Two pairs, blue, with horns.
Two pairs, yellow, no horns: All having gilt towers, containing Talapoy cloths.
Fifty men, carrying rich silk embroidered pennants.
Then followed on horseback, in pairs, four princes, two and two, wearing the gold-peaked crown, and dressed in long robes of silver tissue: following them, eight more, of a lower rank. These were succeeded by a great number of slaves or attendants, dressed in white waist-cloths. The horses were richly caparisoned, with gold housings, bridles, &c., and led by slaves. At every few steps they would stop, and the attendants in front would kneel down, facing their masters, as well as those in the rear.
Preceding every prince, went a man, bearing a bundle of rods, like a Roman lictor. In the rear were open palanquins, having gold, or richly gilt supporters on the sides, and rich velvet cushions. Then followed a vast concourse of people, but all preserving good order.
There was an immense multitude convened to witness this splendid funeral procession. Governors and rajahs from distant provinces of the empire, came, by order of his majesty, each one bringing a gift to assist in paying the enormous expenses attending this idle and useless ceremony. Here were assembled persons of all nations. From the western hemisphere, Americans; from the east, Indians, Arabs, Bengalese, Burmese, Pequans, Malays, Sumatrans, Javanese, Cochin-Chinese, Cambojans, the Chans, or people of Lao, Siamese, &c.; and among the whole of them no serious impression could possibly have been made. It could only be considered a fine farcical scene, a pretty raree show, got up as a benefit for the king and his ministers, (for it is expected that every one, who is able, will contribute something,) to show the public that splendid mausoleums are only fit for the great of the land, and that the vulgar herd must be burnt in the common way, either under a shed, or else on a raised platform in the open air: to impress their minds with the magnificence of majesty, and, at the same time, to strike them with awe and fear, so that they may be more easily ruled by the iron hand of despotism.
This whole assembled multitude (with the exception of our party) crouched to the ground like base slaves, whenever any of the higher ranks passed. Along an extensive street, on one side, were play-houses erected, open to public use, in which were exhibited shows of all kinds, and fireworks might be seen nightly, within the enclosure surrounding the temporary funeral pile. His majesty was desirous we should witness the burning of the body on the funeral pile, which was to take place the seventh day after the procession;[†] but the ship was in want of provisions; the southwest monsoon was about commencing, which is generally attended with violent squalls and heavy rains, the ship was riding at anchor ten or twelve miles from the mouth of the river, in five and a half fathoms’ water, in a very exposed situation; and it was necessary to bring our water some forty miles, near the city, besides which, the only provisions to be obtained, were fowls, pork, and rice.
BUDHISM IN SIAM.
The Budhist religion of Siam, according to historians, originated in Magadha, the modern Behar, in the sixth century, (or 542,) the founder being Gautama, the son of a prince, called Sudhodana. After many centuries it was introduced into Ceylon; and in the seventh century of the Christian era, first into Camboja, and from thence into Lao; and lastly, into Siam. Sommona Kodom, the cattle stealer, a Singalese, was the missionary who first propagated this religion in those countries. He is described as being benevolent in the extreme. He even carried his zeal so far, as to murder his whole family, (considering them as encumbrances upon his country,) so that he might maintain a greater number of priests. He was renowned for the daily mortifications of his body, his fastings, his prayers, his miracles, and the fantastic appearance he could assume—now swelling to the size of a mountain, and again shrinking to a mere atom. But notwithstanding he possessed great supernatural powers, he could not resist the cravings of an un-saint-like appetite; for eating a large quantity of pork one day, he died in a fit of anger, because he had transgressed one of his rules, and thereby set a bad example to his disciples.
All professors of Budhism, whether of Tartary or Magadha origin, are atheists. They do not believe in one God, the creator of the universe. The leading doctrine of this religion, is that of the transmigration of souls.