The government of Cochin-China is thoroughly despotic, being framed in close imitation of that of China. The sovereign, who, till lately, bore the title of king, and who still pays a nominal tribute to China under that title, assumes, among his own subjects, and with all foreign countries, except China, the Chinese title of hwang-te, (or emperor,) with the peculiar attribute, “sacred,” “divine,” &c., commonly used by the court of Peking. The name, or epithet, by which the present monarch is designated, (which name was taken by the monarch himself, at his accession to the throne,) is ming-ming; it signifies, “emperor appointed by the brilliant decree of heaven.”
According to the account of the deputies, who visited the ship at Vung-lam, the administration is also formed in imitation of the Chinese—consisting of a council of four principal, and two secondary ministers. The chief of these, (whom Mr. Crawford, the British envoy, calls the minister of elephants, or of strangers,) was said to be the minister of commerce, navigation, &c.
The provincial government is also formed in imitation of the Chinese. Two or more provinces are governed by a toung-tuh, (tsong-dok,) or governor; under whom, the principal officers, in each province, are two, viz.: a pooching-sze, (bo-chang-sze,) or treasurer and land-officer: and an anchasze, or judge. Subordinate to these, are magistrates, called che-foos, che-keens, &c., presiding over the districts into which each province is divided. In Cochin-China, as in China, there are nine grades of rank, each of which is divided into a principal and secondary class. Every officer, employed in the government, is of one of these grades: thus, the ministers of the council are of the first grade, principal class; and the governors of provinces, are of the first grade, secondary class.
This is all the information respecting the government of Cochin-China, that could be obtained from the natives.
CHAPTER XVI.
PASSAGE FROM COCHIN-CHINA TO THE GULF OF SIAM—ARRIVAL AT THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER MENAM—PACKNAM—PROCESSION TO THE GOVERNMENT-HOUSE—RECEPTION—GOVERNOR—SIAMESE TEMPLES—INTERVIEW WITH THE SIAMESE FOREIGN MINISTER—PRIMA DONNA—FEATS OF STRENGTH—SIAMESE FEMALES—FIRE AT BANG-KOK—WHITE ELEPHANTS—EMBALMING—SHAVING-HEAD CEREMONY AND FEAST—FOX-BATS.
We weighed anchor on the eighth of February, for the gulf of Siam; light winds and calms detained us nearly two days, within sight of the bay, in which lies Vunglam, &c., &c. We kept near to the coast, and found it bold and free from dangers; the land was hilly and frequently broken into mountains, more particularly between that bold promontory, called Cape Varela, and Cape Padaran. We passed the latter within three miles; from thence the land gradually dwindled into a gently undulating country, and then into low land. We finally lost sight of it off the numerous mouths of the great river, Kamboja. On the same afternoon, being the twelfth, we passed Padaran, and saw Pulo Cica de Terre and Lagan point. At meridian, on the following day, Pulo Condore was in sight, and the islands to the westward, called the Brothers. At daylight, the next morning, we beheld Pulo Ubi, or Yam island, which lies to the southward of cape Camboja. On the fourteenth, the islands and islets called Pulo Panjang, and ascertained their correct position to be in latitude 9° north, by a meridian observation, and by the chronometers, in 104° 32′, east longitude. At daylight, on the following morning, we found ourselves in the midst of a group of islands, lying so peacefully amid the glassy surface of the gulf, that Dana’s beautiful description of “Quiet Islands,” was at once brought to my recollection, from which I have made the following extract:—
“The island lies nine leagues away,
Along its solitary shore,
Of craggy rocks and sandy bay,
No sound but ocean’s roar,
Save where the bold, wild sea-bird makes her home,
Her shrill cry, coming through the sparkling foam;