facture of yellow and green transparencies of perfect
design, the weaver weaves tape for binding palm-leaf
manuscripts into texts from the sacred books, the
lacquer artist paints and gilds his cabinets for the
monastery libraries. There, in short, one who would
see the Burman at work in his own way, and upon
objects meant for Burmese use, must go. There are
silver-workers and wood-carvers in Godwin Road and
other thoroughfares of the c ity ; but they cater almost
solely for Europeans.
In the Surati Bazaar there is the most “ Oriental”
part of Rangoon. In its half-lit passages, its avenues
bordered by stalls, in which the mixed populace of
traders transact their business, there is somewhat that
recalls the flavour of Smyrna and Stamboul; but it is
a little flavour only, a thing in its beginnings. Here
and there a silk-stall is kept by a daughter of the soil;
but the majority of those who wait for the custom of
the visitor are underbred Suratis with the mannerless
manners that come to Orientals under British rule. The
bazaar is owned by a company of Suratis whose enterprise
forestalled that of the City Fathers. The shares
of the Surati Bazaar Company are unpurchasable, and
their dividends reach fabulous dimensions.
It is upon the south of Rangoon that the energy of
the Municipality has long been concentrated. Enormous
areas of land which were little better than buffalo
pools half a century ago, and portions of which survived
in that capacity to within a year or two ago, have been
reclaimed at great expense, to provide for the growth
-of the city. A resolute belief in its future is one of
the best characteristics of Rangoon; and its confidence
is likely to be justified. New blocks are being occupied,
new streets are being made, new centres of life are
being opened out— parks and gardens and offices— at
TH E Y E L LOW (LA BU R N UM ) A C A C IA
this southern end of Rangoon, between the Puzun-Daung
and the Hlaing. There is a fascination in the evident
process of growth. Every year there is somewhat
added, and in ten years there is an absolute transformation.
Every time that I come back to Rangoon
I walk out to look at the new town, the new houses,
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