74 PHRA RAM MAKES 



dark they are driven in to form scattering groups 

 within the circle of carts. Each driver ties his 

 own cattle around him and builds a little fire, 

 which every now and again during the night he 

 awakes with a start to replenish as the bullock 

 plunges on the tie rope in an agony of timorous 

 fancy, suspecting every noise in the surrounding 

 jungle to be a prey-seeking tiger. If wood is 

 scarce, a lantern is kept lighted. The bullocks are 

 quite as fearful of the night jungle as the Siamese 

 themselves; which is saying much —for the low 

 caste are cowardly, beyond any people I ever fell 

 among. Poor, simple souls, they are so supersti- 

 tious that supplication and merit making occupy 

 most of their waking hours. 



A bedraggled young Siamese who came ex- 

 hausted into our camp one night, reported having 

 seen the wet tracks of a tiger and of spending his 

 night building a merit making shrine in appeal to 

 his mightiness " the animal " that he be allowed 

 to pass safely to the camp of Phra Ram for whom 

 he carried a letter announcing the illness of his 

 head wife ; news which Ram and his accompanying 

 wife discussed with obvious interest. Wherever 

 natives journey these crude little altars are erected. 

 Sometimes the supplicant offers in tribute articles 

 of comparative value, such as their bamboo orna- 

 ments, or a piece of the cloth of which a turban- 



