Burmese Sketches - Khamkoo

BURMESE SKETCHES, A> tf
I represented I had come on an inspection tour also to see the
nature and capabilities of my district. The thugyi believed
my story nolens volens 1 suppose, for all I know. He led me
to his house and gave me 3 gunny bags full of money, each
bag containing Rs. 1,000. I called for the revenue records
also, and made them over to my lieutenantj who represented
my Sayegi or Head Clerk. We chatted on while Nga Saung
went to collect more money according to the revenue accounts.
Now, in Upper Burma, the amount of the thathameda tax
paid by each household varied according to its wealth and
standing, The average rate was said to be Rs. 10 per house-
hold. But sometimes one household paid only Rs. 4 or Rs. 5
while another paid Rs. 20 or 30. Nga Saung pounced on the
wealthy households on which higher rates of the thathameda
had been assessed in the accounts. ^^ this means, he
managed to get about Rs. 5,coo more.
At last, Thibaw and his ministers could not any longer
tolerate the prevailing order of things. The Hlethin Atwin
Wun was appointed a High Commissioner of PoHce with full
powers to adopt any measures for the stamping out of dacoity.
Hearing about this, our gang escaped to Tharrawaddy, Rangoon,
and Henzada, in the guise of coolies, water-carriers,
and oil-sellers. The Atwin Wun proved a very harsh and
unrelenting magistrate. He generally summarily sentenced to
death all the dacoits captured and brought before him ; and to
produce a deterrent effect on the people he had the criminals
killed, drawn, and quartered ; and their mutilated bodies were
floated down the river on rafts of plantain trees. The smaller
fry were let off with the words ** Don't be wicked in future, be
careful " tattooed on their hands.
The Hlethin Atwin Wun reduced the country to peace and
order in September, and the English took Upper Burma in
November 1^)85. The country having thus changed hands,
we returned to our old haunts, where we resumed our old
* trade '. But the English are a brave and wise race. We
could not withstand their power long. The greater part of
my men were cut down by the mounted kalas in the Ava district,
while the rest, including myself, were captured. I know
we deserve to be shot.