COCHINCHliTA, 383 



bathing two or three times a day. The king 

 hia'mtaii^s about twelve or fifteen thoufand 

 foldiers around his palace^ to protef!^ his 

 jperfon as well as to defend his ftates ; and 

 near three hundred neat galleys^ which, in 

 the time df war, ferve to convey troops 

 from one place tt> another, and in the time 

 of peace to carry the monarch wlien he tra- 

 tels ; for he never quits his palace but in 

 that manner. Thofe which he ufes are 

 extremely beautiful, and eVen richly gilt ; 

 efpecially thofe of his women, part of whom 

 always accompany him wherever he goes. 

 This prince keeps, befides, four hundred 

 elephants trained to war ; and it is in the 

 number of thefe animals that the ftrength 

 of his kingdom confifls. 



The government of Cochinchina is- mo- 

 narchicil. The fovereign is abfolute mailer 

 of the whole kingdom, which he governs 

 with the afliftance of his four principal mi- 

 I niftcrs. 



