JOURNAL 



OF 



THE ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



No. 79.— July, 1838. 



I. — Excursions to the Eastward. No. 1. 



Extracts from the Journal of a Political Mission to the Raja of Ligor 

 in Siam. By Capt. James Low, M. N. I. and M. A. T. C. 



When the Burmese war broke out in 1 824 I had the honor of being- 

 deputed by the honorable Mr. Phillips, then at the head of the go- 

 vernment of Prince of Wales' Island as envoy to the raja of Lig or with 

 the view of obtaining some co-operation of the Siamese with the Ran- 

 goon expedition, and especially by means of a fleet of boats. It is un- 

 necessary here to enter into political details ; but it may be briefly 

 remarked that the Mission returned after a tedious negociation of three 

 months without being able to effect all the objects contemplated. This 

 was owing to the suspicious temper of the Siamese court, which could 

 not for a long while credit that the British arms would finally prevail. 

 At a subsequent period when aware of the mistake, this haughty and 

 ambitious, yet politic court discovered that the dilatoriness of its coun- 

 cils had shut it out from any share in the conquered territories. 



The schooner Commerce of 60 tons burden, Capt. Chevers, an 

 American commander, was taken up for the conveyance of the Mis- 

 sion. A native officer with a party of sepoys formed the escort, and 

 camp equipage was provided in case it might be wanted for a march 

 overland. 



We sailed on the 7th May, 1824, and proceeded up the Keddah 

 coast. On the right, Gunong Jerrei the Keddah peak forms a very 

 prominent feature of the coast. Its height is about 4000 feet*. It is 



* By the Trigonometrical Survey made by Mr. Woore of the navy its height 

 is 3891 feet. 



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