470 Hamilton’s account of the east indies.

I had this account from my lord’s fecretary, Mr. Balhpool, who, on his mailer’sdeath, was clapped up in prifon, and lay three years with his neck in the congoes, whichare a pair of flocks made of bamboos, and was never taken out, but in order to befeverely whipped, to make him accufe rich men whom the ufurper had a mind todeilroy, that he might feize their eftates under the umbrage of juftice and law.

I faw my Lady Falcon in anno 1719, and fhe was then honoured with the fuperin-tendency of His Majefty’s confectionary. She was born in Siam , of honourableparents, and at that time much refpedted both in the court and city, for her prudenceand humanity to natives and ftrangers, when they came into difficulties, or under theweight of oppreffions from the officers of the court or city.

When the Siam ambaffador returned from France and England, in the murderedKing’s time, his mailer, among many other questions, alked him if the King of France had any palaces like his at Siam , for beauty and magnitude, and the poor man un-advifedly told him truth that in France were many finer, nay, that the King ofFrance’s horfe ftables in Paris exceeded any buildings in India , which His Majefty tookfo ill, that he difgraced him, and was very near lofmg his head for his telling truth.

The King of Siam is as fond of lofty titles as the King of Pegu. Befides hisproximity with the heavenly luminaries, he is a god on earth, in whofe court are to befound juftice, mercy, and benevolence to mankind, with fuch a train of fenfelefshyperboles, and at laft, to illuftrate all the reft, he is King of the white elephant, atitle that none difputes with him but the King of Pegu.

The King beftows his anniverfary bleffing on his people in the month of September,when he paffes through the city attended with a numerous train of elephants, amongwhom is the white elephant, but he is only of a cream colour, and I have feen feveralat Bangarie, a village near Jonkceyloan, as white as him. All the elephants that dayare dreft in their fineft trappings, with drums, trumpets, hautboys, and other inuficalinftruments, making a noife as they go along ; but whether it is to divert His Majefty orhis elephant, I know not, but I am fure the noife was harlh in my ears.

While he is making his elephantine cavalcade through the city, the populace daresnot look him in the face, but proftrate on their knees and their elbows on the ground,with their hands open and joined above their heads, and their eyes fixt on theground, or fhut till he has paft by them, then they are permitted to rife and look onhis back parts or fide.

In the month of November he alfo {hews himfelf on the river, in a ballong or bargeof 30 or 40 yards long, about two yards broad, and two feet deep, with a throneplaced, near the middle of her length, about feven feet high, and a rich canopy overhis head, and being feated on the throne, his greateft lords or minions fit under thethrone, and about 50 or 60 rowers are feated afore and be-aft the throne, (clothed incarnation coloured waiftcoats, with fine caps or turbands on their heads,) to row orpaddle Plis Majefty wherever he orders them, and there are ordinarily above 1000other barges to wait on His Majefty, befides feveral thoufands of other common bal'longs, infomuch, that for five or fix miles, the river is covered with boats, exceptnear His Majefty’s barge, and there is half a mile of the river clear for his barge tomove in.

About four or five in the evening, he goes in his barge to a temple about threemiles above the city, on the oppofite fide of the river, where the priefts pray for him,and prefent him with two yards and an half of cotton cloth, that muft be fpun andwoven the fame day that the King comes to receive it. After fun fets, he embarks

again