BIRMAN EMPIRE. 



527 



Birman They tattoo their thighs and arms with various fan- 

 Empire, tastic shapes and figures, which they consider as a 

 s - v ' powerful charn. against the weapons of their enemies. 

 The women, especially in the northern part of the 

 empire, are fairer than the Hindoo females ; but they 

 are not so delicately formed, and, in general, they are 

 inclined to corpulency : their hair is black, coarse, 

 and long. At an early age, the girls are taught to 

 turn their arms in such a manner as to make them 

 appear distorted. When the arm is extended, the 

 inside of the joint is protruded, and the external part 

 bends inwards. Neither the men nor the women are 

 so cleanly in their persons as the Hindoos, among 

 whom diurnal ablution is a religious and moral duty. 

 Character ^ n g enera '' the character of the Birmans forms a 

 striking contrast with that of the natives of India, from 

 whom they are separated only by a narrow range of 

 mountains ; and yet, notwithstanding the small extent 

 of the barrier, the physical difference between them 

 could scarcely have been greater if they had been si- 

 tuated at the opposite extremities of the globe. The 

 Birmans are a lively, inquisitive, intelligent race ; and, 

 at the same time, active, irascible, and impatient. In 

 some respects they display the ferocity of barbarians, 

 and in others all the softness, humanity, and tender- 

 ness of polished society. They inflict the most sa- 

 vage vengeance on their enemies ; as invaders, deso- 

 lation marks their steps, for they spare neither age 

 nor sex : but in their own country they assume a dif- 

 ferent character ; then they manifest the spirit of be- 

 nevolence, and extend their aid to the sick, the in- 

 firm, and the aged. In this country beggars are ne- 

 ver seen ; for if any individual is unable to procure 

 sustenance by his own labour, it is provided for him 

 by others. Filial piety is inculcated as a sacred du- 

 ty, and its precepts are religiously observed, 

 llouttj. The private houses of the Birmans are constructed 



of very simple and cheap materials. The use of 

 brick, or stone, is prohibited by government, so that 

 they are constructed of wood ; but, in other respects, 

 they are built with sufficient attention to convenien- 

 cy, and are all raised from the ground, either on 

 wooden posts, or bamboos, according to the size of 

 the building. In consequence, however, of the houses 

 being constructed of such combustible materials, the 

 inhabitants are under continual apprehension of fire, 

 against which they take every precaution. The roofs 

 are lightly covered ; and, at every door, there is a 

 long bamboo, with an iron hook at the end of it, to 

 pull down the thatch. There is also another pole, 

 with an iron grating at the extremity, to suppress 

 the flames by pressure ; and almost every house has 

 earthen pots filled with water, standing ready upon 

 the roof ; and a number of firemen patrole the streets 

 during the night, to put out all fires and lights af- 

 ter a certain hour. The art of masonry has not, in 

 late ages, been much cultivated among the Birmans, 

 as their wooden structures have superseded the solid 

 buildings of brick and mortar ; and it is a singular 

 circumstance, that though well constructed arches of 

 brick are still to be seen in many of the ancient tem- 

 ples, yet native workmen are no longer able to turn 

 them. 

 B*eis. '^ ne cour t dress of the nobles i3 represented as 



very becoming. Jt consists of a long- robe of flower- 



Birman 

 Empire. 



ed satin, or of velvet, reaching to the ankles, with 

 an open collar, and loose sleeves. Over this there is 

 a scarf, or flowing mantle, which hangs from their 

 shoulders ; and on their heads they wear high caps 

 of velvet, either plain, or of silk- embroidered with 

 flowers of gold, according to the rank of the ownert 

 Ear-rings are worn by the men, and some persons of 

 condition use tubes of gold, about three inches long, 

 and as thick as a large quill, which expands at one 

 end like the mouth of a trumpet ; others wear a heavy 

 mass of gold, beaten into a plate, and rolled up. This 

 lump of metal forms a large orifice in the lobe of the 

 ear, and drags it down by its weight to. the extent of 

 two inches. Men of rank wear, in common dress, 

 a tight coat, with long' sleeves, made of muslin, or of 

 very fine nankeen, and a silk wrapper that encircles 

 the waist. The working class are usually naked to 

 the middle ; but, in cold weather, they sometimes 

 make use of a mantle or vest of European cloth. 

 When women of quality go abroad, they wear a silk 

 sash like a long shawl, which crosses their bosom, 

 and is cast over the shoulder, so as to flow graceful- 

 ly on each side. The lowest class of females often 

 wear only a single garment, in the form of a sheet, 

 which, wrapped round the body, and tucked under 

 the arm, crosses their breasts, which it scarcely con- 

 ceals, and descends to their ankles, but in such- a man- 

 ner that the legs protrude from under it when they/ 

 attempt to walk. Women in full dress stain the. 

 palms of their hands and their nails of a red colour, 

 by means of a vegetable, juice, and strew on their bo- 

 soms powder of sandal wood, or of a particular kind 

 of bark, with which some of them rub their faces. 

 Both men and women tinge the edges of their eyelids 

 and their teeth of a black colour. 



In their food, the Birmans, compared with the Food* 

 Hindoos, are gross and uncleanly. Although their 

 religion prohibits the slaughter of animals in general, 

 yet they apply the interdiction only to those that are 

 domesticated. All game is eagerly sought after, and 

 is publicly sold in the market. Reptiles also, as 

 lizards, guanas, snakes, constitute part of the food of 

 the lower classes, and they are also extremely fond of 

 vegetables. The higher ranks live with greater de- 

 licacy, although their fare is never sumptuous. 



With regard to their various circumstances, parti- 

 cular attention is paid to the rank of the individuals. 

 In their houses, no one dare assume a mode of struct, 

 ture to which he is not legally entitled, under the 

 penalty of a most severe punishment, which is never 

 remitted. This subordination of ranks among the 

 Birmans is maintained, not only with regard to their 

 houses and dress, but even in their domestic instru- 

 ments ; the shape of their betel box, which is carried 

 by an attendant before one of noble birth wherever he 

 goes, his ear-rings, his cup of ceremony, the accou- 

 trements of his horse, and even the metal of which- 

 his spitting box and drinking cup are made. 



Among the Birmans, marriages are not contracted Marriage^, 

 until the parties attain the age of puberty. When 

 a young man wishes to marry a girl, her inotheryAr 

 nearest female relation, first makes the proposal in 

 private ; and, if it is well received, a party of his 

 friends afterwards proceed to the house of the lady's 

 parents, with whom they adjust the marriage nortioiu. 

 7 



