Willoughby Wallace Hooper
1886
A Shikar party on the Bund of Nanda Tank, [Mandalay]
[Burmah]

Photograph
10.2 x 15.2 cm
 
British Library
Shelfmark: Photo 312/(56), Item number: 31256
 
Curatorial description (Accessed: 27 February 2017)
Photograph of a bird shooting party on the bund of Nanda Tank at Mandalay in Burma (Myanmar), taken by Willoughby Wallace Hooper in 1886. The photograph is from a series documenting the Third Anglo-Burmese War (1885-86), published in 1887 as 'Burmah: a series of one hundred photographs illustrating incidents connected with the British Expeditionary Force to that country, from the embarkation at Madras, 1st Nov, 1885, to the capture of King Theebaw, with many views of Mandalay and surrounding country, native life and industries'. Two editions were issued, one with albumen prints, one with autotypes, and a set of lantern slides. Hooper made the series while serving as Provost Marshal with the British Expeditionary Force, which entered Mandalay, the Burmese royal capital, on 28 November 1885. King Thibaw (reigned 1878-1885) was deposed and taken prisoner, and a military occupation of the city began. Mandalay was founded in 1857 by King Mindon Min (ruled 1853-78) on a site close to Mandalay Hill, an ancient sacred mount. The walled city was surrounded by a moat, supplied with water by a system of reservoirs, tanks and canals. A caption by Hooper accompanying the photograph describes the Nanda Tank or reservoir: “This tank covers a large extent of ground to the N.E. of Mandalay Hill; the embankment or bund is some miles in length, and runs from near the base of the hill in a N. and N.E. direction. The tank receives its supply of water from the Shan Hills to the east, in which is a large reservoir present out of repair. This tank is the principal feeder of the numerous canals and watercourses in and around Mandalay. Beneath the bund are large tracts of rice cultivation in which very good snipe shooting may be hand during the season, which is here later than in Lower Burmah; in the latter place snipe are to be found in great abundance very soon after the rains, while about Mandalay very few make their appearance before January, after which time, until well on in march, a good shot can bag 50 couple or more in a few hours either below this tank or below Aubinleh, a few miles to the S.E. of the City. Duck and teal are also plentiful on the tanks, but to get at them a boat is necessary.”
 
LL/73492