OF SIAM. 249 



sufficiently apparent from the care with which she prevents the migration 

 of her subjects and especially of women — although I am free to confess 

 that the same reason will not account for a similar prohibition in China. 

 Her main territory is so thinly peopled in comparison with its extent of 

 surface, that instead of being able to support and spare a drain from its 

 numbers, she is forced to check emigration by sumptuary laws. A man may 

 indeed obtain permission to leave the country, or may quit it without leave 

 having been granted, but in neither case (unless he happens to live on the 

 boundary) will he find it possible to take his family with him. 



If the restriction was to be removed the greatest part of Lower Siam 

 would soon be abandoned by its inhabitants. 



When the King of Siam is spoken of by a subject his real name is 

 never mentioned. The usual designation on such occasions is Phra ong. 



His titles however are very numerous, and in the following which have 

 been extracted from authoritative law digests, and authentic letters, the 

 Sanscrit scholar will probably find allusions to more western regal titles. 



In one work he is entitled Phrd Karmma prahaat Somdetcha eka 

 tjiots-drot Eesd-un baronima bdpjieettrci Phra Phootthee Chaduyo hoa-khroo 

 ong somdetcha Phra Narai song 7neekk,ha Pacha tham an maha pras(et.(^) 



" The pre-eminently merciful and munificent, the soles of whose feet 

 " resemble those of Booddjia — the exalted, the one ; he who claims descent 

 " from the mighty father of Rama \Thotsarot'\ ; and who may be compared 

 " with Isivara, who is supremely blessed in the possession of all that mortal 

 " can desire, and who like Booddjia the Lord, is head over all. He is 

 " like Phra Narai (a title of Rama), and his piety and virtue transcend in 

 " brightness the magnificence and lustre of his imperial state." 



It must not be supposed that the Siamese are such idiots as to believe 

 that these outrageous titles are with justice applied. They candidly allow 



(') P. Pra karund pra pdda ekachhatta oras isvara parama pra Buddha .... pra 

 ndrdyana .... rdja dhamma .... mahd prastttha. 



B 



