( 4 ) 



roofed monasteries,* set in clumps of palms and other arborescent 

 vegetation — all illuminated by the glorious lights of an eastern 

 sunset — serve, with Mandalay hill as a back-ground, to complete a 

 picture that cannot fail to impress itself on the memories of all 

 who have been fortunate enough to view it. 



6. After leaving Eangoon, the first place we remained at 

 ' ,. , , . ., , < , sufficiently long to admit of a ramble 



Particulars of visit to Donabyoo. Qn ^^ wftg ^ neat j^ ^^ Qf 



Donabyoo, which is celebrated for the manufacture of mats made 

 from the Morantha dichotoma. The pagoda here is also celebrated, 

 I believe, and at certain seasons attracts thousands of people from 

 great distances to witness the peculiar light sometimes to be seen 

 encircling the htee. Like many other phenomena, various fanatic 

 traditions are attached to this light ; it is supposed to have some- 

 thing ominous in its nature, and that success will attend all who 

 have the good fortune to witness it. It is not improbable that 

 the halo is nothing more than what is to be seen round mast-heads 

 in northern and southern latitudes, or, perhaps, proceeds from a 

 decomposition of animal or vegetable matter, or it may be brought 

 about by the evolution of gases, which spontaneously ignite in 

 the atmosphere. But I must not give more time to a description of 

 this station : our stock of fuel has been replenished, and we are 

 off, so I proceed with my jottings further north. 



7. Between Rangoon and Zaloon the scenery is uninteresting 

 t. . ,. , , , in the extreme, though not so, per- 



Descrrption of scenery and obser- t •, . , • -n mi & o L * 



vations made between Rangoon and haps, historically. llie leatureS 01 



Zaloon. the country are in general paludosal, 



and the banks lined with tall Saccharum and Arundo grasses ; but 

 arborescent vegetation is markedly sparse. Zaloon is the northern 

 limit of tidal influence, and also that of the Pandanus odoratis. 



* The origin of these tripled-roofed monasteries will be readily understood by the 

 following quotation from the Maha ivanso, on the dedication by the Rajah Dutthaga- 

 nimni, of the Maha Thapo, in Ceylon, and which words manifest the deep signification 

 of the umbrella as a symbol of Buddha. He said : — Thrice over do I dedicate my king- 

 dom to the Redeemer of the World, the Divine Teacher, the Bearer of the Triple 

 Canopy — the canopy of the heavenly host, the canopy of mortals, and the canopy of 

 eternal emancipation." 



Yule, in his Ava, seems to coincide with Burney as to the origin of the peculiar class 

 of architecture one of the pagodas at Mengoon presents; and the interpretation of the 

 seven-roofed khyoungs may be traced to the same source I have no doubt. Referring 

 to the pagoda at Mengoon, Burney writes : — " Perhaps this structure is symbolical of the 

 great conical mountain Myen-mo (Maha-mera), surrounded by its seven concentric and 

 graduated ranges, in the centre of this sakwala or mundane system, which again is 

 encompassed by a circular wall of rock, called the saliiuala-gala — (see Hardy's Manual 

 of Buddhism, chapter I.). One of the Burmese feasts at the termination of their Wa, 

 or lent, is called T see-me-my en-mo, or Nyenmo lamp-lights. The streets are illumi- 

 nated, and in them are exhibited high, round structures : to represent Mount Myen-mo 

 covered with little figures of its spiritual inhabitants." 



