VOYAGE FROM INDIA TO SIAM AND MALACCA. 163 



very hig-h. The Lachjma-johis minor of Burmann was the tallest 

 and most frequent; Saccharum spontaneum, Arwido kora, Coix 

 Lachryma^ and one kind of broad grass, which seemed to belong- 

 to a special class, resembling- the Apluda; above all the Pamcum 

 dimidiatum, were the most frequently occurring- grasses. 



The kinds of plants I saw were: Piper Malmire, very com- 

 mon, but it disappeared soon, and in its place grew a newly des- 

 cribed beautiful Justicia, followed by another, which had long, 

 oval-shaped, hairy leaves. In some places Plumbago grew very 

 frequently, and Canna indica was very common here, specially 

 the red blossomed one ; that with yellow blossoms was rarer. 

 All along the foot-paths grew a kind of weed Hedysarum which 

 I had not seen on the other bank. 



The character of the nation is peaceful, gentle, obliging and 

 curious, and the corruption of their morals has been produced by 

 the intermixed Mohametans, who are here, like everywhere else, 

 a vicious class of people, and by a hard and cruel Government. 

 Their chief sin consists in a kind of venereal disease, and dissolute- 

 ness resulting thereof. Besides the Mohametans. the Chinese 

 have had a bad influence over them ; they are mostly inclined 

 to deceit and are very cunning- in every respect. The dress of 

 the men and of the women is almost alike. 



The country swarms with Talapoins and temples. The Tala- 

 poins live in the most agreeable parts of the country, but I have 

 seldom seen an old Talapoin. This has its cause in the fact that 

 most people send their boys to the Talapoins, where they are 

 instructed in reading, writing and religion, and if this calling does 

 not suit them any more they choose some other profession, what- 

 ever they think they will best succeed in. Therefore near the 

 temples, which they generally call Watt, one is surrounded by boys 

 and young people. Sometimes their houses form little villages. 

 A Talapoin has his hair shorn, and generally wears a brown, 

 or lemon-coloured, long piece of cloth across his shoulders and 

 another one round the body, which however is not taken up again 

 between the legs, as other men generally wear it. As long as 

 they follow this calling- they cannot marry. I could not learn 

 much about their religious ceremonies, because they never would 

 converse with me about religion, but as I was near their tenaples 

 almost every day, I have heard them saying their prayers between 

 three and four o'clock iii the morning,' also in the evening at sun- 



