388 



ON SIAMESE LITERATURE. 



likely to tell according to their unscientific practice. They are allowed 

 to use their knees, feet, and heads in combat. 



There are no set number of rounds. The king if present, or if he is 

 not, some one of his courtiers regulates the barbarous sport, and rewards 

 the victors. It is not favorable to the formation of a good opinion of 

 Siamese advancement in civilization, to find at such exhibitions the king, 

 his family and his household of both sexes, with the courtiers, and the 

 populace, women and children including. They excuse the inconsistency 

 of prohibiting fights amongst the brute creation, and exhibiting combats 

 of men, by the remark that the latter have reason to guide their choice of 

 actions. Women have been known on occasions of the kind alluded to, 

 to enter the ring and obtain by a stout battle the applause of the Siamese 

 fancy. The spectators follow the example of the king in throwing pieces 

 of money to the successful combatants, i. e. those who have mnch punished 

 their opponents. 



Len plam, or wrestling, is much practised both amongst the Siamese 

 and Burmans, and it would be difficult to say which nation is most expert 

 in the exercise. 



A pugilist seems to aim chiefly at lifting his adversary and casting 

 him on the ground — which is sometimes effected with such violence as to 

 disable him. From what I have seen, I incline to the opinion that the 

 Burmese are the best wrestlers. They are perhaps on an average more 

 compactly formed than the Siamese. 



Len tee Lo tee and tee dang and tee kahee, are different kinds of fencing. 

 For the first a sword and round shield is used by each combatant. In the 

 second each has a stick or pole instead of a sword. 



In the tee kabee each has a sv/ord without a shield. 



Bands of music accompany all Siamese games, except wrestling and 

 boxing. 



Len he somphot mu-img. — The procession in which all the people 

 assemble and pass before the king who looks down from a house— all sorts 



