The Bangkok Recorder.

A Weekly journal will be issued from the printing office of the American Missionary Association, at the mouth of the Canal, "Klawng Bangkok Yai" It will contain such Political, Literary, Scientific, Commercial, and local intelligence, as shall render it worthy of the general patronage.

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EXTRACTS.

A correspondent of the New York Independent, Mr. X., being on a visit to New York recently, decided to go on Sunday morning to hear the Rev. Dr. Chapin. To his regret, on arriv- ing at the church, he found not that eminent divine, but a stranger who preached eloquently from the text, "Bat Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever." X. thought he would go to Plymouth Church in the afternoon, to hear Mr. Beecher. There he found the same stranger in the pulpit, and again he listened to the expounding of the text. "Bat Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever." Somewhat vexed at his ill success, X. having liberal views, went in the evening to Dr. Osgood's church. What was his as- tonishment at being compelled to listen again to the now familiar sermon, from the same clergyman. Having occasion next morning to cross the ferry, X. discovered his next neigh- bour to be the strange preacher, with his sermon under his arm. "I won- der what that ringing can be!" suggested the stranger modestly, as a peal of bells was heard from the opposite shore. "I suspect," returned X. sav- agely, eyeing the manuscript, "that Simon's wife's mother must be dead. I heard in several places yesterday that she was very dangerously ill!" The rest of the voyage passed without incident or conversation.

Mouse Power.

A man in Scotland has trained a couple of mice, and invented machin- ery for enabling them to spin cotton yarn. It is so constructed that the mouse is enabled to make atonement to society for past offences by twisting and reeling 100 to 190 threads per day.

To complete this, the little pedestrian has to run 10¼ miles. This journey he performs every day with ease. A halfpenny’s worth of oatmeal, he says, at 1s. 8d. per peck, serves one of these treadmill culprits for five weeks. In that time it makes 110 threads per day, being an average of 3850 threads of 25 inches, which is nearly nine lengths of the reel. A penny is paid to a woman for every cut in the or- dinary way. At this rate a mouse earns 9d. every five weeks; which is one farthing per day, or 7s. 6d. per annum. Take 6d. off for board, and 1s. for machinery, there will arise 6s. clear profit from every mouse yearly! The canny Scot is going to make ap-

plication for the lease of an old empty house, 100 feet by 50 feet, and 50 feet in height, which will hold ten thou- sand mouse-mills, besides sufficient room for keepers and some hundreds of spectators. Allowing 200l. for rent and task-masters, 10,000l. to erect machinery, and 500l. for the in- terest, there will be left a balance of 2300l. per annum! Of course, the “hundreds of spectators” are likely to be also made to pay for their house- room, no less than the mice.—-London Builder.

The lost Wager.

"There is a Cabman on this stand," said a gentleman at the west-end of London, "whom you can't get to touch a drop of drink," "I won't be- lieve that," said one of the company, "I'll lay a wager that I'll make him drink a glass of grog" ! The Cabman was called, apparently to take a fare, The glass of gin was offered him but respectfully declined. Dropping a sovereign into it, the tempter, said, "Drink it off, and the sovereign is yours" The Cabman was unmoved. A second, a third, and even a fourth sovereign was dropped in, but the honest driver was firm as ever. "No," said he "if you fill it with gold, I'll not drink. I'm a happier, healthier, and a wealthier man since I gave up the drink. By God's help I'll not touch it again."

A sea Captain, when his crew had signed the articles called them to- gether and said, "Now lads, I have a favour to ask, will you allow me to be the first to swear on board this ship!" all consented, and there was not an oath uttered during the voyage!

A Beautiful Reply.

A pious Scotch minister, being asked by a friend, during his last illness, whether he thought himself dying, answered, Really, friend, I care not whether I am or not, for if I die, I shall be with God—-if I live he will be with me—-British Workman.

A particular Clergyman.

It does not require a very old per- son who has lived in the country, to remember the time when instrumental music of any kind in a church was considered little less than a sacrilege. A bass-viol has set many a congrega- tion at logger-heads, and the clergymen, especially, used to set their faces hard against the innovation. We remem- ber a clergyman, whose voice and warning against the instrument had been overruled, who rose to give out the morning psalm, with the following introductory remarks:

"You may fiddle and sing the one hundred twenty-fifth psalm!"

Get Right and Wait.

An American soldier who was dis- charged in Mexico, took up his resid- ence in California, while that State yet belonged to Mexico. On being asked why he did not return to his own country, he replied, "because my country will soon be here." Events soon proved the correctness of the sold- ier's reasoning, and politicians may learn a very useful lesson from the in- cident. It is always safe for a man to plant himself firmly upon the most radical principles, if they be true. How- ever impracticable they may seem at present, they are, nevertheless, hurry- ing along, and with be here by and by. The regular politician forgets that we live in a progressive world; in fact, he forgets every-thing but himself and the old landmarks of his party. The man who comes squarely up to the full recognition of human rights, explained by moral law and approved by individual conscience, can safely afford to wait. The country will come to him. It is only by friction that brightness and smoothness come, and it is because some men hold back, that others make a more determined effort to go forward—and thus we advance. -—Full River Newt.

People Who Fail.

I confess that increasing years bring with them an increasing respect for men who do not succeed in life, as those words are commonly used.

Heaven is said to be a place for those who have not succeeded upon earth; and, it is surely true, celestial graces do not best thrive and bloom in the hot blaze of worldly prosperity. Ill suc- cess some times arises from a supera- bundance of qualities in themselves good—from a conscience too sensitive, a taste too fastidious, a self-forgetfull- ness too romantic, a modesty too retir- ing. I will not go so far as to say, with a living poet, that “the world knows nothing of its greatest men,” but there are forms of greatness, or at least excellence, which “die and make no sign,” there are martyrs that miss the palm but not the stake, heroes without the laurel and conquerors without the triumph.

The Best Blessing.

The following lines are from Sir Humphrey Davy's Salmonia:

I envy no quality of the mind or intellect in others, be it genius, power, wit or fancy; but if I would choose what would be most delightful to me, I should prefer a religious belief to any other blessing; for it makes life a discipline of goodness, breathes new hopes, varnishes and throws over decay and the destructions of existence the most gorgeous light; awakens life, even in death, and from corruption and decay calls up the most delightful visions of palms and amaranths, the garden of the blest, and security of everlasting joys, where the sensualist and skeptic view only gloom, decay, annihilation and despair.

How to Cure Thieving.

"They have a singular way of pun- ishing robbery in China," said a mis- sionary, who had just returned from the Celestial Empire, to a number of friends who had called in to hear his account of things in that land of mar- vels. "Does it cure the offender of his unfortunate propensities?" eagerly in- quired a "philanthropist," whose in- terest in human beings was in exact ratio with their villainousness. "Well, replied the missionary, "I never saw the punishment inflicted but once. I will tell you how it was done, and then you can judge for yourself as to its reclaiming and converting powers. They put the culprit in a large mor- tar, and then fired him head foremost against a stone wall."

Pretty Preaching.

I am tormented with the desire to preach better than I can. But I have no wish to make fine, pretty sermons. Prettiness has its place. I like to see a pretty child, and a pretty flower, but in a sermon, prettiness is out of place. To my ear it would be any- thing but commendation should it be said to me. "You have given us a pretty sermon." If I were upon trial for my life, and an advocate should amuse the jury with his tropes and figures, burying his argument beneath a profusion of the flowers of rhetoric, I would say to him. "Tut, man.; you care more for your vanity than my hanging. Put yourself in my place, speak in view of the gallows, and you will tell your story plainly and earnest- ly."-—Robert Hall.

A Beautiful Incident.

At a Sabbath School anniversary in London, two little girls presented themselves to receive the prize, one of whom had recited one verse more than the other, both having learned several thousand verses of Scripture. The gentleman who presided inquired, “And could you not have learned one verse more, and thus have kept up with Martha!

“Yes, sir,” the blushing child re- plied; “but I loved Martha, and kept back on purpose.”

“And was there any one of all the verses you have learned,” again in- quired the president, “that taught you this lesson?”

“There-was, sir,” she answered, blushing still more deeply: “In honor preferring one another.”

Attack of Pirates.

Report of the Siam barque "Diam- ond City" which arrived here on the 13th Feb. 1866.

Left Hong Kong on the 29th Jan. at 4 A. M., bound for Bangkok, with a stiff breeze from E. N. E. Cut upon get- ting under the lee of Hong Kong Island it fell calm till near daylight. While laying here I observed two junks coun- ing out from Hong Kong pulling close under the land and soon passed us. I asked the Chinese pilot, what kind of junks he thought they were; and he said they were junks trading to Hai- nan.

When the breeze sprung up we overtook the junks, and the wind blow- ing fresh, the pilot's boat could not be towed astern: so I let him go, his ser- vices not being required any longer. When the pilot left he told me to watch the two junks to windward, saying that one day they could be trading junks and the next pirates. I passed close to them, meeting an inward bound vessel at the time. We kept a good watch on all their movements, but could not see any thing suspicious a- bout them. They had each two or three guns on board, and two boats on deck: only a few men could be seen standing about the deck.

When we passed out of the Taitami Channel and got clear of the islands, I saw other two junks about three miles upon our weather bow, of the same size and appearance as these we had just passed; but thinking they were only trading junks I kept on my course nearing them fast. To leeward of us there were a great number of junks, so I had no alternative but to stand on. When about half a mile from them, I saw on board of one of them a man hoisted to the mast head with some- thing in his hands, I at once concluded it was a stinkpot and that the junks were pirates. I kept the vessel off to her best sailing point, at the same time calling the supercargo and informing him about the junks. He said that there was neither opium nor money on board, only a few chests of silk, and he thought it was not possible for us to resist or fight them with the few firearms and small guns we had—this was my own opinion also. Our only chance of safety was in outsailing them, but I left it to the supercargo to do as he liked.

A few moments passed when the junks bore down upon us and commenced firing. The helmsman was wound- ed in the hand by a grapeshot, he in- stantly left the wheel and went forward, when I called for another man to take the wheel, I found that every one had deserted the deck, and that too, with- out squaring the yards, as I had pre- viously ordered. No one coming to the wheel I took charge of it myself. The nearest junk was now on our weather quarter and commenced throw- ing stinkpots, which fortunately did not reach the ship — both junks were firing at us now. one with grape — the other with muskets. It was now noon and the wind had gone down, the ship making only three or four knots an hour, but even at this rate we were sailing faster than the junks. The weathermost junk now bore down up- on us and came so close that a stink- pot thrown from her, fell close by me at the wheel. I made the attempt to throw it overboard, but when in the act of taking it up it exploded and my face and hands got pretty well scorch- ed. I again took the helm hoping that the breeze might freshen and enable us to get clear of them. No more stinkpots reached us, and the stern- most junk's musket balls fell short of us. They now got two guns forward and recommenced firing with grape- shot, at the same time they got out their sweeps, about ten on each side. At this time a ball grazed my head and rendered me unable to steer the vessel any longer, and I was forced to give up all hope of getting clear of the pirates, and being unable to continue longer on deck, I left the wheel and went below.

About ten minutes after I left the deck, the pirates came alongside, and took possession of the ship. Two men were sent to watch me, and the head- man asked me where we had the mon- ey and opium stowed? I told him that we had none, and also that I had no control over the cargo. They now went below and commenced searching the hold, passing every thing up out of the hold they thought of sufficient value, to take with them. This went on for two hours, when the headman, speaking in broken English, ordered me to pick out the charts I required to go to Bangkok and one of the chronometers, saying "that the vessel would be well watched during the night, and if I attempted to put back to Hong Kong, he would board us again and destroy the vessel, because he did not want it to be reported in Hong Kong that the vessel had been plund- ered so close to the port."

The pirates now all left the cabin, and a short time afterward one of my men came to look for me, I sent him for some water and asked if any one on board had been killed, he said that there was none. After pouring some water on my hands and face and bath- ing the wound in my head I felt a lit- tle better and went on deck, when I found the ship a complete wreck aloft; most of the standing rigging, and near- ly all the haulyards were cut. I order- ed the Sarang to get them repaired and set sail on the ship as soon as possible. Wind was easterly, light breeze and fine weather.

The supercargo came on deck and wanted me to put back either to Hong Kong or Macao, I told him that that could not be done. At the same time I told him what the headman of the pirates had said: so he consented that we should make the best of our way to Bangkok. I hoped to make Cape St. James in a few days, and if I felt too sick to proceed any further I intended to have called there for medical assis- tance as I had no medicine on board. My eyes began to swell up and for four days I could not see, this made the navigation of the ship somewhat difficult. We had light winds and fine weather and we were nine days before we passed Saigon, when I found my- self so much better that I did not call there, but proceeded on to this port where we arrived after a passage of fourteen days from Hong Kong.

Some of the men told me that the two junks we had passed inside of the island, when coming up to us, sent there boats on board, and as they came last they took every small little thing they could find that was likely to be of any use to them, even the salt fish which the crew had for provisions for the passage was taken by the pirates, and the crew had only rice and salt for the passage down.

The supercargo told me that the pirates had taken silk to the value of ten thousand Mexican dollars. They also took all our clothes and provisions.

I estimate the junks to have been manned by about forty men each. With such a cowardly crew as ours proved themselves to be, and the little armament that we had on board, any resistance shown on our part would have been of no use without a little more wind than we had.

Report of "Sophia Amalia".

Captain P. T. Von Overclift of the Dutch barque "Sophia Amalia" re- ports that on the 18th Jan. 1866 at 4 P. M. left Hongkong bound for Bangkok, with a fair wind strong breezes—ship going 11 knots an hour. At one o'clock in the morning of the 19th, I heard a crash forward and the voices of men. I went forward and found that we had run into a Chinese fishing junk belong- ing to Macao. We struck her right amid ships, one mast being on each side of us, and the junk in two peices. Twelve men and five women jumped on board of us, and we brought them on to Bangkok.

I immediately shortened sail, and brought the ship to the wind, and hove too, but the sea being heavy and the wind strong I was obliged to put the ship before the wind again. I saw that part of the junk on the port side on fire, but I could not go back as the ship had shifted her ballast and had two feet list. I heard there was five men left on board the junk, but as it was impossible for me to render any assistance, I proceeded on my passage to Bangkok, where I arrived in safety. I do not know the names of the people that were saved.

Bangkok Feb 2nd 1866.

Bangkok Recorder.

The following singular government document was written it would seem in reply to some petition that has recently been made to government for the privilege of estab- lishing a telegraphic line between this city and Paknam, and to an article among our local items on the 22nd ulto.—-concerning the expediency of constructing a canal from Maakloung to Bangkaboon.

We are very sorry to think that the Siamese government will treat so great and grand a subject as that of the tele- graph with such derision and contempt. Still we hope and believe that long and patient importunity on the part of the foreign community on this subject will ultimately secure the object. It cannot be that Siam is going long to shut out the telegraph from all her other im- provements.

We are glad that the government is thinking so seriously about the noble object of opening the Bar at the mouth of this river. The article be- low appears, to be an invitation on the part of government for foreigners to discuss this subject through the col- umns of the "Recorder", and we hope our business men will feel themselves called upon by the government to do so. To us the dangers of opening the Bar and straightening the Petchabaroe river as set forth in that paper ap- pear to be quite visionary.

The publishers of Newspapers are repeating the excellencies of telegraph lines and urging and pressing for their establishment in almost every one of their issues. They do it be- cause they think their readers will be astonished and delighted at the accounts they give of them, and will respond —Oh! how excellent! There is noth- ing that can be compared with these telegraphs! Truly they who have read their reports are now exclaiming Oh! Oh! and their throats have be- come dry with this shouting until they have become so hoarse that they can now scarcely do more than whisper.

But to speak truthfully there is al- ready a telegraph line in this city. And it has been tried. We have men who understand it, and have used it. It is not a very wonderful thing after all. Do not be at the trouble of pub- lishing more about the telegraph. We have had enough of it. Let these few lines be translated into English and inserted in the "Recorder."

The matter published in the "Re- corder" about making a canal from Maaklawng to Bangkaboon and thence to Petchaburee is attended with many difficulties. If we speak of improv- ing old canals that they may be more freely navigated, that seems not likely to become of very great service to the country. There are other far more im- portant internal improvements that can be made, which it is not likely those who speak of improvements have yet thought of.

As regards the improving of the way to Petchaburee we do not see clearly: but can see more clearly the improvement that might me made at the mouth of the Chow-Phya. At this place there is a Bar crossing the mouth of the river. Vessels drawing many feet of water cannot cross it. This Bar is a cause of much trouble, hindrance and damage. There are those who have proposed to dig the channel deeper by a dredging machine, which will dig up the sand and cast it out into banks, making the channel broad and deep like the river, so that there shall be nothing to hinder vessels going and coming.

On the other hand there are those who think that the vast rice districts of the old city Ayuthia, Lopburee, and Angtawng which are favored an- nually in the 10th 11th 12th and 1st months by flooding, so that the rice has sufficient time to be well watered and that the water subsides in good time for harvests because of the Bar at the mouth of the river. It is said that this Bar prevents the too rapid subsidence of the water from the rice fields—that when the water of the sea outside of the Bar settles down, the water of the river can flow out but slowly—and that hence the vast rice fields are suitably watered. It is surmised that if the channel over the Bar be deepened, the sea outside, settling down will oper- ate to draw off the water from those rice fields so that the water shall not remain on them full 3 month; and that if this be the case those vast fields in the districts of Ayuthia Lopburee and Angtawng will be ruined. It is the custom in sea- sons when the water is deficient, to dam up the canals in the vicinity of the rice fields so that the water within the dams shall be higher than the water outside of them—-sometimes to a half a cubit, and sometimes a full cubit. When the water within the dams are found to be too high the dams are opened a little, and the water drawn off. Now this business of daming up the canals in seasons of too little water is a certain advantage which cannot be disputed. The Bar appears to be only a dam on a large scale. If it be opened wide we fear that the water from all these fields will flow off too quickly. On this subject there are many who see with us.

But as to the Petchaburee river from Bangláám up to the entrance of the canal Bangk’rok it is very crooked, bending to the east and west some 9 or 10 times, so that it requires more than an hour to pass all those bends. Now if there were a canal cut straight from the north to the south making it large and deep it would be only a short way requiring not more than 20 minutes to pass it.

The river above Bangk’rok is shallow and from the landing of Temple Kády Tawng it is quite crooked. If a canal should be cut from the back side of Temple Kády Tawng and on the upper side of it conducting to Temple Koon-tra, below temple Noi- Nang-móók—making them but shal- low, just enough for the water to flow into them, and then stop up the old channel the current of the water would cut a large channel in a short time. But should this be done it would injure the old homesteads on the old channel. The people now live hap- pily using the river for their boats and rafts. Now if we cut a new chan- nel, and shut up the old one it will be a great damage to those old settlers. And when the new channel shall have been finished, and the old channel again opened the water would of course flow in the straight channel—and the old channel would gradually become shallow.

And again to drive the people thus from the banks of the old channel to the new one seems hard. Some of them would remove and some would not because their houses and fields are on the old channel.

But then again.—-It is the usual re- sult of every improvement made, that some will be benefited by it and some not -—but rather suffer loss. Hence we must so manage as to study for such changes as will be of profit to the large body of the people—-such as will decidedly be of great advantage to the country as a whole.

Now with regard to the Petchabu- ree river, when it shall have been straightened as proposed above, the ad- vantages and disadvantages of it will be divided among the inhabitants of the place. Possibly the disadvan- tages of such a change might be greater than the advantages, because the bends are not very great, and the river in the dry seasons will, any way, be unnavigable and those who wish to go and come quickly can go by land very readily.

But to make a short cut of those 10 bends below Bangk’rok, is very tempting, for that part of the country is not much settled, the land not be- ing of a passable quality. Still when we have consulted with many on the subject the general fear is, that there would be danger that such a change would cause the water to flow too quickly off from the rice fields; so that those fields would be greatly in- jured—as the water would not over- flow them in the suitable seasons. The water of that river is accustomed to have its particular seasons for over- flowing, and several in a year. If the old channel is allowed to remain un- changed, the rice fields will remain in part good and in part damaged. And the inhabitants will, as usual, have occasion to grumble only of bad fortune. But when the old channel shall have been thus changed and the damages appear, the peo- ple will cast the blame upon him who made the change: because the busi- ness of growing rice is a great business for Siam. Now when we see any change proposed that will not inter- fere and cross any great business—not likely to produce much murmuring among the people, we think it suita- ble that such changes should be tried.

Correspondence.

SIR,-—Are we ever to get any more of the new flat ticals? This question may be considered impertinent by some, and one lying beyond my province; but I am really interested.

I have seen no new ones of the flat kind, for some time, and the old bul- lets have mostly become so worn by use, that it is very difficult to pass them. It is as much as many of them are worth to get them off your hands. In paying a little bill of thirty ticals the other day, about one-half of them were returned. The man said they were good, but very difficult to pass, and he inquired at the same time why I did not have the new ones. Now if we are to use the old ones until they are entirely worn out we shall have a good time of it. They should all be gathered in as soon as possible, and new ones distributed in their place. Some new salungs and fuangs are also needed. There are but few of the new kind in circulation. The old ones are also scarce, and those that are in circulation are also very diffi- cult to pass. When a person therefore gets any thing less than a tical in change he is obliged to be loaded down with bad ots.

Mr. EDITOR

During a residence in this place of more than fifteen years, I have not seen a European or an American in my house intoxicated by liquor. Nor have I known of but one death among all the male teetotlers of the place during the same time. And I am glad to know that the temperance principle is so strong among us.

There is, if I mistake not, a large ma- jority of the foreign resident families, who never allow any kind of intoxicating liquor at their tables-—not even the lighter wines. There are some who deal out the poisonous drug for gain in some parts of our city, forgetting the word of God—-"Woe to him that giveth his neighbor drink, and putteth the bottle to him, and maketh him drunk- en." Thus doing, they draw into the vortex of ruin some who have not the moral courage to resist the tempter. But even these might be prevented by a suitable effort on the part of those in authority residing near them, taking advantage of the nuisance law. It is an infinite pity that any man for the sake of a few cents should give his as- sociate, a draft that takes away the reason the most precious of Heaven's gifts, and leaves him exposed to all the fearful consequences of such a state. I hope the time is near when such a thing will no more be allowed than the dealing out of other poisons.

Answer.

Having waited till the last day of grace for some one to answer the query of our correspondent concerning Looang Oòpâtate Lamache in our issue of the 22d ulto, we feel that it becomes our duty to make some reply ourselves. As he seems to be realy and fully restored, we presume His Majesty the king has seen in him what he regards as suffi- cient evidence of genuine repentance for the past, and a sincere determina- tion to do well in the future, and that therefore he has "been allowed to as- sume his former rank and position." Now while we cannot go the full length of President Johnson in his views of the pardoning power, we believe it right and wise for the Chief Executive of any nation or kingdom to pardno, such offences as those of Lóoang Oò- pâtate Lamache's on good evidence being given that the offender is sincerely sor- ry tor his faults, and promises to do the like no more. It is noble to re- repent of wrong doing. It is godlike to forgive. We think it just and wise to take this view of Lóoang Oòpâtate's present position, and shall stand firmly to it until compelled by opposing devel- opments (which we pray may not oc- cur) to abandon it.

It has been intimated that, because in our Bangkok Calendars we have in- variably published Lóoang Oòpâtate without his Siamese title, that therefore we have intended to dishonor him. We beg to explain that matter. The truth is we have omitted the title for two reasons; first we have not known till recently what his title certainly was, and secondly, because we really sup- posed that we were quite correct in styling him Drill Master of H. M's troops. Now it turns out that his Si- amese title, if we understand it correctly means that he is an officer for, teaching military tactics tothe king's troops: or perhaps more correctly a foreign soldier Master, for there is an affix to the title not expressed above which means a soldier, and that affix is, T'ooi han. Hence his whole title would read Lóoang - Oöpatate - T'ooi - han. This sounds well in Siamese and is in- deed quite honorable: still we cannot but think that the plain English of it is equally so.

Now this is a very responsible and honorable calling, and we hope that neither Lóoang Oöpatate nor his friends will any longer entertain the thought that we have designedly done anything in that line to dishonor him. We could not style him, as desired, a General commander of the king's forces for we have never believed that he was such in any sense. We think that he would not be sent out by the king as General of the royal army in case of [?]. As we understand it—A Drill Master of the king's troops is one thing, and a General or "Commandant" of His Majesty's forces is quite an- other.

LOCAL.

A good number of the European and American community of this city had the pleasure on Monday last of an audience with His Majesty the Supreme king at the burning of the remains of the sister of H. E. the Prime Minister. His majesty's arrival at the place be- ing quite late in the p. m.—nearly at sun- setting. he had but a few moments that he could devote to saluting his foreign friends. He however, was pleased to give all a gracious bow and spoke kind and encouraging words to a few.

His Majesty was escorted by a com- pany of royal troops neatly uniformed and with guns brightly burnished. They were gracefully conducted by Loöang Oöpâtait Tooï-hân Lamache. The royal Brass band with M. E. Chabrïe their master at their head led the royal escort.

Having sat a few moments in the royal tabernacle prepared for him His Majesty, conscious of the lateness of the hour, descended quickly and walked some 15 yards to the funeral pile and was seated near to it. Pre- sently 12 Buddhist priests came with each his talapoïn or fan, and sat on the floor in a line before His Majesty This arrangement required about five minutes. His Majesty then taking up in both hands a neat bundle of yellow robes, and holding it a moment before his face as if kissing it, presented it to the Head Priest' of that temple. And then he took up another suit and did likewise to the second priest in order, and so on to four or five of them; when he commissioned one of his lit- tle sons present to go on and finish the presentations to all the twelve. Hav- ing recieved their new robes, they took up their fans, and had some Bali rehearsal over them. This being finished, His Majesty took a lighted wax candle and applied it to the pile. A number of his children fol- lowed the example, and then H. E. the Prime Minister and others. A curtain was then drawn to screen some what the kindling from public gaze. Presently the flame became so great that it was removed and in less than half an hour there was nothing left of the body but ashes and a few of the charred bones for preservation.

His Majesty left the funeral pile as soon as he had applied the lighted candle to it, and walked back to the throne prepared for him. He sat but a few moments when he descended and sat on the carpet spread on the ground, and had a conversation of a quarter of an hour or more with his chief ministers on government matters. At this stage of affairs your reporter left as it was getting quite dark.

As usual those funeral ceremonies were attended with theatrical perform- ances both in the Siamese language and the Chinese. They were in full blast up to the moment of igniting the pile, and the Siamese, if we mistake not, did not stop for this service. The play actors all became noisy again im- mediately after the burning.

There was also the sport of throwing to the masses limes containing each a small coin or gold ring picked from an artificial tree.

Caution to Ship Masters.—

About a fortnight ago a chronometer was stolen from the Sch. "Clio" whilst the Captain was sleeping on deck. This is the fourth chronometer stolen from ships in the river and in every instance the Captains have been sleeping (as is customary in this climate) on deck. The "Cadovious," "Fortune," "Bolden Lawn" and now the "Clio" have all been robbed and, what is the strangest thing of all, two if not three were found but the thieves have never been punish- ed or even brought to justice their must be a "screw loose" some where.

New Road.-—A fortnight ago His Excellency the Prime Minister and other functionaries rode down the new road apparently inspecting it. His Ex- cellency then paid a visit to the Bang- kok Dock Company's new dry Dock. From the number of convicts daily employed on the new road we may infer that His Majesty intends paying it another visit. We would earnestly suggest that His Majesty would pay it two or three visits during the rainy season for then there would be some chance of riding or even walking from one house to another without being up to our ankles, and in some places a foot higher in mud.

A Letter.—-Was received on the 1st. inst. from Mr. Thomson and party who left Bangkok on the 17th January for Onger, it was dated from Wat Sin Ab, February 8th they had been twelve days out and expected to be twelve more before reaching their destination. They complain of the want of elephants which were not procurable although many were seen, and were obliged to make the journey on ponies and in bullock carts. Mr. T. states that they have often to sleep in the forest that tigers were very plentiful, and that traces of them round the encampment were plainly visible every morning. They had not been attacked, were well armed and kept a good look out for all such unwelcome visitors.

Fire.—-March 6th at 10 A. M. a fire broke out at Talat Noi and burned with unabated fury for 3 or 4 hours; it was only arrested by tearing down the houses which is the only way fires can be put out in Siam. The fire broke out in a Paddy house during the absence of the owner, Chet Tew, on board of a ship selling rice. There were five coolies in the house when it caught fire, but the immediate cause of the fire is at present unknown. The coolies have not yet been arrested. There were 84 bamboo, 27 plank and 4 brick houses burned to the ground they belonged to 45 different owners. It was surprising to see with what in- difference the Chinamen beheld house after house burn down without given a helping hand to the Police, who seemed to be the only men who at- tempted to arrest the progress of the flames. Perhaps the close proximity to their quarters stimulated them to extra extortion, for as a "burned child dreads the fire" so they having been once burned out would scarcely relish a repetition of such a fearful calamity.

We have heard of only one life having been lost, that of a Chinaman who was burned to death. The usual number of half roasted pigs, dogs and poultry was running about, men plundering and quarreling, others dragging their pro- perty through the crowd, added to the lamentations of 500 poor name- less wretches who appeared completely indifferent to every thing, now that they had lost their all, contributed to make the scenestill more appalling and to awaken the pity and sympa- thies of every beholder. In many places the fire burned all night, and when the ashes were cool enough the owners of the property returned, some to dig for hidden treasures, other to pick up old iron, etc and to think what was next to be done. We heard a friend say that a good fire once a year was very servicable, if it was only to lick up the filth which is allowed to accumulate from year to year, which was it not for the annual fires would very likely breed cholera. Although rather a severe remedy it would be better that the whole of Sampeng was burned down than such a dire calamity should visit Bangkok for it is no re- specter of persons.

Now is the time to improve that portion of the bazar, which is barely a fathom wide, and what with the usual obstructions in the shape of baskets &c. it is scarcely three feet wide in some places; and the bridges too are disgraceful: the one which was burned down two years ago has never been replaced, thereby making it impossible at high tides for Europeans to walk to the bazar without going up to the knees in water, and the other bridge is not safe for such a number of pedes- trians who daily use it. A few con- victs to sweep the bazar daily, and clean the gutters, which are now only public necessaries, and are never cleaned, would do no harm, but a great deal of good; but we fear that in this we are only wasting ink and paper for “cleanliness is next to god- liness” and as the Siamese are very far from the latter, we cannot expect for many years to come that they will even know how to appreciate the former much less put it in practice.—We are given to understand that the bazar has within the knowledge of its oldest in- habitant been swept once, and that was on the occasion of His Majesty being carried through it some months ago when he visited Wat Sempeng and Wat Kok. His Majesty should take a quite strole with us sometimes if he wishes to see it in all its glory. Towards evening His Excellency the Prime Minister visited the scene of the late conflagration.

Rev. Samuel J. Smith and Mrs. Smith are to leave, as we are informed, on the -morrow for a missionary tour to Maa- klawng, Bang Chang, and perhaps to Petchaburee.

The Siamese government has ex- pressed to us a good degree of satis- faction in the course we took regarding the publishing of reports of evil-doers as appeared in our issues in the Siamese and English last week.

By late intelligence from Petchabu- ree we learn that the Missionaries and their families in that city were quite well, being cheered with some new hopes of success in their work, es- pecially among the Laos in that vicin- ity

By the Str. “Chow Phya” we have received the usual European and A- merican mails: but as “The Recorder” was just going to press when the steamer arrived, no late news has been inserted in this issue.

Passengers per “Chow Phya” Mrs. Bateman and Mr. Hewetson.

A few days ago the cabin of the British Schooner “Rantipole” was en- tered by some person unknown and the Captain’s gold watch and chain and Free-masons medel was stolen there- from.

what she then was not. She addressed the President, and said, with his per- mission, she wished to say a few words to the meeting.

She had come because she heard they were going to decide the "license question."

"You," said she, "all know who I am. You once knew me as the mistress of one of the best estates in the borough. I once had a husband and five sons, and woman never had a kinder husband, —mother never had five better or more affectionate sons. But where are they now!"

"Doctor, I ask where are they now! In yonder burial-ground there are six graves filled by that husband, and these five sons; and oh! they are all drunk- ards' graves! Docter, how came they to be drunkards! You would come and drink with them, and you told that temperate drinking would do them good. And you too, Sir, (addres- sing the pastor) would come and drink with my husband, and my sons thought they might drink with safety, because they saw you drink.

"Deacon, you sold them rum, which made them drunkards. You have now got my farm, and all my property, and you got all by rum! And now, I have done my errand, I go back to the poor-house, for that is my home!

"You, doctor, you, reverend Sir, and you, deacon, I shall never meet again, until I meet you at the bar of God, where you, too, will meet my ruined and lost husband, and those five sons, who, through your means and influence, fill the drunkard's grave!"

The old woman sat down. Perfect silence prevailed until broken by the President, who rose to put the ques- tion to the meeting—"Shall we peti- tion the Court to issue the licenses to the borough for the ensuing year!" and then one unbroken "No!" which made the very walls re-echo with the sound, told the result of the poor old woman's appeal—British workman.

[We are thankful that no Docter, or clergyman, or deacon among us is stained in the least with such a crime as the one so affectingly described by the eloquent widow.—-Ed]

John Wesley's Reproof.

JOHN WESLEY, having to travel some distance in a stagecoach, fell in with a pleasant-tempered, well-inform- ed officer. His conversation was sprightly and entertaining, but fre- quently mingled with oaths. When they were about to take the last stage, Mr. Wesley took the officer apart, and after expressing the pleasure he had enjoyed in his company, told him he was thereby encouraged to ask of him a very great favour. "I would take a pleasure in obliging you," said the officer, "and I am sure you will not make an unreasonable request."Then," said Mr. Wesley, "as we have to travel together some time, I beg that if I should so far forget myself as to swear, you will kindly reprove me." The officer immediately saw the motive, felt the force of the request, and with a smile thanked Mr. Wesley.

The Eloquence of Grief.

THE American philanthropist, Gov- ernor Briggs, relates the following affecting narrative:—

The inhabitants of a thriving burgh in Pennsylvania, assembled, as was their custom, to decide what number (if any) of licenses the town should potition for from the County, from whence they were issued. There was a very full attendance. The magistrate presided, and the physician, deacon, and pastor of the village, were on the platform. One of the most respectable citizens, after a short speech, moved that the meeting petition for the usual number of licenses, and not give way to any excitement. When it was about to be almost universally adopted, and the President was going to put the motion to the meeting, an object rose in a distant part of the meeting, and all eyes were instantly turned in that direction. It was an old woman, poorly clad, and whose careworn coun- tenance was the powerful index of no light sufferings; and yet, there was something in the flash of her bright eye, that told, she had once been

What "Little Mound."

General Imboden, late of the Con- federate service, is now in New York, raising funds for the establishment of a great express company in the South. When he last appeared in print during the war, he was proposing to strew Western Virginia with "vandal carcas- es," meaning the bodies of Unionists. When one reads some of the speeches of the Southern chiefs during the war, one wonders how they are not ashamed to sit at tables, eat bread and butter, and do the ordinary work of life like the rest of us. Mr. Toombs, of Georgia, solemnly promised on paper, only a year ago, to sacrifice himself when "all was lost," but is still alive and, we presume, in good health. Jeffer- son Davis, too, pledged himself under his own hand, in 1860, that if war broke out, a "small mound on the borders of his State would show where he and some of his neighbors met the enemy." The "mound," we will wager, is not visible, and he apparent- ly means to keep out of it as long as he can—Nation.

Josh Billings on Hens.

Josh. Billings talks learnedly, as fol- lows:-—The best time tew sett a hen is when the hen is ready. I kant tell you what the best breed iz, but the shangbigh is the meanest. It kosts az moch to board one as it dus a stage hoes, and you might az well un- dertake to fat a fanning mill by run- ning oats thru it. There aint no pro- fit in keepin a hen for his eags if he laze less than one a day. Hens are very long lived, if tha don’t contract tho throat disesze: there is a great many goes to pot by this melankolly disease. I kant tell exactly bow tew pick out a hen, but as a general thing the long eard ones, I kno, are least apt to scratch up the garden. Eggs packed in equal parts of salt and lime water, with the other end down, will keep from 30 to 40 years, if tha are not disturbed. Fresh beefstake is good for hens; I serpose 4 or 5 pounds a day would be awl a hen would need at first along. I shall be happee tew advize with you, at enny time, on the ehn question-—and take it in eggs.

The Life Clock.

Our brains are seventy year clocks. The angel of life winds them up once for all, then closes the cases and gives the key into the hand of the angel of resurrection. Tic tac! tic-tac! go, the wheels of thought; our will cannot stop them; madness only makes them go faster, death only can break into the case, and, seizing the ever-swinging pendulum wh.ch we call the heart, silence at last the click- ing of the terrible escapement we have carried so long beneath our aching foreheads. If we could only get at them as we lie on our pillows and count the dead beats of thought after thought, and image after image, jarr- ing through the over tired organ!

Will nobody block those wheels, un- couple their pinions, cut the string which holds those weights? What a passion comes over us sometimes for silence and rest, that this dreadful mechanism, unwinding the endless tap- estry of time, embroidered with spec- tral figures of life and death, would have but one brief holiday!—O. W. Holmes.

What "War of the Races."

The Nation, commenting on Presi- dent Johnson's statement to Major Stearns to the effect that Negro Suf- frage would bring on a "war of races," says:

How does he know it would cause a war of races, any better than he and most other Democrats knew four years ago, as they believed they did, that emancipation would cause a war of races? It is quite clear that we have not yet got at half the frightful conse- quences that are likely to flow from negro suffrage. "A Yan[?]ee" says it would lead to amalgamation-—that the white fathers would want to marry their daughters to blacks so as to have "mulatto grandchildren;" to the elec- tion of negroes to the Senate. The World says it would lead to the legal establishment of polygamy in all the Southern States, and the conversion of the negroes to Mormonism. Mr. Johnson now says it would lead to a "war of races." We shall probably hear next that it would cause an epidemic among the cows or a drying up of the oil wells. The powers of the "everlasting negro" are evidently not half revealed.

Lincoln—A Beautiful Tribute.

"It was a great compensation to the martyred President that God permit- ted him to see the work of crushing the army of treason finished before he was sent to his last account by the bloody hand of assassination. His death, and the mode and time of his death, have made his name a symbol. When in future ages the dreams of the friends of liberty shall have been consummated, and the genius of art seeks to embody the spirit of liberty in a comprehensive and symbolic form, its apotheosis will be Lincoln. Eyes schooled to beauty will turn from the perfect models of Greek and Roman art, while hearts pay tribute of respect to a form which no artist would have chosen for a model, but which grew into greatness under the hand of God. The face which lacked symmetry, whose corrugated lines gave it an expression some regard- ed as uncouth, will beam upon the com- ing centuries with a glory unspeakable. No bust of an Alexander—no noble head of ancient Greek or Roman—be the philosopher, warrior or poet—but will sink into insignificance before that of the humble Western rail splitter, whose career illustrated the universal aspiration of the human heart."

President Lincoln on
Negro Suffrage.

New York, September 25.—-The Southern Advocate, of the 17th, says: The following extract, which has just been published, is from the late Pre- sident Lincoln's letter to General Wadsworth, who fell in the battle of the Wilderness: “You desire to know, in the event of our complete success in the field, and the same being fol- lowed by a loyal and cheerful submis- sion on the part of the South, if uni- versal amnesty should not be accom- panied with universal suffrage. Now, since you know my private views as to what terms should be granted to the South in the contingency mentioned. I will here add, if our success should thus be realized, and followed by such desired results, I cannot see, if a uni- versal amnesty is granted, how, under the circumstances, we can avoid exact- ing in return universal suffrage, or at least suffrage on the basis of intelligence and military service. How to better the condition of the colored race has long been a study which has attracted my serious and careful attention. I am clear and decided as to what course I shall pursue in the premises, regarding it as a religious duty that the nation shall be the guardian of these people, who have so heroically vindicated their manhood on the battle-field, where, in assisting to save the Republic, they have demonstrated in blood their right to the ballot, which is but a humane protection of the flag they have so fearlessly defended."

Newton and Voltaire.

In a tract entitled "Astral Wonders," written by the Rev. Mr. Craig, Vicar of Leamington, occurs the following interesting passage:

Let me narrate to you passage concerning Sir Isaac Newton and Voltaire. Sir Isaac wrote a book on the prophet Daniel, and another on the Revelations; and he said, in order to fulfil certain prophecies before a certain date was terminated, namely, 1260 years, there would be a certain mode of traveling of which the men in his time had no conception; and, that the knowledge of mankind would be so increased that they would be able to travel at the rate of fifty miles an hour. Voltaire, who did not believe in the Holy Scriptures, got hold of this and said: "Now look at that mighty mind of Newton, who discover- ed gravity, and told us such marvels for us all to admire. When he became an old man, and got into his dotage, he began to study that book called the the Bible; and it appears that, in order to credit its fabulous nonsense, we must believe that mankind's knowledge will be so increased that we shall be able to travel fifty miles an hour. The poor dotard!" exclaimed the philo- sophe infidel Voltaire, in the self- complacency of his pity. But who is the dotard now!

Man not made to Mourn

skies,

That man should look up with the tears in

his eyes?

Did God make this earth so abundant and

fair,

That man should look down with a groan

of despair?

Did God fill the world with harmonious

life,

That man should go forth with destruction

and strife?

Did God scatter freedom o’re mountain

and wave,

That man should exist as a tyrant and

slave?

Away with so hopeless—so joyless a creed,

For the soul that believes it is darkened

indeed.

—O'Leary, gazing with astonish ment on an elephant in a menagerie asked the keeper. "What kind of a beast is that atin hay with his tail?."

—-"How long did Adam remain in Paradise before he sinned ?" said an amiable spouse to her husband. "Till he got a wife," was the calm reply.

How long may it take a man to embrace Christ as his Saviour? As long as it takes a drowning man to let go a straw and lay hold of an of- fered rope.

-—Yung men be more anxious about the peddygree your going to leeve than yu are about the l sumbony left, yu.-—Josh. Billings

THE CONFLICT OF H.M.S. BULLDOG
WITH THE FORTS
AND GUN-BOATS AT CAPE HAYTIEN.

The West India mail has brought us a more particular account of the affair on the coast of Hayti, or St. Domingo, at a place called Cape Hay- tien, on the north side of that island, where the British steam-sloop Bulldog, carrying six guns, under the command of Captain Charles Wake, got into a dispute with the negroe chief Salnave, the head of the insurrectionary faction in the Republic of Hayti; and on the 23rd of October, had a regular battle with the forts and flotilla of gun-boats in the harbour; the result being that, after silencing the forts and sinking two of the enemy's vessels, the Bulldog accidentally got aground, and was burned and abandoned by Captain Wake, to prevent her becoming their prey. Three of our men were killed and six were severely wounded. With regard to the origin of the dispute, it appears that the British Consul at Cape Haytien, Mr. Dutton, had taken to his house a few Haytien refugees, and that Salnave had desired M. Dutton to give up these people, which he refused, whereupon his house was entered by force, and the poor fellows under his protection were taken out and shot by Salnave on the seashore. The follow- ers of Salnave then commenced to wreak their vengeance on the Consul's house; they smashed his furniture, took everything they could lay their hands on; pulled down the English flag, stamped and spat upon it. Mr. Dutton immediately went on board the Bulldog (which was lying off the Cape at the time) and laid the ques- tion before the Captain who went at once and asked Salnave what he meant. The reply was a mere burst of vulgar insolence. The Captain then returned on board and wrote him a letter, de- manding full and ample satisfaction in twenty-four hours. Next morning the Bulldog was seen steaming into the harbour, and, on passing Port Picoli, was fired into. The Bulldog at once answered this fire with a broadside dismantled all the guns on that fort, steamed further in, smashed up ano- ther small fort, and sent a shell into the arsenal, blowing it up. The Vol- drogue, a vessel which had been taken by the rebels, had the impudence to fire at the Bulldog. One shot, in re- turn, was quite enough to settle her; after receiving it, she reared on her stern and went to the bottom in about fifteen fathoms. A schooner, armed by Salnave, came to the rescue of the Voldrogue. It is needless to state that she met with the same fate. The worst, however, is yet to be told. The poor Bulldog, after having fought for up- wards of ten hours, got on shore on one of the numerous reefs about Cape Haytien. Immediately, the enemy on shore took advantage of her position and brought all their batteries to bear. The Captain fought to the last pound of gunpowder; that finished, he thought it necessary to set fire to and abandon his vessel. The officers and crew went to Jamaica in the Union screw-steamer. A few days afterwards the English frigate Galatea, thirty-two guns, came from Jamaica and lay about three- hours at Port an Prince, saluted the Haytien Republican flag, and then left, with her Britannic Majesty's Consul H. St. John on board, for Cape Haytien. The commander of the Galatea at once sent his message ashore, demanding that Salnave and all the members of the revolutionary committee should surrender uncondi- tionally on board that vessel. In case of refusal the Galatea and Lily after a delay of twelve-hours, would bom- bard the forts. The French vessel which brought the news from Cape Haytien left just three-hours before the term had expired.

Odds and ends.

—-I have had occasion to observe that a warm, blundering man does more for the world than a frigid wise man. One who gets into the habit of inquiring about proprieties, and the expediencies, and occasions, often spends his whole life without doing anything to the purpose.-—Cecil.

-—At twilight every hen becomes a rooster.

—-The poor pittance of seventy years is not worth being a villain for.

—-The way to get a good wife—-get a good girl and go to the parson.

-—What affectionate times these are, Everything is so "dear!"

-—A Warning to Ladies.-—Tattle be- gins with a-T.

An Englishman's opinion of
Negro Suffrage.

The eminent English writer upon political topics, John Stuart Mill, writes as follows to a friend in the United States:

“I have always been afraid of one thing only—-that you would be too gentle. I should be sorry to see any life taken after the war was over, (except those of the assassins,) or any evil inflicted in mere vengeance; but one thing I hope will be considered absolutely necessary: to break alto- gether the power of the slaveholding class. Unless this is done, the aboli- tion of slavery will be merely nomi- nal. If an aristocracy of ex-slave- holders remain masters of the State Legislatures, they will be able effect- ually to nullify a great part of the result which has been so dearly bought by the blood of the Free States. They and their dependants must be effect- ually outnumbered at the polling places, which can only be effected by the concession of full equality of all political rights to negroes, and by a large immigration of settlers from the North.”