man is carnal, half of it mouth and jaw. There are a
number of Madrasis and Coringhis, blackrskinned and
aboriginal in type. One of them is a woman with
much of the physical beauty of her race; but she is
scarcely one degree removed from the savage, her nose
pierced with jewellery and her ears distorted by its
weight out of all human semblance. O The steamer clerk
is a Surati, of aneemic appearance and rude hectoring
manner; the serang and crew are sleek Chittagonians
with oiled hair and beards. There are Chinamen in
black calico and - soft felt hats, who sit in a group by
themselves and smoke cigarettes, and there is a crowd
of Burmese passengers. These good people neither
jabber gutturally like the Madrasis, nor hector like the
steamer clerk, nor go naked like the Chetti. Most
of them carry umbrellas and wear silk ; the old men
are calm and dignified; the young men humorous and
genial; the women are self-possessed, and on this
occasion preoccupied with babies, one of whom is a
jovial character about half a year old, with black eyes,
intelligent but fathomless, and a skin that is almost
white.-
And thus, in the midst of this motley company, I
come to the end of my water journey, at a village some
six miles distant from Pegu. At this season the launch
can go no farther. From here a straight road cleaves
its way through the level rice-fields, and past a wide
mere in which black buffaloes wallow, and wild duck
find a home. It brings me in the late evening to Pegu,
boring its dusty way through the ruined walls of the
746
The Canal to Pegu
ancient city. And here, where of old great armies
went forth, and kings upon their litters, a few tired
people enter now, unquestioned.