A Burmese wonderland; a tale of travel in Lower and ... - Khamkoo

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A BURMESE WONDERLAND. 43
deal. Their singing is more pleasing, more melodious,
and more ambitious than that of many a village choir
in England. They are the only Orientals who can
sing hymns without looking fooHsh—and indeed one
is quite carried away with the warm harmonies they
introduce. The handsome lads and pretty girls are as
pleasing to hear as they certainly are to look upon
and the fat, jolly children; whom I always encourage to
attend recruit meetings all over the country, were in
this case more than usually fascinating. As a social
affair the meeting was a success. I could only hope
that it would bear fruit later in the recruiting sense.
Hills so peculiar as those in this area might be
expected to be as wonderful inside as they are outside :
and this is actually the case. There are magnificent
caves near Moulmein, at
Shwegun, and at other places.
The caves near Paing-nyan are more remote, and
therefore less known, but I have rarely seen any so
imposing. They traverse the whole width of the range.
We found there a Plioongyi, who had taken up his
residence at the entrance, and who took us a little way
in. He said that further on there was water and a
strong draught of air, and that in certain places obstacles
had to be surmounted by ladders. I fancy it would be
unsafe to penetrate far into caves so Uttle known,
though natives have passed from end to end. We only
went far enough to allow my inquisitive companion
Maung Mya about ten chances of committing suicide.
After hghting torches we entered vast, lofty caverns