196 
JOUKNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
Towards the close of the day, the King sent 
us a repast of confectionary, fruits and other eat¬ 
ables, served with much neatness, and in vessels 
of gold ; to indicate that the favour was bestow¬ 
ed personally by his Majesty. The culinary art, 
as practised by the Burmans and other Hindu- 
Chinese nations, is much more agreeable to the 
European palate than that of the natives of Hin- 
dostan. Upon the present occasion, there was 
but one article decidedly objectionable,—a dish 
of crickets fried in sesamum oil! The chiefs 
who brought our refreshments were two persons 
of some note, from being much in the King’s 
favour. The first was an elderly person, by birth 
a Siamese : his offices are named Rok-the-wun 
and Zat-wun, which mean, Chief of the Pup¬ 
pet-shows, and Manager of Theatricals. This 
gentleman is represented as a first-rate buffoon, 
and, in consideration of his drollery, the King 
indulges him in such freedoms as would cost 
the rest of the courtiers the stocks or the bam¬ 
boo, if no worse. The second personage was 
the player whom T mentioned, in a former part 
of this Journal, as having been promoted for his 
skill as an actor, and his readiness at repartee. 
It seemed that he was now restored to the King’s 
personal favour, but had not got back his estate. 
He gained his livelihood, we were informed, by 
