VOYAGE FROM INDIA TO SIAM AND MALACCA- 143 



larg-e ; one kind of Ipomoea with blossoms as long as a span, but 

 most of them already closed. There were many kmds of white, 

 violet, and yellow Convolvulus. Among- these grew a shrubbery 

 of Ricinus and Ficus Dcemonum, and Asclepias gigantea. 



I hurried back, laden with beautiful blossoms and their seeds, 

 and arrang-ed them a little ; then I went across the stream and 

 took my way throug-h a ruined g-ate towards the place where 

 formerly the palace had stood. Before reaching it I passed 

 many barns, built upon high poles ; they had pointed roofs, these 

 being two or three times intersected. These buildings were for 

 the elephants- Before I reached the palace itself I had to pass 

 another wall. The palace has very big dimensions, but only 

 the very high walls of the audience hall of the king and the queen 

 are still to be seen, which with some smaller parts must have 

 formed a very high storey; only in regard to the doors or 

 windows, they were neither sufficient in number nor proportion- 

 ately large. It is a matter of wonder that the walls are still 

 standing, because the woodwork has been burnt, and they rest 

 only upon some single bricks. The king's hall is distinguished 

 by four strong high pillars, which formerly surrounded the 

 throne and are still standing. Down below I found a great 

 quantity of ferns, among^st them a big Pteris. There hung a 

 great quantity of Dolichos priiriens all about the low wall ; they 

 looked like grapes but were ripe and dry. Amongst them was a 

 kind of pumpkin blossom with big yellow flowers, dark blood-red 

 at the bottom ; I was, however, not fortunate enough to find a 

 single female blossom. 



People still dig here after treasures, which are said to have 

 been hidden here during the time of war, specially near the big 

 temple and the ruins of the palace, and just the night before 

 they had been fortunate in their researches. I could see the 

 freshly dug out earth and the place where the vessel had stood 

 which contained the treasure. 



The trouble I took climbing about in the ruins was richly 

 rewarded by the botanical treasures which I found here. I 

 hurried back with them to my boat, and on my way I passed 

 the house of a Siamese doctor. Before this house stood a row 

 of trees in pots ; they were about half a span high and 1^ span 

 thick. Above them hung slantingly a bamboo, about four inches 

 in diameter and 1^ inch long. This bamboo touched the ground 



