Back to Chieng Mai

Chieng Mai being an important centre, an English Vice-Consul was appointed by treaty. He does not exercise any real authorty. All cases in which British subjects are involved are tried by Siamese judges, the only reservation being that if the English Vice-Consul is satisfied that justice has not been administered, he can have cases removed to be tried on his own court, but this has never been done since the treaty. From each British subject an annual poll-tax is collected called a "Registration Fee."

France made a treaty on somewhat similar lines with respect to Luang Phrabang. The difference, however, was this, that in the whole province of Luang Phrabang there was not a single resident French subject-Tonquinese, Annamite, or Cambodian. But the treaty was not ratified by the French Chamber, as it was holiday-time, and other important European matters wanted immediate attention. Another treaty was forced upon the natives. It was immediately ratified by the French Chamber, and now one has to watch the march of "justice" and see how soon the ill-gotten goods pass on to others.

With peace, light taxes, and ordinary justice, the condition of the Lao is comfortable. There are some foreigners who think there should be no taxes at all, and who affect surprise when shown a schedule of taxes of the neighbouring States under English control. When Siam had as its neighbours Burmah on the one hand, and Annam on the other, whose customs and manners were somewhat similar, it was not important that the Central Government should interfere in every detail of the government of the outlaying distrcts. a system of Local Government was establisehed. Laws, religion, and language were the same everywhere. a man knowing Siamese well can understand any child speaking in Chieng Mai. In Luang Phrabang the differences in the spoken language are still fewer. With these conditions the Central Government did not exercise much in the control. But Siam is growing nervous, and the system which answered for centuries she recognizes as now involving danger. Unfortunately, in her anxiety to rectify the system in order to meet the altered conditions of things, mistakes must be made.

During the past three or four years there has been an extraordinarily short rainfall all over Siam; this is attributed in Chieng Mai to the Chief not having paid proper attention to the pagoda on Dawi Sutep. In fact some one saw an angel who communicated this, and said that the Chief must make an ornamental top for the pagoda. It is said to be costly, as a number of precious stones have been put in it. The Chief also had to go round the city in state. This condition was half-fulfilled, but it was very interesting, from the fact alone, that in the procession the best elephants of Chieng Mai took part. What could Siam do without the elephant? No wonder that it is the animal. The albino, a curiosity among them, is made much of, just as a white lion would be in England, if it were as tractable as the elephant.

Tourists who go to see the white elephants at Bangkok, are disappointed to find none of the palace-like stables, the gold dishes, and the rites of worship, of which the accounts of earlier travellers are full. The romantic descriptions have no counterpart in the reality, and the white elephant himself proves to be more or less a "fraud." He is not white at all, but dust-coloured. The expert tries to persuade him that the colour is somewhat ashy, and draws attention to the pink eyes, and to the white toe-nails. But all in vain! The disappointed traveller, looking at the very ordinary beast before him, asks almost incredulously whether this is the celebrated white elephant, renowned in ancient story.

The Siamese divide elephants into three classes for general purposes, great, middling, and small, four sawks one kup (ninety English inches), three sawks, and two sawks. The first is put down as being good to carry 530 lbs., the second 400 lbs., and the third 250 lbs. These weights are for flat roads, for mountainous country roads they are less, but nothing compared to the loads the Indian elephant carry: they carry over one thousand pounds in an ordinary way. There is no difference between the elephants of India and Siam. A great number of elephants from Siam have found places in the Indian Commissariat Department, and they are not to be distinguished from their Indian brothers. In India the elephant is better able to do his work because he is better cared for, and the pack-saddles for the baggage are much better. The Siamese elephant is more or less wild, breeds freely in so-called captivity. During one of my marches, a baby elephant was born, and the whole transport disorganized. I had five elephants, and the mother had enlisted the services of two other female elephants to help her in looking after the baby. When born, it was thirty inches high and scarcely as long. I had to come to a halt and make new arrangements. In a couple of days the little thing was quite lusty, and the three elephants were always near. And when it basked and slept in the sun, if it suddenly awoke, the three rushed forward and kept the baby elephant between them, each standing with trunk uplifted ready for the charge.

The Siamese howdah is comfortably protected from sun and rain, and strong enough to crush the jungle without giving way, so that the occupant can gently and securely repose. It serves as as a splendid sleeping-place for the night, being well raised above the ground. I should not advise ladies to travel on elephants if they can help it, but when stern necessity demands it, then let them provide themselves with a Siamese howdah.

I have referred to the big elephants as being ninety English inches. This is a rough classification. I measured one of the elephants I once had with me, and found him to be 110 inches to the shoulder. There is one in Bangkok 105 inches high, his tusks cross one another on the ground, and are each ninety-six English inches in length. This elephant is sometimes highly mischievous, and thinks nothing of overturning a water-cart, or tossing a man several yards for amusement.

How miserable the bullocks look by the side of the elephants, yet a great deal of the transport of the country is carried on by this means. These useful animals are controlled by a string through their nostrils, double paniers of cane being slung across their backs. Some have their faces covered with bear nd tiger skins, decorated with shells and looking-glasses. a plume of peacock feathers finishes the head-dress. Sweet-toned bells are fixed above the paniers, and wherever one journeys the sounds of the bell are heard ofr miles. It is said that the bullocks know the thinking of their own droves, and the keepers in the evening call them into the camps simply by sounding the bells.

I have given two months' notice for the transport required, and I wished to leave Chieng Mai not later than the 1st of October. Even such a date is too late, if one wants to get the most out of the fine season.