PHRABAT AND PATAWI
One of the most famous of the holy places of Siam, and one which it is
now comparatively easy to visit, is the shrine of "the footstep of
Buddha." This footstep was discovered early in the seventeenth century
by the king who is called the founder of the second dynasty. As he had
been, before his accession to the throne, a member of the priesthood,
and "very popular as a learned and religious teacher," it is easy to see
what aptitude he had for such a discovery. It is a favorite resort for
pilgrims.
"Bishop Pallegoix," says Bowring, "speaks of a large assemblage of
gaily-ornamented barges, filled with multitudes of people in holiday
dresses, whom he met above Ayuthia, going on a pilgrimage to the 'foot
of Buddha.' The women and girls wore scarfs of silk, and bracelets of
gold and silver, and filled the air with their songs, to which troops of
priests and young men responded in noisy music. The place of debarkation
is Tha Rua, which is on the road to Phrabat, where the footprint of the
god is found. More than five hundred barges were there, all illuminated:
a drama was performed on the shore; there was a great display of
vocal and instrumental music, tea-drinking, playing at cards and dice,
and the merry festivities lasted through the whole night.
[Illustration: PAGODA AT MOUNT PHRABAT.]
"Early the following day the cortege departed by the river. It consisted
of princes, nobles, rich men, ladies, girls, priests, all handsomely
clad. They landed, and many proceeded on foot, while the more
distinguished mounted on elephants to move toward the sacred mountain.
In such localities the spirit of fanaticism is usually intemperate and
persecuting; and the bishop says the governor received him angrily, and
accused him of 'intending to debauch his people by making them
Christians.' But he was softened by presents and explanations, and
ultimately gave the bishop a passport, recommending him to 'all the
authorities and chiefs of villages under his command, as a Christian
priest (farang), and as his friend, and ordering that he should be
kindly treated, protected, and furnished with all the provisions he
might require.'
"Of his visit to the sacred mountain, so much the resort of Buddhist
pilgrims, Pallegoix gives this account:
"'I engaged a guide, mounted an elephant, and took the route of Phrabat,
followed by my people. I was surprised to find a wide and excellent
road, paved with bricks, and opened in a straight line across the
forests. On both sides of the road, at a league's distance, were halls
or stations, with wells dug for the use of the pilgrims. Soon the road
became crooked, and we stopped to bathe in a large pond. At four
o'clock we reached the magnificent monastery of Phrabat, built on the
declivity, but nearly at the foot of a tall mountain, formed by
fantastic rocks of a bluish color. The monastery has several walls
surrounding it; and having entered the second enclosure we found the
_abbé-prince_, seated on a raised floor, and directing the labors of a
body of workmen. His attendants called on us to prostrate ourselves, but
we did not obey them. "Silence!" he said; "you know not that the
_farang_ honor their grandees by standing erect." I approached, and
presented him with a bottle of salvolatile, which he smelt with delight.
I requested he would appoint some one to conduct us to see the vestige
of Buddha; and he called his principal assistant (the _balat_), and
directed him to accompany us. The _balat_ took us round a great court
surrounded with handsome edifices; showed us two large temples; and we
reached a broad marble staircase with balustrades of gilded copper, and
made the round of the terrace which is the base of the monument. All the
exterior of this splendid edifice is gilt; its pavement is square, but
it takes the form of a dome, and is terminated in a pyramid a hundred
and twenty feet high. The gates and windows, which are double, are
exquisitely wrought. The outer gates are inlaid with handsome devices in
mother-of-pearl, and the inner gates are adorned with gilt pictures
representing the events in the history of Buddha.
"'The interior is yet more brilliant; the pavement is covered with
silver mats. At the end, on a throne ornamented with precious stones,
is a statue of Buddha in massive silver, of the height of a man; in the
middle is a silver grating, which surrounds the vestige, whose length is
about eighteen inches. It is not distinctly visible, being covered with
rings, ear ornaments, bracelets, and gold necklaces, the offerings of
devotees when they come to worship. The history of the relic is this: In
the year 1602, notice was sent to the king, at Ayuthia, that a discovery
had been made at the foot of a mountain, of what appeared to be a
footmark of Buddha. The king sent his learned men, and the most
intelligent priests, to report if the lineaments of the imprint
resembled the description of the foot of Buddha, as given in the sacred
Pali writings. The examination having taken place, and the report being
in the affirmative, the king caused the monastery of Phrabat to be
built, which has been enlarged and enriched by his successors.
"'After visiting the monument the _balat_ escorted us to a deep well,
cut out of the solid stone; the water is good, and sufficient to provide
for crowds of pilgrims. The abbé-prince is the sovereign lord of the
mountain and its environs within a circuit of eight leagues; he has from
four to five thousand men under his orders, to be employed as he directs
in the service of the monastery. On the day of my visit a magnificent
palanquin, such as is used by great princes, was brought to him as a
present from the king. He had the civility to entertain us as well as he
could. I remarked that the kitchen was under the care of a score of
young girls, and they gave the name of pages to the youths who attended
us. In no other monastery is this usage to be found.
"'His highness caused us to be lodged in a handsome wooden house, and
gave me two guards of honor to serve and watch over me, forbidding my
going out at night on account of tigers. The following morning I took
leave of the good abbé-prince, mounted my elephant, and taking another
road, we skirted the foot of the mountain till we reached a spring of
spouting waters. We found there a curious plant, whose leaves were
altogether like the shape and the colors of butterflies. We took a
simple breakfast in the first house we met with; and at four o'clock in
the afternoon we reached our boat, and after a comfortable night's rest
we left Tha-Rua to return to our church at Ayuthia.'"
M. Mouhot thus describes his journey from Ayuthia, made in the winter of
1858:
"At seven o'clock in the morning my host was waiting for me at the door,
with elephants mounted by their drivers, and other attendants necessary
for our expedition. At the same hour in the evening we reached our
destination, and before many minutes had elapsed all the inhabitants
were informed of our arrival; priests and mountaineers were all full of
curiosity to look at the stranger. Among the principal people of the
place I distributed some little presents, with which they were
delighted; but my fire-arms and other weapons were especially the
subjects of admiration. I paid a visit to the prince of the mountain,
who was detained at home by illness. He ordered breakfast for me; and,
expressing his regret at not being able to accompany me, sent four men
to serve as guides and assistants. As a return for his kindness and
urbanity, I presented him with a small pistol, which he received with
extreme gratification.
"We proceeded afterward to the western side of the mountain, where is
the famous temple containing the footprint of Samona-Kodom, the Buddha
of Indo-China. I was filled with astonishment and admiration on arriving
at this point, and feel utterly incapable of describing the spectacle
which met my view. What convulsion of Nature, what force could have
upheaved those immense rocks, piled one upon another in such fantastic
forms? Beholding such a chaos, I could well understand how the
imagination of this simple people, who are ignorant of the true God,
should have here discovered signs of the marvellous and traces of their
false divinities. It was as if a second and recent deluge had just
abated; this sight alone was enough to recompense me for all my
fatigues.
"On the mountain summit, in the crevices of the rocks, in the valleys,
in the caverns, all around, could be seen the footprints of animals,
those of elephants and tigers being most strongly marked; but I am
convinced that many of them were formed by antediluvian and unknown
animals. All these creatures, according to the Siamese, formed the
_cortège_ of Buddha in his passage over the mountain.
"As for the temple itself, there is nothing remarkable about it; it is
like most of the pagodas in Siam--on the one hand unfinished and on the
other in a state of dilapidation; and it is built of brick, although
both stone and marble abound at Phrabat. The approach to it is by a
flight of large steps, and the walls are covered with little pieces of
colored glass, forming arabesques in great variety, which glitter in the
sun with striking effect. The panels and cornices are gilt; but what
chiefly attracts attention by the exquisite workmanship are the massive
ebony doors, inlaid with mother-of-pearl of different colors, and
arranged in beautiful designs. The interior of the temple does not
correspond with the outside; the floor is covered with silver matting,
and the walls bear traces of gilding, but they are blackened by time and
smoke. A catafalque rises in the centre, surrounded with strips of
gilded serge, and there is to be seen the famous footprint of Buddha. To
this sacred spot the pilgrims bring their offerings, cut paper, cups,
dolls, and an immense number of toys, many of them being wrought in gold
and silver.
"After staying a week on the mountain, and adding many pretty and
interesting objects to my collection, our party returned to Arajik, the
prince of Phrabat insisting on sending another guide with me, although
my friend, the mandarin, with his attendants and elephants, had kindly
remained to escort me back to his village. There I again partook of his
hospitality, and, taking leave of him the day following, I resumed my
voyage up the river. Before night I arrived at Saraburi, the chief town
of the province of Pakpriau and the residence of the governor.
"Saraburi is a place of some extent, the population consisting chiefly
of Siamese, Chinese, and Laotian agriculturists; and consists, like all
towns and villages in Siam, of houses constructed of bamboo. They peep
out, half hidden, among the foliage along the banks of the river; beyond
are rice plantations, and, further in the background, extensive forests,
inhabited solely by wild animals.
"On the morning of the 26th we passed Pakpriau, near which the cataracts
begin. The waters were still high, and we had much trouble to fight
against the current. A little to the north of this town I met with a
poor family of Laotian Christians, of whom the good Father Larmandy had
spoken to me. We moored our boat near their house, hoping that it would
remain in safety while I explored the mountains in the neighborhood and
visited Patawi, which is the resort of the Laotian pilgrims, as Phrabat
is of the Siamese.
"All the country from the banks of the river to the hills, a distance of
about eight or nine miles, and the whole surface of this mountain-range,
is covered with brown iron-ore and aërolites; where they occur in the
greatest abundance vegetation is scanty and consists principally of
bamboo, but it is rich and varied in those places where the detritus has
formed a thicker surface of soil. The dense forests furnish gum and oil,
which would be valuable for commerce if the indolent natives could be
prevailed on to collect them. They are, however, infested with leopards,
tigers, and tiger-cats. Two dogs and a pig were carried off from the
immediate vicinity of the hut of the Christian guardians of our boat
during our stay at Pakpriau; but the following day I had the pleasure
of making the offending leopard pay for the robbery with his life, and
his skin served me for a mat.
"Where the soil is damp and sandy I found numerous traces of these
animals, but those of the royal tiger are more uncommon. During the
night the inhabitants dare not venture out of doors; but in the day-time
the creatures, satisfied with the fruits of their predatory rambles,
skulk into their dens in the recesses of the woods. One day I went to
explore the eastern part of the chain of Pakpriau, and, becoming excited
in the chase of a wild boar, we soon lost ourselves in the forest. The
animal made his way through the brushwood much more easily than we
could, encumbered as we were with guns, hatchets, and boxes, and we ere
long missed the scent. By the terrified cries of the monkeys we knew we
could not be far from some tiger or leopard, doubtless, like ourselves,
in search of prey; and as night was drawing in, it became necessary to
retrace our steps homeward for fear of some disagreeable adventure. With
all our efforts, however, we could not find the path. We were far from
the border of the forest, and were forced to take up our abode in a
tree, among the branches of which we made a sort of hammock. On the
following day we regained the river.
"I endeavored fruitlessly to obtain oxen or elephants to carry our
baggage with a view of exploring the country, but all beasts of burden
were in use for the rice-harvest. I therefore left my boat and its
contents in charge of the Laotian family, and we set off, like pilgrims,
on foot for Patawi, on a fine morning with a somewhat cloudy sky, which
recalled to me the pleasant autumn days of my own country. My only
companions were Küe and my young Laotian guide. We followed for three
hours, through forests infested with wild beasts, the road to Korat, and
at last reached Patawi. As at Phrabat, there is a bell, both at the foot
of the mount and at the entrance of a long and wide avenue leading to
the pagoda, which the pilgrims ring on arriving, to inform the good
genii of their presence and bespeak a favorable hearing of their
prayers. The mount is isolated, and about four hundred and fifty feet in
height; its formation is similar to that of Phrabat, but although its
appearance is equally grand it presents distinct points of variation.
Here are not to be seen those masses of rock, piled one upon another, as
if hurled by the giants in a combat like that fabled of old. Patawi
seems to be composed of one enormous rock, which rises almost
perpendicularly like a wall, excepting the centre portion, which toward
the south hangs over like a roof, projecting eighteen or twenty feet. At
the first glance might be recognized the action of water upon a soil
originally clay.
"There are many footprints similar to those of Phrabat, and in several
places are to be seen entire trunks of trees in a state of petrifaction
lying close to growing individuals of the same species. They have all
the appearance of having been just felled, and it is only on testing
their hardness with a hammer that one feels sure of not being mistaken.
An ascent of several large stone steps leads, on the left hand, to the
pagoda, and on the right to the residence of the talapoins, or priests,
who are three in number, a superior and two assistants, appointed to
watch and pay reverence to the precious 'rays' of Somanakodom. Were the
authors who have written about Buddhism ignorant of the signification of
the word 'ray' employed by the Buddhists? Now, in the Siamese language
the same word which means 'ray' signifies also shadow, and it is through
respect for their deity that the first meaning is applied.
"The priests were much surprised to see a 'farang' (foreigner) in their
pagoda, but some trifling gifts soon established me in their good
graces. The superior was particularly charmed with a magnet which I gave
him, and amused himself with it for a long time, uttering cries of
delighted admiration as he saw it attract and pick up all the little
pieces of metal which he placed near it.
"I went to the extreme north of the mount, where some generous being has
kindly had constructed, for the shelter of travellers, a hall, such as
is found in many places near pagodas. The view there is indescribably
splendid, and I cannot pretend to do justice either with pen or pencil
to the grand scenes which here and elsewhere were displayed before my
eyes. I can but seize the general effect and some of the details; all I
can promise to do is to introduce nothing which I have not seen.
Hitherto all the views I had seen in Siam had been limited in extent,
but here the beauty of the country is exhibited in all its splendor.
Beneath my feet was a rich and velvety carpet of brilliant and varied
colors; an immense tract of forest, amid which the fields of rice and
the unwooded spots appeared like little streaks of green; beyond, the
ground, rising gradually, swells into hills of different elevations;
farther still to the north and east, in the form of a semicircle, is the
mountain-chain of Phrabat and that of the kingdom of Muang-Lôm; and in
the extreme distance those of Korat, fully sixty miles distant. All
these join one another, and are, in fact, but a single range. But how
describe the varieties of form among all these peaks! In one place they
seem to melt into the vapory rose-tints of the horizon, while near at
hand the peculiar structure and color of the rocks bring out more
strongly the richness of the vegetation; there, again, are deep shadows
vying with the deep blue of the heaven above; everywhere those brilliant
sunny lights, those delicate hues, those warm tones, which make the
_tout ensemble_ perfectly enchanting. The spectacle is one which the eye
of a painter can seize and revel in, but which his brush, however
skilful, can transfer most imperfectly to his canvas.
[Illustration: MOUNTAINS OF KORAT FROM PATAWI.]
"At the sight of this unexpected panorama a cry of admiration burst
simultaneously from all mouths. Even my poor companions, generally
insensible to the beauties of nature, experienced a moment of ecstasy at
the sublimity of the scene. 'Oh! _di, di!_' (beautiful) cried my young
Laotian guide; and when I asked Küe what he thought of it, 'Oh! master,'
he replied, in his mixed jargon of Latin, English, and Siamese, 'the
Siamese see Buddha on a stone, and do not see God in these grand things.
I am pleased to have been to Patawi.'
"On the opposite side, viz., the south, the picture is different. Here
is a vast plain, which extends from the base of Patawi and the other
mountains beyond Ayuthia, whose high towers are visible in the distance,
120 miles off. At the first glance one distinguishes what was formerly
the bed of the sea, this great plain having taken the place of an
ancient gulf: proof of which is afforded by numerous marine shells, many
of which I collected in a perfect state of preservation, while the
rocks, with their footprints and fossil shells, are indicative of some
great change at a still earlier period.
"Every evening some of the good Laotian mountaineers came to see the
'farang.' These Laotians differ slightly from the Siamese: they are more
slender, have the cheek-bones more prominent, and have also darker
complexions. They wear their hair long, while the Siamese shave half of
the head, leaving the hair to grow only on the top. They deserve praise
for their intrepidity as hunters, if they have not that of warriors.
Armed with a cutlass or bow, with which latter weapon they adroitly
launch, to a distance of one hundred feet, balls of clay hardened in the
sun, they wander about their vast forests, undismayed by the jaguars and
tigers infesting them. The chase is their principal amusement, and, when
they can procure a gun and a little Chinese powder, they track the wild
boar, or, lying in wait for the tiger or the deer, perch themselves on a
tree or in a little hut raised on bamboo stakes.
"Their poverty borders on misery, but it mainly results from excessive
indolence, for they will cultivate just sufficient rice for their
support; this done, they pass the rest of their time in sleep, lounging
about the woods, or making excursions from one village to another,
paying visits to their friends on the way.
"At Patawi I heard much of Korat, which is the capital of the province
of the same name, situated five days' journey northeast of
Pakpriau--that is about one hundred and twenty miles--and I determined,
if possible, to visit it by and by. It appears to be a rich country,
producing especially silk of good quality. Caoutchouc-trees abound, but
are neglected by the inhabitants, who are probably ignorant of their
value. I brought back a magnificent specimen of the gum, which was much
admired by the English merchants at Bangkok. Living, according to
report, is fabulously cheap: six fowls may be purchased for a _fuang_
(37 centimes), 100 eggs for the same sum, and all other things in
proportion. But to get there one has to cross the famous forest of 'the
King of the Fire,' which is visible from the top of Patawi, and it is
only in the dry season that it is safe to attempt this; during the rains
both the water and the atmosphere are fatally pestilential. The
superstitious Siamese do not dare to use fire-arms there, from fear of
attracting evil spirits who would kill them.
"During all the time I spent on the top of the mountain the chief priest
was unremitting in his attentions to me. He had my luggage carried into
his own room, gave me up his mats to add to mine, and in other ways
practised self-denial to make me as comfortable as was in his power. The
priests complain much of the cold in the rainy season, and of the
torrents which then rush from the summit of the mountain; they are also
greatly disturbed by the tigers, which, driven from the plains by the
inundations, take refuge on the high ground, and carry away their dogs
and fowls out of the very houses. But their visits are not confined to
that period of the year. About ten o'clock on the second night of my
stay the dogs suddenly began to utter plaintive howls. 'A tiger! a
tiger!' cried my Laotian, who was lying near me. I started up, seized my
gun, and half opened the door; but the profound darkness made it
impossible to see anything, or to go out without uselessly exposing
myself. I therefore contented myself with firing off my gun to frighten
the creature. The next morning we found one of our dogs gone.
"We scoured the neighborhood for about a week, and then set off once
more by water for Bangkok, as I wished to put my collections in order
and send them off.
"The places which two months previously had been deep in water were now
dry, and everywhere around their dwellings the people were digging their
gardens and beginning to plant vegetables. The horrible mosquitoes had
reappeared in greater swarms than ever, and I pitied my poor servants,
who, after rowing all day, could obtain no rest at night.
"During the day, especially in the neighborhood of Pakpriau, the heat
was intense, the thermometer being ordinarily at 90° Fahrenheit (28°
Reaumur) in the shade, and 140° Fahrenheit (49° Reaumur) in the sun.
Luckily, we had no longer to contend with the current, and our boat,
though heavily laden, proceeded rapidly. We were about three hours'
sail from Bangkok, when I perceived a couple of European boats, and in a
room built for travellers near a pagoda I recognized three English
captains of my acquaintance, one of whom had brought me to Singapore.
They were, with their wives, enjoying a picnic, and, on seeing me,
insisted on my joining them and partaking of the repast.
"I reached Bangkok the same day, and was still uncertain as to a
lodging, when M. Wilson, the courteous Danish consul, came to me, and
kindly offered the hospitality of his magnificent house.
"I consider the part of the country which I had just passed through
extremely healthy, except, perhaps, during the rains. It appears that in
this season the water, flowing down from the mountains and passing over
a quantity of poisonous detritus, becomes impregnated with mineral
substances, gives out pestilential miasmata, and causes the terrible
jungle-fever, which, if it does not at once carry off the victim, leaves
behind it years of suffering. My journey, as has been seen, took place
at the end of the rainy season and when the floods were subsiding; some
deleterious exhalations, doubtless, still escaped, and I saw several
natives attacked with intermittent fever, but I had not had an hour's
illness. Ought I to attribute this immunity to the regimen I observed,
and which had been strongly recommended to me--abstinence, all but
total, from wine and spirits, and drinking only tea, never cold water? I
think so; and I believe by such a course one is in no great danger."