Burma - Edited highlights

Mr P Marshall (my great - grandfather and the person who was the photographer for all the following images. He has added comments to each photo which are included below.)

S M Challenor

R Roth

"First transport cart ever made in the district."

"Our present dry weather transport for travelling. The district has been opened up by a system of cart roads for the extraction of timber by buffalo carting with the result that few parts of the forest remain inaccessible to this means of travelling. Bicycles can likewise be used."

"Young elephant riders chiefly composed of Laos from Chiengmai."

"A few of the "knuts" amoing thre riders"

"An ungirdled teak tree (in centre.)"

"A girdled teak tree showing the "girdle" or ring a 2 Tawgoungs near by."

"Felling a dry girdled teak tree."

"Logging the same."

""Loading log on the "gindake" or 2 wheeled solid wooden cart."

"Typical bridge for carting over deep ravine."

"Buffaloes carting a log."

"The same camp - our tents."

"Some types of contractors and headmen. From L to R a Burman from Pyinmana, a Lao from Luang Prabang Siam, a Burman, head sinoke of the district and responsible for at least 3 murders by his own hand in Siam, where he has done 2 years and a Shan - Chinese Contractor."

Delivery point Upper Nam Hang at Pone An. Logs are floated down to the H Hom waterfall from here."

"Waterfall at H Hom; from here to where the river enters the hill there is a succession of falls and ledges. Logs are therefore taken out of the river above thais fall, and worked over a hill to where the river re-appears - a distance of 6 3/4 miles."

"The cave - below the above fall - into which the river disappears."

"Further in the cave (note man on rocks.)"

"The exit of the cave from inside."

"Another view showing sand banks. Theese become coveredwith guano during the dry weather from the masses of bats/swallows which live in the cave. This guano is one of the ingredients of the locally made gunpowder. Note figure in the centre."

" This is where the logs are taken out of the river above the fall (already mentioned) A capstan is worked by buffaloes dragging the logs up the slipway and loading them onto gindakes (carts.) on which they are taken up and along the hill to the top of the chute, and then sent down the river again, just below the exit from the hill."

"Looking down the same slipway"

"The top of the slipway and gindake in position for loading."

"Loading the same."

"Elephants removing the same from slipway."

"Dragging the log away."

"Elephants carting over the bridge."

"Side view over same bridge."

"Buffaloes carting from the head of the road."

"Elephant (Htoo Mai, Mg Hmay riding) carting log."

"Buffaloes carting from the head of the road."

"Labour group working the chute,mostly Kamooks who come across from Indo-China seeking work for 2-3 years, when they have to return though many return for another period."

"Side view of the last stretch alongside the hill."

"Looking up the steep part of the chute (1/2 mile( from the more or less level section. The second bridge over the H Kan."

"The 1st bridge over the H Kan at the foot of the 1/2 mile of steep descent. Logs cross the bridge at over 60 miles an hour. Note the trail of smoke and dust behind the log descending."

"Lower down; one of the cuttings through which the chute passses."

"View of track below the bridge."

"Further on: another bridge over the M Sa Ngoon, since raised.

"The river below the terminus of the chute."

" The Ma Sa Ngoon down which the elephants had to drag logs before the chute was built."

The biggest elephant in Burma, Chit Sayah, Height 9 ft 6 ins girth 14 ft 7 ins at his best. He is now an old elephant, and was much overworked by his former owner and has never fully recovered. the man standing at his head is another very old servant, Sit Wah a wild Karen who has worked 20 years in the district.

"A young elephant being trained and his trainer, Suyah Noi. The calf is persuaded by fruit to go into the cage which is then closed. Shortly it wishes to follow it's mother, who has been taken away and when it can not do this, its rage soon grows boundless and its efforts to break loose require constant attention. Otherwise the cage - strong as it is - would be broken. After 4 or 5 days it has learnt that man is its master and it is ready to be taught."

Main Street at Mg Hang Village

"Same back view looking towards the chute."

"Headmen at the chute."

"Part of the chute near the top. This chute is 1 1/2 miles in length, the total fall being 900 ft but most of this is confined to the first 1/2 mile. In the distance is seen the valley of M Han below the hill. The arm on the tree carries the telephone wire."