XXIV PREFACE TO THE SECOND KDITIOX. 



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geo<>;raphy, tiiul etlmologj' of IJurniuli. Extracts arc givcu from Col. Pluij'rc's 

 reports indicative of a uew government policj^. From the patronage afforded 

 the Karens, Government seems disposed now to foster the upward tendencies 

 of the wild tribes in India, more than heretofore. In a political jioint of 

 view the Christianizatiou and civilization of these tribes is a matter of mvich 

 more imjjortauce than is usually given it. Recent events have proved that 

 one hundred years of British supremacy in India have not attached the 

 Brahmin and Musselman to their English rulers any nearer than they 

 were at the close of the battle of Plassy. It is equally a2)parent that 

 where the Government acts in harmony with the Missionary, a Christian 

 and civilized community is formed on the mountains, which is bound to 

 the Government bj' a common religion and a common civilization. Though 

 it may be comparatively small, it may be made, by a wise government, 

 much more powerful than would be sujoposed by merely counting the 

 heads. For instance, here is a Karen wlio keeps in his nest a Sharp's 

 rifle, and knowing that he can use it twenty-five times without jiriming 

 again, and can load it at the breech with great rapidity without any 

 extraordinary amount of coiirage, he has confidence in his arms, and feels 

 himself a match for a dozen ordinary equipped natives. Thus a small 

 population, able to avail itself of the science of the nineteenth century, is 

 of far more political imj)ortance than a tenfold larger one at the same 

 point of civilization they were in when the Greeks ruled Asia. A force 

 might be organized in the mountains that the Buddhist inhabitants of the 

 plains in the event of war would dread ; but to be efficient it must not be 

 organized after the manner of ordinary corps. To bring the Karens to fight 

 under their own chiefs must be the object, and this with judicious manage- 

 ment can be done ; but to induce them all to obey cordially a single head is 

 a work of no easy accomplishment, owing to the clannish spirit which exists 

 so strongly among them. The Mauuepghas are jealous of the Pakus. The 

 Pakus would not obey a Maunepgha Colonel, and neither would follow 

 a Bghai leader. The same difficulties exist with the Mophas, Manumanaus, 

 and Gay-khos, and until something common to all is found, they can never 

 be brought to act together. Christianity, and Christianity alone, furnishes 

 this point of union. Widely as these tribes have been separated in habits 

 and feelings for untold ages, already the enquiry is, when thej' meet a stranger, 

 not to what clan he belongs, but whether he is a, pgha-ba-yiuca-pJio, "a wor- 

 shipjjcr of Jehovah." Any attempt to bring Christians and heathen together 

 will prove a failure. The banner of the corps must be the Cross, and their 

 motto the same that led Constantino to victory. 



In Hoc Signo Vinces. 

 TouNGoo, 1860. 



