Hamilton’s account of the east inmes.

475

guns, which, as foon as I had got on board, and mounted, I told the officer that deli-vered them, to give my fervice to Oia Sennerat, and tell him, that if the King’s threejonks arrived on this coall this feafon, he would hear farther from me by them.

By that time I was clear at Bencock, Captain Dalglifh arrived there alfo, in orderto proceed to Bengal. He had fallen into the trap laid by Collet, and had paid mea-furage and cultoms, befides the ufual prefents to the court, according to the old confti-tution, but he could not get ready to go fo foon out of the river as I, otherwife Idefigned to have brought fome troubles on Sennerat, if not on Collet and Powney’saffairs at Siam, but Captain Dalgliffi being ftill in their power, tied my hands.

Siam bar is only a large bank of foft mud, and, at fpring tides, not above ten oreleven feet water on it. It is eafy getting into it in the fouth-weft monfoons, becaufe,in two or three tides, with the motion the ffiip receives from the fmall waves and theaffiftance of the wind, fhe Hides through the mud. My Hi ip drew thirteen feet, andwe had not above nine on the bar when we went into the river, but coming out withthe north-eafl monfoons, the fea being fmooth, we were obliged to warp out withanchors and halfers, and, if the Ihip draws any confiderable draught of water, we arefometimes two fprings in warping over, but, at twelve feet draught, I got over infour tides.

And now, having given fome particular accounts of my obfervations on and in Siam,I will alfo give fome general remarks, and begin with the fertility of the country, which,on that point, is inferior to few (if any) in the world.

There are but two parcels of mountains to be feen in the places that I paffed through,and they lie between eaft and north-eafl from the city of Odia , about ten leagues diftant,and they produce good timber for building, and agala-wood for perfumes. They havealfo mines of iron, tin, lead, filver and gold, but they are all entailed on the crown,who has the foie benefit of them. They breed vafl numbers of wild deer, which arehunted and killed for the fake of their fkins, which they yearly fend to Japon .

The plains produce all forts of grain neceffary for animal and human fuflenance.They plentifully bear as good, if not the beft oranges, lemons, and limes in the world.Their rivers fuperabound in fifh of feveral fpecies, very good in their kind. Their villagesare numerous, and well inhabited with artificers and peafants ; but there are but fivevailed towns in all the Siam dominions, and Odia is one of them.

They have abundance of wild animals in their woods, fuch as elephants, rhinoce-rofes, leopards and tigers j and tame cattle, as bullocks, buffaloes and fwine, in abun-dance about their farms. Temples and priefts are more numerous here, in proportionto the laity, than in any country I ever faw out of the dominions of Portugal . Theirtallapoys or priefts are diftinguifhed from the laity by a cinnamon or orange-colouredcloak which they wear, they again differing among themfelves by diftinguiftung badges,by which they know their degree and dignity. Their heads, beards, and eye-browsare kept clofe {haven. They are forbidden marriage or meddling with money, and ifany of the priefthood is convifted of incontinency with women, he is burned for italive, and, if only fufpe&ed and brought to a trial, he is degraded and banifhed.

They have fermons or lectures four times in a moon, the gates of the temples beingfot wide open, and the people meet in good order. Their fermons confift in recom-mending moral duties to the people, and charity towards one another, but particularlyto the church, by which a£ts it fubfifts ; and, after the prieft’s benedi&ion, every onegoes to an image, and kiffes it, or bows to it, and marches off in good order. Theyhave morning and evening prayers, and fing anthems. They vifit the fick, and prayfor the dead, and accompany the corps to the funeral pile, and fing obfequies. They

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