om a widely scattered circle of believers. The
columns surrounding these rooms were profusely decorated with glass
ornamentation, and the effect was startling. The Bishop in his robe of
yellow silk--the color of the Buddhist priesthood--was gracious, and
the young priests very jolly. We received several presents of long
narrow books written on palm-leaf, the text being a translation in
modern Burmese from the old Pali Bible. It is unnecessary to add that we
left compensation, the sale of said books being forbidden; hence such is
the way of evading the law!

[Illustration: _The Queen's Golden Monastery_]

[Illustration: _Karen women in Mandalay_]

This monastery contained, like the Silver Monastery, a school for
children. On our departure, an interesting little episode occurred. A
young priest draped his long yellow robe around one of the gentlemen, in
veritable Roman toga style, the right arm and shoulder being exposed.
Then one of the party took a photograph, promising to send a copy to the
monastery.

The support of the Buddhist monasteries depends on charity, and a
procession of priests from each monastery goes about with mendicant
bowls or baskets, each morning soliciting food and fruit, everything
being placed in one receptacle. Rice, however, is the principal
contribution.

We also visited the Aindaw-Yah Pagoda, the oldest in Mandalay. This is
entirely gilt, from base to spire, and presents an imposing appearance.
It is surrounded by a large square or platform on which are placed
various other shrines containing small images of Buddha.

The cause of there being so many pagodas in Burma is that thereby the
builder gains renown and paves the way for greater happiness in a future
state. For the above reason the pagoda is seldom repaired. The builder
desires to be approached as "the builder of a pagoda," and invariably
addresses his wife as "O wife of a pagoda builder." Architecturally the
pagoda, in general, may be described as having a spire, massive
throughout, rising from a circular, square, or octagonal base, in a
succession of tiers or circles, of which the upper is always narrower
than the one beneath it.

The principal industry of Mandalay is the weaving of silk, for which it
is very celebrated, and a visit to the bazar was most interesting.
Unlike the bazars previously described, this was a large, high building,
filled with aisles and furnished with long tables, at the back of which
sat the saleswome