The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-12 00:00:00

TEE FRENCH MISSION 2'o SIAM.,

The Constitutioknel publishes the following letter
from one of the Sisters of Charity who form part
of the mission to Siam. It is dated from Bangkok,
sth November :
" You are aware that our vessel was ordered to
call at this place on her Way to her destination.
We arrived at the mouth of the river Menam on
the 11th Sept., and, in order that we might not
lose time in going up the river, the captain hired
a large covered barge to convey us to Bangkok.
We started in the evening a ith a brilliant moon-
light, and arrived at about five in the morning. We
met with the kindest reception from Mgr. Pal-
legoin, and attended mass with him, while the
captain occupied himself with procuring lodgings
for us in the town. The news of our arrival soon
spread; the native Christians told the missionaries
in the neighbourhood that the French religieuses
with white wings (alluding to our head-dress) had
come, end several of them hastened to welcome us.
We told them that we were only birds of passage
among them. All, even the venerable bishop, walked
about barefoot. Soon after we had taken possession
of the lodgings-which the captain had found for us,
we vt ere visited by a schoolmistress and a number
of Christian girls, who brought us presents of fruit
and cakes. For some few days we never went
out except to attend mass. On the 16th the first
Prince of the kingdom paid us a visit, accompa-
nied by Viscount de Castlenau and an interpreter,
and followed by a number of slaves who walked
with their heads almost bent to the ground. The
Prince is tall, but so corpulent that he could scarcely
walk. H:s dress consisted of a long silk robe, a
white calico waistcoat, and a scarf of yellow silk.
He was barefooted: His head was shaved in the
Siamese fashion, with only a tuft left on the crown.
The first slave carried a gold box containing betels
nut, and the second a gold vase containing cigars
and a pocket-book. The Prince, on entering, saluted
us in the European style, and put some questions as
to our professions and. our occupations. lie told us
us that if we wished to see the first King, the Consul
had only to apply for an audience. On leaving, the
Prince tapped our captain on the shoulder, and said
he should bp very glad to see him at his house. The
Consul, at our request, arranged that the visit to
the King should take place on the 3d October. -On
that day we proceeded from our residence to the
palace, which is at some distance, in the barge of
Monseigneur, ornamented with the French flag ;
the Consul and a French missionary followed us,
each in his boat. On landing we had to walk
under a burning sun through a long street paved
with zed bricks, and as we passed we saw the
stables of the royal elephants. We were received
at the palace by a page under a sort of canopy,
and were requested to sit down while he an-
nounced our arrival to the King. We had to wait
for some time, when the Consul, seeing that we
were fatigued, sent a second message, and we were
immediately admitted. The court of the palace
was filled with an immense number of slaves
seated on their heels. The King stood to receive
us at the door of the audience chamber. He is a
man of middle height and very thin, and the ex-
pression of his countenance has a sternness which
marks the absolute sovereign. His dress consisted
of a long loose silk dress, a white shirt, a small
thin silk waistcoat, and a Scotch cap and slippers
embroidered with gold. The consul presented us,
and the missionary addressed a few words to his
Majesty in the Siamese language. The Kirtg looked,
at sts for some moments in silence, and then, hold-
ing out his hand to me, asked if I spoke English.
On my replying in the affirmative, he said in that
language, Ladies, do you wish to see the Queen
Consort ?' and then, without asking the gentlemen
to enter, he requested us to follow him. He walked
very fast through a large hall filled with princes
and mandarins, who all prostrated themselves with
their faces to the ground. A number of little chil-
dren dressed in silk, and covered with gold chains
and bracelets, flocked around us. We'followed the
King through several passages in the midst of a
double row of females all bent to the ground. His
Majesty suddenly stopped, and asked us if we spoke
Latin ; he said he did, and, to convince us, recited
the formula nomine Pairis,' &c. He then took
the crucifix attached to our rosary, saying that he
knew a great deal about our religion. We at length
reached a handsome saloon furnished in the
European style, and where there was an arm-chair
iu gold, a present from the Queen of England. On
entering he introduced the Queen Consort to us. She
was dressed in a long robe, with a scarf thrown over
the right shoulder. `he is rather a good-looking
woman, and about forty years of age. The King
also presented to us the Queen's three children,
and a number of ladies with about thirty chil-
dren. He then asked us to sit down, and himself
offered some figs in gold baskets ; and next opened
a liquer-case, and poured out some curagao from
one of the bottles, and handed a glass to each. He
kept one himself, and proposed as a toast The
Catholic religion and Jesus, the Saviour of the
World.' The King, who constantly spoke Eng-
lish, talked to us of Mgr. Pallegoin, whom he
called friend,' of Queen Victoria, and of
several illustrious men in England. He also
spoke of the Pope, and requested us to come and
look at a portrait of his Holiness, which he'had in a
pretty little boudoir. Wherever the King went, he
was followed by a young girl, one of the body-guard,
who carried a sabre 00 her shoulder, and whenever
his Majesty stopped, she placed herself on her knees
close to him. We were afterwards conducted by
the King to his library, where he complained that
the worms had devoured almost all his books. On
returning to the Queen's saloon, we found the table
covered with different dishes of meat and pastry.
At the close of the repast, the King handed to
each of us a small cake, and took. one himself. He
expressed to us the pleasure he felt at seeing French
religieuses at his table. His Majesty spoke very
correct English, but pronounced the words with some
difficulty. During all these ceremonies, the little
children played about us with great glee, and fondly
caressed us. On our leaving they all held out their
hands and said Good bye,' the only English words
they knew. We then took leave of his Majesty
and returned to our lodgings, and in a short time
after a number of slaves came, bringing us the
figs which had been served at the Royal table.
Ou tho following day we returned the visit of the
Prince, and were received with less etiquette than
at the King's Palace. The house of the Prince
formed a most singular museum. In the rooms
there was a complete confusion of European,
Siamese, and Chinese furniture, saddles, hats of all
forms, chronometers, books,Careel lamps, gold and
silver vases, cloth and hair brushes, and caskets
full of precious stones, all scattered about pele-mele,
on and under the furniture. On our leaving, the
Prince requested that we would make known in
France that we had met with a welcome reception,
which I promised to do."