RELIGION OF THE THIÂMES.
The suppositions of the Abbé Jacquenet, which I have already quoted and to which I was disposed to give credence, seem to fall before the more accurate information which I have obtained concerning the religion of the Thiâmes or Isiampois. It must be allowed that the only vestiges of Judaism found among them are equally met with amongst Mahometans. They have priests, temples, practise circumcision, abstain from pork, and frequently pronounce, with the greatest veneration, the words Allah and Mahomet. They themselves declare that their present religion was brought to them from Malaisia—that priests still come to them from thence and visit them from time to time. I had this information from some Cambodians of Battambong, who, having been taken prisoners in the wars with the Cochin Chinese, passed eight years in Isiampa. One of them, a blind man, who appeared to me to be remarkable for good sense and judgment—an exceptional case in this country—seemed especially to merit confidence. These facts, and others which I collected regarding the religion of the Thiâmes, who until 1859, the time of their flight, inhabited Cambodia, lead me to infer that the Abbé Gagelin was in error. I was certainly told of two sects into which the tribe was divided; but the only distinguishing point between them was that one ate pork and the other did not.
The Thiâmes must formerly have occupied several important districts in Cambodia, principally on the banks of the tributary of the Me-kong. Thus, on the shores of Touli Sap, or the great lake, not far from Battambong, is a place called Campong Thiâme (shore of the Thiâmes). More to the south, near Campong Tchnam, the village where the custom-house of Cambodia is erected, is an island called Isle of Thiâmes. According to tradition, the whole banks of the river, as far as Penom-Peuh, were formerly inhabited by these people; and to this cause is to be attributed the complete absence of remains in these localities.
MOUNTAIN AND LOWLAND RACES.
The mountains of Dom-rêe, situated a little way to the north of Ongcor, are inhabited by the Khmer-dôme, a gentle and inoffensive race, although looked upon as savages by their brethren of the plain. These latter are the Somrais: they speak the Cambodian language, but with a different pronunciation. Beyond are the provinces, formerly belonging to Cambodia, but now Siamese, of Souréne, Song Kac, Con Khan, Nan Kong, and Ongcor-Eith or Korat.
According to popular belief, the king, if he should cross the great lake, is sure to die in the course of the year.
Whilst the present sovereign was prince he paid a visit to Ongcor, and seeing some of the Somrais, said, “These are my true subjects, and the stock from which my family sprang.” It seems that, in fact, the present dynasty did so.
The Cambodians give the following account of the introduction of Buddhism among them. Samanokodom left Ceylon and went to Thibet, where he was very well received; from thence he went among the savages, but, not meeting with encouragement from them, he took refuge in Cambodia, where he was welcomed by the people.
A circumstance worthy of remark is that the name of Rome is familiar to nearly all the Cambodians: they pronounce it Rouma, and place it at the western end of the world.
THE KINGS OF FIRE AND WATER.