Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-09-10
Of the Central Christian Herai'
Letter from Siam.
BANGKOK, March 6, is;

BANGKOK, March 6, 1851.
Mr.. EDIroR.-An opportunity of send
inc letters home is rather rare event to us
here, and when it does occur, we are gene
rally informed Of it but short time be-
fore the vessel sails. l avail myself Of
such notice, to send you brief account Of
an excursion which we made to Petchiburee
a town about one hundred miles south
west of Bangkok, and situated upon the
Malayan peninsula.
Travelling is here generally done in boats
the canals and rivers which intersperse
the country serving for highways, Such
facilities Siam possesses to a considerable
extent; rendering it practicable to travel in
almost any direction. Boats Of various
kinds are in use here, their name and
form being determined by the uses to which
they are applied, as also from the people
who have introduced them. Thus we have
the rua mcun," a Peguan boat; the "rua
cheen," or Chinese boat; the "rua yuan y
or Cochin Chinese boat, etc. Ours was a
"rua yuan" 1t was about so feet long,
and had a small room built upon it, of the
dimensions of eight feet by six feet, and
served very comfortable purpose, Us Mrs.
S. and our children accompanied me.
| will add that another advantage as re-
CARDS travelling is found in the fact that
the tides extend to 4 considerable distance
inland, causing the water to run part of
the time one way, and then to flow back
again thus rendering it convenient to use
large boats, without the expense of many
hands to work them. When the tide,
therefore, turns against US, we have only
to stop and wait until it again turns. This
time need not be lost, as We may stop near
some village or wat, distribute books, etc.
Leaving home, therefore, Feb. III, we
ascended the Memam short distance, and
then turned off into canal, the general
direction of which was southwest, and by
a distance of about twenty-five miles,
reached its junction with the Yachcen riv-
er, at the town Mahaichie. This river is
but little inferior to the Meinam, and its
direction is about the same.
We remained at this place over night,
and the next morning we assembled the Tiy-
er about three miles, and then entered an
other canal, running in about the same
direction as TIE former. 1t is about forty
miles long, and terminates at another riv-
er, larger than the first, but whose direction
is nearly the same. This river is called the
Maklang; and town of the same name
is situated at the point where the canal
enters. It's population is said to be about
5000. We reached this place on the NOR
ming of the third day and remained until
the next morning, in order to have calm
weather for crossing the head of the Gulf
OF Siam-a distance of about two miles,
and then by distance Of some ten miles,
crossed over to the mouth of the Petchi-
buree river, where is situated the town of
Baulam. Ascending this river, which
flows northwardly, We stopped for the
night some four miles below the town of
Petchiburee, which we reached the next
morning The country between Bangkok
and Maklang is almost dead level, pre-
senting very little variety of scenery, and
elevated but little above high-water mark. !
Being subject to tidal influences, however,
it is healthy, and most Of it appears sus-
ceptible Of cultivation. Parts of it are
cultivated, though l could not judge to
what extent, The country on the other
side of the Gulf, along the Petchiburee
river, is higher, and more resembles parts
of our own. This characteristic becomes
more and more marked, as we advance up
the river, until within the vicinity of Pet
chiburee, We have mountain, several hun I
dred feet high; and farther off to the west
there is chain of mountains-the boun-
dairy between Siam and Burnah, and which !
l would have loved to cross, to have taken
friend Moore by the hand The country
along the Petchiburee river is we'll cult
vated, for Siam, and at this season the far
mers are engaged in thrashing their rice.
This labor is performed after night, as the
days are very warm. The night that we
stopped below Petchiburee, went to wit
ness this operation. The rice was the !
property OF man of rank, who, seated
in bis sala, superintended the work. The
tb'eshng was performed by means of cat.
,,s The straw rlerod on a circular