BURMAJSTS FAITH IN HIS CHARMS 241 



able to gather, is to obtain an appointment in Government 

 service, even though it should only be a minor appointment, 

 such as a clerkship or a court-peon's billet on fifteen to twenty 

 rupees per mensem. To be in possession of a gun and an 

 unlimited supply of ammunition is also one of his dearest 

 hopes, although the taking of life in any form is forbidden 

 in their religion Buddhism. The recent attack upon the 

 Mandalay fort had no political significance whatever, although 

 nearly all the men concerned, some ten or eleven, were either 

 killed or executed ; the conspiracy originally promulgated 

 and led by a fanatical ex-pongyi, or priest, who thought himself 

 bullet-proof, and who was accompanied by a few idiots simi- 

 larly affected, labouring under the impression that they were 

 going to take the palace and drive the British from Mandalay. 

 Such an action is quite typical of Jack Burman, who is really 

 a very inoffensive fellow, but easily beguiled into believing 

 anything, especially when it emanates from the mouth of one 

 of their priests, who, however, do not now appear to have the 

 same power over the people as when King Theebaw sat on 

 the throne. The faith of the Burman in his charms is beyond 

 all conception. He will wear a piece of silver about the size 

 of a sixpence perforated in two places and secured round his 

 forehead with a piece of string, in the firm belief that by so 

 doing he has made himself invulnerable to bullets or steel. 

 A number of Burmans and Shans have also circular pieces of 

 silver or metal charms inserted beneath the skin of either arm 

 for the same purpose. 



I remember very well on one occasion when out on 

 tour through the district of Katha, putting to shame some 

 pongyis or priests before a large gathering of villagers. 

 A priest approached me while I was having breakfast in 

 a "zayat" or rest-house, and said that he had heard that 

 I could shoot, and that he wanted to see whether I could 

 perforate with a shot from my revolver a white handkerchief 

 hung up at thirty paces. Certain charms in his possession, he 

 informed me emphatically, would prevent my being able to 

 do so. This distance being just a few paces too long for 

 straight shooting with any degree of certainty, I stipulated 

 that it might be lessened by ten paces, adding that distance 



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