2i6 SPORT AND TRAVEL 



A few months before my arrival a tiger came on 

 to the terrace from the jungle, and, frightened by 

 the worshippers, climbed to one of the ledges half- 

 way up the pagoda tower. It was shot there by a 

 British officer and a life-sized model placed on the 

 spot ; for the people, once the animal was dead, had 

 turned on the officer whom in their terror they had 

 summoned to shoot it, and accused him of killing 

 the good nat, or protecting spirit of the pagoda. 



The terrace, which is nine hundred feet in length, 

 contains hundreds of minor shrines and idols, be- 

 fore which candles are continually burning and wor- 

 shippers constantly kneeling in prayer. Their de- 

 votions do not, however, in any way interfere with 

 the countless crowds moving at all times about the 

 terrace, which constitutes the popular promenade 

 of all Rangoon. The pagoda itself is said to contain, 

 among other holy relics, eight hairs from the head 

 of the Buddha, or Gawdama, as he is called in Bur- 

 mese, once given by him to a Burmese deputation. 

 In the almost countless years of its existence it has 

 frequently been regilt, but as the amount of gold-leaf 

 necessary for this process is alone worth some ten 

 thousand pounds sterling, to say nothing of the 

 labor involved, it is not a work which can be under- 

 taken as often as the pagoda's outward appearance 

 might seem to justify. A pious Burman will often 



