Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
a 'thousand pounds a year man' that he had dreamt of back in
Mozambique. In addition to this salary he was promised a first
class ticket on the boat out, all expenses paid, and a house when
he got there so that his wife and young son could go with him.
At the end of his three year contract, should both parties wish
to renew it, he would be entitled to six months holiday 'out of
India'. He was confident that the company was going to treat
him well. Arthur, Maggie and their son Norman left for Burma
in August 1920.
The Irrawaddi River in Burma is one of the longest rivers in the
world and is navigable for over a thousand miles. With its source
high up in the snows of the Himalayas, during the melt period
more water flows past Yenangyaung in twenty four hours than
passes under London Bridge in a whole year. Yenangyaung was
the capital of the oil fields and where Arthur and Maggie were to
live. Although the Minbu field was on the opposite bank of the
Irrawaddi, some 40 miles to the south west of Yenangyaung, the
two places were easily linked by the river. However, facilities for
women at Minbu were distinctly limited and unattractive, and
since the expatriate clubs, and hence the social life, were all in
Yenangyaung few women chose to live in the field. Situated two
hundred and fifty miles north of Rangoon, just over half way
between Rangoon and Mandalay as the river flowed, the only way
to reach Yenangyaung in those days was up the Irrawaddi by pad-
dle steamer. Twice a week mail steamers sailed from Rangoon
to Mandalay. The complete journey, with stops at all the impor-
tant towns, took a week; Yenangyaung was four days.
The first class accommodation consisted of eight two-berth
cabins with bathroom, arranged in rows either side of the fore-
deck with a dining salon in between. While this was quite com-
modious, the majority of travellers were 'deck' passengers who
kept up a tremendous hubbub during the day with much to-ing
