A Civil Servant in Burma. Sir Herbert Thirkell White
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Sir Herbert Thirkell White
A Civil Servant in Burma
Published by Good Press, 2019
EAN 4057664607928
Table of Contents
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY: A RETROSPECT AND SOME COMPARISONS
CHAPTER II EARLY YEARS AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS
CHAPTER III THE FIRST SUBDIVISION: THE SECRETARIAT
CHAPTER IV SOME ASPECTS OF BURMESE LIFE AND CHARACTER
CHAPTER VI THE SECRETARIAT: THE LAST SUBDIVISION
CHAPTER VII THE TAKING OF MANDALAY
CHAPTER VIII EARLY DAYS AT MANDALAY
CHAPTER IX LORD DUFFERIN’S VISIT: MANDALAY ONCE MORE
CHAPTER X THE FIRST YEAR AFTER THE ANNEXATION
CHAPTER XI A FEW WORDS ON BUDDHISM
CHAPTER XII UNDER SIR CHARLES CROSTHWAITE, 1887-1890
CHAPTER XIII A VISIT TO THE SHAN STATES
CHAPTER XV LOWER BURMA ONCE MORE
CHAPTER XVI MANDALAY—THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION
CHAPTER XVII THE CHIEF COURT—LAST YEARS IN BURMA
PREFACE
This is not a guide-book, or a history, or a study of manners and customs. It is a plain story of official life for more than thirty years. It does not compete with any of the books already written about Burma, except, perhaps, the monumental work of General Fytche. While pursuing as a rule a track of chronological order, I have not hesitated to wander into by-paths of dissertation and description. I could not write without attempting to give fragmentary impressions of the people and their character. As far as possible I have limited my narrative to events within my own knowledge; my judgments are based on my own observation.
I have to express my acknowledgments to the friends who have given me photographs to illustrate the book. My special thanks are due to Mr. A. Leeds, I.C.S. (retired), for a large number of characteristic and charming pictures.
H. T. W.
September, 1913.
[Pg viii]
[Pg ix]
NOTE
Burmese words are spelt according to the Government system of transliteration. Consonants have the same power as in English. Y after g combines to form a sound approximating to j: gyi = “jee”; after every other consonant it is short—my̆o. Yw is pronounced “yu.” Vowels and diphthongs have the sounds given below:
| a = | a in “Ma.” |
| e = | a in “bane.” |
| è = | e in French “père,” without any sound of r following. |
| i = | ee in “feet.” |
| o or ô = | o in “bone.” |
| u = | oo in “fool.” |
| au = | ow in “cow.” |
| ai = | i in “line.” |
| ei = | ei in “vein.” |
| aw = | aw in “law.” |
Every letter, except y after g, is sounded separately, including final vowels. Thus, lu-gale is pronounced “loo-ga-lay.” These instructions are crude and unscientific, and may excite the derision of purists. They will enable anyone to pronounce Burmese words with some approach to correctness. In the case of Shan names I have as a rule adopted the Burmese forms rather than the Shan forms in official use, which no one who does not know the language can pretend to pronounce properly.
ERRATUM.
Page 12, footnote *, for “Admiral,” read “General,” and delete “naval.”
A CIVIL SERVANT IN BURMA