1868. | A. visit to Xiengmai. 395 
of the temple for worship, is no doubt the same as in Central India, 
in the Punjaub, Afghanistan and in Ceylon; either to contain relics 
of Buddha and his disciples, or to commemorate some of his acts dur- 
ing his pilgrimage upon earth. 
There are few persons at Bangkok who have not heard of the cele- 
brated image of Buddha, which, by those who follow his religion, is 
considered to be the acme of what can be adored in a visible shape. 1t 
is now in the Royal Wat. 
This image was discovered in 1486 in the city of Chiangrai or 
Xiengrai about forty miles N. N. E. from Xiengmai. A small pagoda 
which contained this precious image, over which a second building had 
been erected, was struck by lightning, and thus it was exposed to view. 
This precious image was removed to Xiengmai, (then as now the 
principal town of the Lao country,) which was being rebuilt after 
its destruction in 1480. Several other localities, amongst them 
Lamboon, were afterwards assigned to preserve it, until it was ultimate- 
ly transferred to Bangkok in 1779. It was formerly reported the 
image had been worked out of an emerald, it is however only green 
jasper. 
The bridge which leads over the Meping seems of considerable age : 
(the river is here 380 feet wide, as [ ascertained by measurement) 
and although men, horses and cattle pass over it, the elephants have 
to ford the river. These animals are too heavy for such a frail structure, 
ot which the greater number of planks that stretch across horizontally, 
are not even fixed by wooden pegs or iron nails. The clattering 
noise of these loose planks, when a drove of oxen is passing over 
the bridge, is almost stunning, and has repeatedly awaked me out 
of sleep at night, when sounds are so much more distinct than during 
day. 
There are many cocoa and betel-nut trees in and arouud Xiengmai. 
Oil is prepared from the first, and the betel-nut forms an article of 
commerce, being exported from Xiengmai, after setting aside what is 
used for home consumption. Indeed the produce of the. trees for 
export is far from sufficient for the more eastern and northern Lao 
states, where few or none of the palms that produce the nut grow; 
hence large quantities are brought from Pegu and the Tenasserim 
provinces. Both these kinds of palms, namely the cocoa and betel, 
seem to thrive very well at Xiengmai. While I was there, two dry cocoa- 
