Beginning of the journey from Bangkok

I have now been living in Siam for twelve years, and during each year I have made some journey into the interior of the country in quest of additional geographical information respecting it. My object has sometimes been some useful and immediate end to be attained, sometimes the journey was made partly for the sake of acquiring a knowledge of the country, partly in view of the future and the possible contingencies it might bring with it. But every single journey was crowded with interesting facts, and it became extremely difficult to know where to begin, and to select and arrange what was likely to engage the attention of those who feel an interest in geographical work in the various parts of the world. Such work is more interesting than usual in further India, which is daily increasing in importance, though possibly not sufficiently so to awaken Englishmen to a sense of lost trade in the past, and of dangers looming in the near future. For it is quite certain that a daily-growing encroachment and attack are being carried on on the flanks of the Indian Empire, where a friendly though weak country has been ensnared in the meshes of one of the great European Powers, that is seeking to wrest from England by violence and material force the influence which was being gradually won by the justice and consideration displayed to Siam by England and Englishmen.

In order not to repeat myself, I had better give a consecutive account of my last and longest trip, which, if it had not been for the recent French troubles, would have been more extended, as I meant to work round Siam as it then was.

I was originally associated with the Indian Survey, and this was not at all to my advantage in taking up my duties in Siam. There were many, especially among the Europeans, who pointed to such an association to prove their insinuation, that I was an agent or spy of the Indian Government. In this way I often found myself in an awkward position, which in another country would probably have led to my assassination. My immunity from any such peril speaks volumes in praise of the natural friendliness and good-nature of the Siamese. I should not refer to this personal subject if it were not necessary to do so in order to explain how the difficulties of carrying out my duties have increased, and all sorts of obstacles and hindrances have dogged each step I took in Siam.

At Bangkok, the capital, I always experienced the greatest kindness and encouragement at headquarters, without which of course nothing could have been done. But in the districts I have had to overcome strong prejudices. Surveying was regarded as of no use in the administration of the country, and as far more likely to serve the purposes of a future invader than of the rightful owners of the country. But it is time for such notions to come to an end, and for the work to be put on a better footing.

We embarked on the River Me Nam on the 1st of December, 1890, in a small stern-wheeled steamer belonging to Dr.Cheek, an enterprising American, who had spent many years in Siam, accompanied by a number of siamese gentlemen, some of whom had been my companions for many years past. We sailed first of all to Bang-Pai-In, where the Court then was, and there took our leave of the King. On these occasions the King is always gracious and kind, and his words are encouraging.

Bang-Pai-In consist of two islands; on the one is the place of the King, and on the other a Buddhist church in the Gothic style with stained windows, pews, and altar complete. On the island now occupied by the palace there originally stood a humble building which the late King called his "shooting-box." He was very much attached to the spot, planted it out with mango-trees, and escaped when he could to this peaceful spot for rest from the cares of State.

The present King, out of reverence for all that his father loved, adopted the place for his holiday-making. A summer palace was run up, and European contractors made fortunes. A taste for everything foreign came into vogue about that time, and instead of Siamese architects, foreigners were invited to submit their plans, and they were accepted. No graceful pagodas are to be seen, but houses fancifully and slightly built, round towers, chimneys of gasworks never completed, and the spire of a Gothic church which shoots up into the sky. In the midst of all one gem of native architecture rears its graceful head,, but it occupies a humble position, and is quite overshadowed by its European rivals.

The Me Nam is a magnificent river, and always strikes with admiration the visitor fresh from Europe. No matter how often one proceeds along it, there is always something interesting that assumes a new form not recognized before. The low banks fringed with fruit-trees, the cocoa and areca palms gracefully swaying to and fro over the wooden houses that nestle in the shade, the gilded wats (temples) glittering through the leaves like a daylight illumination, the graceful pagodas occasionally peeping through the trees, form a varied scene that is most striking and beautiful. Enormous rice-fields stretch away far into the horizon, and are bounded by the outlines of the fantastically-shaped limestone hills of the sacred place of pilgrimage, Phra Bat (Guatama's foot-print), and of Lopburi.

A steamer once in the channel can either day or night steam full speed ahead to Bangkok without any fear of shifting shoals, and in this the Me Nam differs from the rivers of Burmah. Only steamers of small draught (12 feet 6 inches is the limit), can cross the bar, others must remain outside. The dredging of a channel through the bar to enable ships of heavy tonnage to come up to Bangkok unfit for use. It is a well-known fact that when the rivers are at their lowest just before the rainy season begins, the flood-tide renders the water brackish for some distance above the city, and great sickness is the result. This happens particularly when the rainfall of the previous year has been deficient.

As we proceed onward up stream the flat stretches on each bank are sees to be covered with waving rice-fields, while the river is alive with boats, which with their whitee sails look like huge birds floating on the water. The banks in some places are riddled with holes, the nests of a speckled black and white kingfisher and of a green and rather large species of fly-catcher. These holes go as much as eight feet into the bank. Some are on the perpendicular face of the bank, others are within easy reach of snakes, but the inhabitants tell me that the snakes do not enter the holes, as they are perfectly straight and narrow, and if the snake got in it could not get out. The birds appear perfectly happy as though they knew no danger, and the two different species seem to live together in harmony and peace. On we go past the white-sailed boats skimming over the water, and we must make the most of our time, as the river each day is falling. Chainat, the teak Revenue Station, is passed, and then there is a curious bend in the river, with a number of small hills on the left bank, and beyond these the Me Nam bifurcates, a fact which few observe.

After a straight run with low hills on the eastern flank, Nakawn Sawan (the city of the sky) is reached. We accomplished the journey thither in four days in comfort and ease. There had been a few day's rain, which raised the level of the water two feet, otherwise we could not have proceeded as far as this. Beyond this it is too late in the season for the steamer to proceed, though it is possible to reach Raehang during the rainy season. In order to improve our chances of getting means of transport we move up to Paknam Po, the junction of the two streams, which after receiving all the waters of the northern part of Siam, commonly called Lao, here unite and form the Me Nam Chao Phrayah . The varieties of boats used on the river are remarkable and some are peculiar to differents rivers. The Kwe Yai (main channel) from Nan is narrow and deep, the Kwe Noi (minor channel) from Chieng Mai is shallow and wide, in some places eight hundred yards in width.

At Paknam Po we divided into two parties. One I sent under Phra Sarisdi, a Siamese gentleman who has been with me almost from boyhood, and who has developed into an excellent explorer, never flincing at any difficulties, and taking the greatest interest in the work, to which he has rendered loyal and solid assistance. It was arranged that Phra Sarisdi should explore as much of the country as he could and then meet me at Muang Fang. We based our calculations on the probable amount of obstruction and delays, for many of the local officials were unfavourable to my investigations. Yet it was impossible for me to procure the best possible transport without their hearty co-operation and support. It was therefore necessary that I should go to Chieng Mai, it being the head-quarters of the chief official of the north, and there make all necessary arrangements for the extension of the work. Although I took a small boat, my progress was slow, the river being wide with a steep fall. Volumes of sand are brought down by the stream, and at this season of the year much time is taken up in digging passages in the sand through which the boats have to be dragged. Some elephants were met with hounding logs of teak. This process consists in each log being dragged by the elephant along the stream, but as at this time of the year there was not enough water to float the logs, a desperate attempt was being made to hound some two hundred of them along the stream to Paknam Po, a distance of about forty miles.