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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 March 2011
It has been uniformly acknowledged by those travellers who have visited Siam, that scarcely any correct knowledge can be gained of its institutions and resources, beyond what may be gathered within a very confined range of personal observation.
It is the aim of the court, and the duty, if not the inclination, of the people, consequent on their state of political degradation and slavery, to involve a stranger in a constant delusion regarding all that concerns them and their country. And while they distort or magnify such pieces of intelligence as their interest prompts them to communicate, they carefully block up every avenue to truth, which they wish to keep concealed.
page 304 note 1 Major Rennel.
page 308 note 1 Kempfer's Japan.
page 308 note 2 “The king has horse-guards composed of men from Meen (perhaps meaning Míng-mon) and Laos, as numerous as the king pleases. 2ndly. A foreign guard of 130 gentlemen, i. e., two companies of Moors, natives, or originally descended from the Mogul States, of an excellent mien, but accounted cowards. 3dly. Twenty Chinese Tartars armed with bows and arrows, and formidable for their courage; and lastly, two companies of twenty-five men each, Peguans of the true India called Rasbonts, or Raggibonts (Rajpoots), whose courage is very famous, though only the effect of opium.
“The Siamese are ignorant of the art of war, abhor blood, only war on their enemies, because these are more cowardly than themselves; have no forts deserving the name, no standing army, no artillery, and their infantry are naked. They use elephants, never come to close quarters, and are afraid to become over courageous. They are weaker by sea than by land.”
page 308 note 3 The Muda river, on the coast of Keddah, opposite to Penang.
page 309 note 1 Under the author of this account.
page 309 note 2 The author of this account.
page 310 note 1 Under the writer of this account, who commanded also the party of troops.
page 311 note 1 Mahosat was prime-minister to King Thau Wíthí, whose object it was to carry off the daughter of another prince, whose name was Chalaní. This latter prince was guided in his operations by the advice of his prime-minister Takíwat. The war is carried on principally underground, by mining and countermining. Thau Wíthí gains the day.
page 313 note 1 Priests make nearly one per cent, in the population of some provinces. The settlers, or descendants of settlers, are about 10,000 Peguers, as many Laos and Cambojans, and some Cochinchinese; also about 500 natives of India, and a few native Christians.
page 322 note 1 They have a few small horses.—Mr. Crawfurd's embassy.
page 326 note 1 Mr. Crawfurd, in his instructive account of Siam, notices, that those nations which have adopted Buddhism have not been famed for prowess. If such be the case, this injunction may have been one cause.
page 330 note 1 Are not this goose and Leda's swan twin brothers ?
page 330 note 2 Asiatic Researches.
page 331 note 1 The Siamese represent this tree with virgins on it growing out of the flowers.