FROM BANGKOK TO CHANTABOUN--A MISSIONARY JOURNEY IN 1835
For many years the region on the eastern shore of the gulf has been more
or less familiar to the foreign residents in Bangkok. So long ago as
1835 the Protestant missionaries explored and mapped out, with a good
degree of accuracy, the coast line from the mouth of the Meinam to the
mouth of the Chantaboun River. Extracts from the journal of Dr. Bradley,
a pioneer among American missionaries in Siam, give an interesting
sketch of the country as it was, as well as of the modes of travel many
years ago, and the beginnings of the civilization in which, since that
time, Siam has made such extraordinary progress.
Dr. Bradley, accompanied by another missionary and wife, made his
journey in the first vessel ever built in Siam on a European model. A
young nobleman, who has since then become very distinguished by reason
of his interest in scientific pursuits of every kind, and his
attainments in various branches of knowledge, had built at Chantaboun a
brig which he had named the Ariel, and was about returning from Bangkok
to that port. With the liberality and kindness by which his conduct
toward the missionaries has always been characterized, he invited Dr.
Bradley and his colleague to be his guests on the return voyage. Dr.
Bradley thus speaks of the Ariel.
"Went aboard of the brig Ariel to have a look at the first square-rigged
vessel ever made in Siam, and brought up a few days since from
Chantaboun to present to the king. Considering that this is the first
essay made in this country to imitate European ship-building, that the
young nobleman had but poor models, if any, to guide him, and that all
his knowledge of ship-building has been gathered by here and there an
observation of foreign vessels in port, this brig certainly reflects
very great credit on his creative genius. Not only this, but other facts
also indicate that the young nobleman is endowed with an uncommonly
capacious mind for a Siamese. It appears that he is building at
Chantaboun several vessels of from 300 to 400 tons burthen. His wife has
just left our house, having spent the evening with Mrs. B. She possesses
many interesting qualities, and, like her husband, is fond of the
society of Europeans and Americans. Her attendants were three or four
females who paddled the sampan in which she came, and carried her
betel-box and other accompaniments. They remained at the door in a
crouching posture, while their mistress visited Mrs. B. Her dress
consisted of a phanung of ordinary cloth, a Birmese jacket of crimson
crape, a scarlet sash of the same material, and a leaden-colored shawl
of the richest damask silk."
All preparations being made for the excursion, and an abundant supply
of Christian tracts laid in for distribution among the natives as
opportunity might offer, Dr. Bradley's narrative continues, under date
of November 12, 1835:
"One of the most delightful mornings I have seen since I left my dear
native land. While the brig Ariel floated down with the tide, I called
upon my brethren in company with my wife, when I took leave of her for
the first time since we were married. The brig had made more progress
than we were aware, which subjected us to the inconvenience of
overtaking her in an open boat under a burning sun. She was under full
press of sail before we reached her, but with much exertion on our part
to inspire our paddlers to lay out more strength, by crying out in
Chinese tongue _qui qui_, and in the Siamese _reow reow_, and by a
full-souled response on their part, we reached the brig at 12 A.M. We
were somewhat disappointed in finding the cabin exclusively occupied by
the mother and sisters of Luang Nai Sit, who being high in rank as
females, must of course have the best accommodations on board. The
mother is allied to the royal family, and consequently ranks higher than
her husband, the p'rak'lang, though he is one of the first in point of
office, being commander-in-chief of the Siamese forces, and
prime-minister of foreign affairs. But Luang Nai Sit did all he could to
make us comfortable on deck, spreading a double awning over us, one of
thin canvas, and the other of attap leaves. Our pride was somewhat
uncomfortably tried by finding ourselves dependent upon K'oon Klin, the
wife of Luang Nai Sit, for the common comforts of shipboard. But it
is due to her and her husband to say that they were both very polite,
and evidently regretted that they could not then make us perfectly
comfortable. They anxiously encouraged us with the promise that after a
little time they would have matters in a better state, saving that their
mother and sisters would leave the brig at Paknam, and give us the
occupancy of the cabin.
[Illustration: PORT OF CHANTABOUN.]
"The more I dwell upon it the more I am interested in the Providence
that has brought us on board this vessel. But it may be asked, What is
there peculiarly interesting in it? Why, here is a new Siamese brig,
recently presented to the king of Siam, as the first specimen of a
successful imitation of European ship-building, on her first voyage,
volunteered by one of the first men in the kingdom to bear a company of
missionaries to a province of Siam, carrying the everlasting gospel to a
people who have never heard it, and who, to use the expression of the
nobleman who has volunteered to take us thither, 'have no God, no
religion, and greatly need the labors of missionaries among them.'
"On awaking the next morning, I find that we are lying at anchor
opposite Paknam, where the mother and sisters of our noble friend are to
disembark. It is truly affecting to witness the kind attentions of Luang
Nai Sit, and to observe how ready he is to anticipate our wants, and
prepare to meet them. Last evening, while we were singing, a company of
native singers removed their seats at the forecastle, and sitting down
near to us, began to bawl out in the native style. Luang Nai Sit soon
came to us and requested that we should go to the upper deck, and take
seats which he had prepared for us, saying, 'There is too much confusion
for you to stay here; go up yonder, and bless God undisturbed.'
"These native singers, I am informed, are now practising with a view to
sing to the white elephant at Chantaboun. They sang many times a day, of
which I have become heartily sick.
"We weighed anchor very early in the morning of the 14th, and sailed
with the tide in our favor for the bar. We were interested in witnessing
the outgushings of maternal and filial affection of the noble relatives
just before we sailed from Paknam. Luang Nai Sit exhibited much of it on
parting with his mother, and she was tenderly moved on taking leave of
her son and grandchildren. [One of the latter was a little boy, who
afterward became prime minister and minister of war.] We noticed that
their tears were allowed to flow only in the cabin, out of sight of
their slaves. On deck, and when in the act of parting, they were solemn
and perfectly composed. A little after sunrise we came in sight of the
mountains of Keo, which to me was a peculiarly gratifying sight. I had
for months sighed after something of the kind to interrupt the dead
monotony of Bangkok. There, do what you may by the means of telescopes
and towers, you will discover nothing but one unbroken plain."
We condense Dr. Bradley's journal from this point, omitting unnecessary
details of the voyage:
"Arose at four in the morning of the 15th, and found that we were at
anchor a little south of the Keo Mountains, having Koh Chang or See
Chang on the west, eight miles distant, and the coast of See Maha Racha
on the east, five miles distant. I know not when I have been so
delighted with natural scenery as at this time. Not a cloud was seen in
the heavens. The moon walked in brightness amid myriads of twinkling
suns and shining worlds. A balmy and gentle breeze just ruffled the
bosom of the deep. The wonted confusion of the deck was perfectly
hushed. Lofty mountains and a rugged and romantic coast darkened the
eastern horizon. At five o'clock Luang Nai Sit invited us to go ashore
with him. We readily accepted the invitation and accompanied our friend
to the village of See Maha Racha, attended by his bodyguard, armed with
guns, swords, and lances. The scenery, as the dawn brightened, was most
exhilarating. The mountains, hills, and plains were covered with
vegetation in the liveliest green, with here and there a cultivated
spot. As we approached the settlement from the west, at our right was a
rock-bound coast. Just in the background of this, and parallel with it,
was an admirably undulated ridge, which seemed to be composed of hill
rolled close upon hill. At our left were islands of lofty white-capped
rocks. Further removed, at the east, were mountains towering behind
mountains. Before us was an extensive plain bounded with mountains far
in the distance. We reached the village a little after sunrise, which we
found to contain three hundred or four hundred souls, chiefly Siamese.
It was a matter of not a little regret that we had no tracts to give
them. The people seemed to live in somewhat of a tidy manner, not very
unlike a poor villager in our own country. Still their houses were built
of bamboo, and elevated, according to the Siamese custom, as on stilts.
We called at several houses, and found the females engaged in eating
their rice. We attempted to penetrate the jungle behind the settlement,
but did not go far, as there seemed to be but little prospect that we
should descry other settlements.
"Having spent a part of an hour in surveying the village, we followed
our honorable guide along the beach, among immense ferruginous and
quartz rocks having apparently been undermined by the restless ocean,
and these were interlaid with small seashells of great variety. On the
one hand we had the music of the roaring tide, on the other an admirable
jungle, overhanging the beach from the east, and thus protecting us from
the blaze of the rising sun, while the air was perfumed with many a
flower. Several boat-loads of Luang Nai Sit's retinue soon came off the
brig to the shore, which composed a company of fifty or more. At length
a boat came loaded with provisions for a picnic breakfast, all cooked
and duly arranged on salvers. The whole company (ourselves excepted) sat
down on the beach in three classes, and there partook of the repast with
a keen relish. Luang Nai Sit and his brothers ate by themselves; the
women, consisting of K'oon Klin, or wife of the chief, and her children
and other high blood attendants, ate by themselves. After these had
finished their breakfast, the multitude of dependents messed together.
Meanwhile the natives of the village and vicinity flocked in, loaded
with plantains, red peppers, cerileaves, cocoanuts, jack-fruit, etc.,
and presented them as tokens of respect to the son of their lord, the
p'rak'lang, and to him they bowed and worshipped on their hands and
knees. At 10 A.M. we returned to the brig in an uncovered boat, in
company with K'oon Klin and her train. Luang Nai Sit could not, of
course, return in the same boat with the women, as it would be a
violation of Siamese custom. He came in another boat behind us. The sun
was very powerful, and that, together with the crowd and confusion of
the company in the absence of their chief, quite overcame me in my
feebleness of health.
"At 11 A.M. our anchor was again weighed, and we sailed very pleasantly
before a gentle breeze, being continually in full sight of the mainland
at our left, and the islands of Koh Kram, Sewalan, and a number of
others on our right. The former is noted for the quantities of turtles
which are caught on its coasts, the latter is a cluster of verdant
spots, probably uninhabited by man. Much of the mainland which we have
as yet passed is mountainous, diversified with extensive plains, and
covered with lofty timber. With the aid of the brig's telescope we
descried several villages on the shore."
After beating about for a night and a day in a good deal of uncertainty
and some peril (for the Siamese officers and crew were unskilful
navigators), "we were not a little disappointed on the morning of the
18th in supposing that we were entering the mouth of Chantaboun River,
which proved to be but a passage between the island of Semet and the
main coast. It seems that we have been beating for this passage between
thirty and forty hours, and but a few miles from it all the time. The
scenery about this place is quite charming, combining much of the
romantic with the beautiful. Have sailed twenty or thirty miles this
afternoon in full sight of the coast, passing many small islands, which
have given us a very pleasing variety. Much of the coast is level near
the sea, with towering mountains, several miles distant. One island
which we passed near by is worthy of some notice. It is quite small,
composed of rocks, which rise sixty or eighty feet above the water, and
crowned with pleasant shrubbery. It has a wing extending out fifty feet
or more, which is about thirty feet high, and through this there is a
natural tunnel, having much the appearance of an artificial arch of
stone, and apparently large enough to allow a common-sized boat to pass.
Hence the islet is called Koh Loo.
"On the morning of the 19th, the curtains of a tempestuous night having
been removed, very much to our joy we found that we were in sight of our
desired haven, and we enjoyed much interesting scenery while tossing
about during the day. There are many bold islands in this vicinity, with
rocky bases, and crowned with luxuriant vegetation. Koh Ch'ang lies
fifteen or twenty miles south of us. It is a large island, with lofty
peaks, and it is said to be famous for elephants and that there are
several thousand souls upon it. Prit Prote are three small islands,
interesting only as affording pleasant objects to the eye of the
naturalist. Koh Nom Low is a very curious pinnacle near the entrance
into the mouth of Chantaboun River. With a small base, it rises out of
the sea probably four hundred feet. The mouth of the river is admirably
guarded by an arm of a mountain ridge, which extends out into the sea
and embraces the harbor, which is also artificially protected by two
batteries. The coast extends east by southeast. That part of it east of
the river, in the immediate vicinity of the sea, is level, low, and
covered with a thick jungle. The main body of the trees appear low,
having interspersed among them many tall trees, with here and there
small hills, handsomely attired. Parallel with this coast, and
apparently ten miles from the sea, the mountain Sal Bap towers into the
clouds, and stretches a long way to the north and to the south. The
coast west of the river is rugged and mountainous. In the apparent
direction of the river there are several sublime peaks. As far as the
eye can command, vegetation appears luxuriant, but is quite different
from that of Bangkok. The cocoanut palm, which is the queen of all the
jungles in that vicinity, is not to be seen here. The appearance of the
water about the mouth of this river is perfectly clear, while that of
the Meinam is extremely turbid."
At this point the missionaries' Siamese friend left them and proceeded
in advance to Chantaboun. On the day following, November 21st, "he sent
back a small junk for us, which we gladly accepted, and took passage in
her, starting in the morning, and expected of course that we should
arrive at our destination early in the evening. But almost every rod of
our way seemed beset with extraordinary obstacles. In the first place,
we had a strong contrary wind to contend with, which obliged us to beat
till late in the afternoon with but little success. In the early
evening the breeze became gentle, when, with great entreaty on our part,
our boatmen were induced to take to their oars. Presently we found a
strong current against us, and within the next half hour our boat
touched the bottom of the channel and became immovable in the mud. Now
it seemed certain that instead of reaching our destination early in the
evening, as we had hoped, we should be under the necessity of staying
aboard of our craft all night, exposed to the inclemency of the night
air, and with but a scanty supply of food. It was well that we had taken
a late breakfast, for a cup of tea with sea bread and cheese had to
suffice both for our dinner and supper. With these we satisfied the
cravings of hunger, being, I trust, thankful to God that we were so well
fed. Having taken our frugal supper we sought for places to lodge
ourselves for the night. As for a cabin, of course there was none in
such a junk. There were _holds_, but they were filled with luggage. My
fellow-travellers preferred to seek their rest on the open deck in a
half-reclining posture, wrapped up in their cloaks. I found a place in
the 'hinder part of the ship' just large enough to lie down in, where I
spread my mattress and tried to sleep. About midnight the tide rose and
bore our junk away from the mud. But it was only a little time when it
was announced by a singular scraping on our boat's bottom, and by a
tremendous scolding of a party of Chinamen whom we had met, that we had
found another obstacle. It was soon revealed that we had got entangled
in a fish-net belonging to the Chinamen. Here we were detained an hour
or more in efforts to disengage our boat from the ropes of the fish-net.
After this was done I know not what other impediments we met with, for I
fell into a sleep.
"At 4 A.M. it was announced that we had arrived at our destination. We
shook off our slumbers and looked out, and behold our junk was anchored
in front of a house with open doors, literally, and windows without
shutters, while a piercing, chilling wind was whistling through it. It
proved to be, not in Chantaboun, but several miles below it at a Siamese
dockyard. As all our boatmen had gone ashore, and we were left without a
guide, we determined to 'stick to the ship' till full day, and
accordingly lay down and took another nap. When we arose early in the
morning we were surprised to learn that Luang Nai Sit and his retinue
had lodged in that bleak house the night before, and had gone up the
river to Chantaboun, and that this was the place he designed to have us
occupy while we sojourned in this part of Siam. This house assigned to
us here is situated over the water, exposed to the strong north winds
that blow from the opposite side of the river. It is built of bamboo
slats and small poles, so as to operate as a kind of sieve for the bleak
winds. The most of the floor is also of bamboo slats, and admits strong
currents of air through them, while the waves are both heard and seen
dashing beneath them. The roof is made of attap leaves, which rattle
like hail in the wind. The best rooms in the house, two in number, are
enclosed with bamboo slats and lined with cajung. These were politely
assigned to us by our kind friend, who is ever ready to deny himself to
oblige us. This would be a delightfully cool place in the spring and
summer months, but at this season of the year it is unpleasantly chilly.
"This place has no importance, only what is connected with the
ship-building carried on here. There are now on the stocks not less than
fifty vessels, consisting of two ships of three hundred or four hundred
tons burden, thirty or forty war-boats or junks, and a number of smaller
craft."
On the following day the missionaries made an excursion up the river as
high as the p'rak'lang's establishment, where "we left our boat and
proceeded by land two or three miles to Bang Ka Chah. The river up to
the place where we left it is exceedingly serpentine, the banks being
low and overflowed by the tides, and covered with an impenetrable jungle
of low timber.
"As we drew near the p'rak'lang's there appeared pleasant fields of
paddy, and at a distance a beautiful acclivity partially cleared, around
which government is building extensive fortifications. The works are
rapidly advancing. The circumference of the enclosure when finished will
not vary much from two miles. The embankment is forty feet above the
surface of the ground, and the depth of the ditch on the outside will
increase it six feet. The earth is of a remarkably red color, and gives
the embankment the appearance of solid brick. This is to be surrounded
by a breastwork six feet high, with portholes, and made of brick
literally dug out of the earth, which, a few feet from the surface,
possesses the consistence of brick that had been a little dried in the
sun. Blocks eighteen inches in length, nine in breadth, and six in
thickness, are cut out by Chinamen and Malays, which, with a little
smoothing, are prepared for laying into the wall.
"We were objects of great curiosity to the natives. Our _passport_ was
only to tell them that we came from Bangkok in Koon Sit's brig, and this
was perfectly satisfactory. With the idea that Bang Ka Chah was but a
little way onward, we continued to walk, being very much exhilarated by
the sight of palmy plains, palmy hills and extensive rice plantations.
The country appeared to have a first-rate soil, and to be very
extensively cultivated. The paddy fields were heavy laden and well
filled. It was harvest time. In one direction you might see reapers; in
another gatherers of the sheaves; in another threshers; one with his
buffaloes treading out the grain, another with his bin and rack, against
which he was beating the sheaves. The lots were divided by foot-paths
merely, consisting of a little ridge thrown up by the farmers.
"In Bang Ka Chah we found a settlement of four thousand or more Chinese.
Our guide conducted us to a comfortable house, where, much to my
comfort, we were offered a place to lie down, and presented with tea and
fruit. We had not been in the place ten minutes before we had attracted
around us hundreds of men, women, and children, who were as eager to
examine us Americans as the latter once were to examine the Siamese
twins. The inhabitants appeared remarkably healthy. I could not
discover a sickly countenance among them. There were many very aged
people. Children were particularly abundant and interesting. How
inviting a harvest, thought I, is here for the future missionary. The
houses are mostly built of brick after the common style of Chinese
architecture. The streets are crooked, narrow, and filthy. At 4 o'clock,
P.M., we returned to the house of Luang Nai Sit, who lives near his
father, the p'rak'lang, where we were refreshed with a good dinner,
after which we took to our boats and arrived at our lodgings at seven
o'clock in the evening.
"We have made an excursion to the town of Chantaboun. It is about nine
miles from the place where we stay, being on the main branch of the
river, while Bang Ka Chah is on a smaller one. After we passed the
p'rak'lang's, there was much to be seen that was in no small degree
interesting. The river was from sixty to eighty yards wide, apparently
deep and exceedingly serpentine. The banks were generally cleared of
wild timber, gently elevated, uniformly smooth, and cultivated. As we
approached Chantaboun, the margin of the river was most charmingly
graced with clumps of the bamboo, and several fields were bounded with
the same tree. We passed not far from the foot of the lofty mountain Sah
Bap, from which point we could also see several other mountains. The top
of one was lost in the clouds. Near Chantaboun the river is quite lined
on one side with Siamese war-junks on the stocks. The reigning passion
of the government at present is to make preparations in this section of
their country for defence against the Cochin-Chinese, and for
aggressions against the same if need be.
"We reached Chantaboun at 2 P.M. The natives discovering us as we drew
near their place, congregated by scores on the banks of the river to
look at us. They were exceedingly excited, the children particularly,
and scarcely knew how to contain themselves. Some ran with all their
might to proclaim in the most animated manner to the inhabitants ahead
that we were coming. Others jumped up and down, laughing and hallooing
most merrily. We preferred to pass up the river to the extreme end of
the town before we landed, that in coming down by land we might form
some estimate of the amount of the inhabitants. The town is situated on
both sides of the stream, which is probably eighty yards wide. As we
passed along we observed one of the most pleasant situations occupied by
a Roman Catholic chapel. Its appearance, together with some
peculiarities in the inhabitants, led us to think that the Catholics had
got a strong foothold here. We saw only four Siamese priests and no
temples. The houses on the river were built principally of bamboo and
attap. They were small, elevated five or six feet above the ground, and
wore the aspect of old age. The ground on which the town is situated
rises gently from the river and is a dry and sandy loam. There were a
number of middling-sized junks lying in the river, which proves that the
stream is sufficiently deep to admit of the passage of such craft.
"Having reached the farthest extremity of the place, we landed and
walked down the principal street. We were thronged with wondering
multitudes, who were Cochin, Tachu, and Hokien-Chinese, with only here
and there a Siamese. The inhabitants looked healthy, and were more
perfectly dressed than we usually observe in heathen villages in this
climate. The day being far spent we could not prolong our stay more than
one hour. When we got into our boat to return the people literally
surrounded us, although it was in the water. Some stood in the river
waist-deep to get a look at the lady of the party, and petitioned that
she should rise from her seat, that they might see how tall she was. As
we pushed out into the river the multitudes shouted most heartily. There
cannot be less than eight thousand or ten thousand souls in Chantaboun,
and probably thousands in the immediate vicinity.
"On our return we stopped at Luang Nai Sit's, and spent an hour or more.
In looking about the premises we heedlessly entered a large bamboo
house, where to our surprise we saw a monster of an elephant, and his
excellency, the p'rak'lang, who beckoned to us to enter and directed us
to seats. We learned that this elephant was denominated white, and
seemed to be an object of great religious veneration. He was as far from
being white as black. There appeared to be a little white powder
sprinkled upon his back. He was fastened to a post, and a man was
feeding him with paddy-grass.
"All the days that we have been in this place have been very
uncomfortably cold. We have not only wanted winter clothes, but have
found ourselves most comfortable when wrapped up in our cloaks till the
middle and sometimes till after the middle of the day. The natives
shiver like the aspen leaf, and they act much as an American in the
coldest winter day. The northeast monsoon sweeps over the mountains, and
I think produces a current downward from that high and cool region of
air, which retains nearly its temperature till after it has passed this
place.
"It seems that there are a great number of settlements, within the
circumference of a few miles, as large as Bang Ka Chah; that the country
is admirably watered by three rivers; and that the soil is rich and
peculiarly adapted to the growth of pepper, of which large quantities
are raised. There is a small mountain near by, where it is said diamonds
are procured. At Bang Ka Chah there is a remarkable cave in a mountain.
The country intervening between Bang Ka Chah and Thamai is under a high
state of cultivation, being almost exclusively occupied by Chinamen, who
cultivate rice, tobacco, pepper, etc. The face of the country is
pleasantly undulated. Thamai contains four hundred or five hundred
souls, chiefly Chinese. Nung Boah lies east from this place about four
miles by the course of the river. It is not a condensed settlement, but
an agricultural and horticultural district, with thirty or forty
dwellings, perhaps, on every square mile. It is situated on a large
plain, a little distance from the foot of the mount Sah Bap. Not more
than a quarter of the land is cultivated, while the remainder is covered
with small and scrubby junglewood. Multitudes of charming flowers lined
both sides of the paths as we walked from one farm to another; and many
a bird was seen of beautiful plumage and some of pleasant note. The
graceful tops of cocoanut trees we found a never-failing sign of a human
dwelling, and sometimes of a cluster of them. The land is almost wholly
occupied by Tachu-Chinese; a few of them have Siamese wives, the
remainder are single men. They cultivate but small portions of land,
which they bring under a high state of improvement. They raise chiefly
sugar-cane, pepper, and tobacco. The soil, being a rich loam, is well
adapted to the culture of these articles, as well as of a great variety
of horticultural plants.
"We have continued our surveys to the southeast of this place, and
visited Plieoo, a settlement south of Nung Boah. We left our boat at
Barn-Chowkow, which is a settlement of Siamese, consisting of about
sixty families living in a very rural, and, for a Siamese, a very
comfortable style, in the midst of groves of cocoanuts, interspersed
with many a venerable jungle-tree. On either side of a gentle elevation
on which their houses are scattered along a line of half a mile, are
rice-fields far surpassing in excellence any I had before seen. The
grain was nearly all out, and a large proportion of it gathered. They
need no barns, and therefore have none. At this season of the year they
have no rains to trouble them. The rice is threshed by buffaloes. All
the preparation that is necessary for this is to smooth and harden a
circle of ground 30 feet in diameter, and set a post in its centre.
Siamese carts have wheels not less than twenty-five feet in
circumference, set four or five feet apart, with a small rack in which
the sheaves are placed. These are drawn by a yoke of buffaloes. The
person who loads the cart guides the team by means of ropes, which are
fastened to the septum of their nostrils by hooks.
"At Plieoo we first went into a blacksmith's shop, where four Chinamen
were employed. The master was very polite and did all he could think of
to make us comfortable. He prepared his couch for us to rest upon, got
us a cup of tea, etc. We gave him one of the histories of Christ, for
which he was abundantly thankful. We next went to the market, where we
disposed of a few books. Entering into the house of a Chinaman, we were
surprised to find three Siamese priests. The master of the house had
prepared a very neat dinner for one of his clerical guests, and was just
in the act of sitting down on the floor to eat, as we entered. There was
a frown on his brow as he saw us approach. Although he could read, he
utterly refused to receive a tract. Being much in want of some
refreshment, I proposed that he should let me have a dish of rice. He
refused. I still pleaded for a little, but he was determined that I
should not be fed from the same table with his priest. After a little
time we returned to our good friend the blacksmith, and merely suggested
to him our want of food. The aged, hospitable man seemed very happy that
he could have an opportunity to render us such kindness and hastened to
prepare us a dinner. He went himself to market and purchased a variety
of articles for our comfort. The table was soon well supplied with rice,
eggs, greens, and various nameless Chinese nick-nacks.
"In the village of Plieoo there are only a few hundred souls, who are
mostly Tachu-Chinese, and cannot read. Their wives are Siamese. We
conclude, from what we were able to learn, that the vicinity is densely
populated."
The voyage back to Bangkok was comfortably made in a small junk
furnished by Luang Nai Sit, and in company with his brother-in-law, an
agreeable and intelligent Siamese. Dr. Bradley continues:
"We have in tow an elegant boat, designed probably for some one of the
nobles at Bangkok. It was manufactured at Semetgaan. The Siamese possess
superior skill in making these boats. They have the very best materials
the world can afford for such purposes. The boats consist generally of
but one piece.
"A large tree is taken and scooped out in the form of a trough. By some
process, I know not what, the sides are then sprung outward, which draws
the extremities into a beautiful curve upward. After this is done the
boat is admirably wrought and trimmed. The one we have in tow is about
sixty feet in length and five in breadth. Compared with many it is quite
small. I have seen not a few that were nearly a hundred feet long and
from six to eight feet wide, made in the way I have above described.
"[Not long after the above was written, the writer learned that these
boats are swelled out in their mid-ships by means of fire, and that the
curves of their bows and sterns are increased by means of pieces of the
same kind of timber so neatly fitted and firmly joined as to appear on a
distant examination to be a continuation of the body of the boat.]
"On the morning of December 16th we were passing between Koh Samet and
Sem Yah. After we passed this our course lay west-northwest to another
cape called Sah Wa Larn. The wind was favorable but light, and we were
becalmed in the heat of the day four hours or more. The heat was
excessively oppressive. No shade on deck and my cabin a small place, not
large enough to admit of my standing upright. Our vessel has been rowed
much of the afternoon for the want of wind. Cast anchor just at evening
a little east of Sah Wa Larn, having made less than twenty miles during
the day. The coast about Lem Sing is very picturesque. West of this,
till you come to Sah Wa Larn, it is uniformly level. The land appears to
be entirely uncultivated. The forests are composed of large timber,
their tops presenting a very uniform surface. I have much cause for
gratitude to God that I find in my companion, Soot Chin Dah, a very
attentive friend. He is desirous to render me all the assistance he can
in acquiring the Siamese language, in which I hope I am making some
proficiency by engaging with him in conversation.
"The scene between Koh Arat and Koh Yai, in the midst of which we were
at anchor the next morning, is most charming. The distance from one to
the other is about one mile. Arat is a small island rising very abruptly
many hundred feet above the sea. At the top is a rock of a conical form,
which seems on the point of rolling down with a tremendous crash into
the sea. Koh Yai is a much larger island, and hence its name. A little
before us was the cape Samaasarn, shielded against the sea by immense
white rocks. Just as the sun was rising Soot Chin Dah invited me to
accompany him to Koh Yai for a morning exercise. Our fine boat was
manned with nineteen men, and we went off in princely style. We coasted
some distance and then landed; whence we walked a long way, first on a
sandy beach and then among rocks composed of marine shells interlaid
with coral and shells of infinite variety. The land was all one unbroken
jungle. Much of the small timber was of a thorny kind, which seemed to
bid defiance to human invasion. Our men were chiefly engaged in picking
up shells suitable for gambling purposes. On our return we touched at
Arat, where I amused myself a little time in climbing around craggy and
stupendous rocks. After two hours we returned to our junk well prepared
for breakfast. The hired cook, which Luang Nai Sit had the goodness to
provide for me, had my food all ready, consisting of a broiled chicken,
salt and fresh eggs, and rice with tea. Soot Chin Dah eats by himself,
sometimes in one place and sometimes in another. His food is very neatly
served for him in a circular wooden tray. It is prepared by a Portuguese
cook, and served by his inferior brother. When he is done eating, his
brother, serang, assistant serang, and cook eat of the remainder,
sitting on the deck. They use neither knife, fork, nor spoon, their
fingers serving the purposes of these instruments. The helmsman and his
mate, who are masters of the junk, and country-born Portuguese, eat by
themselves in the style of the Siamese. The crew clan together in
eating according to their nameless distinctions. Their main dependence
is rice and fish. The former they eat out of the bark of a plantain tree
rolled up at the sides and one end in the shape of a scoop shovel, or
out of a most filthy-looking basket or cocoanut shell. There are three
females on board who eat in the hold, where they remain almost
constantly from morning to night. In the evening they come out to enjoy
the fresh air, and have a most voluble chat with the men.
"About noon we anchored close to the shore of Sem Poo Chow, which is an
abrupt and lofty promontory. Here three wild hogs made their appearance.
Having looked upon us a few minutes they disappeared. It seemed
wonderful that they could inhabit such a bluff, for a misstep would
plunge them into the abyss below.
"On the evening of the 19th our captain ordered the anchor to be
dropped, as we were on the bar at the mouth of the Meinam River, eight
or ten miles from Paknam. We have had a good view of every mile of the
coast along which we have passed to-day, and I may with but little
qualification say the same of all the coast between this and Chantaboun.
The coast north of Bangplasoi is low, without so much as a rock or hill
to break the evenness of the jungle. We saw distinctly the entrance of
Bangpakong River, its mouth appearing as large as that of the Meinam. I
have spent much of this day in finishing charts of Chantaboun and the
coast from thence to Paknam."