Chapter III.—THE ROAD TO MANDALAY.—
"I travelled among unknown men,
In lands beyond the Sea."—(Wordsworth).
"Where the tints of the earth, and the hues of the sky,
In colour tho' varied, in beauty may vie."—(Byron).
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The distance by rail from Rangoon to Mandalay is 386 miles, and it takes twenty-two hours to accomplish the journey. Trains, like everything else in this leisurely country, are not given to hurrying themselves. "Hasti, hasti, always go hasti" is the motto for Burmah. As an example of the unintelligible nature of the language I may explain that "Hasti" means "slow!"
It is a pleasant journey however, for the carriages are most comfortable, and the scenery through which the rail passes affords plenty of interest to a new comer.