"11th. We started about 4 A.M., and reached the opposite side in about three hours. The bay is remarkably picturesque, and is so shallow, that, although we crossed fully four miles from the head of the bay, we never had more than six feet of water, and generally much less. Arrived at the other side, we ascended the river on which Pechaburi is built. At the mouth of the river, myriads of monkeys were to be seen. A very amusing incident occurred here. Mr. Hunter, wishing to get a juvenile specimen, fired at the mother, but, unfortunately, only wounded her, and she had strength enough to carry the young one into the jungle. Five men immediately followed her; but ere they had been out of sight five minutes, we saw them hurrying towards us, shouting, Ling, ling, ling, ling! (ling, monkey). As I could see nothing, I asked Mr. Hunter if they were after the monkey. Oh, no,' he replied; 'the monkeys are after them!' And so they were-thousands upon thousands of them, coming down in a most unpleasant manner; and, as the tide was out, there was a great quantity of soft mud to cross before they could reach the boat: and here the monkeys gained very rapidly upon the men, and when at length the boat was reached, their savage pursuers were not twenty yards behind. The whole scene was ludicrous in the extreme, and I really think, if my life had depended upon it, that I could not have fired a shot. To see the men making the most strenuous exertions to get through the deep mud, breathless with their run and fright combined; and the army of little wretches drawn up in line within twenty yards of

MAGNIFICENT PAGODA-CAVE OF IDOLS. 167

us, screaming, and making use of the most diabolical language, if we could only have understood them! Besides, there was a feeling that they had the right side of the question. One of the refugees, however, did not appear to take my view of the case: smarting under the disgrace, and the bamboos against which he ran in his retreat, he seized my gun, and fired both barrels on the exulting foe; they immediately retired in great disorder, leaving four dead upon the field. Many were the quarrels that arose from this affair among the men.

"The approach to Pechaburi is very pleasant: the river is absolutely arched over by tamarind trees, whilst the most admirable cultivation prevails all along its course.

"The name Pechaburi is derived from pet, a diamond, and buri, a town (only used in composition): this, I imagine, is connected with our word borough.

"The first object which attracts the attention is the magnificent pagoda, within which is a reclining figure of Buddha, one hundred and forty-five feet in length. Above the pagoda, the priests have, with great perseverance, terraced the face of the rock to a considerable height. About half-way up the mountain, there is an extensive cave, generally known amongst foreigners as the Cave of Idols:' it certainly deserves its name, if we are to judge from the number of figures of Buddha which it contains.

"The talapoins assert that it is natural. It may be so in part, but there are portions of it in which the hand of man is visible: it is very small, not more than thirty yards in length, and about seven feet

high; but anything like a cavern is so uncommon in this country, that this one is worth notice. We now proceeded to climb the mountain: it is very steep, but of no great height-probably not more than five hundred feet; it is covered with huge blocks of a stone resembling granite: these are exceedingly slippery, and the ascent is thus rendered rather laborious. But when we reached the top, we were well repaid. The country for miles in each direction lay at our feet-one vast plain, unbroken by any elevation: it appeared like an immense garden, so carefully was it cultivated; the young rice and sugar-cane, of the most beautiful green, relieved by the darker shade of the cocoa-nut trees, which are used as boundaries to the fields-those fields traversed by suitable footpaths. Then towards the sea the view was more varied: rice and sugar-cane held undisputed sway for a short distance from the town; then cocoa-nuts became more frequent, until the rice finally disappeared; then the bamboos gradually invaded the cocoa-nut trees; then the atap palm, with its magnificent leaf; and, lastly, came that great invader of Siam, the mangrove. Beyond were the mountains on the Malay peninsula, stretching away in the distance.

"With great reluctance did we descend from the little pagoda, which is built upon the very summit; but evening was coming on, and we had observed in ascending some very suspicious-looking footprints mightily resembling those of a tiger.

"Pechaburi is a thriving town, containing about twenty thousand inhabitants. The houses are, for the

and the rice is of a

most part, neatly built, and no floating houses are visible. Rice and sugar are two-thirds dearer at Bangkok than they are here; particularly fine description. governor during the evening.

We called

We called upon the

Next morning we

started for home, and arrived, without any accident,

on Saturday evening."

THE

CHAPTER V.

LEGISLATION.

HE following short notice of the constitution of the judicial establishments and of the laws of Siam was furnished to me from a native source. But, in a country where the authority of the sovereign is absolute, it is obvious that the organization of the tribunals and the protecting power of legislation can afford but very inadequate security, should the supreme royal will at any time supersede the ordinary course of justice. To a great extent, also, the power of interfering with the action of the tribunals is possessed and exercised by the high nobles, according to their rank and influence.

Any party having a complaint to prefer does so before the San Luang (San, building; Luang, king). This court is presided over by "K'un Li Támarat” and "K'un cha san ;"-these officiate alternately for fifteen days. They take down the complaint in writing, and hand it over to the LUK K'UN. This tribunal is composed of four Luang* and eight assessors. Their business is to examine the complaint that has come down from the San Luang. If they consider that it is a fit and proper case for trial,

* The nobility are graduated in the following order :-Somdets; Chau P'aya; P'aya; Pra; Luang; Kun.