Thus everyone in the land has an equal chance.

In war the bravest becomes a general, in peace the cleverest is chosen as a councillor." Walking about, Stanley soon found that there were a great variety of dialects talked in the streets, and that the language of the Burmese of the coast, of the natives of Pegu and the central province, and of those from districts bordering on the Shan states or the frontiers of China, differed as widely as those of the most remote parts of Great Britain did from each other.

This being so, he was convinced that there would be no difficulty, whatever, in passing as a native, without attracting any observation or inquiry, so far as the language went.
His features and, still more, the shape of his face might, however, be noticed by the first comer, in the daytime.

He thought, indeed, that a little tinge of colour in the corner of the eyes, so as to lengthen their appearance and give an oblique cast to them, would make a difference.

The general shape of the head was unalterable, but the Burmese nose and mouth did not differ very greatly from the European; except that the nostrils were smaller and, in shape, were round rather than oval.
For three weeks he continued the same life, and then the Burmese officer, with whom he had now become very friendly, said when he entered one morning: "You must not go out today.