Supper being ended, bamboo-chairs covered with mats, some mattresses and pillows, were prepared, and the raised canopy or throne was assigned to me. Three fourths of two sides of the room were open to the air, protected from rain only by the long projecting attap roof—we were guarded during the night by soldiers and excessively annoyed by moschetoes. By daylight, all were upon the “qui vive,” glad to escape from the torments of the night. An early ramble carried us to a pagoda, neat in appearance, decorated with carved work and gilding—it was built of brick and neatly plastered—figures of non-descript animals were about it, which were probably intended for lions, cut from granite, and there were small pra-chades or single spires built of brick and plastered, the whole being enclosed by a wall; the doors were shut so that we could not obtain an entrance; the ground every where was very low and swampy, and the houses mean; the people appeared to be wretchedly poor, diseased and dirty, but still cleaner than the Cochin-Chinese. Breakfast ended, we took leave of the hospitable governor and proceeded up the river.
Very extensive fortifications are here to be seen on both sides of the river, having water batteries, apparently of great strength. A great number of soldiers manned the walls in compliment to us, all dressed in the royal red uniform. We proceeded on with the flood tide, cheered by the passing scene. Occasionally, we met a single hut or a group of huts, having a boat at the door, and a ladder to ascend into their only room; this ladder is taken away at night, making their habitations more secure against wild beasts and reptiles, which are in great abundance in the swamps. Their principal neighbours are tigers and leopards, snakes of various sizes from the boa-constrictor and venomous cobra de cappello to the more deadly viper, which they say is black, about four or five inches in length, and has two short legs. Alligators bask in the sun at the foot of the ladder or under their building, and moschetoes bear the palm here over the swamps of Louisiana and Texas, coming in myriads so as partially to obscure the sun.
We passed on to Pack-lac situated on the right bank, where we again found very extensive fortifications; but we were unable to ascertain the number of guns either here or at Packnam, which is probably about ten or twelve miles below. The ebb tide here met us, and the slaves made but slow progress in rowing—a breeze occasionally helped us, but the remainder of the passage was rendered tedious by the great heat of the sun. The river has a great many bends, so that it is nearly double the distance, by water, from Packnam to the capital, being from thirty to thirty-five miles, and only twenty by land. The shores are upon a level with the river at high spring tides, even at Bang-kok, and as I am informed, a long distance above Jutaya the ancient capital.
Not until we were within a dozen miles of the capital, were there many clusters of huts to be seen; but, from thence, they gradually increased in number till we arrived at the city. The graceful and favourite areca-palm, with its tall slender trunk and brush-like head, and the towering bamboo and cocoa-nut, were to be seen every where along the banks, interspersed with a great variety of fruit and forest trees; and the water’s edge was bounded by the attap, or cocos-nypa, which is in universal use as a thatch for their huts. As we approached the capital, we began to see pagodas, some houses with tiled roofs, and a great many large junks, building in dry docks, which consist of a simple excavation made on the banks, the water being drained out by an ordinary barrier of plank, well banked with clay. Many of these junks were upward of a thousand tons. From two to three hundred were lying in the river.
BUDHIST TEMPLES.
Numerous temples of Budha were now seen, covered with neat coloured tiles, some blue, and others green or yellow. Tall single spires, or prah-chadis, were observed every where. The temples present a very splendid appearance, having highly ornamented carved work in front, and literally blazing in gold. There is something very novel in their style of architecture, which can only be made clear to the understanding by drawings. Fruit and palm-trees overshadow their houses, interspersed with the sacred fig-tree, giving to them a cool and tropical-like appearance. Floating houses, resting on rafts of bamboo secured to piles, line both banks of the river, which seem to be occupied by industrious Chinese, as their long narrow red signs indicate: the latter serve to show the various articles they have for sale, &c. The Chinese are easily distinguished by their complexion, being more yellow than the Siamese; but they have generally docked the entail to their heads, and dress à la Siamese, with a circle of hair on the roof. But few of the “long tails,” the distinguishing appendage to a Chinaman’s head, are to be seen.
We were upward of nine hours in reaching the landing,[†] in front of the house assigned to us by the king. We landed, and formed a procession to the house; the officers being dressed in their uniforms, and the servants bringing up the rear. We were ushered in by the pia-visa, or general of artillery, benedetts de arguelleria, and some other of the king’s officers, to the finest looking house we had seen on the river, having the front view entirely unobstructed. Passing through a neat white gateway, having a well-built stuccoed wall, over a grass-plot, through the inner gate, we found ourselves within an extensive area, between two long rows of buildings, having large trees in the centre; an outside staircase conducted us to a saloon, where we found a table set, and shortly after supper was announced. It was cooked in the European and Indian style, having a variety of curries of fish and fowl. It was well served, and in profusion; and followed by a great variety of sweetmeats, and fruits of the season. Certain king’s officers attended, and ordered every thing; bedsteads and beds were brought; and, in a day or two, moscheto-nets, &c., &c. A cook was provided, and a purveyor, who partially supplied us with provisions. There was, also, a superintendant of the household, a Siamese Portuguese by birth, Domingo by name, having four other servants to do the ordinary work of the house; and these, again, are all under the orders of Piedade, the captain of the port, who receives his orders from the praklang, or prime minister for foreign affairs.
Every day or two, presents of sweetmeats, fruit, or more substantial food is sent, by the praklang, served up in glass dishes, and sent on gold and silver salvers. When brought in, the servants kneel down and present them, in a more humble manner than suits our republican notions. Our residence has two ranges of buildings, running back about one hundred and fifty feet, exclusive of the front yard, with a wide area between them. It is built of brick and stuccoed, having a neat tiled roof. A long covered gallery conducts to the dormitories, consisting of eight on each side, which are about twenty feet square, with wooden floors; underneath are magazines, or offices; between the two ranges of building, and connected with them by a high wall, is the dining-hall, open so as freely to admit the air, commanding a fine view of the capital and suburbs, on the left bank: underneath the dining-hall, is a private go-down, or magazine. The river at all times has a great number of boats upon it; but in the morning, when the bazar is being made ready, there are many hundreds, probably thousands, going in all directions, from the smallest canoe, scarcely able to contain a single person, to others which are nearly a hundred feet in length, and made from a single teak-tree: they are paddled by a great number of men, having a house in the centre, or a palm-leaf roof; the passengers reclining on a raised platform, covered with mats, carpets, and pillows.
WATER-PEDLARS.
Water-pedlars, of both sexes, but principally women, are in abundance, carrying tin and brass ware, English, and China, and India goods. Rice, oil, dried and fresh fish, balachang, eggs, fowls, areca, siri-leaf, chunam, pork, fruit, vegetables, &c.; indeed every thing that is wanted, or supposed necessary for the comfort, convenience, or luxury of the inhabitants. Budhist priests, with their yellow waist-cloths, mantles, shaven heads and eyebrows, are seen in great numbers, going their daily rounds among the inhabitants, in canoes, for food and clothing. Women, also, use the oar, in great numbers, and with equal dexterity as the men.