CAPABILITIES OF SIAM.

in their native places. It is an old Heathen view | squatting position at the door of the apartments of worship. Pharoah of Egypt denied not that the Hebrews were bound to worship their God. The Canaanitish nations believed in His existence and His power upon the mountains of Israel. They even were willing to give Him a certain portion of their reverence. The Romans incorporated the deities of conquered nations in their mythology. The mixed Samaritans worshipped God when they came into the land which they believed to be placed under his tutelage. The Romans at a subsequent period were not unwilling to place the Saviour among the heroes whom they worshipped, and while the idolatry of the Israelites and Jews commenced by adding the idols of the nations around them to their former worship, we must regret that Christianity, at the cominencement of the dark middle ages, incorporated parts of the Paganism that from Europe was fast fading away, in ceremonies, if not in creed.

The Bhuddist religion is evidently superior to the other developments of Heathenism in the East, upon some practical matters. Thus females in the Bhuddist countries are said to occupy a higher position in society than in other Heathen or Mahommedan lands; yet our knowledge of Chinese crimes scarcely supports this opinion of Sir John Bowring; for female infauticide is common in many parts of China, as it has been common, or even more than common, in many parts of India. Although a surplus of females is a contingency against which the Bhuddists of China provide by this cruelty, yet they oppose the emigration of adult females even when accompanied by males, and thus render the latter comparatively useless as settlers, and of less value than they might assume as occasional labourers, in our West Indiau colonies. The artificial compression of the feet in Chinese females originated probably in this enmity to their migration.

Another feature in the Siamese character ascribed to Bhuddism is the respect given to children by their parents, and the reverence paid to their parents by children. This characteristic is rendered by the Bhuddist authorities a terrible instrument of punishment. Thus Commissioner Yeh even now threatens the Chinese, resident in Hongkong, with the punishment of their families if they do not return to the territories of the Emperor; also the desecration of their ancestors' graves if they are of service to the barbarians.

Sir John Bowring says:

where the fathers fondled the children, not in accordance with our domestic habits. "Mendacity," he says, is "not a national defect among the Siamese," admitting that "lying, no doubt, is often resorted to as a protection against injustice or oppression." Dishonesty," he asserts, "is repugnant to Siamese habits." He mentions that "suicide is rare," and states that "murders are very rare, averaging not one in a year," while "the people are eminently hospitable." As in Hindostau, buildings are erected in Siam for the convenience of travellers, and we are reminded of patriarchal hospitality and times by the conduct of the Siamese "women," who spontaneously bring to them jars of water to appease the thirst of those who are journeying." These amiable characteristics are traced by Sir John Bowring in some measure to the religion of the Siamese; yet the Chinese in their own country are diametrically opposed to those good points in Siamese conduct that we have named, and they are of the same religion. The difference may be caused in part by the vast population and the relative want of land in China, and among the higher classes of the great empire by the contempt evinced, because it is felt, for all foreign customs and habits; but in which the Siamese, differing from the Burmese on the north-west, and the Chinese on the north east, do not join; for, as we have seen, the kings read foreign literature, and study western science. The indisposition of the Siamese to the destruction of animal life, prevents, as we have remarked, the increase of rational life. It is a clear commentary on the text "the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."

It is an amiable weakness, like that of able men among ourselves who consider peace cheap at any price. We think it dear if it be purchased by the destruction of liberty, the establishment of oppression, and the prosperity of tyranny. The overthrow of Commissioner Yeh at China, would be a great blessing to suffering humanity; even if some difficulty existed in doing the work. We cannot enact the part either of Jack the Giant Killer over all the globe; or St. George, to seek out the dragons of all lands, and slay them; but we need not try to save these blood-red dragons when they come in our path. At any rate the conservation of beasts of prey and reptiles by the Siamese is mistaken humanity.

The following passage from vol. ii., p. 278-9, Of the affection of parents for children, and the deference gives, like many others in the book, glimpses of the

paid by the young to the old, we saw abundant evidence in all classes of society. Fathers were constantly observed carrying about their offspring in their arms, and mothers engaged in adorning them. The King was never seen in public by us without some of his younger children near him, and we had no intercourse with the nobles where numbers of little ones were not on the carpet, grouped around their elders, and frequently receiving attentions from them.

Sir John Bowring, however, states that the mothers of these children were observed in a

inner life of the king No. I. :

When I reached the landing place, the chair, with a bearer of a huge umbrella, conveyed me within the palace courts, through hundreds of torch bearers, the soldiers placed at different spots "presenting arms" to the order given in English. On reaching the reception place, the King came forward. Two little children of the King were playing upon a crimson and gold carpet, who screamed at nothing, except wide brimmed hats, which covered their my approach, and were taken away. They seemed to wear heads. He took me to his private apartments, ornamented

THE SIAMESE COURT.

with beautiful pendules, statues of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, handsome barometers, thermometers, &c. He then led me through two or three small chambers, where were fine specimens of Chinese porcelain services, and other costly decorations. Almost everything seemed English. There were many new books on the shelves. The King spoke of the history of Siam, and said it was rather obscure and fabulous; but that the more veracious portions went back about five hundred years; that the Siamese alphabet had been introduced about that time. Inscribed upon the apartments to which his Majesty had conducted me, were the words "Royal Pleasure" in English, and in Sanscrit characters with the same meaning. He asked me if I should like to hear Siamese music. On my answering "yes," a number of young people, (I could not distinguish the boys from the girls) played some rather pretty and plaintive airs, and entertained us with songs which were less wild and monotonous than I could have expected. His Majesty then conducted me to the hall of audience, leading me by the hand wherever we went, amidst the prostrate nobles, crawling about, or bending their heads in the dust at his pre

sence.

205

with the stores, and was very inquisitive. He said the second king had tanght him English, and, probably to elicit some complimentary admission, he remarked-"Siamese country will belong to English some day." He said the second king had read the works of Sir Walter Scott, and had called a ship by his name. He said his Majesty had Maryatt's code of merchant signals, and asked whether he could get those of the royal navy. He asked to see the screw of our steamer, and remarked that it looked like the "patent cog."

He had been at Singapore and Batavia, and hoped, if he came to Hongkong, that I would be civil to him. He tried to get a sword-belt from the officers, as he said he had a sword, but not a sword-belt to hang it on. He ate and drank (but moderately) with the officers, and offered all sorts of services at Bangkok. He had a servant, bearing a silver teapot, enibossed with gold, and said nobody could use that unless he were a noble. Its cost would be about fifty dollars; the weight of the silver, forty; the rest for the gold and the workmanship. He seemed a small person in the presence of the two envoys, whom the king calls in his letter to me, his private ministers. The arrival of the white elephant seems to have created a great sensation in Bang kok. The letters from our envoys show they were not aware that any communication had come direct from the

One mau,

The second King's home was, if possible, more intellectual, in its small library and its scientific study, than the first palace. Both monarchs pre-king. ferred instruments connected with science to any other gift, but all the Siamese acted in a gentle. manly way, when contrasted with other Asiatic nations, and avoided all appearance of avarice. The difference between the experiences of Sir John Malcolm at Teheran, the capital of Persia, in 1798, and of Sir John Bowring at Bangkok, in 1855, is very remarkable. The Persians have not, we fear, greatly improved during the half century; while the strange Siamese, dwelling almost alone, hit, now at least, on the most handsome manner in the matter of gifts. The first King expressed regret at his inability to carry out a purpose which he once entertained, of sending a crown to her Majesty. Sir John Bowring assured him that a few of the natural productions of the country would give much more gratification to Queen Victoria.

An extract from the Author's journal will give a graphic view of the courtiers who surround the throne at Bangkok. We copy from his description of the approach to the river :—

March 28.-To-day there came a letter from the king. It was brought in an ornamented vase of gold by three high officers, one of whom spoke English. They had a quantity of fruit, sent by the king-mangoes, oranges, liches, ananas, plantains, and several species unknown to me-all in richly ornamented silver salvers, with a variety of sweat meats. covered with banana leaves. Another boat followed, with a large display of cocoa-nuts, sugar-canes, one hundred fowls, ducks, pigs, eggs, rice, paddy, &c., for the use of our crews. On board this second boat was a sharp Siamese, whom they called Captain Dick, and who was said to come from the second king, having commanded one of his ships. He was inquisitive about divers matters. The second boat brought letters from our envoys, giving a satisfactory account of all

that had taken place—of the attentions shown them, and of their intercourse with the high authorities. The question under discussion seems to be, whether or not the Rattler shall convey me to Bangkok.

The officers remained a couple of hours on board, saw the ship, and behaved in a gentlemanly way. Their own åttendants crouched in their presence with extreme servility, and habitual prostration. The man who said he was of the third order of nobles, and called himself Captain Dick, came

March 31.-It is curious to see how English influences establish themselves in a country so remote as Siam. The king has found means of employing many persons able to speak English, and their histories no doubt would be curious. who has been made a noble, was a captain, and, I believe, is now a merchant, called himself an Armenian, but was born at Ispahan. He seems to have been strangely tossed about the world, but, no doubt, is useful in Siam. He accompanied the son of the prime minister, and the envoy from the second king, on board the Rattler. The prime minister" of the king, who came yesterday, told me he had been taught English by Dr. Bradley, and he spoke with much propriety and correctness. One of the attendants had studied navigation at Mrs. Taylor's school in the Minories; spoke English well, and read many English books; said he liked England, but it was not a place for a poor man to live. He had lived in a "sailor's home," he said, and was only fourteen when he left Siam.

The talkative fellow, who called himself Captain Dick, who had lost the vessel which belonged to the second king, and was now "looking about" for something to do, came with one of the parties to report matters to his master,

whose position is not very clear to me, as I observe he is

not mentioned by the first king, who no longer signs as first king, but the "King of Siam." I hear from some of the functionaries who came on board, that the second king does not occupy himself so much as he used to do in nautical and mechanical studies-he may be busied with his religious cares. Some of the salted fish sent by the king was placed on the table at breakfast this morning, and pronounced excellent by everybody. The specimens sent of preserved meats in bottles are curious. The first are powdered into small fragments, looking like masses of saffron.

It would, perhaps, be difficult to state how English customs and language have been esta blished so far in Siam; but the circumstance is attributable probably to the merchants and missionaries. The missionaries acquire influence from their regular residence in a capital where the nobles want to learn much that they can teach, and are so careless of their religion that they discuss its demerits or merits coolly with strangers-a course to which the Chinese and the Mahometans will not condescend. The banks of the river appear to be very beautiful, and Sir John Bowring, amid all the cares and ceremonies of state, des

cribes in a pleasant style the natural decorations | value. It lends itself from the most exquisite and minute of this fertile land :

The appearance of the river is beautiful, crowded with the richest vegetation to the water's edge. Now and then a bamboo-hut is seen amidst the foliage, whose varieties of bright and beautiful green no art could copy. Fruits and flowers hang by thousands on the branches. We observed that even the wild animals were scarcely scared by our approach. Fishes glided over the mud banks, and birds either sat looking at us as we passed, or winged their way around and about us. The almost naked people sat and looked at us as we glided by, and their habitations were generally marked out by a small creek, with a rude boat, and one or more pariah dogs. As we approached Bangkok, floating houses became more and more numerous. They are raised on piles of bamboos, and moored to the shores; they are the shops and bazaars as well as the dwellings of the inhabitants.

In front of some of the superior edifices, we observed a great number of ladies waiting to see the procession, among whom the wives of the Phra Klang, were pointed out to us. Many of the priests (talapoins) sat upon the rafts and wharves before their temples. We had remarked one solitary talapoin steering a miserable boat.

At Praklan, we were struck by the enormous and formidable chains and wood-work which had been made to protect the river, and which, at one time, we were informed, might be used to stop our progress; but instead of an impediment, we found a major-general, wearing gold and silver flowers on the side of his round hat; he being clad in a jacket of purple silk, with gold ornaments, and telling us he spoke Portuguese, and was descended from Portuguese ancestry, but he had never left Siam. He says there are a thousand Portuguese settled in the country. Roasted pigs, ducks, and a great variety of meats and sweatmeats; fruits in profusion

-fine mangoes, plantains, oranges, liches, dried dates from China, with tea and other appliances, arrested us on our way, and we had all the embarrassments of superfluous table luxuries around us. After being detained about half an hour, we proceeded up the river in great glee.

carving to the coarsest usages of the crate and the hurdle, collecting, conveying, or distributing every species of fluid. It supplies fire by friction, and is the great water-conductor, being an almost ready-formed conduit. In some species the knots or separations in the stalk are distant six or seven feet, in others they are adjacent. For boxes, for nets, for cordage, for threads, for numerous implements and instruments, it is the ever-present material. Perhaps amidst the many gifts of Providence to a tropical region, the bamboo is the most benignant, appropriate, and accessible. The author, the sculptor, the architect, and the painter, have all laid it under contribution in the field of imagination, and the developement of art; and if the camel is characteristic of the desert, the bamboo may be considered typical of the Indo-Chinese nations. Its leaves, its stems, its branches, its roots, all contribute to multitudinous objects, a detailed description of which would fill thousands of pages.

Only think for a moment how very little we know in this country. The Palm tree we comprehend very well, but this bamboo is almost unknown. We employ it occasionally for umbrella stalks and walking canes, but the multifarious duties performed by this one vegetable in the East are scarcely suspected in the West. It has no rival here, and we may lament in vain that it will not bear transplantation. Discount the despotism, exile the crawling, the bonzas, and the beaststhat horrible array of beasts which apparently includes all that Western men detest and fearand with its bamboos, its mangoes, its cooling fruits and cooling streams, its cotton plants and sugar canes, its silks, and gold, and precious stones, its gentle Heathens, male and female, almost naked though they be, yet not savage, its gardens of jungles, its vast lands awaiting the hand of the industrious, and its fatally easy means of supporting life, and this Siam would seem to be a modern Eden, teeming with peace and plenty,

From this description of the river banks, and from everything in the volume, we gather that Siam is the Paradise of the East, while even the Christian missionaries have not hitherto, in the human family, subject to the exceptions already author's opinion, made great progress in Siam. taken, which are important and numerous, live Taking the facts stated by him they have, howin a pleasant region. Like the Pharoahs of ever, reason for thankfulness. The natural world Egypt, the rulers of Siam are fond of building im- teaches us that we must plough and sow ere we posing tombs. The temples of the Bhuddists are reap. The missionaries plough and sow. Other far greater than we could readily suppose. men will enter upon their labours. The days of tomb of the late King is magnificent, at least in one generation will be occupied in the removal of the lithograph, coloured in gold and purple, so as obstacles which begin to disappear; yet it is curious to fatigue the eye with the splendour of its page. that the lowest castes accept the messages of the Then every Siamese has his bamboo, and the Protestant missionaries more readily than their British Plenipotentiary, while he explains the superiors. Still it is true that to the poor the nature of all the indigenous plants of Siam, dwells gospel is preached. The Kareens yield the most with peculiar pleasure on the bamboo:promising converts. And who are they? :

The

The bamboo performs among the Siamese a great portion of the multitudinous services which the still more ingenious and inventive inhabitants of China have extracted from it. It is employed for building, for baskets, mats, and vessels of every sort. In some shape or other it is used for food, for clothing, for shelter, for navigation, for comfort, and for ornament. It is the plant alike of the utilitarian and the poet, one perpetually turning to account its infinite variety of uses, the other celebrating its multifarious beauties; it is the raw material of the shipwright and the builder, the toolmaker and the carver; out of it are constructed instruments of music and weapons of war. The hardness of the wood, the facility with which it is split into the minutest threads, the straightness and regularity of its fibres, its smoothness of surface, the rapidity of its growth, all add to its

The Kareens are held to have been the original inbabitants of Siam, who abandoned the country, when the Shai invaded it, and built the capital of Ayuthia. They retired to the mountainous regions on the east and west, which they occupy to this time. They are of larger stature than the Siamese-agile, robust, and hardened against fatigue. Accustomed from youth to labour and privation, they willingly pursue the toilsome forest explorations. Their physiognomy, especially that of the women, is mild and pleasing.

The men wear a white sleeved robe, which reaches midway down their legs; they have a belt round their waist, and a simple cotton cloth rolled about their heads.

They allow their hair to grow, and bore their ears, which they ornament with feathers of birds, and silver hollow cylinders.