Shafts from an Eastern Quiver.
IX.—MAW-SAYAH: THE KEEPER OF THE GREAT BURMAN NAT.
By Charles J. Mansford, B.A.
"
he fine points of an elephant, sahib," said our guide Hassan, "are a colour approaching to white, the nails perfeetly black, and an intact tail."
"I am glad to hear that an elephant has some qualities which recommend it," said Denviers, good-humouredly. "I should think that the one upon which we are riding is about as lazy as it is possible to be. I suppose slowness is an unusually cood point, isn't it, Hassan?" The Arab, who was sitting before us on the elephant, gave it a stir with the sharply-pointed spear which he held in his hand to urge it on, and then glancing back at us, as we reclined lazily in the cushioned howdah, he said inquiringly: "Are the sahibs tired already of travelling thus? Yet we have fully two hours' journey before us."
"Hassan," I interposed, "this is a good opportunity for you to tell us exactly what you heard about that Maw-sayah when we were at Bhamo. It is in consequence of that, indeed, that we are going to try to get among these strange Kachyens: but as we are not quite sure of the details, you may as well repeat them."
"The sahih shall be obeyed," responded our guide, and although careful to keep a good watch in front, he turned his body slightly towards us as he prepared to begin the narrative.
"The sahib shall be obeyed."
On reaching Burmah we stayed for several days in Rangoon, the Queen of the East as it is called nowadays, although only remarkable formerly for its famous monasteries of Talapoins and as a halting-place for the bands of pilgrims on their way to the mighty Shway Dagohn pagoda. Thence we journeyed up the Irawaddy, and having duly paid reverence to some of the nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine pagodas of Pagan—the outcast slaves of which city seemed a strange contrast to its otherwise absolute desertion—we continued our journey by steamer as far as Mandalay. Having endured the doubtful pleasure of a jaunt in a seatless, jolting bullock-carriage—the bruises from which were not easily forgotten—we eventually reached Bhamo, where Hassan entered
