BUM 



SIAM. 



whU iU|iia4"i Tho northern of these depression* occur* new 11 

 X. Ut. wtwn the ground tht separate* the 1'ukchan Kiver. which 

 fell* into iho Gulf ol Bengal, and the Choomphon Kiver, which enter* 

 UM Oulf of Sum. i* to low, that, according to the itatement of the 

 ia>Ue. the two rirrn often unite their water* during the spring-tide*. 

 Both riren are navigable fur boat*, aud they could be readily o con- 

 eotod a* to constitute a abort and direct water-communication acrosa 

 the Uthniu* between the Bay of Bengal and the Oulf of Smm. Tho 

 aouthern depreaion occur* at the louthern extremity of the isthmus 

 of Krah, and oroeaag the peniniula obliquely from the Bay of Bengal, 

 act of I'hunga, or Ponga (8* 15' N. lat), running north-fast to the 

 town of Peanoin, eat of which it expand* to a great width, compre- 

 hending UM low country on both aide* of the river Thokham, between 

 UM town* of Pboon-phin and Chai-ya. 



The mountain* of the MALAY PKNIHBDLA have been noticed under 

 that head. The undulating country which separate* the Malay 

 mountain* and the mountains of Siam from the Bay of Bengal, and 

 extend* a few mile* inland, terminate* on the shores with a coast of 

 moderate elevation. It appear* to be of slight fertility, and is thinly 

 inhabited. At a distance of from 10 to 20 miles this coast is lined 

 with a *erie* of bland*. The long channel between them and the 

 mainland ha* depth enough for the largest vessels ; near the conti- 

 nent there is indeed seldom above 4 or 5 fathoms, but near the islands 

 there are generally from 20 to 30 fathoms. Many vessels sail through 

 it during the south-western monsoon, as the heavy sea is greatly 

 broken by the islands. The island* themselves are rocky, and most 

 of them high: some rise to more than 3000 feet. The channels 

 between them are very deep, and usually free from danger. Most of 

 the*e islands are only from 2 to 6 miles long. The largest, from north 

 to south, are the following :Sl. Matthew t Island (10 N. lat), also 

 called Elephant lilaml, is about 12 miles long and 6 miles wide, aud 

 hat at the north part an excellent harbour, 4 miles long and 3 miles 

 wide, called Elephant'* Harbour. The highest part, situated in the 

 middle of the island, is nearly 3000 feet above the sea-level. Salanga, 

 or Junk Stylo* (8 N. lat), is about 16 miles long and 6 miles wide. 

 It i* separated from the continent by the Strait of Papra, in which 

 thera are only from 2 to 34 fathoms of water. On the east side of 

 Salanga are tome tolerably good harbours. Provisions are abundant, 

 and tin was formerly exported. Towards its southern extremity is a 

 high mountain. Farther south, between 6 49' and 6 8' N. lat, is the 

 group of the Lancara Itlandt, which, in addition to several smaller 

 one*, contains the islands of Trotto, Lancawi, and the two Laddas. 

 They are also very elevated, and have some good though little 

 frequented harbours. 



The eastern coast of that portion of the Malay peninsula which 

 belongs to biam is much lowtr and wider, the mountains being fre- 

 quently 15 and 20 miles distant. In fertility it is also superior to 

 the western coast : several extensive tracts yield rich crops of rice ; 

 and other*, though uncultivated and covered with jungle, exhibit a 

 vigorous vegetation. The islands along this coast are not numerous, 

 nor elevated, except Tantalem, the largest, which however is not 

 very high. 



To the east of the mountains of Siam is the large valley of the river 

 Henam. According to Crawfurd, it extends from the most northern 

 recess of the Gulf of Siam to Pech-oi (between 19 and 20' N. lat.) 

 300 miles ; and its breadth at its southern extremity does not exceed 

 60 mile*. But this alluvial tract towards its southern extremity, at 

 least on the west, is inclosed by a more elevated country of equal 

 width and of considerable fertility. In this valley, as far as it is 

 known to Europeans, the fertility of the soil is not inferior to that of 

 most countries between the tropics which are subject to the inunda- 

 tions of a large river. The banks of the river, being more elevated 

 than the country at a distance, are studded with villages and towns, 

 and the lower grounds are covered with extensive rice-fields. 



The mountain range which divides the valley of the Menam from 

 that of the river Maekhaun, or Camboja, is little known. Between 

 9 an< *. 20 ? !** * great interruption in the mountain chain occurs; 

 and it is said that in these parts an arm of the river Maekhaun 

 branches off and runs to the Menam, so as to constitute, at least 

 during some part of the year, a natural water communication. This 

 mountain range, which is called the mountains of Camboja, in conse- 

 quence of it* dividing the last-mentioned country from Siam, where it 

 approaches the Gulf of Siam between the river Bong-pa-kung (14 40' 



. 1st) and Chan-ti-bon (12 20' N. lat), and again between Tung-yai 

 . lat) and Kong(llN. lat), is of moderate elevation, and 

 covered to it* summits with high trees and vegetation. 



etween the towns of Cbau-ti-bon and Tung-yai lies a plain, which 



from the shore* of the Oulf of Siam far inland, the mountains 



is part* receding so far from the shores as not to be visible 



sea. Tim tract, which constitutes the province of Chan-ti- 



n, u one of the most fertile and populous districts in the Siamese 



1 1* in general well cultivated, and from 300 to 400 vessels 



rmployed in taking the produce to Bang-kok, near the mouth of 



.be Mcuam, whence a great portion of it goes to China, 



That portion of the Siamese empire which lies east of the Moun- 

 .amboja belongs to the basin of the river Maekhaun, or 

 mboja. It u almost entirely unknown, but seems to 



tend in wide plain*, which terminate south of 15 N. lat on the 



'river Maekbaun, which here divides Siam from Cochin-Chiua, but 

 north of 15 the plains reach so far east as to come up to the moun- 

 tain range of Cochin-Chiua, whose westoru declivity is in these parts 

 included within the territories of Siam. This extensive country, 

 though fertile, is but thinly peopled. 



Jin-ers and Lakct. The river Saluen, which forms the boundary 

 between Siam and the Birman empire for 150 miles, is noticed under 

 BIRMA. The Maekhaun is noticed under COCHIN-CHINA. Several of 

 the small river* which drain the eastern side of the Malay peninsula 

 are navigable for a few miles, as the Thawang, which passes near 

 Ligor (between 8 and 9 N. lat). But the most important of the 

 rivers of Siam is the Menam, a name which signifies, in the Siamese 

 language, ' mother of waters.' This river rises in the south-western 

 districts of the Chinese province of Yunnan, with two branches. 

 The western and longer one, called Nanting-ho, has its origin near 

 24 \. lat, aud has a general southward course until it joins (south 

 of 22 N. lat) the other branch, called Maeproen, which the Siamese 

 regard as the principal branch. The united river preserves the name of 

 Maepraeu, and traverses Lower Laos, or Yun-shan, where it becomes 

 navigable for boats at the town of Chang-mai, or Zamae, the capital 

 of that country. Farther down the navigation is much impeded by 

 rapids aud cataracts, so that in several places, according to Kiiinpfer, 

 goods must be taken out of the boats and transported to some distance 

 by land. From the place where an arm of the Maekhaun is said to 

 join the Menam, the river is called Menam, or Meinam, and, so far as 

 we know, no impediments to navigation occur farther down. Above 

 Ayuthia, the ancient capital, the river divides several times, and 

 contains some very large and several smaller islands. On one of the 

 latter Ayuthia is built The lost division of the waters occurs below 

 Bang-kok, the present capital When Kampfer wrote, 1G90, the 

 middle embouchure called Tachin was the deepest, and by it large 

 vessels entered the river, but at present both this and the western 

 branch have only from 8 to 12 feet of water on the bar. The eastern 

 arm, which at present is the only one navigable for large vessels, 

 varies below Baug-kok from three-quarters of a mile to a mile and a 

 half in width, and the depth, even close to the low banks, ia from 

 6 to 10 fathoms, whilst its rapidity during the low tide is about 

 3 miles an hour ; the navigation is however impeded by an extensive 

 mud-bank which lies opposite its mouth, and extends about 10 miles 

 into the sea. The highest water on this bar from February to 

 September is about 134 ^ eet > and m tne remaining four months, in 

 which the country is inundated, somewhat more than 14 feet. The 

 Menam, like all large rivers which have their source or course between, 

 the tropics, inundates the flat country contiguous to its banks. In 

 the lower part of the river the water begins to overflow in the month 

 of September, and continues to rise to the beginning or middle of 

 November, when it decreases ; and at the end of December the waters 

 re-enter the bed. But farther to the north the increase takes place 

 sooner. The inundations contribute greatly to the fertility of the 

 alluvial tract by the mud which they deposit. The whole course of 

 the Menam does not exceed 800 miles, and this river is therefore 

 greatly inferior to the Irawaddi and the Maekhaun. 



It is not known whether any of the upper tributaries of the 

 Menam are navigable ; but the two rivers which fall into it from the 

 west near its mouth are both navigable. The most western, the 

 Mekhlong, which has also given its name to the western embouchure 

 of the Menam, runs through a country in which hills and plains of 

 some extent alternate, and is navigable by boats up to the fortress of 

 Lumtshhaug, a place of some commerce 200 miles from the mouth of 

 the river. The eastern river which reaches the sea by the central 

 embouchure of the Menam, to which it gives its name, Tachiu, is also 

 navigable for a considerable distance. The plains along its banks are 

 inhabited by many Chinese, who cultivate the sugar-cane. 



About 30 miles east from the eastern mouth of the Menam is that 

 of the river Bang-pa-hung, which originates in the mountains of 

 Camboja, between 15 and 16 N. lat. It runs west-south-west; is 

 said to be not much inferior in size to the Menam itself ; and has an 

 equal depth of water on its bar. It drains a country highly pro- 

 ductive in rice and not inferior in fertility to the alluvial tract that 

 surrounds Bang-kok and Ayuthia. 



A large lake called the Lachado is said to exist in the parallel of, 

 but a considerable distance west from, Ayuthia; a river called Talau 

 carries off its waters to the Menam. 



Climate. At Bang-kok, tho only place of which we have any 

 detailed information, the year is divided between the dry and the wet 

 seasons, as in other tropical countries. The dry season lasts from 

 October to April, and during this time the weather is temperate, but 

 in April and the beginning of May, before the rains set in, the 

 thermometer is daily from 95" to 96 in the shade. The periodical 

 rains commence early in May, and go on increasing, so that in June 

 and July they are extremely heavy. In August the rains are usually 

 light, and they cease in September. The river has then risen so as 

 to inundate the country, and it continues to rise to the end of 

 November. The greatest rise of the river at Bang-kok is 18 feet 

 During the rains hard gales from the south and south-west are 

 frequent, and with the rain they moderate the beat The prevailing 

 winds are connected with the monsoons; and during the year blow 

 regularly from all points of the compass. 



