in providing the various articles required--pilasters for a balcony,
hubs for a cart-wheel, or the turned finials of a baby's cot. In a
kindred trade the wood-carver is busy producing embellishments for
the "kyoung" or "zeyat" which some wealthy resident is erecting.

Though the Burmans occasionally become drunk on "toddy" (a beverage
made from the flower of the toddy-palm), they are by habit abstemious
and simple livers; rice and vegetable curries, bananas, jack-fruit,
papaya, and other fruits, form their staple food, and, forbidden by
their religion to take life, fish is practically the only variant to
their vegetable diet, the fisherman excusing himself by saying that
"_he_ does not kill the fish: they die of themselves."

All smoke, however, and men, women and children equally enjoy their
huge cheroots, composed of the inner bark of certain trees mixed with
chopped tobacco, which are rolled into the form of a cigar in the
spathe of Indian corn or some similar husk, and no meal would be
considered to be properly set out without the red lacquer box
containing betel, which is universally chewed. Betel is the nut of the
areca-palm, and before being used is rolled between leaves on which a
little lime is spread. The flavour is astringent and produces
excessive expectoration, and, by its irritation, gives to the tongue
and lips a curious bright pink colour. Still, it is considered an
excellent stomach tonic, and so far as one can judge has no worse
effect than to blacken the teeth of the user.

Every village or town has its pagodas, which in some cases are very
numerous. The Burman spends little upon his home, which is always
regarded as of a temporary nature, and in the erection of a pagoda or
other religious building the wealthy native finds an outlet for his
energies, and earns "merit" for himself. Few of the modern village
pagodas are of any particular beauty, and I cannot but think that the
money spent upon them would be far better employed in restoring and
preserving the many beautiful and ancient temples scattered all over
the country.

In many towns is a sacred tank or reservoir, so entirely covered with
lotus and other plants that the water cannot be seen. Large fish and
turtles of great age inhabit them, but are seldom seen, on account of
the heavy screen of leaves and flowers which lies upon the surface of
the water, which, however, is often strongly disturbed as some
ungainly monster rolls or turns below