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Roads, or anything deserving that name, are wholly unknown in the lower provinces. Footpaths, indeed, lead through the woods in every direction, but requiring great toil and labour to render them applicable to military purposes : they are impassable during the rains, and are only known and frequented by the Carian [Karen] tribes, who cultivate the lands, are exempt from military service, and may be considered as the slaves of the soil, living in wretched hamlets by themselves, heavily taxed and oppressed by the Burmese authorities, by whom they are treated as an altogether inferior race of beings from their countrymen of Pegu. Those Carians, generally residing in the interior, at a distance from the large rivers, in their intercourse with one another, and in their occasional visits to the provincial towns, travel by the footpaths of the jungle ; but, except by these scattered tribes, the trade and communication between the different parts of the lower provinces are almost wholly carried on by water.
FEBRUARY 13th, 1825. Head-quarters joined the camp at Mienza, the road passing through a continued jungle interspersed with numerous and very extensive pine-gardens. Passing our post at Kemmendine, we reached the enemy's strongholds in the forest, where they had so long found refuge during the inclement season. Miles and miles of formidable stockading shewed that they were at one time resolved to check our progress at an early stage ; while numerous tracks of elephants, and other marks of a Burmhan bivouac, sufficiently denoted that they, at least, did not want numbers to dispute our passage. On reaching camp, the scene which presented itself was at once grotesque and novel ; no double-poled tent bespoke the army of Bengal, or rows of well-pitched rowties that of the sister-presidency ; no oriental luxury was here displayed, or even any of the comforts of a European camp, to console the traveller after his hot and weary march ; but officers of all ranks couching under a blanket, or Lilliputian tent, to shelter themselves from a meridien sun, with a miserable, half-starved cow or pony, the sole beast of burden of the inmate, tied or picketed in rear, conveying to the mind more the idea of a gipsy bivouac, than of a military encampment. Nothing of the pomp or circumstance of war was here apparent, nor would even the experienced eye have recognised in the little group that appeared but as a speck on the surface of an extensive plain, a force about to undertake the subjugation of an empire, and to fight its way for six hundred miles against climate, privations, and a numerous enemy.
14th. At five in the morning the drum beat to arms, and the tawdry camp speedily disappearing, a gallant line alone remained, animated by the finest feeling, and prepared to encounter every difficulty which might present itself. Our road lay through the jungle, occasionally crossing patches of rice ground, but destitute of both houses and inhabitants. The few Carian villages of the district had been destroyed, and the villagers, oppressed and cruelly treated by the Burmhan chiefs, had either fled or been driven away previous to our advance ; no vestige of their dwellings now remained. The wild hog and tiger alone escaped the general persecution, and now retained undisputed occupation of the woods and once-fertile plains. Encamped on the plain of Mhingladoon—distance eight miles. The plain is extensive, having an old tank in the centre of it, the water of which is both muddy and unwholesome.
15th. Marched at day-light, the road running through an extensive plain of rice grounds, and, generally speaking, a mere footpath, requiring much labour to make it passable for guns and waggons. We saw the remains of Carian villages, but not one inhabitant ; which was so far accounted for, by the certain information we had received of a body of the enemy being stationed at Mophee, under Maha Silwah, and occupying an old fort at that place. The march this day did not exceed five miles, owing to the weak state of the commissariat cattle, which long continued to retard our progress.
16th. Marched to Carianghoon, distance four miles, and found the village inhabited by the Carian tribe. The houses of these strange people are of the most miserable description—mere pigeon houses perched in the air on poles, with a notched stick, as the sole means of egress and ingress to the dwelling ; they are however well adapted for protecting their inmates from the ravages of the periodical deluge, and still more destructive inroads of prowling tigers, in which the woods abound. The Carians, although the quietest, and most harmless people in the world, are nevertheless of the strongest and most robust frame : the cultivation of the land in Pegu and the lower provinces, is, in a great measure, left to them; and although their numbers are very limited, such is the fertility of the soil, that they not only keep up the consumption of their own districts, but annually send large quantities of grain to the royal granaries, for the use of the less fertile provinces of upper Ava. They pay heavy taxes to government, but are free from the conscription laws, and are never called upon for military service. The women generally bear the marks of premature old age, probably from a too liberal share of the hard work falling on them, which, in more civilized countries, devolves wholly upon the male inhabitants. These people appeared heartily glad to see us, and cheerfully assisted in repairing the roads ; they also brought ducks, fowls, and other articles for sale, for which they found a ready and most profitable market. They willingly undertook to carry letters and communications from one corps of the army to another ; and no instance occurred of their having deceived or disappointed their employers. They seemed most anxious for the expulsion of Maha Silwah, from Mophee, (only five miles distant,) and gave much useful information regarding his strength and situation.
17th. The column marched in order of attack upon Mophee, and arrived in front of the old fort about eight o'clock in the morning : the advance guard immediately pushed forward to the work, and the enemy was seen rushing into the jungle in the greatest dismay and confusion. Our approach seemed to have been wholly unknown and unexpected ; we found their dinners cooking, and every thing bore the resemblance of a hasty flight. It certainly reflected no small honour on the good faith of our Carian friends, that our movements, known to so many, should have been so inviolably kept secret. An effort was made to come up with the fugitives, but without success.
18th. Halted at Mophee. Sending on a strong advance guard to Meondaga, to endeavour to communicate with Lieutenant-Colonel Godwin's detachment coming up the Lain river. The fort of Mophee is of Talien origin, and coeval with Pegu ; its site is well chosen and commanding, and, even in its present state, a few weeks' labour might make it very defensible. Inside we found the splendid mansion of Maha Bandoola, built for him when coming down to Rangoon in all the pomp of state, and with unbounded confidence of speedily returning with many a captive stranger in his train. It had not been inhabited since the Bandoola left it. Maha Silwah, also a man of high rank, had a house built for his own reception near it—it being death for a Burmese to inhabit a house of a higher order of architecture than he is entitled to, and degrading to live in one beneath his rank ; it consequently happens, that great chiefs, in travelling, have usually a house built for them at every stage, the poor villagers generally receiving very brief notice of the great man's approach ; and woe be to them and to their village, if the house is not completed when he arrives, or one bamboo of the particular order of architecture forgotten.
19th. Marched to Meondaga, distance eight miles and a half, the road tolerably good, but for the most part running through a thick jungle. We saw several Carian villages on this day's march, but the poor people had all fled on Bandoola's late advance. We could distinctly trace the several encampments of his army ; his troops had overrun the country like swarms of blighting locusts, leaving it waste and desolate wherever they had been.
Meondaga had been an extensive village, on the banks of a rivulet falling into the Lain river, about a mile distant. A piquet of Cassay horse was here stationed, which fled at our approach. Accounts now poured in from all quarters of Bandoola's having retreated from Donoobew ; no certain information could be obtained of any road across the Lain Island—on the contrary, the Carians distinctly stated, that none existed. To Sarrawah, the road was known and certain, with the additional advantage of being able to take on the provision boats many miles farther. The latter route was accordingly fixed on, not only as the best in every point of view, but as the speediest way of reaching Donoobew, should the reports of its evacuation prove incorrect, and the assistance of the column be required there.
20th. Marched seven miles and a half, to Beanlaboyah, and encamped on the banks of a dry rivulet, where, by digging a few inches, most excellent water was obtained. A strong advanced guard was pushed on to Lain, our frail conveyances and jaded cattle being unable to proceed farther, and requiring the shortest marches and greatest care to prevent their becoming totally unserviceable.
21st. Marched to Keyzagain, eight miles and a half : the village in ruins, and quite deserted. Here we found some wretched families of Rangoon, wandering through the woods in the greatest misery and want ; they gladly accepted our offer of a safe conveyance home by the provision boats, being afraid to attempt the journey by themselves, lest they should again fall into the hands of some of the military parties which still infested the country.
22nd. Marched six miles to Lain, and joined the advanced guard. Sameness, to a degree, prevails throughout the Delta as high as Lain : a thick, high, brush-wood jungle, with alternate patches of rice-ground, are the principal features of the district ; there are few high trees to give any grandeur to the landscape, and many of the richest plains are lying a barren waste, or bearing a luxuriant crop of noxious weeds, and coarse, rank grass. The country bears no trace of an extensive population ; the Carian tribes are thinly scattered about ; and even in time of profound peace, the route we followed must have been lone and dreary : not even a head of game was met with to break the disagreeable monotony of our journey.
23rd. Halted. Lain is prettily situated on the banks of the river of that name : we found it quite deserted, but the town uninjured. It is the principal town of an extensive district, and furnishes one thousand fighting men for the service of the state ; but owing to some misunderstanding between the Meuthogee, or head authority, and Bandoola, had withheld its quota on the late advance of that chief. It is also a war-boat station, and from its centrical position, communicating by many channels with the Irrawaddy, it is well situated for an establishment of that kind. From Rangoon to Lain, no cows or oxen are to be met with ; but the country is abundantly stocked with buffaloes, and we found no difficulty in keeping up a supply of slaughter cattle of that description. These animals were also tried for draft and carriage, but found incapable of travelling with an army, being exceedingly slow-paced, and constantly requiring water. They may serve well enough for the purposes of agriculture, dragging a heavy load for a short distance from the field to the farm, but can never suit for carriage-cattle to an army ; they sink down under the heat of the sun on the shortest march, and choke beyond the power of any thing, but water, to save them. The Pegu waggons too, of which a few were procured at Rangoon, although apparently strong and well-built, are not calculated for service ; they are heavier than those of Bengal, and break down at the first bad rut.
24th. The European part of the column marched this day to Paulkoon, six miles ; the two Native battalions remaining at Lain to replenish our empty carts from the boats, which reached the town in the course of the day.
25th. Marched to Outcan, four miles and a half. During the last two marches, we had skirted the great teak forest of Sarrawaddy, and were shaded from the scorching rays of the sun by a continued canopy of the noblest trees : at intervals the forest opened into rich fertile plains ; and here and there a ruined cottage showed where the lonely woodman or industrious Carian once had lived.
Outcan is a long, straggling village, inhabited by both Burmese and Carians ; the former had gone to the woods on hearing of our approach, but the latter were found in their houses, and readily sold their poultry and eggs to no small advantage. These people seem perfectly to understand the value of money, and were by no means scrupulous in charging handsomely for whatever they exposed for sale ; probably they received a hint from some followers of the camp, of our national prodigality. Both Burmese and Carians seem remarkably fond of ardent spirits, and, generally speaking, will do more for a glass of brandy than for a sum of money.
The Burmese War was reprinted in 1997 by AVA Publishing House, Bangkok.