Burmese Sketches - Khamkoo

2o8
BURMESE SKETCHES.
The Sage accordingly stopped on the top of a hill, which is
now called Dangyidaung oo^(ra(^GooD6'i " the stopping and
looking hill." So much for the derivation of the name, Po U
Daung. Let me now describe our ascent.
Our serpentine path lay through a newly cultivated orchard
abounding in sweet smelling flower trees. It is a mere footpath
winding along the sides of the intervening hills and formed
by cutting out little terraces with a mattock. Our knee joints
being somewhat stiffened with the cold of the morning, our
ascent at first proved to be arduous. However, with bodies
bent forward and our tired legs almost trailing behind us, we
struggled on till we descried the pagoda a few feet from us.
The Po U Daung hill is crowned with an immense alms-bowl-
like piece of rock, which the people here call the €|goo^3^8g30o8s
or " the cap of the hermit.'* On this rock a platform of
brick is raised to the height of some 20 feet. Again on the
platform thus made, the Po U Daung Pagoda is built. It is a
shrine about 30 feet high : its form and architecture bespeak
of its being the handiwork of Talaing masons or at least architects
from the maritime provinces. Near it, there are two
smaller recently built pagodas and an image-house, which
bears date 1236, Burmese era, or 1874 ^' D-
In this image-house, Gotama is represented in a standing
posture, with the forefinger of his right hand pointing towards
Prome, and Ananda, his beloved disciple, in a praying attitude,
begging the Sage to explain his oracle more fully. On the
platform we noticed that there was only one bell bearing he
date 1226 B. E. corresponding to 1864 A. D., and that in the
image house there was an asseveration stone, which, by becoming
lighter or heavier, could indicate the success or failure of
the undertaking of a pious votary who held it in his hands.
We rambled about on the narrow platform to see some curiosities
that might be found there, but curiosities in an archaeo-
logical sense, we could find none. In this perplexity, a friend
of mine suggested that we might clamber up the bell shaped
part of the pagoda and see what we could. We did so ; and
our trouble was more than repaid by the glorious scenery which
presented itself to our view. At that time, the early sun had
arisen and was not powerful enough as yet to dispel the light
mist enveloping the hill on the western side. A cool, bracing
mountain breeze had just sprung up and blew against our faces.
To the east of us, far away near the horizon lies the Eastern
Yoma to which is attached a glamour of mythology and history.
Closer lie the villages where ** peace and plenty cheer the