Khao Samroum—Province of Pechaburi or Phetxaburi.
JOURNEY TO BANGKOK.
After a sojourn of three weeks within the walls of Ongcor-Wat in order to make drawings and plans, I returned to Battambong. There I inquired for some means of transport to Bangkok, but, on different pretexts, I was detained more than two months before I could get away, in spite of the assistance of the viceroy. At last, on the 5th March, I set off with two waggons and two pair of powerful buffaloes, which had been taken wild, and trained up to the yoke, and were strong enough to sustain the fatigues of a journey at this season.
This time I carried along with me a complete menagerie; but of all my prisoners a pretty young chimpanzee, which, after slightly wounding it, we had succeeded in taking alive, was the most amusing. As long as I kept him in my room, and he could amuse himself with the numerous children and other visitors whom curiosity brought to look at him, he was very gentle; but as I was obliged on the journey to fasten him at the back of one of the waggons, he became frightened, and used every effort to break his chain, continually screaming, and trying to hide himself. After a time, however, he got accustomed to his position, and was quiet and docile as before.
Our guns on our shoulders, I and my young Chinese Phrai followed or walked before the waggons, occasionally finding some sport as we skirted the forest. As for my other servant, when we reached Pinhalú he begged to be allowed to return to Bangkok by our former route; so, not wishing to retain him against his will, I paid his expenses home, and wished him happiness.
Scarcely had we proceeded a mile when our drivers asked my permission to stop for supper, saying that afterwards we could set out again, and travel part of the night. I at once consented, knowing it to be a custom with the Cambodians, before departing on a long journey, to make their first halt not far from their village, that they may return home to shed a last tear, and partake of a farewell glass.
Before the oxen were even unyoked, the families of our drivers were all collected round me, the whole party talking at once, and begging me to take care of their relations, to save them from robbers, and give them medicine if they had a headache. They all then took their evening meal together, washing it down with some glasses of arrack which I gave them; after which we resumed our journey by a magnificent moonlight, but treading in a bed of dust which reached to our ankles, and raised a thick cloud round our waggons.
We encamped part of the night near a small piece of water, where some custom-house officers are stationed—three poor wretches—whose duty it is to arrest the depredators who lie in wait for the buffaloes and elephants coming down here from the lake and neighbouring districts. Those among us who had mats, spread them on the ground, and lay down; those who had none, piled up grass and leaves for beds.
For three days we travelled northward until we reached Ongcor-Borige, chief town of a province of the same name; but, surprised by darkness and a heavy storm, we were compelled to halt at the outskirts. The next morning, as we were leaving the place, we fell in with a caravan of thirty waggons conveying rice to Muang-Kabine, whither we were ourselves going; so my Cambodians fraternised with the party, all breakfasting together, and two hours afterwards we set off again at the head of this line of waggons.
There is here an immense plain, almost a desert, which in the best season takes six days to cross with elephants, and twelve with waggons. As for us, we set out on the 5th March, and only reached Muang-Kabine on the 28th; and oh! what we suffered from ennui, from heat, from attacks of mosquitoes, and want of water. In addition to these miseries my feet became like a jelly; and, when we arrived at our destination, I could scarcely drag myself along, or keep up with the slow but regular step of the buffaloes.