The Bangkok Recorder.

A Semi-monthly Journal, will be issued from the
printing office of the American Missionary As-
sociation, at the month of the Canal, "Klawng Bang-
kok Yai" about 1st and 15th of every month. It
will contain much Political, Literary, Scientific, Com-
mercial, and Local Intelligence, as shall render it
worthy of the general patronage.

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subject to the usual restrictions.

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sentiments of their correspondents.

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companied by the name of the Correspondent.

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Messrs. Virgin & Co.

Bangkok November 1st 1865.

We look in vain these times for some-
thing exciting from the western world, with
which to fill up our columns. Since the
crashing out of the rebellion in the United
States, and the quiet which follows, Euro-
pean journals appear to be at as great a
loss as ourselves for something to fill up
their columns. Every thing in Europe is
quiet. The review of the English and
French iron-clad fleet is over. The Atlantic
telegraph expedition has been abandoned
until spring; and even the Schleswig—Hol
stein question has been settled. Her Bri-
tannic Majesty is enjoying excellent health at
Rosenau near Coburg surrounded by most
of her children. She was to witness on
August 26th the inauguration of a memo-
rial statue in honor of the late Prince
Consort.

The Emperor and Empress of the French
have been enjoying a visit to Arenberg in
Switzerland since the residence of the Em-
peror's mother. The place is big with re-
miniscences of the more youthful days of
the Emperor.

Affairs in the United States are as quiet
as could be expected after what they have
passed through. Some unpleasant occur-
rences are still taking place of which the
unfortunate negro is still at the bottom.
Old prejudices against him still exist to a
certain extent in many places. It has al-
ways been a characteristic of the race to
be a little impudent when circumstances
favored. Not yet understanding fully what
freedom means, some of them may have
pressed their claims a little to far. These
things have led to several small, but un-
pleasant collisions throughout the Northern
States.

In the South lately in rebellion the whites
and negroes are getting along as well as
might be expected. In some places, es-
pecially in some portions of Virginia, the
whites declare they will have nothing to do
with their former slaves. In other places
however they appear to be adapting them-
selves as well as possible to the circum-
stances. Men are either hiring their form-
er slaves by the month or giving them a
certain share of what they raise.

The north is evidently a little too hasty
to "reconstruct," and as a consequence of
this haste many who were lately arrayed
against the government have so adapted
themselves to the circumstances as to man-
age to get rather lucrative appointments
from the government. Whilst others who,
in sympathy at least, have remained firm to
the government, through the whole struggle
have been passed over. This is likely to
create unpleasant feelings.

Some of the English papers still insist
that there is difficulty pending between the
United States and Mexico, but we see no
thing that looks very much like it. The
reasons they assign for such a belief are the
declaration of some of the leading generals
and others. There is no doubt that such
feelings exist to a great extent and Gen.
Sheridan would desire no better past time
than to invade Mexico, but it must be re-
membered that those men are not the
government.

The most disgraceful thing which has
occurred for a long time in the United
States courts, was the kind of mock trial and
acquittal at Washington, of Miss Harris for
the murder of a young government clerk.
Young Burroughs a Treasury clerk, had
made a marriage engagement with Miss
Harris, which engagement he failed to ful-
fill. The lady became desperate and took
his life. During the trial the prosecuting
attorney appearance have done his duty, but
the judge delivered no charge to the jury,
and they, after remaining out about ten
minutes returned with a verdict of "not
guilty." The verdict was received with
enthusiasm by the crowd of spectators, who
rushed forward in numbers to congratulate
Miss. H. on her acquittal. She fainted, and
was taken out in the arms of her senior
counsel. The grounds of the acquittal
were that it was an act of "insane impulse."
Young men who make such engagements
should be made to fulfill them, but the law
is strict in such cases, and the injured ones
seldom fail to get redress through that,
when they apply in the proper way. There
is no need therefore for them to take the
law in their own hands, and commit delib-
erate murder. It is to be hoped that such
scenes will not be repeated. We are glad
to see that the press generally comes down
on the whole proceedings. There is no-
thing that reveals so clearly a fearful state
of morals, as laxity, or corruption in
courts of justice.

Consular Dignity Vs. Social
Intercourse.

That the Consuls of the different Treaty
Powers here are an important class of men
I presume there are few that will attempt
to deny. There are many here who have
had a trial of it without the assistance of
these officials, and who will fully testify to
the advantages of the latter administration.
They of course are the highest official auth-
ority of the Treaty Powers here. Some of them
are invested with very high powers, from
their decision there is no appeal, and some
of them have even the power of life and
death. They deserve also great respect as
the legal representatives of the Treaty Pow-
ers here. So far therefore as they honor
the powers which have honored them they
deserve great respect from the subjects of
those powers. This I believe they one
and all have. I know of no one here, who
has not a most profound respect for the
Consul of his nation as such. I know of
no one, who would not willingly assist his
Consul, in every way in his power, in the
exercise of his official functions. And I
have not seen any one here who, notwith-
standing his personal feelings toward the
official would not enter the arena in defence
of his Consul, if he heard him assailed by
any one else. There is another matter how-
ever which is not so closely defined as those
referred to above. It is the social status
to which I refer. In this they may possibly
want to assume more than will be willingly
accorded to them. The question therefore
is how much superior socially does the
donning of the Consular button, make a
man to those whom he governs, and who
may be morally and intellectually his equal
or perhaps much his superior? These re-
marks have been suggested by some things
which have been transpiring during the last
years. His Majesty the Supreme king of
Siam has been accustomed for some years
to give a birthday dinner. It was usually a
kind of general affair to which all were in-
vited. It was not however a matter of much
grief to any one who might be passed over
in the distribution of the invitations. The
occasion gave His Majesty an opportunity
of seeing those who had become residents
of his kingdom and afforded them on the
other hand an opportunity of expressing
their good will toward him. Last year how-
ever two of the Consuls thought they could
not sit down to table with the plebeians and
consequently took upon themselves the re-
sponsibility of suggesting the setting of a se-
parate table for Consuls and the principle at-
taches. The result was that most of the guests
considered themselves insulted, and left. It
must be said however to the credit of most
of the Consuls, that they did not approve of
the affair and some of them expressed their
disapprobation. The result has been I be-
lieve the breaking up of the general dinner.
And although the one who was made the
"scape goat" last year, is not present, still
there is reason to believe that some sugges-
tions have again been made. When the
birth day came the Consuls and attaches
were alone invited to dinner. Had it end-
ed in a Consular dinner we presume it
would have cost no one a thought after-
wards but a select company was invited
the next morning to breakfast, there is
reason to believe however that it was even
more select than was intended. In this
affair therefore the Consuls have been vic-
torious. It is to be regretted that any one
would thus lower the dignity of the office
which they seek to elevate by condescending
to be master of ceremonious, of a royal
dinner. And whilst I presume there are
few who will grieve over the affair, yet it
would be well to inquire where these things
will stop, and what are our rights, even if
the inquiry should be dropped in as unsat-
isfactory a manner as the discussion of the
Pilot question.

A Kind of Angling that doesn't al-
ways take-—Fishing for compliments.

Jesuitism.

Some naturalist has aptly described man
as "a religious animal." Certain it is that
there is no nation or tribe without some
sort of a religion, and a history of the or-
igin and influence of the multiplicity systems
of faith which have prevailed in the world,
would afford a most interesting study. The
somewhat unique character of the Jesuits,
and the important influence which they
have already exerted and seem likely yet
to exert upon China and Siam and other
countries in the East, has led us to look
with some care, into the history and inner
workings of the strange Order known as
the "Society of Jesus," and we propose to
lay before the readers of the Recorder an
impartial view of this "right arm" of the
Roman church. We write in the interests
Of no sect or party, but our aim is simply
to present the truth as we find it.

In the history of our race, all great pro-
gress has been accompanied by revolution.
What are known as the "moral forces"
have not achieved their greatest victories,
by quiet daily contest with evil, but there
have been epochs, mighty conflicts of truth
with error, where the future supremacy of
the one over the other has been staked
upon the issue of the contest. At such
periods heroes are born,—men who are
self-appointed champions of the opposing
forces,—men of comprehensive mould-masters
of the times, who are able to grapple
successfully with the difficulties of the day,
and give direction to the current of events.
Such a period was that embraced by the
latter half of the 16th and first half of the
16th century, and such a leader and hero
was Ignatius Loyola—the founder of the
Society of Jesus.

Those years of the Reformation were
among the most eventful of all history.
During all the dark-ages the heart and the
intellect—the church and the state of Eu-
rope had slumbered; but now the dawn
was breaking, and the long imprisoned
forces were in chaotic tumult. Yet, amid
all this confusion, there were two grand
ideas in conflict with each other, and these
were, the rule or the reign of Papacy. For
each idea, there was, in the wise order-
ing of Providence, a special champion,—
Luther, the advocate of religious and intel-
lectual liberty,—Loyola, the "incarnation
of spiritual despotism,"—the knight errant
and special defender of the Papal church.
Devoted Romans are pleased to remind
us that in all the Christian centuries, when
His truth has been particularly assailed,
God has sent forth a special servant for its
defence. Thus was the unequal contest
carried on between Athenasius and Arius,
Cyril and Nestorius, Jerome and Vigilan-
tius, Augustine and Manichees, Bernard
and Abelard, Dominic and the Albigensess,
in ancient times David and Goliath, and now
in these last days Ignatius Loyola vs. Mar-
tin Luther and John Calvin. Let but the
last equation of this series be transposed
and Protestants will give to the conclusions
drawn from it, their steady assent.

But what was the mission of this great
order of Jesuits, which was reared up
as a bulwark of Romanism, and a defence
against the attacks of Luther and his co-
reformers? In making a reply to this, the
life and character of Loyola first claim our
attention.

In 1491, eight years after the birth of
Luther, and one year before the discovery
of America by Columbus, Don Ignatius
Loyola first saw the light in the mountains
of Biscay in Spain. His father was a
Count and Ignatius was reckoned as his
eight son and the thirteenth child. At an
early age he was sent to attend as page at
the Court of Ferdinand and Isabella, where
he remained to enjoy the smiles of royal
favor till the age of twenty one. At this
period while engaged in some military ex-
ploit, he received a severe fractures of his
limbs. While patiently waiting his recov-
ery, he shuffled away the tedious hours, by
reading tale of knight errantry, and a few
devotional treatises, a life of Christ, and
a book of legends of the deserts, with ac-
counts of chivalric deeds performed by
some Christian martyrs.

But the ambitious spirit of the young
courtier grew restive under the prolonged
constraint of hospital life. He longed for
the time to come when he could once more
grasp the sword, and with Quixotic courage
could emulate the noble deeds of the
knightly heroes of which he read. But
his dreams and ardent hopes of military
glory were not to be realized. The sur-
geon had been unskillful in setting his frac-
tured limbs. The end of the bone was
left protruding, and the right leg was
a full inch shorter than the left. Twice he
submitted without a groan to the tortures
of the rack. In order to remove the diffi-
culty, but all in vain,—he was doomed to
be a cripple for life. His towering ambi-
tion must be gratified by other than milit-
ary exploits. And what more natural than
that he should resolve to achieve sainthood!
The daily Pabulum upon which his mind was
feeding, consisted of fabulous tales of the
martyrs of the church. He determined if
possible to excel them all, in self-sacrific-
ing devotion to the faith. The examples
of the holy Dominic and the holy Francis
should serve to urge him on to yet higher
achievements. He would at once renounce
the world, and make a pilgrimage to Jeru-
salem,—barefoot, with daily flagellations.
In 1522, on the very day that Luther was
summoned to appear at the Diet of Worms
to answer for his "execrable heresies," Loy-
ola visited a church of the Virgin and
publicly dedicated himself to the service of
God. He began his pilgrimage traveling
in the guise of a beggar. On his way, he
paused at the village of Manresa, and
kneeling before the shrine of St. Mary, he
made a three days confession of his sins
and took upon himself the vow of perpetual
chastity. His religious fervor grew apace,
and he burned with an intense desire to be-
come the champion of the church, and the
apostle of truth to the world.

Arriving at Rome, he reverently kneeled,
and devotedly kissed the toe of Pope Adrian
VI. After many curious adventures, he
reached Jerusalem, and with high hopes
and great ardor, undertook the work of
converting the infidel Turks and Moslems
who filled the Holy City,—to Christianity.
But the Provincial objected, and forced
him to quit the place. Thus his first mis-
sionary tour was a total failure.

Not at all disheartened, he returned to
Barcelona, and resolved to fit himself more
thoroughly for his great work. According-
ly he began a regular course of elementary
study, and we find him at the age of 34
thumbing his Latin Grammar and subject-
ing himself without a murmur to all the
discipline and floggings usually enjoyed by
boys a third of his age, at school. His
student life continued for a term of nine
years, the last five of which were spent in
Paris. By this long period of pupilage,
he attained to a good degree of literary
culture, and evinced great strength of will
and powers of endurance. He proved his
ability to govern others, by first subduing
himself. While pursuing his studies at
Paris, he employed much of his leisure
time in preaching the Word, and many are
the "heretics" whom he restored from
Lutheranism to the bosom of the Holy Moth-
er Church. His services in these! abors won
him many friends, and in this way was
formed the nucleus of that Company who's
influence fifteen years later, was felt in
every quarter of the globe.

In the next, we shall proceed to speak of
this "Company" and of the constitution,
order and practical workings of the far
famed "Society of Jesus.

The Blue Veil.

"Look out for Lizzie, in a Blue veil, by
the six P. M. train. FRED."

"A dollar and twenty cents, sir, and sign
your name in the book, if you please," said
the boy from the telegraph office.

"A dollar and twenty cents! sign my name
in the book!" I repeated stupidly; "but this
telegram isn't for me."

"Yes, sir. It is sent to Mr. Charles Ches-
ter, at the Lakeville House, Lakeville, N. Y.
There is no other Mr. Chester in Lakeville,
and you always board here, so it must be
you, sir. All right. The telegram has just
come, and it was so near six that they sent.
me around with it in a hurry. It has been
delayed some-where in coming from New
York, but the fault wasn't at our office."

Lizzie—could it be Lizzie Clare, or was
it one of Mrs. Stowell's handsome daughters?
There was no time for me to be idle in sur-
mising which Lizzie I want to meet; I paid
the boy, snapped the patent lock of my,
valise, and drove hurriedly to the depot,
duly to look out for Lizzie, to take the
night train west. The New York express
line had already arrived, and the iron horse
was snorting; impatience to be off. Pas-
sengers were crowding into the cars, bag-
gage was rattling by, the bell was ringing
—and where was Lizzie?

At length, near the door of the ladies'
room, looking uneasily around, I espied
a lady wearing the identical blue veil."

"Is this the Lizzie whom I am to meet?
I ventured to ask, groaning in spirit as the
ignorance in which I had been left regard-
ing any other occomen.

"Oh! yes. And this must be Mr. Chester,
I suppose. You knew me by my blue veil,
did you not? Fred said that would be a
sufficient signal. You are very kind to take
charge of me. I was fearful that you would
find the care of a lady a great burden on a
night journey; but Fred insisted that you
would not mind it, if you took the trouble
for him; so here I am, as you perceive. Are
not the cars just about starting!

"If I have time to see to your baggage," I
managed to say.

"Oh! thank you; but Fred had it check-
ed through, and bought my ticket. It is
all right."

"I knew it was all wrong; but what bache-
lor of two-and-thirty would decline to es-
cort a charming Lizzie in a blue veil, thus
mysteriously committed to his protection!

We had just a minute and a half in which
to secure our seats ere the western train
was off, and my companion uttered a very
contented murmur of satisfaction as we
slowly steamed out of the depot.

"Oh! I was fearful that you would not
be here to meet me, Mr. Chester," she said,
"and I dreaded to undertake the journey
alone."

"It is a long journey," I replied, with a
faint hope that I might tempt her to men-
tion her destination.

"Very long," she answered, demurely.
A call of the conductor revealed the fact
that the lady was going to Cleveland. My
ticket had been purchased for Cincinnati,
previous to the reception of that bewilder-
ing telegram, and I thought with some sat-
isfaction that I could stop in Cleveland, if
I so pleased, without any change of route.

As we rode along, I scanned my travel-
ling companion as closely as I dared; but
only a suggestion of bright eyes, ruby lips
and a dazzling complexion reached me
through the blue veil.

"I think we have never met until to-day,"
I remarked, hazarding an observation which
might or might not prove to be correct.

"Oh! no; but I have heard Fred speak
of you so frequently that I do not feel as
if we could be strangers long."

She smiled, and put up her blue veil. With
the veil lifted, she looked somewhat older
than I expected; I had fancied she was
seventeen, but she now appeared seven-and-
twenty. Yet she was so fair, so dazzling
white with eyes which matched the blue
of her veil; but I forgot the question of
her age is speculating on the possibility of
her being near-sighted. Seated by that
radiant vision, I became specially conscious
of my rough coat and shabby man-of-busin-
ess aspect; and, while I secretly vowed an
amendment for all future time, in various
particulars, I hoped that she might not
prove too observing.

"This is rather a sudden journey of mine,"
remarked my fair companion, "My trunk
is nearly packed, and I expected to leave
on next Monday, and travel alone; but when
Fred heard that you were going to take the
evening train, he telegraphed to you immedi-
ately, and hurried me off.

"Ah! Fred," through I, "it seems to me
I have you now. It is just like gay Fred
Dalrymple to surprise one which such a tele-
gram, all in the dark, and this must be his
sister Lizzie. She is going to Cleveland to
visit Robert and his wife; and Fred, hear-
ing that I was to start on my trip to-night,
sent his sister along, under my care, without
my ceremony."

The mystery was explained, and with a
lighter heart I turned to the young lady,
stimulated by this discovery in my previous
determination to render myself desperately
agreeable.

"How is your dear Jenny!" suddenly in-
quired my comrade of the blue veil.

"My dear Jenny!" mused I. "Oh yes,
sister Jane, I presume, she means."

"She is very well," I replied.

"We have so often exchanged messages
with our love, through the medium of your
correspondence with Fred, that I feel quite
well acquainted with that dear Jenny, Mr.
Chester."

"Humph!" I said to myself, "just like
Fred Dalrymple to forget to deliver his
sister's messages, and than invent replies
to satisfy her questions and cover his
negligence."

"And do tell me something about that
baby," continued Fred's sister. "You need
not be afraid of praising it to me, for you
know we ladies always take a lively interest
in babies."

"I would gladly gratify you if it were
possible," I replied; "but, to own the truth,
I seldom take much notice of the baby race."

"As if I should believe you in this par-
ticular instance," returned my interlocutor,
quite gayly. "Why, somebody told Fred
that you burned the gas all night, on pur-
pose to see how cunning this wonderful
baby looks when asleep."

"Me!" I exclaimed in horror.

"Yes! You need not deny it," said she.
"I can readily understand that bashfulness
conceals your raptures. Of course, it is
intended for you."

It happened that sister Jenny's youngest
child had been christened Charlie in honor
of his bachelor uncle, and I surmised
that her supposition was not incorrect.

"When I see Jenny I shall feel it is my
duty to tell her what heartless indifference
you have feigned in regard to that baby;
but you cannot impose upon me," said the
owner of the blue veil. "I shall acquit you
of possessing any of the old bachelor non-
chalance with which you have tried to veil
your interest."

"You must not expect to manufacture a
baby worshipper out of an old bachelor," I
said, jestingly.

"Oh! no; but young fathers are not such
sublime savages as you would try to have
me believe."

"Gracious! what can she mean!" was my
silent ejaculation.

As she did not seem inclined to rally us
further we fell into quite converse on com-
mon-place themes, very much as if we had
been some dozens years acquainted.

"We will ride all night," I said, finally,
"and ought I not to secure a berth for you in
the sleeping car! I notice that you seem
very much fatigued."

"I am weary; but I detest those sleeping
cars."

"So do I the same," was my hearty re-
joinder.

"Really and truly!" she asked, with some
incredulity.

"I fancied that I ought to take one on
your account, to release you from the pen-
ance of sitting up in these hard seats all
night. But it would be a great pleasure to
me, if you could be as comfortable, to have
you accept my shawl, and my arm for a pil-
low, and make yourself cosy for the night."

"Do you thing that Jenny will not object
to my accepting such a service of you?"
she asked, sweetly.

"Certainly, Jenny will not object," I as-
sured her.

I would gladly have added that Jenny
would not object, on some future day, to
be presented with a sister-in-law wearing a
blue veil, but I hardly dared to hazard the
suggestion while our acquaintance was still
so recent a date.

She took off her bonnet—a dainty bit of
millinery—-which I regarded with a species
of silent awe, and scarcely ventured to put
up in the rack above us. Then the blue veil
was tied tightly over her curls, and resting
her head upon my shoulder, the beauty was
soon asleep.

But I, Charley Chester, could not sleep—-
too many visions were haunting me.
Was this really Fred Dalrymple's Lizzie!
would I ever see her again after this journey
was ended! And oh! most desperate and
enticing speculation of all, could I ever hope
to take to myself the life-long burden of
looking out for Linnie is a blue veil!

This might seem to thee delicious
reverie. When we were within a few miles
of Cleveland, my face changed color.

"Do you feel rested?" I inquired.

"Oh! very much. You are exceedingly
kind to have taken such care of me. Fred
told me that Jenny's husband would be a
most desirable escort, but I find that he
scarcely told me half the truth."

Jenny's husband! It struck me dumb,
so I was Jenny's husband, was 1!

"Neither shall I believe, after your gen-
tleness and attention to me, that you can be
as indifferent to your baby as you would try
to have me think."

My baby! The woman was adding insult
to injury! First a wife, and then a baby be-
stowed on me, at five minutes' notice, as
if they were the most every-day affairs in
the world.

"I think we must be near Cleveland,"
continued my companion, arranging her
tangled curls, and putting on her bonnet.

"It is possible that my husband may be
at the depot, to meet me, and relieve you
of any further trouble on my account. If he
is not there, I shall only ask you to put
me in a coach, and send me home—unless,
indeed, I can prevail upon you to stop over
one or two trains in Cleveland, and visit
us. My husband would be delighted to
have you. Why will you not be content to do so?"

Not Fred Dalrymple's sister, after all! I
muttered something in reply, I know not
what, but she took it as a refusal to accept
her hospitality, and continued—-

"And if you cannot or will not stay with
us now, I want you to promise that you
will come soon, and bring dear Jenny and
the baby, and make us a long visit."

The cars stopped. We had reached
Cleveland, and the ensuing bustle relieved
me from the necessity of replying. I assist-
ed her to alight, and consigned her to the
arms of a tall, bearded fellow, who kissed
dear Lizzie before my very eyes!

"And this is Mr. Chester-—Fred's friend,
you know, Harry."

Harry rolled his eyes around, but evident-
ly did not recognize me, and said nothing.

"Fred received a letter from Mr. Chester,
saying he would be in Lakeville on business
on Tuesday, and would take charge of me
if I would meet him at the evening train—so
Fred telegraphed to him to look out for me,
and here I am, very much obliged for his
care and escort.

"But where is he all this time!" asked
the husband, impatiently.

"Hang the blue veil! There is some mis-
take here," I exclaimed, pulling out the
telegram as a voucher for me. "I am Char-
les Chester, of Lakeville, at your service.
I reside in Lakeville, and I received this
dispatch yesterday. I took charge of this
lady as well as I knew how; and though I
could not satisfactorily decided who she might
be, or by whom committed to my care, it
is only within half an hour I have discover-
ed that I, myself, was not the Charles
Chester who should have been on the "look
out for Lizzie, in a blue veil!"

They started. They read the telegram.
The oddity of the mistake bewitched us all,
and they took him home with them to laugh
it over where they found that no Jenny was
awaiting me at my journey's end. And as
all's well that ends well, let me tell you that
my young wife, to-day, is Lizzie's sister,
and equally partial to a blue veil.

Wat Visiting.

Mr. Editor-—Among the many displays
which His Majesty the supreme king of Siam
has recently made of his glory as monarch of
the country and protector of the Boodhist re-
ligion, none probably was more august than
that of the 14th inst. in state Barges on the
river near the royal palace and in Bang-
kok-yai cana' near the office of the "Recor-
der." As in entering this canal His Majesty
must necessarily pass near the office, and
thinking perhaps that I would be out taking
notes of the scene for publication in the Re-
corder, His Majesty sent an officer to me
about an hour beforehand to invite me and
my family to repair to Wat-Hong, the tem-
ple which he was to visit, and have a view
of the royal procession from its landing. The
order was, that I should go prepared with
paper and pencil for taking all the notes I
might think proper. I had previously made
up my mind that in consequence of a pre-
sure of cares I would make no effort to see
His Majesty that day though he were go-
ing to pass close by my gate. But as the
opportunity presented by the invitation of
the king was one wholly unprecedented for
acquiring accurate information of much
that was yet enveloped in darkness to for-
eigners about the royal visitations of the
temples, I could not well decline the liber-
al offer. There were then waiting with
me several persons of the Am. missionary
community hoping to get a clear view of
His Majesty in passing the gate. These the
king's messenger felt at liberty to invite
with myself and family into the immediate
presence of His Majesty at Wat-Hong.
And as it was an extraordinary opportunity,
favoring well their object, they gladly
availed themselves of it. The king's mes-
senger advised us all to get into a boat at
once, and hasten to the temple that we might
have leisure for making observations about
and within the sacred enclosures, before
the arrival of the royal cortege. We did so,
having him with us clothed with the high-
est authority for giving us full scope; con-
sequently no one dared to offer the least
objection to our scrutinizing as minutely as
we could wish even within the Sanctum
Sanctorum.

Being the only person in the company
prepared for taking notes, I endeavored to
improve to the best of my ability the op-
portunity given me. Although I have been
a resident in this city more than 30 years
I then saw many things that were novel to
me, having never before had so close and
careful a view of them, and only
vague reports of others. But it will not
do for me to think of inflicting upon your
readers the task of reading a full account of
what I regarded as worthy of note, and
hence I will confine myself to a few of the
most interesting particulars.

Having spent half an hour in walking
about the court of the temple, passing even
into the OOBOSOTE—the sanctum sanctorum,
where all the priests of the temple are
initiated, and where the king worships the
idol once a year, the long accustomed
Siamese proclamation Sadet Laaoh, (the
king is coming) together with the rushing
of state Barges, and the sounding of OLD
SIAM trumpets and the playing of the
brass-band of YOUNG SIAM, announced to
us clearly that the king was approaching.
Our royal guide advised us all to stand on
the right side of the landing by which His
Majesty would enter the court of the tem-
ple. We had previously been sitting in a
Sala at the landing a little elevated above
the walk on which the king would proceed
into the most holy place. Hence it was
thought becoming in us to come down a
step or two to be on a common level with
Siam's Monarch when he should there favor
us with his gracious audience and royal
salutation. And this we had no hesitancy
in doing as it required no sacrifice of prin-
ciple and no undue humiliation as we were
allowed to stand up in our common manhood
with the king.

The procession of royal Barges was in-
deed grand as it passed in the canal leading
to the temple. His Majesty was seated on a
highly gilded throne under a pagoda-form-
ed canopy in one of the royal Dragon
Barges, propelled by eighty men with pad-
dles. He was fully and richly attired in gar-
ments wrought with gold, and decked with
diamonds and other precious stones. He
wore a hat of immense brim adorned with
gold and jewels. His Majesty being of slen-
der form, the Prā Mahā-Mala, as the royal
hat is called, did not become him nearly as
well as it would have done one of his cor-
pulent halfbrothers. Still it distinguished
him as the Monarch, and that was was enough.
More than a dozen of His Majesty's child-
ren followed him in another beautiful Barge
with capacious acomomodations for a large
family of little Princes and Princesses which
the king is fond of taking with him on such
occasions. Somdet Chowfah, the heir ap-
parent, a smart lad of 12 years had a fine
Barge all by himself.

Having waited a few minutes for the
princes and lords, the royal guard and brass
band to get in readiness to receive him in the
court of the temple, His Majesty laid off his
hat of estate, and taking his sceptre in hand
walked golden shod up the steps of the
landing alone, while all his subjects, await-
ing him in the temple, as well as in the
Barges were prostrated in the profoundest
submission. As we had assigned to us a
standing position near the landing, and as
I was the elder of the company, His Majes-
ty immediately saluted me, and gave me his
hand, and then walked forward on the grass
matting which had been spread out for him
the whole way to the Oobosote, which may
have been 40 rods or more. A company
of the royal guard on the left of the path
presented arms as the king passed, and the
brass-band played the first strain of "God
save the king." His Majesty having over-
heard one of my company inquire whether
we might be allowed to follow him into the
temple, promptly responded—-O yes. We
accordingly followed the train into the
porch of the Oobosote. We observed just
outside of the porch a large flat water basin
having the appearance of being made of silver
in which it was said that His Majesty
washed his feet before he went into the
holy place. There was passing from the
basin into the temple a clean strip of muslin
on which the king walked to preserve
himself from any further defilement with
earth before entering the most holy place.
The balcony surrounding the Oobosote,
was decorated with numerous bouquets set
in neat vases. There was also arranged
tastefully among these flowers a great vari-
ety of the fruits of Siam common to the
season. All these things were intended as
offerings by the people, not to the idol, but
to their king.

We supposed of course that the invita-
tion given us by the king would allow us
to proceed no further than barely into the
entrance of the sacred hall. But the event
proved that we had unduly limited it.
His Majesty being at the farther end, and
seeing us all standing at the door, beckoned
us to come to him. We promptly com-
plied with the call, and went up and stood
within six feet of him at his right hand
as he went through with all the ceremonies
of the occasion. Here we had a clear
view of what heretofore we had been able
to get only from the reports of natives.
The naked halls of Oobosotes and the dumb
idols seated each high on thrones where the
old fashioned christian churches had their
pulpits, we had many times seen. But the
king of Siam prostrate before the idol and
a hundred or more Boodhist priest's
closely packed, seated on the floor on the
right side of the hall, holding their telapoins
or fans and taking their turns in the wor-
ship and rehearsals we had never before
witnessed.

Between the king and the idol stood
an ordinary table about 4 feet by 3, and
on this were ten candles in quite common
glass stands arranged in rows of five each.
These were nearest the king. Next beyond
were five golden vases containing each
what appeared to be a large cake of pago-
da-form but which, as the king informed
us, was made of wood and painted to have
the appearance of being a cake of parched
corn. The next row consisted of five
similar vases filled with flowers. There were
also here and there a few incense sticks.

His Majesty was seated on a silken rug
eight feet square. On the same rug on
either side of him were carefully arranged
a cashion richly wrought with gold and
set with jewels,—a gold drinking cup,—
a gold cigar case,—a betel box elegantly fin-
ished with gold and glistening with diam-
onds, and the royal sword and lance in scab-
bards thickly studded with rubies, emeralds
and diamonds. Besides these there were
many other costly and to me nameless arti-
cles, intended to display the riches and
glory of His Majesty. One of the vessels
was of solid gold weighing at the least two
pounds.

Soon after the king had taken his seat
in the midst of those insignia of royalty
he first lighted the candles and the incense
sticks. He then bowed down on his knees
and elbows with his face in the palms of
his hands to the floor and thus worshipped
the idol. Rising from this prostration he
turned to me and said, that what I had pub-
lisbed in the Bangkok Calendar for 1863
under the head—What the king does in
the temple, was incorrect in several respects.
The chief of which appeared to be the state-
ment I made that the king then renews form-
erly his covenant to keep sometimes the
five and sometimes the eight rules of the
Boodhist religion. He acknowledged that
that was the old custom, but said, that in
this reign it had been dispensed with. This
statement was made in the " King's Eng-
lish" which no man can murder, and which
it is exceedingly difficult for an English-
man or American to understand. Hence it
is quite possible that I have not got precise-
ly the idea His Majesty meant to convey
to me, but not at all probable that I have
in the main misunderstood him. It struck
me, on hearing that statement, that it indi-
cates a marked declension from strict Bood-
hism.

His Majesty next proceeded to make a
formal presentation of suits of yellow robes
to the priests. He first took a small part
of a suit in both hands, and in a kneeling
posture held it up between his face and
the idol. Then turning to his left towards
the chief priest sitting near by, he presented
the robe with the same genuflections
and manipulations as when it was present-
ed to the idol excepting that he touched
his nose to the garment as the last act.
Taking it from the hand of the king, the
priest then, in concert with eight or ten
others, holding their telapoins up before
then responded attoo satoo—-meaning that
it is accomplished or perhaps more strictly
amen and amen. This being finished the
next move of His Majesty was to place all
the ten or dozen suits, that had been ap-
propriated to that company of priests, on a
large vase or platter together, whereupon
the chief priest led in Pali rehearsals over
them. And then the whole hundred or
more of the clerical fraternity joined in a
Pali incantation which made the lofty ceil-
ing as one grand sounding board and
completely filled the place with the pecu-
liar roaring of Booddhist chanting. His Ma-
jesty in the next place distributed the suits
to eight or ten of the priests, such probably,
as had been previously designated as suit-
able subjects of this royal favor. Having
received them, they all retired for a few
minutes into some kind of a vestry, and
dressing themselves in their new robes re-
turned and held other services, among
which was prostrating themselves in their
several places unto the idol. In this they
were joined by the whole body of the
priests-—This they did three times in quick
succession-—And then followed again Pali
rehearsals in general concert. The chief
priest next addressed the recipients of the
new clothing, to which they immediately
responded and then finally the whole band
chanted again in concert.

While all this was going on I stood up
by one of the immense twelve brick pillars
supporting the ceiling, and used my pencil
in taking notes as freely as I would have
done in any other place. My fellow visitors
stood near by me conversing freely with
His Majesty's charming children, some of
whom were sitting on the floor about us,
and some standing, most of them talkative,
asking many questions about our dress, our
country, our children, and our religion.
There was not the least appearance of fear
or reverence for the idol in any thing they
said or did. One of the lads, a folicksome
follow, even made sport of the great golden
image of Boodh, and said—this idol is a
stupid creature, and cannot talk. The one
we have at home, said he, can talk not only
Pali and Siamese, but English as well. In
this remark he referred to a time when one
of our number was visiting some of her old
pupils in the royal palace. This regal
spring of young Siam, then ran behind one
of the idols there, and made himself spokes-
man for it, speaking in the English lan-
guage, and sportively said, "see how well he
can speak English."

The king himself evinced very little rev-
erence in all that we saw him do at the
altar. He mixed up his devotions with
free conversation with myself, and com-
panions on a variety of quite undevotional
topics. Indeed the whole affair appeared
more like an effort to show how little of
heart the present monarch of Siam and
sworn protector of the Boodhist faith has
in the religion of the country, than of a
display of his zeal for it.

These children of His Majesty were very
richly, and beautifully arrayed in golden
garments thickly studded with diamonds,
and other precious stones. They were lit-
erally loaded down with gold chains, neck-
laces, wristlets, anklets, having several of
each and each of them quite heavy. The
complexion of their faces and hands was
converted to a soft cream colour by cosmet-
ics, and their keen black eyes sparkled
like splendid diamonds under their raven
colored eyebrows, and lashes. Their royal
sire was evidently very proud of them,
seeming to be more desirous to exhibit
them to us and the multitude than to dis-
play any other phase of his glory as a
monarch. The heir apparent, Somdet
Chowfah was occasionally among them, and
evinced a bright mind, and like a lad of
promise, did not rely very much up-
on dress to show forth his preeminence in
the royal family. His Majesty's first born
after ascending the throne, a charming look-
ing princess of about 15 years of age, was
there. As I was in attendance on her royal
mother soon after her birth, and had the fire
removed from the bed in which she was
writhing, and was thus the means, as His
Majesty has ever been pleased to think, of
saving both mother and child, the king took
peculiar interest in calling my attention to
this daughter. Taking her by the hand,
and lifting her up from her seat on the floor,
he lead her to me, and put her hand in
mine, when she saluted me very handsomely
in the English tongue. His Majesty then
remarked that many of his children could
now speak English quite well. This ac-
quisition he would have us understand was
mainly to be put to the credit of Mrs.
Leonowens their accomplished teacher.

The time we were in the Oobosote was
but little short of an hour. The first move
of the assembly to retire was the walking
of His Majesty toward the door of the hall.
Presently a number of royal servants come in
and gathered up all the insignia of royalty
and other articles belonging peculiarly to
the king and carried them down to the royal
Barges. His Majesty halted a little at the
porch and presented some little tokens of
friendship to His Highness Krom Hluong
Wongsa who had been waiting there during
the ceremonies. In descending to the royal
Barge the soldiers and the brass-band sa-
luted His Majesty in the same manner as
when he ascended. It required some eight
or ten minutes for the king to get himself
adjusted on his little pagoda-formed throne,
and to array himself in full state as when
he came, and for all classes of his attendants
to get themselvs in readiness to move off
in due order. When all were ready, a man
dressed in dirty white muslin kneeled be-
fore His Majesty from the fore part of the
royal barque and chanted a few words of
praise to the king. Then all the boatmen
prostrated themselves unto him three times
on elbows and knees with their faces
in their hands down on a level with their
seats. They were fully clothed in red
woolen fabric, and their caps seemed to
be made of the same, and were rather taste-
fully formed. The boatmen of the second
royal barque were clothed in like manner,
but did not I think unite in the triple
prostrations. When the cortege began to
move, the boatmen paddled to an ancient
tune as to Siamese words, all of course in
praise of their king.

Boodhism Vs. Christianity.

The following is a translation of an
article received in answer to one which
appeared in our last Siamese issue of the
Recorder.

I understand the numerous questions you
ask about the Christian and Boodhist reli-
gion, and beg to answer a few of them
briefly. In the endless discussions of those
who hold to different religions there is no use
of getting angry at all.

The assertion you make concerning the
Boodhist religion, that it is plunged in ut-
ter darkness, and does not spread nor-en
large at all, I would answer by saying that
the precepts of that religion are opposed to
the depraved passions and natural bent of
the human heart, just like a man rowing a
boat against the current of a rapid stream.
Those only who have great patience and
perseverance can succeed in stemming the
current. B?ddhism is very deep, and
intricate, and difficult to be understood,
because it opposes the will of man. It is
not a religion to satisfy the present want as
scratching satisfies the desire excited by
itching. For the reason those who have
arrived at an understanding of it have done
so by the attainment, in the first place, of a
state of indifference to everything. If we
should go abroad and teach this religion in
other countries no body would believe or
receive it. Not even those who do hold to
it are able to live up to its precepts. It is
only those who have firm unshaken belief
in it that can live up to it at all.

What you said with reference to light and
darkness, that those who believe in the
Christian religion, have great prosperity—
their country flourishes, and light and know-
ledge abounds, because of the power of
that religion, I cannot yet agree with. I
have understood that there are many in
Europe who do not hold to the Christian
religion, who yet have light and knowledge
just the same as those who do hold to it;
What light is this that shines and gives
them prosperity, pray!

Again the Siamese, Chinese, Peguans,
and Cochin Chinese in this country who
have become Christians, hold to that reli-
gion more firmly than the people of Euro-
pe, and yet I have not seen them have any
prosperity. On the contrary, they are much
in debt, and in slavery. Why does not that
light come and shine upon them better
then on them who are not Christians ! If
Christians have more prosperity than any
other see, if they have more wealth, live to
a greater age, have more happiness, and do
not grow old nor die, nor never become
poor, I will agree with you that the Chris-
tian religion is indeed a great blessing. But
this blessing I do not yet see, and how can
I hold to it?

To what you state about your having re-
ceived a royal invitation to visit the temple
Wat Hōngsa-ran where you saw the idols,
and what you say about the impropriety
of worshipping idols, in answer I beg to
say, that those who make Bōddhist images
use them for the purpose of leading and as-
sisting their hearts in thinking of Bōddh.
They do not hold that the image is god; it
is only something to assist the minds of
those who look at them, in thinking of him
who is the most exalted and sacred teach-
er. He had truely a body. But those who
hold to the images of tawada in the san
chòw, I think are wrong, because they
represent beings that have no body, they are
invisible. Whether there are truely such
beings as tawada or not I do not know.
What advantage is there in worshipping
the images of beings that have had no
bodies, or indeed any thing we cannot see?

What you say about your visit to the
idol's temple, and the fear you express,
lest any one should think that you were
half inclined to believe in the Bōddhist re-
ligion, I think is true. Whosoever believes
strictly, as you profess to do, in the Chris-
tian religion, would never enter the doors
of an idolatrous place of worship.

In what I have said, if I have given you
any offence, it is wholly unintentional, and
I beg that you will forgive the expressions
used.

[The above will be answered in the next
issue of the Siamese department of the
Recorder.] Ed.

Names of Canal's etc.

His Majesty the Supreme King of Siam
having sent us an article for our Siamese
issue, directing how the people shall hence-
forth call certain new canals and roads;
we give below a translation of it.

The canal which begins at the Custom
House and leads to Wat Tēwārāt-kōōn
ch'awn, commonly called New Canal, shall
be called Klawng p'́adoong-Kroong-krarem.
The canal which leaves the Klawng
p'́adoong-Kroong-krarem and passes straight
to Bangaw, south of the mouth of the
canal Prá kânong, shall be called Klawng
Tánon-trong. The road upon its bank
shall be denominated Tánon-trong. The
new road leading from Wat Prá ch'etoo
p'on straight through the city walls over a
canal to the Malay and Cambodian village,
and then bending comes near to Fort Pit-
chānuk; and then passes over the Klawng-
p'́adoong-Kroong-krarem, going straight
to Bang-kaw-krŭm, shall be called Tánon
chāmrǒn-kroong. It is hereby forbidden
that any other names be used for these
canals and roads than those herein given.

BIRTH.

On the 17th October, the wife of J. M. T. da
Costa Esqr, of a son

Would you be exempt from uneasiness
do not one thing you know or suspect to
be wrong. Would you enjoy the purest
pleasure, do every thing in your power you
are convinced is right.

Two men, both cowards, made in a narrow
way, neither was disposed to turn out of the
road. "Give me the road," said one, in
braggart voice, "and if you don't, I'll do for
you what I did for the man who refused it
to me, yesterday," The other [....]
aside in terror, and when he of the braggart
voice had gone by; asked him, timidly,
"What did you do, Sir, to the man who
refused you the road yesterday, and would
not get out of your way!" "Why, said
the other, "I let them keep the road, and
got out of his way."