showed him rock crystals, cats'-eyes as large as a nut, topazes, hyacinths, garnets, sapphires of deep blue, and rubies of various colours. The Bishop says that, in wandering through the Chantabun mountains, they collected in an hour two handfuls of precious stones. There are certain localities in which the King forbids their collection, except for his own account.

CHAPTER VII.

THE

MANUFACTURES.

HE manufacture of the precious metals by the Siamese into a variety of vessels, particularly vases, urns, tea and coffee pots and urns, boxes, and other articles, in which gold is embossed on silver in a style somewhat resembling that for which the Russians are celebrated, has obtained for the Bangkok goldsmiths an Oriental celebrity. Their number must be great, as the King informed me he had employed no less than six hundred for several months in making the tomb of his brother, the late King. The gold vessels of Siam are almost all of an orange colour, which, I was informed, was produced by exposing them, in a certain state of manufacture, to the action of sulphur. Mother-ofpearl is much used for inlaying woods. The glass manufactures are numerous, particularly for the production of variegated vitreous substances, mingled with metallic oxides, with which the temples are covered, and which glitter gaily in the bright sun. Gold-beaters are also abundant; and there is an enormous demand for their work, particularly for gilding statues of Buddha, for ornamenting temples, pictures, and other decorations. Copper and iron founders are also ingenious workmen; and Pallegoix says that by a supply of metal from a multitude of

crucibles not containing more than 100 pounds each, a colossal statue of fifty feet in height has been produced in the capital.*

Some of the most costly of the garments worn by the people of high rank were, as we learnt, manufactured in their houses; and they prided themselves on their being able to produce textures more valuable than any they imported from foreign countries. The laws forbid the use of certain garments to any but persons of elevated condition. As to the ordinary dresses of the people, they are almost wholly made from cotton stuffs of foreign origin.

Earthenware of coarse quality, tiles, and the common productions of the potter's wheel, are provided by native manufacturers: so are vessels of brass and iron, and the domestic utensils for daily use.

I have received the following native account of the mode of manufacturing a peculiar species of cloth, the use of which is confined to the nobility, who boast that it has never been successfully imitated out of Siam :

"This description of cloth, called Pha Poom, is used by gentlemen of distinction and rank in Siam and Cambodia, as sarongs or dresses, and is also worn by the nobles and followers of his Majesty and his ambassadors. This description of cloth has been manufactured to perfection in Siam and Cambodia from ancient times.

"In the manufacturing of this cloth, white silk yarn is used, and dyed in the following manner :

Pallegoix, i. 354.

PECULIAR KIND OF CLOTH-FINE ARTS. 239

"The silk yarn is taken in the quantity of about a handful; and the parts that it is desired should remain undyed are tied round with the leaves called ka pho, and then put into the dyeing matter, the parts exposed only taking the dye.

"The leaves are then removed, and tied round the parts that have been dyed, and other parts that it is desired should remain white or undyed, and is again put into the dyeing matter of a different colour, the parts exposed only taking the dye. This process of removing and tying of the leaves is repeated; the silk yarn is all dyed of the requisite colours, and then it is woven into cloth, having flowers on both sides nearly alike. This description of cloth is only manufactured in Siam and Cambodia, but when it was first invented is unknown."

The arts of drawing and painting are mostly formed on Chinese models, but in a ruder shape. Most of the sculptured images are imported from China, and have all the monstrous forms which are popular among the Chinese. But the Siamese paint, decorate, and gild their temples far more ostentatiously than the Chinese. They have a class of men who study caligraphy, and are proud of exhibiting specimens of their art. The books of the Siamese open in one continuous sheet, folded fan-like; the usual length of the page from eight to twelve inches, the breadth three or four: the paper is black, and the characters are written generally with gamboge, though sometimes with white paint. All hasty records are made with chalk, which is easily removed when the record is not intended to be permanent

Indian (i. e. China) ink is also used for writing on light-coloured paper. The leaves of a sort of palmtree (koi) are employed as tablets, which are written on by a stile, but principally for the re-production of the sacred books. These are fastened loosely together by strings, so that they can be easily turned over. They are preserved under richly-painted and gilded coverings, and are highly appreciated. Pallegoix says that there are a number of ladies in the palace specially occupied in writing these books.*

An American missionary says:-"On our way to Ayuthia (from Bangkok) we stopped a little to examine a paper-manufactory. The paper is made here from the bark of a tree or plant called khri. It is reduced to a pulp by manual beating, soaked in water, and then run into a mould, which consists of a rectangular box, about fourteen by twenty inches, with a piece of coarse cloth stretched over the bottom for a strainer; and then, instead of pressing, it is exposed to dry in the sun before it is removed from the mould. When dried, it is ready for use, but cannot be written upon with ink, as it spreads; and the texture is coarse, resembling wrapping-paper. The Siamese use a kind of soft stone, or steatite pencil, for writing."t

*Pallegoix, i. 348. + Missionary Herald, Berlin, 1840, p. 73-4.