FIRE AT BANGKOK.
On the eleventh, a large fire took place, in the Christian Portuguese company, of Santa Cruz, immediately in our neighbourhood, which stopped at our premises. It blazed with great fury, the houses being roofed with attap, and the bamboo-frames being covered with the same combustible material: it produced greatdistress among the poor people: their houses were probably all their property, their beds being only a mat, and their cooking utensils, small earthen pots and a water jar; a waist-cloth or two, and a few trifles, were easily saved; but plunderers, in great numbers, stole their few miserable trifles as fast as they were conveyed to the rear. About one hundred and fifty huts were burnt, and some fifty or sixty of the sufferers took shelter in and about our house, and some of the unoccupied rooms; and, for many days, we supplied most of them with food. The king and the praklang ordered them to be assisted with bamboo, &c., to rebuild their houses; and rice, and other small articles, were sent to them by their more fortunate neighbours. As soon as the fire commenced, every person who could use a long-handled scoop, made of closely woven basket-work, began throwing water on their houses, even on the opposite side of the river. The floating houses moored along the shore near the fire, were cast off, and it being the first of the ebb, they moved down the river in great numbers. As many of them were on fire, they exhibited a very novel but painful scene: four, unfortunately, were consumed, with all their goods, and two China-men were burnt to death. On the next flood, the river was filled with the floating houses returning. It was predicted, by a superstitious Siamese, some days previously, that a fire would take place, as a vulture was seen to alight on the house of the port-captain. This officer’s house, situated close to the Roman Catholic church, was burnt—the latter building receiving no injury, as the walls only are up; and, I suppose, from the great poverty of the Catholic Christians, it will take many years to finish it. The old Catholic church, in the rear, built of wood and attap, is in a very dilapidated condition. There are four other churches at Bangkok and the suburbs, and only one at Jutia—the rest have fallen into ruins.
We landed, on the thirteenth, near the walls of the city, at the point where one of the white elephants is confined: he was in a large, airy stable, and had a great number of attendants. His colour is dusky, or rather yellowish white, and he was far from being clean; his skin was scurfy, and his eye very small, and of a bluish or light-gray tinge. On account of his unruly temper, he is secured by a cable around his right fore leg; the two fore feet are also well secured. One tusk is entirely broken, and the otherpartly destroyed. He is annually confined, for about three months, during the rutting season. We entered the city, and saw part of the king’s elephants. In one place were six noble animals, males and females; two of the largest sized males had several massive silver rings on their tusks; they were kept clean, and were in fine order. There were many other elephant-stables, bordering on two streets, which we visited.
The streets, through which we passed, were from sixty to eighty feet in breadth; the houses, generally, ordinary in appearance, built of boards or brick, stuccoed, with tile roofs, or with bamboo with attap roofs. Most of them are raised on posts, and stand five or six feet from the ground. The streets are paved with very large-sized bricks. Stalls are kept in front of most of the buildings, where are sold fowls and pork, fruit and vegetables. The China, and Indian, and European goods, are sold mostly in the floating bazars. There were few people to be seen.
Our object in visiting the left bank of the river, was, to see an immense edifice, in the form of a temple, which was erecting for the purpose of burning the wang-na, generally called the second king, who died about six months since; and whose body has been embalmed, according to the imperfect knowledge of the Siamese in this art. The body is first washed, and then a large quantity of crude mercury or honey is poured into the mouth; it is then placed in a kneeling posture, and the hands are brought together before the face in the attitude of devotion; strips of cloth are then bound tightly round the extremities, and the body is compressed in a similar manner, for the purpose of squeezing out the moisture. It is then put into an air-tight vessel, more or less expensive, according to the rank of the deceased; (some of the vessels are even made of gold;) a hollow tube is inserted into the mouth, passes through the upper part of the box and the roof of the house, to convey away the effluvia; a similar tube is placed in the bottom, which communicates with a vessel, placed there to receive the draining from the body. The sordes thus collected, if they belong to a prince, are conveyed, with many ceremonies, below the city, and there emptied into the river. Should they belong to the king, they are boiled until an oil separates, and this is used on certain occasions, (as when his family or his descendants pay their devotions to his departed spirit,) to anoint the singular image, calledSeina, which is generally placed in a temple, after his death. By the process, named above, the body, in a few weeks, becomes quite dry and shrivelled.
IMMENSE TEMPLE.
I am fully sensible that any description I can give of the building to which I have alluded, will fall far short of the reality; in fact no language can convey an adequate description of it. The “tout ensemble,” when viewed at a distance, glittering in gold and flowers, recalls to our recollection the brilliant and splendid castles of fairy-land, so bewitchingly set forth in many an idle work of former days. Many hundreds of people have been employed in its erection ever since his death; the centre building is a large open dome, and probably reaches to the height of eighty or ninety feet; it is supported by immense wooden pillars of teak all in one piece—the roof is of various indescribable forms, and differs from any I have ever seen—the parts rise one above another till it comes to a point; from the centre rises a high slender spire, and from the base to its apex cannot be less than one hundred and fifty feet; the roof is covered with brass leaf, which gives it a splendid appearance at a distance: it has a great number of projections with various singular ornaments on their edges and the inside of the roof is dome-shaped: beneath it was erected a small temple, in the same form, having in the centre a high platform, to which we ascended by a flight of steps, over which was a small spire: it is supported upon four pillars and cannot be less than thirty-five feet high—the roof is ornamented with neat carved work and richly gilt—on the platform the body is to be burnt. The whole inside of the building was painted to resemble flowers, profusely gilded, and otherwise richly decorated with gold and silver leaf—the walls were made of matting covered with paper and secured to bamboo-frames, as well as the outer covering, which was painted brown, decorated with large flowers made of brass or copper leaf and pasted on, which gave it a brilliant appearance. Eight temples, one fourth of the size of the great temple, stand about one hundred feet from it, so that the whole forms a complete square, of rather less than five hundred feet on each side; these are similarly gilt and painted, and are connected with each other by a corridor inside; the covering outside is similar to the great centre temple, being painted brown and overlaid with flowers. Around the base of all these buildings are projections of about three feet, like the base of a column, having imitationmouldings: these are overlaid again with sheets of brass leaf, as well as the cornices and architraves. The entrances to all the doors have a profusion of gilt and painted ornaments as well as the base, shaft, capital, and architrave of all the columns. The great building was surrounded at proper intervals (so as not to appear crowded) with small temples or sheds standing on four columns, and neatly gilt and ornamented. A wide space on the east side was left open, on which were erected very high narrow stages, neatly built, for the use of musicians, for the exhibition of rope dancers, tumblers, and gladiators, or sword fighters, pugilists, &c. At regular intervals were raised conical umbrellas or a series of canopies, the lower one being about six feet in diameter and each covering gradually lessening to the top, which terminated in a point—they were about thirty feet in height and alternately were of silver-leaf and brass-leaf, gilt, and ornamented with flowers. The whole ground and passages were covered in with bamboo framework, as well as the passage leading to the king’s palace; the latter had a covered walk or roof of the same material extending the whole distance to the entrance within the enclosure. There were four entrances through long passages to the temple-altar or place of burning, and the whole building was surrounded with hideous images of men about a foot high, low dwarf-trees being interspersed between them, protected again by a low neat network railing of iron.
VISIT TO THE PRAKLANG.
On the fourteenth, we went to partake of a feast at the praklang’s, in company with Mr. Silveiro, the Portuguese consul, and Captain Geisinger and the officers. This invitation was given about ten days since, and renewed from time to time. It was conveniently arranged by the praklang, as this day was set apart for shaving the heads of two of his sons and a nephew. The feast could not have taken place without our assistance, for they borrowed one of our cooks, the tables, tumblers, wine-glasses, tureens, ladle, spoons, &c. We were informed they had no wine, and, therefore, requested me to furnish the requisite quantity. At three, covered barges were in waiting for us, and in a few minutes, we found ourselves seated in the hall of audience; the praklang was sitting in all his majesty, on a raised seat. The dinner was already on the table. As soon as the usual compliments were over, and we had sat down to dinner, music struck up within the house, accompanied by female voices, which were good and natural, and thesongs were not unmusical, being rather of a plaintive cast. The court-yard, during the feast, was thronged with people, who came, I suppose, “to see us eat,” and to see the officers in their uniforms; they were very orderly and quiet, crouching to the ground. I have seen no instance, thus far, of the slightest degree of rudeness, which was much and justly complained of by Mr. Crawford and others, but quite the contrary: every mark of respect has been shown.
The dinner was dressed “à la Siamese and Portuguese.” A stage was erected in the court-yard for vaulters and tumblers; when the dessert was produced, which consisted of some thirty dishes of confectionary and fruit, they commenced their surprising feats. They consisted of about a dozen, belong to the step-brother of the king, the prince Cha-fa-Nooi, or Mum-fa-Nooi, and are the same that were exhibited at the praklang’s brother’s, a few nights since. After the cloth was removed, the king of Siam was given, as a toast by me, all standing; and in return, the praklang proposed the President of the United States, which was drunk likewise, all standing up. Two or three complimentary toasts then followed. The tumblers continued their sports for two hours, until sunset; then twelve young actors and actresses, very richly clad, made their appearance, and performed pantomimes and posture-dances, till past nine, when our party, being heartily tired of the performances, begged leave to retire. Their sports, we understood, were continued till after midnight; the music was the same we had before. The three curtains, which conceal the entrances into the interior of the house, were raised; when the players began, each door appeared to be full of the minister’s numerous wives, and in front some dozens of his children, all bedecked with necklaces, bangles, &c.; their skins being coloured with saffron or turmeric, for it is considered here a great desideratum to have the skin of a light yellow. The women were not generally so masculine in appearance as those we saw abroad, and were of a lighter complexion, being less exposed. Some of them appeared but a shade or two less than white. They were clad in sombre-coloured silk waist and breast cloths, but wore no jewels; the teeth of even the youngest were black as jet, and their lips and gums of a livid hue.
On the cutting of the hair from the crown of the male children,a display is made by every person, however humble, from the firing of two or three muskets to feasting, fireworks, dancing, music, and acting, in all their varieties; presents are expected from all relatives, acquaintances, and friends, which constitute a fund for the boy. A similar amount of gifts is expected in return, upon a like occasion; but a man high in office always has the best of the bargain.
PRESENTS.
To show the extreme indelicacy, in truth, grossness, of these people, even among the higher classes, the captain of the port, Piedade, was sent to me from the praklang, to say that the envoy from the United States would of course make a present, as Mr. Crawford and the Portuguese consul had done on a similar occasion; being placed in rather a delicate situation, in regard to the treaty, having two troublesome points unsettled, I complied with this piece of spunging, and gave a hundred silver dollars, which were presented to the praklang in the course of the afternoon, in a gold vase, by the general of artillery, Benedito, with a complimentary message from me, wishing that his children might be useful members of society, virtuous and happy, &c. It was highly ludicrous, yet most disgusting, to see the general of the eleven ranks of nobility, who stands second in order, viz.: aphaya, crawling like a dog on all fours, dressed in a striped silk cloak, bound round with heavy gold lace, of the fashion of the fifteenth century, shoving the vase before him, till he came to the praklang, and delivering it, making his obeisance to the ground with hands united; thenbacking outof “the presence,” in the same degrading position, till he reached me, to return the great man’s thanks. The vase was then taken just beyond our table, (one step below, for every step, in fact, has its appropriate rank,) and delivered to two persons, one of whom, I suppose, was the treasurer, the other the Moorish or Chuliah secretary, who always makes his appearance, crawling on all fours, with his black paper, slate, and pencil, whenever there is any business to be transacted. The money was counted within our sight, and reported to the praklang to beall right!!! It was but a few days previous to this, that an elegant gold watch, set in pearls, two cases of silks, and four elegant fillagreed silver baskets, edged with gold, and ornamented with enamelled figures, had been presented by me to the praklang, which I intended to deliver at the conclusion of the treaty; but he having obtained information,by some means, that I had a present for him, sent Piedade to inquire of what it consisted,and the cost; the next day he returned, with the eldest son of the praklang, who is one of the four household officers of the king, being the second in rank, and called, “Luang-nai-Sit,” requesting to have them examined and an inventory taken, which was done; a hint was then thrown out by the captain of the port, that it would facilitate my business, if the praklang had his presents. It was evidently improper to give them, until those intended for the king were presented; but I complied with it, satisfied in my own mind it was doneby command. They were presented the same afternoon, on gold vases, when I went to discuss certain points in the treaty.
The king’s presents, consisting of silks, elegant watches set in pearls, and very superior silver fillagreed baskets, with gold rims, and enamelled with birds and flowers, were shown at the same time, at their request, and an inventory of them taken also; again they inquired the cost of them, made some remarks respecting the colour of the silk, and said that some other colour would have suited the king better; that the reason why they were ordered to examine the articles was, to know if they weresuitablepresents to give the king. Having expressed some slight degree of indignation at their gross conduct, they said, such were their orders from the praklang, and that Major Burney—who succeeded Mr. Crawford, in finally making a better treaty with them than was ever made before, although it was effected after a long negotiation, by the sacrifice of the personal liberty of the king of Quedah, and their great fear of the English government, who possess the key of their country, in holding possession of most of the strong holds of the Burman empire, as well as Malacca and Singapore, and their possessions at Pulo Penang—brought, among other articles, a parcel of painted boxes, &c., which they rejected. After a slight personal knowledge of three weeks only with this people, I infer that they are extremely disingenuous and fickle-minded, because many articles of the treaty, passed and agreed upon in the evening, have the following day been subverted, or the strength of the language so materially weakened, as to take away nearly its whole force. That they are great intriguers, past history will confirm: the present king, the illegitimate son of the late monarch, by the sudden death of his father, aided by bribes, placed himself on the throne, to the exclusion of the eldest legitimate son, who, on the death of his father, fled the place, and became a Talapoy to save his life. Cha-fa-Nooi, the next in succession, has a small stipend allowed him, and lives in what is called the Portuguese fort, opposite the city: his life is safe, as long as his eldest brother lives.
That these people are highly superstitious, is shown by their constant watching for the flight of vultures, and the worshipping of idols; and the ten thousand follies attached to the Budhist religion, is sufficient evidence. That they are servile, is a necessary consequence, arising out of their despotic government. Subordination of rank is carried to a most degrading and revolting point; true politeness therefore is destroyed; they are abject in the extreme to superiors, and most insolent and disdainful to inferiors. It appears to be impossible for an inferior, to stand erect and manly, in presence of a superior: they are sluggish, ignoble and crouching. A people who are habitually crawling upon their knees and elbows, and performing “the knock-head ceremony,” cannot be otherwise than ungraceful and inelegant in their manners. If they were allowed to carry arms, they would be constrained to be civil and polite to each other; but custom sanctions the right of avenging private wrongs. They are a most extravagantly vain people; are reputed to be very deficient in courage; excessively lascivious and immoral; of which proofs are presented at every step. Temporary marriages are so notorious, that to sell a daughter wholly to a stranger, or for a stipulated term of time, is as common among the middling and lower classes of people, as to sell any common commodity, usually to be found in a bazar. Custom has also fixed a certain price for a certain rank. It is said by Mr. Gutzlaff, that they are in expectation of the coming of the Saviour of mankind, and that the people who are to effect a change in their religion, are to come from the West, (meaning Europe and America.)
If the overturn of an idle, superstitious and debauched priesthood like the Talapoys, (or Talapoins,) who are said to amount to upward of ten thousand generally, in Bang-kok and its neighbourhood, can be effected, what a glorious field will there be opened, to enlighten a nation who are not blood-thirsty or revengeful, but naturally mild and tractable, and exceedingly charitable to distressed objects. They are willing to be instructed, and gladly accept of any books in their own language, which are presented to them. Abetter form of government would of course make them a better people, but they are now bowed down by oppression, and their highly productive soil is almost untilled, because the hard earnings of the labourer are wrung from him by the rapacious cruelty of his rulers. I omitted to say, that during the evening’s entertainment at the praklang’s, a brown, highly varnished, and gilt seat, was brought in and covered with carpets, cushions, &c., and placed on the floor a short distance from where we were sitting, and shortly after, (preceded by crawling slaves,) a sword-bearer, others carrying highly wrought gold vases, containing areca and a water goblet, a small tea apparatus, &c.; then followed the prince Cha-fa-Nooi, or Mom-fa Nooi, and, without any ceremony whatever, took possession of the seat without noticing in any degree the praklang: when the prince entered, the praklang left his usual seat, which was of the same height as the prince’s, and seated himself on the floor, with his feet resting on a broad landing, leading to the upper floor: this is an acknowledgment of inferiority in rank. On this landing, at his feet, reposed the praklang’s son and brother, and a step below, were his chubah, secretary, &c., &c.: actors beneath the last, and a host of crawlers. The prince retired after sitting a short time, but without noticing his host, who immediately returned to the upper or highest seat.
During the afternoon of the feast of the entertainment, the supercargo, a Chuliah, belonging to the English brig Highland Chief, Captain Henry, from Madras, came crawling in on all fours from the inner gate, and presented, on salvers, some coarse Indian calicoes and lawns. They were received with a sullen air, and I could not perceive that the slightest notice was taken of them, when the praklang was informed of the present. This same supercargo was one of the crouchers, placed on the seat with the captain of the port, when we paid the introductory visit to the minister.
FOX-BATS.
I went to visit the great resort of the fox-bats, on a branch of the river leading to the sea. We found them in immense numbers within the grounds owned by mendicant Talapoys, whereon were many temples in a state of ruin. These birds were hanging by their claws, head downward, where they remain during the day, occupying the limbs of many hundreds of large trees. Having procured some, we measured one, and found it was forty-three inches in length, measuring from one extremity of its wings to theother: it has the head of a fox; the body is covered with long hair, and it has a most unsavoury, strong, foxy smell; it uses its teeth when fighting, but its main defence is in a hooked claw, placed at the middle joint of the wings, by which it occasionally suspends itself. In walking about the grounds of the pagodas, we observed hundreds of small conical mounds, which had been moulded by a form made of plantain stock, and surmounted by small paper flags fastened to a slender rod; these were said to be offerings made by some votaries of Budhistical nonsense.
In passing up the river a day or two since, we saw a snake of about twelve feet in length, and about eight inches in circumference; he was swimming about close to our boat, and did not appear to notice us, excepting when we struck at him with a paddle. Crows, vultures, and sparrows, abound every where, and we find the former very annoying to us, occupying the trees in the area of our house, pouncing upon the cooks’ premises, continually, and carrying off large pieces of meat or fish. The most common reptiles about our premises are lizards; several beautiful species are found every where. We have, among others, the tokay or ghecko in great numbers. This name is given to it here from its singular harsh and monotonous cry, which sounds like its name, to-kay. Throughout the night, these noises are made at intervals, probably of half an hour, commencing with a loud cry, and gradually growing weaker, making pauses of perhaps five or six seconds, between the cries; they are repeated from three to nine or ten times before exhaustion takes place. These reptiles are frequently seen eighteen inches in length, having red and light-green spots, with many tubercles. Fish are abundant in the Menam, and the Siamese, notwithstanding their pretended aversion to taking animal life, do not hesitate to eat fish, flesh, or fowl, if it is killed for them. All these articles are sold daily. Beef is not to be had but there is plenty of pork. Fruit is by no means abundant here at this season, although this is said to be the greatest fruit country in all Asia. A few small mangoes have made their appearance, but the stones are so large that little fruit is to be found on them. We have seen no oranges excepting those brought by China junks—a few poor watermelons and guavas, which are a tasteless fruit, and plantains, bananas, and cocoa-nuts: the latter are in abundance, and the water from the young ones is very refreshing.
FRUITS.
Here, for the first time, I tasted the water of a certain delicious kind of cocoa-nut, which was frequently sent by his majesty; it was highly flavoured, and tasted like burnt almonds. Oil is made in large quantities, and is used, when fresh, for cooking, burning, and for anointing the skin, and nourishing the hair. A little later, and the delicious mangosteen will be ripe, the orange, the durian, the pineapple, and lichi, will be in abundance, besides all the other tropical fruits common to this climate. The only vegetables we have yet seen on our table are the sweet potatoe, yam, garlic, onion, Indian corn, beans, peas, andcelery, which latter is used in soups only.
The valley of the Menam produces marsh-rice, of various qualities, and in the greatest abundance; it is often exported in large quantities, by license from the king. Rice is almost the only article of food used by the inhabitants; this vegetable is mixed with a little balachang and compound of shrimps, or the spawn of shrimps, or small fish, mixed with salt, and dried in the sun, and then moistened with fish-pickle: it is not only unsavoury to Europeans, but some of it is most offensive to the smell. The inhabitants have but two meals a day, in the morning and evening; the richer add tea, which is drunk in great quantities, without sugar or milk, during the day. Chewing areca and smoking cigars, are common to all, even among small children, and both are constantly used during their waking hours.
PRESENTATION AT THE PALACE OF BANG-KOK—DESCRIPTION—ROYAL ELEPHANT—WHITE ELEPHANTS—KING OF SIAM—GREAT TEMPLE OF GUATAMA—CITY OF BANG-KOK—TEMPLE OF WAT-CHAN-TONG, AND FIGURE OF BUDHA—BANYAN TREE—FIRE-FEEDERS—MISSIONARIES.
PRESENTATION AT THE PALACE OF BANG-KOK—DESCRIPTION—ROYAL ELEPHANT—WHITE ELEPHANTS—KING OF SIAM—GREAT TEMPLE OF GUATAMA—CITY OF BANG-KOK—TEMPLE OF WAT-CHAN-TONG, AND FIGURE OF BUDHA—BANYAN TREE—FIRE-FEEDERS—MISSIONARIES.
PRESENTATION AT THE PALACE.
On Monday, the eighteenth, arrangements having been previously made, three large boats were sent by the praklang, to convey us to the palace, for the purpose of being presented to his majesty. On the previous evening, the second praklang, or the phaya-phiphat kossa, with a long train of attendants, came to visit us, with the ostensible object of talking farther respecting certain articles, which the praklang wished to have altered in the treaty. After a few minutes’ conversation upon this subject, the audience of the king was spoken of, and he said that certain ceremonies, according to court etiquette, must be observed on our visit. I replied, that every proper respect would, of course, be shown to his majesty; but that nothing mean or servile must be expected. He then said, on our entrance into the hall of audience, on passing the screen, three bows were expected in the European style; that, on sitting down, in the Asiatic style, (as no chairs are there ever used,) our feet must be placed behind us, that three bows were then to be made, by uniting the hands and touching the forehead, and lowering them to the breast. Seeing nothing unreasonable or degrading in this formality, it was agreed to, excepting that we refused to bow the head, like the Siamese. On the king’s naming us personally, we were to bow in the usual style of recognisance with us; and when the curtain was drawn on his appearance, we were to make three such bows, as might suit us. This was all very well; and I was glad to find the taking off the shoes was not spoken of, and entering in a stooping position, which could nothave been complied with, as it was by Mr. Crawford, when on a mission a few years since, who, to effect his purpose, (in which he totally failed,) complied with their insulting demands. The Siamese amuse themselves with talking upon this subject even now, and say, that the gentlemen belonging to the mission, were obliged to walk ankle deep in mud and water; that some of them lost their shoes, they being thrown away purposely by the Siamese servants; of course, by order of their masters. Once or twice, the subject was named to me, and I severely reproved them for their disgraceful conduct. Major Burney, it seems, on a more recent mission, agreed to comply with the demand of taking off his shoes, but on the condition that he kept on his hat: they, however, preferred he should keep on his shoes, and take off his hat.
Our mode of conveyance from the water-side to the palace, was agreed upon previously, viz.: A palanquin, with eight bearers, dressed in red uniforms, and caps to correspond, was to be provided for myself, and ten horses for the other gentlemen, properly caparisoned, according to rank. We embarked at nine o’clock, and were, in a few minutes, at the palace-stairs. Spectators were numerous, in the floating houses and boats, on our way; and on landing, the place was thronged with them, leaving sufficient space, however, for the procession, there being officers in attendance to keep the multitude in order. However, every thing was well conducted, and without noise. Excellent horses, handsomely caparisoned, with elegant saddles and silk bridles, breastplate and head-stall, ornamented with various-coloured gems, decked in rich embroidery, were provided: each horse was led by one of the king’s servants.
The procession moved on, the envoy being placed in front, through two long streets, passing a gate of the city, and finally arrived at one of the gates to the palace-yard, where we found a guard, dressed in red broadcloth coats, and waist-cloths of every colour, with and without hats and caps, bearing muskets with black barrels and red stocks. We proceeded to the hall of justice, where we dismounted.
Fronting the building, were ten large elephants, well caparisoned, having a guide on their necks, with his hook and spear fixed to a staff, while another sat on the rump with a similar weapon; and in the centre, a standard-bearer, having a spear, to which was attached a long tassel of elephant’s hair: these men wore red turbans and neat parti-coloured dresses, well fitted to the shape. We ascended two or three steps to a landing, which was crowded with people of various descriptions: from this we advanced one step, which led to the floor, being escorted by the officers in waiting, by Col. Pasqual, and others. We were desired to wait a short time, till his majesty had arrived in the hall, which was at a short distance. The floor was covered with a good Persian carpet, apparently made for the place. Among others present, were ten Pequan officers of rank, sitting on the landing, outside the pillars which supported the roof, for none were permitted to be on the floor where we were but the interpreters, and these, according to etiquette, sat on the floor. The Pequan officers were dressed in gold-flowered crimson silk, and long jackets, reaching below the knee, and turbans of silk of the same colour, trimmed with gold fringe: all were sitting in the Asiatic style. Having waited some time, we were told the king was ready to receive us. In proceeding to the hall, through a very spacious and extensive yard, we saw, on our right, drawn out, standing on a grass-plot, under high canopies, eight other elephants, richly caparisoned, having no riders, but plenty of attendants. We passed on—preceded by a number of Chuliahs, or Moors, having elegant silk dresses, reaching to the feet, and turbans, some of flowered crimson: others with white silk having gold flowers, and turbans of the same—through several hundred musicians, in red coats and caps. In the rear were soldiers, placed in pens, in a crouching posture, armed with spears and shields, with the interpreters and peace-officers. The music, consisting of drums, brass horns, trumpets, &c., &c., struck up a most deafening noise, on our entering within their lines, which ceased when we arrived within the walls of the hall.
Every thing was conducted with the utmost decorum. Just before reaching the hall, we passed a most noble spotted elephant—he had four massive gold rings, which must have weighed several pounds each, studded with jewels, secured around each tusk: a raised seat, a foot or two above the ground, was fixed for him to stand on, because he was a royal elephant, and could only be mounted by the king: a servant was feeding him with fresh cut grass and bananas. Facing us was part of the king’s stud of fine Arabian horses, placed under a high shed, richly, and in fact, superbly dressed, attended by their keepers, which we were requested toadmire. The spectacle thus far was quite imposing, and it seems every thing had been arranged to make a favourable impression. The elephants were placed in those positions, where they would show to the greatest advantage—as well as the king’s stud of horses, the immense number of military with a vast many officers richly clad, many of them being most splendidly dressed—the singular unique style of architecture of the king’s palace—a large number of cannon placed under open sided sheds, the hall of audience, &c., &c., illumined by a brilliant sun and an unclouded sky, gave to every thing an Asiatic and novel appearance.
AUDIENCE OF KING.
We entered at length the vestibule through a line of soldiers, and passed to the right of a Chinese screen of painted glass, into the presence of his majesty. There lay prostrate, or rather on all fours resting on their knees and elbows, with hands united and head bowed low, all the princes and nobility of the land: it was an impressive but an abasing sight, such as no freeman could look on, with any other feelings than those of indignation and disgust. We halted in front of the presents which were delivered the day previous, being piles of silks, rich fillagreed silver baskets, elegant gold watches studded with large pearls: they were well disposed to make a show. Having gone through the first ceremony of bowing, we sat down on a carpet: on our being seated the prostrate slaves around us (being the great men of the land) bowed simultaneously three times to the ground, in a slow solemn manner, and we joined in the ceremony as had been previously agreed upon. The king was seated under a canopy, in the Asiatic style, on a cushion of red silk velvet, on the lower and more advanced of the two thrones, which occupied the upper end of the apartment: this was a square seat raised some half dozen feet from the floor. Every thing was blazing in gold, in and about the two thrones: the larger and unoccupied one was of an hexagonal shape, and resembled a church pulpit, so that the king’s person when seated in it, can be visible only through the open spaces, in the form of Gothic windows, about four feet in height by one and a half and two in width. One of these windows is in front, and one on each side of the throne. A pair of curtains of gold cloth formed a partition between him and several individuals of the royal family, who lay crouching just without, on separate carpets, leaving a wide open space between the throne and the two interpreters, who were midway of the hall. Before the curtain andon either side, were eight or ten umbrellas of various sizes: these consist of a series of canopies of eight or ten tiers, decreasing in size upward.
His majesty is a very stout fleshy man, apparently about forty-five years of age, of a pleasing countenance. He was dressed in a cloth of gold tissue around the waist, while a mantle was thrown gracefully over the left shoulder. Four noblemen’s sons were seated at the base of the throne, at the rear and sides, having long-handled pear-shaped fans, richly gilt, which they kept in constant motion. A few questions were addressed by the king in an audible voice: they were repeated in a lower tone by the phaya phiphat, or second praklang, to the phaya churat, or chief of the Chuliahs, by whom they were whispered to the captain of the port, who interpreted them to us in the same low tone—the answers were returned through the same channels by us; inquiring, in the first place, as to the health of the President and all the great men in our country—our own healths—those of the officers and crew—how long we had been from America—where we had been, and whence bound—desiring me to acquaint the praklang with all my wants, that they might be supplied, &c., &c., &c. The curtain was now drawn and his majesty disappeared; the court made three solemn kotows, and we our three salams, and then retired. The hall is probably one hundred and twenty feet in length by sixty in breadth, and has seven or eight stout square pillars on each side, probably built of brick and stuccoed, which support the roof; the highest part of the ceiling must be thirty-five or forty feet, is painted vermillion, having gilt starlike ornaments: the pillars and sides of the wall were painted so as to resemble paper hangings, and were altogether in bad taste: common looking-glasses, and ordinary European paintings of men with frizzled and powdered hair, were placed against the wall. The floor was covered with a new kidderminster carpet, such as may be bought in the United States for about a dollar and a quarter a yard; in fact there was no richness or elegance displayed; excepting about the throne there were neither jewels nor costly workmanship: the dress of the king himself was by no means extraordinary.
We were surrounded by Siamese, Cambojans, Burmese, Pequans, Malays, Chinese, Cochin-Chinese, Moors, and people of Lao, dressed all in the costumes of their respective countries, butall of them at the disposal of the “master of lives,” as the king of Siam is styled. It was before observed, that the princes were nearest the throne, on a separate carpet; behind them, on another carpet, were the praklang and the higher officers of state, as precedence is decided here by relative vicinity to the throne: the lowest officers admitted, are those at the very entrance of the hall. When the courtiers enter, they crawl in on all fours, and, when dismissed, crawl out again backward, “à la crab,” or “à la lobster;” and when the numbers are great, their appearance is most ludicrous. During the audience the utmost silence was observed by the courtiers; not an eye was even cast toward us until it was ended. One would suppose that all who were there present, were assembled before the throne of Him who is tositin judgment at the latter day, rather than before a temporal monarch; there were such a stillness and solemnity at times, that the scene was quite oppressive. The audience, which lasted about half an hour, being ended, his majesty ordered us to be shown the white and other elephants, the temples, &c., within the palace-walls.
On our exit from the building, the music again struck up and ended when we passed the lines. We were first conducted by the interpreters and some half dozen officers, to the stables of the more valuable elephants, kept within the enclosure. The first shown to us was the sacred white elephant, a more gentle and peaceable character than the one secured without the walls, near the river; he was much whiter also, but this might be owing to his being kept cleaner, his eyes were larger, sound, and healthy in appearance, and the skin free from scurf. I was particularly requested to feed him with bananas and sugar-cane, which he received from my hands most gently, rubbing his long proboscis once over the back of my hand and then made three salams with his trunk. Fresh cut grass was placed in small bundles before him, and when annoyed by the flies and moschetoes, he would take a wisp and brush his legs, throwing it afterward on his back. In this stall was a white monkey, of the size of a small dog, a perfect Albino, the iris, pink, &c., &c.; he was kept in a cage, and appeared never to be quiet for a single second. We passed on to four other stalls, which contained spotted elephants; they are noble animals, and I consider them more worthy of notice than the white ones. We passed on to the great temple of the palace, which was repairing,where Budha sat enthroned on high, of a gigantic size, shining with gold and yellow cloths, and protected with a yellow umbrella. The walls were covered with historical paintings, relative to the wanderings of Rama; and the outer courts were filled with descript and non-descript animals of all sorts, in plaster, stone, and marble. Within the columns, plates of artificial fruits were placed; the favourite lotus was growing in large ornamented stone and porcelain vases, and there were artificial ones in stone. Two warriors, of immense size, guarded the entrance as usual. The doors were splendidly adorned with mother-of-pearl, inlaid so as to represent flowers and fruit of various elegant devices. The thermometer being at nearly a hundred, we remained but a short time, being much exhausted by fatigue and the intense heat of the sun. We returned in the same order in which we came, being much gratified with our reception, and rejoiced that it was at an end.
PRIESTS—INUNDATIONS.
I have frequently asked the question, How many priests there are belonging to the different pagodas? The answer has been always, sometimes ten, and sometimes twenty thousand; there is no particular number. Pray, what is the cause of this great difference in numbers, at different times? Oh! it depends altogether upon the price of rice; if rice is abundant, priests are fewer in number than when it is scarce; for a great number of them enter the priesthood for a short time only, when they have nothing to eat: this is the reason, why there are so many small boys dressed in yellow, because their parents have no food for them. During the great inundation of 1831, the number of priests doubled, in consequence of the scarcity of provisions. This vicinity was, until that time, remarkable for the great abundance and variety of its excellent fruit. In the course of three months, during which the country was so submerged, it was almost totally destroyed, as well as the crops of rice and cane. In speaking one day of the extreme servility of the lower classes to the higher, I was informed, that the praklang, in coming out of his house during the overflow of the river, always had the usual homage paid to him by the people, of kneeling or stooping when he passed them; and that they have been frequently seen so deeply immersed in water, as to be obliged to rise a little to prevent its entering their mouths, and suffocating them. This degrading homage, I have seen frequently paid himby his eldest son, Luang-nai-Sit, crawling on all fours into his father’s presence, and bowing his head to the ground, with united hands. He is about twenty-five years of age—has several wives and many children; he is of an inquiring mind, but said to be very intriguing and cringing to those who can promote his interests. He says, “his father frequently sends for him to breakfast, and the constrained position in which he is placed (on all fours) prevents his eating much, he, therefore, unfortunately suffers before he can obtain his dinner.”
Among the queer articles of export from this place to China, are snake-skins, which are there used for musical instruments principally, and also for medicinal purposes. Many of the reptiles, from which these are taken, are of large size; and it is said are upward of thirty feet in length, and wide in proportion. The floating houses on the river, when sunk nearly to the water’s edge, by the decaying of the bamboos on which they rest, are frequently annoyed with them, for they are always in search of poultry. Among other methods of taking them, is this: a chicken is placed at the further end of a bamboo coop, near the door, over-night; a hole is made in this coop of a sufficient size to admit the entrance of a snake of fifteen or twenty feet in length; if the reptile enter, after having gorged himself with his prey, he is unable to get out, and is then easily killed. The skin is then dried, and rolls of it are found suspended from the ceiling of the floating shops. The entire carcasses of tigers are also exported to China, for the people of that country ignorantly suppose them to possess great medicinal qualities. Last year, sixty carcasses paid duties on exportation, besides a large number smuggled; they are generally in a very putrid state long before they are shipped.
The thick hide of the rhinoceros is also another article of export to the same country, and by a peculiar process, it is made into, and used as a nutritious jelly.
BUDHA—CANALS.
March twenty-seventh.Reconnoitring in my boat yesterday evening, on the left bank of the river, up one of the numerous canals, we saw under a common shed, a short distance from a wat or temple, a number of idols. We stepped on shore to examine them, and at the feet of the great idol, lay a poor wretch, dying with the confluent small-pox; his bloated features and his person, covered with pustules, made him a disgusting object; he had crawled thither that morning, and had brought half a dozen saucers of sweetmeats, cooked rice, and fruit, and placed them on the lap of Budha, praying no doubt most fervently, that he would be pleased to cure him of his foul disease: but his cries were of no avail to this gilded block of wood, although they lasted from morning until eventide; for he died that night, at the feet of Budha.
March twenty-eighth.This morning, it being very high water, we entered on the canal which runs near to the southern wall of the city; passing along it, about a mile and a quarter, we turned to the left, and proceeding along about the same distance, we again shot out into the main river: thus taking a complete circuit of the city. The wall is about twenty feet in height; not a piece of cannon was seen, nor even a solitary sentry taking his weary round; but a number of canals passed under the wall, and were filled with market-boats: there are no portcullises ready to drop, in case of a rebellion, or the invasion of an enemy; these canals, therefore, offer a ready and easy entrance. The houses in the suburbs in many places, are built immediately against the walls. No defence could be made, against even a small disciplined force, for there is no regular military force in the kingdom; the soldiers are never drilled with muskets, the government being unwilling to trust them with arms in their hands: their mode of warfare is altogether desultory. Many parts of the canal which surrounds the city, were much crowded with pedlars’ boats, containing coarse cloth, paper, brass, and iron utensils, &c.; others with salt, sapan-wood, cotton in small baskets, areca-nut, siri-leaf, chunam, coloured with turmeric, dried fish, oil, sugar, balachang, fresh pork, fish, fruit, and vegetables.
The back of the city bore, altogether, a rural appearance; the banks were thickly settled, people of all ages were bathing, washing at the same time their simple dresses; children were seen asleep in short square-net hammocks, and the mother lying at full length on a mat, chewing areca-nut, or smoking a cigar, propelling with her foot the hanging cradle; the cat and dog lay stretched also at full length on the platform, overcome with the intense heat of the day; the banks were, however, well shaded by the many trees which occupied every vacant place. The mango, now fully laden with its oblong green fruit; the religious fig-tree with its broad and pointed leaf; the plantain bending beneath the weight of its fruit;the areca-palm with its slender and regular stem, and brush-like head; and the useful cocoa-nut and bamboo, were seen towering in every direction. We visited a number of the king’s boat-houses, and saw a canoe one hundred and five feet long, made from a single teak-tree, excepting the high curved stem and stern; we saw also, hundreds of useless boats, most of them intended for war, while others were for pleasure, being neatly gilded about each quarter. The war-boats would be altogether useless in a sea-fight.