Travels in India. 



Part. II. 



Gold ; which he believes he renders propitious to him, by the great ftore of 

 Alms that he diftributes among the poor, and the prefents which he makes to 

 the Priefts. Then he goes attended by all his Court, and puts to open view 

 the richeft Ornaments" he has. One part of his magnificence conflits in v his 

 train of two hundred Elephants} among which there is one that is white, 

 which the King fo highly efteems , that he ftiles himfelf King of the White 

 Elephant. 



The fécond time the King appears in publick, is v/hen he goes to another 

 Pago,d five or fix Leagues above the Town, up the River. But no perfbn 

 muft enter into this Pagod, unlefs it be the King and his Priefts. As for 

 the people, fo foon as they fee the Door op v n, they mnft prefently fall upon 

 their faces to the Earth. Then the King appears upon the River with two 

 hundred Gallies of a prodigious length ; four hundred Rowers belonging to 

 every one of the Gallies -, molt of them being guilded and carv'd very richly. 

 Now in regard this fécond appearance of the King is in thé month of No- 

 vembzr, when the waters begin to abate, the Priefts make the people believe 

 that none but the King can ftop the courfe of the waters, by his Prayers 

 and by his Offerings to this Pagod. And they are fo vain as to think that 

 the King cuts the waters with his Sabra > or Sixain ; thereby commanding it to 

 retire back into the Sea. 



The King alio goes, but incognito, to a Pagod in an Ifland where the Hol- 

 landers have a Factory. There is at the entry thereof an Idol fitting crofs- 

 leg'd, with one hand upon his knee, and the other arm akimbo. It is above 

 fixty foot high ; and round about this Idol are about three hundred others, 

 of lèverai forts and fizes. All thefe Idols are guilt. And indeed there are a 

 prodigious number of Pagods in this Countrey; for every rich Siamer caufes 

 one to be built in memory of himfelf. Thofe Pagods have Steeples and BelL% 

 and the Walls within are painted and guilded ; but the Windows are fo nar- 

 row that they give bur a very dim light. The two Pagods to which the 

 King goes publickly, are adorn'd with feveral tall Pyramids, well guilded. 

 And to that in the Hollanders Ifland there belongs a Cloyfter, which is a 

 very neat Structure. In the middle of the Pagod is a fair Chappel, all guild- 

 ed within fide ; where they find a Lamb, and three Wax Candles continually- 

 burning before the Altar, which is all over cover'd with Idols, fome of maflle 

 Gold , others of Copper guilt. In the Pagod in the midft of the Town, 

 and one in of thole to which the King goes once a year, there are above four 

 thoufand Idols ; and for that which is fix Leagues from Siam J it is furround- 

 ed with Pyramids , whole beauty makes the induftry of that Nation to be 

 admir'd. 



When the King appears, all the Doors and Windows of the Houfes muft 

 be fhut ; and all the people proftrate themfelves upon the ground, not da- 

 ring to lift up their eyes. And becaule no perfbn is to be in a higher place 

 than the King, they that are within doors, are bound to keep their loweft 

 Rooms. When he cuts his hair, one of his Wives performs that office, for 

 he will not fuffer a Barber to come near him. 



This Prince has a paffionate kindnefs for his Elephants j which he looks upon 

 as his Favourites, and the Ornaments of his Kingdom. If there be any of 

 them that fall fick , the Lords of the Court are mighty careful to pleafe 

 their Soveraign ; and if they happ n to dye , they are buried with the fame 

 Funeral Pomp as the Nobles of the Kingdom ; which are thus performed : 

 They fet up a kind of Mausoleum, or Tomb of Reeds, cover'd with Paper j 

 in the midft whereof they lay as much fweet wood as the body weighs, and 

 after the Priefts have mumbl'd certain Orifons, they let ita-fire, and burn it to 

 afhes ; which the rich preferve in Gold or Silver Urns, but the poor fcatter 

 in the wind. As for offenders, they never burn, but bury them. 



'Tis thought that in this Kingdom there are above two hundred Priefts, 

 which they call Bonnes, which are highly reverenc'd as well at Court as among 

 the people. The King himfelf has fuch a value for fome of them, as to hum- 

 ble himfelf before them. This extraordinary refpect makes them fo proud, 

 that fome of them have afpir'd to the Throne. But when the King difcovers 



any 



