SIAM 



101 



bones, which they place in 

 an urn and convey them to 

 the family abode. The garb 

 of mourning is white. At a 

 rich man's funeral there are 

 fireworks, sermons by the 

 priests, and theatricals wherein 

 all sorts of monsters are in- 

 troduced. Tents are erected 

 within the precincts of the 

 temple, and games and gam- 

 bling accompany the sacred 

 rites connected with the 

 dead. 



The Siamese are a 

 musical people and possess 

 a great variety of wind and 

 stringed instruments. They 

 have no written music, their 

 tunes being taught by ear 

 alone. The profession of music 

 is highly esteemed. In every 

 nobleman's house there is 

 music and dancing in the 

 evening. Cock-fighting, 

 though forbidden, is a 

 favourite sport. Crowds sur- 

 round the scene of combat. 

 A courageous game-cock is 

 a great treasure and the 

 object of special attention. 

 The passion for gaming and 



betting seems unchecked by public opinion, but the Government is taking steps to check 

 these evils. Young and old also indulge in kite-flying. 



The domain of the Slians and the Laos, who are of one and the same race, occupies 

 the whole of Northern Siain and a portion of East Burma, whence it stretches far into 

 Yun-nan, and down the Me Kong River to the frontier of Cambodia.' Hence the allegiance 

 of these people is divided between Burma, China, and Siam. Ethnographically, of course, they 

 belong to the Siamese proper, as they are all members of the Tai ("free" or "noble") race. 

 The Chinese have partly absorbed them, driving them southwards into Yun-nan and Further 

 India. Here they become more or less assimilated to the Khas, or wild aboriginal tribes 

 of the Indo-Chinese Peninsula. The word Kha means "man," or "savage." The physical 

 characteristics of the Tai race are a low stature, light yellow complexion, black hair and 

 eyes, small nose, dilated nostrils, and a somewhat dull expression of countenance. On the 

 whole, it is not a pleasing type, although the children are often pretty, and the women 

 may be fairly good-looking while yet in their teens. (For illustrations of Shan people, see 

 pages 98, 116, 117). 



The domain of the Laos is divided into many provinces, ruled by hereditary princes, 

 under the superintendence of commissioners appointed by the King of Siam. These Lao 

 states were long subjected to regular slave-hunting expeditions, organised by the rulers 

 themselves, or by their subordinates. Dr. Harmand, an eye-witness of one of these forays, 

 " The brother of the Prince of Bassac told me without any reserve that he was about to 



pitoto 



A ROYAL PRIEST, SIAM. 



