A Civil Servant in Burma

It were ungracious to close this discursive record without expressing my grateful obligations to those who worked with me in the last responsible years of my service. No Lieutenant-Governor ever had a better personal staff or more capable Secretaries. If I take leave to mention Mr. F. C. Gates,281 Mr. W. F. Rice, C.S.I., Mr. Lionel Jacob,282 Mr. R. E. V. Arbuthnot, Mr. G. F. Arnold, C.I.E., Mr. F. Lewisohn among Secretaries; Major F. J. Fraser, the late Mr. D. Shearme, Captain A. F. S. Hill, R.E., Mr. C. S. Pennell, Captain E. L. Caldecott, R.A., among officers of the personal Staff, it is not that I value less highly the loyalty and good service of their colleagues. If I were to mention Commissioners, district, and departmental officers to whom I am indebted, I must name practically the whole Commission and plagiarize many pages of the Civil List.

So after a chequered career we bade farewell to Burma, fairest and brightest of Eastern lands, the memory of whose happy people will always be enshrined in our hearts.

GLOSSARY

[Containing only Burmese words used more than once, or not explained in text or notes.]

amat = Minister.

atu-ma-shi = incomparable. “There is none like her—none.”

bein-sa = opium-eater.

bo = chief, leader.

da = a knife of any sort.

Ein-she-min = heir-apparent.

gyi = great.

hlutdaw = Council of State.

kala = barbarian, a foreigner from the West.

kappiya-taga = a lay attendant of a monastery.

kin-bya = a somewhat familiar form of address.

ko-mi = a game of cards.

ku-tho-daw = royal merit.

kyaung = monastery.

kyaung-taga = founder of a monastery.

maung = much the same as “Mr.”

min = King, lord.

mingyi = great lord, high official; in this book, one of the four chief Ministers of State.

min-laung = an embryo min.

min-tha = Prince, son of a min.

Mi-paya = Queen.

my̆o = city, town, township, circle.

my̆o-ôk = officer in charge of a township, a member of the Subordinate Civil Service.

my̆o-ôk-gavaw = My̆o-ôk’s wife.

my̆o-sa = a title of a Shan chief (in his book).

my̆o-thu-gyi = head of a my̆o or circle.

my̆o-wun = town magistrate.

nat = a spiritual being.

neik-ban—Nirvána = the state of rest.

pa-dauk = a tree yielding excellent timber and bearing lovely flowers.

pa-ya = a pagoda, a sacred image, a title of honour = lord.

pè-nin = helmsman.

pôn-gyi = a monk; literally, “great glory.”

pôn-na = Hindus of Mandalay, descendants of captives from Assam or Manipur.

pwè = an assembly, most commonly an entertainment of a dramatic nature.

pya-that = a terraced spire.

sa-daw = a monk of high position.

Saw-bwa = a title of a Shan chief.

sa-ye-daw-gyi = clerks or secretaries of the hlutdaw.

shwe = gold, golden.

Su-paya = a Princess of royal birth on both sides.

taik = a territorial division, called in English a “circle.”

taik-thu-gyi = headman of a circle.

tamein = a woman’s skirt.

taung-ya = hill-cultivation.

tha-tha-na-baing = head of the monastic Order.

thu-gyi = headman; literally, “great man.”

twet = a term applied to a monk who renounces his Order.

win = a house and grounds.

wun = an official title of varying denotation.

yo-ma = a range of hills; literally, “backbone.”

za-yat = a rest-house.

ze-gyo = the great bazaar or market at Mandalay.

1

Môk-so-bo-myo, the hunter’s city.

2

See p. 107.

3

Great or headman of the circle.

4

Principal taxpayer.

5

Headman of the village.

6

Members of the Provincial Civil Service.

7

Literally, heads of townships, members of the Subordinate Civil Service.

8

Major-General T. Lowndes, I.S.C.

9

Mr. B. Ribbentrop, C.I.E.

10

The late Sir Augustus Rivers Thompson, K.C.S.I., Lieut.-Governor of Bengal.

11

This term, formerly in ordinary use, is now obsolete.

12

Paddy is the local name for unhusked rice.

13

Gyi, great.

14

Major-General Horace Browne, I.S.C.

15

Colonel C. H. E. Adamson, C.I.E.

16

Mr. A. H. Hildebrand, C.I.E.

17

Called after General Godwin, who commanded the force in the Second War.

18

The population of Rangoon in 1881 was 134,176; in 1911 it numbered 293,316. In 1878 its trade was valued at £10,484,469, as compared with £32,040,000 in 1911 (private trade alone).

19

A Chief Commissioner, newly arrived, whose face was not yet familiar, was told by a barber in the town, in the course of his ministration, that he should try to join the gymkhana, as that was the way to get into society.

20

Afterwards of the Commission.

21

Nat, a spiritual being in Burmese mythology. For a full account of nats the curious may refer to Sir Richard Temple’s learned and sumptuous work “The Thirty-Seven Nats.”

22

This is, however, a matter of taste. A lady told me that the only thing which made it worth while to come to Rangoon was the Strand Hotel, with its general comfort and its incomparable omelette. The pagoda merely impressed her as “a messy place.” Perhaps she was only playing upon the poor Indian’s simplicity.

23

Kala is as nearly as possible barbarian, and has a connotation of contempt. It is applied by the Burmese to all foreigners from the West, Indians or Europeans. A Chinaman is a cousin, so is a Siamese. Neither of these is a kala.

24

The late Mr. G. D. Burgess, C.S.I.

25

The late Sir Charles Aitchison, K.C.S.I., successively Member of Council and Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab.

26

Maung Pe, I.S.O., K.S.M.

27

The first Viceroy was Lord Canning. Many people erroneously think that Clive or, perhaps, Warren Hastings was the first who attained that dignity.

28

Mingyi, one of the four principal ministers. Literally, great lord.

29

Mintha, prince.

30

See p. 126.

31

There is a subtlety here. Ko is one of the Burmese equivalents of Mr., more respectful than Maung.

32

Council of State at Mandalay.

33

As to grammar, Latter helped us in those early years. Students of to-day, more fortunate, have the invaluable help of Mr. Bridges’ book.

34

What it really wrote was “clearness and simplicity.”

35

Early breakfast.

36

The late Colonel F. D. Maxwell, C.I.E.

37

The late Sir Edward Spence Symes, K.C.I.E.

38

Sir Colin Scott-Moncrieff, K.C.S.I., K.C.M.G.

39

The late Sir Charles Bernard, K.C.S.I., for some years Secretary in the Revenue and Statistics Department at the India Office.

40

“Don’t let them do that, they’ll take me for a Burmese Minister,” he called out, as officious underlings were hustling some carts out of his path as he rode through Mandalay.

41

Among many mistaken appreciations of Burmese character is the notion that Burmans have no sense of gratitude. This story indicates the contrary. Since my retirement I have been touched by the frequent receipt of letters and other tokens of remembrance from Burmese friends obviously disinterested.

42

Ti, an umbrella; also the ornamental summit of a pagoda.

43

The Arakan Pagoda, as we call it, at Mandalay.

44

Sergeant or Thugyi’s wife.

45

A-pyo-gyi.

46

Tha-yet-my̆o, not the city of mangoes, as might be supposed, but the city of slaughter.

47

Streams.

48

In taungya cultivation, the farmer prepares a piece of forest-land by setting fire to the trees and undergrowth, and fertilizing the ground with the ashes. Rice and vegetables are sown broadcast. Except by careful Chins, the same piece of land is not used again till the forest growth has been renewed. It is a wasteful plan, rightly discouraged.

49

Tiger fence.

50

Da, a knife; in this case a Burmese sword.

51

Paso, lôngyi, skirts worn by Burmese men, the former of ampler size.

52

The Burmese man’s headgear.

53

Local civil officer.

54

In Mandalay, in 1886, a parvenu official was guilty of the same breach of decorum on entering my office. I made no remark at the time, but I mentioned the incident to his friends. The Prime Minister seemed surprised that the earth had not opened and swallowed up that fearful man. The offence was not repeated.

55

Now Sir John Jardine, K.C.I.E., M.P. for Roxburghshire.

56

Elephant driver.

57

Colonel William Cooke, lately Commissary-General in Madras.

58

Atwin Wun, one of the classes of Ministers, so called from being nominally employed inside (atwin) the Palace, near the person of the King.

59

As Burma was not under the Madras Government, this arrangement was anomalous and inconvenient; after the war it was abolished.

60

The late Sir Godfrey Clerk, K.C.V.O., C.B.

61

Now Colonel Sir Neville Chamberlain, K.C.B., K.C.V.O., Inspector-General, Royal Irish Constabulary.

62

Major-General Sir George Pretyman, K.C.M.G., C.B., R.A., whom I met not again till he came to succeed Sir Donald Macleod at May-my̆o, where he spent the last year of his service in command of the Burma Division.

63

Yôma, a range of hills; literally, backbone.

64

The Right Honourable Sir Henry Primrose, P.C., K.C.B., C.S.I., I.S.O.

65

The Earl of Cromer, P.C., G.C.B., O.M., G.C.M.G., K.C.S.I., C.I.E.

66

Guardians of the Royal life.

67

Sir Charles Crosthwaite, K.C.S.I.

68

Mr. C. G. Bayne, C.S.I., whose early retirement deprived the Province of an invaluable officer.

69

Sir Alfred Irwin, C.S.I., lately a Judge of the Chief Court.

70

The Myingun Prince was a son of Mindôn Min, who in the year 1867 rebelled against his father. Defeated, he fled to Lower Burma, where he continued to plan mischief. He was deported to India; later, he escaped to French territory, and lived for many years at Saigon. He was long a source of some apprehension to Government, and a likely cause of trouble; but I think for some time he has been regarded as harmless.

71

Messengers.

72

Broad hat made of bamboo.

73

Most of this paragraph is extracted verbatim from my Report on the Administration of Upper Burma in 1886.

74

Administrative Report for 1886 ut supra.

75

Ibid.

76

A woman’s skirt.

77

The late General Sir Harry Prendergast, V.C., G.C.B.

78

The late Field-Marshal Sir George White, V.C., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.M.G., G.C.I.E., G.C.V.O., O.M., Commander-in-Chief in India, the heroic defender of Ladysmith.

79

The late General Sir W. Penn Symons, K.C.B., who served with the highest distinction in Burma and India, and met a soldier’s death at Talana Hill.

80

The late Sir Edward Sladen.

81

Nephew of Sir Arthur Phayre; he died for his country in June, 1886, at Padein, near Minbu.

82

The subjoined table shows the succession of the Kings of the House of Alaungpăyá. The dates and details were gathered from the lips of Ministers in 1886:

83

Royal Herald.

84

Wun, a local official of varying rank; probably in this case about equal to a subdivisional officer.

85

Head revenue officer.

86

Major-General T. Lowndes, I.S.C.

87

Colonel C. H. E. Adamson, C.I.E.

88

Wife (in this case widow) of the chief local authority.

89

Incomparable.

90

Council of Ministers.

91

Monastery.

92

The Hill of Peace.

93

This stone disappeared the day after the occupation of Mandalay. It was never suggested that any of the force of occupation was guilty of the theft.

94

Pagoda of Royal Merit.

95

U Pe Si, C.I.E., one of the first Upper Burmans to receive a British decoration.

96

The late Mr. T. F. Fforde, of the Burma Commission, who died as Deputy Commissioner of Sagaing.

97

Queen.

98

Mintha, prince.

99

See p. 30.

100

The late Major-General R. A. P. Clements, C.B., D.S.O.

101

Major-General H. d’U. Keary, C.B., D.S.O.

102

Colonel R. M. Rainey-Robinson, C.B.

103

Horse-keepers.

104

Technically, a dacoit is one of five or more persons banded together for purposes of robbery. It has been the custom to apply the term to all our opponents in Upper Burma, after the King’s surrender. Even technically, the use was almost invariably justified.

105

Circle headman, much like a Taik-Thugyi in Lower Burma.

106

Cavalrymen.

107

P. 130.

108

The Right Hon. Sir Mortimer Durand, P.C., G.C.M.G., K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E., successively Minister at Teheran and Ambassador at Madrid and Washington.

109

The late Sir Alexander Mackenzie, K.C.S.I., Chief Commissioner of Burma, Member of Council, and Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal.

110

Sir Donald Mackenzie Wallace, K.C.I.E., K.C.V.O., best known, perhaps, as the author of the standard work on Russia.

111

Field-Marshal Lord Nicholson, G.C.B., R.E.

112

General Sir Ian Hamilton, G.C.B., D.S.O.

113

Colonel Sir Neville Chamberlain, K.C.B., K.C.V.O., Inspector-General Royal Irish Constabulary.

114

Lieutenant-General Sir Reginald Pole-Carew, K.C.B., C.V.O., M.P.

115

Palace.

116

Temporary pavilion.

117

Mr. St. Barbe had a marked turn for letters. Some of his papers may be found in the Cornhill Magazine of the seventies.

118

The late Mr. G. J. S. Hodgkinson, C.S.I., afterwards the first Judicial Commissioner of Upper Burma.

119

Now Mr. Taw Sein Ko, I.S.O., recipient of the Kaiser-i-Hind medal, Superintendent of the Burma Archæological Survey. I gratefully acknowledge much valuable help from him in the preparation of this book.

120

Messenger.

121

Raja lôg ate haiṅ

122

See p. 27.

123

See p. 126.

124

See p. 67 et seq.

125

Already mentioned, p. 125.

126

There is one more who has lived in obscurity in Rangoon for many years.

127

See p. 122.

128

Supaya means a Princess of royal parentage on both sides. Except the King’s sister, there was in Mandalay only one real holder of the title, the Pyinzi Supaya.

129

Elder royal sister.

130

Queen.

131

See p. 270.

132

See pp. 123-4.

133

See p. 210 et seq.

134

Headman of a town or circle, much like a Taik-Thugyi in Lower Burma.

135

Village headman.

136

Sir Frederic Fryer, K.C.S.I., Chief Commissioner and first Lieutenant-Governor of Burma.

137

Sir James Digges la Touche, K.C.S.I., Lieutenant-Governor of the United Provinces and a Member of the Council of India.

138

The late Mr. H. P. Todd-Naylor, C.S.I., C.I.E., Commissioner and acting Financial Commissioner.

139

Sir J. George Scott, K.C.I.E.

140

Colonel H. A. Browning, afterwards Chief Commissioner of the Andaman Islands.

141

Mr. B. S. Carey, C.I.E., Commissioner.

142

Mr. H. M. S. Matthews, C.S.I., Settlement Commissioner.

143

The late Major-General M. Prothero, C.B., C.S.I., afterwards commanding the Burma Division.

144

Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army.

145

Colonel E. T. Gastrell.

146

Bo, a chief or leader.

147

“The Pacification of Burma.”

148

See p. 106.

149

Chief of eleven hundred and fifty men. He was also called the Mobye-Sitkè-gyi.

150

Perhaps most familiar to English readers in “A Persian Passion Play”—Matthew Arnold’s “Essays in Criticism.”

151

See p. 146.

152

This solemn farce is, I think, still played. Of course, no astrology is needed. The method of calculation is explained in Sir Alfred Irwin’s learned book on the Burmese Calendar.

153

Literally, great blood-drinker, a Burmese official designation of various connotation. Tun Baw was hereditary door-keeper and custodian of the Hlutdaw building. He still survives in receipt of a modest pension for faithful service.

154

Earthen pots.

155

See p. 115.

156

Brinjal, a vegetable; jingal, a small cannon.

157

See p. 123.

158

Lord High Admiral.

159

Sir J. George Scott, K.C.I.E.

160

See p. 266. The Myowun died this year.

161

Embankment.

162

Fire-carriage.

163

Pônkan was a bogey to the people of Bhamo till it was settled, without much difficulty, by Sir George Wolseley in 1889.

164

The highest title of a Shan chief.

165

See p. 17.

166

Chief wife.

167

House and compound.

168

Advisers, ministers.

169

See p. 149.

170

Mr. A. H. Hildebrand, C.I.E.

171

Sir J. George Scott, K.C.I.E.

172

General Sir Edward Stedman, G.C.B., K.C.I.E., successively Inspector-General of Police in Burma, Quartermaster-General in India, General Officer Commanding the Burma Division, and Military Secretary at the India Office, one of the most distinguished officers of the Bengal Army.

173

Pickled tea.

174

My wife spent the hot season of 1888 at May-my̆o, the first Englishwoman who ever visited it.

175

Hein, a Shan official of about the standing of a Circle Thugyi in Burma.

176

13s. 4d.

177

See p. 45 et seq.

178

The suppleness of Burmese women is remarkable. To lean backwards and pick up with the eyelid a rupee placed on the floor is not an unknown feat.

179

Sir George White’s close connection with Upper Burma was never forgotten. When Ladysmith was relieved, the Upper Burma Club sent him a telegram of congratulation, of which we received a courteous acknowledgment, probably the only instance of an exchange of telegrams between Mandalay and Ladysmith.

180

A great deal of nonsense has been written from time to time on the subject of the Burmese custom of Shiko. A Burman coming into the presence of a superior, a monk, a member of the royal house, an official, an elder of his family, adopts an attitude akin to kneeling, and places the palms of his hands together. Placing the palms of the hands together and slightly raising them is the essence of the attitude of respect. It is a charming and graceful salutation. In European schools boys are taught to adopt instead a weird caricature of a military salute or a debased imitation of the Indian salaam, which they do ungracefully and with the ugliest effect. I do not care very much for the prostration on the floor, and think it may be overdone. I used to make people of any standing sit uncomfortably on chairs. But what objection there can be to the hands slightly lifted in reverence, a natural and beautiful action, why it should be thought more dignified to pretend to cast dust on the head in salaaming, I cannot understand. The last outrage perpetrated in school is to teach boys to stand with arms folded across their chests in the presence of their elders and betters.

181

Heads of Gaings, that is, collections of monasteries; assistants to Gaing-ôks, heads of large monastic institutions. Roughly, I think, this is a fair interpretation. In speaking of these dignitaries, I abstain from the common practice of using the nomenclature of Christian Churches. The analogies are superficial.

182

In this instance a formal document setting forth the terms of the recognition.

183

A Hindu gentleman, orthodox but emancipated, after a tour in Burma, did me the honour of dining at my table. In the course of the evening he said to me that, after seeing Burma, he thought it much to be regretted that Buddhism had not maintained itself as the prevailing religion of India.

184

One patriarchal Deputy Commissioner made a law that carts entering his headquarter town, at least by the road which passed his house, should not creak. Every cart before long carried a small pot of oil, and at a respectful distance halted while the wheels were effectively greased.