He was well received by the governor of the province, whom he had previously met in Bangkok. Intercourse with the governor proved that the doctor could not only show him wonders of western knowledge but could discover to him facts in his own realm of interests. Salt being a rare commodity and the local product being coarse and black, Dr. House showed him how to purify it, greatly to his delight. As a mark of appreciation the governor had brought in from the country three unusually large elephants for the visitor to see; while reviewing them, the doctor called his attention to a fact of nature concerning elephants, viz.: that the height of an elephant is equal to just twice the girth of its foot. His host would not believe this until he had his men try the experiment on several animals. The doctor had also found that the elephant provides a reliable pedometer; as its walking gait is quite uniform, it is necessary only to measure the step of the particular beast (usually forty to forty-two inches) and then counting the number of paces per minute (usually seventy) the distance covered in a given time is easily calculated.
An amusing incident occurred while the stranger was exploring the city, and Dr. House relates the story with an evident sense of humour:
“Sallied forth at noon to take a walk east of town. In east gate got into conversation with some citizens; others came out to gaze at the stranger till soon had a fair audience to listen as I opened to them the great truth of the Being of God. An old man sat down on a stone in the gateway to listen—all was news to him and others—when a drunken fellow, sent of Satan as it were, came up and soon became very noisy, till I could only talk in snatches. Gentle means nor threatenings availed, but I gave some books.
“Leaving I was going quietly on the way to a watt outside the walls when my troubler came following after, noisy and cursing. I gave him that road and took another in another direction. He returned to follow me, when I thought I was justified in teaching him that there was a limit to even Christian patience. So I tripped up his heels, hoping to walk off out of his way before he could get to his legs again. But he was only drunk enough to be impudent, and now angrily followed after me. I picked up a broken limb and turned to meet my adversary. Brandishing my rather formidable weapon in the air over the fellow’s head, I ordered him to wheel about and march back to the city gate. Many had gathered in the meantime to see what would happen. The fellow was frightened at my earnestness, quailed and marched; soon stopped to plead that he intended no harm, when I punched him with my umbrella with one hand to quicken his steps and flourished the sledgehammer-like limb in the other, and off he marched again as bid. This I repeated till getting tired, I tripped up his heels again and left him sprawling while I went on my way unmolested.... I cannot even now help laughing at the figure I must have made with my shillalah swinging over his head, and his mortal terror at the same.”
Royal passports were not always honoured at face value by distant under governors. Dr. House found that while the king had commanded, the command was not much more than warrant for him to demand. After waiting some days for the governor to engage elephants for the return trip there was little hope of having his desire granted unless he took up the task himself. Vigourous action and persistence overcame the inhospitality which was displayed. The return trip was laid out through the western part of ancient Cambodia, through the Chong To’ko pass, thence to the headwaters of the Bang Pakong River, and home by way of Kabin and Patchin.
Through this region he met with even great indifference to the king’s commands:
“On the long roundabout journey home from Korat, the person of whom I engaged my elephants took me for purposes of his own far round to the southeast of Kabin, the point I wished to reach at the head of navigation on the Bang Pakong River. Not unwilling to see the country, I put up with a good deal of imposition on the part of my guide ... one of the greatest rogues I ever met. At the village where he resided I consented to proceed with buffalo carts instead of elephants at his urgency. We had travelled on with them some days when, one afternoon walking in advance of my party, I entered the little Cambodian village of Sakao, three miles east of Kabin on the military road to the capital of Cambodia.
“Here was an officer of the customs who was on the lookout for some Cochin Chinese soldiers who had deserted from the king’s service; and they being unaccustomed to a white face and I doubtless rather travel worn, and my appearance there unattended being decidedly suspicious, they were on the point of arresting me as a “deserter,” when first the name and then the presence of my guide (who after awhile came along with my outfit) made all right, for the custom officer and my guide were old friends.
“Expecting to get away after an early breakfast next morning, I slept in one of the carts.... Next morning I tried in vain to purchase a fowl; went over to the headman to beg him help me. “He had no fowls, he did not think he could procure any in the village”; but while he was speaking I actually saw some running about under the house. I was beginning to think rather hard of Cambodian hospitality when, induced by triple price, a man slyly brought me a chicken.
“While I was eating my breakfast, the custom house officer came over to visit his friend, my guide. Soon a neighbour brought in a large brass dish, and from the liquor in it the three quaffed and quaffed again, till they became very chatty and good humoured. I had finished my breakfast and the cart drivers were waiting for their master. But he was too pleasantly engaged to leave the jovial company he was in. In vain I called on him to eat his breakfast that we might be off, for the sun was high, and still three days remained of our journey and we had already lost much time on his account. “Not yet, not yet,” he answered, and kept on sipping from the bowl of arrack.