Chapter I: Front Matter

FROM EDINBURGH
TO INDIA AND BURMAH

FROM EDINBURGH TO
INDIA & BURMAH

BY
W. G. BURN MURDOCH

Author of
"From Edinburgh to the Antarctic," "A Procession of the
Kings of Scotland," etc.

_WITH TWENTY-FOUR FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOUR
FROM PAINTINGS BY THE AUTHOR_

LONDON
GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, LTD.
NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & CO.

_TO_
ST. C.
C.

Contents

CHAP. I

Introducing these Digressions.
Point of Departure.
Edinburgh Street Scenes.
Flying Impressions from the Train
to
LONDON.

Street Scenes there -- The Park and Regent Street.
The People in the Streets.
Our Royalties gone, and Loyalty -- going.
Piccadilly Circus by Night, and Mount Street. pp. 1-8

CHAP. II

London to Tilbury, and the Platform at Victoria Station.
The Embarkation on a P. & O.
A Bugle Call.
The luxury of being at sea.
The Bay, and
"Spun Yarns" on to 9-18

CHAP. III

Orpheus and the Argo and the Sirens in heavy weather.
Down the Portugese Coast.
High Art in the Engine-Room.
Our People going East.
A Blustery Day, and the Straits of Gibraltar.
Gib and Spain, and "Poor Barbara." 19-26

CHAP. IV

A Blue Day at Sea, and Castles in Spain.
A Fire Alarm, and A Dummy Dinner.
The Beautiful French Lady.
Marseilles and the Crowd on the Wharf.
_Bouillabaisses_, and Rejane, and Cyrano, etc.,
and the head of a Serang for a tail-piece. 27-34

CHAP. V

About the Crowd on Board, and the discomfort of a voyage
first class -- British types -- Reflections
on the Deck and on the Sea -- of
Sky, and People, and of things in general.
A P. & O. yarn, Old Junk, or Chestnut.
Respectability and Art.
It gets warm -- The Punkah Infliction.
Egypt in Sight, and the Nile Water.

Port Said and its Inhabitants -- Jock Furgusson and Ors.
Corsica, Sardinia, Lipari Islands, Stromboli, Crete,
and The Acts of the Apostles. 35-45

CHAP. VI

The saddest thing in Egypt -- Dancing in the Canal, and
the Search-light on the Desert -- The fizzling hot blue
Red Sea, and digressions about rose-red Italian wine, &
Ulysses, and Callum Bhouie, and Uisquebaugh. 46-53

CHAP. VII

Is still about the Red Sea -- "The Barren Rocks of Aden,"
and small talk about small events on board -- a fancy
dress dance, and sports, and so on to BOMBAY. 54-62

CHAP. VIII

Is -- without apologies -- of first impressions of India;
and about the landing and entertainments of their Royal
Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales -- Great
people and little people, and their affairs; Royal
Receptions to snake-charmers -- Illuminations,
Gun-firing, and the Bands playing God save the King --
Edward the --? 63-74

CHAP. IX

This chapter continues to deal with splendid Royal Shows,
and there is the precis of a dream of a Prince and an
A.D.C., who correct the Abuses of the Privileges of the
Royal Academies. 75-84

CHAP. X

And this is about the arrival of Lord Minto, and the
departure of Lord Curzon, and the Tomasha connected
therewith; Vice-regal Receptions, and Processions, and
more band playing, and gun-firing. 85-101

CHAP. XI

Chronicles small beer -- things about books and little
Indian beasts and natives, and there is another
digression to the subject of "English _v._ British
Union, and the Imperial Idea," and a sail over the Bay
with a piratical (looking) crew, to the caves of
Elephanta. 102-111

CHAP. XII

Is a somewhat lengthy drawn-out chapter about a train
journey from Bombay up the Western Ghats, and down south
on the Deccan (Dekkan) Tableland to Dharwar -- Rather a
"carpet-bag chapter," to quote Professor Masson. 112-122

CHAP. XIII

Dharwar.
My Brother's Bungalow.
Life in a small Station.
The Club.
Duck-shooting 123-135

CHAP. XIV

A letter on the subject of DUCK -- And a Cholera Goddess.
136-144
CHAP. XV

Last evening at Dharwar, then notes in the train south to
Bangalore. 145-149

CHAP. XVI

Is of notes and sketches about things you see in
Bangalore. 150-156

CHAP. XVII

Is of a long journey for a small shoot -- Life on the
Railway Line, and a letter about SNIPE.

Our day's shoot is cut in two by the Royal Procession, and
we go to the Embassy, then to jail, and make a picture
of the Bazaar by lamplight, and discourse on the subject
of music with the Maharajah of Mysore. 157-173

CHAP. XVIII

Is about the Maharajah's Palace at Mysore -- To
Seringapatam in Trollies -- Remarks about the Siege,
mosquitoes, and landscape -- Back to Mysore, and Dinner
on the Track. 174-185

CHAP. XIX

Channapatna Village, and a free tip to artists -- Our Camp
in a railway siding in "beechen green, and shadows
numberless" -- Thoughts of Madras and the Ocean again --
How we rule India, and _ghosts_ on the railway track --
A Bank in India, and about cooking, and the Indian
squirrel or Chip-monk -- The Maharajah -- Red
Chupprassies -- The Museum, and Ants, etc., etc. 186-196

CHAP. XX

_En route_ for Madras -- A plague inspection in the grey
of the morning -- Madras and blue southern ocean,
through Tamarisks, and the silvery Cooum and fishermen
seine-netting on the strand -- The Race-course -- The
Old Fort of the Company -- Dinner at the Fort, and the
people we saw there; and of those we remembered who once
lived there -- A Digression from Crows to ancient Naval
Architecture, and the new Order of Precedence. 197-209

CHAP. XXI

A delightful Fishing Day -- Surf Rafts. -- Making Calls --
Boating on the Adyar River -- A Sunday in Madras
Churches, and on a Surf Raft -- End of the Year. 210-220

CHAP. XXII

1st JAN. 1906. -- Call at Government House -- The Fort
again -- More about Surf Rafts -- Lord Ampthill's
Government House Reception -- Nabobs and nobodies. --
Fireworks and pretty dresses, and the band playing. 221-226

CHAP. XXIII

Out of Madras, and on the blue sea again, bound West to
Burmah -- Packed with Natives -- An unsavoury Passage
Ruskin's English and Native Essayists. 227-231

CHAP. XXIV

GOLDEN BURMAH, and the Golden Pagoda -- a gymkhana dance
-- Sketching at the Pagoda entrance -- Various races --
Bachelor's quarters -- The Shan Camp -- Princesses and
Chieftains, and their followings -- Mr Bertram Carey,
C.I.E. -- The peace of the platform of The Shwey Dagon
Pagoda. 232-244

CHAP. XXV

"The Blairin' trumpet sounded far," and the Prince comes
over the sea, and lands at Rangoon -- Receptions and
processions; pandols, shamianas; and Royal Tomasha --
Illuminations at night on the Lake, and the Royal Barges
-- Song about Our King Emperor -- We start for Mandalay
by river-boat up the IRRAWADDY. 245-250

CHAP. XXVI

The Flotilla Co. -- Bassein-Creek mosquitoes --
Searchlight fantasies fairy-like scenes on the river by
night and day -- Up stream on a perfect yacht -- Past
perfectly lovely villages and scenes -- The Nile nowhere
-- Mr Fielding Hall -- Riverside delights -- Prome --
Pagodas -- The Prince comes down the river. 251-263

CHAP. XXVII

THAYET MYO, 20th Jany. -- It gets cooler -- Thoughts of
big game -- Watteau trees -- Sweet pea dresses --
Country scenes -- Popa Mountain -- The Fanes of Pagan --
A little about shooting and geese -- and the pleasures
of the river life to end of chapter. 264-275

CHAP. XXVIII

The shore at Mandalay -- The Queen's (Supayalat) golden
Kioung or Monastery -- Street scenes -- THE ARRAKAN
PAGODA, and scenes for a Rubens or Rembrandt -- The
Mecca of this Eastern Asia -- Burmese women bathing -- A
Burmese harper -- The Phryne in hunting green kirtle --
Mingun and the pagoda that was to have been the biggest
in the world, and the 90-ton bell -- Mr Graham's house
-- Life on S.S. "Mandalay" at the Mandalay shore -- King
Thebaw's Palace. 276-293

CHAP. XXIX

Away to Bhamo!

Off again -- In a cargo steamer up river to the end of the
Empire this way -- The markets on board and Burmese life
-- Changing views, flowers, sunlight and swirling river
-- Fishing -- Geese -- Painting -- Cascades of beautiful
people, Snipe-shooting, and more fishing. 294-302

CHAP. XXX

Anchor up -- Mist on the river -- "Stop her" -- Pagodas
and cane villages -- Fishing with fly; A 35-lber -- The
Elephant Kedar Camp -- Animal life on the river banks --
We go aground -- The crew strike work -- We get away
again -- Kalone to Katha. 303-313

CHAP. XXXI

Sunshine and haar -- Children of Cleutha -- Moda -- Girls
and old ladies of Upper Burmah -- We meet a Punitive
Expedition, Sikhs and Ghurkas under a Gunner-Officer
returning from Chin hills to Bhamo -- Fog banks and the
second Defiles -- Jungle scenery -- Shans and Kachins at
Sinkan -- We go shopping on an elephant at BHAMO --
China Street -- A Chinese gentleman's house -- The Joss
House -- Painting in a Chinese crowd -- Marooned. 314-327

CHAP. XXXII

The D.-C. Bungalow -- Roses, orchids, and "The Mystery." 328-330

CHAP. XXXIII

Many pages, lengthy, descriptive, of an expedition in
canoes, and on elephant back through pucca jungle to
shoot snipe, and of our entertainment in the evening at
the Military Police Fort, with Kachin dances in
moonlight -- A Review of Kachin native police. 331-342

CHAP. XXXIV

Preparations for our pilgrimage into China -- Our
servants, ponies, and live stock -- On the Road -- From
Bhamo to the back parts of China -- The first
Rest-House. 343-347

CHAP. XXXV

Kalychet -- A mid-day halt and Mahseer fishing -- Views in
the Kachin Highland Forests -- Rivers -- "Seven bens and
seven glens" -- Caravans on the track -- The Taiping
river -- A Spate -- Fishing 348-357

CHAP. XXXVI

"On the Water" continued -- Nampoung -- The edge of the
Empire -- Six to seven thousand feet up, and cold at
night. 358-362

CHAP. XXXVII

Nampoung river -- A fish in the bag, a cup, and a pipe, by
the river side -- We wade into China -- Meet the Chinese
army and wade back -- Another cast in the Taiping -- "G"
collects many orchids -- From Kalychet to Momouk --
Riding in the sun in the morning and back to the plains
alas! A pleasant evening with the Military Police. A
study of a Kachin beauty, and of an average type of
Upper Burmese girl -- Good-bye Bhamo -- Paddling down
the Irrawaddy -- More river-side notes -- A.1. shooting,
to the writer's mind -- The Luxury of a Cargo Boat of
the Flotilla Company -- Deep Sea Chanties, and Mandalay
again. 363-379

CHAP. XXXVIII

We drop from the comfort of the Cargo Steamer to the
comparative discomfort of the train at Rangoon --
Another plaguey inspection -- Another joyous embarkation
on another B.I. Boat -- Calcutta -- Benares and its
Ghats; after the Golden Beauty of Burmah! -- Street
scenes and riverside horrors -- A muddle of indecencies
and religions -- A superior Fakir's portrait --
333,000,000 gods -- An artist's private deductions --
_Les Indes sans le British_ -- Delhi and Agra. 380-391

CHAP. XXXIX

India generally speaking, as a preamble to several pages
about Black Buck shooting.

The Taj Mahal not described -- Sha Jehans portrait. 392-401

LIST OF COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS
BY
AUTHOR AND "G."

_By Author_

Ayah and Child _Frontispiece_
A Glimpse of the North Sea _to face page_ 4
Piccadilly Circus, by Night 8
A Spanish Woman 26
A Cafe, Port Said 44
Aden, and Fan-sellers 58
Waiting for Carriages after Reception at 79
Government House, Bombay
Lord Minto's Landing in India 92
A Reception in Government House, Bombay. 98
Sailing from Elephanta 111
An Indian Tank 151
A Street Corner, Bangalore 171
Entrance to the Shwey Dagon Pagoda, Rangoon 237
H.R.H. Prince and Princess of Wales 249
landing at the Boat Club, Rangoon
A Burmese Harpist 284
A Priests' Bathing Pool 302
A Chinese Joss House 324
A Kachin Girl 370
A Girl of Upper Burmah 372
A Fakir at Benares 387
A Delhi Street Scene 390

_Illustrations by "G_."

A Sacred Lake near Rangoon 244
Sunset on the Irrawaddy 251
Mid-day on the Irrawaddy, distant Ruby Mountains 298