contracts. 
393 
property are made by written deeds, or by the delivery of the pro¬ 
perty and title deeds to the buyer, or receiver, in presence of wit¬ 
nesses. 
CONTRACTS. 
A contract is made either in writing, or verbally, but in either case 
competent witnesses are required to give validity to the deed. A 
written contract cannot be entered into for a sura less than four baat 
(nearly four rupees.) A contract under any form is invalid if either 
party should have happened to lie under a legal disability, or should 
have been under the influence of some powerful passion, or should 
have been coerced. A creditor must not write out the deed with 
his own hand, but have it written by a person unconcerned in the 
transaction. The parties in a contract affix their marks to the bot¬ 
tom of the deed, and then touch them with their open hands before 
the witnesses. 
The contracting party generally affixes a horizontal mark, which 
is crossed by the mark of the party to whom he engages. Deeds 
of sale of land are either committed to paper or made by delivery of 
the title deeds in presence of witnesses. Secret compacts are not 
uncommon both for friendly and evil purposes. But it does not ap¬ 
pear that the Siamese have any societies resembling those in China 
as described by the late Dr. Milne.* 
When persons associate for the purpose of planning some despe¬ 
rate action they take arrack, salt, and chillies, which having mixed, 
they draw a small portion of blood from their arms and let it drop 
into the mixture. Their swords, especially those which have been 
used in war and have been dved in the blood of an enemy, are struck 
in the vessel holding the mixture. They next invoke ail the Deities 
and Spirits within the ample range of Siamese mythology to witness 
the compact, and to visit the perjurer with interminable evils. 'Hie 
associates lastly taste of the mystic compound. When persona only 
swear to befriend each other on all occasions, the blood letting is 
omitted. 
* Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society of G. R. and 1= Yol. i. p. 2. 
i> p 
