BURMA / CEYLON / AUSTRALIA Mandalay / Rangoon * Colombo * Albany / Port Adelaide/ Melbourne 1893

BURMA / CEYLON / AUSTRALIA
 Mandalay / Rangoon * Colombo * Albany / Port Adelaide/ Melbourne
Written from first-hand research and illustrated from his personal archive of photographs copied from Album VI collected by George Bullough, (later Sir George Bullough, Baronet), 

 during his World Tour 1892 - 1895 by George W. Randall, co-founder in July 1996 and former 

Vice Chairman Kinloch Castle Friends' Association.

GEORGE  BULLOUGH  -  WORLD  TOUR  1892-1895

(Newspaper article 13 of 28   *   Time of Visit February / March 1893)

IRAWADDY RIVER NEAR STEAMER LANDING PLACE, MANDALAY. 

Album VI  *  Photograph 21  *  Size 10 x 8 inches
  

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KINLOCH CASTLE, ISLE OF RUM, SCOTLAND, HIGHLAND HOME OF
SIR GEORGE BULLOUGH COMMISSIONED IN 1897 AND COMPLETED IN 1900.
The Castle is depicted nearing completion.  George W. Randall Research Archive

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PUBLISHED BY GEORGE W. RANDALL ON 28 FEBRUARY 2018

CELEBRATING THE DAY - 148 YEARS AGO IN 1870 - 
SIR GEORGE BULLOUGH, BARONET, WAS BORN
AND 61 YEARS SINCE HIS WIDOW, LADY MONICA BULLOUGH 
SOLD KINLOCH CASTLE AND THE 26,400 ACRE ISLAND OF RUM UPON 
WHICH IT STANDS TO THE BRITISH NATION, 28 FEBRUARY, 1957;

THE ISLAND TO BE USED IN PERPETUITY AS A NATURE RESERVE

AND KINLOCH CASTLE TO BE MAINTAINED ... ... IT WAS AGREED

 THE CONTENTS OF KINLOCH CASTLE WERE TO BE KNOWN AS -

THE SIR GEORGE BULLOUGH MEMORIAL.

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In late February 1893 George Bullough and his companion, Robert Mitchell

boarded the Bibby Line S.S. Shropshire at Rangoon for Colombo, Ceylon, where they

were booked onto P. & O. liner S.S. Oceana bound for Australia.

However, delays principally due to fog departing Burma, meant Oceana had

already sailed when they arrived at Colombo forcing them to wait until the

7^th of March when they boarded Oceana’s sister ship, S.S. Orient,

outbound for Sydney, Australia, via Albany, Port Adelaide and Melbourne.

where they disembarked on the 23^rd of March.

The delay meant George Bullough celebrated his twenty-third birthday,

28^th February, in the humid heat of Colombo

rather than the invigorating sea breezes of the Indian Ocean.

In 1896 Robert Mitchell described their experiences in a series of twenty-eight articles

published in the Accrington Gazette, these I have transcribed and illustrated with 

a selection of photographs from the twenty album record of their travels.

A TWENTY ALBUM PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD OF
BULLOUGH AND MITCHELL'S WORLD TOUR 1892-1895
IS IN THE LIBRARY AT KINLOCH CASTLE
All have been re-photographed by the author in detail and a selection used to 
illustrate Mr. Mitchell's articles.

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RANGOON
A Mogul Masjid (mosque) in cosmopolitan Old Rangoon.
Album VI  *  Photograph 12  *  Size 11 x 8½ inches
George W. Randall Research Archive

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GOLDEN UMBRELLA,
SHRINE OF SHWE DAGONE PAGODA, RANGOON

    (Album VI  *  Photograph 15  *  Edited from full size 11 x 8½ inches  Number 393) 

           George W. Randall Research Archive

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STEAM SHIP ORIENT  
Album VII * Photograph 22 * Edited from full size
George W. Randall Research Archive

George Bullough and his travelling companion Robert Mitchell departed Colombo, Ceylon, 
on-board SS Orient on Tuesday the 7^th of March 1893 arriving Albany, Australia

eleven days later, Saturday 18^th of March. Orient arrived Port Adelaide 

on the 21^st March departing the same day, arriving Melbourne on the 23^rd.

Here they left the ship, which later continued to its final destination, Sydney.

See Note 8.

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BURMESE DANCING GIRL IN ALL HER WAR PAINT

  Album VI  *  Photograph 132  *  Size 10½ x 8 inches)

George W. Randall Research Archive

Unattributed in the George Bullough’s Album, the British Library records this

photograph as being “the work of Felice Beato c.1890” on the basis the painted

backdrop appears in several of his known works.  See Note 6.

The full-length studio portrait is one of at least three images depicting the same

young girl titled a “Dancing Girl” or “Burmese Princess”.

In this image she is wearing a crown and a hta-mein, (a wrap-around skirt),

beneath a richly embroidered garment made of flaring panels,

very similar to the special ceremonial robes adorned with gold embroidery,

sequins, gold, silver and gems on apparel worn in the late

19^th century by members of the Burmese royal family.

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ENTRANCE TO SHWÈ  DAGONE PAGODA, RANGOON
Album VI  *  Photograph 13  *  Size 11 x 8½ inches
George W. Randall Research Archive

          ENTRANCE TO SHWÈ DAGONE PAGODA, RANGOON

              Album VI  *  Photograph 13  *  Edited from full size 11 x 8½ inches)

           George W. Randall Research Archive

SHRINE OF SHWÈ DAGONE PAGODA, RANGOON

Album VI  *  Photograph 14  *  Size 11 x 8½ inches

George W. Randall Research Archive

SHOAY DAGONE PAGODA, RANGOON

Album VI  *  Photograph 16  *  Size 10½ x 8½ inches  *  No. 303

George W. Randall Research Archive

The Shoay Dagone Pagoda is the holiest of Buddhist sites in Burma,

since 1989 re-named Myanmar.

Over three hundred feet high it is sheathed in 13,000 gold plates

and crowned with more than 5,000 diamonds and other precious stones.

Journalist, story writer and Nobel Prize for Literature awardee,

Joseph Rudyard Kipling, referred to the Pagoda as “a beautiful winking wonder.”

Shwedagon Pagoda by Sky 89. Design by Hintha.

Standing 368 feet high on Singuttara Hill, close to Kandawgi Lake, (formerly Royal Lake),

 the Buddhist Shwe Dagone Pagoda dominates the skyline of Rangoon.

 It is the most sacred pagoda in Burma, reputedly containing relics of past Buddhas: 

the staff of the twenty-fifth Buddha, Kakusandha; the water filter of his successor Konãgamana;

 a piece of the robe of Kassapa, the third of the five Buddhas of the present kalpa or aeon; 

and eight strands of hair from Gautama, the historical Buddha,

the Enlightened One, on whose teachings Buddhism is founded.

Legend says the Pagoda has existed for more than 2,600 years. thus making it the oldest in 

the world. However, modern archæological research indicates it was built in the 6^th Century 

by the Mon, one of the earliest peoples to reside in south-east Asia and responsible for the

spread of Theravada, the oldest surviving form of Buddhism in Burma and Thailand.

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 LARGEST BELL IN THE WORLD AT ... ...

THE MINGUN BELL

Album VI    *    Photograph 22    *    Size 10 x 8 inches 

George W. Randall Research Archive

The Mingun Bell is located at Mingun, Sagaing, seven miles north of Mandalay
 on the west bank of the Irrawaddy River, in north-west Burma.
The bell is rung by striking the outer edge with the end of a hand-held wooden pole.
To achieve the ringing tone an alloy of five metals, principally bronze, 
with silver, gold, iron and lead were used in the casting.

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BURIVER   PUBLIC CART

Album VI  *  Photograph 26 *  Size 11 x 8½ inches

George W. Randall Research Archive

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NOTE:

Prior to 1901, Australia was made up of six self-governing colonies; New South Wales, Victoria, 
South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania. These colonies were ultimately under 
British rule from the time the First Fleet landed, in 1788, until 1901. Numerous politicians and influential 
Australians through the years had pushed for federation of the colonies, and self-government. 
On 22 January 1899, leaders of the six Australian colonies met in Melbourne to discuss a federation bill.
After not being accepted by the states the first time, the amended Commonwealth Constitution was given 
Royal Assent on 9 July 1900. On 1 January 1901, federation of the colonies was achieved and the 
Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed. Australia's first Governor-General, John Hope, made the 
proclamation at Centennial Park in Sydney. Australia's first Prime Minister was Edmund Barton.

The first Australian Federal Parliament, held in the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne which 
was the only building large enough to house the 14,000 guests, was opened by the 
Duke of Cornwall and York, later King George V, on 9 May 1901.

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STRAND ROAD, RANGOON
Album VI  *  Photograph 11  *  Edited from full size 10½ x 8½ inches  *  No. 383
  George W. Randall Research Archive

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STRAND ROAD, RANGOON 
Album VI  *  Photograph 11  *  Edited from full size 10½ x 8½ inches  *  No. 383
George W. Randall Research Archive 

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THE ATTACK ON KYAING-KWINTAUNG STOCKADE BY THE DEVON REGIMENT

Album VI  *  Photograph 25  *  Size 11 x 8½ inches
George W. Randall Research Archive 

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One of two photographs in George Bullough's album depicting the assault on the

Kyaing-Kwintaung Stockade by the 2^nd Devon Regiment during the Wuntho Sawbwa

Campaign under Captain Davies with 2^nd Lieutenants Holman and Logan in 1891.

Located between the Irrawaddy and Chindwin Rivers, it was in this, the 3^rd Burmese

War 1885-1886, that the state of Wuntho Sawbwa came under British administration.

The ruler of the Shan States at this time was thirty-four year old Maung Aung Myat 
who had become Sawbwa (hereditary ruler) in 1878.

Ill-disposed to British rule he had permitted his lands to become a refuge for dacoits

(bandits) fleeing the British and had attacked British forces who entered northern

Wuntho in their pursuit. In February 1891 open rebellion erupted, British police posts

were attacked and on the 21^st it was learnt the Sawbwa had stockaded himself at the top

of a hill at Kyaing-Kwintaung, mid-way between Kawlin and Wuntho.

On 22^nd of February a force under thirty-four year old Captain T. A. H. Davies,

(later Major, D.S.O.), attacked the stronghold and took the stockade after about one 
hours fighting. Only four of the enemy were found dead inside, “but the many blood 
stains showed there had been a large number of casualties.”

                                                                                            (“History of the Third Burmese War 1890-1891”.)

The original photograph is attributed to Felice Beato.

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BE AWARE


THE NEXT AND LAST PICTURE DEPICTS 


A CRUCIFIXION


OF DACOITS IN BURMA

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CRUCIFIED DACOITS BY THE VILLAGERS NEAR MIGINGYAN. 
Album VI  *  Photograph 20  *  Edited from full size 10½ x 8 inches
George W. Randall Research Archive 

The village of Migingyan lies some 65 miles south of Mandalay on the east bank of 

the 1,375 mile long Irrawaddy River.

In 19^th century India Dacoit, was a term used for a robber belonging to an armed gang.

The word is derived from the Hindustani dakai.
In Burma the words dacoit and dacoity were applied to individual or group members

of armed gangs who maintained a state of guerrilla warfare and extortion

“in the pursuit of wealth” on native villages. 
Approaching a village soon after dark they fired their guns to alert the inhabitants. 
If the villagers bolted their homes were looted and burnt, if they returned fire, 
depending on its ferocity, the dacoity would withdraw for another day or throw 
burning oiled rope onto the houses to terrify the inhabitants.

Dacoits “as a rule did not attack villages they found to be awake and alert.”

Regards atrocities committed by dacoits, instances of the most barbarous and inhumane practices were the exception rather than the rule. However, in the pursuit of treasure, 
when extortion failed to reveal where it was buried, neither age nor sex spared the villagers.

Any man killed while dacoiting was tied to a crucifix by the villagers,

consequently the remains of crucifixes were to be seen all over the country in 19^th century

as they were placed at conspicuous places such as cross-roads or the approach to

villages as a deterrent to further attacks. Whist there is evidence to indicate some victims were crucified whilst still alive, greater weight indicates the majority were killed first.
                                                                                          (Source:  “History of the Third Burmese War 1890-1891”.)

Dacoits who fell into the hands of the British were not crucified, and crucifixion was not an 
invention of the British as I have seen stated in a book by a person who should have known better.

Execution of a dacoit at Shway-Bo by the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in Upper Burma 1886.
Wood-engraving from The Graphic 18 February 1886.

  

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Reviewed by author 27 February 2024.

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