CRUCIFIXION IN BURMAH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 95, 25 April 1891, Page 3 (Supplement)

CRUCIFIXION IN BURMAH.

An Aavful Death.

The British ship Merioneth, which arrived from Rio de Janeiro, has made a voyage to Rio de Janeiro, Ayakat and Burmah, back to Rio de Janeiro and San Francisco.

4 While in Burmah, , said the Captain, 'I saw many curious sights. The day tne Merioneth arrived a native was c?.ughh piloting some Englishmen into one of the sacred places. That meant death by crucifixion. There was no trial by jury. The man was seized, and the nearest tree served for a cross.

' The preparations were Boon made. All the implements required were a hammer, a couple of long spikes and a small ladder. Tho native was divested of his clothing and raised against the trunk of the tree by two Burmese warriors. The executioner ascended the ladder and took the bands of the doomed man in his. I expected to see the arms extended in the usual manner, bu6 they crucify in a different manner in Burmah from what they used to do in Judea. ' The back of the right band was placed in the palm of the left. Both arms were extended over the head and placed against) the trunk of the tree. A heavy blow from the executioner's hammer drove the spike through the quivering flesh, and the first act in the tragedy was over. • The ladder was then removed, and the executioner, placing one foot over the other, drove the long spike through the feet into the tree, and the victim was left hanging by his hands and feet.' 'Was there no support between the crucified's legs ?' 'No! The whole weight of the victim's body rests on the hands and foet. I know that in olden times when a man was crucified a rest to support the weight of the body was placed between the legs, but in Burmah the arms are folded over the head and make to support the body. The Burmese lives just as long as the Romans' victims did, but the torture is greater. ' The poor wretch I saw nailed to the tree lived three days. Inuring that time the natives gathered around him and throw his infamy at him on every occasion. His naked body was covered with mosquitoesq and toward the end his mouth opened and flies crawled over his swollen tongue. Sponges saturated with water were fastened to bamboo canes and held within a few ; inches of the victim's mouth, and as the scent of the cooling liquid was wafted to his brain the half-unconscious victim would writhe with agony, to the joy of the spectators.

'Towards the end of the third day it waa announced that the traitor was dying. I and a number of others hastened to the spot and saw the last agony. The coppercoloured skin had turned a blue-black. The eyes were open and glassy. The mouth was open, the tongue—a baked mass—protruded a couple of inches, while red ants ran in and out of the mouth as if it had been their home for years. The crowd drew closer. Mothers lifted their children to get a better view, and men huetled the women out of tho way to look at the last agony. A shudder ran through the body of the victim and all wa9 over. ' An official with a spear made from the horn of an antelope, approached the dead body and thrust it into the side. Whether it is the case with every man crucified or not I don't know, but from the side of the Burmese traitor flowed blood and water. Immediately the blood and water began W flow the people dispersed. A few hours later the body was takeu down and dismembered, after which it was reduced to ashes. The spear and che sword I secured after a great deal of trouble and some little expense.' The spear,which is about three feet long, originally came from theShau States, which are now at war with England. As before sbated, it is made from one of the horns of the antelope, and terminates in a fine point. The butt is made out of a piece of hard wood, which on occasion ie used as a club. The sword is about two feet long and sharp ac a razor. The handle is jusb large enough to grasp. The weapon has no sheath.