From Edinburgh to India & Burmah

In Short

Part travelogue, part sketchbook, this narrative traces a journey by steamship, rail, and riverboat from the foggy streets of London to the grand viceregal ceremonies of Bombay, the quiet bungalows of southern India, and the wilderness of upper Burma. W. G. Burn Murdoch observes the machinery of imperial rule, the varied passengers on board, and the vibrant daily life of Asia through a painter's sensitive lens. The book survives as an unusually vivid time capsule, prized for its detailed visual descriptions, unvarnished personal impressions, and candid, atmospheric portrayal of Edwardian-era global travel.

The Story

The journey begins in Edinburgh and London, capturing the restless energy of the metropolis before embarking at Tilbury on a P. & O. steamship bound for the East. Aboard ship, the travel narrative unfolds through the routine of maritime life: stormy seas along the Portuguese coast, blustery passages past Gibraltar, and quiet days on the Mediterranean. Along the way, the author strikes up friendships with a wide variety of fellow travelers, including an engine-room artificer who decorates classic Greek-style pottery with cigar labels and enamel paint. Passing through the heat of Port Said and the Red Sea, the vessel arrives at Bombay, where the author witnesses the official landing of the Prince and Princess of Wales, complete with triumphal arches, Sikh cavalry, and grand viceregal receptions.

From Bombay, the itinerary moves inland across India. Traveling by train to Dharwar, the author settles into the tranquil rhythm of an agent’s bungalow, surrounded by blooming gardens and parklands. The journey continues south to Bangalore and Mysore, where travel by railway trollies offers a leisurely view of field laborers, palm groves, and countryside life. In Madras, after attending formal garden parties and hunting for traditional textiles in local bazaars, tickets are secured to cross the Bay of Bengal toward Burma.

Arriving in Rangoon, the voyage transitions to the waters of the Irrawaddy River aboard low-slung paddle steamers. As the boat moves north through Bassein Creek, searchlights illuminate night-time banks lined with carved teak boats, Burmese families wrapped in colorful silks, and clouds of glowing insects. The journey proceeds past Mandalay toward Bhamo, near the Chinese frontier. Along the river, the author observes wildlife, vast flocks of wild geese, and teak-forested hillsides, taking excursions by mule caravan into the surrounding mountains alongside native guides, local officials, and Chinese coolies.

The narrative shifts back to India, capturing the intense, chaotic atmosphere of Benares during a religious festival. The author describes the sprawling crowds, the riverfront ghats, and the overwhelming sensory impact of the holy city before reflecting on the vast distance traveled and the rich tapestry of landscapes, people, and visual memories collected along the way.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Leaving the damp streets of London, the author boards a P. & O. steamer at Tilbury, settling into shipboard routines and observing the diverse mix of military officers, young brides, and crew members bound for service in the East.

Down the coast and through the Canal The ship navigates stormy coastal waters past Gibraltar and the Mediterranean, making port at Marseilles and Port Said before enduring the intense heat of the Red Sea under the glare of bow searchlights and desert winds.

Royal spectacles in Bombay Arriving in India, the author attends grand state ceremonies marking the arrival of the Prince and Princess of Wales, capturing the brilliant uniforms of the Sikh cavalry and the formal receptions hosted by the Viceroy at Government House.

Across the Indian countryside Traveling south by rail and hand-pushed railway trollies through Dharwar, Bangalore, and Mysore, the narrative shifts to peaceful bungalow life, native wood-carving workshops, and quiet countryside harvests.

Up the Irrawaddy into Burma Boarding a paddle steamer in Rangoon, the expedition heads north into the heart of Burma, navigating narrow creeks and broad riverways where night searchlights reveal carved riverboats and dense jungle shores.

Caravans and river mysteries Deep in the northern districts near Bhamo, the author travels with a mule caravan, stays in a deserted mountain bungalow haunted by a mysterious bloodstain, and explores the pristine wilderness along the Taiping River.

Sensory overload in Benares Returning to the Indian mainland, the author visits the sacred ghats of Benares during a crowded festival, recording a stark, unvarnished reaction to the intense rituals, ash-laden air, and chaotic crowds along the river edge.

The People

W. G. Burn Murdoch The author and primary guide, an artist whose chief desire is to capture the shifting light, rich colors, and varied human types of the places he visits. Armed with sketchbook and paints, he approaches both formal imperial ceremonies and rugged wilderness expeditions with a painter's eye, balancing humor with sharp observational skill.

The West Country Engine-Room Artificer A shipboard craftsman on the P. & O. steamer who spends his spare time gumming tobacco labels and painting geometric enamel designs onto classic Greek-shaped earthenware flagons. He forms a warm, unpretentious friendship with the author over shared stories and gifts of Italian wine.

The Author’s Brother (The Colonel) An officer and railway agent stationed at Dharwar who meets the travelers at the station and introduces them to the quiet, spacious routine of Indian bungalow life away from the crowded cities.

G. The author’s travelling companion, who shares in the long train journeys, trolley rides, and wilderness excursions, navigating everything from formal viceregal receptions in Bombay to startling discoveries in remote mountain bungalows with steady resilience.

In Its Own Voice

"The searchlight on the bow plays on the sandbanks and desert beyond, and makes the land like a snow-field, and the slow movement of the white light intensifies the darkness and silence of the desert."

Context: Describing the night passage through the Suez Canal aboard the steamship.

"There are occasions when circumstances make it really a pleasure to be an artist, to-day for example; the air is so full of colour, the sea deepest turquoise, with emerald showing when the crests burst white and mix with the blue..."

Context: Reflecting on the vibrant atmospheric light while painting on deck in the Red Sea.

"The trees we light up on the banks have the green of lime-lit trees on the stage, and the same cut out appearance."

Context: Observing the banks of Bassein Creek illuminated by the riverboat's searchlight.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book explores the art of seeing. While it follows the conventional routes of Edwardian travel, its true subject is the sensory surface of the world—the interaction of sunlight, shadow, water, and human color. Burn Murdoch constantly contrasts the formal, rigid structures of British imperial administration with the fluid, organic life of the places he visits. Beneath the lighthearted travelogue lies a quiet meditation on the painter's craft, examining how an artist translates complex, fleeting impressions of distant lands into permanent line and color while navigating the vast, interconnected network of the early 20th-century British Empire.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate classic travel literature, historical visual arts, and detailed period memoirs will find much to admire in this volume. Burn Murdoch writes with a painter's precision, producing descriptions of riverbanks, ocean swells, and urban crowds that feel remarkably immediate and vivid. His perspective offers a rare blend of informal warmth, sharp observational humor, and artistic dedication, making the journey feel like an intimate studio notebook brought to life.

However, modern readers should approach the work mindful of its era. Written at the height of British imperial expansion, the text reflects the unexamined colonial attitudes, cultural assumptions, and occasionally harsh judgments typical of early 1900s European travel writing. Certain passages—particularly the author's stark, recoil-filled reaction to religious rituals in Benares—show the clear limits of his cross-cultural understanding. Yet for those seeking an unedited, highly atmospheric account of Asian travel during the Edwardian age, the book remains a compelling, richly detailed document of a bygone world seen through the eyes of an observant painter.