1868.] Dwellings, u-orlcs of art, laics, Sfc. of the Karens. 151 



In Toungoo the births and deaths, for the last four years among 

 the Christian population, show a slight increase of deaths over the 

 births, which brings us to a similar result.* These examples, it 

 must be observed, are from localities where there have been neither 

 wars nor famines in the period under review, and where the people 

 have had all the advantages of living under the protection of the 

 English Government, and have had the help of Missionaries to 

 furnish them with considerable medicine, and medical advice and 

 instruction. 



71. In the Yuneselon valley, where there have been wars and 

 consequent scarcity of provisions, the population has been very 

 greatly reduced within a quarter of a century ; and in Toungoo, 

 while I know of many villages that are reported as having been much 

 larger than they now are, I know not one that was said to have in- 

 creased, or that has apparently done so under my own observation. 



72. The people appear to be living as they have always lived. Still, 

 the southern Karens have traditions of some of their observances, 

 having been introduced by a man called Mautan ; and they have not 

 been universally adopted. There too they burn their dead, which 

 they regard as a modern custom. Tradition says they formerly buried 

 as the Toungoo Karens do now. 



74. There is no tendency to union of races. They have an aversion 

 to marrying out of their own tribe even among themselves. Still, those 

 who live near the Burmese, do occasionally form connections with 

 them. 



75. Social Relations. — The relations of the Karens to the civilized 

 nations around them, are either antagonistic, or that of tributaries. 

 The Burmese and Takings brought all under tribute in their terri- 

 tories, excepting a few tribes, and parts of tribes in Toungoo, and 

 the neighbourhood, that have succeeded in maintaining an uncertain 

 independence subject to occasional raids upon them by the Burmese, 

 who burnt and destroyed everything before them. In return, if a few 

 scattered Burmans fell among them, they seldom escaped with their 

 lives. It may be remarked in passing that bad as the Burmese 

 government is, the Karens, that have been subjected to it, are more 

 thrifty, more civilised in every respect, and live more comfortably, than 



* See Toungoo News Sheet, October, 1864. 



