Wanderings in Burma

IMPORTANT DESCRIPTIVE & PHOTOGRAPHIC ACCOUNT

first edition tall 8vo. [14], errata slip, 410, [2], iv (index)pp., 20 maps and plans (of which 4 folding, including 1 in pocket ar rear), 68 photographic plates, original dark green cloth over bevelled boards, front cover pictorially gilt blocked and lettered, spine gilt lettered, decorative patterned endpapers, edges untrimmed, slight foxing to first few leaves, a few trivial marks on covers but a fine bright and fresh copy.

Contemporary signature on front endpaper E. MacBown.

Bird, an official with the British colonial Educational Department, in this important account of the county provided a preliminary survey in pages 1-144 of Burmese geography, peoples, languages, history, towns, etc. before describing 24 different journeys stretching into most parts of the country with detailed descriptions of the places and peoples along each. The book is enhanced by photographs by Felice Beato who had a studio in Mandalay (described on pages 291-2).
Felice Beato (1832-1909), photographer and dealer in 'curios', had arrived in Burma 1886 after Upper Burma had been annexed by the British in late 1885. Prior to that he had lived in Japan for 24 years and had covered military operations in India and China. This prior experience enabled him to establish what was by the mid-1890s a "flourishing business" which besides photography employed over 800 workers around Burma manufacturing" works of art in wood, metal (especially old and modern Shan Silver work), silk goods (both printed and embroidered, Images of Budda, costumes and arms of indigenous races" etc.
British rule in Burma lasting 1824 to 1948 was characterised by a ruthless extractive policy administered by a small number of Britons together with a much larger number of Indians that they brought in for that purpose. One of the ways in which "British controlled their new colony directly was through their implementation of a secular education system. The colonial government of India, which was given control of the new colony, founded secular schools teaching in both English and Burmese, while also encouraging Christian missionaries to visit and found schools. In both of these types of schools, Buddhism and traditional Burmese culture were frowned upon in an attempt to rid the Burmese people of a cultural unity separate from the British" ['British Rule of Burma' on Factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/].
The book is dedicated to Frederick Temple Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, who served as Viceroy of India 1884-88. One of the maps is of Fort Dufferin, which better known as Mandalay, had been built as his new capital by the deposed Burmese king.