INTERPRETER ARRIVES.--REQUESTED TO LAND THE GUNS.--ENTERTAINED
BY A CHIEF.--PHYSIOLOGICAL REMARKS ON THE SIAMESE.--PROGRESS
TO BANKOK.--A FLOATING BAZAR.--BANKOK DESCRIBED.--THE GOVERNOR
GENERAL’S LETTER TO THE KING DELIVERED TO A CHIEF.--A SUSPICIOUS
ATTEMPT MADE TO GET POSSESSION OF THE PRESENTS.--INTERVIEW
WITH ONE OF THE MINISTERS.--DISGUSTING SERVILITY OF HIS
ATTENDANTS.--NEGOTIATIONS RESPECTING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE COURT
CEREMONIES.--PROCEED TO THE PALACE.--ADDRESSED IN GOOD LATIN BY A
NATIVE.--OBSERVATIONS ON THE ROAD TO THE AUDIENCE.--DESCRIPTION OF
THE AUDIENCE.
_March 26th._--Early in the morning, a man, dressed somewhat in the
style of an European sailor, came off, and stated that he had been
sent from Bankok to act as interpreter, and to accompany us to the
capital. This was one of that degraded, but self-important class of
society, well known in India under the general title of Portuguese,
a title to which a hat and one or two other articles of clothing
in the European fashion would seem to give every black man, every
native, and every half caste, an undisputed claim. Our visitor bore
the characteristic national features of the Siamese, amongst whom
he had been born; he spoke the Portuguese language with ease and
fluency, but English very imperfectly. He said, that the chief of
Packnam requested that the guns might be landed, as the ship could not
otherwise be permitted to proceed upwards without an order from court
to that effect. It was observed, that the Portuguese frigate did not
land her guns; he replied, that such was a special indulgence from the
court. Mr. Crawfurd was, at the same time, invited on shore to dinner,
the chief representing that he had received orders to entertain all
persons of the rank of ambassadors or envoys during their stay within
his jurisdiction. Very little notice was taken of, and no direct
communication was held with, the interpreter.
This sort of verbal communication, on matters of business, did not
augur well towards the success of our mission. We could not fail to
remark, that the different personages who had as yet visited us, were
either of very low rank, or of none at all, neither did they exhibit
any mark by which they might be recognised as acting from authority.
The chief, or, as the gentlemen of our party styled him, governor of
Packnam, himself, to all appearance, of small political importance,
being merely the head man of several poor fishing villages, did
not condescend to visit us, or to hold other communication with us
than that described. It was hinted that a man of some rank had been
sent hither to receive us, but neither did this personage make his
appearance. After breakfast, Captain M’Donnell went on shore to wait
upon the chief of Packnam; he induced the latter to send a young man, a
relation of his, on board. This man was received with much attention;
he appeared to take little notice of the ship, or, indeed, of any thing
else; he was naked from the waist upwards, and rather meanly dressed
even for a Siamese; he partook of sweetmeats and spirits, and after
inviting Mr. Crawfurd to go on shore, and conversing with the latter
for about half an hour, he rose and departed, Mr. Crawfurd having
agreed to visit the chief in the evening.
We accordingly set out in three different boats, Mr. Crawfurd and
Captain Dangerfield having their servants, harkaras, silver sticks,
state umbrellas, and dressed in the uniform of the Governor-General. A
crowd of people, consisting of old men and women, and many children,
were collected on the beach, and appeared to view us with considerable
curiosity. The young man who had visited us on board, alone received us
at the landing-place, from whence we walked through a narrow noisome
lane, paved with wood, the distance of about fifty yards, to the
chief’s house, a place of sorry appearance; we ascended by a flight
of wooden steps into a small enclosed court, which opened behind into
the house. In an open room, tawdrily ornamented with Chinese paper
lanterns, Dutch glass, and scraps of painted paper, we found the chief,
a tall, slender, rather elderly man, seated on a chair; he got up to
welcome Mr. Crawfurd, and conducted him to a chair on his left. A table
was placed in the centre of the room, and soon after we had taken our
seats (we were luckily accommodated with chairs), a dinner, consisting
of roast pork, roast ducks and fowls, and a pilaw, were brought in.
The dishes were cooked after the European fashion, two or three native
Christians who attended, to judge by their busy manner, being very
anxious to approve themselves on the present occasion. We had dined
before going on shore, but at the request of the chief, who, indeed,
appeared to be very desirous of pleasing us, we sat down to table,
accompanied by the interpreter already alluded to, but neither the
chief nor any of his family partook of the entertainment. A crowd of
people were collected in the court, and viewed us as we sat, evidently
with considerable interest. Opposite to the chief sat the personage who
had been sent to receive us; he was a good-looking, middle-aged man, a
Malay, who had been once or twice in Bengal: we spent nearly two hours
thus conversing on various subjects. On our getting up to depart, the
chief rose and shook hands with all of us.
_March 27._--No communication had arrived respecting permission for
us to proceed to the capital. One of the king’s boats, which had been
sent down for the purpose of taking Mr. Crawfurd to Bankok, returned
this morning. This was a long and narrow boat, turned up at the bow
and stern, bearing resemblance to a canoe, and provided with a sort
of chair in the middle, over which a shed of mats had been erected.
The rowers were numerous, but the accommodation trifling, as it could
carry but one or two persons. It appeared not a little absurd that they
should think of offering only this boat for the accommodation of a
numerous party. It was doubtless expected that Mr. Crawfurd would go up
alone.
Accompanied by Mr. Rutherford, I went on shore in the evening, and
strolled through the village. We found it difficult to land, it being
now low water, and the banks consisting of soft mud. We ascended into a
house built, as a great proportion of the village is, over the river.
We passed thus from house to house, on elevated boards, till we reached
dry land. We found the people remarkably civil, and even obliging. They
received us with smiles, and seemed anxious to entertain us. The women
were not less forward than the men on these occasions. They collected
round us, talked, laughed, and expressed not the least apprehension.
We found the houses dirty, and lumbered with billets of wood, with
little provision for ease. Yet the people appeared to live in tolerable
comfort, though their means of subsistence, if we except that which
they derive from the river and the sea, was not very evident. There
appeared a great paucity even of fish. Rice they seemed to have in
abundance. They were well fed, and stout, but rather below the middle
stature. They cut the hair close to the head, leaving a short tuft
on the forehead, which they comb backward. There is no difference in
this respect between the men and women, both cutting the hair off
short. Europeans are not more attentive to render their teeth white,
than the Siamese are to make them black. Amongst them black teeth only
are considered beautiful, and it must be allowed that they succeed
perfectly well in this species of ornament. This, together with the
coarse red painting of the mouth and lips, which they derive from the
constant eating of betel, catechu, and lime together, gives to them a
disgusting appearance. The face of the Siamese is remarkably large,
the forehead very broad, prominent on each side, and covered with the
hairy scalp in greater proportion than I have observed in any other
people. In some, it descends to within an inch or even less of the
eye-brows, covers the whole of the temples, and stretches forwards
to within nearly the same distance of the outer angle of the eye. The
cheek bones are large, wide, and prominent. A principal peculiarity in
the configuration of their countenance is the great size of the back
part of the lower jaw. The corona process here projects outwards, so
as to give to this part of the face an uncommon breadth. One would
imagine, on a careless inspection, that they were all affected with a
slight degree of _goitre_, or swelling of the parotid gland. A similar
appearance is often observable in Malays. The people generally go
naked from the waist upwards, sometimes throwing a piece of cloth over
the shoulders. Old women in general expose the breast; but the young,
and the middle aged, wrap a short piece of cloth round the chest, of
sufficient length to form a single knot in front, thus leaving the
shoulders and arms bare. From the loins to the knee, they wrap a piece
of blue or other coloured cloth, over which the better sort wear a
piece of Chinese crape, or a shawl.
The bazar, if a few scattered huts along a path may deserve that name,
was extremely meagre. A few plantains, pumpkins, betel, tobacco, and
jagory, were almost the only articles it afforded, by the sale of which
a few old women contrived to gain a subsistence.
We proceeded to a monastic institution, situated on the bank of the
river. The houses here are well built, spacious, and convenient. The
whole is included in an extensive and open space of ground, kept clean
and neat. The accommodation for the priests is excellent; the houses
are well raised, the floors and walls made of boards. A neat temple
occupies one extremity of the enclosure. The fraternity received us
with great cheerfulness, and, at our request, readily admitted us into
the interior of the temple. Here, raised to about the middle height of
the edifice, on a broad platform or altar, we discovered about fifty
gilded images of Buddha, all in the sitting posture. The principal
image, considerably above the human stature, was placed behind, and
over him was raised a sort of arched canopy of carved and gilded wood.
The others were ranged close before him. On each corner of the altar,
with their faces turned towards the images, clothed in the usual
costume of their order, and in the attitude of devotion, stood two
priests. The general form of the figure of Buddha was not essentially
different from that worshipped by the natives of Ceylon. The hair
is short and curled, the head surmounted by a flame or glory, the
countenance placid, benign, and contemplative. They have given somewhat
of a Siamese, or rather Tartar expression to the features, by rather
prolonging the eyebrows, and giving an obliquity to the eye; the nose
is more sharp, and the lips very thick.
The Buddha of the natives of Ceylon, on the contrary, is a complete
model of the ancient Egyptian or Ethiopian countenance, from which
their images never deviate in the slightest degree. There can be no
question, however, that both nations intend to represent one and the
same personage.
Nearly in the centre of this enclosure, a temporary building, of
a pyramidal form, and constituted of successive stages, was then
building. We were informed that this was intended to contain the
funeral pile on which the body of a chief, who had died about five
months before, was to be burnt in the course of another month; it being
customary, amongst Siamese of rank, to preserve the bodies of their
relations in their houses for a greater or shorter period, according
to the rank of the deceased. Great preparations were now making for
the approaching ceremony, and, in a building close by, we found
some priests at work, painting devices for the occasion. These were
principally grotesque figures of old men, monsters, serpents, &c.
In the course of the evening, we called upon the relative of the late
chief. He seemed well pleased at our taking notice of the preparations
that were going forward, and still more when I expressed a desire
to see the body, which lay in one end of the room, behind a white
screen. He immediately led us to the place, cast the screen aside, and
exhibited an oblong box, covered with white muslin, and ornamented with
green-coloured and gold-leaf fringe.
We proceeded along the bank for nearly two miles, on a paved path-way;
the ground here being low and swampy. This village rarely exhibits
more than two or three houses in depth from the river; yet, extending
in a continuous line for several miles, the population must be very
considerable. We passed several other handsome temples. It should be
observed, that at the monastic institution mentioned above, there is
a battery facing the river, but it cannot be said to command it. Here
there are ten or twelve iron guns, mounted on decayed carriages, half
sunk into the earth, and at present unserviceable.
_March 28th._--The boat which had gone the day before returned during
the night, and we now saw it in its usual place. The Malay, whom we
had met at the house of the chief, and who had been sent to meet
us, returned in it. He came on board in the course of the morning,
and stated that the ship might proceed up the river, without delay
or restriction of any sort. The anchor was accordingly immediately
weighed, and though the tide was against us, we proceeded up with
an easy breeze. The banks of the river were still very low; they
were thickly planted with the _attap_, which gave them a picturesque
appearance; in the background we observed the betel palm to grow in
great abundance, and to appearance spontaneously, the ground being too
low to admit of cultivation. Besides these, the jungle consisted of
various species of Calamus, and of bamboo, and long grass. Proceeding
farther up the river, extensive plains opened in prospect. They
presented rather a steril aspect, the harvest having been lately
gathered in. These plains occupy the left bank of the river, over
which they were now elevated about eight or ten feet. We were given to
understand, that in the rainy season they are covered with water, to
the depth of two or three feet, and are therefore well adapted for the
cultivation of rice. They appeared to extend as far as the eye could
reach. Between them and the river, there is a narrow strip of jungle.
Houses are interspersed along the bank, and surrounded by extensive
plantations of areca palms, plantains, and a few cocoa-nut trees. The
houses are small, but neat, consisting of one or two rooms, raised
about three feet from the ground. The opposite side of the river is
covered with jungle. The banks are tolerably steep, with very deep
water, from thirty to sixty feet near to their edge. The mud is stiff,
plastic, forming, in all probability, an excellent soil. The gentlemen
of our party went on shore in the evening, as we lay at anchor, waiting
the turn of tide. They shot several species of birds, amongst which
were a beautiful Pigeon, a Minor, and the blue Jay of Bengal.
We saw the Adjutant, and several species of Falco flying about.
About sun-set, we again weighed anchor, and continued to proceed up
the river till about midnight. We now began to be much molested with
musquitoes.
_March 29th._--We recommenced proceeding up the river at an early hour,
and about 8 A.M. cast anchor nearly opposite to the middle of the town.
In the course of our progress this morning, the various scenes upon
the river afforded considerable interest. Numerous small canoes, for
the most part carrying but one individual, small covered boats, &c.,
were plying in every direction. The market-hour was now approaching,
and all seemed life and activity. Here one or more of the priests of
Buddha were guiding their little canoe on its diurnal eleemosynary
excursion. There an old woman hawked betel, plantains, and pumpkins.
Here you saw canoes laden with cocoa-nuts,--there, groups of natives
were proceeding from house to house, on their various occupations.
But the most singular feature in the busy scene was the appearance
of the houses, floating on the water, in rows about eight, ten, or
more, in depth, from the bank. This novel appearance was peculiarly
neat and striking. The houses were built of boards, of a neat oblong
form, and towards the river provided with a covered platform, on which
were displayed numerous articles of merchandise: fruit, rice, meat,
&c. This was, in fact, a floating bazar, in which all the various
products of China and of the country were exposed for sale. At either
end the houses were bound to long bamboos driven into the river. They
are thus enabled to move from place to place according as convenience
may demand. Every house is furnished with a small canoe, in which
they visit, and go from place to place to transact business. Almost
all those collected in this quarter seem to be occupied by merchants,
many of them very petty no doubt, and by tradespeople, as shoe-makers,
tailors, &c. The latter occupations are followed almost exclusively
by the Chinese. The houses are in general very small, consisting of a
principal centre room, and one or two small ones, the centre being open
in front, for the display of their wares. The houses are from twenty
to thirty feet in length, and about half that space in breadth. They
consist of a single stage, the floor raised above the water about a
foot, and the roof thatched with palm leaves. At low water, when the
stream is rapid, there appears to be but little business done in these
shops. Their proprietors are then to be seen lolling or sleeping in
front of their warehouses, or otherwise enjoying themselves at their
ease. At all hours of the day, however, many boats are passing and
repassing. They are so light and sharp in their form, that they mount
rapidly against the stream. They are rowed with paddles, of which the
long canoes have often eight or ten on each side. The number of Chinese
appears to be very considerable; they display the same activity and
industry here that they do wherever they are to be found. Their boats
are generally larger, and rowed by longer paddles. They have a sort
of cabin, made of basket-work, in the centre, which serves to contain
their effects, and answers the purposes of a house. Many of them carry
pieces of fresh pork up and down the river for sale.
The river at Bankok is about a quarter of a mile in breadth, without
including the space occupied on each side by floating houses. It
carries down a large body of water, and contains a large proportion
of soft mud; its depth, even close to the bank, generally varies from
six to ten fathoms, whilst its rapidity is about three miles an hour.
As far as we could yet judge, not having been on shore, we suspected
that by far the greater part of the population lived on the water, in
floating houses, moveable from place to place. The inconveniences of a
city built in this manner must be numerous. The houses are small, the
accommodations trifling, and the occupants must be ever on their guard
against accidents. A trifling population must in this way occupy a vast
extent of ground. You look in vain for any thing better than a small,
low hut, of one stage only in height. These little houses, or huts, it
is true, are generally handsome and neat, but they make, on the whole,
a paltry, though to us a novel, appearance. Their form is chiefly
Chinese, as is also that of their temples.
In the course of the day, two children, about six years old, the son
and nephew of the minister who conducts all the business carried on
between the court and Europeans of every description, came on board to
see the ship, bringing with them a present, consisting of sweetmeats
and fruits. They were neatly dressed, from the waist downwards, and
had their bodies slightly rubbed over with a yellowish colour, either
turmeric or powdered sandal wood. They wore round the neck several
ornaments of gold and precious stones, none of them of much value.
Each had a long necklace of moon-stones set in gold thrown over the
shoulder, and suspended from the neck a large, broad, golden ornament,
studded with diamonds, sapphires, and rubies, all of inferior quality
and of trifling value. Like all Indian children, they shewed a
wonderful precocity of manners, conducting themselves with the greatest
ease and propriety.
In the evening we were visited by a man of rank, second to the minister
alluded to. He was an old, lively, and inquisitive man, upwards of
sixty-five years of age. He came in one of the king’s boats, which was
rowed by men dressed in coarse scarlet cloth.
This old gentleman conversed for some time with great ease and
affability, inquired into the respective rank and occupation of the
several gentlemen of the mission, and seemed to welcome us with great
cordiality. He soon intimated that the object of his visit was to
procure the letter from the Governor-General to the King. He had
brought with him a handsome golden cup for its reception. On this,
the letter, wrapt in gold tissue, was placed in his presence. On his
expressing a wish to depart, Mr. Crawfurd took up the cup, and raising
it to his head, proceeded through a double line of sepoys, with
presented arms, drawn out for the occasion, to the gangway, from which
he handed it down to one of the gentlemen of the mission placed in the
chief’s boat to receive it. The latter delivered it to the chief, who
placed it negligently on a piece of old carpet, on which he sat.
_March 30th._--The Portuguese, who continued to visit us from time to
time, brought a message from the minister Peea-Suri-Wong-Montree, to
the effect, that he would be happy to accommodate the mission with a
house during their stay at Bankok. The offer was accepted, and, at the
request of Mr. Crawfurd, Captain Macdonald went on shore to examine
the house. His report was far from flattering to our expectations. The
building, which appeared to be an out-house, intended for a store-room,
contained but four small, ill-ventilated rooms, the approach to which
led through a trap-door from below, and on three sides they were almost
entirely excluded from fresh air. There was not a single out-house
for the accommodation of a numerous train of followers. The place
was besides completely shut out from the court, and the open space
occupied by the chief himself, whose accommodations appeared to be
abundantly ample and comfortable. A list of the persons forming the
suite of the Agent of the Governor-General had been transmitted to the
minister at an early period after our arrival, by which he must have
been convinced that the house he had allotted was totally inadequate
for the accommodation of the party. Besides, the manner in which it
had been granted, was calculated to awaken suspicion that he either
wished to have the mission entirely at his own disposal, excluding
every one else from visiting us, and be enabled to keep the strictest
watch over our conduct, or that he wished to degrade it, by affecting
to regard it as of but little importance. The latter inference appeared
the more probable, from the circumstance of his own accommodations
being abundantly respectable and ample, and yet the number of his
retainers did not appear to equal that of our followers. With Asiatics,
as with other nations, it is the custom for the government to provide
accommodation for persons sent on the public service from one court to
another, in an official capacity.
In the present instance, it was conferred by an individual, in a very
inadequate manner, and as a matter of favour and of indulgence on his
part. It should be observed, however, that the number of houses built
of brick and mortar, and roofed with tiles, is here very scanty; and,
although the house allotted for the use of the mission was in all
respects inferior to those occupied by the chief, yet it is possible
that they may have considered it as admirably adapted for the purpose.
No person of rank had yet waited on the Agent to the Governor General,
and all communication with the minister was carried on through the
Malay so often alluded to, a man to all appearance of low rank,
cunning, suspicious, and artful in the highest degree. He could be
looked upon only in the light of a vigilant spy, supple, fawning, and
familiar, yet ready to take advantage of every expression, and of
every act of our conduct, nor were the most trifling and indifferent
matters beyond his notice; and, on one occasion, when a young
gentleman on board, not connected with the mission, went to visit the
Portuguese Consul, this man meanly traced his steps, and followed
him into the house. His character was besides publicly spoken of as
being little short of infamous; and, on more than one occasion, he
had been treated by the captains of American and European ships with
a degree of harshness and rigour which no man possessed of the least
degree of feeling or of credit could have possibly submitted to.
His particular duty is to superintend the conduct of the Malays who
frequent this port. I may observe of this man, that he appeared to
be about forty-five years of age. He was tall, active, and rather
thin. In appearance, he was not to be distinguished from that sect
of Mohammedans so numerous on the coast of Coromandel, Malabar, and
Ceylon, and usually known under the general and indefinite appellation
of _Moormen_. The sect is called Mopla. They are, for the most part,
petty traders, and are generally to be seen hawking their wares about
the houses of Europeans. They shave the head, and wear on its crown a
small white cap. This man always wore such a cap: the upper part of his
body was naked: round the loins he wore a piece of coarse cloth, turned
up between the legs, and, at times, a coarse shawl. Such were the
accomplishments, and such the appearance of Kochai-Sahac, a man whom it
was scarce possible to look upon without distrust.
The ship had not yet been secured, before a message was brought by this
man to demand the presents for the king. A list of the articles had
been demanded, and forwarded as soon as we entered the mouth of the
river. Their first object was to procure an English horse, originally
intended as a present for the king of Cochin China. It would seem that
they were much pleased with this gift, and indeed they were struck
with astonishment at the great value of the presents in general, and
hence they could but ill conceal their joy on the occasion, and that
they had been little accustomed to receive gifts of such value. Unlike
the more civilized states of further India, the Siamese court, in the
urgency and frequency of its demands, betrayed a degree of meanness
and avidity in this matter at once disgusting and disgraceful. For
several successive days, there was no end to their importunities. The
most valuable, as well as the most trifling articles, were taken away
without the least ceremony, and intrusted to the Moorman and a few
common labourers. In the course of the day, a mean-looking person came
on board, saying, that he was desired to take away the presents. The
circumstance appeared suspicious. He was told that he could not have
them, on which he went away apparently quite satisfied. It is probable
that this man had been sent by the prince, or some other person of
rank, to pry into the affair, as the Moorman asserted that he was
unauthorized to make any such demand. The articles, as they came up,
with the exception of the horse, consisting of superfine cloth, English
shawls, muslins, glass ware, muskets, and a small barouche, were taken
to the minister’s house, where they underwent a severe scrutiny.
The Portuguese consul at this place now sent a person in his suite to
wait upon the Agent of the Governor General. He spoke French with
tolerable accuracy, and excused the consul from not coming in person,
alleging as the reason, that the court would look upon such a visit in
an unfavourable light, on account of our not having as yet paid a visit
to the king; but that ceremony over, he would have the pleasure of
calling.
On wishing to go on the river in the evening, we learnt the
disagreeable intelligence that we were to be prisoners, and restricted
from intercourse with the people until the ceremony of our introduction
should be over. The only latitude we could aspire to was to pass from
the ship to the house on shore occupied by the Agent of the British
government, at the distance of a few yards only. This circumstance was
the more irksome, from the day of our intended introduction having been
put off for another week, and it was rendered the more disagreeable by
the inadequate accommodation they had assigned to the mission. They
seemed anxious only to procure presents, and presents in any shape
were eagerly snatched at. They shewed none of those little attentions
so pleasing to strangers, and understood by every people who have made
the least progress in civilization. Their conduct in this respect
formed a striking and unfavourable contrast with that of the Barman
people towards Colonel Symes on a similar occasion. Neither fruit
nor any other refreshment was offered to us; nor was the assistance
of labourers to be procured even when solicited. It was mysteriously
hinted that the king would provide our people with food during our
stay, but no such offer was ever tendered. The conduct of the court
was that of marked neglect, which, in a people notoriously guided by
ceremony and form, could only be attributed to design, and in no degree
to ignorance. Their conduct neither amounted to personal insult, nor to
ostensible contempt; and it is perfectly evident that they entertained
proper sentiments of respect for our government, and an ill-concealed
dread of its well-known power, from which we might have inferred that
they would make no difficulty in granting whatever such a government
would deign to ask.
In the evening a message was brought by the Malay, to say that the
minister would be glad to see Mr. Crawfurd. Accompanied by Captain
Dangerfield, he accordingly made him a visit. He received them in
a large and lofty hall, open on one side, spread with carpets, and
hung with glass lights and Chinese lanterns. They took their seats on
carpets spread for the purpose, and were entertained with tea, fruit,
and Chinese preserves. It would appear that the conversation was of
a general nature, and rather formal. They were well-pleased with the
attention of the chief, and spoke favourably of their reception. He
offered to make what alterations were deemed necessary to fit the house
for our convenience, an offer which he subsequently bore little in
remembrance. The servility which the attendants of this man observed
towards him, appears to have been quite disgusting, and altogether
degrading to humanity. During the whole of the visit they lay prostrate
on the earth before him, and at a distance. When addressed, they
did not dare to cast their eyes towards him, but raising the head
a little, and touching the forehead with both hands united in the
manner by which we would express the most earnest supplication, their
looks still directed to the ground, they whispered an answer in the
most humiliating tone. The manner in which he was approached by the
servants of his household was even still more revolting to nature. When
refreshments were ordered, they crawled forward on all fours, supported
on the elbow and toes, the body being dragged on the ground. In this
manner they pushed the dishes before them from time to time, in the
best manner that their constrained and beast-like attitude would admit,
until they had put them into their place, when they retreated backwards
in the same grovelling manner, but without turning round.
How abominable! how revolting this assumption of despotic power! that
would vainly assimilate a weak and frail mortal to the Deity, and that
could trample under its feet not only the body, degrading it to the
condition of the brute beasts of the field, but even the mind of man,
and render servility perpetual!
Yet this haughty chief was himself but a minister of the fifth order
in importance, doomed to take his turn of beast-like grovelling, as
was subsequently exhibited on visiting Chroma-chit, son to the king.
Every man here is doomed to crawl on the earth before his superior. The
nation must be considered as entirely the slaves of the king, of whose
lives, as well as property, he can dispose at will.
Masters’ commands come with a power resistless,
To such as owe them absolute subjection.
A few days after this Mr. Crawfurd, accompanied by Lieutenant
Rutherfurd, visited the Prince Chroma-chit, an illegitimate son of
the reigning king. The hour appointed was about eight o’clock in the
evening.
He was seated in the middle of a spacious hall, ornamented chiefly
in the Chinese style. Common looking-glasses, Dutch glass, shades,
lamps, and Chinese lanterns adorned the walls and were suspended from
the ceiling. The prince received them sitting, and on their entrance
pointed to carpets placed at a distance for the visitors to sit upon.
Like most other Siamese men of rank, the prince is uncommonly stout,
and rather bloated with fat. His form is unwieldy and coarse, his
manner grave and unbending, and his general appearance that of being
much older than he really is. The conversation, as reported by Mr.
Rutherford, turned upon the usual topics of public visits at Asiatic
courts; such as the length of our voyage, the age of the visitors,
their ordinary employments; the health of the Governor General of
India; the state of England, and so forth. After some time, boxes
containing betel and tobacco sprouts were offered; and afterwards
sweetmeats in profusion were introduced.
It is always the custom at this court to visit the prince, previously
to visiting the king. Almost all matters of government, in whatever
department, are in the hands of this prince, who is considered to
have shewn genius and talent equal to the great charge with which
he is intrusted. All matters relating to peace or war, to foreign
intercourse, or to domestic regulations, to affairs of religion, of
policy or of justice, are equally at his disposal, and rarely referred
to the king, but for the purpose of gaining his final consent. The
inferior agents of government are entirely under his control, and have
no power to do any thing of themselves without first obtaining his
opinion, for which purpose they generally wait upon him twice a-day.
He, at this interview, as did the king afterwards on the occasion of
our introduction to him, signified that Suri Wong Montree[5], the
chief who had accommodated the party with a house, would make known to
him the objects of their mission, and at the same time expressed his
authoritative expectation that this chief was attentive to our wants.
The submission of the attendants was on this occasion even more marked
than that observed towards Suri Wong, who was himself now amongst
the number strewed on the ground in humble obeisance towards their
prince. The latter conversed through the medium of the Malay, or
rather Moorman, by which name I shall call him in future, who was on
this occasion assisted by another personage of the same description,
who spoke the Hindustani with tolerable accuracy. The two Malay
interpreters of the Agent of the Governor General were not permitted to
be present.
It is customary amongst the Siamese to send home after the visitors
the sweetmeats which had been brought forward during the visit, as
it is also to place on the floor before them the presents they had
made. This was done by Suri Wong, and by this prince, and again was
this ceremony observed when we were introduced to the king, though in
the latter case the most insignificant only of the presents from the
Governor General of Bengal were introduced, and these were so laid out
as to make the least possible display.
Numerous were the proposals, and more numerous the reports brought
from day to-day respecting the ceremonies to be performed by us on
being presented at court. Many conferences had taken place between
Mr. Crawfurd and the Moorman on the important topic, and matters
were referred by the latter to the chief, Suri Wong. What the nature
of these conferences were I am altogether ignorant, not having been
present at them; and, indeed, as I do not understand Malayan, the
language in which they were carried on, my presence was the less
necessary. It was to be feared, however, that the cunning Moorman would
exert every means in his power, and leave nothing untried to induce
compliance on the part of the Agent of the Governor General, with all
the ceremonies prescribed by the Siamese court, of whose moderation, in
matters of this nature, we might in some degree judge, by the haughty
demeanour of the few chiefs we had yet seen. It was, therefore, alike
the interest, as it was the undisguised intention of the Moorman to
claim merit with his employers in proportion to his success in the
present matter. He commenced by introducing the question in the most
artful and clever manner, boldly asserting that a report had gone
abroad to the effect that the public Envoy of the Government of Bengal
meant to act in a disrespectful manner towards the King of Siam--that
it was his intention, throwing his arms impudently behind his back, to
stand before the king without shewing any mark of respect whatever. Mr.
Crawfurd replied, that so far from this being the case, he had come to
do honour to the King of Siam before his subjects, and then mentioned
what ceremonies he was willing to perform. With this assurance the
Moorman was said to have gone away contented.
Another matter, which appears to have created much discussion and
frequent reference, regarded the manner in which the members of the
mission should proceed to the place of audience. It was first proposed,
that after proceeding to the usual landing-place in boats, they should
thence continue on foot to the audience hall. This proposal was given
up for that of going on horseback, and this last finally to that of
being carried in palanquins.
Matters were at length settled, and we were given to understand that we
were to proceed to the palace at an early hour on the following day.
I accompanied Mr. Crawfurd on an early visit to the Barkalan, Suri
Wong Montree. On this occasion he was seated on a piece of red carpet,
and leaned on a velvet cushion; he rose up as we entered, and pointed
to a mattress covered with chintz, placed near to the door for us to
sit on. His manner appeared to me to be stiff, haughty, assuming, and
altogether without dignity to support it. The conversation between him
and Mr. Crawfurd lasted nearly half an hour, and turned chiefly on
commercial matters. He stated that the country could furnish annually
50,000 peculs of sugar, and 30,000 of pepper. He appeared to have
greatly exaggerated the annual produce in benzoin, and observed, that
the forests could supply sapan wood in any quantity. He desired to know
if the Siamese would be permitted to purchase arms in our ports in
India.
When we returned on board, Capt. Dangerfield remained behind after
breakfast, for the purpose of being informed respecting the nature of
the ceremonies to be performed by us on the following day in the royal
presence. In the course of the day we received a note from Capt.
D., stating that Mr. Crawfurd wished to see us on shore on a matter
of duty. We found that there existed a difference of opinion on the
subject in question. * * * * * * * *
This was the first we had heard of the matter in a serious way. We
had often in a jocular manner talked on the subject, but, as has been
observed, we were yet ignorant of what was expected of us. Immediately
thereafter, however, the nature of the intended salutations was
pointed out to us, differing certainly very materially from what we
had anticipated, and from what Mr. C. had pointed out on a former
evening as that which we were to perform. The mode of salutation, in
its present shape, admitted of little objection; and, accordingly,
after a very few remarks, we agreed to the performance of it. We were
to take off our shoes at the door of the hall of audience; when we had
entered, we were to take off our hats, and making a bow in the English
manner, we were to advance to the seats appointed for us, and there
sitting down, with the legs bent backwards and under us, but a little
to one side, we were to make three salutations with the hands united
before the face, touching the forehead each time. The union of the
hands in this manner appearing to be expressive of supplication, and
being used as the sign thereof by many Asiatics, Capt. Dangerfield
proposed that in its stead we should salute in the manner done at some
of the Hindu courts, by performing the salam with both hands, raising
them separately to the head at the same time. It was observed that
the difference was very immaterial, and that therefore the Siamese
mode should be preferred; besides it appeared that the members of the
mission might perform the salutation with more or less correctness as
they judged proper, and that it would be deemed enough if they touched
the forehead with the hands in any way.
_April 8._--It had been communicated to us that the ceremonies of the
day would commence at an early hour. Accordingly about seven A.M. we
were in attendance on the Agent to the Governor General. At eight
o’clock two boats, a large and a small one, shaped like canoes, and
turned up at the bow and stern, had come for the purpose of taking us
to the palace. The larger had, I think, thirteen paddles, and a man to
steer it. It was without ornament of any sort, plain, but neat, with a
boarded space in the centre, over which was erected a sort of matted
roof. A piece of old carpet, and a small, but old velvet cushion, were
placed upon this boarded space. The rowers in this boat were dressed
in caps and loose jackets made of coarse red cloth. The other boat was
of small dimensions, but also provided with a seat in the centre, and a
cover similar to that of the former.
In this there were stationed only five or six rowers, none of whom
appeared to be Siamese. Their appearance was very wretched and mean.
They had scarce a rag of clothes of any description, and consisted of
boys and decrepit old men. The guard of Sepoys, amounting to thirty in
number, were placed in the ship’s long-boat, and preceded us to the
landing-place near to the palace, where they waited the arrival of the
British Agent.
The Barkalan, Suri Wong Montree, set out at an early hour, dressed in
his robes of ceremony for the occasion.
The Moorman, Khochai-Sahac, was in attendance to conduct the mission
to the palace, and when the boats were ready, gave intimation that it
was time to proceed. The smaller boat was occupied by the servants and
followers of the mission, while the Agent to the Governor General,
accompanied by the gentlemen of his suite, entered the larger. In
this we found two Portuguese, who had been born in the country; one
of them a respectable-looking man. They were apparently sent to act
as interpreters by the way. The more respectable-looking of the two,
seeing that I spoke the Portuguese language very imperfectly, to my
great surprise addressed me in the Latin language. The purity of his
phraseology excited my surprise still more. It was vastly superior
to the monkish jargon, spoken by certain orders of the clergy in
some parts of the Continent of Europe. Yet this man had received his
education in Siam, in the Catholic seminary of this place. I concluded
that he was of the clerical order, but in this I was mistaken.
Our boats, accompanied by a small one which conveyed the Moorman,
proceeded towards the palace at a moderate rate. Our presence seemed
to excite but little attention on the part of the inhabitants of the
floating houses which line the banks of the river, occupied almost
exclusively by the Chinese, or on the part of those on board the junks,
or those passing and re-passing on the river. Some were observed to
laugh immoderately, while others covered the face to conceal mirth
which might be considered as rude. A few minutes brought us to the
landing-place, within a few paces of the outermost wall of the palace.
The Sepoys had arrived here before us, and now disembarked and drew
up in a line on the road. The boat which conveyed the servants, being
very indifferently supplied with rowers, was still far behind, so that
we had to wait in our boat till their arrival. The place we landed at
was dirty, inconvenient, and lumbered with wood and small canoes. It
might have been taken for the entrance into a wood-merchant’s yard,
than many of which this was much less clean and convenient. As great a
crowd of people, almost entirely males, as could be collected together
in so small a space was here assembled, and viewed us with much, but I
cannot say with respectful, curiosity. The gate and wall of the palace
were lofty, but mean-looking and in bad taste; neither were the three
other gates and inner walls that we passed remarkable for the opposite
qualities, not even for labour in their construction, or strength in
the design.
Our servants having arrived, we landed, and the palanquins intended for
our conveyance were produced. Without our being aware of it, they had
come along with us in the boat; a circumstance which will excite but
little surprise when it is known that these palanquins consisted merely
of a netting in the exact shape of a sailor’s _hammock_ suspended from
a pole. A small piece of carpet was spread in the centre, and each
vehicle was carried on the shoulders of two men, one at each end of
the pole. We at first experienced a little difficulty in preventing
ourselves from rolling out of this contrivance, and our awkward
attempts to do so seemed to afford great amusement to the spectators,
who kept shouting aloud until we were within the gate.
We took possession of our vehicles in the order of our respective
ranks, the Agent to the Governor General proceeding first. In this
manner, accompanied by our Sepoys, the procession passed to an inner
gate, distant from the first about one hundred and fifty yards; the
road was dirty, and here and there coarsely paved. At this gate we
were detained for a few minutes, when it was thrown open. Here we were
directed to leave the vehicles, and proceed on foot. We were at the
same time directed to take off our swords, and to leave the Sepoys
here. We had now entered a spacious and open court of great extent,
with various ranges of large tiled buildings disposed in tolerable
order, and traversed by roads paved with coarse-grained granite,
disposed in right lines.
It deserves to be mentioned, that at the gate last-mentioned, the
Moorman, Khochai-Sahac, was joined by another man of the same caste.
These, as well as other Moormen whom we saw on the present occasion,
were dressed in long loose gowns and turbans, ornamented with gold
leaf or tinsel. The two Moormen proceeding in front, and a crowd of
spectators on either side, we walked to the distance of about one
hundred yards on a paved road, when turning a short way to the right,
we were shewn into a large open building, of mean appearance, and not
particularly clean. We had as yet seen no guards or armed persons, and
no one on duty except the people at the last gate. In front of the
building we had now entered, about six or eight elephants had been
drawn up at regular distances, each surmounted by two men in quaint
costume.
In this room was placed a small platform, raised about a foot from the
ground, covered with a coarse white cloth, and close by a large old
carpet was spread, on which we were desired to seat ourselves. Betel
and tobacco sprouts were introduced on coarse brass dishes, and a like
attention was paid to our servants, who sat on the opposite side of
the room. The place was soon crowded with a multitude of low people,
some of whom were resting on their knees, and others standing, and all
of them were very noisy, insomuch, that now and then it was deemed
necessary to coerce with the rod. The profuse and unsparing liberality
with which it was applied, seemed to argue the great utility as well
as the frequent use of this sort of argument, and we never observed it
to fail in procuring a temporary silence. After we had waited somewhat
less than half an hour, it was notified by two men, dressed in an
upper garment of white cloth, in the fashion of a wide shirt, with a
narrow strip of coarse lace about the middle of the arm, and another
at its extremity, that we were called for. These men appeared to me to
belong to the police department; and afterwards, when they accompanied
us to see the elephants and other objects, they occasionally applied
the rod with laudable vigour, to maintain order amongst the rabble.
Without addressing themselves to the Agent to the Governor General,
they now delivered their message to the Moormen. The latter proposed
that we should here pull off our shoes, and walk the remainder of the
way without them. This however was overruled, and we again turned
into the road which we had left on entering. A line of men armed with
muskets was drawn up on each side of the road, and extended to the next
gate. Nothing could be more ridiculous or more unsoldierlike than the
appearance of this guard, composed of puny boys, scarce able to stand
under a musket, and of men of all ages. In their caps only was there
any thing like uniformity observable. These were all painted red, and
I cannot give a better idea of them than by saying that they exactly
resembled the slouched helmets once worn by the workers of fire-engines
at home. They scarcely had boldness to look us in the face as we
passed; and among the whole number, which perhaps might amount to one
hundred, we did not observe a single flint, nor possibly a serviceable
musket. Some had bayonets with scabbards on their muskets, and others
scabbards without bayonets. With their muskets awkwardly and slovenly
shouldered, some on one side and some on the other, we passed them
without exciting sufficient interest to obtain the least notice.
When we had arrived at the gate in front, we were again desired to pull
off our shoes. Our servants and followers were permitted to advance
no further, and even the interpreters to the Agent to the Governor
General were not allowed to proceed. Leaving our shoes at this place,
we advanced, on a paved road, through a passage about fifty yards in
length, enclosed by a wall on each side, until we came to another, and
the innermost gate. This also opened into a spacious oblong place, in
which were disposed several lofty and handsome buildings, occupied by
the king, or appropriated to particular offices. This space was also
intersected by coarsely paved roads, no way remarkable for cleanliness,
breadth, or beauty. Facing the gate at which we last entered, there
was drawn up a double line of musicians, one on each side of the road
through which we advanced. A shrill pipe and numerous tomtoms were
the only instruments whose sounds we heard, though we observed a
number of men furnished with horns, trumpets, chanks, _&c._ The music
though rude, was not inharmonious or displeasing to the ear, and the
interrupted beat, uniform regularity, and softness of the tomtoms was
even agreeable. On our right a numerous body of men armed with stout,
black, glazed shields and battle axes, were disposed in several close
lines within a railing, resting on their knees, and almost concealed
by their shields; behind these were placed a few elephants, furnished
with scanty but rather elegant housings. Still preceded by the Moormen,
we advanced slowly through the musicians to the distance of nearly
thirty yards from the last gate, when making a short turn to the right,
we entered a plain-looking building, at one end, and soon found that
this was the hall of audience. Fronting the door, and concealing the
whole of the interior apartment, there was placed a Chinese screen,
covered with landscapes and small plates of looking-glass. We halted
for a moment on the threshold, and taking two or three steps to the
right, so as to get round the screen, we found ourselves suddenly, and
somewhat unexpectedly, in the presence of majesty. A more curious,
more extraordinary, or more impressive sight has perhaps rarely been
witnessed than that on which we now gazed, with mingled feelings of
regret, (I should say of indignation,) and of wonder: of wonder excited
by the display of taste, elegance and richness in the decorations; of
regret, or of indignation, caused by the debased condition of a whole
nation. Such a scene was well calculated to take a firm hold on the
imagination. I shall, however, endeavour to describe it in its true
colours, and with the least possible aid from that faculty. The hall
was lofty, wide, and well aired, and appeared to be about sixty or
eighty feet in length, and of proportionate breadth. The ceiling and
walls were painted with various colours, chiefly in the form of wreaths
and festoons; the roof was supported by wooden pillars, ten on each
side, painted spirally red and dark green. Some small and rather paltry
mirrors were disposed on the walls, glass lustres and wall shades were
hung in the centre, and to the middle of each pillar was attached
a lantern, not much better than our stable lanterns. The floor was
covered with carpets of different colours. The doors and windows were
in sufficient numbers, but small and without ornament; at the further
extremity of the hall, a large handsome curtain, made of cloth covered
with tinsel or gold leaf, and suspended by a cord, divided the space
occupied by the throne from the rest of the apartment. On each side
of this curtain there were placed five or six singular but handsome
ornaments, called _chatt_, consisting of a series of small circular
tables suspended over each other, diminishing gradually so as to form a
cone, and having a fringe of rich cloth of gold, or tissue, suspended
from each tablet.
A few of the presents from the Governor General, as bales of cloth and
cut-glass, were placed nearly in the middle of the room, and on one
side; but we neither remarked the letter from the Noble Marquis, nor
did it appear that any notice whatever was taken of it on this public
occasion.
With the exception of a space about twenty feet square, in front of
the throne, which was kept clear, the hall was crowded with people
to excess. Those of every rank, from the highest to the lowest,
from the heir apparent to the throne, to the meanest slave present,
had his proper place assigned to him, by which alone he was to be
distinguished. The costume of all ranks was plain, neither rich nor
showy.
The curtain placed before the throne was drawn aside as we entered.
The whole multitude present lay prostrate on the earth, their mouths
almost touching the ground; not a body or limb was observed to move,
not an eye was directed towards us, not a whisper agitated the solemn
and still air. It was the attitude, the silence, the solemnity of a
multitude simultaneously addressing the great God of the universe,
rather than the homage of even an enslaved people. Not even Rome,
fertile in a race of tyrants, nor Dionysius himself, ever produced any
degradation to compare with this in ignominy.
Raised about twelve feet above the floor, and about two yards behind
the curtain alluded to, there was an arched niche, on which an obscure
light was cast, of sufficient size to display the human body to
effect, in the sitting posture. In this niche was placed the throne,
projecting from the wall a few feet. Here, on our entrance, the king
sat immoveable as a statue, his eyes directed forwards. He resembled
in every respect an image of Buddha placed upon his throne; while the
solemnity of the scene, and the attitude of devotion observed by the
multitude, left little room to doubt that the temple had been the
source from which the monarch of Siam had borrowed the display of
regal pomp. He was dressed in a close jacket of gold tissue, on his
left was placed what appeared to be a sceptre; but he wore neither
crown nor other covering on the head, nor was the former emblem of
the office of royalty displayed on the occasion. The throne was hung
round with the same sort of cloth which formed the curtain in front,
and behind it were placed two of the conical-shaped ornaments formerly
mentioned; except in the quality of the cloth with which the throne
was surrounded, we could observe no indication of opulence, or of
magnificence. There were neither jewels, nor costly workmanship, nor
precious stones, nor pearls, nor gold observable about the person
of the king, his throne, or his ministers. The latter were disposed
in three lines laterally, extending from the curtain in front; and
thus bounded on each side the empty space at the foot of the throne,
according to their respective ranks. The chief Suriwong was placed at
a very respectful distance. A considerable degree of light was thrown
laterally on the floor at the base of the throne, where large and
elegant fans were waved by persons placed behind the curtain. This
circumstance added considerable effect to the scene.
Such is a sketch of the form and appearance of Siamese royalty,
displayed on our entering the hall. When we had passed the screen,
and come in sight of the throne, we pulled off our hats and bowed
in the European manner, the two Moormen at the same time falling
prostrate, and crawling before us on the ground towards the throne. We
were desired to advance in a stooping posture; a narrow space, about
three feet in width, was left open in the centre for us to advance
through. When we had advanced a few paces in this narrow space, being
closely surrounded by the crowd of people, and distant from the
throne more than half the length of the hall, all the ministers being
a considerable way in front of us on either side, we were desired to
seat ourselves on the carpet, in the narrow lane or space through
which we had advanced, which we did in the best way we could, the two
Moormen placing themselves immediately in front of the Agent to the
Governor General and his Assistant, for the space would only admit
of two persons sitting beside each other. Mr. R. and I, therefore,
placed ourselves immediately behind the former. We now performed the
salutations agreed upon, after which a voice from behind the curtain
in front of the throne interrupted the silence which had hitherto
prevailed, by reading in a loud tone a list of the presents which had
been sent by the Governor General.
The King now addressed some questions to the Agent to the Governor
General. He spoke in a firm though not a loud voice; in his person
he was remarkably stout, but apparently not bloated or unwieldy; he
appeared to be about sixty-five years of age. The questions were
repeated by the person who had read the list of presents, and from
him they were conveyed in whispers by several individuals, till they
reached the Moorman, Kochai-Sahac, who, prostrate like the rest on
the ground, whispered them to the Agent to the Governor General, in
a tone which I could not hear, though placed immediately behind the
latter. The answers to the throne were passed on in the same way.
From the tenor of these questions, as related afterwards by Captain
Dangerfield, it would appear that they were of a very general nature,
and not particularly interesting. While these questions were passing,
betel was introduced in handsome silver vessels and gold cups. The
audience having lasted about twenty minutes, the King rose from his
seat, and turning round to depart, the curtain was immediately drawn
in front of the throne. On this all the people raised a loud shout,
and turning on their knees, performed numerous salutations, touching
the earth and their forehead alternately, with both hands united. The
princes and ministers now assumed a sitting posture, by which, for the
first time, we were enabled to observe their respective places. We left
the hall of audience without further ceremony. A heavy shower of rain
had fallen during the interview, and the roads leading to the different
parts of the palace, at no time noted for cleanliness, were now covered
with water and converted into a dirty puddle; we therefore requested to
have our shoes, but in vain, for no notice whatever was taken of our
request. On leaving the door of the audience-hall, a paltry Chinese
umbrella, which might be purchased in the bazar for a rupee, was given
to each of us. Not knowing with what view it was presented, I was about
to reject it, when I was told that it was meant as a present from the
King.
FOOTNOTE:
[5] Surya Vangsa Mantri: this title is Sanskrit, signifying counsellor
of the lineage of the sun.