240 Mission to the Court of Siam. [No. 99. 



command on such occasions sometimes sell them or run off 

 to the eastward^ instead of bringing them back to Bankok. 

 The troops with their new red jackets certainly looked tolera- 

 bly formidable, though more in appearance than reality, many 

 of them never having fired a musket in their lives, and it is 

 also the general* s own debut in a military capacity. It is said, 

 I know not with what truth, that a little jealousy on the part of 

 the king (to whom he is related) obtained him the high 

 distinction. A few months ago, his son and eight others (four 

 women, amongst whom was the guilty fair one, and four men) 

 were beheaded for an intrigue with one of the palace ladies, 

 and for causing an image of the king to be made and running 

 a javelin through its heart to cause him to turn away this 

 woman. They were tried by the fathers of the two culprits, 

 condemned, and beheaded. It is said, the king wished to 

 spare them, and asked their fathers to be security for their 

 future good conduct ; but fearing the king might think they 

 supposed the punishment undeserved, or some other motive 

 equally Siamese, or slavish, they refused* It is said, the king 

 supposes Pra-si-pi-pat to be discontented, and hopes the Malays 

 will give a good account of him, as the commander-in-chief; 

 however, he choses his own position, and as putting himself 

 voluntarily where there was a chance of danger would be 

 viewed as utter folly, he will probably return. I should think, 

 however, the king has little reason to fear him, and I doubt if 

 there be any ground for the report. As the Praklang^s anxiety 

 about the equipment of the troops is now at an end, I sent to 

 him this evening (Mr. Hunter was kind enough to go), and beg- 

 ged, I might now have the boats to dispatch the messengers ; 

 he promised that I should have them to-morrow, and wanted to 

 know why I was in such a hurry! ! I yesterday sent one of my 

 people overland to Nak-outcha-thee to look at the elephants, he 

 returned this evening ; the distance is about eighteen or twenty 

 miles, and after crossing two small canals near Bankok, the 

 road is perfectly good and dry, as I expected he would find it. 



March Sth. — Being disappointed in receiving the boats, I called 

 on the Praklang (whom I had not seen since the 28th ultimo) 

 this evening, he said he had given orders about the boats, and 



