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

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A BURMESE WONDERLAND. 67
on my tour of exploration. My facts are largely
supplied by him. Though doubtless faulty in minor
details they are probably correct in the main essentials,
since they are based on palm-leaf manuscripts of which
San Shwe Bu has made an exhaustive study. What
his historical research lacks in accuracy of detail is
compensated by the genuine affection and sympathy
with which he has treated his subject.
It is absolutely impossible here to mention more
than three of the most curious pagodas of Myohaung
namely, the Andaw Thein, the Shittaung, and the
Diikhan Thein. But these must be described in some
detail since they are traversed by peculiar galleries, or
vaulted passages, and have no known prototype either
in India or Burma. The pagodas of Myohaung have
four peculiarities. Firstly, they are built of solid stone
said to have been imported from Kyaukpyu. This at
once distinguishes them from Burmese pagodas, which
(with one or two exceptions) are all of brick. The
stone is well dressed, and in some cases the blocks are
fitted together with great accuracy. Such exterior
ornament as exists, as well as all the intricate decorations
of the interiors, are carved out of the stone, and
not moulded in plaster as they are in Burma.
Secondly,
the Myohaung pagodas are fortresses, intended as
places of refuge and defence. Thirdly, they are traversed
by galleries. There are probably vaults under
most of the pagodas. Such vaults were found under
the That-cha Manaung and other monuments during