- Author:
- Wright, Arnold
- Publication Info:
-
London:
Lloyd's Greater Britain Pub. Co.,
1908,
pg 55
Text on page 55
TWENTIETH CENTIJRV IMPRESSIONS OF SIAM
55
should make a bow in the European fashion, seat ourselves in the place usually assigned to foreign missions, make an obeisance to his Majesty when seated, bv raising two joined hands to the forehead, but above all things take care not to exhibit our feet or any portion of the lower part of the body to the sacred view of his Siamese Majesty."
When the eventful day arrived the mission proceeded to the palace, passing through long lines of troops and officials to a great hall much frequented by pigeons, swallows, and sparrows. They were kept waiting for some twenty minutes, and were then summoned to the royal presence. Escorted by a number of officers with white wands, they arrived at the inner gate of the principal palace. Here they had to divest themselves of their shoes. This done, they entered the gateway, their appearance being a signal for a deafening discord from a large band placed hereabouts. Facing them in the hall of audience the visitors saw a large Chinese mirror, intended apparently as a screen to conceal the interior of the court. Advancing to this they were received with a great flourish of wind instruments and a discordant yell, which they subsequently discovered hailed the advent of the king. Mr. Crawfurd and the other members of the mission stepped forward, took off their hats, and bowed in the European manner. Meanwhile, the courtiers prostrated themselves in Siamese fashion, and in a twinkling the floor was so thickly covered with the forms of mandarins and attendants that it was difficult to move without stepping on some one. The view which was presented at the moment was more singular than impressive. The hall of audience was a well-proportioned and spacious apartment about thirty feet high. The walls and ceilings were painted a bright vermilion ; the cornices of the walls were gilded and the ceiling was thickly spangled with stars in very rich gilding. A number of English lustres of good quality were suspended from the ceiling, but the effect they produced was marred by the presence on the pillars supporting the roof of some miserable oil lamps. The throne was situated at the upper end of the hall. It was richly gilded all over, was about fifteen feet high, "and in shape and look very like a handsome pulpit." In front of the throne, and rising from the floor in sizes decreasing as they ascended, were numbers of gilded umbrellas. The king as he appeared seated on the throne struck the mission as looking more like a statue in a niche than a sentient being. He was short and rather fat, and wore a loose gown of gold tissue with very wide sleeves. His head was devoid of a crowTn or any other covering, but near him was a sceptre or bton of gold. On the left of the throne were exhibited the presents, which the envov firinly believed were represented as tribute from the English Government. There was a few minutes of profound silence, broken at length by the king addressing Mr. Crawfurd. He put a few insignificant questions, and concluded with these words : " I am glad to see here an envoy from the Governor-General of India. Whatever you have to say communicate to my chief minister. What we want from you is a good supply of firearmsafirearms
and good gunpowder." As soon as the last words were uttered a loud stroke was heard, as if given by a wand against a piece of wainscoting. It was a signal apparently for the closing of the ceremony, for immediately curtains were lowered and completely concealed the king and his throne from view. A great flourish of wind instruments heralded the disappearance of Majesty, and the courtiers, to further emphasise the action, stretched their faces along the ground six several times. The members of the mission, in accordance with their preconceived arrangement, contented themselves with bowing. While the audience was in progress a heavy shower of rain fell, and the king graciously sent to each of the strangers a small common umbrella as a protection from the elements. But as a counterpoise to this thoughtfulness they were prohibited from putting on their boots, so that they had to march through the miry courtyards in their stockinged feet. An inspection of the royal elephants, including the famous sacred white animals, brought the palace experiences to a close.
In the afternoon of the same day that the members of the mission were received by the king, they were waited on at their residence by the chief minister. " This visit," says Mr. Crawfurd in his account of the mission, "afforded an opportunity of observing one of the most singular and whimsical prejudices of the Siamese. This people have an extreme horror of permitting anything to pass over the head, or having the head touched, or, in short, bringing themselves into any situation in which their persons are liable to be brought into a situation of physical inferiority to that of others, such as going under a bridge, or entering the lower apartment of a house when the upper one is inhabited. For this sufficient reason, their houses are all of one storey. The dwelling wThich we occupied, however, had been intended for a warehouse, and consisted, as already mentioned, of two storeys, while there was no access to the upper apartments except by an awkward stair and trap-door from the corresponding lower ones. This occasioned a serious dilemma to the minister. A man of his rank and condition, it was gravely insisted upon, could not subject himself to have strangers walk over his head without suffering seriously in public estimation.
"To get over this weighty objection, a ladder was at last erected against the side of the house, by which his Excellency, although neither a light nor active figure suited for such enterprises, safely effected his ascent about three o'clock in the afternoon. The native Christians of Portuguese descent had prepared an abundant entertainment, after the European manner, which w7as now served up. The minister sat at table, but without eating. His son and nephew, the youths whom I have before mentioned, also sat down, and partook heartily of the good things which were placed before them. No Oriental antipathies were discoverable in the selection of the viands. Pork, beef, venison, and poultry were served up in profusion, and there was certainly nothing to indicate that we were in a country where the destruction of animal life
is viewed with horror and punished as a crime. The fact is, that in practice the Siamese eat whatever animal food is presented to them without scruple, and discreetly put no questions, being quite satisfied, as they openly avow, if the blood be not upon their heads."
Before taking leave of the visitors the minister intimated to Mr. Crawfurd that in accordance with Siamese custom the expenses of the mission would from that day be disbursed by the Government. The envoy sought to explain that the members of the mission were all servants of the Government of India, and as they received adequate remuneration stood in no need of the assistance offered. But the minister resolutely declined to entertain the idea that any one but his Majesty of Siam could legitimately maintain the embassy on Siamese soil, and placed on the table a small sum in silver which wras not adequate to keep even the servants of the mission for forty-eight hours. After this visit the visitors saw little of the minister until one day, more than a fortnight after the reception by the king, he appeared in a state of great excitement. It was surmised from his condition that he must have some matter of great political importance to impart, but when he had recovered his breath sufficiently to speak, it was found that his visit merely referred to some glass lamps which had been offered to the king by a person on board the John Adam and afterwards clandestinely sold by him to some private individual. His Majesty had set his heart on these lamps and was greatly angered at the notion that any one else should have dared to purchase them. Impelled to vigorous action by his threats of dire punishment for all if the error was not rectified, the officials had scattered in all directions in search of the
PRAH PUTTA LOTLAH, KING OF SIAM, 1809-24.
(From " The Kingdom and People of Siam. ')
missing lamps. Mr. Crawfurd told the minister that he could not help him, and added that with his countrymen it was the usual custom for an article to go to the person who was prepared to pay the best price for it. Two days aftermissing lamps. Mr. Crawfurd told the minister that he could not help him, and added that with his countrymen it was the usual custom for an article to go to the person who was prepared to pay the best price for it. Two days after
