428 Report on the Island of Chedooba. [No. 114. 



From his frequent indulgence in bathing, the Mug may be inferred to 

 be partial to cleanliness, but it is more with the idea of cooling his body- 

 that so much water is used, his head being seldom wetted, and on this 

 score there is room for improvement in his character, as relates to person 

 and to clothing, but especially with regard to children, whose great free- 

 dom from any confinement, calls perhaps for the greater recourse to means 

 of cleanliness in their case. 



The language of the Mug is with slight difference, the same as that 

 of his neighbour the Burmah, of which it would seem to be a mere pro- 

 vincialism, and the similarity in this, in feature, religion, and all leading 

 customs, and points of character, proclaim them both to.be the offspring 

 of one common stock. A difference in the pronunciation of certain of 

 the letters, constitutes the principal distinctions between the two lan- 

 guages, and of these distinctions, that affecting the Y and the R stands 

 first ; the Y with the Burmese is always changed into an R by the Mug. 

 The language in general use sounds uncouth and indistinct, but when 

 properly spoken is said to be otherwise ; it is difficult to acquire by 

 Europeans. 



The character again is the same as that of the Burmese, so that these 

 people have all the benefit of the productions of the Moulmein press, 

 which are printed in that character, and amongst these that of a trans- 

 lation of the whole Bible into their vernacular. Their own books which 

 treat principally of religious or philosophical subjects are impressed 

 with a style on dried leaves stitched together, and rubbed with the finer 

 produce of the Petroleum wells to preserve them ; paper is only used by 

 the district officers of different grades. The religion of the Mug is 

 that of Boodh, and in Chedooba I believe, the only exception to this, is to 

 be found in the Christian convert, who has been before mentioned ; in 

 Ramree and the main coast, Mug Mussulmans are not uncommon. 



How far the character of the Mug has been moulded by his religion, 

 or how far it is the result of mere natural constitution, is a speculation 

 well omitted here. But in the mild morality inculcated in the code, and 

 practised in the conduct of its professor, at least an adaptation of the 

 one to the character of the other is observable, beyond the common case 

 in these matters, and is both pleasing in itself, and betokens wisdom if 

 not goodness in the framer of the system ; this much may be truly said 

 in its praise, but to this is all favorable opinion I think to be limited. 

 The sanction by which its observances are enforced are absurd, and 

 unworthy the attention of a reasonable being. Its history a most childish 

 invention, and is comparatively commendable again in its freedom 



I 



