41 2 OK evidence, or, t,hat phiuyak. 
is not extant in Siam. But they have an idea in general in the coun¬ 
try, as the Chinese have also, that the heaviest man is the luckiest, 
and this induces many to weigh themselves. The same fancy actuates 
the Chinese in their strenuous efforts to become obese, by a selection 
of the grossest aliments. The Malays adopt the same notion, and it 
certainly is in many cases a symptom both of competence and com¬ 
placency. But with all this panting and toiling after unwieldiness 
these several people do not like that a stranger should pointedly no¬ 
tice it, for they have a strong dread of the effects of the evil eye. The 
ceremony of weighing was formerly in vogue amongst Mohametan 
princes in India. 
The Chinese sacrifice a dunghill cock after examinations have been 
gone through and when they aie to take a solemn oath, and burn 
papers on which gold leaf has been put with certain written charms. 
But the first practice is a species of ordeal, or divination, intended 
to detect perjury. The swearer takes an axe or large knife and en - 
deavours at one blow to sever the head of the bird from its body. 
If he should fail in doing this perfectly a presumption of his guilt is 
the consequence. The parties in a suit; and the prosecutor and 
defendent in every criminal case; are not allowed to take an oath, 
since their assertions would merely be opposed to each other. But 
these are subject to the ordeals, which when demanded by a party 
and granted often supersede all other evidence. A person losing 
money or property must make an affidavit or oath of the amount. 
When the civil and criminal oath is to be tendered to a witness he 
is taken to a monestery. Five incense tapers and five waxen candles 
are lighted, and placed before the shrine of Roodd,ha,—also five 
bunches of flowers^ besides parched rice. He makes three obeisances 
to the image of that deified mortal. The invocation of the chief 
deities follows, and is repeated thrice viz., namo, tatsa, B,liakk,hawato 
bathed by the pious parents by their children, and all ranks including wo¬ 
men and children, throw water over their freinds and even on strangers 
and passengers in the Streets. It is said that the water used for this oc¬ 
casion by the King is brought from a sacred tank near the sam r&e ykt in 
Ratphree province on the west shore o! the gulf of Siam. This custom is 
of Hindu origin. 
