RETURN TO PINHALU AND UDONG--THE GREAT LAKE TOULI-SAP--MEETING WITH
NINE ELEPHANTS--RECENT ACTS OF OPPRESSION TOWARDS THE PEOPLE--ON THE
EVENTUAL REGENERATION OF THE PEOPLE--THE PROVINCE OF BATTAMBONG--GRAND
RUINS.
On the 29th I took leave of my amiable fellow-countryman and friend, M.
Arnoux, to, I may venture to affirm, our mutual regret, and set off,
accompanied by Father Guilloux, who had some business at Pinhalú. They
both wished me to remain with them until Cochin China was open, and I
could travel through the country in safety: I should have liked to do
so, could I have foreseen an approaching termination of the war; but in
the then state of affairs that was impossible.
As far as Pump-Ka-Daye, the first village we came to after leaving
Brelum, I had the society and aid of the missionaries, and of the
old chief of the Stiêns, who furnished me with three waggons for my
baggage, while Phrai and M. Guilloux’s Annamite attendants took charge
of my boxes of insects, which, if placed among my other goods, would
have been injured by the jolting.
The rains had ceased for the last three weeks, and I was agreeably
surprised at the improvement in the state of the country since August.
The paths were dry, and we had no longer to flounder through dirty
marshes, nor suffer from the wet nights which we formerly found so
unpleasant. When we reached the station where we were to pass the
first night, our servants lighted a fire to cook their rice, as well
as scare away the wild beasts; but, notwithstanding this, we remarked
that our oxen, dogs, and monkey showed signs of great fear, and, almost
immediately afterwards, we heard a roaring like that of a lion. We
seized our guns, which were loaded, and waited in readiness.
HERD OF ELEPHANTS.
Fresh roarings, proceeding from a very short distance off, completed
the terror of our animals; and we ourselves could not help feeling
uneasy. I proposed to go and meet the enemy, which was agreed to, and
we accordingly plunged into that part of the forest whence the sound
came. Although familiar with these terrible creatures, we felt far
from comfortable; but before long we came upon recent tracks which
were quite unmistakeable, and soon, in a small clearing in the forest,
perceived nine elephants, the leader being a male of enormous size,
standing right in front of us.
[Illustration:
Drawn by M. Catenacci, from a Sketch by M. Mouhot
HALT OF THE CARAVAN IN THE JUNGLE BETWEEN BATTAMBONG AND BANGKOK.]
On our approach he set up a roar more frightful than ever, and the
whole herd advanced slowly towards us. We remained in a stooping
position, half hidden behind the trees, which were too tall for us to
climb. I was in the act of taking aim at the forehead of the leader,
the only vulnerable part, but an Annamite who stood beside me, and who
was an old hunter, knocked up my rifle, and begged me not to fire;
“for,” said he, “if you kill or wound one of the elephants we are lost;
and even if we should succeed in escaping, the oxen, the waggons, and
all their contents would be overwhelmed by the fury of these animals.
If there were but two or three, we might hope to kill them; but
nine, of whom five are very large, are too many; and it will be more
prudent to retreat.” At this moment, Father Guilloux, who had not much
confidence in his powers of locomotion, fired his gun in the air to
frighten the elephants; and this plan fortunately succeeded: the herd
stopped in astonishment for an instant, then turned round, and marched
into the forest.
EXCHANGE OF PRESENTS.
When we reached Pemptiélan we stopped at the house of the mandarin,
whose authority extends over the neighbouring district, and, contrary
to the usual custom, he offered us hospitality under his own roof.
Scarcely, however, were we installed when he came to me and asked
for the best of my guns, and, on my declining to part with it, he
begged for something else, intimating that we should have begun by
offering a present. Thereupon I gave him a suit of European clothes,
a powder-flask and some powder, a hunting-knife, and some other small
articles. In return he presented me with an ivory trumpet, and placed
at my service two elephants to enable me to continue my route more
comfortably: he likewise sent off our people with a letter to the
chiefs of the Srokkhner.
RECENT ACTS OF OPPRESSION.
We resumed our journey on the following day, the Abbé on one elephant,
reading his breviary, and I upon another, both of us greatly enjoying
the beauty of the landscape. Thus we traversed the beautiful plains,
which, when I formerly travelled this road, were inhabited by the poor
Thiâmes; but now, in place of rich harvest, I was astonished to find
nothing but large trees: the villages were abandoned, and the houses
and enclosures in ruins. It appeared that the mandarin of Pemptiélan,
executing or exceeding the orders of his master the king of Cambodia,
had kept these unfortunate people in such a state of slavery and
oppression that they had even been deprived of their fishing and
agricultural implements, and, being left without money or resources,
experienced such frightful poverty that many of them died of hunger.
The poor wretches, to the number of several thousands, and under the
conduct of a chief on whose head a price had been set, and who had
secretly returned from Annam, rose in revolt. Those from Penom-Peuh
went to Udong to protect their brethren in that place in their flight;
and when all were united in one body, they descended the river, and
passed into Cochin China. Orders were issued by the king to arrest
their departure, but no one remained to execute them; for the whole
Cambodian population, with the mandarins at their head, had fled into
the forests at the first news of the rising.
Besides the interest inspired by the misfortunes of these poor people,
their conduct, when all fled before them, and left Udong, Pinhalú,
and Penom-Peuh defenceless, was so noble as greatly to increase this
feeling. “We have no enmity against the people,” said they, “if they
will but let us pass and respect our property; but we will put to
death whoever opposes our flight.” And, in fact, they never touched one
of the large boats which were moored near the market, and unguarded,
but took to the river in their narrow and miserable pirogues.
In passing opposite the island of Ko-Sutin we stopped to see Father
Cordier. The good missionary was in a sad state: his malady had got
worse; and his debility was such that he could scarcely drag himself
from his bed to a chair. He had no food but rice and dried fish; and
the only persons to care for him, and wait upon him, were two children
of ten years old. We begged him to accompany us to Pinhalú, but he
declined, on account of his weakness. “All I regret,” said he, “is,
that I shall see my poor parents no more; but for that, I should await
death calmly, and almost with joy.” All our solicitations that he would
go with us were unavailing; and we were forced to pursue our journey,
very sad at leaving him in so painful a position, and at our inability
to give him any relief.
On the 21st December we at last reached Pinhalú.
PENOM-PEUH.
Penom-Peuh is about 103° 3′ 50″ long. of Paris, and 11° 37′ 30″
north lat. It is the great market of Cambodia, and only two or three
leagues from the southern frontier of Cochin China: it is situated at
the confluence of the Mekon with its tributary: from this point the
river flows first north-east, and then north-west, as far as China
and the mountains of Thibet. The arm, which has no name, but which,
to distinguish it, it might be well to call Mé-Sap, from the name of
the lake Touli-Sap, flows from its source south-east to the point of
junction. About 12° 25′ north lat. commences the great lake, which
stretches as far as 13° 53′. In shape it might be compared to a violin.
The whole space between it and the Mekon is a vast plain; while on the
opposite side are the great chains of Poursat and its ramifications.
LAKE OF CAMBODIA.
The entrance to the great lake of Cambodia is grand and beautiful.
The river becomes wider and wider, until at last it is four or five
miles in breadth; and then you enter the immense sheet of water called
Touli-Sap, as large and full of motion as a sea. It is more than 120
miles long, and must be at least 400 in circumference.
The shore is low, and thickly covered with trees, which are half
submerged; and in the distance is visible an extensive range of
mountains whose highest peaks seem lost in the clouds. The waves
glitter in the broad sunshine with a brilliancy which the eye can
scarcely support, and, in many parts of the lake, nothing is visible
all around but water. In the centre is planted a tall mast, indicating
the boundary between the kingdoms of Siam and Cambodia. Before crossing
the lake it may, perhaps, be as well to say what remains to be told
respecting the latter country.
[Illustration:
Drawn by M. Thérond, from a Sketch by M. Mouhot.
TOWER AT BANOME, NEAR BATTAMBONG.]
PRESENT STATE OF CAMBODIA.
The present state of Cambodia is deplorable, and its future
menacing.[22] Formerly, however, it was a powerful and populous
country, as is testified by the splendid ruins which are to be met
with in the provinces of Battambong and Ongcor, and which I intend
visiting; but at present the population is excessively reduced by the
incessant wars carried on against neighbouring states. I do not think
that the country now contains above a million of inhabitants, and,
according to the last census, the number of free men fit to carry
arms is returned at 30,000, the slaves, as in Siam, not being liable
to serve in the army any more than to pay taxes. Besides a number of
Chinese, relatively great, there are many Malays, who have been settled
in the country for centuries, and a floating population of Annamites,
amounting to two or three thousand. As the calculations taken include
only the males fit for active service, no exact figures can be
furnished by the authorities.
[22] This prediction is already in part fulfilled by an insurrection
in favour of the young prince, the king’s brother, shortly after the
departure of M. Mouhot. See the letter of M. Silvestre, 4th Jan. 1862.
European conquest, abolition of slavery, wise and protecting laws, and
experience, fidelity, and scrupulous rectitude in those who administer
them, would alone effect the regeneration of this state. It lies near
to Cochin China, the subjection of which France is now aiming at, and
in which she will doubtless succeed: under her sway it will become a
land of plenty. I wish her to possess this land, which would add a
magnificent jewel to her crown; but it is also my earnest desire that
she may make a judicious choice of governors, and that the name of
France, my dear and beautiful country, may be loved, respected, and
honoured in the extreme East, as it should be everywhere.
PRODUCTIONS.
The chief productions of Cambodia are tobacco, pepper, ginger, sugar,
gamboge, coffee, silk, and cotton. The latter important article of
commerce thrives here admirably; and as, according to report, America
is menaced with civil war, it is a question whether we can henceforth
calculate on that country for the supply it has hitherto furnished. If
that supply were even partially to fail, and thousands of workmen to
be in consequence thrown out of employment, what a vast field might
be opened on the banks of the Mekon and of Touli-Sap for European
activity, industry, and capital!
England, that great nation for colonies, could soon make of Lower
Cochin China and Cambodia a vast cotton plantation; and there is no
doubt that, if she set about it in earnest, with her Australian, East
and West Indian, and New Zealand possessions, she might soon secure to
herself the monopoly, which America now has, of this precious article:
we should in that case be compelled to buy from her. Why should we not
be our own purveyors? The island of Ko-Sutin alone, in which the lands
belonging to the crown are let to the cotton-planters in lots for one
pound per lot, may be adduced in order to give an idea of the profits
realized by the cultivation of this plant. Each lot affords an income
of more than 1200 francs.
The forests situated on the higher grounds abound with
justly-celebrated timber, as also trees yielding resins and gums much
esteemed in commerce, likewise the eagle-wood and several species of
dye-woods.
The mountains contain gold, argentiferous lead, zinc, copper, and
iron, the last two in some abundance. One is astonished to find these
fertile lands furnish so little for exportation; but the sovereigns
and mandarins enrich themselves by spoliation and extortion, and every
abuse which can ruin a country and retard its progress. If these
dominions were ruled wisely and carefully, with probity, and with a
regard to the interests of the working classes, the whole aspect of
affairs would be changed.
TAXES.
The taxes now weigh solely on the cultivator and producer: the more
he raises, the more he has to pay: disposed, therefore, to indolence
by the influence of the climate, he has little inducement to combat
this vice. The beautiful cardamom of Poursat, much sought after by the
Chinese, who pay very highly for it, is entirely monopolized by the
king and his ministers; and it is nearly the same with every valuable
product.