Sun. March 1st [1 March 1903] We got up at 5.30 in the dark had
Chota Hazri and went off at 6.15 into the town to see the monks beg.
We walked through a monastery where they didn't seem to be
thinking of begging, but just as we were crossing to the next we saw a
train of them crossing down the street, first a young one, then an old
man, then 6 or 7 more young ones. We went with them and watched
them stop at the accustomed houses where the women came out and
ladled rice into each of the begging bowls. They were covered bowls
held on a cloth. The monks had their eyes on the ground as the rice
was dealt out. Walked about the village and photographed. In about
8, packed and breakfasted. We had a scare in the middle of our
excellent fish for we heard a steamer whistle. We ran and flew down
to the landing stage but it was only a little tug. The Irrawaddi
[Irrawaddy] Flotilla boat, the Burma, a most comfortable boat, came in
at 9.30 and we got off about 10. We found on board 2 Tara
passengers, and Mr Mayhew, an Oxford acquaintance of H. [Hugo]'s.
He was at New College. Got to Pakukku [Pakokku] at about 1 and
saw and thanked the kind Agent. There got on here an old Colleger
whom H knew by name, Mr Cabell. He's a judge of sorts, Deputy
Con. or something and doesn't enjoy it very much. He's mostly at
Myingyan where there aren't enough English men to make a 4 at
tennis. The China came in with the Fosters and Dazians on board,
rather unhappy because they had been 24 hours stuck on a sand
bank. The river is at its lowest, in a week or two the melting snows
begin to fill it and then the rains. We had a great business rounding
the sandbank opposite Pakokku and stuck once. Very sleepy.
Played Bridge after tea with Mr Cabell and Mr Mayhew. About 5 we
stuck and didn't get off till 9 next day. We lighted a big search light in
front and the whole place was thick with the moths ants and
mosquitoes attracted by it. We played Bridge over their corpses after
dinner and Mr C. told of plagues of fleas etc in the hot weather. Mr
Cheshire and his friend are tea planters of Darjeeling [Darjiling].