To His Majesty,
The King of Cochin-China, &c., &c., &c.
The two deputies had made considerable parade, opposite the low and dirty hut, in which they were waiting to receive the despatch. There was a party of soldiers, with pikes fixed in the sand, at regular distances; three elephants, with small riding-boxes on their backs; palanquins, or travelling conveyances, of the kind used in the country; and several ponies. The village generally has a dirty and miserable appearance. There are a few neat little brick and wood houses, with tiled roofs; the rest are all of mat, or the kind of leaf called attap, little better than mere sheds.
After the despatch had been received by them, with a promise that it should be forwarded immediately, several questions were asked respecting the roads, the conveniences for travelling, and accommodations between this and Hué. Answers were elicited from them with considerable trouble. One of them, who admitted that he had twice followed the road, saying that he had forgot all about it. They seemed desirous to give as bad an idea as possible of the road, as though they considered it not quite impossible for the ship to go further north, and thus to relieve them of all trouble and responsibility. The road, they said, was big with numerous dangers and difficulties; few stopping-places or accommodations, and those few bad. The conveyance for baggage, cumbrous, being on men’s shoulders. Houses were, however, numerous on the road, and provisions abundant.
Their answers respecting provisions and their prices were unsatisfactory; nor could they be induced to make any arrangements for the natives to bring things off to the ship. Every thing appears much dearer here than we expected to find it; even rice and sugar, which we supposed the chief productions, are not much cultivated in this neighbourhood. But the country around seems well fitted to afford abundance of cheap provisions, did commerce hold out any inducement to produce more than is needed for personal use. They stated the number of inhabitants in Vung-lam to be about three thousand, and rather less in each of the other places.
Before leaving, they were again requested to forward the despatch for the king speedily; and, at the same time, to report to their superiors that the envoy would require to be accompanied by a party of at least fifteen or sixteen persons, and considerable baggage. As the boat pulled off, they set out, with their retinue of elephants, palanquins, and ponies; and, as we afterward found, returned at once to their superiors, at the capital of Foo-yan.
CATHOLIC PRIEST.
January eighth. In the forenoon, a Cochin-Chinese Roman Catholic priest came off, and held a written conversation, in Latin, with Dr. Ticknor, of which the following is the substance:—
Priest. “I am a Catholic priest. The prefect (or governor) has sent me to inquire whether you are Catholics, and of what nation you are, whether French or English?”
Answer. “A few of us are Catholics. We are from North America.”
Priest. “On what business has your king sent you? On business to our king, or for the purpose of trade?”