A set of men for playing at chess;
A small bottle of scented oil;
A small horn, with pricker, containing apparently priming powder;
A bundle of small, hollow bamboos, each containing a charge of powder, stopped at one end with paper;
No ball, or shot.
To the outside of the cartridge-box is attached a bucket of basket-work, for the purpose of containing a couple of sticks, about six inches long, and an inch broad, a necessary part of the equipment of every soldier. A similar bucket is attached to the shaft of the lance. It is by striking these sticks against each other that the sentinels give note of their watchfulness, and not by passing the word as with us. The noise is sufficiently loud and shrill. They beat three strokes every half hour, and it passes thus through the chain of sentries.
The lance is about twelve feet long. The shaft is of bamboo, admirably adapted for this purpose; the head about eight inches long. Two bundles of red horse-hair ornament the summit.
We had scarcely entered our lodging, when a messenger came from the Mandarin of Elephants to obtain the letter for the king, in order to its being examined previously to its being submitted to him. Mr. Crawfurd delivered the letter, together with Portuguese and Chinese translations, the latter executed by the missionaries at Serampore.
In the course of the day, the mandarin sent some trifling presents of rice, oil, salt, candles, &c., and a small sum of money, about fifteen or twenty dollars.
The Mandarin of Turon came to visit us in the evening, and conversed with us for several hours.