beautiful large hall with an annexe 
 
 58 
 
BEGINNING WORK IN MAULMEIN 
 
 to use as a chapel, an extensive tectum, or 
 covered play-room, and a swimming bath. 
 Much of the expense of these improvements, 
 and of the gymnasium which we erected, was 
 defrayed by the liberality of Mr. Shears, who 
 spared neither the time nor the labour to 
 further the work of the Mission. 
 
 59 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 SCHOOL WORK IN MAULMEIN 
 
 1\ yfR. SHEARS, the Chaplain of Maulmein, 
 
 ^^ ^ had arrived the previous year by 
 
 P. and O. The house which he had taken was 
 
 large and substantial, and, being entirely of 
 
 wood, was easily capable of extension. 
 
 To begin a school in Burma is the easiest 
 thing in the world. The Burmese have a 
 natural love of being taught. It has come to 
 them through many generations. As soon as 
 a boy can toddle, he goes to the school at the 
 Buddhist monaster}^ where he is safe under 
 the care of the monks. If he wants food, 
 there is plenty of it. His school equipment is 
 of the simplest, consisting only of a black 
 paper spelling-book, from which he learns to 
 shout out his lessons at the top of his voice. 
 Everything is of the most primitive kind, but 
 
 60 
 
SCHOOL WORK IN MAULMEIN 
 
 admirably adapted to his needs in his infancy 
 and early boyhood. 
 
 As he grows up, however, he wants some- 
 thing better, and the European who will take 
 him in hand and continue his instruction at 
 once commands his friendship. 
 
 Mr. Shears had gathered a nice lot of boys 
 as day scholars and a few of them as boarders, 
 and he had got together some Burmese 
 assistants and a few Eurasians. This school- 
 work at once awoke my interest. It was just 
 what I had left home to devote myself to. 
 It seemed to me that an excellent beginning 
 had been made, but as I got to understand 
 the language, and to look around me and see 
 the possibilities of development, I began to 
 feel restless and dissatisfied. 
 
 When I left England I understood that 
 Mr. Shears wished to devote himself to direct 
 missionary work, and to hand over the school 
 to a person like myself who was experienced 
 in school management. On my arrival, how- 
 ever, he did not seem inclined to hand over 
 the management of the school to me, and as 
 time went on, I became less and less willing to 
 acquiesce in the manner in which it was being 
 
 6i 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 carried on. So differences of opinion arose 
 between us which were not finally settled till 
 the arrival of Bishop Cotton, the Bishop of 
 Calcutta, in whose diocese Maulmein and the 
 whole of British Burma was then included. 
 
 One very serious question which presented 
 itself to me was the admission and inclusion of 
 the sons of Europeans into our Mission school. 
 It was to my mind unthinkable that we should 
 be giving the best education in our power to 
 native boys and exclude from our schools the 
 sons of our own co-religionists and countrymen 
 
 It was true that we were missionaries to the 
 heathen, but it was true also that we were 
 charged especially to do good to them " which 
 are of the household of Faith.** A school for 
 European boys other than Roman Catholics 
 had long been needed, and a large sum of 
 money had been collected by the Chaplain 
 and sent to the S.P.G., with the request that 
 a trained competent schoolmaster should be 
 selected and sent out. But the selection had 
 not been made and much delay had taken 
 place, and the parents very earnestly begged 
 of us to receive their boys into our Mission 
 
 school. 
 
 62 
 
SCHOOL WORK IN MAULMEIN 
 
 The Chaplain agreed that we would receive 
 them pending the establishment of a separate 
 school for Europeans, and the Commissioner 
 of the Province, the Colonel commanding the 
 regiment, the leading barrister and other 
 residents sent their sons, paying, instead of 
 the one rupee which the natives were charged, 
 six rupees per month. 
 
 This added considerably to our funds and 
 enabled us to pay our assistant teachers better 
 and to improve our accommodation. More- 
 over, it interested the English community in 
 our educational work, and made them under- 
 stand the lines upon which we were working. 
 
 The practice of receiving European boys 
 into schools originally intended only for 
 natives is not, of course, free from danger. 
 Not all such schools are fit for Europeans, nor 
 are all teachers to be trusted to safeguard the 
 admixture ; but in the case of our Maulmein 
 school it worked admirably and with perfect 
 satisfaction to parents and pupils alike. 
 
 It required constant supervision and earnest 
 care. The manners and customs of the 
 different sets of pupils had to be taken into 
 consideration and provided for. No prefer- 
 
 63 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 ence could be shown either to Europeans, as 
 the governing class, or to the natives, as being 
 those for whom the school was primarily 
 intended. But with care and tact all diffi- 
 culties were surmounted, and the whole 
 institution worked most harmoniously. To 
 this day pupils of the several nationalities, 
 who are now grandfathers, speak of their 
 experience in our Maulmein Mission school in 
 the very highest terms. 
 
 But the strain upon my own energies was 
 very great, and that, together with the change 
 of life and the privations of the voyage, told 
 upon my health, and several times I was 
 compelled to retire into a sick-chamber other 
 than the single room in the school which was 
 my home. All my illnesses in Burma have 
 occurred at the beginning of the rains — i.e., 
 in May or June. 
 
 Never can I forget the exceeding kindness 
 of everybody during those times of severe 
 illness. The Civil Surgeon was unremitting 
 in his attention, so was the Chaplain, so was 
 everybody. The Burmese schoolboys showed 
 their affection for their teacher by night and 
 day attendance upon me. 
 
 64 
 
SCHOOL WORK IN MAULMEIN 
 
 Let me give two instances of the kindness 
 which I received. The Deputy Commissioner, 
 Colonel Tickell, insisted upon removing me to 
 his house for quiet rest and medical treat- 
 ment, and there the Civil Surgeon and the 
 Chaplain constantly visited me. An abscess 
 formed on my right side, requiring careful 
 treatment, and in those days we had no female 
 nurses, our only hospital attendants were from 
 the jail dispensary. 
 
 One afternoon in the crisis of my illness I 
 was alone in the Deputy Commissioner's house, 
 and a convict hospital servant was sent to 
 apply liniment. We were alone together, and 
 I noticed a sudden change in the man when he 
 saw how weak I was. He ceased to rub me 
 with the liniment, and with eyes glaring like 
 those of a tiger, he sprang at my throat and 
 tried to strangle me. I struggled with him as 
 far as my weakness would allow, but I felt 
 myself gradually sinking, when I made one 
 final effort to scream for help. The servants 
 came rushing in just in time to drag my 
 assailant from me. By this time he was a 
 raving maniac, and it was all they could do 
 to overpower him. He was a Thug, one of a 
 
 65 5 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 tribe of hereditary murderers, with whom 
 strangulation was a fine art. He had been 
 condemned to death for murder in India, but 
 his sentence had been commuted into one of 
 transportation for Hfe. 
 
 The Roman Cathohc Bishop, Dr. Paul 
 Bigandet, a scholar of European fame, beloved 
 and respected throughout Burma, had shown 
 me much kindness and given me useful advice 
 from the first, and he was a life-long friend 
 and companion during our time together in 
 all parts of Burma. 
 
 He visited me in my illness constantly, and 
 one day he kindly said to me : ** I know that 
 your anxiety about your young school is re- 
 tarding your recovery. I do not wonder at it, 
 for I have suffered in the same way myself. 
 But I want to try and help 5^ou. I have two 
 Brothers of the Christian School who have 
 just come from Europe, and who know English 
 well. Let me send them up to your school. 
 I promise you that they shall teach nothing 
 that you do not wish. They shall merely 
 direct the secular instruction and carry out 
 your own plans and do just as you wish.'' It 
 was a noble offer, but I could not accept it. 
 
 66 
 
SCHOOL WORK IN MAULMEIN 
 
 But I have never ceased to feel deeply grateful 
 for such a generous proposal. 
 
 My love and admiration for this grand prelate 
 deepened throughout the long intercourse with 
 him in boats, in carts, in steamers and bun- 
 galows. ** We took sweet counsel together," 
 and often and often I wished that I could add : 
 *' and walked in the House of God as friends." 
 That last privilege was denied us, but we often 
 read together. His favourite author was 
 Cornelius a Lapide, and we often laughed as I 
 read aloud on board the steamer in my English 
 pronunciation of Latin. 
 
 Let me tell one story of our intercourse. In 
 after-times, when we were together at Man- 
 dalay, where he, like myself, was a persona 
 grata with King Mindon, we were one day 
 together at the Palace. There was a large 
 assembly of ministers of state, who were 
 talking with the King on various matters 
 social and political, when all of a sudden the 
 King turned to us, and a propos of nothing, 
 said : " What is the difference between you 
 two teachers of religion ? " 
 
 It was a difficult question to answer to a 
 Buddhist king in a heathen court. I turned 
 
 67 5* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 to Dr. Bigandet and said : *' Bishop, you tell 
 him, please/' " No,'* he said, *' I'd rather 
 you tell him." The King noticed our diffi- 
 culty, and said : '* You answer me, Bigandet." 
 With wonderful French readiness the Bishop 
 replied : ** The English priest can get married 
 but I cannot." The King laughed and said : 
 ** Is that all ? And for that you want two 
 churches to worship in ! " But then turning 
 to me the King inquired : *' English priest, 
 why have you not married ? " '' Because, 
 your Majesty, no lady has asked me." At 
 which answer there was general laughter, in 
 which His Majesty heartily joined. *' Then 
 why not marry one of my daughters ? " said 
 the King. I had to confess that His Majesty 
 did me too much honour, and I must remain 
 single. What might have happened if I had 
 been matrimonially ambitious I refrain from 
 even contemplating ! 
 But this is a digression. 
 
 It was a real pleasure when I got well to 
 find the school buildings ready for a grand 
 opening by the Commissioner, Major- General 
 A. Fytche, in the presence of all the miHtary 
 
 68 
 
I 
 
 SCHOOL WORK IN MAULMEIN 
 
 and civil officers, and of the merchants and 
 other people of Maulmein. I think that it was 
 one of the happiest days of my Hfe. We had 
 about three hundred boys of all nationalities — 
 English, Eurasian, Armenian, Jews, Hindoos, 
 Madrassis — while the majority were Burmese, 
 Talaings, Chinese, Shans and Karens. All 
 were in their best and gayest clothes, and the 
 scene was highly picturesque. The Burman 
 boy*s dress is very beautiful. It is called a 
 putsOj and is about fifteen cubits long and 
 two and a half wide. It is made of thick silk 
 woven in wavy lines of various bright colours. 
 It is wound round the body, kilt fashion, tucked 
 in with a twist in front, and the portion which 
 remains is gathered up and allowed to hang 
 in folds from the waist, or thrown jauntily over 
 the shoulder. The upper part of the body is 
 covered with a tight-fitting silk or cotton 
 jacket. Around the head a gay flowered silk 
 handkerchief is worn as a turban. The boy's 
 hair is jet black and very long, so that he can 
 often sit upon it when he lets it down. But 
 he oils and combs it very carefully, and gathers 
 it into a top-knot (yowng) on the top of his 
 head. We had at our opening a Christian 
 
 69 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 service and various speeches, and a short 
 examination of the pupils, and all went off 
 very happily. 
 
 Shortly after this, on Christmas morning, 
 1861, we were gratified by a visit to Maul- 
 mein of the Bishop of Calcutta, Dr. G. E. L. 
 Cotton, accompanied by Mrs. Cotton and the 
 Rev. F. R. Vallings, the Secretary of the 
 Calcutta S.P.G. Committee. The Bishop wrote 
 afterwards : ''A brighter inauguration of the 
 Christmas Festival I do not remember ever to 
 have experienced. Arrived ofi the main wharf 
 at 10.30 on Christmas morning, the captain 
 hurried us on shore, and himself ordered a 
 tikkagharri (hired cab) for us. At 10.50 we 
 were in the vestry of St. Matthew's, and at 
 II I amazed the unconscious Maulmeinians 
 by appearing in full robes in church . . .On 
 Monday, December 30th, I breakfasted at the 
 S.P.G. Mission, and afterward began the grand 
 business of the day, viz., a public examination 
 and prize-giving at the Mission school, at which 
 I was to take the chair. Of the excellence of 
 the school and entire success of the public 
 exhibition there can be no doubt. . . . The 
 sight of the assembled boys, or rather the whole 
 
 70 
 
SCHOOL WORK IN MAULMEIN 
 
 examination scene, was of almost romantic 
 interest. Nothing could exceed the pic- 
 turesque variety of the bright colours of their 
 putsoes and turbans, sometimes relieved by 
 the dark dress of an English boy, and the 
 blue jacket and trousers of a Chinese. They 
 were examined for about two and a half hours 
 in the Bible, geography, English and Burmese 
 reading, and arithmetic, and answered remark- 
 ably well. They showed their English writing, 
 and sang sundry hymns, chants, and even an 
 anthem, with one or two rounds or catches, 
 certainly with harsh voices, but in capital 
 time and tune. The curriculum is certainly 
 lower than in a good Bengal school, as may be 
 expected, considering the recent origin of this. 
 But all that is done is well and thoroughly 
 done, and it is plain . . . that there is a 
 large outlay on the part of the managers 
 of zeal, ability and enthusiasm in behalf of 
 the school." 
 
 The various reforms which I had introduced 
 were approved and confirmed by Bishop 
 Cotton, and all promised to be satisfactory, 
 when Mr. Shears, who had suddenly changed 
 his mode of life from extreme asceticism to 
 
 71 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 married bliss, felt compelled to leave Burma 
 never to return. 
 
 We all regretted this very sincerely, for 
 though in matters of school management and 
 other unimportant details Mr. Shears differed 
 from the rest of us, we all had the highest 
 respect for his zeal, earnestness and generosity 
 in founding the Mission. 
 
 It was about this time that we introduced 
 athletics on something resembling the English 
 school plan amongst our boys. They had 
 their own national game of Chin-Ion^ a kind of 
 football. The ball is made of wickerwork, 
 strips of bamboo interwoven in bands, hollow 
 and extremely light, and the game consists 
 in keeping the ball as long as possible in the 
 air without touching it with the hands ; a 
 circle of players, without shoes and with their 
 loins girded, strike the ball in turns as it comes 
 to them, with their knees, elbows, shoulders — 
 anywhere except with their hands. To play 
 it well requires much skill and practice. 
 
 Cricket was unknown amongst our boys 
 until we one day had a visit from Captain 
 Hedley Vicars (a cousin of the Crimean hero), 
 of the 68th Durham Light Infantry. He was 
 
 72 
 
SCHOOL WORK IN MAULMEIN 
 
 a famous cricketer and delighted in the game, 
 and he gave our boys some lessons, in which 
 they showed, as he said, *' all the qualities that 
 go to make good cricketers.'* He died a few 
 months afterwards in Rangoon from the effects 
 of a fall from his pony. But eleven years 
 afterwards, being in Rugby for S.P.G., I was 
 asked to call on his sisters, who read to me the 
 letter he had written to them about our Maul- 
 mein boys' cricket, and they insisted upon 
 sending a cricket-bat in his name to the 
 champion cricketer of St. John's College. 
 General Fytche, our Commissioner, most kindly 
 made the school a present of a full set of bats, 
 wickets, balls, etc., and good use they made 
 of them. 
 
 From all that I have said with regard to 
 the Burmese and Buddhism, it will be seen that 
 missionaries of the Gospel have no light task 
 before them. One thing, however, we have in 
 our favour. Buddhism is thoroughly tolerant. 
 Neither the laity nor the Hpongyis (monks) 
 have any objection to our teaching Chris- 
 tianity to old or young. Hpongyis have very 
 often brought me one of their best pupils, 
 saying : '' Here, teacher, please take this boy. 
 
 73 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 I have taught him all that I can ; now I give 
 him to you." And when I repeat my formula 
 that ours is a Christian school, and all pupils 
 must learn our religion, they raise no objection. 
 The one difficulty is the necessity we are under 
 of requiring payment, for all the monastic 
 schools are perfectly free, and Hpongyis are 
 not allowed to have any money. But we have 
 generally found some means of getting over 
 this difficulty. Some of our most satisfactory 
 Christian pupils were originally brought to us 
 in this fashion. It was the case with the first 
 of our new Rangoon school company that I 
 had the pleasure to receive into the Christian 
 Church by Holy Baptism. He was a pupil- 
 teacher, a good honest lad. He went back 
 to Maulmein and obtained the consent of his 
 Buddhist parents. I baptized him by the 
 name of Samuel in Burmese, in the presence of 
 many friends of the Mission and of his school- 
 fellows, in the Cantonment church, the service 
 having been translated, though not yet printed, 
 by Mr. Shears and myself. In the translation 
 work I was very kindly helped by the Roman 
 Cathohc Bishop, Dr. Bigandet, and by several 
 of the American Baptist missionaries. 
 
 74 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 ORDINATION AT CALCUTTA 
 
 T N spite of constant ill-healthy I resumed 
 ^ work at the school, where we had en- 
 larged the buildings, added a gymnasium, a 
 bathing tank and separate class-rooms. Just 
 at that time the news arrived that the master 
 for the European school had been selected 
 and was on his way to Maulmein. In pur- 
 suance of our undertaking we had perforce to 
 surrender our European scholars to him. The 
 boys were most unwilling to go, and several 
 of the parents declared that as they had not 
 been parties to the contract they would not 
 withdraw their boys. 
 
 One at least got up a petition to the Arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury, protesting against this 
 interference with the liberty of the subject. 
 But it had to be done, though I confess that 
 
 75 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 I did it sorrowfully. The master arrived, a 
 good schoolmaster for England, but incapable 
 of accommodating himself to the ideas of the 
 Chaplain and committee of the new school, 
 and to make a long story short, the school 
 was not a success and terminated in a dramatic 
 disagreement. 
 
 Before that happened, however, my younger 
 brother had arrived, and we had both left for 
 a visit to Calcutta on the invitation of Bishop 
 Cotton. I spent my time in Calcutta as the 
 guest of the learned and ascetic Dr. W. Kay 
 of Lincoln College, Oxford, the friend and 
 associate of Dr. Pusey, and his under-study as 
 Professor of Hebrew at Oxford. I was also 
 the guest of the genial F. R. ValHngs, the 
 secretary of the S.P.G., one of the kindest- 
 hearted men whom it has ever been my good 
 fortune to meet. My recreation was visiting 
 La Martiniere College for boys and girls, the 
 Calcutta Free School and similar institutions. 
 
 In all these schools I took the livehest 
 interest. I felt that they were hardly up to 
 the English standard, especially as regards 
 the relationship between masters and pupils. 
 
 There was a standoi!ishness which was irksome 
 
 76 
 
4 
 
 I 
 
 ORDINATION AT CALCUTTA 
 
 to me, and which I felt to be not wholly bene- 
 ficial to either party. More mutual trust and 
 affection might well have been encouraged 
 without loss of dignity or infringement of 
 discipline. 
 
 The Director of PubKc Instruction, Mr. 
 Woodrow, was a man after my own heart, a 
 pupil of Dr. Arnold of Rugby, and a beHever 
 in ''Tom Brown's School Days,'* which I 
 confess to be my educational text-book. Let 
 me mention, in passing, that the then Bishop 
 of Calcutta was the '' new master " of that 
 celebrated work. The Bishop lacked in one 
 thing only — geniahty — but in everything else 
 he was excellent. When I sat with him in 
 Bishop's Palace and poured out my soul with 
 regard to Arnold's methods, he glowed with 
 enthusiasm, and once burst out, '' I wish you 
 could have been with us at Rugby ! " So 
 did I. 
 
 La Martiniere College had a curious history. 
 It was one of three institutions founded by a 
 bequest of General Martine, a French adven- 
 turer, who made a fortune by manipulating 
 the jewels in the crowns and coronets of the 
 Princes of India. On his death he left a very 
 
 77 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 large sum of money for the foundation of three 
 schools which were to be named after him, 
 one in Calcutta, one in Lucknow, and one in 
 his native city of Lyons. He stipulated that 
 the education was to be given to European 
 and Eurasian children in the Christian religion. 
 The question as to what precisely was meant 
 by this term having come before the courts, 
 it was decided that a scheme should be drawn 
 up by Dr. Wilson, who was then Bishop of 
 Calcutta, the Roman Catholic Bishop, and 
 the senior Presbyterian chaplain 1 A very 
 curious document was produced and was 
 accepted, but the Pope, on hearing thereof, 
 at once prohibited it, and declared that he 
 would accept no scheme which was not wholly 
 Roman Catholic. 
 
 The management of La Martiniere School at 
 Calcutta and Lucknow consequentl}^ passed 
 entirely into the hands of the Anglicans and 
 Presbyterians. The principal at that time 
 was a Cambridge Wrangler, a great mathe- 
 matician, a typical college don, a kind, good 
 fellow, but wanting in health and strength, 
 which prevented him from entering into the 
 games of the pupils. As director of studies he 
 
 78 
 
ORDINATION AT CALCUTTA 
 
 was excellent. It was not his fault that he 
 was not an Arnold or a Woodrow. 
 
 The Calcutta Free School had a different 
 history. It was founded by Lord Clive with 
 the spoils of his victory, and it has done im- 
 mense good amongst the poorer class of the 
 Eurasian population of Calcutta. 
 
 Amongst these children I found great delight, 
 and I am by no means ashamed to confess that 
 I made friendships among them which have 
 continued till the present day. One of the 
 most interesting memorials of my Ordination 
 on November ist, 1863 — when the Cathedral 
 of Calcutta was crowded by my young friends, 
 pupils and teachers of the Calcutta schools — 
 was a beautiful pocket Communion Service, 
 with the inscription : *' A token of affection, 
 from the boys and girls of La Martiniere, Cal- 
 cutta,*' and a Bible inscribed : '' Presented to 
 the Rev. J. E. Marks by the pupil teachers and 
 boys of the Calcutta Free School, as a small 
 memento of their gratitude for the interest 
 he took in their welfare, and of their affection 
 for the kindness he showed towards them at all 
 times, especially by promoting their amuse- 
 ments.** 
 
 79 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 BEGINNING WORK IN RANGOON 
 
 A FTER my Ordination, Bishop Cotton 
 "^^^ decided that I should go to Rangoon 
 to start a new school there. In the mean- 
 while, I was to visit Akyab, to hold services 
 there on my way to Rangoon. 
 
 At Akyab I was warmly received by the 
 Commissioner, General Ardagh, and during 
 the fortnight that I spent there as his guest 
 I held daily services. Before my departure, 
 a meeting was held under the chairmanship 
 of the Commissioner, and substantial help 
 was given to the new Mission. Some of the 
 principal native officials and merchants begged 
 me to take their sons with me to Rangoon, 
 and I took eight or nine lads, who proved 
 the most troublesome that I have ever 
 
 had. 
 
 80 
 
: ■'■ l< 
 
 o 
 
 t 
 
BEGINNING WORK IN RANGOON 
 
 Several of them bolted back to Akyab, as 
 they could not endure the separation from 
 their parents and native country and the 
 disciphne of a boarding school. I liked 
 Arakanese boys least of all my pupils. But 
 yet one, the least promising of the runaways, 
 afterwards became a trusted and titled officer 
 of Government, and a most loyal, generous and 
 efficient supporter of our Missions, himself 
 being an earnest Christian and lay reader. 
 One of our S.P.G. churches in Upper Burma 
 owes its existence almost entirely to his 
 liberality and exertions. I confess that I felt 
 rebuked when, a few years ago, I baptized in 
 his house at Poungde three of his children. 
 " Thou canst not tell whether shall prosper 
 either this or that, or whether they both shall 
 be ahke good." 
 
 One other incident of my sojourn in Akyab 
 
 must be mentioned. Some Chins, a hill tribe 
 
 from the Arakan Yoma mountains, canle into 
 
 the town and sought me one morning. They 
 
 were very scantily dressed, their hair was 
 
 knotted over their forehead, and they had 
 
 to speak by an interpreter. They said : 
 
 *' Several years ago some white teachers told 
 
 8i 6 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 us out of a book of the Great God who rules 
 over all the universe and orders our Hves. 
 They promised to teach us more fully, and 
 we are most anxious to learn. Can you come 
 to our hills and teach us and our children ? 
 We will take all care of you, and give you of 
 our best." I was obliged to decline their 
 invitation, but promised to do what I could 
 to supply them with a teacher. But though 
 I have frequently tried, I have never been 
 able to send them one to instruct them. Yet 
 they are our fellow-subjects, and have been 
 so for more than seventy years. But the 
 Church of England has never been able to do 
 anything for them. Bishop Titcomb, indeed, 
 wrote through Archbishop Tait to the American 
 Church, begging their Bishops to take up the 
 Missions to Arakan. But that Church felt 
 itself unable to comply with this request. 
 Must these hill-people always be neglected ? 
 
 On my arrival in Rangoon my old friends 
 very cordially welcomed me, and gave me the 
 most kind and valuable assistance with regard 
 to the new Mission. Especially was this the 
 case with that noble ruler. Sir Arthur Purvis 
 Phayre, the first Chief Commissioner of British 
 
 82 
 
BEGINNING WORK IN RANGOON 
 
 Burma. Under him the three provinces had 
 just been united, and the foundation laid of 
 that prosperity which has ever since been 
 characteristic of Burma. 
 
 He was a grand type of the British ruler. 
 He loved the people whom he governed, and 
 they reciprocated his affection. He was a 
 good Christian man, the helper and supporter 
 of every good work. To myself personally 
 he was more than a friend, ever ready with his 
 advice and means to assist in the Mission. 
 The officiating Chaplain, the Rev. John 
 Clough, also gave me substantial help, as did 
 the permanent Chaplain, the real founder of 
 the Mission, the Rev. H. W. Crofton, on his 
 return from furlough. I preached to a very 
 large congregation in Christ Church, Rangoon, 
 on the first Sunday after my arrival. My text 
 was, *' Thy kingdom come,*' and I explained 
 the necessity and promises of our Mission work. 
 The church is a large iron structure. It used 
 to be said of it that, with a little alteration, 
 it would make a capital goods-shed for a rail- 
 way-station, and that if you closed the doors 
 and windows you could bake bread in it during 
 the middle of the day, in the hottest months. 
 
 83 6* 
 
Forty years in burma 
 
 But the efforts of successive chaplains have 
 greatly improved its interior, and although 
 essentially unsuitable, it has now a very 
 ecclesiastical appearance inside. 
 
 On the following day we had a well-attended 
 public meeting under the presidency of Sir 
 A. Phayre, who with other speakers gave the 
 Mission and myself a very hearty welcome. 
 Then for the next few days I went round for 
 subscriptions. If I have earned the title of a 
 hardened beggar, the success which attended 
 my first efforts must be pleaded as my excuse. 
 I met with nothing but the greatest kindness 
 and sympathy. Sir Arthur Phayre headed 
 my subscription list with a donation of 
 Rs. 500, and Rs. 15 per mensem, Messrs. 
 Gillanders, Arbuthnot & Co. gave a hke 
 amount. In five days over Rs. 7,000 was 
 collected, including Rs. 600 from the Burmans 
 themselves. 
 
 I had to go to Maulmein to give over charge 
 to the Rev. H. B. Nichols, from New Bruns- 
 wick, who came full of hope and energy to con- 
 tinue the work. As soon as possible I returned 
 to Rangoon with ten of my best pupils from 
 Maulmein, to begin our new Mission school. 
 
 84 
 
BEGINNING WORK IN RANGOON 
 
 My brother also came, as did a bright, good- 
 looking Madrassi youth, named Kristnasawmy. 
 His father was a commissioned officer of good 
 standing and repute in the Madras Army. 
 When the regiment was ordered to India, the 
 boy begged earnestly to be allowed to stay 
 with me. For some time the father refused, 
 but at length, on my promise to look after the 
 lad as my own son, and not to force or bribe 
 him to change his religion, the Soubadhar left 
 him in my care. He was most useful and 
 efficient ; a better helper I never had. It was 
 not for several years afterwards that he asked 
 to be received into Christ's fold. At his bap- 
 tism by me in Holy Trinity pro-cathedral, 
 Rangoon, of which I was then minister, the 
 General commanding the province and many of 
 the officers of the garrison attended to witness 
 his reception into the Church. He was after- 
 wards the valued Headmaster of St. Luke's 
 Mission School, S.P.G., and was ordained 
 deacon and priest in 1879 and 1881 by the 
 Bishop of Rangoon. The Rev. John Kristna 
 was an excellent linguist, and preached with 
 acceptance to the British soldiers at Toungoo 
 andThayetmyo, and to the Christian Madrassis, 
 
 85 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 Telugoos, Burmese, and Karens in their own 
 languages. He died in 1898. 
 
 We began our Rangoon school on March 
 14th, 1864, in a small house called " The 
 Cottage,'* near our present premises. We paid 
 Rs. 100 a month for it. I had one sitting-room 
 and a combined bed and bath-room for my- 
 self ; other masters had similar accommoda- 
 tion, and there was room for about twenty 
 boarders, and two halls for day-scholars. It 
 was the best house that we could then hire, 
 , but it was terribly inconvenient. The morning 
 sun shone fiercely into my room, and made 
 me feel ill and tired before the day's work 
 was well begun. 
 
 The boarders soon got an idea that the house 
 was haunted, and I felt it to be highly neces- 
 sary that they should find out the cause for 
 their alarm, or they would assuredly run away 
 and injure our prospects. The lads complained 
 that they were annoyed by sounds of rapping 
 and knocking at the partition planks of their 
 room. I promised to sit up all night and dis- 
 cover the cause, and the boys went to sleep. 
 At dawn, feehng that as the night had been 
 
 perfectly quiet no ghost would disturb the 
 
 86 
 
BEGINNING WORK IN RANGOON 
 
 place that morning, I determined to snatch 
 an hour's sleep, for I was very tired, and had 
 a heavy day's work before me. I had scarcely 
 thrown myself on my mat when I heard a 
 shriek from the boys, followed by a stampede 
 from their rooms into the compound, where 
 they stood together, big and little, in real 
 terror. The rapping had recommenced more 
 violently than before. My assistants and I 
 proceeded to investigate the cause, and it was 
 not far to seek. My dear little dog had got 
 through a broken pane into an almirah, or 
 cupboard with glass doors, and to rid himself 
 of the fleas, with which the floor was infested, 
 was scratching himself and knocking the stump 
 of his tail on the shelf. This shook the glass 
 and the door, and thus produced the dreaded 
 noises. The little dog, apparently to convince 
 the boys, went through the performance in 
 their presence, till they were heartily ashamed 
 of themselves. But though they never hked 
 me to refer to this incident, I always found them 
 remarkably timid and unreasonable in such 
 matters. 
 
 Older than the Buddhism, which is now the 
 prevailing religion of the country, there was 
 
 87 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 (or I ought to say is) a superstitious worship 
 and dread of spirits, or nats, good and evil, 
 who are attached to trees, rivers, mountains 
 and valleys, and who work benefits or troubles 
 to people in the night and in solitariness. It 
 is a very bad and exaggerated form of English 
 children's notions of fairies and bogies. 
 
 y$ 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 FIRST FURLOUGH IN ENGLAND 
 
 ^ I ^HE work of our new school was pro- 
 ^ gressing very happily, but its very 
 success brought us trouble. The pupils ad- 
 mitted and seeking admission were too many, 
 the house was unsuitable, the work too much, 
 and I could not get my promised colleague. 
 We were cheered by a visit from the genial 
 and learned Archdeacon Pratt, who met the 
 Provisional Committee which I had formed 
 to manage the large sums of money entrusted 
 to me, and he gave us excellent advice as to 
 our future work, especially as to building new 
 and suitable premises. But a few days after 
 he had gone up-country on Visitation, when all 
 things in the Mission seemed to be so promising, 
 I was suddenly struck down with a dangerous 
 illness. A shivering fit came over me at mid- 
 day, my limbs refused their office, and I was 
 
 89 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 carried out by my boys to a kind friend's house 
 in the Cantonment, the part of the town where 
 the mihtary hve. The doctors who were sum- 
 moned said that I was suffering from internal 
 abscess and that I must be sent to England 
 immediately. 
 
 It was a sad blow, but there was no appeal. 
 The Principal Medical Officer of the British 
 troops and the Civil Surgeon concurred with 
 the other doctors' verdict, only doubting if 
 I could reach England alive. So, leaving the 
 school in the care of the Chaplain and my 
 youthful brother, I was put on board the 
 British India steamer for Calcutta, thence to 
 proceed by the P. and O. vessel. My heart 
 was very sad, for I was very ill and troubled. 
 Four officers put me on board, and I distinctly 
 heard Colonel Phayre say to the others : 
 '' Poor fellow ! I'm afraid that that is the last 
 we shall see of him, and I did hope that he was 
 good for many years' work." (It is sad to 
 think that all the four kind officers are dead : 
 Colonel (afterwards General) Sir Arthur P. 
 Phayre, Captain (afterwards Colonel) Sir Ed- 
 ward B. Sladen, Captain Craig, R.A., and 
 
 Lieutenant Bagge, R.E.) 
 
 90 
 
FIRST FURLOUGH IN ENGLAND 
 
 I must not omit to relate that the sad news 
 of the death of the Rev. H. B. Nichols, who 
 had succeeded me in Maulmein, reached us 
 a day or two before I left Burma. He had 
 dined with us and Archdeacon Pratt only a 
 week or two previously on his return to Cal- 
 cutta, when he seemed in perfect health. He 
 was married in Calcutta, but on his way 
 back he was seized with brain fever, of 
 which he died just as he was landed in 
 Maulmein. 
 
 In Calcutta I was treated with the greatest 
 kindness by the Rev. F. R. Valhngs and by 
 Dr. Francis, the Presidency Surgeon, who 
 warned me of my danger and of the imcer- 
 tainty of my reaching England. But by God's 
 good hand upon me, the crisis was passed soon 
 after we left the Hoogly, and on our arrival 
 at the Point de Galle I was enabled to go 
 ashore and with much help to visit the S.P.G. 
 Mission at Buona Vista. The result of that 
 visit was that my elder brother, the Rev. 
 Philip Marks, and his devoted wife took 
 charge of that Mission the following year, 
 working at it with zeal and ability till their 
 health gave way twenty-three years after- 
 
 91 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 wards, when they accepted a less arduous post 
 at TrincomaH. 
 
 The officers and passengers were all very 
 kind to me, and amongst the latter I made 
 many friends. 
 
 Amongst others, I had the great pleasure of 
 making the acquaintance of Dr. Druitt, the 
 learned author of the " Surgeon's Vade 
 Mecum," which has gone through many edi- 
 tions, and is still a text-book with the pro- 
 fession. He had been in attendance upon the 
 late Lord Hobart, Governor of Madras, until 
 his death. From Dr. Druitt I received valu- 
 able hints which have been of great service 
 to me in regulating my life in the East. 
 
 Another of my fellow-passengers was Lieu- 
 tenant George Hope Lloyd Verney, of the 
 Rifle Brigade, who was exceedingly kind and 
 useful to me, invalid as I was, and laid the 
 foundation of a lasting friendship which has 
 continued unbroken till the present day. 
 
 Another distinguished acquaintance that I 
 made was that of M. de Lesseps, the celebrated 
 engineer of the Suez Canal, then in course of 
 completion. The kindness and assistance of 
 these and other fellow-passengers made my 
 
 92 
 
FIRST FURLOUGH IN ENGLAND 
 
 Voyage through the Mediterranean easy and 
 comfortable, and my reception at home seemed 
 to inspire me with such vigour and hfe that in 
 the first few days of my return I wished imme- 
 diately to go back to Burma. 
 
 But I was soon undeceived. A few minutes' 
 walk told me of my weakness and of troubles 
 which required careful medical treatment, so 
 that I was compelled, sorely against my will, 
 to rest awhile. Invitations came to me from 
 friends whom I had known or who had known 
 of my work in India and Burma, but I found 
 that, go where I would, their cry was : '' You 
 must rest as much as possible, but do give us 
 one or two serrhons ! *' And this, not alone 
 in village and town churches, but in St. 
 Mary's, Oxford, and several cathedrals. Fre- 
 quently, with every desire to please my kind 
 hosts, I had scarcely strength to mount the 
 pulpits or carry out other arrangements, and 
 yet I felt that I was doing good service, not 
 only for Missions in general, but for Burma 
 in particular. 
 
 I visited for the first time St. Augustine's 
 College, Canterbury, and deeply thankful have 
 I been ever since for that visit and its results. 
 
 93 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 I was very weak from my illness and in agony 
 with sciatica, and I must have presented a 
 sorry figure as I lamely walked up the hall 
 leaning on the arm of the Rev. Dr. Bailey, the 
 Warden, past the ranks of the students, who 
 regarded me with pity and curiosity. 
 
 In spite of my pain, I could not help laughing 
 at the idea that I was like a wounded soldier 
 trying to induce men to go to the seat of war. 
 Nothing could exceed the kindness of the 
 good Warden and his colleagues. In the 
 evening I gave an address to the students in 
 Hall. I stood by the big fire and felt much 
 better. I am free to confess that I pleaded 
 the cause of our Burma Mission with an 
 earnestness that I had never experienced 
 before. 
 
 I had prayed for help and guidance in this 
 effort, and felt that my prayer was answered. 
 The students were enthusiastic, and the 
 Warden assured me that I should obtain 
 recruits. The next day I had much private 
 conversation with the students about Burma 
 and India. As I was sitting in the Warden's 
 room, a student came in to transact some 
 business wdth him. When he left the Warden 
 
 94 
 
FIRST FURLOUGH IN ENGLAND 
 
 said : '* That is Fairclough, and if you can 
 get him you will get our best man/' 
 
 He asked Mr. Fairclough to show me St. 
 Martin's Church, and while there I begged 
 him to come out with me. He confessed that 
 he would greatly like to do so but for one 
 objection, which I was able to remove. As 
 we were going through the workshops the 
 next day, the Warden pointed out a student 
 who was stooping down to a piece of carpenter- 
 ing, and whispered : '' That is Warren, a 
 capital second year man." So I put my 
 hand on his shoulder and said : '* Warren, will 
 you come to Burma ? " He answered at once 
 with a smile : *' Yes, certainly, when my time 
 comes." The joy and thankfulness of that 
 visit have never left me. The Church in 
 Burma owes a deep debt of gratitude to St. 
 Augustine's College, Canterbury. Many of its 
 clergy and one of its bishops (the Right Rev. 
 Bishop Strachan) have received their training 
 there. 
 
 My friend the Rev. Dr. Kay had left India 
 and returned to Oxford, where he most kindly 
 received me and most earnestly desired me to 
 husband my health and to accumulate power 
 
 95 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 for future work in the Mission field. Again 
 and again I forgot the sage aphorism, *' A 
 man can't do more than he can/' and I did so 
 to my cost. The Society's physician was 
 Dr. George Budd, one of a noble band of 
 brothers, kind, considerate and sympathetic. 
 But he took a very gloomy view of my con- 
 dition, which did not improve after repeated 
 visits to him. His patience at last seemed 
 on the point of exhaustion when he said tp 
 me : *' I willingly give my services free to your 
 Society, and if I thought that there was any 
 hope for your recovery, I would continue to 
 receive your visits ; but, as you perceive, my 
 time is valuable, and it is useless for me to hold 
 out any encouragement to you. Candidly, I 
 consider that you will never be fit to return to 
 Burma again." 
 
 It was a heavy blow, but I would not give 
 up hope. I asked him to afford me a final 
 interview at the end of a month. During that 
 interval I ascertained that he had what we 
 call in India a shoke, a bias, for filtration of 
 drinking water, and that he was especially 
 interested in a well-known filter. 
 
 I thought that I could work upon that and 
 96 
 
FIRST FURLOUGH IN ENGLAND 
 
 I was not mistaken. At the appointed time 
 I paid my visit, and said that I attributed 
 much of my trouble to the bad unfiltered water 
 that I had been drinking in Burma. *' I notice 
 that you have a pecuHar filter, such as I 
 should like to take with me on my return. I 
 am sure that it would be of great benefit to me 
 in Burma, and its introduction would be a 
 boon to the other Europeans in the country.'' 
 
 He caught the bait and proceeded to give me 
 a long description of the patent filter, telling 
 me where I could procure it. He concluded 
 by saying : *' I see that you are determined 
 to go back, and though I cannot give you a 
 certificate to show that you are fit, I will not 
 oppose your going on your own responsibility.*' 
 That was all I wanted, and after thanking him 
 heartily for his patient endurance of my per- 
 sistence, with a glad and thankful heart, I went 
 off to the S.P.G. ofiice to convey the good news 
 to my friends the secretaries. 
 
 I met the assistant secretary, who, rejoicing 
 with me, said : '' Did you notice a young man 
 leaving as you entered ? " On my replying 
 in the affirmative, he said : '' That was the 
 Hon. Charles Wood, who has been to offer his 
 
 97 7 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 services to the Society*s home work. I told 
 him that at present we had no opening, but 
 would gratefully remember his kind offer." 
 He was afterwards Viscount Halifax, the well- 
 known President of the E.C.U. 
 
 The Society was at that time deeply tied up 
 in red tape, but let me say that though I have 
 felt and regretted this defect during my fifty- 
 five years' connection with it, I have never 
 experienced anything but extreme kindness, 
 courtesy and affection from its officials. Not 
 one unpleasant word has been addressed to me 
 during the whole of that time. 
 
 One other incident of my sojourn at home 
 must be related. With all his kindness to the 
 Mission and to myself, Colonel Phayre persis- 
 tently refused to grant us a piece of land 
 whereon to erect schools and Mission premises 
 in Rangoon. The Baptists and Roman 
 Catholics as well as the Buddhists had ob- 
 tained large grants either freely or at nominal 
 prices, but we could not get any. A similar 
 difficulty had occurred in Maulmein. The 
 local government refused, and the Govern- 
 ment of India supported the objection, but 
 the Secretary of State for India in London 
 
 98 
 
FIRST FURLOUGH IN ENGLAND 
 
 reversed their decision, and granted us twenty- 
 five acres of freehold land. 
 
 With this precedent I appealed against 
 Colonel Phayre's refusal to Sir John Lawrence, 
 the Governor-General. But with all his well- 
 known desire to help missionary work. His 
 Excellency felt compelled also to refuse. Being 
 in London, I resolved, with the Society's 
 sanction, to appeal to the Hon. Charles Wood 
 to do for us in Rangoon as he had done before 
 in Maulmein. With Mr. Wigram, Q.C., one of 
 the Standing Committee, I had a long and 
 pleasant interview with the Secretary of State 
 for India. Mr. Wood was very courteous and 
 kind, but firm in his refusal. He said that we 
 might have one acre free whereon to build a 
 church, and as much more as the local govern- 
 ment pleased at the upset price. This was a 
 great concession, as the event has proved, and 
 with this we had to be content. 
 
 The education of girls is all but neglected 
 by the Burmese. But they had shown them- 
 selves willing to entrust their girls to our care 
 if we had the teachers to instruct them. My 
 efforts to obtain such teachers in Rangoon had 
 not been successful, and it appeared as if I 
 
 99 7* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 must fail also in England. But shortly before 
 I left, the Rev. Sir James E. Philipps, of War- 
 minster, introduced to me a young lady who 
 was well qualified and willing to go out to 
 Burma and superintend an S.P.G. Girls* School 
 in Rangoon. The Society gladly accepted her 
 services. I also secured an assistant trained 
 and certificated schoolmaster, Mr. R. Raw- 
 lings, to help me in Burma. 
 
 This, then, was the party : Miss Cooke for 
 Rangoon, another lady for Singapore, Mr. 
 John Fairclough, Mr. R. Rawlings, and myself, 
 who met for a dismissal service in January, 
 1866, in the Society's House in Pall Mall, the 
 farewell address being given by the Bishop of 
 Oxford, the Right Rev. S. Wilberforce. The- 
 others went before me by a saihng vessel, and 
 I returned by the P. and O., no longer an 
 invalid, though not very strong. I enjoyed 
 the voyage greatly. We had daily service on 
 board, attended at first by few, but as the 
 voyage proceeded by almost all the passengers. 
 At Galle I was able to tell the Cingalese 
 Christians and other members of the Mission 
 that my brother and sister were on their way 
 
 to take over charge of the Mission and Church 
 
 100 
 
FIRST FURLOUGH IN ENGLAND 
 
 Work in that station. Although I had kind 
 letters of introduction to the Bishop and the 
 Governor of Madras from their respective 
 brothers, I was unable to land there, nor have 
 I ever been able to visit that city, though I 
 have passed it several times. 
 
 loi 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 RETURN TO RANGOON 
 
 /^N my arrival in Calcutta I found that 
 ^-^ Bishop Cotton was still up country 
 on Visitation, so I went on to Rangoon for a 
 few weeks, returning to meet him on his arrival 
 at Calcutta. 
 
 On my return to Rangoon I found that the 
 work had almost to be begun over again. My 
 locum tenens, the Rev. C. A. Berry, had not 
 lived in the Mission House, and the teachers 
 and pupils were disheartened, and much of the 
 Mission property had been lost. Mr. Fair- 
 clough and Miss Cooke and Mr. Rawlings 
 arrived, and though at first we all had to 
 rough it, we soon got things in order. We 
 soon had our school full of boarders and 
 day scholars, as many as w^e could receive. 
 We used the veranda as a sort of chapel. For 
 
 102 
 
KErURN TO RANGOON 
 
 the girls' school we rented a house in the 
 vicinity, and we soon saw how suitable a 
 person we had obtained in Miss Cooke. She 
 evidently loved her work and her pupils, and 
 they loved her, and she led them gently and 
 steadily to love their Saviour, and to be fit 
 for Holy Baptism. 
 
 The work, however, needed more vigour 
 than I possessed. Dr. Kay had constantly 
 advised me to lay up a large store of health 
 and strength. I had not been able to do so, 
 and more than once I doubted whether, after 
 all, I ought to have returned. I had very 
 serious attacks of depression, which is not 
 particularly pleasant for a schoolmaster. 
 But again the promise continually recurred : 
 '* Lo ! I am with you always,'' and it upheld 
 me even in the darkest hours. 
 
 Financial difficulties pressed heavily upon 
 me. Finance was ever my weak spot, and, 
 knowing this, I had very early accepted the 
 assistance of the agent of the only bank then 
 in Rangoon. I had previously followed the 
 almost universal practice of depending upon 
 one of the largest firms for pecuniary accom- 
 modation. But my bank friend most kindly 
 
 103 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 undertook the business and so greatly relieved 
 me. 
 
 During my days of illness, however, before I 
 went to England matters fell into much con- 
 fusion. I could not remember what I had done 
 with considerable sums of money. I knew 
 that I had received them, but how I had dis- 
 posed of them caused me the greatest anxiety 
 and many wakeful nights. Meanwhile people 
 were pressing for payment, and though the 
 amount was not large, it was more than I could 
 meet from my personal salary, which was very 
 small. I was at my wit's end, and at last 
 called the principal creditor, who most kindly 
 undertook to accept one-half of my salary 
 every month in payment of the debt. 
 
 The arrangement left me miserably poor 
 
 and actually in want, and I felt that a few 
 
 months of this trouble would inevitably bring 
 
 me to the point of collapse. I am free to 
 
 confess that I made this matter, not for the 
 
 first and only time in my missionary life, the 
 
 subject of earnest prayer, and I arose from 
 
 my knees encouraged and heartened, to put 
 
 the best face I could upon my worries before 
 
 school assembled. 
 
 104 
 
RETURN TO RANGOON 
 
 As I was dressing, in a moment the whole 
 situation flashed upon my memory. I recol- 
 lected that as each sum had come in, I had 
 handed it over to the kind treasurer whom I 
 had not met since my return. I at once called 
 my gharri^ and went off to see him. The bank 
 of which he had been manager had assured me 
 that there were no funds standing in my 
 name or in that of the Mission. But he had 
 become manager of another bank, which he 
 had started during my furlough, and to this 
 new bank he had transferred all my moneys. 
 It was a marvellous relief. I did not tell him 
 how much I had suffered in consequence. He 
 continued for several years our kind and effi- 
 cient treasurer and I had no such worry again. 
 
 The absolute necessity of finding better 
 premises for the Mission school and my own 
 and colleagues* residence was forced upon me. 
 I felt that we were in the right quarter of 
 Rangoon on high and open ground ; but house 
 accommodation was very scarce. 
 
 Fortunately Woodlands, a large house, which 
 
 had been the residence of several heads of 
 
 departments, who, I need not say, were our 
 
 local aristocracy, became vacant, and I was 
 
 105 
 
FORl'Y YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 advised by several friends to secure it But 
 no measure of the kind could be expected to be 
 executed without criticism, and that where it 
 might be least expected, amongst friends of the 
 Mission, who were alarmed at my ambitious 
 schemes. 
 
 I was told that I had swollen head and that 
 my success had made me proud. But after 
 full consideration with the Chief Commissioner, 
 Major-General Albert Fytche, I determined 
 to secure Woodlands, with its ample grounds, 
 large rooms and ugly exterior. Instantly the 
 success of the school was assured. Pupils 
 from all parts of Burma crowded into the new 
 premises, proud to find themselves in such 
 excellent quarters. It was from this trans- 
 action that I may date the success of our 
 Rangoon school. 
 
 Several of my old Burmese assistants came 
 to my help, and I had, moreover, the valued 
 co-operation of colleagues from St. Augustine's 
 College, Canterbury, the Revs. Fairclough, 
 Warren and Chard, all ordained at Calcutta for 
 work in the Mission as my colleagues. 
 
 But with this staff I had a large accession of 
 duties, congenial, but outside my missionary 
 
 1 06 
 
RETURN TO RANGOON 
 
 work. First of all, I must mention that 
 at Bishop Cotton's order, I assumed the 
 chaplaincy pro tern., until his lordship's 
 approaching visit to Burma, of the beautiful 
 little Town Church of Holy Trinity on the 
 river bank. It had been built under the 
 auspices of the Rev. H. W. Crofton, after the 
 designs of Pugin, and was a gem in its way, 
 and the people of Rangoon were very proud 
 of it. 
 
 It could not be but that with the consider- 
 able duties which fell to the single Govern- 
 ment Chaplain's lot in connection with the 
 civil and military population, the missionary 
 staff should give assistance at the Town Church 
 and in the district. 
 
 But the employment of missionaries as 
 Assistant Chaplains had been vetoed, both 
 by the Indian and the Home Government, 
 in the time of Bishop Wilson, and, therefore, 
 additional clergy were appointed, who received 
 a small monthly allowance in addition to the 
 salary which they received from the missionary 
 society which employed them. This scheme 
 was at work in India, but had not as yet been 
 introduced into Burma. But, in the great 
 
 107 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 dearth of chaplains, Bishop Cotton directed me 
 to undertake the charge, and gave me direc- 
 tions as to what to do and what to avoid, 
 carefully safeguarding the prerogatives of the 
 Government Chaplain. 
 
 But when this was known in Rangoon, our 
 Chaplain felt it his duty to raise a storm of 
 objections, and got up a petition signed by 
 several leading townsmen complaining that 
 whereas they had been promised a whole 
 chaplain for the town, they were being put off 
 with half a missionary ! I intimated to the 
 Bishop, that if his plan were not carried out, 
 he must release me from further English 
 services in Rangoon, as the extra stipend that 
 I was to receive went to the maintenance of 
 one of my colleagues. 
 
 His lordship wrote back a very conciliatory 
 letter, saying that his plan was only temporary, 
 until another Chaplain or A.C.S. man could 
 be appointed, which he hoped would be 
 shortly, after his next Visitation of Burma 
 during the approaching cold weather. This 
 letter changed the whole aspect of things. 
 The Chaplain recognized that without the 
 co-operation of the missionary staff he could 
 
 io8 
 
RETURN TO RANGOON 
 
 not carry on the double duties of cantonment 
 and town work in Rangoon, and he gladly fell 
 in with the Bishop's plan and the petition was 
 withdrawn. 
 
 I look upon my services at the Town Church 
 as one of the happiest parts of my life. The 
 services were of a type hitherto unknown in 
 Burma. We had a surpliced choir of boys 
 under excellent training, and of gentlemen of 
 good musical ability who gave their services 
 gratuitously, and of a very talented lady 
 organist. 
 
 The proposal to put the choir into surplices 
 was supposed to be our first Romeward ten- 
 dency, and excited a letter of protest, which 
 was to be presented to Bishop Cotton on his 
 arrival. My friend Mr. Connell remarked, 
 with regard to this protest, '' that we need not 
 wait till Cotton came down, as it was cheap 
 enough in Rangoon already ! " 
 
 Alas ! Bishop Cotton's visit was never paid. 
 He had always been deeply interested in 
 Burma, and in his primary Charge he ex- 
 pressed his strong opinion that this Province 
 ought to be separated from Calcutta, and 
 
 that a Bishop with the gift of tongues should 
 
 109 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 be appointed. He was to come to us for the 
 consecration of the Town Church, when sud- 
 denly, on Saturday, October 13th, 1866, I re- 
 ceived a telegram from Mr. Barton, of the 
 C.M.S. in Calcutta : ** Bishop Cotton drowned 
 at Kooshtea. Body not found." He had 
 been on Visitation in Assam, and on 
 October 6th had been consecrating a ceme- 
 tery, when, returning in the dark, ac- 
 companied only by a servant carrying a 
 lantern and his robe bag, he was crossing 
 to the river steamer by a single plank from 
 a barge, when the servant heard a splash, 
 looked round, and the Bishop had gone ! 
 
 Though his two chaplains, Messrs. Hardy 
 and Vallings, dived into the water immediately 
 and searched about in the swift current, no 
 trace of his body was ever found. Mrs. Cotton 
 and their daughter were awaiting the Bishop's 
 return for dinner on board the steamer. The 
 news was telegraphed all over India, and the 
 Government, in an appreciative note on his 
 Hfe, declared that it was the greatest blow 
 which the Church in India had received. 
 
 I shall not easily forget the expression of 
 deep sorrow and regret that prevailed in church 
 
 no 
 
RETURN TO RANGOON 
 
 next morning when I announced to our large 
 congregation that the Bishop had met an 
 untimely end. I preached on Hebrews xiii., 
 7 and 8. Bishop Cotton had improved during 
 his residence in India. His coldness and 
 schoolmaster attitude seemed to have given 
 way to affectionate earnestness and kindness. 
 Those who knew him best loved him most. 
 
 Dr. Robert Milman, a cousin of Lord Salis- 
 bury, was the new Bishop. He had been well 
 known previously as a Vicar of Lambourne 
 and Wantage, where he had done a great deal 
 to promote the welfare of the boys and young 
 men employed in the stables. He was, more- 
 over, a learned scholar, especially in languages. 
 In manner he was a complete contrast to his 
 predecessors, Wilson and Cotton, as he was 
 most genial and witty. 
 
 He lost no time in visiting Burma, and in 
 
 May, 1867, accompanied by his sister, he 
 
 came to us in the height of the monsoon. They 
 
 encountered very bad weather, and were four 
 
 days instead of two from Akyab to Rangoon ; 
 
 but their welcome to Burma was very real and 
 
 hearty, and the time spent at the Mission was 
 
 very profitable to us all. Holy Trinity Church 
 
 III 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 was consecrated, Lieutenant H. R. Spearman 
 acting as registrar. 
 
 I accompanied the Bishop in his special 
 steamer up the Irrawaddy to Thayetmyo, our 
 then frontier station, where he preached to 
 the Enghsh garrison and performed a mar- 
 riage. At every stopping-place — and the 
 vessel only goes by daylight — he saw crowds 
 of children, who appeared to be amphibious. 
 He was greatly interested, and desired me to 
 do my very utmost to establish branch Mission- 
 schools at all the principal towns on that 
 noble river. Miss Milman in her biography 
 says : " From that time he began to feel a 
 deep interest in the Burmese, ' the kindly and 
 honest people who like the English and are 
 liked by them.* '* As soon as the Bishop had 
 left us I began to think of carrying out his 
 wishes. I could safely leave St. John's to the 
 care of the Revs. J. Fairclough and C. Warren. 
 Mr. Rawlings had been sent to strengthen the 
 S.P.G. work at Maulmein under the Rev. 
 R. Evans, and afterwards the Rev. J. Fair- 
 clough. 
 
 Henzada was the first place of importance 
 on the Irrawaddy. It was the headquarters 
 
 112 
 
RETURN TO RANGOON 
 
 of a district containing seventy-five thousand 
 Burmans. The Government steam vessels and 
 flats had just been sold to the Irrawaddy 
 Flotilla Company, which, from small begin- 
 nings, has prospered wonderfully. To our 
 Mission and to me personally the managers 
 have always been the kindest and most liberal 
 of friends. I can hardly speak too gratefully 
 of their unvarying and unwearied generosity 
 and goodness. 
 
 General Albert Fytche kindly gave me an 
 order to visit Henzada as Chaplain, and to stay 
 there ten days at Government cost. The Flotilla 
 allowed me to take a lot of my tame pupils, 
 and desks, forms, maps, books, etc., to begin a 
 school. We arrived off the town on a stormy 
 rainy night, and got wet through before reach- 
 ing the Government Circuit House, where we 
 had to stay. The next day was Sunday, and 
 we had two services for the English-speaking 
 Christians, and collections for our new school. 
 All gave very hberally. The Burman magis- 
 trate offered every assistance, but I feared to 
 accept it lest I might appear to be compelling 
 the people to help. 
 
 On the Monday morning we went in 
 113 8 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 search of a house, and with great difficulty 
 found one, not a good or clean place, but 
 the only one available. My boys and I 
 worked at it in the pouring rain, washing it 
 thoroughly, and bridging the deep ditch that 
 separated it from the road, and which was full 
 of water. We were very wet, tired, and 
 hungry when at night-fall we returned to the 
 Circuit House, and I felt feverish and low- 
 spirited. But early next morning we got up 
 and went to begin school. We found many 
 intending pupils and their mothers in the road, 
 but the heavy rain in the night had swollen 
 the little river, our bridge was washed away, 
 and the water was up to our proposed school- 
 room floor. Whilst waiting anxiously, and 
 thinking what we should do, my friend 
 Moung Kyaw Doon, the Extra Assistant Com- 
 missioner, came along, and at once solved 
 the problem by putting a very suitable house 
 (his own property) at our disposal, free of 
 rent, for half a year. In less than an hour we 
 had got our furniture arranged, and the 
 Christian boys joined us in a prayer in Bur- 
 mese for God's blessing on the new under- 
 taking. 
 
 114 
 
RETURN TO RANGOON 
 
 We began school and worked very happily 
 during the ten days of my stay. Subscrip- 
 tions and donations came in Hberally, a 
 local treasurer was appointed, and the school 
 prospered for many years. It was shortly 
 afterwards removed to a new building, erected 
 by local subscriptions and Government grants, 
 and was then called St. Peter^s S.P.G. School. 
 Very many happy days have I spent in Hen- 
 zada school. The best masters were Samuel 
 Moung Ee, from Maulmein, James Simon, after- 
 wards head-master of the Government Normal 
 School, Maulmein, and James Charles. The 
 Director of Public Instruction spoke of it as 
 ** the best second-class school in Burma." 
 
 Having been appointed Government Chaplain 
 of the Irrawaddy Stations, on being relieve(^ 
 by the Rev. W. West of the care of the Ran- 
 goon Town Church, I was enabled to visit 
 Henzada and other places on the river regu- 
 larly and without cost to the Mission. Our 
 best boys from St. Peter's were sent to com- 
 plete their education at St. John's College, 
 Rangoon, the Flotilla managers most kindly 
 allowing all our pupils to travel at half fares. 
 Sir Rivers Thompson, Sir Charles Aitchison 
 
 115 S* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 and Sir Charles Bernard, successive Chief Com- 
 missioners, visited the school and reported 
 most favourably concerning it. Bishop Tit- 
 comb, the first Bishop of Rangoon, spent 
 much time at St. Peter's, and testified that it 
 was '' a first-rate S.P.G. Mission School.'' 
 After his resignation I ceased to be Chaplain 
 of the Irrawaddy Stations, and became Chap- 
 lain of Tavoy and Mergui, and my official con- 
 nection with St. Peter's was ended, and after 
 twenty-three years of useful work the school 
 was closed, and the buildings were sold in 1890. 
 I next went on to Myan-aung, then the head- 
 quarters of the district of that name. It is 
 a long, scattered town, the Europeans' houses 
 being built on the bank of the Irrawaddy, 
 which is here broad and deep, and in flood 
 time is continually encroaching on the town, 
 in spite of the embankments which the Govern- 
 ment at enormous cost erect and keep in 
 repair. The people here gladly welcomed me. 
 In a few days v/e had raised over a thousand 
 rupees, enough to start our school in a 
 wooden house which was lent to us in the Bur- 
 mese quarter. A Burmese Christian master 
 from St. John's was appointed, and he began 
 
 116 
 
RETURN TO RANGOON 
 
 well. In a short time the Education Depart- 
 ment gave us another Rs. i,ooo, and with the 
 Rs. 2,000 we bought a large and excellent 
 house for our school. 
 
 The people here were not so zealous 
 for education as were those of Henzada, 
 and I always had difficulties with the 
 Myan-aung school, especially after the place 
 ceased to be the headquarters of the district 
 and many of the European officials removed 
 elsewhere. After eleven years* existence 
 the school was burned down through the 
 carelessness of the master in charge. The 
 Society's property there has recently been 
 sold, and no effort has since been made to 
 revive S.P.G. work in that station, though we 
 have had many pupils at St. John's from the 
 town and district. 
 
 I must tell about our school at Zalun, a 
 township of 4,600 inhabitants, on the right 
 bank of the Irrawaddy. The people were 
 very anxious to have an S.P.G. school 
 there, and the elders came to me to Henzada 
 begging me to come to their township and 
 promising every assistance. I went in a Bur- 
 mese boat, for Zalun is down-stream. The 
 
 117 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 Burmans welcomed me gladly and hospitably, 
 and for a fortnight I hved among them as 
 their guest, eating only Burmese food in 
 native fashion. Honestly I cannot say that 
 I liked it or enjoyed it. It takes a long ap- 
 prenticeship to discard with pleasure knife 
 and fork and spoon and other accessories of 
 European habits. But my hosts were all 
 kindness, and did their very best to make 
 me comfortable. 
 
 They turned the Buddhist Hpongyis and their 
 following out of a large monastery, or kyoung^ 
 on the Lamaing road, had it thoroughly 
 cleaned and altered to my plans, and then 
 gave it to me for an S.P.G. school. I had 
 my master Moung Henry ready and we began 
 work. For a time the school did well, but after 
 I went to Mandalay and Mr. Warren went to 
 Toungoo and our Mission work extended, 
 the European labourers were so few that the 
 school suffered from lack of adequate super- 
 vision. The town also suffered severely from 
 flood and fire, and so the school languished 
 and died. 
 
 The last and hardest of the river schools was 
 Thayetmyo. This was a frontier military 
 
 1X8 
 
RETURN TO RANGOON 
 
 station having half a European regiment, a 
 battery of artillery, besides Madras sepoys. 
 The natives lived in the southern half of the 
 town and consisted of a very large admixture 
 of people from Bengal and Madras, as well as 
 the Burmese. (In Burma, when we speak of 
 '* natives " we always mean not Burmans 
 but natives of India.) But our missionary 
 efforts know of no distinction of race or nation. 
 The command is to " make disciples of every 
 creature." So the station Chaplain allowed 
 me to plead for our Mission in the garrison 
 church, and then the Burmese and others came 
 forward to help me to raise the thousand 
 rupees required to earn the Government grant 
 of an equal amount. 
 
 We began school in a temporary house, the 
 roof of which was made of thin tiles and there 
 was no ceiling. It was terrible work sitting 
 in that room in April, our hottest month — and 
 Thayetmyo is one of our hottest stations — 
 teaching about thirty pupils, mostly at first 
 Madrassis or Mussulmans. The school, St. 
 Andrew's S.P.G. Mission School, began under 
 difficulty, struggled on, and held its own. The 
 Rev. C. H. Chard, who became missionary and 
 
 119 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 chaplain of Thayetmyo, wisely and zealously 
 fostered it, and under his able management it 
 became a flourishing institution, as did also 
 St. Helena's School for Girls, under the care 
 of Mrs. Chard. The Rev. J. Kristna was after- 
 wards in charge of Thayetm3^o for a time. I 
 must leave it to others to tell the more recent 
 history of St. Andrew's Mission School. 
 
 That is the story of the beginnings of 
 our river schools and of their subsequent 
 development. It will be gathered from what 
 I have said, and even more from what I have 
 not said, that to maintain district Mission schools 
 as evangelizing agencies, regular and constant 
 supervision by the European missionary is 
 absolutely essential. When that is not avail- 
 able the schools invariably fail to maintain 
 either their Christian and missionary character, 
 or their secular efficiency. But though the 
 institutions themselves may cease to exist by 
 the name by which they have been known and 
 described, yet it must be remembered that no 
 work for God undertaken in faith and obedience 
 is ever allowed completely to fail. The results 
 may not be at once apparent, but in His own 
 good time, God will give the increase, 
 
 \ 
 
RETURN TO RANGOON 
 
 In Henzada our work seemed to fail and 
 utterly to collapse when the school was sold. 
 But on a subsequent visit to the station I was 
 called upon by several of the elder ex-pupils of 
 the school now in Government employ, who 
 although only catechumens, yet held Christian 
 meetings amongst themselves, and went out 
 into the neighbouring villages to read the 
 Bible to the Buddhists, and to tell the glad 
 tidings of the Gospel of Christ. If we had but 
 more missionaries to follow them up, many an 
 ex-pupil would be found glad to hear again the 
 lessons which he was taught in the Christian 
 school. 
 
 121 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 SCHOOL ROUTINE 
 
 T3UT I must return to Rangoon. We soon 
 -*^ found our new house, '* Woodlands," to be 
 almost as unsuitable for our purposes as had 
 been " The Cottage." It was the residence of 
 three or four European Mission Agents, of 
 twenty-five Burmese boarders, and of 250 
 day scholars, whose schoolroom was very low 
 and inconvenient. The house was costing us 
 Rs. 1,200 a year and repairs. With the aid of 
 our committee I had made several selections 
 for a site for our Mission. The chief objection 
 to all was their expensiveness — Rs. 1,000 per 
 acre being asked for town lots. 
 
 I had at last bought provisionally six 
 acres, when one day the Chief Commissioner 
 told me that a most eligible site in a line 
 with Government House was with that estate 
 
 122 
 
SCHOOL ROUTINE 
 
 to be thrown out of Cantonment or military 
 boundaries, and to be sold as suburban 
 allotments at Rs. 200 per acre, and he 
 advised me to apply for some of this in 
 exchange for my other purchase. This I very 
 gladly did, and after some unnecessary delay, 
 secured our present most valuable estate at 
 the upset price. I purchased it in the name of 
 the Incorporated Society for the Propagation 
 of the Gospel, which by its charters is a body 
 corporate, capable of holding property, etc. 
 One acre was freely granted by Government 
 to the Society whereon to build a Mission 
 church or chapel (a condition which has been 
 too long delayed, but the obstacles to the 
 fulfilment of which have, I trust, now dis- 
 appeared). The land thus acquired as the 
 property of the Society has continually in- 
 creased in value, and is now worth not less 
 than Rs. 10,000 per acre. 
 
 Meantime the name of the institution had 
 been changed. We began it as simply the 
 ^'S.P.G. Mission School.*' Then we called it 
 ''St. John's School," a title which some 
 amusing adventures soon informed us was 
 already appropriated by the Roman Catholic 
 
 123 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 Girls' School. So by the advice of Sir Arthur 
 Phayre, and in accordance with Bishop 
 Cotton's scheme, we called it ''St. John's 
 College, S.P.G./' a name by which it is known 
 and loved by thousands of pupils and their 
 friends. 
 
 Having secured the land, we now set to 
 work to erect the building. We had offered 
 a premium of Rs. 250 for the best design, 
 and we chose that submitted by Mr. J. J. 
 Jones, a young employe of the Public Works 
 Department. It was by no means perfect, in 
 fact it had curious and serious defects. But it 
 proved to be a good plan to start with ; and 
 though we have continually enlarged and 
 added to our buildings, we have always pre- 
 served the main features of the original design. 
 
 The foundation-stone of the new building 
 was laid by General Fytche, the Chief Com- 
 missioner, in 1869. The Rev. H. W. Crofton, 
 the Government Chaplain, the Rev. C. Warren 
 and I took part in the services, and all 
 Rangoon, mihtary and civil, European, Bur- 
 mese and members of all nationahties were 
 present on the occasion, which was one of 
 great happiness to us all. I had very earnestly 
 
 124 
 
be i 
 
 M 
 
 M 
 
 C 
 
 o 
 U 
 
SCHOOL ROUTINE 
 
 longed for this achievement, and yet just as 
 it was accompHshed I was called away, and 
 it seemed as though I should never be able 
 to enjoy that for which I had so anxiously 
 worked and waited. 
 
 But before I go on to tell about that, I will 
 make a digression to speak about the funda- 
 mental principles upon which our schools were 
 founded and developed. They were essen- 
 tially Mission schools of the Church of England, 
 and from this we never swerved, either for 
 fear of offending or from the hope of succeed- 
 ing. On a boy's admission, his parents or 
 guardians were distinctly informed : ** This 
 is a Christian school. If you put your boy 
 here, he will be taught the Christian religion. 
 No underhand method of fear or favour will 
 be brought to bear upon him to make him 
 change his religion, but he will be instructed 
 openly and plainly in the doctrines of 
 Christianity.'* 
 
 I can truly say that though I made this 
 announcement to thousands of parents, never 
 once did anyone object to placing his son in 
 our school, and this was true not only of the 
 indigenous races of Burma, Burmese, Talaings, 
 
 125 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 Shans, Karens, but also of Hindoos, Bengalees, 
 Madrassis, and the other immigrants from 
 India and the Far East. 
 
 Our religious teaching was the amalgam 
 which held us together. Each day commenced 
 with prayer and other religious exercises. The 
 Christian boys, inclusive of Roman Catholics, 
 Baptists, etc., stood out in front while we sang 
 a short morning hymn, and I read a small 
 portion of the Gospel in Burmese and English. 
 We all said the Lord's Prayer, asking, of 
 course, not for our daily bread — for that is not 
 the food of the country — but for our daily rice ! 
 In our school we had but two meals a day, 
 rice and curry in the morning, and curry and 
 rice in the evening ! 
 
 Very frequently I have heard the non- 
 christians joining earnestly in our Lord's 
 Prayer, and it gladdened my heart. After 
 prayers the boys went away to their classes, 
 and were there instructed by myself and my 
 colleagues bihngually on the portion of Scrip- 
 ture which had been read, first questioning it 
 into the pupils, and then questioning it out of 
 them, until we were thoroughly assured that 
 the pupils entirely appreciated the meaning of 
 
 126 
 
SCHOOL ROUTINE 
 
 the passage. From this practice we never 
 varied. Even when the stress of secular 
 examinations or Government inspections came 
 along, we never lowered our flag. Some of our 
 inspectors professed anti-christian opinions, 
 and sneered at our religious teaching with 
 these non-christian assistants, but all professed 
 respect at our steadfast adherence to the prin- 
 ciple of religious education. 
 
 After the religious exercises the secular 
 work began, conducted on the Unes of an 
 English Public School. I need hardly say that 
 no difference whatever was made in the 
 forms or classes with regard to the various 
 nationalities, creeds and languages of the 
 pupils. The same rules and discipHne applied 
 to all. None ever claimed or received 
 exemption. 
 
 The English and Eurasian boys received 
 instruction in the vernacular, the Burmese 
 learned English, and the interchange was 
 mutually advantageous. We had to take the 
 greatest care that the native teachers in giving 
 secular instruction did not contradict our 
 Christian or nineteenth-century teaching. Once 
 
 I overheard one of our best assistant teachers 
 
 127 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 telling his pupils : '' The Burmese believe that 
 the world is fiat, but in this school you must 
 always say that the world is round . . . etc/' 
 But though this English teaching was often 
 very evidently against the grain, the teachers 
 were most thoroughly loyal, and very honestly 
 carried out the instructions that they had 
 been given. And no pupils could have been 
 more earnest, more keen, more diligent or 
 anxious to improve, than were our pupils. It 
 was the happiest school that one could wish 
 for. The various nationalities vied with one 
 another in their keen desire for excellence. 
 They put in hard continuous work. I will not 
 say that there were no exceptions. We had 
 some slackers and not a few disappointments. 
 
 For instance, a pupil would study most 
 diligently and pass our private test examina- 
 tions and give us every hope that he would 
 be a credit to his teachers. But at the 
 supreme moment — apparently without rhyme 
 or reason — he would absent himself, to our great 
 disappointment. 
 
 One particular case I remember. A student 
 had done remarkably well in all preliminaries, 
 
 and we believed that in the forthcoming Cal- 
 
 128 
 
SCHOOL ROUTINE 
 
 cutta University examination he would take 
 a high position ; but on the very day when 
 he had to sign the roll for his identification 
 he was absent and could not be found. When 
 the examination was over, he returned to his 
 place in school, smiling and happy, but he 
 met with a very unfavourable reception, as 
 may be imagined. 
 
 I demanded a private interview for an ex- 
 planation of his conduct, and when he gave 
 what I regarded as prevaricating replies, I 
 thereupon administered exemplary chastise- 
 ment. He turned to me, quite forgiving me, 
 and said : *' Please, Sayagyi, I got married. 
 May I bring my wife to see you ? " My wrath 
 was gone. A day or two afterwards the 
 bride was introduced to me, a bright, happy 
 girl, evidently a help-meet for him. I told 
 her what had happened and that her husband 
 had received the reward of merit. She smiled 
 sweetly and said : ** 1 am so glad, it will 
 make him a good husband. And if he is not, 
 I will bring him to you again.*' He came 
 up at the next examination and passed 
 triumphantly. 
 
 The Burmese, the Irish of the East, are Uke 
 129 9 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 our friends of the Emerald Isle, a mass of con- 
 tradictions. At one time, earnest, diligent 
 and energetic ; at another, lazy, careless and 
 casual. There are, of course, exceptions, but, 
 as a rule, they are affectionate, unselfish and 
 kind, but unreliable. I do trust and believe 
 that English Christian education will give them 
 that stability of character which nothing else 
 can impart, and I speak from experience. 
 
 A favourite method for a naughty boy to 
 show his wrath used to be to run his head 
 against the wall and then lie on the floor and 
 scream. I recollect one Burmo-Chinese boy 
 performing that operation. For a moment, 
 as he lay on the floor almost senseless, I was 
 frightened, but I hastened his return to con- 
 sciousness and activity by the application of a 
 small bit of bamboo. It quickened his mental 
 and physical activity so effectively that he 
 never repeated the operation, but entered upon 
 a very honourable scholastic career, and he is 
 now a most learned savant and a member of 
 various learned societies. 
 
 The unrehability which I have shown to be 
 characteristic of the students with regard to 
 their studies was shown also in their games. 
 
 130 
 
SCHOOL ROUTINE 
 
 Lads could be keen, sometimes dangerously 
 so, and then all of a sudden, apparently for 
 no reason whatever, they would drop out of 
 the lists and give way to lassitude. 
 
 I remember on one occasion an instance of 
 this in connection with our Cadet Corps, of 
 which we were very proud and with good 
 reason. A company had been out to the rifle 
 range at Insein, a few miles from Rangoon, 
 for class firing. They returned in the early 
 gloaming, travel-stained and weary, and the 
 head boy came to me and said : " Sir, we are 
 very tired ; may we have a game of football 
 instead of evening study ? " I need not say 
 that they were very lovable fellows. Every- 
 body who had anything to do with them 
 loved them. 
 
 Private study was the rule in the evenings, 
 but no lamps — except the regulation hurricane 
 lamp — were allowed in the dormitories. We 
 had to take the utmost precautions against 
 fire in our wooden buildings. It was a high 
 crime and misdemeanour to infringe our regu- 
 lations in this respect, and we were marvellously 
 immune, though we had one or two narrow 
 escapes. 
 
 131 9* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 When the industrious fit was on them, the 
 boys would take their lesson books to bed and 
 study as long as they could see, and resume 
 in the early daylight. On one occasion a boy 
 seemed to be unhappy and restless in bed, so 
 I went and woke him, and inquired what was 
 the matter. He looked wildly round him 
 and then blurted out : '' Pronouns have three 
 cases, etc." 
 
 All the schools founded by me throughout 
 the whole country were conducted upon the 
 same plan, so that boys migrating from one 
 to the other with proper certificates found 
 themselves at home in their new school as 
 much as in the one which they had left. 
 These pupils not only in Rangoon, but in all 
 the other schools, soon began a practice, which 
 is continued to the present day, of calling 
 themselves, Say a Mat Kyoung tha ('' Dr. 
 Marks' pupils ''). 
 
 Naturally the education of Burmese girls 
 
 was a consideration which weighed heavily on 
 
 my mind, as it had on the cares and thoughts 
 
 of many other educationalists in the country. 
 
 We found the parents, though very keen for 
 
 the education of the boys, careless about, 
 
 132 
 
SCHOOL ROUTINE 
 
 if not actually opposed to, their girls being 
 taught, especially by foreigners. The reply to 
 all one's endeavours to interest fathers and 
 mothers in the education of their girls was the 
 blocking suggestion that it was not Burmese 
 ionzan (custom). 
 
 We had to proceed warily. I was, and am, 
 a celibate. None of the gentler sex were in 
 any way connected with my work. Not one 
 female was engaged in any capacity in St. 
 John's College. I began, therefore, by utilizing 
 the services of a Eurasian teacher in a hired 
 room. It was a dismal failure. I then tried 
 the experiment of getting a lady teacher from 
 Calcutta. She was highly educated, and had 
 a high idea of her own dignity and acquire- 
 ments, and looked with scorn and contempt 
 upon our primitive arrangements. Two or 
 three girls were brought to her, but she seemed 
 to think them young savages and to consider 
 that it was beneath her dignity to instruct 
 them. 
 
 About the fourth or fifth morning, when I 
 visited the empty schoolroom, she suggested 
 that she should take my photograph, to 
 which I demurred, but she willingly con- 
 
 133 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 curred in my suggestion that she should 
 return to Calcutta by the next steamer ! So 
 ended our first attempt, and we decided to 
 postpone until my return from England any 
 further experiment. 
 
 I felt keenly on the subject, and during my 
 furlough I constantly pointed out how useless 
 it was to continue the education of Burmese 
 boys, if, on arriving at manhood, they only 
 had ignorant, uninstructed girls to marry. 
 
 I have already pointed out how I succeeded 
 in securing the aid of Miss Cooke. I shall 
 ever be thankful for her connection with our 
 work and its results. She had that magnetic 
 influence, that sweet, winning way, that 
 smiling countenance, which could not fail to 
 influence the girls around her, and so St. 
 Mary's School was started propitiously. It 
 has thrived ever since, and is now one of the 
 leading educational institutions in the country. 
 
 Miss Cooke continued in charge of the 
 school until she married one of my colleagues, 
 the Rev. C. H. Chard, who afterwards became 
 Archdeacon of Rangoon. 
 
 Thus our educational work, both for boys 
 and girls, increased and developed. Our 
 
 134 
 
SCHOOL ROUTINE 
 
 greatest difficulty soon became the provision 
 of assistant masters and teachers, but, as time 
 went on, the schools themselves provided us 
 with these and I have always found that my 
 own pupils became my best assistants. 
 
 135 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 THE DIOCESAN ORPHANAGE 
 
 /^WING to circumstances well known to 
 ^^ all acquainted with Eastern countries 
 under European government, there are large 
 numbers of boys and girls of mixed parentage 
 in Burma, most of them being the offspring of 
 European fathers and Burmese mothers. 
 
 According to the manners and customs of 
 the Burmese, no stigma whatever attaches 
 to a Burmese maiden who goes through a form 
 of matrimony with a European, though she 
 knows that the union is dissolvable at pleasure, 
 on terms considered fair to both parties. In 
 the Burmese mind, the union between John 
 Smith or Thomas Mc — and Ma Shwe, per- 
 formed in presence of her parents and a select 
 gathering of friends, the contracting parties 
 eating rice and curry out of the same dish, is 
 
 136 
 
THE DIOCESAN ORPHANAGE 
 
 as much a valid marriage as if it were per- 
 formed in church by a Bishop or Arch- 
 deacon. 
 
 This is the opinion of the Burmese. The 
 Europeans set a different valuation upon the 
 whole thing, which many of them regard as 
 an amusing farce, knowing well that except 
 by the constraint of their consciences they 
 can at any time easily sunder the marriage 
 tie, desert the so-called wife and her children, 
 and depart to the home-land and marry an 
 English wife. 
 
 They have not always, however, the oppor- 
 tunity for doing this. Fever, cholera, or 
 accident intervenes, and the mother is left a 
 widow with her children. Or the father is 
 invahded home and the children of the Bur- 
 mese liaison are left unprovided for. 
 
 These are our orphans. They are of Euro- 
 pean and Christian parentage, and cannot be 
 allowed to grow up as Burmese Buddhists. 
 
 One can never forget the shock which one 
 gets when this condition of things is first 
 brought to one's notice. You go to what 
 seems an ordinary Burmese house and the 
 children come arouRd you to talk. Oh, happy, 
 
 137 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 charming creatures are little Burmese boys 
 and girls ! But as they play around, you 
 suddenly discover the pale face and light hair 
 of one which marks it out from the rest, and 
 on inquiry you are told that it is the offspring 
 of a former Assistant Commissioner or a young 
 merchant, that there is no provision for it, 
 and that it is being brought up as Burmese. 
 
 What is the missionary to do in the face of 
 this kind of thing ? We dare not leave the 
 offspring of Christian parents to be brought 
 up ignorant of, or hostile to, their own religion. 
 On the other hand, we must be careful not to 
 encourage parents to neglect their children by 
 relieving them of parental responsibihty. 
 
 After a very careful consideration of the 
 whole question, I came to the conclusion that 
 we must be prepared to take risks, and that 
 the claims of these children, especially of the 
 poorer ones, could not be overlooked. 
 
 Provision for the education of the richer 
 classes of European and Eurasian children was 
 already made by the chaplains under Bishop 
 Cotton's Diocesan Scheme of Education. But 
 for the poor and destitute and for orphans 
 (with the exception of a small mixed school 
 
 138 
 
THE DIOCESAN ORPHANAGE 
 
 in Maulmein) there was no provision made 
 by our Church in Burma. 
 
 It seemed to be a work rightly faUing within 
 the sphere of missionary labour — at any rate, 
 at first. Many of these poor children were 
 being brought up as Buddhists or heathen. 
 Left to their Burmese mothers, they could not 
 speak English and were dressed either entirely 
 or for the most part as natives and very poorly 
 provided for. To rescue them and give them 
 Christian teaching and a good secular education 
 seemed to be a work of charity as well as of 
 necessity. And yet we could hardly provide 
 for it out of ordinary Mission funds. 
 
 After much anxious consultation, I deter- 
 mined to begin within the walls of St. John's 
 College an institution called the " S.P.G. 
 Orphan Home," and I had mentioned this as 
 one of the objects for which I sought so much 
 land. 
 
 We had wealthy fathers who provided every- 
 thing for their children. We had equally in- 
 teresting boys whose fathers were either 
 unknown, or suspect, or non-existent, for 
 whom no provision was made. They were 
 the veritable waifs and strays of Burma. 
 
 139 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 For such I neither dared nor would appeal 
 to the British public at home, and how to 
 maintain them on equal terms with the others 
 gave me many an anxious thought and sleep- 
 less night. 
 
 At last I resolved to call a meeting of all 
 whom I thought to be interested in the ques- 
 tion. It seems that I blundered heavily. I 
 invited the attendance at a meeting to inau- 
 gurate an orphanage, of some who were too 
 deeply interested in the matter. It was a 
 large meeting held in the Custom-house. I 
 plaintively put before the meeting my diffi- 
 culties and anxieties, but I got no sympathy. 
 On the contrary, I was assured that I was 
 attempting to condone immorality and to 
 promote concubinage. A proposition to com- 
 mence a Church of England Orphanage was 
 almost unanimously negatived. 
 
 I shall never forget that afternoon. I was 
 utterly dejected, but my faith in the righteous- 
 ness of my cause did not fail me. I said in a 
 moment of bitterness : " Gentlemen, I thank 
 you for your attendance, I grieve at your 
 vote, but I am determined to estabhsh ^ 
 
 diocesan orphanage." 
 
 140 
 
THE DIOCESAN ORPHANAGE 
 
 Fortunately, we had strong support amongst 
 the clergy and other friends of the Mission. 
 One merchant, after hearing all the objections 
 at our first public meeting, quietly slipped into 
 my hands a cheque for Rs. 500 wherewith 
 to start the institution. It has gone on -doing 
 its beneficent work ever since — though after 
 the creation of the Diocese of Rangoon, at 
 Bishop Titcomb's advice, the name was 
 changed into its present title, " Ihe Diocesan 
 Orphanage for Boys ; " for on the establishment 
 by Bishop Strachan of the Bishop's Home for 
 Girls, the scope of our orphanage was limited 
 to boys. 
 
 The maintenance of the institution as a part 
 of, and yet to a large extent financially sepa- 
 rate from, the College, has added very greatly 
 to our anxieties and responsibilities. For 
 many years I had to find about Rs. 1,000 per 
 mensem to feed, clothe and educate nearly 
 one hundred orphan and destitute European 
 and Eurasian lads. But it has been a work 
 which God has greatly blessed, and in looking 
 back upon my happy life in Burma there is 
 no part of the work for which I feel more 
 grateful, and which will, I believe, be pro-* 
 
 141 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 ductive of better results. The Government 
 and people of Burma have supported it with 
 wonderful hberahty and kindness. Let me 
 give one instance. 
 
 Sir Charles E. Bernard, the Chief Commis- 
 sioner, the friend of every good work in the 
 province, promised me Rs. 10,000 if I could 
 raise an equal sum towards building a separate 
 orphanage in the College compound. But I 
 was taken ill and was unable to go about 
 among my friends to get the money. So 
 unwell was I that Sir Charles was good enough 
 to insist that I should leave the noise and 
 work of the College, and enjoy the luxury and 
 quiet of his residence. Government House. 
 
 One day he came to me and said : *' My 
 promised grant of Rs. 10,000 can only hold 
 good for a few days longer, after which it will 
 pass from my control. I see that you are not 
 fit to collect your share. What could you do 
 with this sum by itself ? " I assured him 
 that we should be able to erect a building large 
 enough for our present purposes, and he there- 
 upon passed orders on my application for the 
 sum of Rs. 10,000 to be given to us. 
 
 It was a splendid tonic. I bucked up, and 
 142 
 
THE DIOCESAN ORPHANAGE 
 
 though I had already been having the atten- 
 tion of the kindest physician, this medicine 
 soon put me all right again. 
 
 Of course, as we expected, there came a 
 strong remonstrance from the Director of 
 PubHc Instruction about the grant. He had 
 cast longing eyes on this final balance of the 
 Educational Grant for the benefit of some of his 
 secular schools ; but Sir Charles soon convinced 
 him that the deed was done and that the 
 money had been paid into my account at the 
 bank ! Thus with a Hberal grant from the 
 Rangoon Municipality (always our friends), 
 and a gift of Rs. 500 from dear Bishop Tit- 
 comb, who knew and loved our orphan boys and 
 was loved by them, we were able to build and 
 equip the very suitable Diocesan Orphanage, 
 which is the central house in our group of 
 buildings. 
 
 The Rangoon merchants have ever been 
 most kind and liberal. One firm has given us 
 for many years past Rs. 1,000 per annum in 
 money or rice (we prefer the latter) ; another 
 has given us all the timber we have needed for 
 our constant additions and nearly every church 
 in the diocese gives us an annual offertory. 
 
 X43 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 mind6n min 
 
 A FTER the second Burmese war in 1852, 
 ^^^ when the Province of Pegu was annexed 
 to the Indian Empire, a Hne was drawn across 
 the country a few miles above Thayetmyo on 
 the Irrawaddy, and Toungoo on the Sittang, 
 all south of which was called British or Lower 
 Burma, and all to the north (comprising about 
 200,000 square miles) was called the Kingdom 
 of Burma, or Upper Burma. 
 
 By the terms of the treaty by which this 
 settlement was concluded, it was arranged 
 that the kingdoms should be separate and 
 independent of one another, but that a British 
 Agent should be entertained at the Burmese 
 capital, then Amarapopra, and that there 
 should be an envoy in Rangoon. 
 
 It was foreseen that difficulties would arise, 
 144 
 
H 
 
MINDON MIN 
 
 but it was hoped that by mutual forbearance 
 these might be overcome. Absconding traders 
 would find a refuge in Upper Burma, where 
 they would be safe from civil process, while 
 poUtical refugees from the North would find 
 immunity in British territory. 
 
 Shortly after the conclusion of the war, or 
 rather as the cause of its termination by a 
 bloodless revolution, the foolish King Pagan 
 Min was deposed, and his brother, Mindon Min, 
 was placed upon the throne. The former 
 was one of the worst, the latter decidedly the 
 best, Burmese monarch of the house of 
 Aloungpaya. Pagan Min, on his dethrone- 
 ment, instead of being murdered by his suc- 
 cessor according to Burmese custom, was kept 
 in honourable seclusion till his death from old 
 age. 
 
 Of Mindon Min I would speak with gratitude 
 and respect. Personally, I found him to be a 
 good Burmese scholar, a gentleman with much 
 of kingly dignity but of very narrow ideas 
 concerning the relations of his kingdom — or Em- 
 pire, as he chose to call it — with other States. 
 
 He believed himself to be at least an equal 
 of the most powerful monarch in the world. 
 
 145 10 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 He had a horror of bloodshed, and never tired 
 of dehvering himself of moral platitudes 
 which did not always find expression in his 
 dealings with others. I often thought, on 
 personal intercourse with him, that with a 
 little training he would have made an astute 
 merchant after the Oriental type — '' Heads 
 I win, tails you lose." 
 
 He was of a kindly disposition, a lover of, 
 and beloved by, children — a good sign in any 
 man. He inaugurated a large harem. He 
 had a strong sense of humour and could laugh 
 heartily. He had a genuine desire for the 
 prosperity of his country, of which, however, 
 he knew very little except from the reports 
 of his ministers. 
 
 He was a pious and learned Buddhist and 
 spent large portions of the revenues of his 
 country on the endowment of Buddhist institu- 
 tions, while his military and other servants 
 had to go without their pay. 
 
 In personal appearance he was every inch 
 a King; though the nasty habit of chewing 
 betel-nut and expectorating, detracted greatly 
 from his personal dignity. He had a pleasant, 
 low, musical voice. 
 
 146 
 
MINDON MIN 
 
 The story of the founding of the new capital 
 of Mandalay is well known ; but, for the sake 
 of those who are not familiar with it, I will 
 quote Mr. V. C. Scott O'Connor's interesting 
 book, " Mandalay and other Cities of Burma." 
 *' In 1853 King Mindon ascended the throne of 
 Burma. In 1856 he grew very tired of his 
 capital (Amarapoora), associated in his mind 
 with the unfortunate reign of his elder brother 
 and the humiliation of his country. He was 
 anxious to make a better beginning, he was 
 avid of fame, and he wished to draw away 
 the attention of his people from the disaster 
 which had overtaken his dynasty. 
 
 '' He began accordingly to dream dreams, 
 to see visions, and to consult with his wise 
 men and his soothsayers about the founding 
 of a new city. . . . And so it came to pass 
 that on Friday, the 13th of February, 1857 — 
 that year of terrible upheaval in India — the 
 first stone of Mandalay was laid to please the 
 King, and a hundred and fifty thousand people 
 prepared to give up their homes and all their 
 associations, and move to a new city at the 
 caprice of his will. . . . When the new palace 
 was finished, the King and Queen went to it 
 
 147 10* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 in royal procession and entered in. Here in 
 the heart of his new city, and out of sight and 
 sound of the British steamers which fretted 
 his spirit, Mindon Min hved and ruled for 
 more than twenty years." 
 
 I have interpolated this long quotation as 
 I shall have a good deal to say about Man- 
 dalay and Mindon Min^ and this statement of 
 Mr. Scott O'Connor will enable the reader to 
 gain a clearer insight into the conditions and 
 environment to which the sequence of my 
 narrative is now leading me. 
 
 Although Mindon Min was the best^ the. 
 most enlightened, and the most honourable 
 King that ever reigned in Burma, his reign 
 was by no means one of continued peace and 
 prosperity. It was part of the compact by 
 which he was helped to the throne that he 
 should reign during his lifetime, but that his 
 brother, the ** War Prince,*' should be pro- 
 claimed '' Ain Shay Min," or heir-apparent, 
 and that the War Prince's sons should be 
 recognized as heirs-presumptive to the throne, 
 to the exclusion of the sons of Mindon Min. 
 
 The War Prince was so called because of 
 his official position as head of the army, and 
 
 148 
 
MINDON MIN 
 
 of his warlike propensities. It was his fixed 
 determination to train the Burmese soldiers 
 to be able to cope with British forces, and his 
 constant endeavour was to gather great store 
 of arms and ammunition in Mandalay. He 
 employed many French, German and Italian 
 workmen in his forts and arsenals, and sent 
 the most promising Burmese youths to be 
 trained in the mihtary schools of France and 
 Italy. His dream was to drive the British by 
 force of arms out of Lower Burma. 
 
 King Mindon, on the contrary, was of a 
 mild and peaceful disposition. He, too, longed 
 for the restoration of the Lower Provinces 
 to his kingdom, but he trusted for that 
 restoration to the magnanimity and generosity 
 of the British Government, when it should be 
 seen how wisely and justly he ruled his own 
 kingdom. He always beUeved that under 
 stress of foreign or Continental complications 
 Great Britain would be glad to withdraw her 
 troops and hand back these provinces to him. 
 
 So strong was his belief that this would 
 happen, that (as he frequently told me) he felt 
 sure that he would eventually reign over a 
 
 reunited Burma, and for that purpose he kept 
 
 149 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 a number of officials in readiness to resume the 
 government of the restored districts ; though 
 he always expressed his admiration of our rule 
 in Lower Burma, and his wish to retain the 
 services of some of our officers. Let me antici- 
 pate, by the following story, an illustration of 
 the King's intense anxiety on this point. 
 
 One morning, when I was at the height of 
 royal favour, a King's messenger came to me 
 shortly after seven o'clock, saying : " His 
 Majesty wishes to see you immediately." 
 
 I at once ordered my bullock carriage to be 
 got ready, but before it could be prepared two 
 other messengers came, each more urgent than 
 the last, saying : '' The King is in the Hall of 
 Audience, and is impatiently calHng for you." 
 
 I was at a loss to guess the cause of this 
 unusual haste. But I went as quickly as 
 possible, and found all waiting for me at the 
 Palace, where I was ushered at once into the 
 presence of the King, who, surrounded by his 
 ministers and a large court, was eagerly await- 
 ing my arrival. 
 
 Without any of the usual preUminaries, His 
 Majesty asked me if I had had any letter 
 from Rangoon, Calcutta, or England. I re- 
 
 150 
 
MINDON MIN 
 
 plied that by the mail which had arrived on 
 the previous night I had letters from all these 
 places. '* Did they tell you the great news ? '* 
 he asked. I repHed that my letters contained 
 no important information whatever. 
 
 The King seemed astonished, and repeated 
 his question in other forms. I could not make 
 out what he meant, and assured him that my 
 answer was quite accurate. So, still thinking 
 that I was keeping back important news, he 
 ordered a herald to read out loud, for the 
 information of myself and others, a Burmese 
 translation of a pamphlet of the '' Battle of 
 Dorking " series, entitled, *' How the Russians 
 took India." 
 
 I Hstened with interest and amusement, 
 the King, with his binoculars, watching my 
 face the whole time. When the reading was 
 finished. His Majesty, with great satisfaction, 
 said to me, ** There, English Priest, what do 
 you say to that ? " 
 
 I told him that I had some weeks previbusly 
 read that pamphlet, which was not history, 
 but only a parable to warn England what 
 might possibly happen unless due precautions 
 were taken. 
 
 151 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 The King was incredulous, and said that he 
 knew that Enghsh people never confessed to 
 having been defeated. I told him to ask his 
 French and Italian dependents, who, to gain 
 his favour, had given him the pamphlet, 
 whether what I had said of it was not true. 
 
 They, of course, were obliged to say that 
 I was right. " Then," said the King, '' I have 
 been deceived and made a fool of ; " and he 
 hastily rose up and quitted the hall in great 
 anger. People who had petitions to present 
 to him that day were very unfortunate ! 
 
 I have made this long digression in order 
 that my readers may have some idea of the 
 state of things in the Kingdom of Burma 
 when, in the Providence of God, I was called 
 upon to begin our Church's Mission in that 
 country. 
 
 ^52 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 THE CALL TO MANDALAY 
 
 /^FTEN and often when my charge of dis- 
 ^^ trict schools embraced Thayetmyo, I 
 looked longingly across the frontier, and prayed 
 that the way might be opened for me to extend 
 my missionary efforts into the territory of the 
 Burmese King. But there was either a clause 
 in the treaty or a distinct understanding, that 
 foreign missionaries were not to pass the 
 frontier, and so, whenever I hinted my desire 
 to go into the forbidden land, I was always 
 told that the British Government would not 
 sanction, any more than the Burmese Govern- 
 ment allow, such an experiment. 
 
 But that did not remove my earnest desire, 
 which I had entertained ever since I read on 
 my long voyage Mrs. Macleod Wylhe's most 
 interesting book called '' The Gospel in Burma," 
 
 153 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 describing the work and the perils of Dr. 
 Adoniram Judson, the great American mis- 
 sionary to the King and Court of Burma 
 in 1823-25. 
 
 I longed, under the altered circumstances, 
 to visit and try to influence the King. Shortly 
 after the amalgamation of the three provinces 
 into the one Government of British Burma, 
 Sir Arthur P. Phayre, as Agent to the Viceroy 
 and Governor-General, went on a second mis- 
 sion to the King at Amarapoora, in order to 
 negotiate a commercial treaty between the 
 two countries. In this he was unfortunately 
 not successful, and his failure was a profound 
 disappointment. But from him and from 
 Bishop Bigandet, who accompanied him, I 
 heard very full details of the etiquette and 
 customs of the Burmese Court, which they both 
 described as the most ceremonious and exclu- 
 sive of any they had ever heard of. And yet 
 both were full of praise of the excellent 
 personal qualities and disposition of King 
 Mindon. 
 
 But when I hinted to Sir Arthur that I 
 should like to visit His Majesty for missionary 
 purposes, he became very grave. He said : 
 
 154 
 
THE CALL TO MANDALAY 
 
 '' We have had two very expensive Burmese 
 wars, costing enormous sums and many valu- 
 able lives. Our relations with this King, 
 though he will not sign a treaty, are more 
 amicable and advantageous than we have 
 ever before had with any of his predecessors. 
 We have left him Upper Burma, which is most 
 useful as a friendly buffer State between our 
 territory and China and Siam. The King is 
 a learned man in his way, and prides himself 
 on being entitled the ' Great Chief of Righteous- 
 ness, and the Defender of the Buddhist Faith.' 
 He is a very devout Buddhist, and spends a 
 great portion of the revenues of his country 
 in building pagodas and monasteries, and in 
 feeding an immense number of Hpongyis. The 
 Government of India is very anxious to con- 
 tinue on good terms with him, to the advantage 
 of both countries. He would resent our per- 
 mitting an English missionary to go into his 
 country. It would be certain to cause un- 
 pleasantness, which it is our earnest wish to 
 avoid. You would most likely get into 
 trouble. We should be compelled to interfere 
 on your behalf, and then complications would 
 arise, and evil rather than good would be the 
 
 155 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 result. So I can neither sanction nor recom- 
 mend your attempting to go to the King's 
 country." 
 
 This from so good a Christian ruler, and such 
 a munificent friend to missions as was Sir 
 Arthur Phayre, was very disappointing. So 
 I had to wait. But not for very long. One of 
 the King's sons, the Thonzai Prince, owing 
 to one of those family troubles to which I have 
 referred, came to Rangoon, where he was 
 received with much respect and affection by 
 the Burmans, who supplied all his wants and 
 showed him all the sights of our capital. 
 Amongst other places that he visited was St. 
 John's College, S.P.G., then in its vigorous 
 childhood. He professed great interest in a 
 school where Burmese boys were so loved and 
 cared for and were so affectionate to a foreign 
 Hpongyi. I showed him the boys' work, and 
 he heard them converse with me in English. 
 He accepted a Burmese New Testament and 
 other Christian books. 
 
 He returned to Mandalay with Sir Arthur 
 Phayre, and was shortly afterwards reconciled 
 to the King his father, to whom he told of all 
 the wonders of Rangoon, not excepting our 
 
 156 
 
THE CALL TO MANDALAY 
 
 S.P.G. school. Months rolled by, Sir Arthur 
 Phayre left and was succeeded as Chief Com- 
 missioner by General Albert Fytche, who had 
 been a most kind supporter of our work in 
 Maulmein. One of his first duties was to go 
 to Mandalay to obtain the commercial treaty. 
 This, owing to the firm attitude of the Govern- 
 ment of India and his own tact, and the assist- 
 ance of Major (afterwards General Sir Edward 
 B.) Sladen, the British Resident, he succeeded 
 in completing. 
 
 A few weeks after General Fytche's return 
 to Rangoon, I had the pleasure of welcoming 
 to Burma from St. Augustine's, Canterbury, 
 Mr. C. H. Chard (afterwards Archdeacon of 
 Rangoon) to join our Mission, which was thus 
 providentially strengthened. One evening, 
 just as we had finished our day's school work, 
 I received by special messenger a letter from 
 Mr. J. S. Manook, an Armenian — the King's 
 Kalawun, or Minister for Foreigners. 
 
 The letter consisted of a large scroll of 
 Burmese black paper {parahike) folded in native 
 fashion, with the royal insignia of the Peacock, 
 and with the words : *' From the King of 
 Burma," inscribed on it in beautiful characters. 
 
 157 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 It was written in French chalk, but was 
 evidently authentic. 
 
 It set forth that His Majesty, with all his 
 titles, had heard of the school of the English 
 priest in British Burma, and the good that the 
 school had done amongst the people, and 
 desired (commanded) that I should go up to 
 the new capital city of Mandalay, the centre 
 of the world, and there, under His Majesty's 
 patronage and support, establish a similar 
 Christian school for the benefit of his people. 
 
 Let me say here parenthetically a word about 
 the parabike. It is macerated bamboo, folded 
 in squares, dyed black, and the writing thereon 
 is almost, if not quite, as permanent as that 
 written on ordinary writing paper with pen 
 and ink. 
 
 Promising the messenger an early reply, 
 and making an appointment for our next inter- 
 view, I went off at once with this document to 
 our Chief Commissioner. When he saw the 
 letter. General Fytche showed more interest 
 and pleasure in it than I had ever seen him 
 exhibit before. In India he was nicknamed 
 the Tanda Machla, or the Cool Fish, because 
 he was never excited. Opening his own budget 
 
 158 
 
THE CALL TO MANDALAY 
 
 from Mandalay, he found a letter from Major 
 Sladen, telling him that the King had written 
 to me, and was very anxious that I should 
 accept his invitation. General Fytche was 
 willing, but the consent of the Bishop of 
 Calcutta and the Government of India was 
 needed. 
 
 I felt certain about Bishop Milman, but 
 anxious with regard to the Foreign Office and 
 the Viceroy. But all was made smooth. I was 
 duly told that under certain conditions I might 
 go to Mandalay at Government expense as 
 Chaplain to the English residents, and stay 
 there a fortnight or so. Accordingly, on 
 August 20th, 1868, I set out by steamer, accom- 
 panied by six of my best boys from St. John's 
 College. At Thayetmyo, our frontier station, 
 I received a telegram from Government telling 
 me not to enter Burmese territory till I should 
 hear from Major Sladen of his return to Man- 
 dalay from his expedition to the Shan States. 
 So, both as missionary and chaplain, I went up 
 and down the Irrawaddy calling at all our 
 Mission stations, and wherever there were 
 Europeans to be ministered unto. My boys 
 were with me, and in order to keep up their 
 
 159 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 English they had to write a diary of each 
 day's occurrences. But this frequently became 
 monotonous. There is not much to be recorded 
 on a river or jungle trip. This is a typical 
 entry : '' Your big dog, Lion, stole your 
 dinner and got a beating. We were very sorry 
 for the dog, but very glad to have some cir- 
 cumstance to write about." 
 
 With the necessary information we left 
 Thayetmyo in a crowded and dilapidated steamer 
 on October ist, and entered the King's territory 
 the same evening. We landed at Minhla, the 
 first station in Upper Burma, and went to pay 
 our respects to the Wun, or Governor, who 
 by royal order received us most courteously. 
 My boys, however, came back wiser and 
 sadder. According to Burmese custom they 
 had left their shoes on the lowest step of the 
 great man's house, and equally according to 
 Burmese custom the shoes were stolen before 
 the interview was ended. 
 
 The difference between the country under 
 Burman and British rule was very marked. 
 Physically the features were the same ; but 
 the dwellings of the people in the towns and 
 villages of the King's dominions were mean 
 
 i6o 
 
THE CALL TO MANDALAY 
 
 and poor compared with the substantial teak 
 and brick houses of the inhabitants of Lower 
 Burma. 
 
 We stayed one night at Ye-nan-kyoung, 
 the creek of stinking water (i.e., petroleum), 
 where the petroleum wells were situated on a 
 hill about one or two miles from the bank. 
 With much difficulty I managed to get on to 
 a bullock cart and ascend the hill and view 
 the operation of extracting the oil. 
 
 I looked down a deep well, over which was 
 a cross-beam with a wheel and a long rope 
 attached to it. At the end of the rope was a 
 metal bucket which was let down to a great 
 depth. At the bottom of the well one could 
 hear a bubbling, and a fetid gas exuded from 
 it. The other end of the rope was bound round 
 the body of a stalwart Burman, who ran down 
 the hill and so pulled the bucket full of crude oil 
 up the well. The oil thus obtained was emptied 
 by hand into a bamboo tube, whence it floated 
 down to the boats on the river bank. The 
 waste through leakage marked the progress 
 of the oil all the way down to the river. 
 
 The oil itself was like greasy treacle of 
 
 a greenish colour, and was highly valued by 
 
 i6i II 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 the Burmese as a cure for skin diseases. The 
 workers all enjoyed marvellous health. 
 
 This was the beginning of what has since 
 become a staple industry of Burma. It was 
 then, like everything else in Upper Burma, a 
 royal monopoly, and the unfortunate minister 
 or favourite of the Crown who received the 
 promise of a boat-load of earth-oil at the 
 King's valuation by no means congratulated 
 himself on his good fortune. 
 
 First he had to get the oil, then to bring it 
 to Mandalay, then to find a market for it, then 
 to pay the various dues and duties demanded, 
 and then to pocket what remained. Oh, the 
 groans that I have heard concerning the 
 transaction ! The King thought that he was 
 conferring a royal favour, but the unfortunate 
 recipient knew better. 
 
 The wonderful change that has come over 
 the production and refinement of this oil 
 under British government is best illustrated 
 by the balance-sheets of the various companies 
 now associated with this trade which show 
 that even in war time the profits of one of 
 them amounted to almost £150,000. 
 
 162 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 FIRST INTERVIEWS WITH KING MINDON* 
 
 A 1 rE arrived at Mandalay on October 8th, 
 ^ ^ 1868, and were most kindly received 
 by my old friend of Maulmein and Rangoon, 
 Major Sladen, the British Resident, who had 
 much to tell of his recent expedition, and of 
 the manners and customs of the Burmese 
 Court. The Kalawun and other officials from 
 the Palace came several times to see us, and 
 to inquire on behalf of the King whether we 
 had all that we needed. Mandalay was then 
 a very curious place. It was surrounded by a 
 low embattled wall each side of which was 
 a mile and one-eighth long : it stood four- 
 square, with bastions and imposing-looking 
 gates, and very elegant turrets at intervals. 
 A deep moat surrounded the city. Only the 
 
 ♦ cf. Letter i. 
 
 163 II* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 Palace, courts of ministers and law, and 
 residences of the nobility and their relatives, 
 occupied the enclosed space. The roads were 
 good, wide, and at right angles through the 
 city. Outside the walls Hved the artisans 
 and foreigners, Chinese, natives of India, 
 Europeans of all nations, Armenians, etc., in 
 all comprising perhaps 125,000. I held ser- 
 vices in the court-house of the Residency for 
 the Europeans. 
 
 On the Monday after our arrival, we had 
 by appointment our first and informal or semi- 
 state interview with the King. My boys and 
 I went to the Palace in bullock carts, the most 
 uncomfortable of conveyances. We had to 
 climb in over the bullocks' tails, and the 
 bamboo flooring sloped at a fearful angle. The 
 wheels, consisting of one or two solid blocks, 
 had probably been made round originally, but 
 they had worked nearly square. The roads 
 outside the city walls were terribly bad, so 
 that by the time we arrived at the Palace gates 
 we felt that our Hmbs w^anted readjusting. 
 We had to walk across the Palace compound, 
 no umbrellas or sticks of any kind being 
 
 allowed — only as a Hpongyi it was permitted 
 
 164 
 
FIRST INTERVIEWS WITH KING MINDON 
 
 for one of my boys to hold a large fan over 
 my head, or I should certainly have had a 
 sunstroke. We went first to see the famous 
 White Elephant, who occupied a large grandly 
 painted house adjoining the Palace. He was 
 a huge, restless, savage brute, highly pam- 
 pered and fed, but never worked. He was 
 white only in a technical sense — to an ordinary 
 observer he appeared to be of the same colour 
 as other elephants. He had killed his keeper 
 a few days before, and only acknowledged my 
 visit by throwing a bundle of hay at me. 
 
 We then ascended the grand steps of the 
 Hman-nan-daw (the true, or, perhaps, the glass 
 palace), having, of course, left our shoes this 
 time under safe custody at the bottom of the 
 steps. We found ourselves in a very grand, 
 large hall, splendidly decorated, with magnifi- 
 cent pillars of teak covered with vermilion 
 and gold, with large mirrors from France 
 against the highly-adorned walls, and the floors 
 covered with beautiful and costly carpets. 
 
 I entered into conversation with many of 
 the King's ministers of State, who were at- 
 tended by their secretaries and clerks, carrying 
 their portfoUos of black paper or parahike, 
 
 165 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 The ministers wore long, flowing cloaks or 
 surplices of white muslin over their ordinary 
 dress, and all Burmans had a small fillet of 
 muslin round their heads. No turban or 
 folded dress which might possibly conceal a 
 lethal weapon was allowed in the Palace. 
 Whilst thus talking freely, suddenly there was 
 a whisper, " Twet daw mu thi/' " the King is 
 coming out ! " Instantly all took their places 
 on knees and elbows on the floor, ranging 
 themselves in rows according to their rank. 
 I was shown my place, a nicely-carpeted corner 
 in front of the throne to the King's left. Every 
 head (except mine) of that large assembly was 
 bowed to the floor. I had been told to sit, 
 but by no means to let my feet be visible. It 
 was an unusual and very cramped position. 
 
 Doors opened, one behind another, and far 
 in the distance I could see one individual 
 stalking onward in solitary dignity. It was 
 the King, a fine, tall, typical Burman-looking 
 man, about fifty-five years of age, very dignified 
 but very pleasant, '* every inch a king.*' He 
 walked on to the dais, which was covered 
 with crimson cloth, and threw himself down 
 on a beautiful couch. Several of the princes, 
 
 i66 
 
Photo by^ 
 
 [D. A . Akuja, Rangoon. 
 
 King Thibaw's Throne. 
 
 ^Facing p. i66. 
 
FIRST INTERVIEWS WITH KING MINDON 
 
 all grandly dressed, came in at a lower door 
 and took their places near me. One of them 
 crawled up on hands and knees and placed 
 the emblems of royalty, the golden-handled 
 sword, the gold betel-box, and the gold spittoon, 
 before the King. His Majesty once, as a token 
 of his goodwill, sent a gold spittoon as a present 
 to Queen Victoria, who, in acknowledging the 
 gift, thanked the King for the beautiful flower 
 vase that he had so kindly sent her ! 
 
 The King took up a pair of binocular glasses 
 and had a good stare round the Court. When 
 his eyes rested upon me, and my boys, who 
 all wore their school badge of S.P.G. on their 
 arm, a herald sang out in a kind of monotone 
 declaration a statement about us, that in 
 obedience to the royal command we had come 
 from Rangoon, and now placed our heads 
 under the Golden Foot and waited His 
 Majesty's further commands. Like all such 
 recitations, it ended with the long-drawn-out 
 U tin hah thi, P a y a, 'VMy lord, etc.'* 
 
 In a very soft and agreeable voice the King 
 began to ask whether I had had a pleasant 
 journey to his capital, whether I was happy 
 and comfortable in the Residency, how old 
 
 167 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 I was, etc., etc. He then told me how pleased 
 he was that I had come at his invitation, and 
 he desired to know what requests I had to 
 make to him, assuring me that all were granted 
 before they were asked. I told him that my 
 requests were : i. Permission to labour as a 
 Christian missionary in his capital and country. 
 
 2. To build a church in Mandalay for worship 
 according to the Use of the Church of England. 
 
 3. To get a piece of land for an English ceme- 
 tery ; and 4. To build, with His Majesty's 
 help, a Christian school for Burmese boys. 
 With regard to the first, the King said that 
 I had his full sanction to preach my religion 
 in his dominions, and that no one should be 
 molested for listening or even for becoming 
 Christian. 
 
 I could not but remember what different 
 treatment had been accorded to Dr. Judson 
 by the then King, who spurned the offer of a 
 Bible, treated the missionary with contumely 
 and insult, imprisoned and tried to starve him 
 at Aung-pinlai, and even purposed to have 
 him devoured in a hon's cage ; from which fate 
 the missionary was saved only by the provi- 
 dential approach of the British army, when 
 
 168 
 
FIRST INTERVIEWS WITH KING MINDON 
 
 his services were required as an interpreter. 
 Nor could I forget that only a few months 
 previously several Burmans had been crucified 
 by royal order for preaching Buddhist heresy, 
 real or imagined, and that the British Political 
 Agent had, by command of the Viceroy, 
 expressed the abhorrence of Her Majesty's 
 Government of such cruelty and persecution 
 for conscience sake. With regard to the 
 cemetery, the King directed me to consult 
 Major Sladen, and his ministers would give 
 effect to our wishes. We, of course, chose the 
 site next the Roman Catholic and Armenian 
 cemeteries, where Mrs. Sladen and several 
 other Europeans were already buried. It was 
 afterwards enclosed and raised by means of 
 funds suppHed by the British Government, 
 and it was consecrated by Bishop Milman on 
 his first visit to Mandalay. 
 
 The King said that the schools, both for 
 boarders and day-scholars, would be built and 
 maintained at his expense ; that they would 
 be erected according to the Burmese pattern, 
 with such alterations as I might require. 
 
 With regard to the Church he asked me to 
 give him the plans, and he would build it at 
 
 169 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 his own cost. I mentioned that friends in 
 Rangoon, Calcutta and England would gladly 
 contribute towards the expense. The King 
 looked proudly at me and said : *' Nga min 
 be/ ** ** I am a King, I want no assistance 
 in my works of merit," for such he deemed 
 the erection of church and schools. The only 
 contribution that he allowed was that of Her 
 Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, who, 
 when she heard of King Mindon's liberality, 
 of her own accord sent out a most beautiful 
 font of variegated marbles, in token of her 
 appreciation of the King's kindness. 
 
 It was through my colleague, the Rev. J. 
 Trew, that Queen Victoria came to hear of 
 King Mindon's liberality to us at Mandalay. 
 While he was home on furlough, and preaching 
 on behalf of the Society for the Propagation of 
 the Gospel before the Queen at Whippingham, 
 he told the story of the Mission at Mandalay, 
 and the Queen was at once interested. 
 
 While I am speaking about Queen Victoria, 
 I will tell another story which concerns her 
 and King Mindon. When the school in Man- 
 dalay was in full working order, and the 
 King's sons were pupils in it, a general holiday 
 
 170 
 
FIRST INTERVIEWS WITH KING MINDON 
 
 was given on the occasion of the birthday of 
 Queen Victoria. 
 
 The King, finding that the young princes 
 were at home instead of being in school, sent 
 for me and asked me what the school was 
 closed for. I replied that it was the 24th of 
 May, and that day, being the English Queen's 
 birthday, was usually observed as a holiday 
 in all the best English schools. 
 
 The King thought for a moment, and then 
 said : *' But why don't you give a holiday on 
 my birthday ? " '' Because," I replied, '' I 
 am unaware of the date of your Majesty's 
 birth. If you will tell me the date I will 
 gladly give a holiday." " My birthday," re- 
 plied the King, " is Tuesday, every Tuesday ! " 
 
 The school was to be for a thousand boys. 
 
 The King asked me when it was ready if I 
 
 would undertake the English education of 
 
 some of his sons. Of course I replied that I 
 
 would most gladly do so. '* What age would 
 
 be suitable for the princes to come to school ? " 
 
 I suggested from twelve to fourteen as a good 
 
 age. He turned to one of his servants and 
 
 said : " Bring to my presence all my royal 
 
 sons who are about twelve or fourteen years 
 
 171 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 old." Nine boys were produced. His Majesty 
 had a very large family, and laughed heartily 
 at me when I asked him the total number of 
 his sons and daughters. He had no children ! 
 
 The King asked me if I could procure him^ 
 machinery and other merchandise. I told him 
 distinctly that I had nothing to do with pohtics 
 or commerce — being simply a religious teacher, 
 and as such earnestly desirous to serve the 
 King and his people. My answer seemed to 
 please him at the time, but the proposal was 
 afterwards again and again made to me. 
 
 When the interview had lasted about two 
 hours, the King concluded it by inviting my 
 boys and myself to breakfast in the Palace for 
 the following day, and by accepting the beauti- 
 fully bound books which the Calcutta S.P.G. 
 Committee had sent as my present. 
 
 The next day we went, as commanded, to 
 the Palace ; Major Sladen was too poorly to 
 accompany us. My boys were Moung Gyi 
 (now a most respectable well-to-do merchant) ; 
 Moung Ba Tu (now an Extra- Assistant Commis- 
 sioner and K.S.M., the highest provincial title 
 of honour) ; Moung Ba Ohn (now barrister- 
 at-law in good practice in the Enghsh Courts 
 
 172 
 
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 £ 
 
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 VflS 
 
 
 
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 ^SSe^ 
 
 K 
 
 m/m.'ftfimu- 
 
 tt s 
 
FIRST INTERVIEWS WITH KING MINDON 
 
 in Upper Burma) ; Moung Tsan Hla Oung 
 (an Arakanese, now schoolmaster in Akyab) ; 
 and Moung Po Ming, who died some years ago. 
 The King was magnificently dressed, and had 
 the order of the Tsalwe of twenty-four strands 
 of gold crossed over his breast, and he was 
 adorned with beautiful rubies, diamonds and 
 sapphires. Several of the queens and prin- 
 cesses were with him. He was more stately 
 and ceremonious than on the previous day, 
 but equally kind and pleasant. 
 
 My boys prostrated themselves, as did the other 
 Burmans, whilst I squatted down in a cramped 
 position, being obliged to keep my feet out of 
 sight. The King was seated on the highest 
 of a flight of six steps. He began by asking 
 if I was comfortably housed and cared for. 
 He reiterated his promises of the day before, 
 and expressed his hope that all would not be 
 in vain. He made me tell him about each boy, 
 and he addressed some kind words to them. 
 I presented him with a telescope, and the boys 
 gave a lot of English toys to the young princes. 
 In return the King gave two putsoes^ valued 
 at £3, to each boy. I also presented to the chief 
 Queen, through His Majesty, a box of beautiful 
 
 173 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 needle and crochet work made and presented 
 by the Burmese girls in Miss Cooke's school. 
 The King pulled out two or three pieces of 
 work, but did not seem to know much about 
 them. He tossed them to the ladies behind 
 him, who evidently valued them highly. 
 
 The King began to talk to the boys about 
 rehgion. He told them that they should not 
 Hghtly forsake their ancestors' creed. I inter- 
 posed, when he laughingly said : '' Oh, Hpon- 
 daw-gyi " (** high Hpongyi," the name he always 
 gave me), " I and you will talk about these 
 matters alone by ourselves." I replied that I 
 should be delighted to converse with His 
 Majesty on those subjects, which were of the 
 highest moment to all mankind. The King 
 said that he only wanted to guard the boys 
 against being rash and foolish, or changing 
 their rehgion to please men ; that he was per- 
 fectly tolerant ; that he had never invited a 
 Mussulman, Hindu, or Christian to become a 
 Buddhist, but that he wished all to worship 
 according to their own way. 
 
 He told me to make what use I pleased of 
 his steamers between Mandalay and Rangoon, 
 and to grant passages to and fro to any bpys 
 
 174 
 
FIRST INTERVIEWS WITH KING MINDON 
 
 whom I might wish to send. We were then 
 conducted to another apartment, where a 
 sumptuous breakfast was served to us in 
 English style. My boys and I sat down to 
 table, the Burman attendants wondering to 
 see our lads freely using knives and forks 
 instead of the orthodox fingers in eating. 
 Suddenly my boys all slipped off their chairs 
 on to the ground, and when I looked up to see 
 the cause, I found that one of the elder princes, 
 a lad of about seventeen, had entered, having 
 been deputed by his father to see that all was 
 right. 
 
 Next morning I went again to the Palace 
 with my boys, to take the plans for the school 
 and teachers' residence. He approved of the 
 plan with one exception, viz., that the school 
 must not have a triple roof, such being only 
 for princes and Hpongyis. My house is to be 
 so honoured. The King's Minister for Pubhc 
 Works was called into the presence and ordered 
 at once to commence the work, and to use all 
 expedition in its completion. The King gave 
 me £ioo towards school furniture. I told 
 him that I would procure a plan in Rangoon 
 for the church. He repeated that it would 
 
 175 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 trouble him very much if no EngHsh Hpongyi 
 came to Mandalay. I assured him that his 
 HberaUty would not be so despised, but that 
 I really would return myself and open the 
 school. 
 
 After some further general conversation the 
 King spoke to the boys, and especially to the 
 Arakanese boy whom I had adopted in 1863. 
 He repeated what he had said before about not 
 forgetting the religion of his ancestors. I 
 said that the boy's ancestors had not heard the 
 good news which I taught him. The King 
 took no notice of what I said, but continued 
 to the boy, '* Always remember the Yittana thon 
 ba (the three objects of devotion), the Pay a 
 (Buddha), Taya (law), and Thinga (clergy).'' 
 I said: ''Christianity teaches us to worship 
 the everlasting God, to obey His law, and to 
 receive instruction from the clergy." The 
 King seemed annoyed for a time, and then 
 repeated in his usual good-humoured manner : 
 " I cannot talk with you about religion in 
 pubhc, we will talk about it privately on your 
 return." He added : ''Do not think me an 
 enemy to your rehgion. If I had been I 
 should not have called you to my royal city 
 
 176 
 
FIRST INTERVIEWS WITH KING MINDON 
 
 If, when you have taught people, they enter 
 into your behef, they have my full permis- 
 sion ; " and then, speaking very earnestly : 
 " If my own sons, under your instruction, wish 
 to become Christians, I will let them do so. 
 I will not be angry with them." 
 
 The Kalawun told the King that he had heard 
 me pray for the health, happiness and pros- 
 perity of the Burmese King and the royal 
 family in our service on the previous Sunday. 
 I gave him a copy of the prayer for himself 
 and for our Queen Empress in the vernacular, 
 and also the Confession and other parts of the 
 Prayer Book. He read several portions aloud, 
 and seemed to be deeply interested. 
 
 I had two further interviews with the King 
 on the 30th and 31st of October. I went to 
 the Palace with my boys on Friday, October 
 30th. After repeating what he had said 
 before. His Majesty asked whether we had 
 me thila yin (nuns) like the Roman Cathohcs. 
 He said that he thought that some English 
 ladies would be very useful in Mandalay, and 
 that he would give all possible help in their 
 work. 
 
 I replied that we felt it better not to begin 
 177 12 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 too many things at once, but that when our 
 church, boys' school and residences were built, 
 we should be delighted to further His Majesty's 
 wishes to have lady teachers for the prin- 
 cesses and other girls. His Majesty repeated 
 that it would make him look very fooUsh in 
 the eyes of his subjects if, after all he was 
 doing for us, no missionary were to be sent 
 to use the church and to teach the boys. I 
 replied again that everything would be done to 
 prevent such disappointment. 
 
 His Majesty made me come on the following 
 day to take leave. Accordingly, on Saturday, 
 the 31st, I took two of my boys to the Palace. 
 The King assured me that he would hasten 
 on the work, which would be completed 
 regardless of expense. He then placed before 
 me two bags, each containing Rs. 500, one as 
 a contribution to the work of the Rev. P. 
 Marks, my brother, who was a missionary in 
 Ceylon, the other a personal present to myself. 
 
 I said that though assured of His Majesty's 
 goodwill, I would accept no such present. 
 This refusal was Hkely to have caused some 
 unpleasantness. The Kalawun earnestly re- 
 quested me to accept it. So, addressing the 
 
 178 
 
FIRST INTERVIEWS WITH KING MINDON 
 
 King, I said that it was not the custom of 
 EngHsh missionaries to accept such presents 
 for themselves, but that if His Majesty would 
 allow me to be his almoner, I had many ways 
 of using his money so as to do good to others, 
 and I would send an account of all through 
 Captain Sladen. 
 
 His Majesty at once assented and entered 
 into a long and pleasant conversation about 
 English schools, books, etc. He wished to have 
 the '' Encyclopaedia Britannica " translated 
 into Burmese, and he asked me to bring up 
 about fifty of my Rangoon schoolboys for 
 that purpose ! He asked me to leave one or 
 two of my present boys with him, promising 
 that he would take care of them, but no boys 
 wished to stay without me. 
 
 We saw the work of building the schools 
 actually begun — the portion of land adjoining 
 the British Residency carefully staked out 
 and surrounded with a royal fence, and on All 
 Saints' Day I solemnly dedicated our cemetery, 
 until it could be properly consecrated, with a 
 short service, to which all Europeans were 
 invited. We left Mandalay on November 
 2nd, with deep thankfulness to the great King 
 
 179 12* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 of kings, who has taught us in His Holy Word 
 that the hearts of kings are in His rule and 
 governance, and that He doth dispose and 
 turn them as seemeth best to His Godly 
 Wisdom. We stayed a while at Thayetmyo, 
 Prome, Myan-aung, and Henzada, greatly 
 cheered by the progress of the work in all 
 those stations, and by the open door which 
 presented itself at so many other places. 
 
 On returning to Rangoon I had to stay a 
 while to allow the Rev. C. Warren to go to 
 Calcutta for his priest's ordination, and Mr. 
 Chard for deacon's orders. Then Bishop 
 Milman summoned me to Calcutta to confer 
 with himself, the Government, and the Calcutta 
 Committee respecting the new work in Upper 
 Burma. It was not regarded in India and 
 Burma with the same enthusiasm as that with 
 which the news was received in England. 
 There were not wanting those who utterly 
 mistrusted the King, disbelieved his promises, 
 and tried to dissuade me from going up again 
 lest he should seek occasion to injure me and 
 the work which he could not love. The 
 wildest rumours were circulated, amongst 
 others, that a Burman Christian teacher from 
 
 i8o 
 
FIRST INTERVIEWS WITH KING MINDON 
 
 our Myan-aung school had been beheaded for 
 walking in a Mandalay monastery with his 
 shoes on. Telegrams to and from Myan-aung 
 soon assured us that the teacher had never 
 left his station, but was diligently doing his 
 work there. So with many similar rumours. 
 
 But these were all quieted when I had the 
 opportunities which the chaplains afforded 
 me of telling the true story in the Rangoon 
 churches, and my friends then came forward 
 willingly with funds and promises of help for 
 the endowment of the work, which all felt 
 should be secured against any possible change 
 of mind of the King, or of a different Govern- 
 ment. 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 VISIT TO SIR JOHN LAWRENCE 
 
 T WENT up to Calcutta and was the guest of 
 -■' Bishop Milman and his devoted sister. I 
 was taken ill on the voyage, and for the first day 
 or two after my arrival was unfit for work. 
 But there was much to be done with regard 
 to the Society^s operations and plans both in 
 Upper and British Burma. 
 
 My time in Calcutta was fully occupied in 
 earnest consultation with the Bishop and the 
 Rev. J. Cave-Browne, the Secretary of the 
 S.P.G. Committee. The Bishop and Miss 
 Milman had one of their wonderful '' At 
 Homes/' whereto came Rajahs and Zemindars, 
 and clergy and ladies, native and European, 
 and his Excellency Sir John Lawrence, the 
 Viceroy and Governor-General of India. The 
 Bishop introduced me to him, and after a 
 
 182 
 
VISIT TO SIR JOHN LAWRENCE 
 
 few minutes' conversation his Excellency in- 
 vited me to breakfast and talk at Government 
 House on the following day. 
 
 Sir John Lawrence was a very homely, 
 kindly, but determined ruler, greatly disliking 
 pomp or show, humble-minded yet decisive in 
 his utterances. Many were the stories that 
 one heard of his simple habits, his love of busi- 
 ness, his firm decision as a ruler. One story 
 relating to the Koh-i-noor, the then largest 
 diamond in the world, which was in his custody 
 as Governor-General preparatory to its being 
 sent to Queen Victoria, illustrates his in- 
 difference to the pomps and vanities of the 
 world. 
 
 The mode of sending the jewel was being 
 debated by the Viceregal Council at Govern- 
 ment House, with Sir John presiding. One 
 member asked very pertinently : *' Where is 
 it now ? " Sir John said afterwards that his 
 blood ran cold, for he remembered that for 
 several nights it had reposed in the jacket 
 pocket of his pyjama suit, which was at that 
 moment hanging up in the bath-room. Ex- 
 cusing himself for a few minutes, he rushed 
 into the room, and, to his great relief, found 
 
 183 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 it wrapped up in a bit of tissue paper safe in 
 his pocket ! 
 
 Our breakfast was a very simple meal, and 
 when it was finished, we adjourned to the 
 library, where His Excellency began at once 
 concerning my proposed obedience to the 
 King of Burma's command. He said that he 
 had studied the subject in various aspects, 
 and with the advice of his counsellors, who 
 knew Burma well, he was opposed to the 
 project on political grounds. 
 
 The two Burmese wars of 1825 and 1853 
 had been fearfully expensive in blood and 
 treasure. We had conquered and made a 
 division of the country which, with all its 
 difficulties, he hoped to be permanent. This 
 was the first infraction of the understanding 
 that foreign missionaries should not be sent 
 to Upper Burma, and although the initiative 
 came from the King himself, His Excellency 
 could not divest himself of the feeling that 
 it contained the seeds of future poHtical trouble. 
 He further pointed out the possibilities to 
 myself by instancing the sufferings of Dr. 
 Judson and other American missionaries before 
 
 the last war. 
 
 184 
 
VISIT TO SIR JOHN LAWRENCE 
 
 He acknowledged that King Mindon was a 
 good monarch, but he pointed out that as a 
 ruler he was a failure in that he was ruling for 
 the people instead of governing them, and 
 so on. With all this I perfectly agreed. 
 *' But," I said, ''my knowledge of the con- 
 ditions of Burma convince me that its annexa- 
 tion by us is only a matter of time." 
 
 Sir John rose from his chair with more anger 
 than I deemed him capable of, and said : ''If 
 you wish to remain a friend of mine, you will 
 never use that hateful word ' annexation ' in 
 my presence again. Let me say, once and for 
 all, we cannot afford to annex Upper Burma. 
 We neither desire it nor are we capable of ac- 
 complishing it. Annexation has been the cause 
 of troubles without end. We had a disturbed 
 frontier on the Punjab of forty miles. We 
 therefore went to war, and now we have a 
 disturbed frontier on the Punjab of four 
 hundred miles, and the Indian Mutiny as 
 another consequence. 
 
 " The Indian princes and peoples got to 
 distrust us, and all because of the policy of 
 annexation. With all its imperfections, it is 
 desirable that the treaty with Upper Burma 
 
 185 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 should stand. Never let it be so much as 
 whispered that there is any thought of annexa- 
 tion. What we all feel here with regard to 
 your scheme is that the Burmese King, who, 
 with all his excellences and weaknesses, is an 
 astute ruler, wishes to get you into his power 
 for two reasons. One of theni is flattering to 
 yourself ; he has heard, as we all know, of your 
 work for Burmese boys in British Burma. 
 He wishes to stop that work because it is 
 antagonistic to the Buddhism of which he is 
 the acknowledged secular head. The other 
 reason is that he wishes to utiHze you politi- 
 cally, and if you should not come up to his 
 expectations in this respect, you will be im- 
 prisoned or murdered, and we shall have 
 trouble with the Burmese Government, which 
 is just the very thing which we wish to avoid. 
 Don^t go.'^ 
 
 I replied that I fully appreciated all that 
 His Excellency had said, and that I greatly 
 regretted that I had incautiously used a word 
 which he from his deep experience deprecated. 
 But, with regard to the King's wish, while I 
 acknowledged that such designs might be 
 
 uncharitably attributed to a Western potentate, 
 
 i86 
 
VISIT TO SIR JOHN LAWRENCE 
 
 I firmly believed that the invitation or com- 
 mand was an answer to my continued prayer, 
 and that unless obedience to it were rendered 
 impossible, I certainly would obey it. I deter- 
 mined that while I was in Mandalay I would 
 absolutely refrain from all politics, whether 
 secret or open. That as regards personal 
 risks of possible dangers, I entirely disregarded 
 them, for, as I was acting in obedience to 
 God's call, I should be under His protection, 
 and I did not desire any other. 
 
 Sir John rested his head between his hands 
 and for some moments was in deep thought. 
 Then, coming to me, he said : *' I see that you 
 are determined to go. We will not hinder 
 you. Only distinctly understand this, that 
 you go, not as an envoy of the British Govern- 
 ment, but entirely on your own responsibility. 
 With whatever may happen to you we have no 
 concern. If you are imprisoned or get killed 
 in any way, it's of no use your crying out to us 
 to come and help you. We will do nothing of 
 the kind." 
 
 I replied : "I assure your Excellency that 
 under those circumstances I will be perfectly 
 quiet!" Sir John burst out laughing. ''Go 
 
 187 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 my dear fellow/' he said, " and God's blessing 
 be with you. Only be very careful." Later 
 on in the day he sent me a cheque for Rs. 500 
 towards expenses. 
 
 z88 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 WORK IN MANDALAY 
 
 T RETURNED in better health and spirits 
 ^ to Rangoon, and heard that the King 
 was faithfully fulfilling his promises, and that 
 the schools and my residence would be ready 
 by the time that I could begin work. So with 
 several tame boys and pupil-teachers I set out 
 again for Mandalay. 
 
 I left Rangoon on April 6th, 1869. My 
 voyage up the Irrawaddy, accompanied by 
 ten of my best boys from St. John's College, 
 was necessarily slow, as I wished to visit, per- 
 haps for the last time, all my riverine schools. 
 
 I inspected the school at Zalun, but by a 
 misunderstanding with the captain, the river 
 steamer failed to call for me, and I had to 
 walk seventeen miles to Henzada. We set out 
 at four o'clock in the morning dressed in our 
 
 189 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 lightest. It was nearing the end of the dry 
 season and about the hottest part of the year. 
 Our path lay along the bank of the river, 
 which was then at its lowest. The ground 
 was hard and seamed with deep fissures 
 through the heat. 
 
 We stopped on our way at a large village 
 called Doungyi, where the Burmese magis- 
 trate begged me to stay and do what I could 
 for his son, one of my pupils, who was suffer- 
 ing from fever. I gave him some quinine, and 
 I heard with great pleasure afterwards that 
 he had recovered ; but we bitterly regretted 
 the delay, for it prolonged our journey into 
 the heat of the day. 
 
 We trudged on and on, and there was abso- 
 lutely no shelter. I never was a good walker 
 and became more and more distressed, but 
 at length we entered the long straggling town 
 of Henzada, where, although the road was 
 now sheltered in parts, I seemed to experience 
 more distress than ever, and at last, more 
 dead than alive, I arrived at the Government 
 Circuit House. 
 
 I had barely reached the central room, 
 where my kind friend Colonel Plant was 
 
 190 
 
WORK IN MANDALAY 
 
 awaiting me with breakfast, when I fell down 
 on the floor, utterly unable to stand. He 
 very wisely and kindly threw a lot of cold 
 water over me and took other measures which 
 restored me to consciousness and some degree 
 of vitality. But my cruel walk inflicted injury 
 upon me from which to this day I have not 
 recovered. 
 
 I found that the school was doing well and 
 was full of promise. It required more super- 
 vision than I could give it with my multifarious 
 duties, but it was full of promise. 
 
 I next went on to Myan-aung, where our 
 school had been established under the patron- 
 age of Major Hildebrand. It was well cared 
 for by the Christian residents and was doing 
 well. I then went on to Prome, where I con- 
 ducted service. At Thayetmyo I called several 
 meetings of the Burmese, and went with two 
 or three of them, and collected in two days 
 over Rs. 600 for the new school. But the 
 exposure to the fierce heat of the sun which 
 I encountered during my canvass in the 
 bazaar, brought on a serious indisposition and 
 I was obliged to return to Prome. 
 
 My instructions from the Bishop were that 
 191 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 I was not to proceed to Mandalay until I 
 heard from Major Sladen that the buildings 
 were sufficiently advanced. I therefore re- 
 mained at Prome and acted as chaplain of 
 that place until June 2nd, when, hearing 
 satisfactory news from Major Sladen, I pro- 
 ceeded on my journey to Mandalay where I 
 arrived on June 7th, 1869. 
 
 After a few days' stay at the Residency, I 
 removed into the grand Clergy House (or 
 Hpongyi Kyoung) which the King had built 
 for me, and as soon as possible we opened the 
 S.P.G. Royal School for boarders and day- 
 scholars of several nationalities. I had several 
 very interesting interviews in public and pri- 
 vate with the King, whose kindness was very 
 great. At one of these he again asked me to 
 receive his sons as pupils at our school. I 
 replied that I should be dehghted. They 
 came, very grandly dressed, and kneeled down 
 before their father, who said to me, *' I deUver 
 them over to you." 
 
 They appeared to be very bright and in- 
 teUigent lads, and I willingly accepted the 
 trust. But knowing the punctilious etiquette 
 of Burmese royalty, I ventured to suggest that 
 
 192 
 
WORK IN MANDALAY 
 
 nine princes would be too great an honour to 
 begin with, and that I should prefer to com- 
 mence with four. The King consented, and 
 on the following Monday morning the Shwe 
 Koo, Mine Done, Thibaw and Thagara Princes 
 came to school. One of my Rangoon pupils 
 rushed into my room and said : ** Teacher, 
 the princes are coming," I looked out, and 
 there were the four princes, mounted on four 
 royal elephants, two gold umbrellas held over 
 each, and forty followers in *' undress uni- 
 form " behind each elephant. The long pro- 
 cession came up to my door ; the elephants 
 knelt down, and the princes descended and 
 came up into my room. I had prepared a lot 
 of mechanical toys, telescopes, etc., for the 
 entertainment of the princes. But their fol- 
 lowers rushed up, pulled off the table cover, 
 and threw it and all my pretty things into 
 the corner, and put the princes' spittoons and 
 waterpots on the table. 
 
 I suggested that we had better cross over 
 to the school hall. On our arrival we found 
 twenty-five boys seated at their desks. But 
 as soon as the princes entered every boy, 
 according to Burmese custom, went down flat 
 
 193 13 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 on the floor — none dare stand or sit in the 
 presence of royalty. I said : " Boys, get up 
 to your desks. The princes have come here 
 not as King's sons (min thas) but as scholars '* 
 (kyoung thas, literally "sons of the school"). 
 But though I repeated this three or four times 
 no boy moved. At length I went forward and 
 pulled up one boy, who looked very miserable 
 and frightened. As soon as I released him to 
 raise up number two, he went down flat upon 
 his face again — worse than at first. It was, 
 of course, impossible for me to teach pupils 
 in that position, and I was greatly perplexed. 
 But turning round to the princes, I saw that 
 they were shaking with laughter. So I said : 
 '* Please tell those boys to get up and go on 
 with their work." The eldest, the Shwe Koo 
 Prince, said : ** Oh, you fellows, you are not 
 to be frightened at us. We are your school- 
 fellows ; get up, and go on as if we were not 
 here." One by one the boys crept up to their 
 seats. But school worked very stiffly for a 
 day or two, until the boys and teachers got 
 famihar with the royal pupils. 
 
 Very soon all came right. I have never had 
 more gentle, docile, and intelHgent pupils than 
 
 194 
 
WORK IN MANDALAY 
 
 were these princes, and I was glad when all 
 the nine came — though it was more hke a pro- 
 cession of Sanger's Circus through the streets 
 than that of pupils coming to school. It was 
 the King's express wish that his sons were to 
 be educated in exactly the same subjects and 
 in the same way as the other pupils were 
 being taught. Especially he desired that they 
 should be instructed in our Holy Religion, 
 that they should consider and decide when they 
 came to a proper age which was the better — 
 Buddhism or Christianity. In accordance with 
 our invariable custom in all our S.P.G. Mission 
 schools, every day's work was begun with 
 prayer for God's blessing, and to every pupil 
 every day, instruction in the Christian religion 
 was given as he was able to bear it. The 
 King was particularly interested in this sub- 
 ject, and liked to see day by day his sons' 
 Scripture lessons, which were very often the 
 subject of conversation when I went to the 
 Palace, which, at the King's request, I did very 
 frequently. To faciUtate my visits he bought 
 for me a beautiful carriage (technically called 
 a Madras Nibs), drawn by two trotting bul- 
 locks. But I had many a weary waiting in 
 
 195 13* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 the Palace, where there were no chairs, and 
 the only seats were folds of carpet on the 
 floor. After hours of this posture my limbs 
 ached, and I was fit for very little on my 
 return to the Clergy House. 
 
 Major Sladen, just before proceeding on 
 leave on account of his health, took a photo- 
 graph of our school, which showed the four 
 Ko daws (princes). 
 
 We played cricket on Thursdays and Satur- 
 days, and the young princes entered very 
 heartily into the game. 
 
 I must here tell one characteristic anecdote 
 of His Majesty. Shortly after the princes 
 came to school, the King asked me whether 
 I would allow them to be absent on the days 
 of Buddhist worship — i.e.^ the New Moon, 
 the 8th waxing, the Full Moon, and the 8th 
 waning day. I replied that it was not the 
 custom of our Mission schools to recognize 
 these days, and that as a Christian Hpongyi 
 I could not sanction any of my pupils' absence 
 on those days ; but that still it was com- 
 petent for His Majesty, as a father, to keep 
 his sons from school whenever he chose. The 
 King replied : '* Quite right. I know that 
 
 196 
 
WORK IN MANDALAY 
 
 you wish to teach my sons what is good. I 
 wanted you to recognize my right to keep them 
 away when I desire, but you will have no 
 cause to complain of their irregularity.'* 
 
 The other pupils from the Palace were called 
 Lapet ye daw thus — i.e.y sons of tea — because 
 they hand tea to the King. They were 
 entitled to a yellow silk umbrella, and each 
 had a dozen or so of followers. Most of them 
 were over twenty, and married ! The King 
 ordered them to school, and they came when 
 they could find no plausible excuse for staying 
 away. They naturally found their family 
 arrangements incompatible with their schol- 
 astic duties. Still, some of them made good 
 progress, and in school they were, like all 
 Burmese boys, excellent pupils. 
 
 Both in Mandalay and in Rangoon I often 
 had married men as schoolboys. I remember 
 once seeing a big schoolboy bullying a small 
 boy in the school playground. I called them 
 both up into my house, and, without waiting 
 for any explanation, immediately administered 
 a sound thrashing to the big boy. After I 
 had finished, I said : ** Do you know why I 
 have beaten you ? '' 
 
 197 
 
 k 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 He replied : " No." 
 
 I said : " It is time that you understood 
 that I do not allow big boys to bully small 
 ones in my school/* 
 
 The big boy gave a sickly smile and repHed : 
 " Please, sir, he is my son ! *' 
 
 It was a pretty sight to see the boys come 
 to school. Some came on richly-dressed ponies, 
 some in beautifully carved little carts drawn 
 by trotting bullocks, some on elephants, and 
 some on men's shoulders. We had a large 
 bell, weighing 360 lbs., cast in the Palace. In 
 the compound there was a special builSing 
 called the Ane daw, or royal house, where the 
 princes spent the recess from twelve to one 
 daily. 
 
 198 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 CONSECRATION OF MANDALAY CHURCH 
 
 npHE King was in haste to redeem his 
 -■' promise to build the church. I could 
 not get plans. But I had old numbers of the 
 Illustrated London News, containing a picture 
 of the new chapel of St. John's College, Cam- 
 bridge, and with the help of this I pieced 
 together a picture of a church that I thought 
 would be suitable, and a friend in the Public 
 Works Department in Rangoon drew working 
 plans. We got the posts into the ground — 
 grand teak pillars — when Bishop Milman and 
 his chaplain, the Rev. A. 0. Hardy,* came 
 up. 
 
 The church was not ready for consecration, 
 but the Bishop approved of our plans, and 
 solemnly dedicated all our buildings, and 
 
 ♦ Cf. Letters 3-9, 
 199 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 examined our scholars, the princes included, 
 and awarded prizes. His lordship held a 
 Confirmation in the pretty little Oratory of the 
 Clergy House, and consecrated our cemetery. 
 The latter was a work of some difficulty, for 
 the waters of the Irrawaddy were out, and the 
 road to the place, and the land itself, were 
 submerged. We had to wade to the spot, and 
 we had to walk round on the low wall of the 
 cemetery, there being a couple of feet of water 
 on each side ! We were much cheered by the 
 Bishop^s visit, and went on heartily with the 
 church building. 
 
 I should have mentioned that on Sep- 
 tember 1st, at the request of the Lord 
 Bishop, conveyed through me, and in the 
 presence of three of the King's sons, the 
 Armenian priest, and of all the principal 
 European residents and many Burmese officials. 
 Major E. B. Sladen, the British Political 
 Agent, with Captain G. Strover, Assistant 
 Pohtical Agent, publicly laid the foundation- 
 stone of the church. The Kalawun, specially 
 deputed by the King, said : ''I beg to assure 
 you that the spot on which we are now 
 assembled is part of the land which is publicly 
 
 200 
 
CONSECRATION OF MANDALAY CHURCH 
 
 given by His Majesty the King of Burma 
 for the purposes of religion and education in 
 connection with the Church of England, and 
 also that His Majesty has promised to defray 
 all the expenses of the erection of this church, 
 as he has already paid for the building of the 
 English Christian School and Clergy House." 
 
 The Bishop came up again next year (1873) 
 with his chaplain, the Rev. Edgar Jacob 
 (afterwards Lord Bishop of St. Albans), for 
 the consecration of the church. 
 
 They arrived on July 25th, and the King 
 sent for me at once to inquire whether the 
 Bishop was well, and if he was satisfied with 
 the church and schools. Having reassured 
 him on this point, it was arranged that the 
 Bishop should visit the Palace on the follow- 
 ing Monday. On that day the Bishop, Mr. 
 Jacob, the Bishop's doctor, and some of my 
 elder boys, went to the Palace, and were met 
 at the bottom of the stairs by the Mine Done 
 prince, who, having met the Bishop on his 
 previous visit, and speaking a little English, 
 was deputed to conduct his lordship to the 
 audience hall. 
 
 We had scarcely arranged ourselves com- 
 201 
 
Forty years in burma 
 
 fortably, when the doors were thrown opeil 
 and the King, beautifully dressed and at- 
 tended by three or four little children, walked 
 in and threw himself on a couch at the raised 
 part of the room. He took up his binoculars 
 and had a good look at the Bishop. The usual 
 questions were asked as to the Bishop's age, 
 and the King laughed to find that he was 
 younger than himself. 
 
 The Bishop then earnestly thanked His 
 Majesty for the beautiful church, school and 
 clergy house which he had built. 
 
 His Majesty rephed that he could not help 
 doing what I asked him, that he loved me as 
 if I were his own son, and that the Bishop 
 must not change me for any other Hpongyi. 
 But yet, that I was too haughty and im- 
 patient ! 
 
 His Majesty then spoke of his earnest wish 
 for the continuance and increase of friendliness 
 between his country and the English Govern- 
 ment, and many compHments passed between 
 the King and the Bishop on this head, who 
 promised to tell Lord Northbrook all that the 
 King said, assuring His Majesty that his 
 pacific and friendly sentiments would be 
 
 202 
 
CONSECRATION OF MANDALAY CHURCH 
 
 cordially reciprocated by the Governor-General. 
 The conversation was in danger of becoming 
 political, but the Bishop, with excellent tact, 
 turned it off into other channels. 
 
 The King gave his lordship a beautiful ruby 
 ring, which the Bishop would have fain 
 declined, but I begged him to accept it, and 
 by His Majesty's order, I put it on his finger. 
 The King wished to defray all the Bishop's 
 charges till he should reach Calcutta, but this 
 his lordship kindly but firmly declined. 
 Further conversation ensued, when the King, 
 bidding me come privately to him on Wednes- 
 day, rose and left us, though not so abruptly 
 as he usually departs on such occasions. 
 
 The next day the Bishop and his chaplain 
 held an examination of the school. The boys 
 were quite taken aback when the Bishop com- 
 menced. One fainted away, but recovered, 
 and came out second in the school. His 
 lordship sent the following report to the King : 
 ** I carefully examined the Royal S.P.G. school, 
 which is a very good school. Its tone and 
 character are high. I have examined most 
 of the schools all over India, and can there- 
 fore speak with confidence. The school has 
 
 203 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 improved considerably under its present 
 teacher, Mr. Mackertoom. The number of 
 pupils, ninety- two, is much increased, and 
 those who have grown up and left are likely 
 to be useful members of society. The school 
 is a real benefit to His Majesty's subjects." 
 
 The church was consecrated on the 31st of 
 July. Nearly all the European residents in 
 Mandalay, including, besides Englishmen, 
 French, Italians, Armenians and East Indians, 
 were present at the service. The Shwe Koo 
 prince came alone, as his brother, the Mine 
 Done, had an attack of fever, which pre- 
 vented his coming. The Kinwun Mingy i^ the 
 head of the embassy which visited England 
 and Europe, came attended by the Yaw atwin 
 wun, Minister of the Interior, the Myo wun, 
 city magistrate, and the Kala wun^ representing 
 His Majesty. 
 
 The collection at the service amounted to 
 forty pounds, of which I am glad to say the 
 prince gave ten pounds. 
 
 Before the prince and the ministers left to 
 report the proceedings to the King, I asked 
 the former how he Hked the service. He 
 replied : *' It was very good and the singing 
 
 204 
 
CONSECRATION OF MANDALAY CHURCH 
 
 very pleasant, but it was a long time to be 
 without a cheroot ! " He was a great smoker, 
 and when he was at school got leave every 
 hour for a pull at his cigar. During the 
 service he and the ministers and all heathen 
 Burmans sat in the aisles, according to our rule. 
 
 After luncheon, when more than forty 
 people sat down, the Bishop chaffed me on the 
 '* missionary hardship " of having to live in 
 my beautiful clergy house. I meant to have 
 made a good speech, but I utterly broke down, 
 as my heart was too full at the reahzation of 
 the fulfilment of a project which had been 
 so frequently and persistently hindered. With 
 regard to my beautiful house, however, I 
 could not help recalling what my friend 
 Dr. Mason, the veteran American Baptist 
 missionary, had said to me — that I was, as it 
 were, occupying a pretty villa on the slope of 
 a volcano ! 
 
 Soon after this I was joined by an English 
 schoolmaster, who, however, did not stay 
 long, as I preferred to work with my own 
 trained and very efficient assistants, natives 
 of the country, all of whom have done well 
 since in various capacities. 
 
 205 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 Matters went on very smoothly for a couple 
 of years, and then there gradually came a 
 coolness on the part of the King.* Little diffi- 
 culties had often arisen from the first, too 
 trivial perhaps for record, but as time went on 
 they gradually increased. The King sent more 
 boys, boarders and day pupils, to the school, 
 but the monthly payments became more and 
 more irregular. Once, when arrears amounted 
 to Rs. 500, the King sent only Rs. 200. I sent 
 this back, that I might bring to his personal 
 notice that the work was not being conducted 
 for my private benefit, and that I had none 
 but his funds to maintain the school. 
 
 For a few days the King was angry and did 
 not call me. Then he sent for me and was as 
 pleasant as usual. But he said : " You did 
 wrong to send back royal money. If my highest 
 minister had done so, he would have been 
 dragged out of the Palace by the hair of his 
 head.*' I assured His Majesty that I had no 
 wish to offend him, and that as to the penalty, 
 my baldness would render its infliction in my 
 case an impossibility ! The King laughed 
 heartily and called the queens to enjoy the 
 
 * C/. Letters 17-19. 
 206 
 
CONSECRATION OF MANDALAY CHURCH 
 
 joke, and at once paid up the arrears. But 
 he hated to pay regularly, and I was compelled 
 to ask him to do so. Then he persistently 
 asked me to get him some guns and rifled 
 cannon, which, of course, I neither could nor 
 would. 
 
 At last one day, in a private room, he un- 
 folded a plan by which I could, as he thought, 
 be of great service to him. I was to go to 
 England in his sea-going steamer, the Tsitkai- 
 yin-hyan, taking with me two or three of the 
 princes, and when I got to London I was to 
 tell Queen Victoria how good he had been, and 
 ask her to give back to his Government Bassein 
 or Rangoon, that he might have a seaport of 
 his own. Of course I pointed out the impos- 
 sibility of my undertaking anything of the 
 kind. He got very angry, and said hastily : 
 *' Then you are of no use to me." But he 
 soon recovered his good temper and talked 
 pleasantly as others came into the room. But 
 I never saw him again. We were heavily in 
 arrears. I went to the Palace, but, on various 
 excuses, could not obtain an audience or any 
 money, and at last the King said that he did 
 
 not want me any more, and that I had better 
 
 207 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 leave his capital, adding that my life might 
 be in danger if I stayed. 
 
 I sent back word that, having come by his 
 invitation, I certainly should not leave except 
 at my appointed time, some eight months 
 later, and I stayed on, and went on with my 
 work. The princes ceased their attendance, 
 though they took every opportunity of sending 
 me kind loving messages and presents. But 
 the school filled with paying pupils, and was 
 really more efficient than when under royal 
 patronage. 
 
 I was joined by Mr. James Alfred Colbeck, 
 of St. Augustine's, Canterbury, and he was 
 of wonderful assistance in those days of 
 trouble. Full of zeal, energy, and piety, he 
 worked nobly as a layman, and then as an 
 ordained missionary afterwards in Rangoon, 
 Maulmein and Mandalay, where, after the war 
 in 1883, he was the first priest in charge of 
 our church, and where he died in 1888, leaving 
 a record which must always live in the story of 
 the Church's work in Burma. His noble self- 
 devotion, his unflinching courage and earnest 
 labours, demand a separate history. It is 
 written in the hearts of the people of Burma 
 
 208 
 
CONSECRATION OF MANDALAY CHURCH 
 
 and of all who knew him. *' He rests from his 
 labours and his works do follow him." 
 
 I kept on with the work of the school and 
 church, and of visiting pastorally Bhamo and 
 Myingyan. The new Chief Commissioner of 
 Burma, the Hon. Ashley Eden, was by no 
 means favourable to our Mission work. He 
 tried by threats to induce the Calcutta Com- 
 mittee to sell St. John's College for a Govern- 
 ment secular High School. I protested indig- 
 nantly against such a proposal, and the Bishop 
 supported me, and it and the threats had to 
 be withdrawn. His lordship wrote to me, 
 '* The Viceroy, Lord Northbrook, has just 
 been in my room with a letter from the Chief 
 Commissioner of Burma, asking me to order 
 you to leave Mandalay, as your life is not 
 safe there. I replied that it is not our custom 
 to recall missionaries from their posts on the 
 first appearance of danger, and that you had 
 my permission to leave whenever you chose 
 to do so." 
 
 There was really no danger, and I continued 
 to have no door to my house or guard to my 
 gate, and none made me afraid. At last, at 
 the appointed time, January 25th, 1875, I 
 
 .'509 14 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 was relieved by the Rev. John Fairclough, 
 and with many of my pupils I departed in 
 state from the royal city. I could not help 
 saying, as the steamer was leaving and I took 
 a stern view of the place, that I would not 
 return to Mandalay until the British flag floated 
 over it 1 My prophecy was fulfilled when 
 I revisited it ten years afterwards, and 
 preached to the garrison of British regiments 
 in the hall of the royal palace— itself the 
 temporary chapel of the troops. 
 
 210 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 THE FIRST BISHOP OF RANGOON 
 
 F^OR a few weeks I resumed charge of St. 
 
 '■' John's College, and then, leaving it 
 under the care of the Rev. J. A. Colbeck and 
 Mr. H. W. Wootton, I took my much-needed 
 second furlough to England via Calcutta. 
 There I dined with Bishop Milman, who gave 
 me a kind letter to his relative, the Marquis 
 of Salisbury, then Minister of State for India. 
 It was my last meeting with the dear good 
 Bishop, whose noble work for God's Church 
 in India was drawing to a close. He was, as 
 ever, exceedingly kind to me, and spoke of his 
 contemplated retirement and of the need for 
 a Bishop for Burma. I never saw him again. 
 He died at Rawal Pindi just before I returned 
 to Calcutta, March 15th, 1876. 
 
 I greatly enjoyed my furlough in England, 
 211 14* 
 
 k 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 and the deputation work for the S.P.G. 
 Everyone was exceedingly kind to me. I had 
 long and pleasant interviews with Lord Salis- 
 bury, and I preached in the Oxford University 
 pulpit, and in many other cathedrals and 
 churches. Archbishop Tait gave me a Bible 
 for our College chapel, Brighton College gave 
 the Service books, Liverpool College the organ, 
 and St. Margaret's, Liverpool, the Altar vessels. 
 I was saddened by the news of the death of 
 the Rev. Charles Warren, the devoted mis- 
 sionary to the Karens. He died of over-work 
 at Toungoo, and his wife soon followed him to 
 the grave. The Rev. T. W. Windley then 
 offered himself, and was accepted, for the work 
 as his successor, remaining at his post till 
 1882, when illness compelled his retirement, 
 to the deep regret of all who knew his devoted 
 and efficient labours. 
 
 I returned to Burma early in 1876, taking 
 with me a student from St. Augustine's, who, 
 however, did not stay long in Burma, but has 
 done useful work in New Zealand. 
 
 On my return to Rangoon I found the Mis- 
 sion work greatly extended. I resumed charge 
 of the College and Mission — which under the 
 
 212 
 
THE FIRST BISHOP OF RANGOON 
 
 zealous care of Mr. Colbeck had grown con- 
 siderably. 
 
 Boys flocked into the school, which was 
 soon filled to overflowing, and our chapel was 
 too small for our congregation. Although the 
 Government Secular School had been estab- 
 lished as " a rival institution/* we could not 
 find room for the many applicants for admis- 
 sion. By the help of Government, Sir Rivers 
 Thompson having succeeded as Chief Commis- 
 sioner, and that of many other friends, I built 
 a tectum J or covered play-room, eighty feet by 
 forty feet. But before it was half finished 
 I resolved to add ten feet by forty feet, and 
 join it on to our school hall, and to make 
 more dormitories and class-rooms. This we 
 did, and we had a grand opening day at which 
 the Chief Commissioner and all the great people 
 of Rangoon were present. Soon we found the 
 hall inconveniently large, and the chapel far 
 too small. So we shut off the new part, and 
 turned the old hall into a very beautiful chapel, 
 which was duly licensed, and in which we put 
 the handsome font which friends in Bucking- 
 ham, led by the Rev. C. P. Trevelyan, had 
 given to us. This chapel has now again become 
 
 213 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 very much too small for our native Christian 
 congregation, and we are making great efforts 
 to build a proper church or college chapel on 
 land which the Government has given us, as 
 I have before mentioned. 
 
 The Right Reverend Dr. Johnson (whom, as 
 Archdeacon of Chester, I had met a few months 
 before in Liverpool), the newly-appointed Metro- 
 politan, very shortly after his arrival in India 
 paid a visit to Burma, examined the College, 
 and held a confirmation in our chapel. He also 
 made new arrangements, some of which I 
 ventured to think were premature though 
 well intended, in the Mission work. 
 
 Shortly after his departure we were glad- 
 dened by the news that Burma had been 
 created into a separate see, and that a well- 
 known clergyman of the Diocese of Win- 
 chester, which had been foremost in aiding the 
 S.P.G. and S.P.C.K. in providing funds for 
 the endowment, had been consecrated as the 
 first Bishop of Rangoon, and was on his way 
 out. It was, indeed, joyful news. Bishop 
 Cotton, in his primary Charge, had urged the 
 necessity for a Bishop of Burma. Bishop 
 Milman, with all his love for the Burmese 
 
 214 
 
THE FIRST BISHOP OF RANGOON 
 
 and the missionaries, had tried in vain to get 
 Madras to take our spiritual oversight, and 
 almost his last words to me were, "Do your 
 best to get a real Bishop for Burma." What- 
 ever fears we may have entertained with regard 
 to the prelate first selected, on account of his 
 age and his previous work, all vanished when 
 he came among us. 
 
 Though sixty years of age. Bishop Jonathan 
 Holt Titcomb was full of energy and zeal, a 
 real hard and diligent worker, an excellent ad- 
 ministrator, and one of the kindest and most 
 lovable of men. I very soon became his 
 private chaplain, and remained so during the 
 whole of his episcopate in Burma. His house 
 was next door to St. John's College, and he 
 visited us daily. He had a class twice a week 
 of our elder studerffs for Bible study. When- 
 ever we had baptisms of converts he loved to 
 be present. He preached regularly in our 
 chapel, and always had private intercession 
 with our boys before their confirmation. 
 
 We had then a large number of Chinese who 
 
 desired admission into our Church by Holy 
 
 Baptism. The work amongst them began 
 
 whilst I was in England, and Mr. Colbeck 
 
 215 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 very earnestly prepared them. I took up the 
 work with them on my return. On most 
 careful inquiry I could discover no base or 
 unworthy motive amongst them. Not only 
 did they not ask for money or other such help, 
 but they regularly subscribed to the chapel, 
 schools and orphanage — all were well-to-do 
 tradesmen or artisans. But we felt it our 
 duty to be cautious, and when we heard of the 
 Bishop's appointment we resolved to await 
 his arrival, and, in accordance with the rubric 
 before the Service for the Baptism of Adults, 
 to seek his lordship's guidance and sanction. 
 Nor was the Bishop less guarded and cautious. 
 He had several private interviews with each 
 individual candidate and frequent services of 
 preparation, all with a thoroughly quahfied 
 interpreter. 
 
 At length, having fully satisfied himself 
 and us, and the members of our other Christian 
 native congregations, of the sincerity of the 
 candidates, the Bishop publicly baptized over 
 forty Chinamen on Sunday morning, in the 
 presence of a large congregation of all nation- 
 alities in the pro-cathedral, the Chief Commis- 
 sioner and several other high officials being 
 
THE FIRST BISHOP OF RANGOON 
 
 amongst the witnesses. Neither then, nor 
 ever since, by those Chinese Christians, nor by 
 any others whom we missionaries have baptized, 
 has a single case occurred where a convert 
 has asked for pecuniary assistance. On the 
 contrary, they have been our hberal sup- 
 porters. If the work amongst them so happily 
 begun has not made commensurate progress, 
 the delay must be attributed to lack of mis- 
 sionaries and to other causes of which I may 
 not now speak particularly. We loved our 
 Bishop, and felt that in him we had a zealous 
 colleague, a firm supporter and a kind friend. 
 
 ^17 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THIBAW 
 
 A MONG the princes who came to the 
 ^ ^ school at Mandalay there is one in 
 particular of whom I must now speak at 
 length, because about this time he became King 
 of Burma. His name was Thibaw. While 
 at our school (he was number twenty-seven !) 
 he was a quiet, inoffensive, docile lad, without 
 any particular vice or virtue to distinguish 
 him from the other boys of his age. 
 
 He was obedient and orderly and gave but 
 little trouble. He never presumed for one 
 moment on his position to expect any prefer- 
 ential treatment. True, he had no expecta- 
 tion of coming to the throne, and even if he 
 had, it is exceedingly doubtful if such ex- 
 pectations would have materially altered his 
 attitude, for he was of a modest and trustful 
 disposition, easily influenced for good or for 
 
 2J8 
 
THIBAW 
 
 eviL Unfortunately he was not long enough 
 with us to strengthen the good points of his 
 character. Let me here tell the story of how 
 Thibaw came to the throne. 
 
 In accordance with the custom of the 
 country, King Mindon had four wives who 
 were queens and many other subordinate 
 wives. These latter were chosen where the 
 King wished. If he saw a beautiful girl and 
 admired her, she became his wife. If a 
 tributary prince offered his daughter to the 
 King, she was accepted as a lower wife. 
 
 Two at least of King Mindon's chief queens 
 were his half-sisters. These were the Laungsh6 
 princess — who became the mother of King 
 Thibaw — and the Hsin - byu - ma - shin, the 
 notorious queen-mother, whose daughter, 
 Supayalat, married Thibaw, and was the cause 
 of all the troubles which subsequently over- 
 took him. I have often seen these two queens 
 of King Mindon. What became of the 
 Laungshe princess, the mother of Thibaw, is 
 not known. She seems to have fallen into 
 disgrace and to have lived and died in ob- 
 scurity, w^hich may mean a good deal in a 
 country like Burma. 
 
 219 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 The Hsin-byu-ma-shin was the chief queen 
 at Mindon's death. She had three daughters 
 but no son, and all these daughters became 
 Thibaw's wives. They were called, Supayagyi, 
 i.e. J the great princess, Supayagale, or the 
 little princess, and Supayalat, the middle 
 princess. 
 
 On his death at the age of sixty-five, after 
 a reign lasting twenty-six years, King Mindon 
 had no fewer than seventy sons, but he had 
 not named a successor, and the law of primo- 
 geniture did not prevail in Burma ; indeed, 
 it could not, as Mr. Scott O'Connor has pointed 
 out, in a country where kings marry so many 
 wives. 
 
 Thus it came about, to quote Mr. Scott 
 O'Connor once more, that *' grave issues were 
 involved in the question of the King's health. 
 Should he die, it was certain that a struggle 
 for the throne would take place among his 
 sons. In this struggle many Hves would be 
 taken, disorder would ensue, and the country 
 would be plunged into the agonies of civil war. 
 
 " All these things had happened before in 
 Burmese history. But it was unhkely that 
 they would be suffered, without interruption, 
 
 220 
 
THIBAW 
 
 to occur again ; for across the frontier lay 
 a province of the British Empire, and the 
 British Empire was tired of the vanities and 
 pretensions of the Burmese Court. . . . The 
 issue of the King's illness was awaited with 
 anxiety — amongst others, by a handful of 
 Enghshmen at the royal capital, whose very 
 existence was likely to depend on the turn 
 that events might take. 
 
 " One of them, writing in September, 1878, 
 gives a graphic account of the situation. ' I 
 am expecting and watching,' he says, * for the 
 arrival of refugee princes escaping from an 
 expected massacre. We do not know whether 
 the King is alive or dead, and expect to hear 
 wild outbursts of confusion every moment.' . . . 
 
 ** The Queen won over the ministers, and it 
 only remained to secure by some signal act 
 of treachery the persons of all the rival can- 
 didates to the throne. They were summoned 
 accordingly on the 12th of September, 1878, 
 to visit the King in his chamber. Believing 
 the Order to emanate from him they came. 
 Immediately on entering the Palace they were 
 seized and thrown into prison." 
 
 Two only of the princes ultimately suc- 
 221 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 ceeded in escaping, and my colleague, the Rev. 
 James Colbeck, was instrumental in saving 
 their lives. He has left the following account 
 of what took place : *' A lady of the Palace 
 came to me dressed as a bazaar woman, and 
 shortly after, about a dozen others came. I 
 had to take them in and secrete them as well 
 as possible. A few minutes afterwards there 
 came in a common coolie, as I thought. 
 
 ** I got up and said : ' Who are you ? ' 
 
 *' He said : ' I am Prince Nyoung-yan ; 
 save me/ 
 
 '* He was terribly agitated and escaped from 
 a house in which he was confined, and his uncle 
 had been cut down — not killed — in opening a 
 way for the prince to escape. So soon as dusk 
 came we dressed up our prince as a Tamil 
 servant and smuggled him into the Residency 
 compound, right under the noses of the Bur- 
 mese guard at the gate. He carried a lamp 
 and held an umbrella over me, as it was rain- 
 ing, and I spoke to him as a servant until the 
 coast was clear.*' 
 
 For a few months after the death of his 
 father, Thibaw reigned peaceably, and a mani- 
 festo was issued that he was to govern by 
 
 222 
 
THIBAW 
 
 means of a council, and that all monopolies 
 were to be abolished. But when he heard of 
 the British disaster at Isandhalwana, Thibaw 
 thought that there was no longer cause to 
 fear Great Britain, and he proceeded to put 
 out of the way all possible and probable rivals. 
 In a few days eighty-six of his blood relations 
 were either battered or choked to death or 
 buried alive, and a large number of their 
 friends perished with them. The Hpoung 
 Wun was the chief agent of the massacre and 
 he revelled in dashing young children against 
 the wall and committing other barbarities in 
 the presence of Thibaw and Supayalat, who 
 heartily applauded. 
 
 Supayalat was the instigator of this and the 
 subsequent atrocities which marred the reign. 
 As a child I had known her to be cruel an^ 
 vindictive. Her mother knew of her weak- 
 ness, and instead of correcting it she condoned 
 it. Talking to me one day about her, she 
 said : ** Yes, she is a bad boy. She has 
 always been a bad boy," using the masculine 
 gender as a term of endearment. As far as I 
 was able to judge, it seemed to me that the 
 mother's idea was that by encouraging her 
 
 223 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 in her badness her daughter would acquire 
 '' authority " {awza). 
 
 Supayalatj as a child, used to catch birds 
 and then tear them limb from limb in mere 
 wanton cruelty. It was her way of enjoying 
 herself. 
 
 Such was the character and disposition of 
 the young girl who, by the connivance of her 
 mother, and in fulfilment of her own ambi- 
 tions, became Queen of Burma. Her husband 
 came straight from a monastery to the throne. 
 He had so distinguished himself in his priestly 
 studies that his father. King Mindon, at one 
 time thought that he was going to be the future 
 Buddha (Payaloung). He left the seclusion 
 and the discipline of the cloister to assume 
 the unrestrained and limitless powers of an 
 absolute sovereign. Could any worse training 
 be imagined for a king than this ? 
 
 After the first massacres Mr. Colbeck still 
 remained at his post in charge of the Mandalay 
 Mission ; but at length he was compelled to 
 leave, much against his will, together with all 
 the English community, by the withdrawal 
 of the PoHtical Agent and his staff. Mr. 
 St. Barbe refused Colbeck' s appeal to be allowed 
 
 224 
 
THIBAW 
 
 to stay behind on the ground that even if he 
 had the right to risk his own Hfe, he had none 
 to risk compromising the British Government 
 and thwarting the poHcy in pursuance of 
 which the Resident's departure had been 
 ordered. 
 
 After Colbeck's departure, I felt very 
 anxious about the buildings connected with 
 the Mission in Mandalay, and I determined to 
 go myself to see if my personal influence upon 
 my former pupil, King Thibaw, would restrain 
 him from the evil course which he had entered 
 upon, and also avail to protect the buildings 
 which his father had erected for me. 
 
 I had already once before attempted this, 
 immediately on Thibaw's* accession, but the 
 previous Resident, Mr. Shaw, represented to the 
 Chief Commissioner, Mr. Aitchison, that my 
 visit might interfere with his (Mr. Shaw's) 
 influence. 
 
 Now that there was no longer a British 
 Resident, there could be no question of inter- 
 fering with anybody's influence, so I deter- 
 mined to make another attempt. I resolved 
 to go to Mandalay for a few days to show that 
 
 • Cf. Letters 21-23. 
 
 225 15 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 the Church of England had not abandoned the 
 church and Mission premises, and that our 
 occupancy did not necessarily follow that of 
 the Political Agency. 
 
 If I saw any danger of desecration, I resolved 
 to bring away the altar and the font, and if 
 there appeared to be none, to leave a catechist 
 in charge till better times. 
 
 I felt it right that my visit should be public 
 and open, and, therefore, I wrote to the King 
 and Prime Minister a short note, simply saying 
 that. as there was no clergyman in Mandalay, 
 I would go for a few days at the end of the 
 month, 
 
 I received no reply, and doubting whether 
 the letter had been delivered, I telegraphed to 
 the Kinwun Mingyi, and he replied, asking me 
 to postpone my departure. On the same day 
 I received private information from some of 
 my boys that a Mandalay spy had sent word 
 to the Court that I was going as a spy of the 
 British Government. I therefore sent another 
 telegram, assuring the Kinwun Mingyi that 
 my visit had nothing of a political nature 
 about it, and even proceeded as far as Prome 
 
 on my journey to Mandalay ; but I was met 
 
 226 
 
THIBAW 
 
 there with the reply that I should on no 
 account be allowed to visit Mandalay for the 
 present, and that if I persisted, orders would 
 be issued to prevent my crossing the boundary. 
 
 After this I made no further attempt to visit 
 Mandalay in Thibaw's time, but some years 
 afterwards, in 1886, when the Burmese kingdom 
 had come to an end, I was allowed to visit the 
 queen dowager and her daughter Supayagyi, 
 when they were in captivity in Tavoy. The 
 Queen spoke very kindly of the days when she 
 had known me at Mandalay, when the princes 
 were under my care. She confirmed the 
 reports that I had often heard, that King 
 Thibaw frequently inquired after me, and 
 expressed surprise that I had never visited 
 him after his accession. He evidently did 
 not know of the Kinwun Mingyi's threat which 
 stopped me on my way to Mandalay in 1879. 
 
 I need not detail the events which led to 
 the last Burmese war in 1885. Sir Harry 
 Prendergast led what was not inaptly called 
 ** a miUtary picnic " up the Irrawaddy, meet- 
 ing with Httle or no opposition. King Thibaw 
 had been kept in a fool's paradise with lying 
 reports by those who were working his ruin. 
 
 227 15* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 The old Queen assured me that until he heard 
 the cannonading at Myingyan, the King had 
 no idea that hostihties had commenced. Man- 
 dalay, Thibaw, and the army capitulated at 
 once — only too quickly for our rulers. We 
 took Mandalay long before we knew what we 
 were going to do with it. The army, only 
 partially disbanded, was allowed to go off as 
 the men chose. No effort was made to intern 
 them, to enlist them under the British flag, or 
 to give them work. And so, without employ- 
 ment, pay or control, they naturally took to 
 dacoity, and became the nucleus of bands of 
 robbers, which kept the country in a disturbed 
 state for many years. 
 
 The Rev. James A. Colbeck thus describes 
 the last hours of Thibaw's dynasty : 
 
 '* General Prendergast gave King Thibaw 
 one day to consider whether he w^ould sur- 
 render himself, his capital, kingdom, and 
 army, or fight. Next day the same thrilHng 
 scene took place as was witnessed the day 
 before — thousands of men within gunshot of 
 each other. The appointed time expired, and 
 the order was given * Load ! ' But the officers 
 felt it would be a simple massacre of the 
 
 228 
 
THIBAW 
 
 Burmans, and did not say ' Fire ! ' The sus- 
 pense was awful. Then at the most critical 
 moment another flag of truce appeared, and 
 Burmese officers of state came to say that the 
 King accepted the terms of peace and would 
 give himself up. The Burmese army was dis- 
 armed, and our soldiers proceeded to Mandalay. 
 
 '* General Prendergast and Colonel Sladen 
 went into the Palace, and found all in con- 
 fusion. The attendants of the King and queens 
 were engaged pillaging the treasures, gold, 
 rubies, and beautiful silks, and destroying 
 mirrors, lamps, costly carvings and curiosities, 
 which people at home would give much to see. 
 
 ** Colonel Sladen slept one night in the 
 Palace, near the King, to protect him, and a 
 guard of our men was placed at the gates. 
 Next day the General came and gave Thibaw 
 ten minutes to get ready to leave his country. 
 It took, however, three-quarters of an hour. 
 Then a procession formed : the British flag, 
 the General and his staff, the King, holding his 
 two wives, one by each hand, the queen- 
 mother. Colonel Sladen, then a crowd of 
 ministers of the court, maids-of-honour, British 
 
 officers, and others, which moved past the 
 
 229 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 great throne, down the Palace steps, through 
 a long lane of our soldiers presenting arms, 
 with fixed bayonets ; and so on till the King 
 and his party were got into bullock-carts and 
 taken under strong guard to the steamer 
 Thooria, which was waiting to receive him. 
 The people of the city at first seemed bewil- 
 dered ; then, as they realized what was taking 
 place, many burst into tears and threw them- 
 selves sobbing on the ground, bewaihng the 
 loss of their master, cruel though he had been." 
 One of the first exploits of the British Govern- 
 ment in the newly-annexed kingdom was the 
 construction of a narrow gauge railway 
 between Rangoon and Mandalay via Toungoo. 
 This work was pushed on with almost American 
 rapidity, and in spite of cholera, dysentery, 
 dacoits and other difficulties, it was ready for 
 opening early in 1889. I was one of the forty 
 gentlemen who left Rangoon by the special train 
 on the evening of February 25th to be j)resent in 
 Mandalay for the ceremonial opening. After 
 the ceremony was finished, I went off to my 
 old residence. But so utterly had the place 
 changed from the Mandalay that I had left 
 fourteen years before that I actually lost my 
 
 230 
 
THIBAW 
 
 way, and it was not without difficulty and 
 adventure that I at last got to the place. 
 
 The deep and rapid stream, the Shweda 
 Kyoung, upon which my boys and I used to 
 row in our doubled-banked twelve-oared boat 
 in front of the school, had become a miserable 
 little ditch. The royal fence which marked 
 our Mission as a royal foundation, had given 
 way to a light railing, and the British Resi- 
 dency looked seedy and dilapidated. 
 
 After service in the church I walked to the 
 cemetery to visit the grave of dear James 
 Colbeck. I could not help recaUing the time 
 when Bishop Milman, Captain Sladen and I, 
 with several others, went to consecrate the 
 little corner that the Roman Cathohcs gave 
 us for our cemetery. We had to wade part of 
 the way, be poled in rafts the other part, and 
 walk the remainder, and the consecration 
 service was read from the top of the unfinished 
 wall, which had two or three feet of water on 
 either side. Every Sunday morning after 
 service, while we were together, James Colbeck 
 and I used to walk to the cemetery to see that 
 it was properly cared for. 
 
 On Sunday we had parade service for the 
 231 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 English troops and others in the Hman-nan- 
 daWy the grand front hall of the royal Palace. 
 Here in this golden apartment, in which I 
 had so often walked barefoot and anxious, 
 waiting for hours for the appearance of one of 
 my prince pupils with the joyful words, 
 '* Kaw daw mu thi" ('The King calls you"), 
 I now stood with my back to the throne 
 and preached to a large and attentive con- 
 gregation. In my long intervals of waiting, 
 in days gone by, I often used to think of 
 the various useful purposes to which the 
 different halls of the Palace might be put. 
 But my wildest flights of imagination never 
 assigned a purpose as that to which we were 
 adapting the hall of audience, that of a mihtary 
 chapel for the British garrison ! 
 
 232 
 
u 
 
 o 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 LAST DAYS IN MAULMEIN 
 
 T TNDER Bishop Titcomb the work of the 
 ^^ Church in British Burma made excel- 
 lent progress. He established the Rangoon 
 Additional Clergy Society, and made his in- 
 fluence felt all over the huge diocese. He 
 took special interest in the S.P.G. Orphan 
 Home, which he aided munificently, and at his 
 recommendation it was called the Diocesan 
 Orphanage for Boys. He frequently invited 
 our orphans to garden parties at Bishop's 
 Court, where the ladies of his family, his effi- 
 cient coadjutors in every good work, most 
 kindly entertained them. 
 
 The accident by which Burma was deprived 
 of his services caused us the greatest sorrow. 
 The roadway on the side of a Karen hill on 
 which he was walking gave way under him, 
 
 233 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 and he fell some twenty feet, injuring his spine, 
 and necessitating his ultimate retirement from 
 Burma, to our deep regret. His name will 
 always be revered and loved in the diocese. 
 His successor was the Right Reverend Bishop 
 Strachan, M.D., who from 1863 had been one 
 of the most prominent of the S.P.G. mission- 
 aries in Madras Diocese. It was during his 
 episcopate that Upper Burma was annexed 
 to the British Crown, and the whole country, 
 by leaps and bounds, began to advance in 
 material prosperity, so that now Burma is 
 the largest territorially, and the most pros- 
 perous financially, of all the provinces of our 
 great Indian Empire. 
 
 After fifteen years' absence I visited 
 England again in 1890, bringing with me two 
 of our students from St. John's College, who, 
 with myself, were most kindly received by 
 bishops and clergy and other friends when- 
 ever I had the pleasure of going on deputa- 
 tion for S.P.G. Especially did Archbishop 
 Benson take a most kindly interest in these 
 youths, who in a short time were called to the 
 Bar of the Inner Temple, and are now practising 
 as barristers in Burma. The dear Archbishop, 
 
 234 
 
LAST DAYS IN MAULMEIN| 
 
 whom I had known in Lincoln in 1875, gave 
 me a beautiful large Prayer Book for our 
 chapel, and in many other ways showed his 
 kind interest in our work. It was during this 
 visit that I was so fortunate as to secure as 
 assistant and coadjutor my dear friend, the 
 Rev. Bernard Mahon, the son of the highly- 
 respected Vicar of Leigh-on-Mendip and S.P.G. 
 Diocesan Secretary. His expenses were paid 
 by a noble lady who heard my appeal for help 
 in Westminster Abbey. Of how great value 
 his services to the College and Mission have 
 been all are aware who know Rangoon. 
 
 I returned, after six months* absence, 
 with renewed energy, but with failing 
 powers. Every month told me that a great 
 institution like St. John's College needed a 
 younger and stronger man at its head. Fre- 
 quent illnesses interrupted my work — although 
 my visits as chaplain to Tavoy and Mergui 
 usually reinvigorated me. 
 
 All our institutions were in full activity. 
 The College Cadet Corps in connection with 
 the Rangoon Volunteer Rifles was instituted 
 in the time of Bishop Titcomb, and received 
 the high commendation of Lord Roberts, 
 
 235 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 General Sir George Chesney, and others. The 
 Orphanage had over a hundred boys, but was 
 a source of deep anxiety financially. 
 
 The College had a band of excellent 
 workers — " Shway Yoe," C. I. E., Messrs. 
 W. B. Rutledge, W. B. Tydd, W. Wemyss, 
 R. H. St. John, J. Courtenay, Ko Shwe Hman, 
 and others — to whom its prosperity and success 
 must be ascribed and my heartiest thanks ever 
 be given. I must also mention the excellent 
 work of the late Rev. A. Salmon, my locum 
 tenens in 1890. " Shway Yoe " (now Sir James 
 George Scott) was head-master in Bishop 
 Titcomb's time, and left us to become H.B.M.'s 
 Resident at Bangkok. He was a man who 
 would adorn any station, and as our head- 
 master, our leader in all that was athletic and 
 manly, we honoured and loved him then, and 
 we shall never cease to regard him with admira- 
 tion and affection. He did the school great 
 good by infusing or evoking among the boys 
 the athletic spirit which has never since died out. 
 
 In 1895 I was stricken with severe illness, 
 heart complaint in a very painful form render- 
 ing any exertion difficult and dangerous. I 
 was ordered to England, and feared that my 
 
 236 
 
LAST DAYS IN MAULMEIN 
 
 work was done. The Society's Honorary Con- 
 sulting Physician, Dr. Ogle, confirmed my 
 fears. After a short time, however, I seemed 
 to recover, and went on deputation again, but 
 though I earnestly wished to return to Burma, 
 I had grave doubts whether I ought to resume 
 the care of St. John's College. With the con- 
 sent of the Society the question was left to the 
 decision of the Archbishop of Canterbury, 
 whether T should return to St. John's, or 
 accept the chaplaincy of Maulmein (my first 
 love), under the Additional Clergy Society. 
 
 After a most kind and patient inquiry at 
 Addington, His Grace decided that I should 
 resign the college and take the chaplaincy 
 in Maulmein, Tavoy and Mergui. I spent two 
 and a half very happy years at Maulmein, with 
 frequent visits to and from my old pupils in 
 other stations. But I felt that I had but 
 little strength even for that lighter work. 
 On Sunday, July loth, 1898, whilst celebrating 
 Holy Communion in the beautiful St. Matthew's 
 Church, I suddenly became ill, and must have 
 fallen had not my kind friends, Messrs. F. S. 
 Copleston and K. G. Burne, sub-deacons, com^ 
 to my help and carried me into the vestry, 
 
 237 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 I was again sent home, loaded with kindness 
 and help from all, especially Surgeon-Colonel 
 Sinclair, C.S.L, and Dr. Pedley and my dear 
 colleagues and pupils of St. John's, an institu- 
 tion which, under the very able and efficient 
 management of Mr. J. T. Best, M.A. (Cantab.), 
 is ful y maintaining its highest reputation. I 
 was over two years in England, an invalid for 
 the most part of the time, but, when well 
 enough, pleading for the dear S.P.G. From 
 the Society and its officers, especially the Rev. 
 Secretary Prebendary Tucker, I have ever 
 received the utmost kindness, sympathy and 
 consideration, both in Burma and in England, 
 so that my visits to the S.P.G. Office have been 
 among the most pleasant and encouraging 
 episodes of my sojourn at home. 
 
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CHAPTER XX i 
 
 LAST VISIT TO BURMA 
 
 1^1 riTH returning health and strength my 
 desire to revisit Burma came strongly 
 upon me. A cordial letter of invitation from 
 my '' sons " in that country intensified my 
 longing. In August, 1898, shortly after I left 
 Burma, a meeting of my " old boys *' was held 
 in the Rangoon Volunteer Head-quarters, at 
 which an Association was formed, called the 
 '* Marks' Memorial Fund," with my good 
 successor, J. T. Best, Esq., M.A., Principal of 
 St. John's College, as President ; Mg. Ohn Ghine, 
 A.T.M., CLE., Hon. Magistrate, Vice-Presi- 
 dent ; J. Courtenay, Esq., B.A., Sub-Judicial 
 Service, Secretary ; and Thomas Lyons, Esq., 
 of the Finance Secretariat, Treasurer — (the 
 latter three being my '* sons ") — with a strong 
 committee of twenty, of whom eighteen were 
 
 239 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 *' old boys/' It was from this organization 
 that the invitation came, together with a 
 desire to pay all my expenses out there and 
 home. 
 
 I very thankfully accepted the invitation 
 thus to revisit my beloved country and my 
 dear "sons" and other friends unofficially, and 
 \vithout any expense either to the Society 
 or to the diocese. I obtained the consent 
 of my good doctors. Messrs. Bibby Bros, 
 kindly made a very substantial reduction in 
 my passage money on the outward journey 
 and several old Burma friends in England 
 contributed most generously towards my 
 outfit, etc. 
 
 I took leave of the Society at the monthly 
 
 meeting on October 19th, 1900, and slipped off 
 
 quietly to Marseilles, via Dover and Calais, 
 
 on the 22nd. Really, I wanted a few days' 
 
 rest before embarking, and this I got in 
 
 pleasant sunny Marseilles — so different from 
 
 the cold, foggy London which I had left 
 
 twenty-four hours before, where, indeed, I 
 
 was being worked too hard. So the entire 
 
 rest during the four days at Marseilles was 
 
 very acceptable. 
 
 240 
 
LAST VISIT TO BURMA| 
 
 We embarked on board the good Bibby 
 liner Staffordshire^ 6,005 tons, 4,000 h.-p., 
 on October 27th. On the loth of November 
 we arrived at Colombo, where our Ceylon 
 fellow-passengers left us. At the Grand 
 Oriental Hotel I had the pleasure to meet the 
 Right Rev. Dr. Pym, Bishop of Mauritius, 
 with whom I dined. Next day I went to 
 Darley House, and spent an hour most 
 pleasantly with the Bishop of Colombo and 
 Mrs. Copleston. I knew the Bishop when he 
 was an undergraduate at Oxford, was with 
 him at St. John's, Oxford, on his last Sunday 
 there, was present at his consecration in West- 
 minster Abbey, and dined with him at Ed- 
 monton that night. He most kindly visited 
 me twice on board on my way home. His 
 brother, our Chief Justice in Burma, saved me 
 from falling when I was taken so ill in Maul- 
 mein Church, where he was sub-deacon. The 
 Bishop most kindly arranged to take me to 
 my brother, the Rev. P. Marks, Chaplain of 
 Trincomali, on my return journey. 
 
 We resumed our voyage on the 15th, and 
 in four days arrived in Rangoon on our twenty- 
 fourth day out from Marseilles. Our steamer 
 
 241 16 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 was boarded by a lot of my dear " sons," and 
 when we got alongside the wharf, Mr. Best, 
 the Rev. B. Mahon, and others came to give 
 me a hearty welcome. The wharf was grandly 
 decorated with flags, and as I landed Burmese 
 ladies beautifully dressed presented me with 
 fine bouquets of roses, etc. The following 
 address was read : 
 
 " Reverend and Dear Sir, — On behalf of 
 the Committee of the Marks' Memorial Fund, 
 your " sons," pupils and friends have much 
 pleasure in rendering you a very hearty and 
 cordial welcome. We have been looking for- 
 ward to this visit with eager expectation, and 
 now that our expectation has been reahzed, we 
 feel that we have not prayed in vain to meet 
 you in this, the scene of your former devoted 
 labours in the cause of education. We hope 
 that your visit to Burma will be the means of 
 cementing the ties which have bound you to 
 us, and we trust that the sunny East during 
 this dehghtful weather will restore you to 
 perfect health again, and that, being filled 
 with happy reminiscences, you will enjoy your 
 sojourn among those to whom you have 
 endeared yourself. You have done for us 
 
 242 
 
LAST VISIT TO BURMA 
 
 more than we can ever repay, but we trust 
 that you will not find us lacking in our efforts 
 to make your visit a happy one. 
 
 ** Signed on behalf of the Committee and 
 others, J. T. Best, M.A., President; Mg. Ohn 
 Ghine, AT.M,, CLE., Vice-President; C. K. 
 Davies, Hon. Secretary, Marks' Memorial 
 Fund." 
 
 I replied, heartily thanking all for their 
 kindness and this grand reception, and ex- 
 pressing my intense happiness at being once 
 again in beloved Burma. 
 
 A carriage and pair conveyed Mr. Best, M.A., 
 Mg. Ohn Ghine, CLE., Moung Shwe Bwin, 
 K.S.M., Judge, and myself. Other carriages, 
 to the number of nearly one hundred, followed. 
 Our guard of honour consisted of over sixty 
 youngsters on bicycles, each bearing a flag of 
 welcome. Immense crowds, larger than I 
 have ever seen on such occasions, greeted us 
 on our way. The police kept the road clear 
 for us all the two miles to the College. We 
 halted at appointed places, where Burmese 
 damsels gave us sherbet and other delicacies 
 in golden bowls, and bouquets. 
 
 x\rrived at St. John's College, we found 
 243 i6* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 flags and arches of welcome and a grandly 
 decorated mandat, or tent, beautifully adorned 
 and ornamented. Here an address of welcome 
 was presented to me to which I replied in 
 Burmese, glad to find myself talking that 
 language again — though occasionally stuck for 
 a word, from long disuse. 
 
 Then we assembled in the College Chapel, 
 where I returned thanks for God's great 
 mercy in bringing me once more to my dear 
 people. Dinner in the head-master's lodge 
 ended this red-letter day in my life. 
 
 The next few days were spent at the College 
 and in paying visits. The Bishop of Rangoon 
 received me most cordially and kindly, as did 
 also His Honour Sir Frederick Fryer, the 
 Lieutenant-Governor of Burma. 
 
 On Sunday, the 25th, I preached twice in the 
 College Chapel, which, on both occasions, was 
 well filled with native and European wor- 
 shippers. In the morning I preached in Bur- 
 mese on the Gospel for the day, and in the 
 evening in English. I knew from the first that 
 it would be inconvenient for me to stay long 
 at the College. I was its founder and first 
 principal — the only pucka one until Mr. Best 
 
 244 
 
LAST VISIT TO BURMA 
 
 came, and my position there might be mis- 
 understood. A constant stream of visitors 
 interfered with the quiet working of the Col- 
 lege. So, with the consent of all concerned, 
 I took rooms at a club in the heart of the 
 city, accessible to all at any time, and with 
 no trouble about housekeeping. 
 
 Before I left I went with the Principal all 
 through the College, and was thoroughly 
 pleased with the work. It had, of course, 
 changed considerably since my time. Some 
 changes I should very likely have made my- 
 self. Others rather jarred upon my feelings, 
 and yet I have no doubt that they had 
 become necessary by the development of 
 circumstances. The College was very different 
 when I gave over charge in 1895 from what it 
 was in 1864, and one must expect similar 
 progress in 1901 and hereafter, 
 
 I had long and pleasant interviews at his 
 residence and mine with the Hon. H. Kun 
 Saing, CLE., Sawbwa of Hsipaw, a Shan 
 potentate, whom I have known under various 
 circumstances for the last thirty years, and 
 who was very anxious that we should establish 
 a Mission amongst his people, the highlanders 
 
 245 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 of Burma. He had dined with Queen Victoria 
 at Windsor Castle three years previously. His 
 beautiful territory, since the opening of the 
 famous Goteik Bridge, is now accessible by 
 rail from Rangoon. His two sons were in the 
 S.P.G. Royal School, Mandalay, and at St. 
 John's, and came to England with the Rev. 
 George Colbeck, and then went to Rugby. 
 The younger, Saw Khe, the Maington Sawbwa, 
 Regent of Hsipaw, was my dear kind friend 
 in Rangoon, and was, at his own request, 
 photographed with Ko Shwe Hman and my- 
 self shortly before I left. 
 
 On Sunday, March 17th, against the advice 
 of my good Medicus and hostess, I went and 
 preached a short farewell sermon in Burmese 
 at St. John's College Chapel, said " Good-bye " 
 to all the dear people there, and came back 
 very, very tired and went to bed. 
 
 On the following day a very large number of 
 friends and myself were taken in a photographic 
 group on Dr. Pedley's lawn. 
 
 On March 29th, 1901, I had again to say 
 *' Good-bye " to Burma. I was too weak to 
 allow of any very great parting ceremony. I 
 was weary with saying *' Good-bye " privately, 
 
 246 
 
£awb\,a Saw KKe, Ko Shwe Hman and Dr. Maiks. 
 
 . IFacing p. 246. 
 
LAST VISIT TO BURMA 
 
 but many old boys came with their carriages 
 to escort me to the wharf. There a very large 
 assembly of all nationalities, of both sexes, and 
 of all ages, came to bid me farewell. A beau- 
 tiful address was read to me, and a purse of 
 sovereigns handed to me for expenses, my full 
 passage money having been paid. Mr. Best 
 and Mr. Mahon called for three cheers to help 
 me out with my very sorrowful thanks and 
 good-bye. 
 
 The Irrawaddy Flotilla kindly placed a 
 steam launch at my disposal to take me 
 to the S.S. Cheshire, which at 2 p.m. sailed 
 for England. 
 
 I had said '' Thank you/' from first to last, 
 to all my friends, my ''sons, daughters and 
 grandchildren." They asked me on the wharf 
 to promise to return next year. I could not 
 promise, but I would not say '' No." 
 
 247 
 
APPENDIX 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 a selection of dr. marks' letters and 
 reports, referring especially to the 
 burmese court 
 
 Letter i 
 
 To the Rev. the Secretary of the S.P.G. 
 The British Residency^ Mandalay^ 
 
 Upper Burma, October 20th, 1868. 
 
 It is now my duty and pleasure to address you 
 with regard to my Mission to the King of 
 Burma. My former letters have put you in 
 possession of the first stages of the attempt, 
 but I think that it is better that I should here 
 recapitulate them. 
 
 In 1863 I met in Rangoon the Thonzai 
 Prince, one of the sons of the King, who had 
 fled from the capital. I gave him several 
 Christian books in Burmese, and spoke to him 
 about their contents. He became reconciled 
 to the King, and on his return to Mandalay 
 
 2$I 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 asked me to come and see him at the capital. 
 He has since sent me several kind messages, 
 but, as you know, my work and absence in 
 Calcutta and England left me no leisure to 
 visit the capital. 
 
 After the Bishop of Calcutta's visit last 
 year, the way seemed open to establish Mission 
 schools and stations along the Irrawaddy ; 
 and accordingly in two missionary journeys 
 schools were formed at Zalun, Henzada, Myan- 
 aung and Thayetmyo. 
 
 At this time I received several letters from 
 Captain E. B. Sladen, the British PoHtical 
 Agent at the Court of the King of Burma, 
 telling me of conversations with His Majesty 
 on the subject of Christianity, and expressing 
 his belief that a Mission of our Church in Man- 
 dalay would not only not be opposed, but 
 would (under God) effect much good. 
 
 One of these letters I forwarded to the Bishop 
 of Calcutta, who directed me to proceed to 
 Mandalay with the twofold purpose of minister- 
 ing to the Enghsh residents, and endeavouring 
 to pave the way for an English Mission. 
 
 I met in Rangoon Mr. J. S. Manook, an 
 Armenian Burman, who is the King's Kala- 
 
 252 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 wufty or minister for foreigners. I told him 
 of our wish to have an S.P.G. Mission in Man- 
 dalay, and he promised to lay the matter 
 before the King. Shortly afterwards I received 
 from him the letter, a copy of which I sent you, 
 in which he said His Majesty the King of 
 Burma was pleased at our proposal to estab- 
 lish in Mandalay a Christian school for the 
 benefit of his people, that he would give every 
 possible assistance, and would entrust the 
 children of the officials to us for their education. 
 
 I showed the letter to the Chief Commis- 
 sioner, Colonel Fytche, who was, in 1865, a 
 member of your standing committee, and I 
 sent it to the Bishop. Both agreed that it 
 was an opening of which your Society ought 
 to avail itself, and that I should proceed to 
 Mandalay and there ascertain what could be 
 done. Colonel Fytche furnished me with a 
 letter to the King. It was, however, advised 
 that I should not enter Mandalay until I had 
 heard of the return to that city of Captain 
 Sladen, who had been appointed to lead an 
 exploring expedition to reopen the trade route 
 through Burma to China. 
 
 Whilst waiting to hear of the return of 
 253 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 Captain Sladen, I received from the Governor- 
 General in Council, on the application of 
 Colonel Fytche, through the Bishop, an ap- 
 pointment as visiting minister of Henzada, 
 etc. I therefore left Rangoon on the 28th of 
 August, accompanied by six of my best first- 
 class boys from Rangoon. 
 
 We passed, without stopping, Zalun and 
 Henzada, and arrived at Myan-aung late on 
 Saturday evening, the 30th. On the follow- 
 ing day I visited the Mission school, which is 
 under the care of Moung Ba Gale, one of my 
 pupils from Maulmein and Rangoon, whom I 
 baptized at the latter place last year. . . . 
 I next visited Henzada and found that our 
 school there also was doing well. I also visited 
 Prome. 
 
 The steamer came in on the Monday, and I 
 left at daylight on Tuesday, arriving at Thayet- 
 myo at two o'clock. At the wharf I was met 
 by our teacher, Arthur Moung Shway, who 
 was baptized by Rev. C. A. Berry from our 
 Rangoon school in 1865, and twenty-seven of 
 his pupils. I remained in Thayetmyo for a 
 fortnight, teaching in our school, and en- 
 deavouring, by my Sunday help, to repay in 
 
 254 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 some measure the kindness of the Station 
 Chaplain, who had most energetically and 
 effectually maintained our school in efficiency. 
 We left Thayetmyo on the ist of October 
 in the steamer Lord William Bentinck, which, 
 with the flat Prome in tow, was crowded with 
 Burmese passengers. I greatly enjoyed the 
 voyage as I was passing through country 
 which I had never seen before. . . . 
 
 Letter 2 
 To the Rev. the Secretary S.P.G. 
 
 Clergy House, Mandalay. 
 
 June lyth, 1870. 
 
 On Wednesday, the 8th of June, I obtained 
 information that a number of men who had 
 been concerned in the recent contemplated 
 rebellion of the Katha Prince were to be pub- 
 licly beheaded that afternoon in the cemetery 
 near our Mission compound. My informant 
 asked me to allow the princes, our pupils, to 
 leave school earlier on that account, which 
 I did. 
 
 ^55 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 It occurred to me that possibly I might, as 
 a Hpongyiy intercede on their behalf, and I 
 resolved to do so on the consideration that the 
 rebellion had been nipped in the bud, and 
 that no blood had been shed. The King of 
 Burma is firmly seated on his throne ; he has 
 earned a character for mercy such as none of 
 his predecessors enjoyed, and I beheved that 
 his power would be still further consolidated 
 by an exhibition of royal clemency. 
 
 I intimated to Major McMahon my intention 
 of going to the King, and he reminded me that 
 if I did I must go in my private capacity. I 
 went, therefore, as a Christian clergyman, who 
 has the honour of being known to the King, 
 and who is entrusted with the education of his 
 sons. My colleague, H. Powell, Esq., kindly 
 accompanied me. We walked to the Palace 
 and arrived before the princes. I was advised 
 that if I met the procession on the way to 
 execution, I could, in virtue of my office as 
 a Hpongyi, stop it until the result of my inter- 
 cession with His Majesty was known, and this 
 I resolved to attempt if I met it, but I did 
 not. 
 
 On the princes' arrival they at once informed 
 256 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 the King that I wished to see him on urgent 
 business. His Majesty immediately called us 
 into the Hman-nan-daw. The King was 
 attended by two of the principal queens and 
 by a large number of officers. He was parti- 
 cularly kind, and inquired what was the 
 matter, and whether I was still anxious about 
 the church building not going on so fast as I 
 could wish. 
 
 I began by praising His Majesty's well- 
 known clemency and humanity, and then 
 prayed for the lives of the foolish men who 
 were to be led to execution that day. The 
 King said that judgment had not been given 
 and that he knew of no execution. I assured 
 His Majesty that my information was correct. 
 The King asked if anyone else knew about it, 
 and was told by an officer present that there 
 was to be an execution that afternoon. The 
 King af once sent him with his royal order 
 to stop it. I thanked His Majesty earnestly 
 for his merciful care for the lives of his subjects. 
 The King replied very kindly, and after a few 
 moments sent another officer, a Than daw zin, 
 or herald, with the following order : *' Go, 
 stop the men from being led out to execution ; 
 
 257 17 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 and if they have already left, my royal order 
 to the Myo wun is that they are to be brought 
 back and not to be killed/' . . . On our return 
 we found large numbers of people assembled 
 on the road leading from the Palace to the 
 cemetery waiting to see the procession. 
 
 On the following day I obtained from what 
 I must consider an authentic source a list of 
 those who were pardoned on my intercession, 
 and at the head of the hst was the name of the 
 Katha Prince himself. I was assured that 
 everything, even to the scarlet velvet bag, 
 was prepared ready for the execution. . . . 
 
 Letter 3 
 
 To Bishop Milman of Calcutta. 
 
 Clergy House, Mandalay, 
 
 July 12th, 1870. 
 
 My Lord Bishop, 
 
 We think it most probable that your 
 Lordship by this time will have reached 
 Thayetmyo en route for Mandalay. I now 
 
 look forward with real joy to see your Lord- 
 
 258 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 ship, and I trust and feel sure that your visit 
 will be a real benefit to our infant Mission. 
 I wish that I had cheering news to give, but, 
 alas ! after hoping against hope, I am obliged 
 to say that there is no prospect of the church 
 being in any way ready — I did not believe that 
 Burman lying and deceit could have been 
 carried on so persistently. The King arranged 
 that if I would call up a contractor, he would 
 pay out Rs. 5,000 at a time. This again 
 encouraged me that we might push the work 
 on. I was deceived. I have appealed and 
 begged until I have been ashamed, and yet up 
 to the present we have only nine logs in and a 
 few more on the ground, and we have neither 
 timber nor money to go on with. We have 
 here a steam saw-mill, the manager of which 
 would gladly cut timber for me, but we have 
 no wood or money. It is all a mass of chica- 
 nery. I do not beheve the King himself to be 
 at fault. Our opponent I beheve to be Dr. M., 
 who, by making himself useful to the King, 
 has been appointed forest officer, and in that 
 capacity is able to hinder our work. 
 
 I remain, your most faithful Servant, 
 
 J. E. Marks. 
 259 17* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 Letter 4 
 
 To Bishop Milman. 
 
 August igth^ 1870. 
 
 My Lord Bishop, 
 
 Since I last wrote to your Lordship, 
 my brother has arrived, and together we have 
 visited the Palace three times. On the first 
 day we went by special invitation, but were 
 kept waiting outside for an hour and a half, 
 when we left. No one was there to receive 
 us, so we returned home. We had scarcely 
 arrived at the Clergy House when messengers 
 arrived from the King to express his regret 
 at the way we had been treated. We re- 
 turned civil replies, but said that, having 
 waited so long without seeing anyone in 
 authority, not even the princes, we had felt 
 that it was our duty to return home. In the 
 evening the King sent all the princes to us to 
 apologize for their neglect in the morning, and 
 
 260 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 to invite us to come as a special favour on the 
 morrow — Sunday. This, of course, I declined 
 to do, but we agreed to go on Monday. On 
 our arrival we were met by the princes and 
 immediately received by the King, who was 
 remarkably kind and courteous. After some 
 time I dehvered your Lordship's message, 
 which H.M. received with evident pleasure, 
 but made no remark except that he said that 
 it was his intention to fill the school with boys 
 from all parts of the country. Yesterday we 
 were again at the Palace. A capital EngHsh 
 breakfast had been prepared for us with tables, 
 knives and forks, etc., and the princes sat 
 down with us. It is the King's orders that in 
 future we are to be received in the princes' 
 rooms, where chairs and tables are allowed. 
 The King received us yesterday in perfect 
 privacy, none but the princes, one officer and 
 one of my boys being present, under the tree 
 in the garden house. He talked philosophy, 
 on the value of true friendship, in his desire 
 to get a closer intimacy with my brother and 
 self. This is to be obtained by the interchange 
 of private and confidential letters under seal, 
 in which each is to express himself freely 
 
 261 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 and without reserve on any point he may wish 
 to bring to the other's notice, and will bear 
 ** with patience " the other's remarks thereon. 
 The King is behaving with real kindness to 
 my brother, though there is no sign of the 
 books he is to take to Ceylon being ready. All 
 goes on as usual here. School is fiUing up 
 and callers and talkers becoming daily freer 
 and more numerous. On my return from 
 Rangoon I hope to commence gradually and 
 quietly more aggressive work, beginning with 
 the Kyoungs and parents' houses. The Church 
 goes on well, though I hope to improve upon 
 our plans with my brother's aid. 
 
 Your faithful Servant, 
 
 J. E. Marks. 
 
 Letter 5 1 
 
 To Bishop Milman. \ 
 
 December 21st, 1870. 
 
 My Lord Bishop, 
 
 Since I last wrote to your Lordship, 
 I have been to Rangoon. Before I left, I 
 
 262 
 
APTPENDIX 
 
 ^sked General Fytche privately whether, on 
 my return to Mandalay, I should make any 
 difference in my conduct with regard to the 
 King of Burma's Court pending the decision ol 
 Government. General Fytche replied : " Cer- 
 tainly not/' 
 
 On my return here, the King at first received 
 me coldly. H.M. inquired about your Lord- 
 ship. He entered again fully into the difficulty 
 which prevented your Lordship's interview, 
 reminding me of what he had said before, that 
 had you consented to come with only the 
 Clergy following, all your wishes should have 
 been complied with, but in the presence of the 
 PoHtical Agent, H.M. could not allow any- 
 thing which had not been conceded to Generals 
 Phayre and Fytche, who came as ambassadors. 
 He regretted the result, but told me ever to 
 assure your Lordship of his great respect for 
 you and your office. The church had not 
 made much progress : scarcely one of the 
 King's boys were at school, and the school bills 
 were unpaid, including the master's salary. 
 I waited for a fortnight and then solicited 
 another interview with H.M., whom I found as 
 pleasant as ever. I asked what had been the 
 
 263 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 caase of the delays. H.M. replied that I 
 must not think too much of such things, as he 
 had many cares and anxieties which I could not 
 know, but that I was always to be assured of 
 his real interest in my work. The complaints 
 were discussed seriatim and all removed. H.M. 
 repeated his intention of sending two hundred 
 boys to the school on my return from Bhamo. 
 He gave me a lot of small coin to distribute 
 on my way up, and placed at my disposal 
 a gilded boat with sixty rowers to take me 
 to the steamer. We arrived at Bhamo on 
 December ist. A large number of Kachin 
 sawhwas, or chiefs, were awaiting the steamer 
 Through a Burmese interpreter I had much, 
 conversation with them. They told me, in 
 reply to my inquiries, that they would gladly 
 welcome a Christian teacher. They said that 
 they hoped that such a teacher would protect 
 them from the oppressions of the Burmese, 
 but, of course, I rapidly disabused their minds 
 of any idea of this being a political move. 
 
 On returning to Mandalay I was told that 
 during my absence our premises had been 
 watched, and one monk, who had come as 
 usual to visit us, had been marched off to 
 
 264 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 punishment. On the following day the watch- 
 man and his attendants were pointed out to 
 me, and I called them and asked them their 
 business. They replied that they had been 
 sent by the sayadawgyi, or chief monk, to arrest 
 any monk who entered our compound, and 
 that the Hlut daw, or High Court, had ratified 
 the order. 
 
 I inquired if they had any written order to 
 act, and on their replying in the negative, I 
 said that I had no reason to believe their story, 
 and as it was contrary to the King's promise 
 I ordered them to leave the compound, and 
 threatened to send them to the magistrate if 
 they came again. 
 
 I have been advised to put before you the 
 points of the controversy between me and 
 Major McMahon, the British PoHtical Agent. 
 Neither from your Lordship, the Society, or 
 General Fytche, have I ever been ordered to 
 limit my visits to the King or to consult the 
 Political Agent concerning them. Such direc- 
 tions would have placed me, instead of a mis- 
 sionary, as an agent of the British Govern- 
 ment, and an object of distrust to the King. 
 With regard to the Burmese order of the 
 
 265 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 Tsalwe, I never asked for or obtained it for 
 myself or others. When the King gave it to 
 two of my present and one of my late pupils, 
 he did it of his own accord. I look forward 
 with patience to a settlement of the matter. 
 I have the honour to be, My Lord Bishop, 
 Your obedient faithful Servant, 
 
 J. E. Marks. 
 
 Letter 6 
 
 To one of the King's Ministers. 
 
 January 2nd, 1871. 
 
 I received the King's instructions to have 
 the princes and Lapetyedawthas taught in the 
 Palace instead of in the Royal School. I am 
 anxious in all things that I possibly can to 
 please H.M., but I do not think that this plan 
 will be good for the princes or Lapetyedawthas. 
 They have now been absent from school for 
 more than live months, in which time they 
 have forgotten much that they had learnt. 
 They should be taught by myself or Mr. Powell 
 and not by an under teacher. When we began 
 this school, it was on the understanding that 
 
 266 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 the princes and a very large number of sons 
 would be sent by H.M. Only twenty-five have 
 been sent. We cannot, without the Lord 
 Bishop's permission, daily leave our school to 
 teach in the Palace. I will, however, write 
 to the Bishop and tell him the King's wishes. 
 Meanwhile, I will daily send one of the pupil 
 teachers into the Palace and will come occa- 
 sionally and see what is done. I can but 
 pray, however, that H.M. will fulfil his royal 
 promise, and send a large number of boys here, 
 and to let the Lapetyedawthas come to this 
 school. I ask this for the benefit of H.M 
 and his subjects. 
 
 John E. Marks 
 
 Letter 7 
 
 To Bishop Milman. 
 
 Clergy House ^ Mandalay. 
 
 January 21st, 1871. 
 
 My Lord Bishop, 
 
 A short time ago the King called me 
 
 and said that it was his wish that the princes 
 
 267 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 and Palace boys should learn in the Palace 
 instead of going to the city to school ; that 
 there were state reasons for this, of which he 
 could not speak particularly. These, I believe, 
 to be a prophecy by the Brahmins that during 
 the next few months some great calamity is 
 impending over him and his family. H.M. 
 said he would build a school in the Palace, 
 and that I myself or one of the teachers should 
 go daily to teach. I replied in a letter that 
 such a proposal involved a change in the plan 
 on which the Mission school was founded, and 
 that I must therefore consult your Lordship. 
 But that meanwhile I would not object, under 
 the circumstances, to the princes learning in 
 the Palace under a pupil teacher, and that I 
 would supervise their education ; but that I 
 could not consent to the other Palace boys being 
 withdrawn. H.M. at once consented, called all 
 the pages, and insisted on their punctual 
 attendance at school, threatening that in case 
 of irregularity he would punish them and 
 dismiss their parents. School has grown 
 wonderfully since. 
 
 The pupil teachers go daily in turn to the 
 Palace to teach the princes, bringing their 
 
 268 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 reports and exercises to me, and I go to see 
 them once or twice a week until your Lord- 
 ship's orders are received. 
 
 I remain . . . 
 
 J. E. Marks. 
 
 Letter 8 
 
 To the Rev. F. R. Vallings. ^ ^ 
 
 Mandalay, 
 
 St. Matthias' Day, 1871. 
 
 I greatly regret that the Bishop of Calcutta 
 did not see the King when he was in Mandalay. 
 Despite of all patriotism, I cannot but think 
 that the King was right. If the Bishop came 
 up as he professed in his private capacity, and 
 not as a Government official, the Political 
 Agent would not have insisted in accompany- 
 ing him to the Palace. The King's argument 
 was this : If the Bishop comes alone — i.e., 
 without the Political Agent — I will accord to 
 him the highest honours accorded to any cleric 
 of my own people. If he comes politically 
 with the Pohtical Agent, I will give him all 
 
 269 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 I gave to Generals Fytche and Phayre. This, 
 McMahon, acting for the Bishop, decHned. The 
 King gave way and said : '' Come both and I 
 will do all." McMahon's answer was that it 
 was too late, though they were here six days 
 afterwards ! The princes have not been to 
 school here since the Bishop left. There is a 
 farce of a teacher being sent daily, and I go 
 occasionally to see how they are getting on, 
 but it is a farce. The other Palace boys come 
 better, but not in increasing numbers. Mean- 
 while the school grows from town boys. We 
 have altogether twenty boarders, all of whose 
 expenses are paid by the King, though most 
 of them are Rangoon or Maulmein boys. 
 
 You have, I daresay, heard of the unfortu- 
 nate difference between McMahon and myself, 
 now settled by reference to Council. While 
 my brother was here, McMahon wrote to me 
 to say that he should complain to Fytche of 
 my frequent visits to the King, though I had 
 only been at that time nine times in ten 
 months. I, of course, said : '' Do so." On 
 the following day— Sunday— he sent his clerk 
 to tell the Burmese Minister that I was not to 
 be received into the Palace without his consent 
 
 270 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 and this without a word to me on the subject 
 except the one letter. Without knowing of 
 this, my brother and I went to the Palace on 
 the Monday to say good-bye, when we were 
 told of this by the King as a joke. I dis- 
 believed it. The clerk was sent for to repeat 
 his message. The matter then was referred to 
 Fytche, and by him to the Governor-General, 
 and by me to the Bishop. The reply came by 
 last mail that I have no poUtical status, and 
 have nothing to do with McMahon, while yet 
 a Government stipend is assured. 
 
 Yours faithfully, 
 
 J. E. Marks. 
 
 Letter 9 
 
 To Bishop Milman. 
 
 April i^thj 1871. 
 
 My Lord Bishop, 
 
 I have delayed to write to your Lord- 
 ship in the hope that I might have better news 
 to convey to you in regard to the prospects of 
 the Mission, but I now feel it better at once to 
 let your Lordship know exactly our position 
 
 371 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 and prospects. In spite of his repeated 
 promises, the King has sent no new boys to the 
 school. We have now only eleven Palace boys 
 and about as many others sent with H.M.'s 
 permission. The total number is about 
 seventy. 
 
 The princes have not been to school since 
 your Lordship's visit to Mandalay. The King 
 says that there are political reasons why he 
 could not send his sons daily through the city 
 to school, and that though he had sent them 
 at the opening of the school for encouragement, 
 it could not be continued. But he promised 
 to build a school within the Palace where I 
 might live and sleep and teach the princes. I 
 said that such a change in the arrangements 
 could not be made without your permission. I 
 pointed out from the register that the princes 
 had lost more than half of each month, and 
 that they were the most backward pupils in 
 the school. 
 
 In a letter to the King, dated the nth inst., 
 I pointed out that the church was only half 
 finished, and that there was neither funds nor 
 timber to go on with. That the EngHsh builder 
 had already, in eleven months, received Rs.2,200, 
 
 272 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 at Rs. 200 per month, and that the dilatoriness 
 in supplying material was adding considerably 
 to the cost. I have had no answer as yet. 
 
 Six weeks ago I appUed to the King to fulfil 
 his promise to grant us the remaining piece of 
 the compound to the west of the church. The 
 King replied that he had given us a larger 
 piece than the English Government had given 
 him for his Monastery in Rangoon ! Of course, 
 I pointed out that the King's grant was a free 
 gift and not a mere exchange, but that I had 
 heard from General Fytche that morning that 
 the King's agent wanted twenty acres in 
 cantonments, and that the plot required would 
 include the rifle butts and the commissariat 
 and elephant sheds, and that the amount 
 granted by the Government to the King of 
 Burma was more than twice that granted to 
 the King of Siam for similar purposes. The 
 King said that he was not to be compared with 
 the King of Siam ! 
 
 The Buddhist monks are still afraid to come 
 to see me, but I still go out to them in the 
 evenings and talk with them, and I have given 
 away a large number of books and tracts. I 
 am enabled to place a complete copy of the 
 
 273 18 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 Bible in Burmese in sixty of the largest 
 monasteries in Mandalay. 
 
 There is not work enough in our small school 
 of fifty or sixty in attendance for so large a 
 staff. With myself, a schoolmaster by nature, 
 it would be desirable to send Mr. Powell to 
 Maulmein. 
 
 |Your faithful Servant, 
 
 J. E. Marks. 
 
 Letter io 
 
 To Mr. Jones, Merchant, Rangoon. 
 
 Mandalay, April 2yth, 1871. 
 
 My dear Jones, 
 
 To-day, by H.M.'s own request, I 
 wrote him a private letter on the growls of 
 Englishmen against H.M., and the way to 
 satisfy them. I deprecated his nomination of 
 so many royal agents, which I assured him was 
 not for his interest. I suggested that such 
 as you, men of capital and energy, should be 
 called first-class agents, and that there should 
 be agents of the second and third class. I will 
 
 274 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 tell you the result as soon as I know. I have 
 already taken steps in the matter of the Tsalwhj 
 and believe that there will be no difficulty in 
 getting the extra three strings. 
 
 When I was with H.M. on Tuesday last, 
 Dr. W. was showing drawings, etc., from 
 engines and carriages, for a railway from 
 Mandalay to Toungoo. I believe he is trying 
 to negotiate a loan of some lacs, and I shall 
 strongly urge H.M. not to accept. 
 
 Trade seems improving and confidence is 
 gradually being restored. 
 
 Yours ever sincerely, 
 
 J. E. Marks. 
 
 Letter ii 
 
 Mandalay y May ^th, 1871. 
 To F. W. Rhys Davids, Esq., CCS. 
 
 I am ashamed to have kept you so long, but, 
 as mentioned before, this is not the region of 
 rapid action, and I am afraid that I am be- 
 coming infected with the genius loci. 
 
 Yesterday I took advantage of an oppor- 
 275 i8* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 tunity, when I was alone with the King, to 
 mention your wants. H.M. at once bade me 
 write and tell you that he will be happy to 
 supply you with a copy, not alone of the Dipa 
 Vansa, but of the whole nine books of the 
 series, and that he will forward them through 
 me at an early date. 
 
 May I ask if a key to the Burmese characters 
 in which the Pali is written would be of use 
 to you ? If so, I will send you one that I 
 drew up some time ago to accompany the 
 MSS. which I sent home to England. 
 Believe me, yours sincerely, 
 
 J. E. Marks. 
 
 Letter 12 
 
 To J. Talboys Wheeler, Esq. 
 
 Mandalay, May 2gth, 1871. 
 
 In a previous letter to you some time ago 
 I mentioned that while H.M. himself did not 
 hate Major Sladen, or care about his return to 
 Mandalay, H.M.'s Ministers could not work 
 with Major Sladen* To-day, repeating this, 
 
 276 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 H.M. informs me that I quite misunderstood 
 his remark. That H.M. has himself the 
 strongest possible objection to Major Sladen's 
 return as Political Agent, if only on the 
 grounds before mentioned, viz., that his 
 Ministers cannot get on with him. The King 
 asked me to let this correction of the meaning 
 of his remark be sent everywhere I had sent 
 my former statement. 
 
 Yours most truly, 
 
 J. E. Marks. 
 
 Letter 13 
 
 To the Rev. F. R. VaUings. 
 
 Mandalay, June 24th , 1871. 
 
 My dear Vallings, 
 
 All is going on fairly here. We have 
 our trials. The King got terribly out of 
 temper with me one day when he heard that 
 Sladen was returning to Mandalay, and threat- 
 ened to turn me out of the country unless I 
 promised to write to the Government against 
 him. Of course I refused, and there was a 
 
 277 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 small scene. But it was soon over. H.M. 
 made love to me hard, showed more kindness 
 than ever, and respects me, I am sure, more 
 than ever for refusing to deceive him. 
 
 Can you count on the S.P.C.K.'s help with 
 a revision of the Burmese Prayer Book ? The 
 first edition is now out of print, and we want 
 now to issue the Litany, Confirmation, Mar- 
 riage and Baptism service. 
 
 The water is rising, and we shall soon be 
 inundated, but we are better prepared. The 
 church gets on well. I have now a goodly 
 number of communicants. 
 
 Heartily yours, 
 
 J. E. Marks. 
 
 Letter 14 
 
 To J. Talboys Wheeler, Esq. 
 
 Mandalay, July 11th, 1871. 
 
 My dear Wheeler, 
 
 You may not be aware that Sladen is 
 one of my best friends ; that it was through 
 him, mainly, if not entirely, that this Mission 
 
 278 
 
Appendix 
 
 was started, and that I came to Mandalay. 
 When he left, his enemies, unofficial as I am, 
 began to slander him, especially to the King. 
 On my return from Rangoon in November, 
 1869, the King at my first interview repeated 
 some of these slanders as truths. I rephed 
 that I knew them to be false. Whereupon he 
 waxed wrath and left the room. A month 
 after, when I was present, the Yaw aiwin wun 
 related to H.M. the same tales, whereupon I 
 rebuked him sharply. The King laughed this 
 time and said that I was bad tempered, but 
 that we would talk of something else. 
 
 For a year and nine months Sladen's name 
 was not mentioned to me by H.M. until one 
 day when he was speaking of his universal 
 benevolence, how he loved English, French, 
 Chinese, etc. ; he wound up by saying : '' And 
 I do not hate Sladen. It was only my Ministers 
 who could not get on with him." All believed 
 that H.M. was opening the door of reconcilia- 
 tion should Sladen return. I gladly wrote 
 this to you, Fytche, Sladen and others, but 
 to none officially, of course. 
 
 I certainly must be acquitted of all desire to 
 interfere in politics. Ever since McMahon's 
 
 279 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 unwise attempt to make the Burmese Govern- 
 ment look upon me as his subordinate, I have 
 zealously tried to convince the King that I 
 have no connection with the Government of 
 India. The Bishop wrote to me : *' It will 
 be better that you should be free from Resi- 
 dential authority, except what due friendHness 
 and patriotism may require." You assure 
 me, and I feel that you do so kindly, that my 
 position would be seriously imperilled if it 
 were known or supposed that I discussed the 
 merits of political officers with the King. 
 So then, in the same spirit, I would reply that 
 I do not do so. 
 
 My position here is no enviable one, but it 
 is one from which I cannot be reHeved. The 
 King threatens to burn the school if I leave, 
 and the Bishop, to whom I had applied for 
 rehef, wrote me, in his last letter : " You 
 must stick to your post at all hazard." 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 J. E. Marks. 
 
 380 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 Letter 15 
 To the Sec, S.P.G. 
 
 Mandalayy October 2ndy 1871. 
 
 The Burma Bible and Tract Society fur- 
 nished me with a very large supply of books 
 and tracts in Burmese. I have distributed 
 them from time to time, but within the last 
 week or so our compound has been thronged 
 with people going to see the gold-covered and 
 jewel-decked umbrella, or Htiy which at 
 enormous expense has been prepared here, 
 and is now on its way down to Rangoon, 
 where it is to crown the Shwe Dagon pagoda. 
 The Hti has cost, I believe, about £25,000. 
 
 As soon as it became known that I had 
 tracts to distribute, I was simply besieged for 
 them. All day long people came, and in such 
 numbers that I was obhged to take measures 
 to prevent accidents. Yesterday — Sunday — 
 
 381 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 my stock began to show signs of exhaustion. 
 A Httle tract called *' Justice and Mercy 
 Reconciled " had been in great demand, and 
 I was reduced to a single copy. So I made all 
 applicants, about three hundred, sit down 
 under our covered way, and read it aloud to 
 them all. I then gave the tract to a venerable 
 old man who had been an earnest listener. 
 
 To-day I gave away my last tract and 
 hundreds of applicants have been sent empty 
 away. I would not overrate the importance 
 of the distribution ; but I think there is cause 
 for thankfulness that in Mandalay I should 
 be permitted to distribute thousands of 
 Christian tracts, and that I should find 
 thousands glad and anxious to receive them. 
 
 Letter i6 
 
 To the Sec, S.P.G. 
 
 Mandalay, October, 1872. 
 
 My opportunities for Mission work are here 
 very restricted. I believe that to attempt 
 bazaar preaching would cause such a disturb- 
 
 282 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 ance ag" would endanger any prospect of other 
 usefulness in Mandalay. I cannot hide from 
 myself that even our present efforts are re- 
 garded with more toleration than favour by 
 the Hpongyis and nobles, and it is only the 
 powerful support of the King which enables 
 us to stand our ground. 
 
 I embrace every opportunity of visits from 
 Hpongyis and people to explain the truths of 
 the Gospel. A short time ago one of the 
 Mingy is came here with a large retinue. I 
 gave him a copy of the Bible in Burmese 
 which he read eagerly and accepted thank- 
 fully, and by his permission I distributed suit- 
 able tracts to all his followers. I have a great 
 number of visitors of all ranks. The roads are 
 so bad that the people gladly come through 
 our compound on their way to and from the 
 cemetery. They have always full permission 
 to come into my house and look round, and 
 then they gladly enter into religious conversa- 
 tion and accept Christian tracts and books. 
 Yet even this has aroused considerable excite- 
 ment, and more than one undoubted friend 
 of the Mission has advised caution in the 
 work. 
 
 283 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 I have been in close connection with His 
 Majesty since I took up teaching the princes 
 in the Palace. His Majesty always listened 
 kindly and attentively when I talked of our 
 holy rehgion, and he delighted to tell me of his 
 own religion and of his early life. The young 
 princes were making good progress, and a 
 sixth was sent to join them. But at the end 
 of April all this changed. 
 
 I felt very poorly, and determined to take 
 a short trip on the river. I left on the 3rd of 
 May and returned on the 9th. On the day 
 that I left, I heard the news of the death of 
 the Myotik nan ma daw^ the favourite Queen. 
 His Majesty took this grief much to heart, 
 seeking privacy, and shunning all but abso- 
 lutely necessary business. Since that time 
 I have seen the King but seldom, and only once 
 in private. 
 
 I heartily wish that it were in my power to 
 tell you of more material and visible success 
 in our work. But even if it is not given to 
 us to record numerous conversions and bap- 
 tisms, it is still matter for thankfulness that 
 we may go on giving Christian instruction to 
 nearly a hundred boys and young men, that 
 
 284 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 we may distribute Christian books and tracts, 
 and that we may hold services for the small 
 band of Europeans and native Christians, 
 wdthout let or hindrance. 
 
 Letter 17 
 To the Sec, S.P.G. 
 
 Mandalay, July 2^rd, 1874. 
 
 Reverend Sir, 
 
 I feel that the time has arrived when 
 it would be vain to hope further that the 
 King will pay the money which he owed when 
 he ceased to support the school, and that I 
 must now look to the Society for that 
 help. 
 
 We may not hide it from ourselves any 
 longer that the work of the Mission in the 
 future will have to be carried on, not with 
 the aid of the King, but in spite of him. But, 
 speaking for myself, I cannot say that I regret 
 this. Those who come to us will be more in 
 earnest, and less actuated by worldly motives, 
 while for myself, I cannot but rejoice at the 
 
 285 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 termination of my connection with the Palace, 
 and that I have not to spend day after day 
 waiting for an interview with the King and in 
 appHcation for money for the school and 
 church. 
 
 I would not appear too urgent, but I would 
 beg to remind the Society that I am person- 
 ally responsible for the money. Of course, 
 should the King feel it his duty to pay the back 
 money, and I should be at liberty to accept it, 
 I should at once forward it to you. But there 
 is httle Hkelihood of this, for H.M., to use a 
 homely proverb, is killing the goose that lays 
 the golden eggs of commerce and self-reliance 
 among his people, and of course his treasury is 
 in a chronic state of emptiness. 
 
 I do not think that the school in Mandalay 
 can be carried on for less than Rs. 350 per 
 month. It is useless, at present, to think of 
 school fees. It is not Mandalay custom, and 
 we should empty the school if we attempted 
 just now to enforce them. 
 
 If the Bishop would sanction an appeal to 
 the public, I will submit a draft for his Lord- 
 ship's approval. I believe it would tide us 
 over till I get to England, when, if my legs 
 
 286 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 will carry me, I believe I shall be able to get 
 substantial help. 
 
 I am, dear Sir, 
 
 Your faithful Servant, 
 
 J. E. Marks. 
 
 Letter i8 
 To Bishop Milman. 
 
 Mandalay, October i6th, 1874. 
 
 My Lord Bishop, 
 
 Your kind letter of September 19th 
 reached me on the 12th. I beg to express 
 my most sincere thanks for the kind tone of 
 your Lordship's letter, as well as for your 
 noble letter on my behalf to the Governor- 
 General. 
 
 I must confess my intense surprise at the 
 action of the Governor-General in this matter. 
 From what I had heard of Lord Northbrook, 
 I certainly expected very different treatment. 
 That he should withdraw the subsidy for the 
 maintenance " of state services," as the 
 official letter put it, was of course within 
 Government power, and this action was known 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 to the King at least on the same day as it was 
 known to me, and H.M. pubUcly interpreted 
 it to mean that the Enghsh Government 
 concurred with his conduct towards me. 
 
 Lord Northbrook is perhaps not aware that 
 I was sent up here in 1868 by your Lordship, 
 with the full consent of Sir John Lawrence, at 
 the recommendation of General Fytche, who 
 had known me since i860, and at the particular 
 invitation of H.M. 
 
 That the King not only asked your Lordship 
 in 1873 not to send another clergyman here 
 instead of me, but so late as December last, 
 when I had made all arrangements to go home 
 on medical leave, and a locum tenens was 
 already in Rangoon, the King asked me, as 
 a personal favour, to postpone my departure 
 for a year, and I did so. 
 
 I can only recollect two or three instances 
 in which my conduct here has not met with 
 your Lordship's entire approbation, or has 
 been the subject of correspondence with 
 Government. 
 
 The King has been exceedingly angry at my 
 repeated and determined refusal to write his 
 wishes to the Governor-General. 
 
 288 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 I would venture to remark that even if on 
 either of the above occasions my conduct was 
 blameworthy, it was the reverse of offence 
 against the Burmese Government. 
 
 It has ever been my wish to abstain from 
 interference in poHtics or business. But this 
 has been exceedingly difficult. The King has 
 ever been accustomed for clergymen to take 
 part in these matters. At the present day 
 the monks are the virtual rulers of the country. 
 In the embassy of Colonel Phayre he had the 
 assistance of the Very Rev. P. Abbona, and 
 H.M. Government of India made a suitable 
 verbal and pecuniary acknowledgment of his aid. 
 
 In an interview with the King in the early 
 part of the year, he complained that although 
 he had done so much for me, I had been of no 
 use to him. Whilst the Roman Catholic clergy 
 worked for his interest with the ItaUan and 
 French embassies, H.M. could not understand 
 the abstention from politics on my part. 
 
 I cannot accept the entire responsibihty of 
 
 the publication of my reports. Some of these 
 
 have been published against my wish. I 
 
 venture to submit that it is my duty to write 
 
 my reports truthfully, plainly and fearlessly^ 
 
 269 19 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 to give facts and my impressions. The responsi- 
 bility of publishing these reports must rest 
 with those to whom they are addressed. 
 
 I am perfectly willing to accept all responsi- 
 bility for every one of the facts in my pub- 
 lished reports. I challenge the fullest inquiry. 
 That which I reported to the Bible Society a 
 year ago is perfectly true now. I frequently 
 distribute hundreds of tracts in a day. I gave 
 away more than two hundred in my own house 
 the day before yesterday. The matter with 
 the King is simply one of money, and he seized 
 the occasion of that report, misrepresented 
 to him, to try to avoid the payments which 
 had fallen into arrears. 
 
 Since April loth, the day on which the 
 
 King told me to leave his country, H.M. has 
 
 not paid the arrears for which Captain Strover 
 
 twice asked him, but neither have I feared or 
 
 suffered the least annoyance, injury or insult. 
 
 I still have no door to my house nor closed 
 
 gate to my compound. The princes, my 
 
 former pupils, keep up intercourse with me, 
 
 and. from the heir-apparent, the Thagara 
 
 Prince, I have this week received very kind 
 
 and friendly communications. The monks visit 
 
 290 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 us more frequently and in greater numbers 
 than ever. 
 
 Mr. Eden wrote to me his belief that when 
 the King ceased to fear that we should trouble 
 him for money, he would be glad to listen to 
 me again, and your Lordship said the same. 
 In a country where the confidential minister 
 of to-day is in prison to-morrow (as I have 
 seen), who can expect always to be in favour ? 
 Your Lordship will not forget how that the 
 King was wishing to ask you to request the 
 Governor-General to remove Captain Strover, 
 who was then out of favour. For my own 
 part, as I informed your Lordship in a pre- 
 vious letter, I will not leave Mandalay until 
 matters are settled by those whose duty it is 
 to decide. I am just now in a very bad state 
 of health and am in the doctor's hands ; but 
 were I much worse and much poorer, I should 
 still feel it my duty to adhere to my resolve. 
 When I can honourably leave Mandalay, 
 nothing would delight me better than to 
 resume the work which ten years ago I com- 
 menced in Rangoon. 
 
 Your lordship's faithful Servant, 
 
 J. E. Marks. 
 291 19* 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 Letter 19 
 
 To the Sec, S.P.G. 
 
 Mandalay^ October ^oth, 1874. 
 
 My dear Mr. Bray, 
 
 My telegram, sent with the full con- 
 sent of Captain Strover, will have informed 
 you that that gentleman has consented to audit 
 the accounts of this Mission, and has certified 
 to their correctness. The result has not been 
 arrived at without considerable trouble to 
 Captain Strover, due, I am afraid, chiefly from 
 my method, or rather want of method, in the 
 keeping of my accounts. We began here in 
 a hand-to-mouth method, and I fear that we 
 have kept to it. But yet all items of receipts 
 and expenditure have been entered, though 
 not all in the same book. This has given 
 Captain Strover so much trouble in balancing 
 all, and I fear that though he has satisfied 
 himself with the correctness of my accounts, 
 
 292 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 he has formed a very poor opinion of my 
 abiUties as a book-keeper. This is what has 
 always troubled me in my work more than 
 anything else, and I will certainly ask you to 
 allow me to be relieved of it in Rangoon. 
 
 I have written to my successor my view as 
 to what would be advisable for him to do here, 
 and I may say that those views have been 
 endorsed by Captain Strover. I say this : 
 Be friendly with, if possible, but by all means 
 be independent of the King. Never ask him 
 for money. Never receive any without, as 
 the Bishop directed me, sending it to the 
 secretary at Calcutta. So long as he does not 
 ask him for money, H.M. will love and respect 
 him. But if once, induced by royal promises 
 and temporary favour, he becomes involved in 
 a large boarding school or costly day school, 
 he will sooner or later have to '' eat dirt." 
 
 To-morrow I take my last journey to Bhamo. 
 The kindness of the Company allows me to 
 take sixteen boys free of cost. 
 
 Believe me, ever sincerely yours, 
 
 J. E. Marks. 
 
 293 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 Letter 20 
 To the Sec, S.P.G. 
 
 St. John's College. 
 
 January 2^rd, 1875. 
 
 You cannot tell how pleased I am to be in 
 Rangoon again, and how pleased everybody is 
 to see me. 1 am holding levees of my boys of 
 many generations back daily, and the school 
 is mounting up. It and the Mission will 
 require all my energies. We have a palatial 
 High School to do battle with, but I have no 
 fear. I am really sorry to think of leaving a 
 work which seems to need me so much. I 
 cannot yet say definitely whether I can leave 
 it at all. It depends on other matters. 
 
 ^ 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 Letter 21 
 
 Dr. Marks to King Thibaw on his Accession. 
 [Translation,] 
 
 The EngHsh Priest salutes the King. 
 
 The Priest has heard with much sorrow of 
 the death of the royal father from whom he 
 received many and great gifts for his schools, 
 his pupils and himself. 
 
 But the Priest is very glad that your Majesty 
 his royal pupil (tahyidaw) has been chosen to 
 reign, and he prays that you may have a long 
 and prosperous reign filled with the blessings 
 of peace and plenty, and that your subjects 
 may be under your rule, numerous, happy, 
 loyal and contented. 
 
 The Priest wishes that like your royal father, 
 your Majesty may be famous for your mercy 
 and kindness to all your subjects, and especi- 
 ally he would ask your royal kindness and 
 clemency for the princes, your royal brothers 
 
 295 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 and schoolfellows ; that as it is known in 
 England and other countries that your 
 Majesty learned in an English school, so it 
 may be known that when you ascended the 
 throne, your first act was to show mercy and 
 kindness. So all nations will praise you, 
 and know how great and firm your govern- 
 ment is. 
 
 The Priest has now much work. His school 
 contains 550 boys, with more than 120 
 boarders. He cannot leave this just now ; 
 but in about three months' time he hopes to 
 be able to come to Mandalay to see the power 
 and dignity of his royal pupil. 
 
 Letter 22 
 
 Dr. Williams to Dr. Marks (referring to the 
 above letter). 
 
 October 24/A, 1878. 
 
 My dear Mr. Marks, 
 
 I duly received your letter for the 
 King, with your note of the 12th. I did not 
 expect that Mr. Shaw would exactly approve. 
 
 296 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 The very fact of your showing it to the Chief 
 Commissioner and the Resident tends to lend 
 it that character which the official mind not 
 unnaturally disHkes. Officials do not care 
 what is said or done by a total outsider, as an 
 outsider, but if there is the slightest chance of 
 a communication being regarded as somehow 
 emanating from, or permitted by, the officials 
 of Government, those officials become respon- 
 sible in a measure for the tone as well as the 
 meaning of the letter. 
 
 I have no doubt that the EngUsh version 
 was all that could be desired, but the Burmese 
 is not perfect. The object of the letter is, 
 of course, what all sympathize with. I showed 
 the letter to the S. Byu, who evidently did not 
 like it. As to presenting it without the sanc- 
 tion of the Wungyis, that is of course out of 
 the question. 
 
 The young King is not a king in the sense 
 that his father was. The object of the letter 
 is, I am glad to say, not urgent just now, and 
 I am sorry to say that your tabyidaw is not 
 showing a docile disposition, and I am myself 
 afraid that he would resent the letter. You 
 
 spoke of the young fellow as determined ; 
 
 297 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 that is the goody word for obstinate. He has 
 been playing the fool worse and worse, has 
 begun to speak slightingly of the Ministers, and 
 has opened his mouth unequivocally as to 
 the kalas. The HpongyiSy too, don't come off 
 better. He says he knows them f 
 
 The insecurity of the present state of things 
 is considerable. The feeling of the people is 
 that the Ministers have been clever in making 
 a puppet, but the puppet is turning out a very 
 ungovernable " human boy " with a strong 
 touch of the devil in him. I suppose he is 
 clever in learning by rote, but he certainly 
 looks a stubborn, sly, unsympathetic lad, and 
 he always has worn that look since I have 
 known him. 
 
 The princes in prison are all safe and well ; 
 those at the Residency are safer and better. 
 Of course, peace is assured, and a new regime 
 has begun on parabike. But the real feehng 
 in the majority of the men in power is one of 
 more dislike to the English than in the old 
 King's time. As to your young Linban Prince 
 returning here under guarantee, it would be a 
 piece of folly on his part, and certain cruelty on 
 the part of those that persuaded him to do so. 
 
 298 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 If the Kinwun Mingyi approves of your 
 letter, it will be presented, but I expect it will 
 be, ma to thay bu. Wait a little. 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 C. B. Williams. 
 
 Letter 23 
 
 Sir Charles Aitchison to Dr. Marks. 
 
 Government House ^ Rangoon. 
 
 February 13th, 1879. 
 
 My dear Mr. Marks, 
 
 In this and in all similar matters there 
 is really only one answer I can give. The 
 Government have a representative at Mandalay 
 who has a very ticklish game to play. I cannot 
 say what use the King or his Ministers may 
 make of a private correspondence with you, 
 however harmless that correspondence may 
 be in itself. 
 
 It is quite possible that a bad use may be 
 made of it to the embarrassment of Mr. Shaw, 
 and, therefore, when my opinion is asked, I 
 can only advise that nothing should be done of 
 
 299 
 
FORTY YEARS IN BURMA 
 
 which Mr. Shaw is not fully informed. The 
 case would be very different if the Mandalay 
 Court were less barbarous. 
 
 Yours very sincerely, 
 
 C. AlTCHISON. 
 
 THE END 
 
 300 
 
INDEX 
 
INDEX 
 
 {Buffnese words and their Eng- 
 lish equivalents are given in 
 italics. ) 
 
 Abbona, Father P., i6, 289. 
 
 Account-keeping, Trouble with, 
 292. 
 
 Additional Clergy Society 
 (A. G. S.), 107, 108, 233, 237. 
 
 A in daw, 198. 
 
 A in Shay Min, 148. 
 
 Aitchison, Sir Charles, 115, 225, 
 
 299. 
 Akyab, 80. 
 
 Alompra (Aloungpaya), 52, 145. 
 Aloungpaya. See Alompra. 
 Amarapoora, 144, 154. 
 American Baptist Mission, 74, 
 
 205, 
 American Church, 82. 
 Amherst, 47, 50, 52. 
 Annexation, 185. 
 Arakanese boys, 81. 
 Ardagh, General, 80. 
 Armenians, 15. 
 
 .\rnold, Dr., of Rugby, 32, ^y. 
 Attaran, 53. 
 Aung-pinlai, 168. 
 
 Bailey, Rev. Dr., 94. 
 Bamboo, Uses of. 51. 
 Ba Tu, Moung, 172. 
 Bazaar preaching, 282. 
 Benson, Archbishop, 234. 
 Bernard, Sir Charles, 10, 27, 116, 
 142. 
 
 Best, J. T., 238, 239, 242. 
 Bibby Brothers, Messrs., 240. 
 Bible and Tract Society, Bur- 
 mese, 281, 290. 
 Bigandet, Bishop, 15, 66, 74, 
 
 154. 
 Birthday, King Mindon's, 171. 
 Bishop's College, Calcutta, 2. 
 Bishop's Home for Girls, 141. 
 Brahmins, 268. 
 Bray, Rev, Dr., 292. 
 Budd, Dr. George, 96. 
 Buddhism, 56, 73. 
 Buddhist Monastic schools, 60. 
 Buona Vista, S. P. G. Mission 
 
 at, 91. 
 Burmese language, 57. 
 Burne, K. G., 2^7. 
 
 Cadet corps, 35, 131, 235. 
 Calcutta Free School, 76, 79. 
 Chaplains aid missionary work, 
 
 60, 83, 108, 119, 124. 
 Chard, Archdeacon C. H., 106, 
 
 119, 134, 157, 180. 
 Chard, Mrs., 120, 
 Chin-ldn {Burmese football), 72. 
 Chins, 81. 
 
 Christ Church, Rangoon, 83. 
 Clive, Lord, 79. 
 Clough, Rev. John, 83. 
 Colbeck, Rev. G., 246. 
 Colbeck, Rev. J. A., 208, 211, 
 
 222, 228, 231. 
 
 303 
 
INDEX 
 
 Cooke, Miss (Mrs. Chard), 102, 
 
 134. 
 
 Copies ton, Dr., Bishop of Co- 
 lombo, 241. 
 
 Copleston, F. S., 237. 
 
 " Cottage, The," 86, 122. 
 
 Cotton, Bishop, 2, 32, 62, 102, 
 107, 124, 214. 
 
 — visits Maulmein, 70. 
 
 — ordains Dr. Marks. 80. 
 
 — drowned at Kooshtea, no. 
 Courtenay, J., 236, 239. 
 Cricket at Maulmein school, 72. 
 
 — at Mandalay school. 196. 
 Crofton, Rev. H. W., 83, 107, 
 
 124. 
 Crosthwaite, Sir Charles, 10. 
 Crucifixion, Burmese. 169. 
 
 Dah {Burmese knife), 49. 
 Dani {thatch of leaves), 51. 
 Davies, C. K., 243. 
 De Lesseps, M., 92. 
 Dipa Vansa, 276. 
 Director of Public Instruction, 
 77' 115. H3- 
 
 E. C. U., 98. 
 
 Eden, Hon, Ashley, 209, 291. 
 
 Education work of Dr. Marks^ 
 2^ et sqq. 
 
 Educational syndicate, 27. 
 
 Elephants, Stories of, 54. 
 
 " Encyclopaedia Britannica," 
 proposed translation into Bur- 
 mese, 179. 
 
 Eurasians, 79, 138. 
 
 European pupils in native 
 schools, 62 et sqq. 
 
 Fairclough, Rev. J. 
 106. 112, 210. 
 
 95. 10^. 
 
 Finance, Dr. Marks' difficulties 
 with, 103. 
 
 Font presented by Queen Vic- 
 toria, 170. 
 
 Freemasonry, 38. 
 
 Fryer, Sir Frederick, 244. 
 
 Fytche, Major-General Albert, 
 68, 73, 106, 112, 124, 157, 158, 
 253. 265, 273, 288. 
 
 GiLLANDERs, Arbuthuot & Co. 
 
 84. 
 
 Girls' school, 103. 
 
 Girls, Education of, 99, 132. 
 
 " Gospel in Burma," 153. 
 
 Government, Dr. Marks' rela- 
 tions with, 9 et sqq. 
 
 Gyne, 53. 
 
 Halifax, Viscount, 98. 
 
 Heber, Bishop. 49, 
 
 Henzada, 112, 189. 
 
 High School, Rangoon, Govern- 
 ment, 9. 
 
 Hildebrand, Major, 191. 
 
 Hlut-daw {High Court), 265. 
 
 Hman-nan-daw {glass palace). 
 165, 232. 257. 
 
 Holy Trinity Church, Rangoon 
 (Pro-cathedral), cf. " Town 
 Church," 85, 107, III. 
 
 Hpdn-daw-gyi {High Hpongyi), 
 174. 
 
 Hpongyi {Buddhist monk), 16, 73, 
 118. 155. 175, 283. 
 
 Hsin-byu-ma-shin, the Queen 
 Mother, 219. 
 
 Hpoung-wun, 223. 
 
 Hti {umbrella), 281. 
 
 Irrawaddy Flotilla Company 
 (I. F. C), " The Flotilla," 112, 
 115. 
 
 304 
 
INDEX 
 
 Jacob, Rev. Edgar (Bishop of Marks, Rev. Philip, 91, 178, 241. 
 
 St. Albans), 201. 
 Jardine, Sir John, 26. 
 Johnson, Rt. Rev. Dr., Bishop 
 
 of Calcutta, 214. 
 Judson, Adoniram, 3, 42, 154, 
 . 168, 184. 
 
 Kalagouk, 46. 
 
 Kala-wun {Foreign Minister), 
 
 157. 163, 177, 178, 200, 204, 
 
 252. 
 Katha Prince, 258. 
 Kay, Dr. W., 76, 95, 103. 
 Kinwun Mingyi, 204, 226, 299. 
 Kipling, 53. 
 Ko-daw {prince), 196. 
 Koh-i-noor, 183. 
 Kristna, Rev, John (Kristna- 
 
 sawmy,) 85, 120. 
 Kun Saing, Hon. H., 245. 
 Kyaikkami, 50. 
 Kyaw Doon, Moung, 114. 
 
 ITa Martini^re College, Cal- 
 cutta, 76. 
 
 Lambeth Degree, presented to 
 Dr. Marks, 4. 
 
 Lapet-yi-daw-tha {sons of tea), 
 197, 266. 
 
 Lawrence, Sir John, 182 et sqq., 
 288. 
 
 Lecompte, Rev. Father, 15. 
 
 Linban Prince, 298. 
 
 Loungshe Princess, 219. 
 
 Lowder, Father, 2. 
 
 Lyons, Thomas, 239, 
 
 Mahon, Rev, B., 235, 242. 
 Mandalay, Foundation of, 147. 
 — First visit of Dr. Marks to, 
 
 153- 
 Manook, Mr. J. S., 157, 252. 
 
 Marks' Memorial Fund, 31, 33, 
 
 239- 
 Martine, General, founder of La 
 
 Martinifere School, 77. 
 Mason, Dr., 205. 
 Maulmein, 39, 52, 84, 112. 
 McMahon, Major, 256, 265, 270, 
 
 279. 
 M^-thila-yin {nun), 177. 
 Milman, Dr. Robert, Bishop of 
 Calcutta, 24, 159, 169, 182, 
 211, 214, 231, 258, 260, 
 262, 267, 271, 287. 
 
 — Visitation of Burma, 1 1 1 . 
 
 — consecrates " Town Church," 
 
 III. 
 
 — consecrates Christ Church, 
 
 Mandalay, 201. 
 Mindon Min, 4., 67. 144 et sqq. 
 
 — Dr. Marks' relations with, 
 
 14 et sqq. 
 
 — attitude towards Chris- 
 
 tianity, 16 et sqq. 
 — • assistance to missionaries, 
 18. 
 
 — character, 19, 145. 
 
 — attitude to Buddhism, 20. 
 Mine Done Prince, 193, 201, 204, 
 Minhla, 160. 
 
 Moungan, 55. 
 
 MunicipaHty of Rangoon, 3s, 
 
 143. 
 Myan-aung, 116, 191. 
 Myauk-nan-ma-daw, 284. 
 
 " Natives," 119. 
 
 Nat {spirit), 88. 
 
 Nichols, Rev, H. B., 84, 91. 
 
 Northbrook, Lord, Viceroy of 
 
 India, 202, 209, 287. 
 Nyaung-yan Prince, 222. 
 
 305 
 
 20 
 
INDEX 
 
 O'Connor. Mr. V. C. Scott, 147. 
 
 220. 
 Ohn Ghine, Mg., 239, 243. 
 Ordination of Dr. Marks, 2, 75. 
 Orphanage, Diocesan, 136, 143, 
 
 233- 
 
 Pagan Min, 145. 
 
 ^ali, 2.76. 
 
 Parabike {Burmese date), 157, 
 
 158, 165, 298. 
 Payaloung {future Buddha), 224. 
 Pedley, Dr., 238, 246. 
 Phayre, Sir Arthur P., 9, 82, 84, 
 
 90, 98, 124, 289. 
 PhiUpps, Rev. Sir John E., 100. 
 Poungd6, 81. 
 Pratt, Archdeacon of Calcutta, 
 
 89. 91. 
 Prayer Book in Burmese, 74, 
 
 278. 
 Prendergast, Sir Harry, 36, 227, 
 
 228. 
 Pubhc affairs, Dr. Marks and, 34. 
 Putso {Burmese boy's dress), 69, 
 
 Railway, Rangoon to Man- 
 
 dalay, 230, 275. 
 Rawhngs, Mr. R., 100, 102, 112. 
 Rehgion, Teaching of, in school, 
 
 126. 
 Reports, Publication of, 289. 
 Revision of Burmese Prayer 
 
 Book, 278. 
 Rhys Davids, F. W., 275. 
 Roberts, Lord, 235. 
 Roman Catholics, 15, 66, 78, 
 
 177, 289. 
 
 Salisbury, Lord, iii, 211. 
 
 Sal ween, 47, 53. 
 
 Saw Khd, 246. 
 
 Saya-daw-gyi {chief monk), 265. 
 
 Say a Mat Kyoung-tha {Dr. 
 
 Marks' pupils), 132. 
 S. Byu (Hsin b^'-u ma shin ?), 
 
 297. 
 Schoolmaster, Dr. Marks as, 29. 
 Scott, Sir James George, 236. 
 Shaw, Mr., 225, 296, 299. 
 Shears, Rev. A., 55, 60, 71. 
 Shway Yoe, 236. 
 Shwe Dagon, 281. 
 Shw6 Bwin, Mg., 243. 
 Shwe Hman, Ko, 236, 246, 
 Shwe Koo, Prince, 193, 304, 
 Shweda Kyoung, 231. 
 Siam, King of, 273. 
 Sladen, Sir Edward B., 90, 157, 
 
 163, 192, 200, 229, 231, 252, 
 
 276, 278. 
 Society for the Propagation of 
 
 the Gospel (S, P. G.). 2, 39, 
 
 123, 212, 238. 
 S. P. C. K., 214, 27B. 
 Spearman, Lieut. H. R., 112. 
 St. Andrew's School, Thayet- 
 
 myo, 119. 
 St. Augustine's College, Canter- 
 bury, 93, 157, 208. 
 St. Barbe, Mr., 224. 
 St. John's College, Rangoon, 4, 
 
 33, 35, 112, 117, 124. 189, 234, 
 
 243- 
 St. Luke's School, Toungoo, 85. 
 St. Mary's School for Girls, 
 
 Rangoon, 134. 
 St. Mary's, Oxford, 93. 
 St. Matthew's Church, Maul- 
 
 mein, 70. 
 St. Peter's School, Henzada, 1 1 5. 
 Strachan, Right Rev. Bishop, 
 
 35, 95. 141, 234. 
 
 306 
 
Index 
 
 ^trover. Captain G., 200, 290, Tucker, Rev. Prebendary, 238. 
 
 291, 292. 
 Supaya gal6, 220. 
 Supaya gyi, 200, 227. 
 Supaya lat, 219, 223. 
 Surpliced choir controversy, 109. 
 
 Tait, Archbishop, 4, 82, 212. 
 Talaings, 52. 
 
 Talboys Wheeler, J., 276, 278. 
 Tavoy and Mergui, Dr. Marks 
 
 Chaplain of, 116, 235, 237. 
 Teak, 54. 
 Tenasserim, 53. 
 Thagara Prince, 193, 290. 
 Than-daw-zin {herald), 257. 
 Thathana-baing {Superior- Gen- 
 eral of the Buddhist monks), 22. 
 Thayetmyo, 112, 118, 144, 191. 
 Thibaw, King, 4, 12, 35, 193, 
 
 218 et sqq., 295. 
 Thonzai Prince, 156, 251. 
 Thooria, 12, 230, 
 Thompson, Sir Rivers, 115, 213. 
 Thug, Adventure with a. 65. 
 Tickell, Colonel, 65. 
 Titcomb, Rt. Rev. Jonathan 
 
 Holt, S2, 116, 141, 143, 215, 
 
 233. 
 " Tom Brown's School Days," 
 
 32, 77. 
 Tonzan {custom), 133. 
 Toungoo. 118. 
 " Town Church," 107, 109, no, 
 
 115. 
 Tracts, Distribution of, 273, 
 
 281, 283. 
 Translation of Prayer Book, 74, 
 Trew, Rev. J., 170. 
 Tsalwi {Burmese Order), 173. 
 
 266, 275. 
 Tsan Hla Oung, 173. 
 
 Tydd, W. B., 236. 
 
 University of Rangoon (pro- 
 posed), 26. 
 Upper Burma, 10, 144, 155. 
 
 Vallings, Rev. F. R., 70, 76, 
 
 91, no, 269, 277. 
 Vicars, Captain Hedley, 72. 
 Victoria, Queen, 167, 170, 183, 
 
 207. 
 Volunteer movement, 35, 37, 
 
 235. . 
 
 " War Prince," 148. 
 
 War, Burmese, 50, 227. 
 
 Warminster, 100. 
 
 Warren, Rev. C, 95, 106, 112, 
 
 118, 124, 180, 212. 
 Wilberforce, Rt. Rev. S., Bishop 
 
 of Oxford, 100. 
 Williams. Dr. C. B. (Dr. W.). 
 
 275, 296. 
 Wilson, Dr., Bishop of Calcutta, 
 
 78. 107. 
 Windley, Rev. T. W., 212. 
 Wood, Hon. Charles (Viscount 
 
 Halifax), 97, 99. 
 Woodrow, Mr., Director of 
 
 Public Instruction, 77. 
 Wootton, H. W., 211. 
 Wylie, Mrs. Macleod, 153. 
 
 Yaw-atwin-wun {Minister of the 
 
 Interior), 204, 279. 
 Y6-nan-kyoung, 161. 
 Yittana thSn ba {three jewels), 
 
 176. 
 Yowng {boy's top-knot), 69, 
 
 Zalun, 117, 189. 
 Zayat {rest-house), 55. 
 
 307 
 
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