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Bangkok March 16th.

The article, a translation of which is concluded in another column, of this issue is from the pen of an able writer upon such subjects.

Although like all other translations, when they are at all literal, it is necessarily a lit- tie dry but apart from this we think it must be interesting to all those, who intend to remain in Siam any length of time, and have a desire to know the different locali- ties, and their history.

A mere glance at the river between the two palaces, is sufficient to verify the state- ment that, that part, is not the natural, but is an artificial channel. Although it was completed three hundred years ago, the evidences are clearly visible. The river is narrower there, than those parts immediate- ly above and below, and the water flows, much more rapidly. All such articles there- fore which tend to give information concern- ing the country, its topography, names manners, and customs &c, must be inter- esting to the majority of European readers. Every writer however, as well as every in- dividual has a hobby. Our learned corre- spondent seems to have several hobbies, and one of which especially he has ridden almost to death. His article commences well but before concluding he mounts his favorite hobby.

The Romanising of Oriental names so long as there is no established system, will re- main a difficult matter. All attempts too to establish a system which will apply to all places and all languages, has hitherto proved a failure, and is likely to do so for some time to come. Not even in any one country does there appear to be a system universally adopted by all.

The early missionaries and even modern ones in Siam in writing to their friends abroad, have tried to express the Siamese names as nearly as possible in Roman characters, so that those for whom they were intended might if possible have some idea of the sound of the Siamese names. For this they have been severely blamed by the learned writer in question and even called a "shallow minded" because they did not go back to the Sanskrit. Now the Sans- krit although the parent of most Oriental languages has long since been a dead lan- guage, and indeed it is doubted by some able scholars if ever it was a spoken lan- guage. There are very few now who thoroughly understand it, so that it is no indication of a great mind to have a little smattering of the Sanskrit. The writer ad- mits that most places in Siam have two and three names. Those derived from the Sans- krit and Bali are generally so long that " a forty—horse—power person" would again be called into requisition to remember them. Few of the Siamese outside of nobility and probably a few just out of the voats who have a little smattering of Bali, and like to spout it, know any thing about them. The Siamese names are shortest and generally most appropriate. The time is past when the world will delight most in high sound- ing names and titles. Many of these vulgar names have already gone out to the world and are established upon the maps of geographers, and to attempt to change them now would create a revolution. As well attempt to turn Siam up side down as to change Meinam to Chow-Phya, Bangkok to T'on boore, or Paknam to Samutts-Pra- kan.

Those places however which have not already gone out into the world, should have established names at once. Let those whose business it is give them the shortest possible names, so that foreigners may not break their Jaws in attempting to pronouce them and let those names be established and understood by all. It matters little to the outside world whether it is P'rip-p'ri P'at-p'ri or P'etchaburi so as there is some- thing established. And let not men of good education be called shallow minded for much trifling causes for it is beneath the dignity of a great mind to quible on such little things.

THE CITY OF DIAMONDS

Mr. Editor,

Our last left us in Rahaang or Muang Tak as it is known in Siamese history and in all official documents. It is the most northern Siamese city on the route, being by some regarded as the most Southern of the Laos towns. This I think is incorrect, though more than half of the inhabitants are Laos and Peguans. But the governor and most of the officials are Siamese from Bangkok, which is not the case in the cities north of it, and even the Laos portion of the population are not under his juris diction, but under that of the governor of Chieng-Tawng, a small Laos town on the opposite side of the river a little lower down. It is a very pleasant site for a city with a mountain range to the north and a single mountain before and another behind it. It probably has tene or fifteen thousand inhabitants. But its principal interest to us was as the terminus of our boat route, and we were prepared to give it a good name had we been hastened on our journey thence. But in this it most signally failed at first, though it redeemed its credit some what in our estimation before leaving it. In our twenty three days of travel thus far (by mistake stated in my last to be twenty seven) we had our own carrings, team, driver, whip, and spur. We started when ready and traveled till hunger or weariness compelled us to stop. Except where we had to yield to the deceptive river, we had no earthly master to drive or hinder us. Here we began to experience a new class of annoyances. Henceforth we were at the mercy of Siamese, and Laos officials in neither of whom, as every body knows, are punctuality or speed cardinal virtues. No amount of fretting or hurrying or scold-

ing could get us along beyond a certain pace. We had a letter to the governor, kindly given by the authorities of Bangkok. We found him very pleasant and apparently disposed to aid us. But he had not been there very long and the most of the busi- ness was in the hands of the Palat. The latter evidently felt his importance, and wished to make us duly sensible of it too, and was up to a speculation out of our haste. After being cajoled for more than half a week, and giving up in despair of obtaining elephants, and deciding to walk, a favorable change at length took place in our prospects,and we were offered elephants to T'ôn, with a letter to the Governor of that place with instructions to forward us to Lakon, and so on to Chieng-Mai. Whether the Governor was moved with pity at the idea of our walking, or was afraid some difficulty might grow out of it necessitating his coming down to Bangkok. I do not know, I am inclined to put the favorable construction on it, so far as he was individually concerned, and think it was a kind act done from a kind motive. He said that the Siamese, and Laos, are very extortionary and the latter would take us out of their power, while we still might pay whatever was proper. At any rate we felt quite satisfied to get off quite comfort- ably by waiting only from Thursday till Tuesday. I have since been informed by a gentleman who made the same trip, that he was detained there eleven days. It was nearly mid-day before our drivers and guides got their rice, and tobacco and betel, for their journey all ready and our own portables were all stored away on these ships of the mountains and forests, as the camel is of the desert, and we our- selves were mounted in fine spirits, in our lofty howdah. Elephant riding is very nice so long as its romance continues. When that is gone it is still better than walking if one is sick or tired, but I would by no means choose it for pleasure for fif- teen days. We often rested the wearisome feeling produced by the peculiar swinging motion of their gait by a walk. On two occasions we paid dear for it too by getting separated from them while taking a short cut in the road. Once it was about nine or ten in the morning and we never saw them again till we came to our camp at night wearied and hungry and thankful for a travelers repose.

A few miles north of Rahang the river forks, the Quaa Ping the left and largest branch going on to Chieng-Mai, while the Quaa Wang the right leads on to T'on and Lakon. Had we continued up the Quaa Wang the road would have been straighter and shorter. But our guides were afraid of the tigers on that route and took a more circuitous one. Crossing the main river below the fork, we ascended on the west side of the Quaa Ping to T'o Poole. Here we forded the Quaa Ping and crossed over the country to the Quas Wang which we never touched till just below Muang T'on. We thus had to make our way, across brooks, creeks and rivers and along the outskirts of the great Teak forests some- times by obscure paths but seldom traveled and over hills and mountains. The view from the top of one of these mountain ridges was exquisitely beautiful. It was near the Quaa Ping which wound its way along its base, while beyond it to the right and also to the left, rose range after range with occasional peaks more lofty than the rest.

It was while crossing these mountain heights, or going down some perpendicular, river bank that we began to respect so highly the sagacity of the noble elephant. On first approaching them we thought our bones were too precious to be treated on such clumsy looking animals up and down their steep sides. We were at first simple enough to think of dismounting to lighten the burden of the noble beast. Had he known our thought he would probably have replied as the ox to the fly in the fable. You soon learn to repose with con- fidence on his judgment and sagacity as well as strength. He does not put his large foot down without a careful calcula- tion as to its safety. When he does you may know it is sure. By means too of his long proboscis he gathers food from both sides of the road and can thus travel all day without hunger.

We usually pitched our tent at night in some deep forest by a running brook or bank of a river. Some of the men spun yarns and kept watch while others altern- ately amused and annoyed the sleepless ones of our company by their loud Stentorous sounds.

Either anxiety about an absent family or the excitement of traveling or sleeping in strange place or some other cause pre- vented some of us from getting enough of "weary natures balmy restorer" sleep. All the recipes we had ever heard for courting her gentle slumbers failed. We recited the multiplication table, counted by the hun- dred, said the Lord's Prayer, listened to the gentle flow of water along some mur- muring brook or down some majestic water fall. I once had a lady friend who found prayer an unfailing means of conciliating her favor. The philosophy of it according to her explanation was that then the evil one was sure to put her to sleep. And although it would not be pleasant to have one's lullaby sung by his satanic majesty yet the weary mind and body would some- times hardly refuse the boon from most any quarter.

We reached T'on on Saturday P.M. in time to present our letter and make arrange- ments for starting a Monday. That is as long as any one would care to stay there.

It is situated on the left bank of the Quaa Wang. There is nothing inviting in or about the place except the mountains rising in amphitheatral order to the East. Ones first impressions of a Laos town derives from it are not very favorable. There is very little evidence of even the neatness and thrift sometimes seen about Siamese homes. It has probably somewhere be- tween three and five thousand inhabitants.

By means of a little decision and the aid of our letter we got off pretty punctually by noon on Monday. We had but little to interest us outside of the ordinary routine of travel between that place and Lakon. There is a more direct road to Chieng-Mai by Muang Lee, but it is more mountainous and dangerous and but little to be seen besides. We decided to go by Lakon and reached there on Friday morning. Our fare on this portion of the journey was the worst of any. We could not even get any rice fit to eat but the glutinous kind of which we were afraid to partake. What we did get was some thing less than a cen- tury old. It was worse for us also because neither of us was perfectly well and not very well qualified to relish any thing. Our road lay on each side of the Quaa Wang. A very marked improvement in the country is observed as you proceed. It is a fine country for some distance before reaching the city. The houses are compar- atively neat and comfortable. We first noticed here a curious custom of stacking the rice, till ready to be threshed, in the forks of the trees. Here also we first met several long droves of oxen in single file, their burdens being carried in double baskets placed like a pair of saddle bags across their backs. The front one or lead- er always has a mask fancifully made of shells to cover the whole face with a large pea-cock's tail extending up from it between the horns and waving rather comically and rather gracefully over the back. Every thing that is not carried on elephants is carried in these baskets all through the Laos country. Thousands of them are to be seen daily at Chieng-Mai. Often most of the drove have little bells similar to sleigh bells fastened all over them, which adds a little to the life of the place. We saw several very large Teak rafts on the river below the city waiting for the rising water to be floated down to market. On new years morning the walls of Lakon came in sight, where the kind Governor furnished us with some excellent rice and a nice pig for a new years dinner.

A TRANSLATION

When the reign of Phya Tak-sin became established, what is now called Bangkok was denominated Kröng T'on-buree, and sometimes Nâkawn T'on. But after the head of the present royal family became king, and removed the walls of the old city Ay- uthia, and built with them a new city and royal palace on the other side of the river, —he being the founder, was pleased to give it the name Kröng Râtanâ-Kosîn-t'ârâ- Mâhîn-t'âra Yoot'îya. There are still writ- ten documents extant referring to distil- leries of Kröng Râtanâ Kosîn-t'ârâ, and to gambling establishments of Kröng Rât'a- nâ-Kosîn-t'ârâ &c. But at this time the common use of the name has disappeared; its use being found only in some public docu- ments. The city is now called Kröng T'êp'-Mâhâ-Nakawn only from the custom of so calling the northern capitals. Any city becoming the capital of the kingdom was thus named. So it was with regard to the capital of Chôw Oo-t'awng which is now denominated K'ee-pom; it was anciently called Kröng T'êp'â-Mâhânâ-k'awn, which being translated into Siamese, would be the great city (or royal city) where the Lord of the great city resides. But if the word Krông be translated strictly accord- ing to the original, it means River. Hence whoever was Lord of a river from its mouth to its sources, that man was called Chów Krông (Lord of the river). And the city which he made his residence, was hence denominated Krôông. The name of the capital written เทพมหานคร in this way, is in perfect accordance with the San- skrit. But pupils of Laos tongues read it incorrectly. The true sounds of the San- skrit are given in the old manner of Ro- manizing the name as follows—Devama- hangara, but the following gives an incor- rect representation of the Sanskrit—Debia- mahangara. This name written in Siamese is กรุงเทพมหานคร ฯ but at the present day the Siamese generally write it in a short way like this กรุงเทพ ฯ, Foreigners now call the capital of Siam as they hear the common people speak it, saying—go to Bangkok, come from Bangkok, live in Bangkok. This is now the name used by nearly all classes of the people. No one finds fault with it, because it is pure Siamese.

But correctly speaking, Bangkok proper is that part only included between the mouths of Bangkok-yai, and Bangkok-noi creeks; because other parts are called by other names, as Sâm plûm, Sâm-p'ong, K'avk-k'wai, Sâm-re, Dow-k'ânawng, &c. The reason for calling the whole of the area included by these several places Bangkok, is because they are all closely connected, being, as it were, one continuous city from Bangkok proper; and therefore they are all included now in the name Bangkok from K'avk-k'wai to Sâm-sên, or rather from Dow-k'ânawng up to Bang-p'loo and Bang-

p'lāt. But these places were anciently cal- led Sōōăn-nei (inner plantations) from Tălăt-k'wăn down to Păklāt; and the plan- tations on the Măăklawng were called the Sōōăn-năwk (outer plantations). But at the present time, the people call the Sōōăn- nei Bangkok, and the Sōōăn-năwk they call Bang-ch'ang. Now the town of Bang- ch'ang has a little creek so shallow, that in the dry seasons the water of the river does not flow into it. That creek is called Bang-ch'ang. But why the whole of that district should be called by the same name, a good answer cannot be given.

In short, the proprietor of this city has given it the name Rátnák Kosin-t'ârá-Mâ- hin-t'âra-Yoôt'âya. The ancient name of the place was Tonbooree, and the revered name is Krông Têp'k-Mâhâ-nâk'awn. But the inhabitants of the city and out of the city, seeing that these names are spoken with some difficulty, prefer to call the place Bangkok, following the custom of the mas- ses of the people. And the name Bangkok has become fixed on maps of the country. It is hence proper to use this name without any gainsaying—it is quite right. And in regard to the towns Pâkkât and Pâknám, they have royal names given to them, yet the people persist in calling them by their vulgar names, and so do all Foreigners. Let it be so—it is quite correct that they should be so called because they are names easily learned. The name Ch’ach’ong-sow is Cam- bodian: but all the people call the place Păăt-rew, and hence Foreigners call it the same. It is a name easily spoken, and it is right that it should be so called follow- ing the masses of the people.

But as to the city P'etch'ārā-booree the masses of the people in all parts call it P'rīpp'ree or P'et-p'ree. The name P'et- ch'ārā booree is Sanskrit, a royal name given to the place the same as T'on-booree, Non-booree, Nāk'awn-K'ūn-k'ān, Sāmōōtā- pra-kān, and Ch'ā-Chōug-sow. Now if Māhā-nāk'awn, be called Bangkok and the others names respectively called Tālāt- k'wān, Pākĭāt, Pāknăm, and Păăt-rew, it is proper that P'etch'ārā-booree should follow suit, and be called by her vulgar name P'rīp p'ree or P'et-p'ree.

Now that the company of teachers and printers should coin a name purporting to be after the royal style and yet do not take the true Sanskrit, seems not at all proper. In trying to Romanize the name P'etch'ărá- booree they place the mark over the ă thus P'etch'ă-booree making Foreigners read it P'etch'ă-booree following the utterances of old dunces in the temples, who boast that they know Balăm Băli, and not satis- fied with that, they even call the place City P'et setting forth both the Băli and the meaning of the word: and thus boasting greatly of their knowledge and of being a standard of orthography for the name of that city.

Now what is the necessity of coining another name like this! There is no occa- sion for it. When the name is thus in- correctly printed, persons truly acquainted with Sanskrit and Bali (for such there are many in other places) will say that those who write or print the name in this way, must be pupils of ignorant teachers—blind leaders, not following the real Sanskrit in full, taking only the utterances of woods- men, and holding them forth (as the cor- rect way.) In following such sounds they cannot be in accord with the Sanskrit, and they will conclude that the name is Siam- ese. Whereas in truth it is not Siamese. The true Siamese name is P'rip-p'ree or P'et-p'ree. It matters not what letters are used to express it,—follow your own mind; but let the sound come out clear and ac- curate either P'rip-p'ree or P'et-p'ree and it will be true Siamese. But the mode of writing and printing the name P'etchaboo- ree, adds the letter A and marks over it and other marks in two places, resists the eye and the mouth greatly. Whatever be done in this matter let there be uniformity. If it be determined to follow the vulgar mode of calling the name, let that be followed out fully and accurately; but if the royal mode be prefered, let the king be sought unto for the proper way of writing it which shall be in full accordance with the Sanskrit. And should this happen not to be like the utterances of the people in the Temples the difference can not be great. And persons acquainted with Sanskrit will be constrained to acknowledge, that yon do really know Sanskrit; and comparing the corrected with the improper mode of Romanizing will praise you for the improvements which you have made. Such persons there are a few, not ignorant and blind leaders and dunces like the inmates of the temples and of the jungles and forests, but learned in the San- skrit and residents in Siam.

Do not boast that you know a little San- skrit as do the printers, who explain the name P'etchabooree, and call it the City P'et.

FOR THE BANGKOK RECORDER.

Gems from a philosophic mine (mind.) "We must go back in the history of mind, till we have reached the time when it was not yet clothed in things external, if we would see all that material nature is to the human soul."

This is a longer trip backward then I had ever thought any mere man had ever at- tempted, and I am puzzled to know where to look for this time in the history of mind.

Perhaps our philosopher is a transmi- grationist, and the time intended, is after the soul has left one material body, and is pois- ing on the wing just ready to enter another. If at such a moment the soul be conscious of its previous experience in the material. I fancy its sensations would often be far from agreeable.

Nukprat tells us that this backward trip in mental history "requires neither the analysis of the philosopher, nor the imag- ination of the poet." If this be so, I sug- gest that he take the trip himself, and give us his experience on his return. I am sure it will make a sensation article.

"The mind of man in the first stages of his existence, like his body, possesses noth- ing but life."

Will Nukprat please tell us how many stages there are in man's existence, when they begin, and when end, in which either mind or body has nothing but life?

Experience is the best teacher, even in philosophy, and as the body must be a- mong what, in his very philosophic style, Nukprat calls the "tangible developements of the infinite" or one of its "ultimates" perhaps he will consent to bring us in tan- gible connection, with a human body in some one of its first stages when it posses- ses nothing but life. It might serve to make us better acquainted with that mys- tery we call life. Shall we have the exper- ement?

"Consistency is a jewel," is and old pro- verb. Here is a gem of that sort from Nuk- prat.

" Man destitute of revelation, has in all ages, and in all circumstances failed to pen- etrate beyond the physical developements of nature by which he was surrounded. Though we must by no means suppose that the revelation of the true God to man, was first made to Abraham. LONG PRIOR to Abraham The Most High God possessor of heaven and earth was worshipped, aye, and that too, in Sodom, the king of which, Mel- chiscedec was His priest and who blessed Abraham even before his call. How long a period it took for this pure spiritualism to be developed, history tells us not. We are left to mere conjecture, But when we consider the slow progress of human ideas, we may infer that it took thousands of years to being it to this stage."

Here certainly is a singular union. We are first told that man alway ; and under all circumstances destitute of revel- ation, has failed to penetrate beyond the physical and reach the spiritual idea of a true God; we are then informed of that wonderful fact in history, that the revel- ation of the true God was not first made to Abraham.

I wonder if Nukprat ever heard of Adam, Enoch, or Noah.

And last of all we are told that this pure spiritualism was developed, by the slow progress of human ideas during thousands of years. Now if it was revealed it did not require thousands of years to be developed. If it was developed by the progress of hu-

tional ideas during thousands of years, it did not require to be revealed. Perhaps Nuk- prat can logically and metaphysically" develope the golden thread of unity in the above passage. But if there is one it lies beyond my depth.

No. 1 "Melchisdec was king of Sodom, and blessed Abraham even before his call." See Above.

No. 2. "Abraham the father of the faithful was prepared to offer up his only son as a victim, in obedience to the teachings and practices of the sun worshippers."

No. 3. "The incense offered by the Jews, and by the Roman Catholics, had its origin in the original worship of the sun."

As President Lincoln would say; these historic gems, remind me of an anecdote told of a certain professor in a theological school. The students were required to prepare and deliver, before the assembled class, short trial sermons. The professor who presided over the exercise made such criticism upon each discourse as he thought best and then told the class monitor to call the next speaker. Upon one occasion a young man, evidently conscious of his sup- erior ability, entertained his fellow students by an ambitious discourse on the history of the creation. The professors only com- ment was, "The young man beats Moses, call the next."

Our philosopher evidently beats Moses, and it is about time to call the next. But before dismissing him, I wish to inquire, upon what data he makes Buddhism four thousand years old. And upon what author- ity he make Sutteeism to "exist in one of its purest forms, and in all its integrity in China to the present day."

If after the perusal of the above speci- mens, any still doubt Nukprats eminent qualification, to lecture the public generally, and propagandists in particular, on Pagan philosophy, I must refer them to his writ- ings, where may be found other gems of equal brilliancy to reward the labor of those who will dig for them.

Police Cases,

REMARKS ON CAMBODIA

A knowledge of Sanskrit—of "Pali," and of some modern languages of Hindustan and Indo-China, would be the only means of arriving at the origin of the ancient peo- ple of Cambodia, who have left all these traces of their civilization, and that of their successors, who appear only to have known how to destroy, never to reconstruct. Until some learned archæologist shall devote himself to this subject, it is not probable that aught but contradictory speculations will be promulgated. Some day, however the truth will surely appear, and put them all to flight, I myself, having nothing but conjecture to rest upon, advance my own theory with diffidence.

Nokhor has been the centre and capital of a wealthy, powerful, and civilized state, and in this assertion. I do not fear contra- diction from those who have any knowledge of its gigantic ruins. Now, for a country to be rich and powerful, a produce relative- ly great and an extended commerce must be presumed. Doubtless, Cambodia was formally thus favored and would be so at the present, under a wise government, if labor and agriculture were encouraged, and not despised. If the ruling power exercised a less absolute despotism, and above all, if slavery were abolished—that miserable in- stitution which is a bar to all progress, reduces man to the level of the brute, and prevents him from cultivating more than sufficient for his own moral wants.

The greater part of the land is surpris- ingly fertile, and the rice of Battambong is superior to that of Cochin-China. The forests yield precious gums, gum-lac, gam- boge, cardamums and many others, as well as some useful resins. They likewise pro- duce most valuable timber, both for home use, and for exportation, and dye wood is in great variety. The mines afford gold, iron, and copper.

Fruits and vegetable of all kinds abound, and game is in great profusion. Above all the great lake is a source of wealth to the nation; the fish in it are so incredibly abun- dant, that when the water is high they are actually crushed under the boats, and the ply of the oars is frequently impeded by them. The quantities taken there every year, by a number of enterprising Cochin- Chinese, are literally miraculous. The river of Battambong is not less plentifully stock- ed, and I have seen a couple of thousands taken in one net.

Neither must I omit to mention the various productions which form so import- ant a part of the riches of a nation, and which might be here cultivated in the greatest perfection. I would especially in- stance cotton, coffee, indigo, tobacco, and the mulberry, and such spices as nutmegs, cloves, and ginger. Even now all these are grown to a certain limited extent, and are allowed to be of superior quality. Sufficient cotton is raised to supply all Cochin-China and to allow some being exported to China itself. From the little islands of Ko Sutin above, leased to the planters by the king of Cambodia, the transport of the cotton produce alone, employs three hundred ves- sels. What might not be accomplished if these were colonies belonging to a country such for example, as England, and were governed as are the dependencies of that great and generous nation.

A glance at the map of Cambodia, suffices to show that it communicates with the sea by the numerous mouths of the Mekong, and the numberless canals of lower Cochin- China, which was formerly subject to it ; with Laos, and with China by the great river.

These facts being established, whence came the original inhabitants of this coun- try? Was it from India, the cradle of civi- lization, or was is from China? The lans- guage of the Cambodians, is that of the old Cambodians, of Khedome, as they call the people who live retired at the foot of the mountains, and on the table lands, and it is too distinct from the Chinese to render the latter supposition possible. But whether this people originally came from the north or from the west, by sea, and gradually making their way up the rivers, or from the land, and descending them, it seems certain that there must have been here other ancient settlers, who introduced Buddhism and civilisation. It would appear as though those had been succeeded by some barba- rous race, who drove the original inhabitants far into the interior, and destroyed many of their buildings. At all events, it is my belief, that without exaggeration the date of some of the oldest parts of Ongcor the Great temalo atond at more than two thousand years ago; and the more recent portions not much later. The state of decay of many of these structures would indicate even a greater age ; but they probably date from the dispersion of the Indian Buddhists, which took place several centuries before the Christian era, and which led to the expatri- ation of thousands of individuals.

All that can be said respecting the present Cambodians, is that they are no agricultural people, among whom a certain taste for art still shows itself, in the carved work of the boats belonging to the better classes, and their chief characteristic is unbounded conceit.

It is not so among the savages of the east called by the Cambodians their elder broth- ers. I passed four months among them, and arriving direct from Cambodia, it seem- ed like entering a country comparatively civilized.

Great gentleness, politeness, and even sociability, which, to my fancy, bore evid-

ence of a past refinement, struck me in those poor children of nature, buried for centuries in their deep forests, which they believe to be the largest portion of the world; and to which they are so strongly attached, that no inducement would tempt them to move.

When looking at the figures on the bas- reliefs at Ongoor. I could not avoid re- marking the strong resemblance of the faces to those of these savages. And besides the similar regularity of feature, there are the same long beards, straight langoutis, and even the same weapons, and musical in- struments.

FOR BANGKOK RECORDER

Mr Editor,

Nukprat the astute philosopher of the "Siam Times" seems to have had his equanimity somewhat disturbed by your correspondent Novice. Your correspon- dent's pen was evidently not nibbed with a diamond, nor dipped in rose water; and it is possible he may be more familiar with the quadrant and chart, than with the author's pen, he might find it less difficult to navigate a tempest tost ocean than a metaphysical quagmire.

But whether "scurrility" is the appro- priate epithet to be applied to his article your readers can judge. Whether or not the charge of "ignorance" comes with a good grace from Nukprat, may be safely left to any intelligent reader who has at- tempted to follow him through his philoso- phic speculations. Novice at least appears to know what he wishes to say, and this I think is much more than can be truthfully said for Nukprat.

But will our philosopher condescend to the ignorance of his readers, who have not yet reached the profound depth of his metaphysical speculations, and tell us how long or how high, his "one step from pure Buddhism to Christianity" is. And how long it will take a man of ordinary human ability to accomplish it; or to put it in an- other form, will he show us " logically and metaphysically" how long according to the laws of "natural spiritualism" it will take to develope a good Christian out of a pure Buddhist?

To Clear a Room of Mosquitoes.—I have tried the following, and find that it "works like a charm;" Take of gum camphor a piece about one-third the size of an egg, and evaporate it by placing it in a tin vessel and holding it over a lamp or candle, taking care that it does not ignite. The smoke will soon fill the room and exped the mosquitoes. One night, not long since, I was terribly annoyed by them, when I thought, and tried the above, after which I neither saw nor heard them that night, and the next morning there was not one to be found in the room though the window had been left open all night.—

There are “Three Old Men” who, at the present time, are prominently before the gaze of the world. One of them is Leopold, the King of the Belgians, once the handsome and youthful husband of the long lamented Princess Charlotte of Wales. He is the Nestor of Continental politicians; he alarms no one ; he is, as to bearing and influence, at onco conciliatory and com- manding. If in the heart of Napoleon and the French nation there is a secret craving after the annexation of Belgium, it is Leo- pold who stops the way, and causes the solution of the question to be postponed. He has this Autumn been at Biarritz with the Emperor Napoleon, and shares with Lord Clarendon the credit of having brought favorable pressure to boar on many difficult questions. His daughter-in-law is an Austrian princess, and so is listened to at Vienna. The Queen of England receives him at Osborne House, in the sorrow of her widowhood finding comfort from his fraternal presence and sympathy ; and in matters political she and her Privy Counsel weigh well his counsels. He has a great horror of war, and has ere now been tho conducting rod that has convoyed a lightning bolt innoxious to the earth, to be seen no more. The King of tho Bel- gians is liberal and Anti-Jesuit; yet even the Romish priests do not insult him, and all parties are willing “ to wait.” He has a wonderful discernment of human charac- ter and motives. He owes the protraction of his life to a surgeon in London, Dr. Fergusson, (a Scotchman,) on whom, as a successful operator, the grateful King has lavished gifts. Well might he do so, for life is sweet, even to the old.

The second of the three old men, for whom, like the other two, Europe waits postponing a final solution of great ques- tions fill death has done its work—is Pope Pius the Ninth. He was a liberal once, and the hopes of young Italy wore swelling and lofty as to a now era, in which Cathol- icism, freedom, and commercial prosperity were all to bo linked in choral dance and song—the shootings of the vintage. The gladness of the harvest home at hand. But he “back recoiled'’’ at the sound of his own armor, and by attempted compromises, and final submission to the Jesuite and Antonelli, he grew obstinately passive to every proposal of reform—non possumus being the cry. At present be is troubled by the Italian Convention. It was not expected. " Take any form but that," (the King of Italy, the excommunicate," to be, forsooth, his protector!) and my firm nerves should never tremble."

Lord Palmerston, the last of the " three old men," like the other two, profoundly acquainted with the political condition of every country in Europe. He has never been a bigoted Tory ; he was always the friend of the enslaved and oppressed; he dislikes and discountenances bigotry of all kinds, and is singularly free from bitterness in manner or speech. See him, as I have done, at his official residence, receiving a Deputation protesting against the opening of the Crystal Palace on the Lord's day, end mark that diplomatically fixed, yet soft blue eye, which seems so passionless that no one could ascertain from it what his sympathies were. It is the result of long diplomatic experience

TOM THUM IN PARIS.

The Paris correspondent of the daily news says, I must put on record that I have this day had an interview with General Tom Thum, Mrs Thum, the baby, and the babies aunt Miss Minnie, I received a polite note from the Generals private secretary intimat- ing that although the public receptions were over the "family" would have the pleasure of receiving myself and wife. at a public interview. In a handsome drawing room, No. 95, on the third floor of the Hotel du Souvre, we found the interesting party. The only visitors besides ourselves, were the Peruvian minister with his wife and two ladies. The General, who has long been well known in Europe, is in splendid health; his manners are affable and unaffected, and his toilet unexceptionable. His wife is really pretty, and like her Lilliputian sister, Miss. Minnie, remarkable intelligent. But the lion of the party was the baby, a little girl twelve months old looking the picture of health, and without exaggeration, ex- tremely beautiful. The face has nothing of the dwarf about it, but my observations, that she looked as big as an ordinary child, was not approved by the secretary, who assured me her weight was something very far below the average, and lifting up the expensive lace frock, showed me her little feet in red morocco shoes, which are not larger than those of a moderate sized doll. My inquiries whether the child was expected to grow up a dwarf met with the cautious answer that there was "no precedent." This is I believe true. There is I am pretty sure no instance of such a small couple as Tom Thumb and wife, having been the pro- genitors of a child. I venture to prophecy however that Miss Minnie Stratton, (that is the name of the infant) will if she lives to attain her majority, be nearer the ordi- nary size of mankind than her parents, I do not believe in the foundation of a race of pygmies. The General is going to leave Paris almost immediately, to fulfil an en- gagement in England—He has not seen the Emperor on this occasion.

The Rangoon Times records an at- tempt to reform Buddhism made by some of the chief Phoongyeen of Kemmendine. Like the Protestants of Christianity and the Brahmists of Hindooism, the reformers seem to go back to their oldest books or Bedagat, the three series of which minutely describe the duties of priests and laity and, and define the objects of faith. They condemn the lax practices of this degenerate age, such as priests wearing sandals carrying umbrellas, and visiting religious theatreical shows. The new sect seems to be the Quakers of Buddhism. At the bottom of their re- forms, ludicrous as they appear, there is doubtless much Puritan earnestness. They call themselves "Soolay Gander." Soolay meaning the great spirit to whom the pago- da in the centre of Rangoon is dedicated. In Hindooism some new and earnest sect, like the Religious Orders of Romanism, is always rising. But it is a new theory to see a development of earnestness within so apathetic a crred as modern Buddhism.

We notice in the Rangoon papers the death of Mrs. Vinton, the widow of the late well-known American Missionary, the Rev. Justus Vinton. The deceased and her hus- band were distinguished by their ministra- tions among the Syam Karens among whom they had established schools and founded a church.

The King of Siam's Consul at Rangoon, a Mr. E. Fowle, writes his Majesty a curious letter acknow- ledging the receipt of two autograph letters of the King, and two Photographic likenesses addressed to the Commissioner of British Burmah, and to Colo- nel Fytche, Commissioner of Tenasserim. Besides acknowledging them he takes the opportunity of sympathizing with his Majesty on the death of his "beautiful white female elephant," a misfortune which they had not as yet experienced in Burmah. They had however a very heavy shock of an earth- quake recently in that province, which may be sup- posed to counterbalance the public calamity caused by the death of the elephant in Siam. On the whole the letter is a remarkable production, coming from an educated Englishman.

The Kurrachee Paper mentions the sudden dis- appearance of one the Maldive Islands, a hundred miles from tho Malabar coast. The Raja of Con- nanore has lost three lakhs of rupees rental per year, and some fisliermen who returned from sea found the homes they had left in the morning gone.

From the London Daily News

The Report of the Secretary of the Navy in America, which has for several days occupied a large space in our columns, is more than the mere official summary of a department, it is a document of historical in- terest. It narrates the steps by which, in less than four years of actual war, a navy of prodigious strength has been created by a State which previ- ously was content with the establishment of a fourth- rate marine power, and which, by the outbreak of hostilities, was deprived almost entirely of even its existing fleet. Money, we are in the habit of saying, will do any thing, and the doctrine is a comfortable one to those who esteem theirs the wealthiest of na- tions. But it is not the least remarkable part of the story told by the American Naval Secretary that this extraordinary development has been accom- plished at a very moderate cost. The total amount expended in the four years is only about fifty-five millions sterling. In the mere maintenance of a fleet actually existing we have in the same period spent about forty-five millions. Undoubtedly there is a lesson in these figures. It may well startle us to find a first-class naval power spring into existence at so short notice, but it is still more calculated to make us ponder when we find that its fleet has been built, manned, maintained on a war footing, occu- pied in blockading a coast as long as that from Gibraltar to the North Cape, employed in the cap- ture of several strongly fortified ports on the enemy's seaboard, and in carrying on at the same time a war in an inland navigation of many thousand miles, and that all this, subject to the immense disadvantage of compulsory haste, of dislocated commerce and a depreciated currency, has been done for only ten millions more than our own Admiralty have in the same period spent in keeping up a mere peace es- tablishment.

The actual results effected by the American Ad- ministration need, however, a closer examination to show us their true magnitude. When war broke out, in the early summer of 1861, the chief naval yard, and the best of the vessel on the home station, fell into the power of the Confederates. At the same time the available number of seamen was reduced to 200. Under these circumstances, the first object of the Administration was to procure men and ships. The former could only be slowly drawn from the Merchant Service; for a seaman cannot, like a sol- dier, be made by a few weeks' drill. The latter could not be built at once, and so a large number were purchased from the Mercantile Marine. With these means the blockade was instantly declared. Nor, though reaching over an extent of 3,500 miles of dangerous coast, broken up by innumerable in- lets, and comprising a number of excellent ports, was it ever possible for the neutral Powers to object. to it as not effectual. No doubt there was, as there always is in such cases, plenty of blockade running, as there is plenty of smuggling, in spite of the most efficient preventive service, when the rate of prices offers a sufficient temptation; but gradually, as the number of vessels in the blockading force became larger, and as the fleet successively captured the entrances to Port Royal, New Orleans, Charles- ton, and Mobile, the range of blockade running be- came more limited, till it is now almost confined to Wilmington. Mr. Welles assigns the following as the reasons why this port has so long resisted the efforts of the blockading squadron:

"The two main entrances are forty miles apart, and these two are subdivided into several others, each of which affords an entrance to vessels. The water shoals gradually and regularly to the shore line, and numerous isolated batteries are erected along the coast, so that a blockade runner of light draught is not under the necessity of making directly for the entrance, but can, by the lead, run close under the land protected by the batteries, and pass in over the bar at leisure. When coming out, a steamer will select her own time, thus securing every advan- tage, and she can pass either up or down the coast before making an offing, or she may proceed straight out to sea, trusting for her escape to the night and favouring darkness and mist, and the fact that she is under full speed, while the steamer's blockading must have low steam."

But the fleet, such as it was, operated not merely on the sea coast. Squadrons of gunboats, many of them originally passenger steamers, were organized in the inland waters; and as soon as the fall of New Orleans, in the spring of 1862, opened the mouth of the Mississippi, these gunboats patrolled the whole navigable length of that river and its affluents. It will be remembered what important service they rendered in the reduction of Fort Donelson, Mem- phis, and Vicksburg, as well as the part which their heavy guns played in may of the actions fought be- tween the contending armies of the west. This in- land fleet now consists, we are told, of more than 100 vessels. The service is in some respects one of peculiar difficulty. The vessels are liable to be at- tacked by shore batteries, or field guns, and subject to be stranded by the sudden falling of the rivers. The ingenuity of Colonel Bailey, of the Engineers, on one occasion rescued the flotilla which had be- come thus embayed on the Red River, by construct- ing a series of dams, which, something on the princi- ple of salmon ladders, created artificially a sufficient depth of water to float the vessels over the bar. A mode of warfare requiring resort to such expedients would undoubtedly seem strange to any of our Eu- ropean admirals.

While such use was made in the meantime of the resources at once available, every effort was em- ployed to push forward the construction of a larger and more formidable fleet. From the want of a navy yard, it was necessary to trust almost entirely to private contractors, who, it seems, have not al- ways fulfilled their contracts with punctuality. And as the tables given in the report afford no means of distinguishing vessels completed from those under construction, it is impossible to state accurately the present strength of the navy of the United States. But it may be pretty safely assumed that most of the vessels now under construction will be hastened so as to be finished within the ensuing year, and we may, therefore, take the statement as representing what the force will be by the end of 1865. It ap- pears that the United States navy will then com- prise 671 vessels, of a gross tonnage of 510,396 tons, and carrying 4,610 guns. Of these there are 125 steamers especially constructed for the navy, a- mounting to 221,108 tons burden, and carrying 1,930 guns—the guns, it must be remembered, being of a weight not known in any European service. There are besides 71 iron-clads, of 80,596 tons and 275 guns. Nor must it be supposed that either class comprises only vessels fitted for coast service. There have been constructed, since 1861, 17 screw steamers of above 3,000 tons and from 17 to 23 guns, 11 of above 2,000 tons and 8 to 13 guns, 20 of from 1,000 to 2,000 tons and 8 to 16 guns, and 35 of from 500 to 1,000 tons and 4 to 8 guns. Of the iron-clads, two are sea- going turret ship of 4,800 tons. The rest of the iron- clads are, with but two exceptions, turret ships, but are only intended for service on the coast or inland waters. But it is highly important for us to observe that the Americans, who have had very ample op- portunities of considering the merits of this class of vessels, seem to have decided that they are prefer- able for all purposes, and this in spite of defects in construction which Captain Coles has been able to avoid. And it may be also noted that they have behaved even better than their commanders dared to anticipate, having maintained without loss their position in the Charleston Channel for seventeen months, although a former admiral of the squadron had reported they could not be depended on for such service.

All these are facts which it will become us to pond- er, certainly in no spirit either of hostility or of fear, but that we may measure the shortcomings of our own naval administration by the achievements of our American kinsmen. The story is one which Mr. Welles may be pardoned for narrating in language somewhat more pompous than is usually found in our own State documents, for it is certainly one of very singular energy and success. And if unhap- pily the American SECRETARY of the NAVY weaves into it some useless and irritating reproaches against our share in the exploits of the Alabama and the blockade runners, which have been so sore a thorn in his side, we shall be better occupied in taking the beam out of the eye of our own Admiralty, than in extracting from his the mote that in some degree blinds him to the facts.

NEVADA.

Between years, the admission of a new State into the Union, presenting at long intervals, was quite an event in our national history. The preliminary steps were chronicled and the principles involved were discussed in the public press, and sometimes formed the themes of embittered controversy in political assemblies and in legislative balls.

But of late so engrossed has been the public mind with military campaigns and a Presidential canvass, that little attention has been given to the circum- stance that another star has been added to the national constellation. Nestling amidst the gulches of the American Alps, and isolated in its remote mountain fastnesses from its sister States, a hardy population has erected itself into another sover- eignty, and has inscribed its name—Nevada—The Snowy—upon the rocky peaks whose hidden riches have attracted the enterprising emigrant to their sides.

This Switzerland of America, elevated some five or six thousand feet above the level of the sea, possesses a physical conformation peculiar to itself. Stretching from the Humboldt Mountains on the East to the Sierra Nevada on the West, (from the 115th to the 120th degree of longitude West from Greenwich,) and extending from North to South (from the 43d to the 37th parallel,) between divid- ing ranges that separate the tributaries of the Columbia from those of the Colorado, the drainage of its own mountain streams is necessarily inward, where they are collected into numerous lakes, or lose themselves in spongy sands. In our school- boy days this whole district was conveniently marked in our school-atlas as a "vast unexplored region," in the midst of which was located a lake, only partially defined upon the map, as one upon whose shores some daring adventurer had stood, but whose circuit had never been made. Often amidst the dry details of bounding the older States, and designating their well-known rivers and moun- tains, our youthful imagination would wander off to that mysterious lake, would complete the circuit of its unknown shore, would penetrate the dim sur- rounding region, and thread the deepest recesses of its undiscovered hills.

Even yet a large portion of Nevada might well be marked upon the map as "unexplored," the brief period of its settlement not having sufficed for a full exploration of a territory nearly one-third larger than all the New-England States combined, and immensely more difficult to traverse. Intersected by numerous parallel ranges of barren hills, extend- ing from North to South, too many mountain bar- riers have presented themselves to the toil-worn emigrant from the Eastern States to admit of a thorough examination of the whole country; and wherever the latest discovery of the precious ore promises the most abundant return for his labor, thither the new-comer turns his steps. As a home for the agriculturist, Nevada is not so tempting as California. It has its fertile valleys and its grassy fields, suitable for pasturage, but its mountains are in general sterile and its plains barren. As a reg- ion it would be pronounced forbidding, and its pro- minent characteristic would be sterility.

The history of California and Nevada has strick- ingly exemplified the amazing capabilities of our country for rapidity and yet permanence of develop- ment, wherever an inviting field has been opened up to American enterprise. Four years ago Neva- da contained a population of some six thousand; two years ago, twenty-five thousand; last year, at a general convention election, nearly eleven thou- sand votes were polled; and now, though her pres- ent population has not been stated, she places her star as the thirty-sixth upon our national ensign. Her rapid growth, as in the case of California, is due of course to the constant stream of immigration which at once set in, upon the discovery of her as- tonishing mineral resources. In these she is per- haps unexcelled by any portion of our country. Gold, silver, quicksilver, iron, coal, and salt, are said to abound in the utmost profusion and of the finest quality. Almost fabulous stories have been told of the wealth of this modern Ophir; and after all requisite abatement has been made, enough remains, of a well-authenticated character, to justify the popular estimate of its unparalleled mineral wealth. A year ago one hundred and twenty-five quartz-crushing mills were in operation, erected at a cost of from $10,000 to $100,000 each, driven by water or by steam. The ore yields at an average of $50 per ton, and the production is at least $15, 000,000 of the precious metals per annum.

A History of P'ra-pra-t'on Chedee.

The history of the P'ra-pra-t'on Chedee is involved in much darkness. It is report- ed that a finger-ring has been found in dig- ging there, which bears indubitable marks of having been made more than 800 years ago. There appears to be no written do- cument extant which throws any light upon the question, when and why that Pagoda was made. But there are various traditions touching these questions; the one which most interested the writer is, that that was once the seat of a Rajah's rale called Phya P'an, —that all the plains of Siam, were then divided among many petty chiefs who were frequently at war with one another—that on a certain time, a collision took place between Phya P'an and his son Phya Kong, when being seated each on his elephant, they fought with each other—and that the son by one stroke of his lance severed the head of his father from his body, and hence won the day. But he, not long afterward, became greatly distressed in mind at the thought, that he had thus killed his father. Having suffered a long time with the bitter- est remorse on that account, a Buddhistic oracle at length extended to him the com- forting thought, that he might do much to atone for his sin of patricide, by erecting on the spot where his father fell, and also the spot where Buddh once slept, a Pagoda reaching above the highest flight of doves, and in shrining in it a bit of the most sacred relics of Buddha. With this oracle Phya Kong was delighted, and in obedience to it he gave all his great wealth and after life.

The present Governor of Saigon, Admiral de la Grandière, is an enlightened and liber- ally disposed man, and the colony is likely to florish under his rule. He publishes a monthly journal called the Courrier de Saigon, devoted entirely to local news. The last number we have seen is dated the 5th of November, and it contains some in- formation which adds to our knowledge of the country. The Chinese are making ex- cellent colonists—"they have undertaken the reconstruction of Cholen, and in six months they have created a new town. They are trying to substitute steam barges for the slow junks for transport on the rivers. They have also spontaneously instituted a school for the French language at their own cost.” With such help in their work, the French will soon make rapid advances. The Courier points out the immense facilities presented by the harbor of St. James, and justly says that it “offers the only point between Singapore and Hong- Kong where vessels can run with perfect safety, for refuge bad weather, with facilities for refitting.” In October last the accounts shewed a surplus of a million francs. Eigtheen schools have been esta-

blished, and we are told "conversions are numerous, now that the natives appreciate the greatness and the excellence of Chris- tian morality. " The only item of polithe- news confirms all that we have said above regarding Cambodia. It appears that the Governor of Saigon had some suspicion that a secret treaty had been entered into be- between the King of Cambodia and the King of Siara. He therefore sent for the former monarch, and the King reached Saigon on the 25th of October. He renewed the pro- fessions of his fidelity to the French and seems to have satisfied Admiral de la Gran- diére. The minor incidents of his visit are set forth by the Courier in a passage with which we shall conclude this article :-

"He contemplated the portrait of the Emperor for a long time with attention and respect, but was only withdrawn from it, to admire that of the Em- press. He visited all the different establishments and made numerous enquiries regarding what he saw, and especially as to objects which he thought might be useful in his own country. He was partic- ularly impressed by the Imperial printing office and the electric telegraph. He had his portrait taken by photography and made purchases in the different shops, not forgetting some articles of fash- ion, destined no doubt to set off she beauty of the ladies of the Court of Houdon."

On the 5th instant the residents of Lahore and Umriteur met Sir Robert Montgomery at a farewell entertainment. Mr. McLeod presided. Speeches were made by the Judicial Commissioner in propos- ing the health of the guest of the evening, by Mr. McLeod in speaking of the Viceroy, by Mr. M. Cooper, C. B., in proposing the Army and Navy, and by General Cumynghame in replying. On Saturday lest Sir Robert received the chiefs and gentlemen of the Lahore Division at a farewell durbar, at which the Rajah of Kuppurtulla, K. S. I., was present. Immediately after, a deputation from the missionsaries in the Punjab of all sects asked permission to present him with a clock and a Bible accompanied by an ad- dress in which they eulogised his impartial adherence to the principles of religious neutrality—*an ad- herence which was restored to Native Christians rights too long ignored by Christian Rulers,"—and the aid he had extended to email European com- munities, in the erection of Churches. In reply Sir Robert Montgomery, said:—"I value the addresses most highly, as coming from a body of earnest and faithful men, unconnected in any way with the Gov- emment Service, who have devoted their lives to the highest interests of the people, and for whose un- wearied and self-denying labors I have been a wit- ness. To you belongs the credit of having been the pioneers of Education in this, as in other parts of India; and, at the present time, some of the great flourishing Educational Institutions in the province and conducted by members of your body." Sir Ro- bert Montgomery left the Punjab on Tuesday last, and the day after observed as a holiday to enable all classes to witness his departure.

FORCE OF IMAGINATION.

Many years ago a celebrated Continental physician, author of an excellent work on the force of imagination, being desirous to add experimental to his theoretical know- ledge, made application to the Minister of Justice to be allowed an opportunity of prov- ing what he asserted, by an experiment on a criminal condemned to death. The Minis- ter complied with his request, and delivered over to him an assassin, a man who had been born of distinguished parents. The physician told him that several persons who had taken an interest in the family, had obtained leave of the Minister that be should suffer death in some other way than on the scaffold, to avoid the disgrace of a public execution, and that the easiest death he could die would be by blood-letting. The criminal agreed to the proposal, and count- ed himself happy in being freed from the painful exposure to which he would other- wise have been subjected, and rejoiced at being thus enabled to save the feelings of his friends and family. At the time appointed, the physician repaired to the prison, and the patient having been extended on a table, his eyes bound, and everything being ready, he was slightly pricked near the principal vein of the legs and arms with the point of a pin. At the four corners of the table were two little fountains filled with water, from which issued small streams, falling into ba- sins placed there to receive them. The patient, thinking that it was his blood that trickled into the basins, became weaker and weaker by degrees ; the remarks of the medical men in attendance, in reference to the quality and appearance of the blood (made with that intention ), strengthened the delusion, and he spoke more and more faintly, until his voice was at length scarcely audible. The profound silence which reign- ed in the apartment, and the constant drop- ping of the fountain, had so extraordinary an effect on the brain of the poor patient, that all vital energy was soon gone, and, although before a very strong man, he died without having lost a single drop of blood. Imagination has always been found a pow- erful agent in the production or aggravation of disease. Indeed, the fact has passed into a proverb.

ITEMS,

His Majesty the Supreme King is enjoy- ing himself these evenings upon the New Road. He starts out about 5 o'clock P. M. and returns about 10 P. M. It is to be hoped the presence of His Majesty may have a salutary effect upon some of the pro- ceedings in that quarter.

Projected Internal Improvements.

The return of His Majesty the Supreme King from his journey by way of Nak'awn- Chai-S66, is likely to prove beneficial to the country. We learn upon pretty good auth- ority that there is in serious contemplation the cutting of a large canal direct to the sugar regions in Ta-Chid. The contem- plated canal is to start from the neighbor- hood of Bang-Chak on the Klawng Bang Hlaung. They also contemplate the con- struction of a carriage road from Bang- kok to Nak'awn-Chei-S66. These would be quite an undertaken, but if completed would be permanent blessings to the coun- try. If they are undertaken it is to be hoped they will be carried through.

Patience is but lying to, and riding out the gale.

A contemporary, noticing the marriages of deaf and dumb couple, wished them unspeakable bliss.

Douglas Jerrold once said to an ardent young gentleman, who was anxious to see himself in print. "Be advised by me, young man ; don't take down the shutter before there is something in the win- dow."

A person complained to Dr. Franklin of having been insulted by one who called him a scoundrel. "Ah," replied the doctor, "and what did you will him?" "Why," said he, "I called him a scoundrel, too." "Well," resumed Franklin, "I presume you both spoke the truth."

Mr. Jenkins was dining at a very frugal table, and a piece of bacon near him was so very small, that the lady of the house remarked to him, "Pray, Mr. Jenkins, help yourself to the bacon: Don't be afraid of it!" "No, indeed, madam—I've seen a piece twice as large, and it did not scare me a bit."

A shopkeeper purchased of an Irishwoman a quantity of butter, the lumps of which, intended for pounds, he weighed in the balance, and found wanting. "Sure it's your own fault if they are light," said Biddy, in reply to the complaints of the buyer: "it's your own fault, sir; for wasn't it with a pound of your own soap I bought here myself that I weighed them with?"

A letter of credit was demanded of M. de Roths- child for the Empress, the terms of which it was de- sired should be different to the ordinary letter of credit. M. de R., who has a witty turn, it appears, though he might afford, from his wealth, to do without such an article, wrote the following curious circular letter:—"M. de Rothschild of Paris begs M. de Rothschild of Frankfort to place at the dispo- sition of the Countess de Monterau himself and for- tune."