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



the king of Siam was merciful, and his punishment deserved ; 

 being an old man,, his brutal enemies were not long gratified by 

 the sight of his sufferings. 



March 25th. — Nong-Keam, 5h. 20m. fifteen miles. Started at 

 5h. 25m. and continued our march through the same descrip- 

 tion of country ; viz. nearly a dead level soil, and a sandy loam 

 covered with bamboo jungle ; at 6h. 35m. at Banyong, a small 

 village of Siamese. Cross the water, the banks of which we 

 left at day-light, and which I now find is a stream uniting itself 

 with the Nak-outcha-thee, though it was so choaked with water 

 lettice and other aquatic plants that no stream could be disco- 

 vered in it. Here we obtained a fresh guide, and proceeding a 

 few miles, entered a tree jungle, more open, which continues till 

 lOh. 30m. The village Kalay-Book, of ten houses, from whence 

 to this place, Nong-Keam, a muddy swamp of bad water, which 

 we reached at llh. 30m.; the jungle is again bamboos. We 

 have seen no cultivation to-day, and both the small villages we 

 have passed clear the jungle (which only grows on grounds 

 slightly elevated), for their paddy, and do not cultivate the plains 

 which have too much water on them ; one in this vicinity is 

 only now becoming dry. The people had been employed in tak- 

 ing fish left in the mud, and appear to have been very successful; 

 at 9h. 30m. we passed the Nakan (Yenkabot) of Nak-outcha- 

 thee in the jungle ; he said he had been sent by the Myo-won to 

 see to my provisions, and that the people did not take me by 

 the western road, on which water is very scarce at this season ; 

 he came up the river, which is distant east six or seven 

 hours march. The people of the village (Kalay-Book) where 

 he slept last night, were obliged to furnish him with a large 

 portion of their fish. Weather exceedingly hot, thermome- 

 ter at 2 p.m. 130° in the sun. The elephants did not come 

 up till 3 p.m. 



