Travels in the Central Parts of Indo-China (Siam), Cambodia, and Laos (Vol. 2 of 2)

a new Expedition to the North-Eas

ional motive for coming here again, namely, to get cured of that annoying complaint the itch, which I caught at Pechaburi; how, I really cannot guess, for, in spite of the mosquitoes, I bathed regularly two or three times a day; but I hope that a short course of rubbing with sulphur ointment, and proper baths, will effect a cure. This, one of the ills of a traveller's life, is, however, trifling in comparison with th

ond, from a Sket

HE LATE KING OF SIAM IN THE GARDEN

ost exclusively Chinese population, are beginning to disappear, and the banks of the river are assuming a monotonous aspect, although from time to time, through the brush

AT B

nd a few other occasions, that the king, princes, and mandarins display their riches and importance. The king was on his way to a pagoda to offer presents, followed by his whole court. Each of the mandarins was in a splendid barge, the rowers being dressed in the most brilliant colours. A number of pirogues were fi

nacci, from a Sk

OWER AT

l these fine barges, one was remarkable for its simplicity, and the good taste with which the rowers were dressed,-a uniform of white cloth, with red cuffs and collar. It

tier, from a Ske

F THE RIV

and Ligor. The boats have generally from eighty to a hundred rowers, with the head and greater part of the body bare, but wearing a large white scarf round the loins, and a brilliant red langouti; they all raise their paddles simultaneously, and strike the water in regular time, while at the prow and stern are stationed two other slaves, one dexterously managing a long oar which

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RIVER MENAM,

e assemblage, the boat of some European, always

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T IN HI

y girls and very young children, who amused themselves by racing. It is evident, from the careless gaiety of these people, that they do not suffer the frightful poverty but too often met with in our large cities. When his

hérond, from

OF THE KING O

F SEPA

mily, country, home, and friends,-to visit countries inhospitable, and in many ways dangerous, without comfort or companionship. It is equally painful to think that, during long months, his impatient family are living in anxiety, and forming a thousand conjectures as to his fate. I know what awaits me, having been warned both by the missionaries and the natives. During the last twenty-five years, only one man, as far as I know, a French priest, has penetrated to the heart of Laos, and he only returned to die in the arms of the good and venerable pr

FROM

consoled me for the misfortune I sustained in the loss of my collections. Thanks, thanks, my good friends, for the pleasur

l a tiger and an elephant at one shot; the smallest unknown shell or insect is more interesting to me; however, on occasion, I do not objec

in the jungle or by the river bank, I shall talk to you, my friends; you shall be the companions

ousseau, from

SIAMESE NOB

OF M. M

of of his kindness, for he had already sent me three cases when I was at Pechaburi. I found it to contain some dozens of Bordeaux, as much cognac, boxes of sardines, biscuits,

atenacci, fro

INCREMATION OF

homberg, the English Consul, who has shown me much attention and sympathy. Here let me, likewise, express my obligations to Mgr. Pallegoix, to the American Protestant missionar

spect my servants had caught in wandering about the villages, a

ELLER'S

go, and he now begged to be allowed to attend me throughout my journey, telling me I should find him very useful. After a little hesitation I have engaged him, so now I shall have three servants. My good and fait

very useful to me as interpreter, especially when I wish to comprehend persons who speak with a great piece of betel between their teeth. He is likewise my cook, and shows his skill when we want to add an additional dish to our ordinary fare, which

ocourt, from

D OF THE CHRIST

S DRA

aying under contribution the cognac presented to me by my friend Malherbes. A few days ago he was seized with this devouring thirst, and, profiting by my absence for only a few minutes, he opened my chest, and hastily laid hands on the first bottle which

ared with it, and his shirt pretty well sprinkled. It was a famous lesson

to nearly forty francs per month. This in any other country would be good pay; but here I should

l exhilarated and happy. At Bangkok I felt stifled and oppressed. That town does not awaken my sympathies. Here my heart dilates, and I could fancy I had grown ever so much tall

ENT OF RI

ture we passed by fields and rice-plantations on both sides of the river. All the country, till within two miles of Ayuthia, is inundated; there, only, the ground begins to rise

ngs to the priests, which consist principally of fruit and yellow cloth; the latter intended to afford a supply of raiment for them whi

lerget, from

E AUDIENCE HA

TO KHU

hrabat. The worthy man was not a little surprised to see me, and could scarcely believe his eyes, for he had heard that I had died at Muang-Kabuic. We soon renewed our acquaintance, and I was pleased to find that his rega

same percussion guns, "You have not brought me one," he observed; "but never mind, I will go with you all the same." It was only when I told him that I should make but a very short stay at Korat, and intended to proceed farther on into places where he would doubtless have t

to escape his rather too demonstrative conversation,

Birmanie and the Deng mountains, which do not appear more than fifteen miles off, and awaken a host of agreeable recol

OH

nces inevitable in a country like this, inundated during a great part of the year, and in which the means of travelling

, about two miles from the spot where I landed. Although this is the most important place in Saraburi, this wretched dwelling, and a few scattered huts belonging to agriculturists, are all the houses I have seen; there is no bazaar, and no floating shops. From time to tim

ent of my going to Korat, to furnish me with even a hundred attendants, if I needed as many. I announced to him my intention of visiting Khao-Khoc, fixed upon two years ago by the King of Siam as a desirable place for a fortr

ed a boat, the owner of which wished to return to Khao-Khoc in two days. I had projected a trip

ne are peopled by Siamese, for Laos proper only commences at M'L?m. Boatioume, Petchaboune, S?m, and some other provinces in the north and east, are governed by Siamese mandarins of rank more or

some size are able to come up here, the contending against a very strong current is the labour of a month; while in the dry season only very small boats can be used, as, frequently, they have to be dragged over the sand, or carried past the rocks

hat of Pechaburi, which is considered very good, and is regularly bought by the Siamese dealers, who afterwards carry it to Bangkok. As is the case a

ther road, from Muang-Kabuic, also leads to this ancient Cambodian tow

OM THE G

boat which was to take me to Khao-Khoc, and gave him some instructions for the chief of that place, adding, "I have sent no letter, because I know that M. Mouhot made himself respected when here two years ago, and will doubtless do the same there." I could not but offer him some small presents in acknowledgment of this slight servi

the rich to accept everything even from the poorest, but very rarely to give away. However, were it not for peculation and presents, how could these mandarins live? Their s

Dong Phya Phai (Fores

TO KH

Boatioume, but the current is so strong that I doubt if he will be able to proceed higher up the river than Khao-Khoc; for, in spite of his four rowers, and the aid of my two men-(I s

than any I have had since I entered the country, and my first impression was that I had been attacked by fever, which, in the rainy season, there is so much cause to dread in the neighbourhood of Dong Phya Pha

eft for me forces me to all sorts of constrained and uncomfortable positions; and these twelve days of tedious navigation have fatigued me much. And what a place this is!

us to stop rowing, and take refuge under our roof of leaves. The rain lasted all night, and a wretched night it was for the poor men, who, having yielded to me the front of the boat, were all crammed t

O-K

n, been badly chosen by the kings of Siam for their stronghold and retreat in case of an European invasion of the south. In the event of this occurring, they would

pretentious appellation of palace, although built only of leaves and bamboo. This is Rabat Moi. At Khao-Khoc, althoug

Laotian huts, the inhabitants of which form the nucleus of the population of this future stronghold, now peaceful and hospitable agriculturists, who would be deeply afflicted, and still more terrified, if ever their echoes should repeat the roar of cannon and varied sounds of war. As for the royal ha

all set to work to cut down bamboos, with which to construct one, which was

been taken in Laos, and had been sent of

, others for dysentery or rheumatism. I have not heard of any cases of leprosy here, as at Khao-Tchioulaü, but the children are repulsively di

mah. Mount Khoc is distant a kilometre from the left bank of the river, and stretches out in the form of a semicircle, afterwards joining the mountains which ru

imate, where the sun, drawing up the humidity from all the surrounding marshes, makes one feel as if in a stove or hothouse; but our labours have been abundantly repaid by a rich harvest of specimens. Beetles of the longicorn tribe abound here; and to-day I have filled a box with more than a thousand new or rare insect

tier, from a Ske

IAN

form an arch overhead. The mountains are of calcareous rock, and are covered with a fertile vegetation, but everywhere bear the traces of the water which anciently covered them. From the top you can imagine the former limits of the oce

AT DIM

ghts gradually diminishes, and now, after three o'clock in the morning, I can bear a covering, and am glad to wrap myself in my burnous. My two men suffer occasionally f

blown, and at night the thermometer has gone back to 18° centigrade. All the evening I have been walking by the river, wr

AND

I have seen them dressed in red flannel and with felt hats, when you might take them for Garibaldians, as far, that is to say, as their costume is concerned, for their appearance otherwise is far from warlike; however, they are not wanting in a kind of courage which has its own merit. They dance and s

ittle companion who is so faithful and attached to me-of this pretty "King Charles," whom I brought from home. All the Siamese, and especially those who have no children, are very fond of the little creature, notwithstan

up the river, and we take them by hundreds. Certainly they are not much larger than sardines, but in an ho

in exchange for a button or cigarette, for it is a common thing for them to leave their mother's breast to smoke. Wer

SUPERS

If any matter in which they are engaged goes wrong, or an accident happens when hunting, fishing, or cutting wood, it is the fault of the demon. In their houses they carefully preserve some object, generally a simple piece of wood,

brings forth the wild beasts from their dens. Yesterday, after a long and fatiguing excursion, during which we had killed some birds and one or two monkeys, we were returning ho

ER WITH

f them as he lay all unconscious. I fired, the shot striking the animal in the right shoulder. He gave a tremendous leap, and rolled over among the bushes, which much embarrassed his movements. However, he was but wounded, and still dangerous, if my second ball did not kill, or at least cripple him. I fired

ourt from a Ske

S SERVANTS SURPR

HTS O

han from you, my dear father. You long for my return; so writes my brother in his last letter, forwarded to me from Bangkok. But I am only commencing my new campaign; would it be like a good soldier to leave on the eve of the engagement? I am at the gates of the infernal regions, for so the Laot

er dispersed by the wind. Nothing breaks the silence but a few dead leaves rustling to the earth, the murmur of a brook which flows over its pebbly bed at my feet, and the frogs answering each other on either side, and whose croaking resembles the hoarse barking of a dog. Now and then I can distinguish the fla

and he and his shadow reflected on the rocks and water, as he stands there making sudden

BODI

bear asking myself, how will this year end for me? Shall I accomplish all I have in view? shall I preserve that health without which I can do nothing?

recompensed. And thou, invisible link, which, in spite of distance, unites hearts, bear to all those dear to me a thousand embraces, and fill them with all those thoughts which at all times give me strength, and supply joy and consolation in my saddest and most dreary hours. To all,

OF THE

red in places with a ferruginous crust, and whence flow streams endowed with petrifying properties, while hills, rising abruptly to a great height, contain grottoes ornamented by stalactites; there, are beds of sand, islands o

h had left Khao-Khoc the night before; for the current is still rapid, even though the water is so low

NEAR BO

more common in the environs of Boatioum

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RY AT