the bananas, however, while fine to look upon were coarse and had little
flavor; the pineapples were not as excellent as in Ceylon, nor were the
mangosteens. A photograph I have shows at least twenty-five varieties of
fruit; the pisang being universally used, as well as the rambutan,
durian, pomalo, and papaya. The bread-fruit and jack-fruit grow to
enormous size.
At luncheon (_riz taffel_) I again noticed a peculiar dish being served.
This consisted of rice, vegetables of various sorts, four or five kinds
of meat, and a wonderful mixture of condiments, the variety sometimes
including twenty, all placed in one receptacle similar to a deep
soup-plate and evidently enjoyed by the partakers; this was only one
course of the luncheon!
[Illustration: _A Javanese dignitary and his attendants_]
The Dutch ways of dressing in Java are truly remarkable; for instance,
sarongs, thin jackets, and almost bare feet were often seen in a
dining-room. To me the culmination of this unconventionality came later;
the heat was so oppressive that after luncheon I was glad to enjoy a
rocker on my gallery, and might have envied the couple on the adjoining
gallery had I been differently educated. For, strangely, the lady wore
only a sarong of thin material, a diaphanous jacket, and very low
sandals; she might almost have posed as a life model. As a foil, her
husband appeared in pajamas.
At 3 P.M. on February 22nd, we took a train for Priok port, which was
nine miles distant. The steamer _Orange_ (of the Dutch line) was waiting
for us, and we were soon sailing for Singapore. Once more we passed the
equator without one thrill of excitement, and, after thirty-six hours,
were at Singapore, where we were at once transferred to the steamer
_Nuen-tung_ (the Chinese for "good luck"), North German Lloyd line,
bound for Bangkok, Siam, the trip requiring four and a half days. The
steamer was small and only fairly comfortable; the service was Chinese.
A pleasant feature of the arrangement was an improvised dining-room on
the upper deck; here all our meals were served, and most of our time
passed, the temperature being high enough to prevent the chilling of the
food, which is an indication that the heat must have been rather
oppressive when in our staterooms. Hence two-thirds of the passengers
slept on deck, resulting at about nine in the evening in a veritable
transformation scene. In India we had escaped insects and reptiles; we
were very fortunate also in Burma, with only a few singing lizards in
Ceylon; but on this steamer the cockroaches which appeared at night were
marvellous in size and blackness. Once I imagined there was one on my
pillow, and turning on the electric light, found I was mistaken, but
there were a dozen or more on the washstand and walls--very animated
specimens, to judge by the way they fled.
From the Strait of Malacca we passed into the China Sea, thence to the
Gulf of Siam, and lastly to the broad Menam River, with banks showing
masses of foliage, and with tiny Siamese villages or isolated houses
built close to the water's edge, supported on piles, with thatched roofs
and sides.
* * * * *
BANGKOK, _March 4th_: Arriving at Bangkok, we took the steamer launch
for the Oriental Hotel, which is situated on the river-bank. The canals
leading out of the river reminded us of Batavia. A drive in the
afternoon of our arrival, accompanied by the Rev. Mr.----, a medical
missionary, as a non-professional guide, was a new experience and an
agreeable one, for during the afternoon and evening we learned many
things about the King that a native guide would not have told us. The
report showed the King to be progressive in his tendencies; as the
result of several trips to Europe, he has introduced railways,
telegraph and modern business appliances, and is making a great effort
to beautify the city and to improve sanitary conditions, having employed
French engineers for that purpose.
[Illustration: _The King of Siam_]
I think it might be well to give a slight historical background in order
the better to understand the conditions of Siam. It is thought that the
aborigines of Siam were driven out by Laos tribes from the North and
that they then adopted the name Thai as a sign of victory, Siam
signifying progress.
In 1350, Ayuthia, a few miles north of Bangkok, became the capital; for
three centuries Siam was prosperous and opened trade relations with
China. There were, however, many raids and much fighting until 1536,
when the King was taken prisoner.
The Portuguese commenced trading with Siam early in the sixteenth
century, and soon after gave the Siamese military aid against their
border foes, the troops coming from Goa. As a reward for their services
they were offered land on which to settle. Later, the soldiers married
Siamese women and became domesticated. As they had brought their
Catholic priests with them, conversion of the natives followed, and some
of the old settlements retain their Christian character to this day.
A few years after the Portuguese advent, the Dutch came, but the
English did not arrive until 1620, and during the latter part of the
seventeenth century the three nations were seeking trade relations.
Great toleration and friendliness to other countries seemed to have been
practiced even in that early day; French missionaries were also
welcomed. Soon after, a Siamese embassy left with presents for King
Louis of France, but they were shipwrecked on the way. Later, another
embassy went to Versailles, and Louis XIV, much flattered, sent a return
embassy, which was accorded a great reception in Lopburi, where a treaty
was signed in 1605, sanctioning the presence of French missionaries.
There were several subsequent upheavals at Ayuthia, and in 1767 the city
fell under the strong Burman attack; thus ended the third dynasty of
Siamese kings. The Burmans, however, were soon conquered, and the
capital was moved to Bangkok. In the middle of the nineteenth century,
treaties were made with Great Britain and the other important powers,
while Cambodia was ceded to France.
The present monarch, Chulalongkorn, ascended the throne in 1868, and has
since governed the country consistently and well. In May, 1874, a
political constitution was adopted. The King began his reign by
decreeing that slavery be abolished, and he instituted several other
reforms. For many years troublous times with France ensued; this
finally aroused the indignation of England, and in 1896 an Anglo-French
agreement was signed in London, by which both countries guaranteed to
maintain the integrity of the Menam valley.
Siam has during the past few years made rapid progress in the adoption
of Western ways and Western ideals, thanks to the progressive King, and
this is attracting visitors from Europe and America more and more. The
country's position has kept it rather isolated; it is out of the beaten
track, and is situated between the great commercial ports of Singapore
and Hong-Kong. Until recently it could not be reached by any passenger
steamship lines. One's impression of the kingdom must be formed largely
from Bangkok, as the mountain districts offer no facilities for the
comfort of visitors, being a decided contrast to Ceylon, Burma, and Java
in this respect.
The area of Siam is about two hundred thousand square miles, and the
population is over six million,--mostly native, for there are not over
twenty thousand representatives of other powers in the kingdom, nor are
there more than two thousand Europeans.
Bangkok, like Rangoon, has enormous exports of rice, teak, and many
other commodities; there are large rice factories, and we saw the
elephants dragging logs to the river, as in Rangoon, whence they are
brought on rafts to the immense sawmills. Unfortunately, a shallow bar
at the mouth of the Menam River prevents the passage of large vessels.
Therefore much of the cargo has to be carried to Koh-si-Chang, outside
the bar, a distance of fifty miles. Koh-si-Chang is quite a favorite
resort for the Europeans, Aughin on the coast being another. In the
latter place there is a large sanitarium.
The revenue of Siam has been mostly derived from the so-termed gambling
and opium farms. The gambling-houses were formerly great sights in the
country, but, according to the authority of a gentleman, gambling has
now been almost entirely abolished in the kingdom, through the strenuous
efforts of the King. He, however, has been unable to effect this reform
in Bangkok. For some time Siam has had a proposal before the powers
which import goods to the effect that the Government be allowed an
import duty of two per cent, which would furnish the needed revenue for
State expenses and thus enable the Government to abolish gambling in
Bangkok altogether. Thus far, the King's proposition has not been
accepted, showing that the interest of foreign powers controls affairs
in Siam as well as in other more civilized countries.
We visited several places of interest that first afternoon with Dr.
W---- as an excellent guide, going first to the Chinese quarter, and
then taking a general drive. We passed many attractive points,
particularly in the direction of the new section of the city, of which
Dusit Park is the centre. This is laid out in the fashion of a park in a
European capital, having walks, masses of foliage, and conventional
features in the arrangement of flowers and shrubs. What with the
tropical growth, it will soon excel any model the King may have seen in
his European tour.
A new palace is situated near the park, and as soon as this was begun, a
real-estate development was started around it; the jungle disappeared,
roads were laid out, and buildings sprang up. Dusit Park is now the
scene of many activities, and a fancy fair is held there every year,
with a view to secure funds for the building of the new Wat, or temple,
which is adjacent, the old one showing signs of decadence.
Buddhism is the State religion, and the King is an ardent devotee; new
Wats are in constant process of erection, and those in existence are
lavishly decorated. The new temple alluded to shows European influence
in its arrangement, having a cloister around a square court in the rear.
Two other temples were visited, and a further drive taken. On our return
we went to the place of places in Bangkok, thoroughly Chinese in
character,--a combination of gambling-den, chop-house, and theatre,
covering in space about a block. The gambling-den was dimly lighted, and
on the floor in a large circle were seated men and women, either
playing the game of fan-tan or anxiously awaiting their turn. I did not
understand the game, but the haggard expressions and restless attitudes
around me told a tale of dissipation and ruin. We remained only a few
moments, then passed into the chop-house, which was crowded and where
eatables of the Chinese type were _en évidence_ in every direction. The
theatre was not yet open, but it was spacious, with a large stage. This
compound is only one of several, and while mainly patronized by Chinese,
many Siamese and people of other nationalities are drawn in. Tales
similar to those heard in Monte Carlo could be related. It is to be
hoped that erelong the King will bring about some measure to abolish
this standing menace to the morals of the community.
A pleasant dinner and much discussion followed. We learned that there
were fine hospitals and schools under different missionary auspices, Dr.
W---- being Presbyterian. To prove the success of the so-called
Christian effort, he stated that the King gave every encouragement to
all denominations, and also donated money to aid in building churches,
feeling that their influence in the country was good.
[Illustration: _In the Royal Palace of Wang Chang, Bangkok_]
The Roman Catholics on account of their priority have a wide field in
Siam; they have erected about sixty churches in the kingdom. But there
are, nevertheless, several Protestant churches of different
denominations in Bangkok and in the interior. A special permit is
necessary before visiting Wang Chang, the royal palace, a point of much
interest. The walls around the building enclose a wide area, including
the old mint and various Government departments. Just in the rear of the
Department of the Interior, the sacred white elephants are to be found,
five in number. They are, however, at present pale gray (whatever they
may have been in the past), which detracts somewhat from the validity of
the previous statement. Each animal has a house to himself, is greatly
petted, and it is expected that the elephants will be treated by
visitors to bananas, and the attendants to cigarettes.
Approaching the palace, the Royal Halls of Audience are the most
striking feature. The building in which they are to be found is very
large and of a semi-classic style of architecture, the Italian and
Siamese being blended. These halls are the only portions of the palace
to which visitors are admitted. Fronting this building on the opposite
side of a half square stand several small buildings of a pleasing style.
These contain antique articles, such as boats, bronze cannon, and other
relics in bronze.
One of the most striking features in this palace enclosure is Prakeo,
the royal temple. Its entrance is unique, while the Chinese "Devil
Protectors" at each side are grotesque. The temple also contains the
celebrated emerald Buddha, a figure, eighteen inches high, made from the
largest emerald known in the world. There is, moreover, an exquisite
small gold Buddha in a glass case, besides many rare vases and other
articles with, of course, the usual Buddhas in the shrine. Next to the
palace is a recreation ground, called Premane, where golf is played. The
race track, however, has been removed to Sapatoom. A very fine Wat Poh
near the palace contains an immense sleeping Buddha and many other
interesting features, one of which is a small painted dado illustrating
the legend of Rama.
The royal museum, Wang Nah, is near the royal palace. It is full to
repletion with objects of interest, especially to the ethnologist and to
the archæologist. Some of the treasures are almost beyond price in
value, but they are not very well displayed. The galleries are open to
the public, free of charge, and the visitors' book is quite interesting,
as it contains the signatures of a number of royalties and celebrities.
Several of the attendants spoke excellent English and were most
courteous in their explanations.
[Illustration: _Entrance to Prakeo, the Royal Temple_]
Fronting the royal palace are the artillery and royal body-guard
barracks and the Hall of the Ambassadors, where distinguished visitors
are entertained during their stay. Not far distant are the royal
Courts of Justice, a Doric building, whose interior is arranged in
European style. The State barges are kept near the museum and across the
river. Some of them are very large and have room for one hundred rowers,
whilst most of them are very ancient. These boats are used in the State
functions on the river. Almost directly opposite the palace is a naval
dockyard. It is not large compared with those of Europe and America, but
a great variety of work is carried on. There are large machine shops and
spacious quarters for officers and marines, a graving dock capable of
accommodating vessels of large size, and an ice factory which supplies
the navy and the royal palace. There is also a fine Royal Military
College in Siam. Other Government departments show the great progress of
the country, particularly when it is remembered that fifty years ago
Bangkok had no facilities whatsoever.
In the afternoon we took a steam launch to explore different canals. The
first we visited in order to acquaint ourselves with the traffic and
with various kinds of boats, some being loaded at warehouses along the
way. The buildings were very unusual, as were the sights on the water.
We then went on the river Menam, to visit certain temples. Among these
were Wat Saket, which stands on the summit of an artificial hill and
commands a fine view; and Wat Kanayat, where there was a collection of
porcelain-trimmed temples and pagodas. We attended a short, intoned
Buddhist service in one of the temples. In another, Wat Cheng, we had
our fortunes told in the following manner: we each drew from a vase a
long, narrow slip of paper with a number on it, then we proceeded to a
priest, robed in yellow silk, presented our number, paid a fee, and in
return received a pink paper containing a great many hieroglyphics,
which our guide was able to interpret. Each fortune was rather peculiar
and diversified in details. We, however, did not attach any importance
to what was told us.
The roofs of some of the Wats are very handsome, the parti-colored tiles
of which they are composed adding to their effect, whilst the pointed
upturned gables, a feature peculiar to Siamese architecture, also added
in no small degree to their picturesqueness.
All the principal Wats are accessible to visitors, but it is necessary
to have with you a guide who can explain the different features.
Sometimes the priests have a knowledge of English. Many of the Wats are
suffering greatly from the ravages of time, and some are almost ruined.
Of course this applies to the more remote temples, those in the vicinity
of the palace being beautifully cared for. The King and other members of
the royal family spend vast sums upon the temples; nobles and wealthy
Siamese likewise contribute largely to the funds, but all their efforts
are not sufficient to keep the numberless places in proper condition.
[Illustration: _The Klong Canal at Bangkok_]
The King, who is now the sole reigning Buddhist monarch, takes the
greatest interest in the maintenance of his faith and everything
belonging to it. He is an ardent Pali scholar, and has established a
college for the study of that ancient language. Nearly every State
function which takes place within the palace walls is associated with
some religious service, and the Buddhist faith seems to be deeply rooted
in the heart of the Siamese people. The sacred books used in the temples
are of palm-leaf, similar in style to those seen in Burma; a large
number of women are employed in a factory for their manufacture, while
many men are also there for the purpose of engraving characters on the
palm-leaf with a set of special implements.
It had been a perfect afternoon, and the shores of the broad river Menam
(meaning "Mother of Waters") were more than usually interesting on
account of the novel architectural display, temples alternating with
buildings of various descriptions, most of them gleaming white in the
sun. We made a detour into the Klong Canal, which led out of the river
some miles from our starting-point. Soon we had an entirely different
type of scenery, similar to the jungle; dense vegetation came quite to
the edge of the canal. In places there would be two, three, or even more
Siamese houses built high on piles, with thatched roofs and sides and an
open front, the home life of the inmates being distinctly seen through
the open front. Of course our launch served to collect all the curious
in groups, from infants to grandparents. Ever and anon tiny boats passed
us, the rowers singing or twanging some kind of an instrument with that
happy unconsciousness of responsibility which seems to characterize the
Siamese, reminding one of the days in Rangoon.
We came at last to a point where navigation was impeded because of a
large vessel aground, and after skilful manoeuvring and some minutes'
delay, our launch proceeded on the homeward way. Night was upon us
before we left the canal, and as the twilight faded, the gleaming of the
lights in the little homes put a finishing touch to the picture. Once on
the broad river, the shore effect was more wonderful than by day, and we
lost all note of time until we were told at the hotel landing that it
was half-past seven o'clock.
The following morning we left, at half-past six, for an excursion by
rail and river to the old capital, Ayuthia. The ride of three hours in a
car presented no special features. But we then took a steam launch and
proceeded some miles farther in order to visit the ruins of the old
palace and the elephants' kraal. Skirting in and out, we saw about three
miles of houseboats on sampans. This was a most interesting spectacle,
all kinds of traffic being carried on, some space aboard being reserved
for the family. There were boats for the sale of flowers and vegetables,
others for household commodities, and some had crockery and glass and
baskets. We then visited two temples. The ruins cover an immense space
of ground and are a fine field for archæologists, but we had no means of
classifying them and our guide was not scientific. Many of the most
interesting relics are surrounded by a dense jungle which makes them
difficult of access, but one receives a certain impression of the
ancient grandeur of the place.
Tradition states that the custom of wearing the hair short by Siamese
women dates from the days when Ayuthia was a capital. It is said that
during one of the political invasions by the Burmans most of the men
were absent in the harvest fields. The women accordingly cut their hair,
took bows and arrows and spears, and manned the city walls. The Burmans,
thinking they were men, were astonished at finding such a strong
garrison and retired, much discomfited. It is also said that the women
then adopted the same dress as the men, the panung, a garment something
like the sarong but drawn up in the middle, front and back. The cutting
of the hair and the peculiar garb make it difficult to tell the Siamese
women from the men. The style is distinctive with the women, as all of
the surrounding people--the Burmans, Laos, and Malays--wear the sarong.
A walk of ten minutes from Wang Chang brought us to the famous
elephants' kraal, or enclosure, into which the elephants are driven to
be captured and tamed. This is a massive structure of teak logs, with a
kind of V-shaped passage leading to it. When a hunt is to occur, the
places frequented by the elephants are noted weeks beforehand, and they
are gradually surrounded by some hundreds of men mounted upon trained
elephants and also afoot, the elephants being gradually driven towards
the entrance of the kraal. Within, there is an exciting scene, as the
ponderous, awkward animals find themselves pressed onwards _en masse_
through the massive gate into the enclosure. Once inside, they are
dexterously captured by long leg ropes, whilst their struggles are kept
from assuming dangerous proportions by trained elephants which range up
alongside of them and aid their masters in every possible way,
apparently taking quite a delight in the task. These hunts occur at
regular intervals, and are generally attended by a large number of
foreign visitors. Accidents, even deaths, sometimes happen, but these
are not frequent. We regretted we were not in Siam at the proper season
to witness such a scene.
[Illustration: _The famous Elephants' Kraal_]
After a picnic luncheon, we proceeded down the river, stopping at
different points to visit temples of varying interest; one was
particularly noteworthy, as it contained a very large Buddha in the back
of the temple and a row of brass Buddhas around three of its sides, some
of them in fine repoussé work. At Ban Pa In we left the launch to take
the train. Here the King has two palaces.
Ban Pa In is on an island in the Menam River. One handsome palace is in
the European style, and another is of a pure Chinese pattern. There is a
modern temple of Gothic style, built fifteen years ago. Near the palace
a tower affords a fine view.
We arrived at Bangkok late in the afternoon, feeling well pleased with
our day's excursion.