The Karen apostle: or, memoir of Ko Thah-byu, the first Karen convert, with notices concerning his nation / by Francis Mason.

  • Francis Mason
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Karen apostle: or, memoir of Ko Thah-byu, the first Karen convert, with notices concerning his nation / by Francis Mason. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ness will arrive.’ So when the Burman rulers made them clear it the last time, they said amon^ themselves, ‘ Now we may suppose happiness is coming', for this completes the third time of clearing the Hornbill cityand true enough, for before they had finished, we heard that the white foreign- ers had taken Rangoon ! Then the Burman rulers made the Karens carry stones and throw them into Tavoy river, that the foreign ships might not be able to come up. They compelled them also to be- come soldiers, and to muster, each one with a how and quiver; and as they had no guns, every one had to arm himself also with a cudgel; for the Burmans said, that, when the foreigners got on land, they would be unable to walk, and might be beaten to death with sticks. When, however, the news came that the foreigners had entered the mouth of Tavoy river, the Karens let themselves down over the wall of the city by night, and fled into the jun- gles. Then the Karens all ran and secreted them- selves, both men and women and children; cooking food only when the smoke could be concealed by the clouds and vapors; for they were apprehen- sive that if the Burmans were overcome, they would fly also, and trace them by the smoke. Some of the men in the city were unable to get away, and remained till it was taken; and some that fled were unable to find their families, they having previously secreted themselves. In a little more than ten