[Illustration: Moulmein]

Mr. Hodgkinson, the assistant Commissioner, met us at the pagoda, and
told us all he knew about it in the most interesting way. The drive
back to Rangoon through the Dalhousie Park and Gardens, once the
appanage of a royal palace, was perfectly delightful. It was rather
late, and there was consequently a great rush to dress on board and
get back to shore in time to dine with Mrs. Crossthwaite at Government
House, three miles from the landing-place. It is a large roomy
bungalow with a big verandah, surrounded by trees. Mrs. Crossthwaite,
her daughter, Mr. Hodgkinson, Mr. Symes, Tom, Mabelle, Mr. des Graz,
and myself formed the party. We had a very pleasant evening, but our
long and tiring day made at least one of the guests glad to get on
board and go to bed.

[Illustration: Elephants at Work]

_Friday, March 18th._--Left the yacht about seven o'clock. Mr.
Hodgkinson took us to see a timber-yard, where elephants are
extensively used. It was a wonderful exhibition of strength, patience,
and dexterity. The docile creatures lift, roll, and push the logs of
timber to any part of the yard. They pile it up into stacks high above
their heads, seizing one end of a log with their trunk, placing it on
the pile of timber, and then taking the other end of the log and
pushing it forward, finally placing it on their heads, and sending it
into its place. They work undisturbed amid the buzz of circular saws
and machinery, where it would seem almost impossible for animals of
such huge proportions to escape injury. They carry their intelligence
to the point of rigidly enforcing the rights of labour. Nothing will
persuade an elephant to do a stroke of work, after he has heard the
workmen's dinner-bell, during the hour of midday rest to which he
rightly considers himself entitled. Their mental powers seem, indeed,
to be very nearly on a level with those of the human workmen, with
whose efforts their own are combined. No less than two thousand
elephants were formerly employed in the yard of the Bombay and Burmah
Company. Steam machinery is now rapidly superseding elephants, for
each animal requires at least three men to look after him.

[Illustration: Elephants at Work]

We quitted the Bombay and Burmah Trading Company's teak-yard, most
grateful to Mr. Jones, the manager, for his kind reception. Then our
party divided, some going to see the pagoda, and others to see the
rice-mills. At this season of the year