174 S I 
victors, finding that their avarice had been sacrificed to their 
fury, recurred to acts of violation and cruelty. The great 
officers of the kingdom were laden with irons, and con¬ 
demned to the gallies. The king, attempting to escape, was 
massacred at the gate of his palace ; when nothing remained 
for these conquerors to destroy, they resumed their march to 
Pegu, accompanied, among other captives, with the remain¬ 
ing princes and princesses of the royal blood of Siam. In 
June the Birmans quitted Siam, after having burnt the town 
of Michoug, soon after its construction. 
When the Birmans evacuated their conquest, the Siamese 
issued from their forests, and superstitiously directed their 
first rage against their gods, for having abandoned them to a 
destructive enemy. Availing themselves of the wealth which 
accrued from the statues, filled by superstitious persons with 
gold and silver, who expected to find them when they revi¬ 
sited this world, they proceeded to elect a leader; and Phaia- 
Thae, an officer of acknowledged ability, was the object of 
their choice. This new prince displayed considerable bravery 
and talents; and in the year 1768 suppressed a rebellion that 
was instigated against him. The Birmans in vain attempted 
to renew their incursions into the Siamese territory: they 
were always repulsed. 
Every thing we are told respecting the government, the 
laws, the literature, the arts, and personal qualities of the 
Siamese, indicates a corresponding state of advancement with 
that of the Birmans. That the religion of the Siamese is the 
Same with that of the Birmans, and derived from the same 
origin as that of the Hindoos, there seems to be suffi¬ 
cient evidence. Sommona-Codam, mentioned by Loubere 
as the chief idol of Siam, is interpreted by competent judges 
to be the same with the Boodh of Hindostan. The sacred 
language called Bali is of the same origin: the most esteemed 
book seems to be the Vinac, and the precepts of morality 
are chiefly five; viz., not to kill, not to steal, not to com¬ 
mit uncleanness, not to lie, and not to drink any intoxicating 
liquor. Loubere has given a translation of a more minute 
code of morals, chiefly compiled for the use of persons 
dedicated to religion, whom he calls Talapoins. Their 
laws are said to be in high reputation all over the East; and 
it is not certain, whether, like those of the Birmans, they 
are of Hindoo, or of indigenous birth. Their system of 
legislation is represented, by all writers on this country, as 
extremely severe; death or mutilation being punishments 
of unimportant offences. The Siamese imitate the Chi¬ 
nese in their festival of the dead; and in some other of 
their rites. The government of Siam is despotic, and the 
sovereign, as among the Birmans, is revered with honours 
almost divine. The succession to the crown is hereditary in 
the male line. The population has not been accurately as¬ 
certained, nor have we any documents for this purpose. Al¬ 
lowing to the Birman empire more than fourteen millions, as 
some have stated, the Siamese dominions may probably be 
peopled by about eight millions. However, Loubere assures 
us in his time, that from actual enumeration, there were only 
found, of men, women, and children, 1,900,000. Loubere 
says that the Siamese had no army, except a few royal 
guards; but Mandelslo estimated the army, which may be 
occasionally raised, at 60,000, with no less than 3000 or 
4000 elephants. The navy is composed of a number of 
vessels of various sizes, which display a singular fantastic 
elegance, like those of the Birmans; and naval engagements 
frequently occur. The revenues of this sovereignty are of 
uncertain computation. Mandelslo describes them as arising 
from the third of all inheritances, from trade, conducted by 
royal agents, annual presents from the governors of pro¬ 
vinces, duties imposed on commerce, and the discovery of 
gold, which seems to be a royal claim. Tin is also a royal 
metal, except that found in Junkseylon, which is abandoned 
to the adventurers. Loubere adds a kind of land-tax, and 
other particulars, among which is the royal domain. 
Now that the Birmans have become dangerous to our pos¬ 
sessions in Bengal, our alliance with Siam is highly ser¬ 
viceable. 
As to the manners and customs of the Siamese, as they 
A M. 
have embraced a branch of Hindoo faith, they are rather 
Hindoostanic than Chinese. Loubere has given a detailed 
account of the Siamese manners. The females are under 
few restraints, and marry at an early age, and are past 
parturition at forty. Marriages are conducted by female 
mediation, and a priest or magician is usually consulted 
concerning the propriety of an alliance. On the third 
visit the parties are considered as wedded, after the ex¬ 
change of a few presents, without any farther ceremony, 
civil or sacred. Polygamy is allowed, more from ostenta¬ 
tion than any other motive; and one wife is always ac¬ 
knowledged as supreme. Royal marriages, from consider¬ 
ations of pride, are sometimes incestuous; nor does a 
king hesitate to espouse his own sister. Divorce is seldom 
practised; but the rich may chuse a more compliant wife 
without dismissing the former. Few women become nuns, 
till they are advanced in years. The Siamese funerals re¬ 
semble those of the Chinese. On this occasion, the Tala¬ 
poins sing hymns in the Bali tongue. After a solemn pro¬ 
cession the body is burnt on a funeral pile of precious woods, 
erected near some temple; and the magnificence of the 
spectacle is enhanced by theatrical exhibitions, in which the 
Siamese are said to excel. The tombs are pyramidal, and 
those of the kings are large and lofty. The common food 
of the Siamese consists of rice and fish; they also eat 
lizards, rats, and several kinds of insects. The buffaloes 
yield rich milk; but butter would melt and become rancid; 
and cheese is unknown. 
In Siam little animal food is used; the mutton and beef 
being very bad. The doctrine of Boodh inspires the Siamese 
with horror at the effusion of blood. The houses are small, 
and constructed of bamboos, upon pillars, in order to guard 
against inundations, which are common. The palaces only 
exceed common habitations by occupying a wider space, and 
being constructed of timber, with a few ornaments. They 
are also more elevated, but have never more than one floor. 
With regard to their persons, the Siamese are rather small, 
but well made. The figure of the countenance, says 
Kaempfer, both of men and women, has less of the oval 
than of the lozenge form, being broad, and raised at the 
top of the cheeks; and the forehead suddenly contracts, 
and is almost as pointed as the chin. Their eyes, rising to¬ 
wards the temples, are small and dull; and the white is 
commonly completely yellow. Their cheeks are hollow; 
mouth very large, with thick pale lips, and teeth blackened 
by art; the complexion coarse, brown mixed with red, to 
which the climate greatly contributes. From this descrip¬ 
tion the Siamese appear to be much inferior in personal ap¬ 
pearance to the Birmans; and to approach rather to the Tar¬ 
taric or Chinese features. 
The dress of the Siamese is slight; clothes being rendered 
almost unnecessary by the warmth of the climate. A muslin 
shirt, with wide sleeves, and a kind of loose drawers, are 
almost the only garments of the rich; a mantle being added 
in winter, and a high eonic cap upon the head. The 
women use a scarf instead of the shirt, and the petticoat is 
of painted calico; but with this slight dress they are ex¬ 
tremely modest. 
The Siamese are said to excel in theatrical amusements; 
the subjects being taken from their mythology, and from 
traditions concerning their ancient heroes. Their ordinary 
amusements consist of races of oxen, and those of boats, 
the combats of elephants, cock-fighting, tumbling, wrest¬ 
ling, and rope-dancing, religious processions, illuminations, 
and beautiful exhibitions of fire-works. The men are gene¬ 
rally very indolent, and fond of games of chance; while 
the women are employed in works of industry. Although 
the Siamese are indolent, they are ingenious, and some of 
their manufactures deserve praise; nevertheless, the ruinous 
and despotic avarice of the government crashes industry by 
the uncertainty of property. They are little skilled in the 
fabrication of iron or steel, but excel in that of gold, and 
sometimes in miniature painting. The common people are 
mostly occupied in procuring fish for their daily food, while 
the superior classes are engaged in a trifling traffic. 
The 
