Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1852-01-29
miscellaneous.
Court OF the King Of Siam.
BANoKoK, Siam. Nav 18th. -

BANGKOK, Siam, May 18th, 1851.
We have been permitted TO day to gaze
on royalty enlhroned IN all the pomp Of
state. Oar friends in republican America
Will perhaps be gratfed with description
of the novel aud interesting 10 Us, for never
before had any missionary been within the
walls Of the Royal Palace on any occasion:
and now We were all invited by special
messenger from the hmr himself, 10 be
present at great ceremony of State, and
TO dine even at the palace of ms Malesty's
guests. Under the rule of the enlightened
Prince who has Just succeeded to The
throne, our condition Is certainly. Ia some
respects, at least, different from what 1t was
under his late Majesty. who had become so
strangely jealous of foreigners
au early hour IA the morning. an Off
Ger was sent To conduct Us TO the pllace.
which stands on The east bank Of the Mem
an, about a mile above our residence We
Landed AMID throng ofprInces aud mobiles
boats, OF all descriptions, and soon entered
withn the outer walls of the palace, CONT
uuons here within the wall OF the cltv IL
self, and like that, built up of brick tSen-
'y-iive feet high, 10y some fifteen feet IN
thickness. Within tbs, again, another
wall shuts the palace buildings, aud We
were led along betNcen the two for some
distance, having on euher hand long lines
OF painted galleries or corridors where
hundreds on hundreds of men IA the KIN )
service were busy at their meals, all at last
We came to gateway that opened on a
large square, dotted over with numerous
liItle bindings, that served To project pieces
o! artillery from the weather Some OF
these eannons were of immense size one
was seen that was deemed to be iull eigh-
teen feet ia length. Through lines Of troops
they were maTshalhng here, we passed OH
to large open building in thls royal atsen.
al, where we were received by Pya Wisel
"a nobleman Of Portuguese eAracllon-a
general IN his malesty's service. Here wC
were Joined by the few remaining European
residents in Bangkok, aud after some delay
were conducted through double gate, lin
ed with guards, into the principal inner cour
of the palace. The scene that now presen
ted itself was peculiar aud picturesque II
the highest degree. We were IN vas
quadrangle, adorned with trees aud numer
ons ornamental structures, and surrounded
by various buildings of strange oriental ar
chltecture; their many storled roofs, an,
the glllterng spIre of the main royal edIfce
being the most striking objects. Tn
whole area before US was alive with ihous
ands of the swarIhy natIves-alI barehead
ed as usual, and for the most part naked {
the waist. Here and there among ther
were to be seen Buddhist priests, with thel
cumbrous yellow robes, or a Mahommedar
with his snow-whIie turban and garment,
or a Chinese, perhaps, with his long bralde
qeue twisted round his head Soldiers j
strange uniforms with stranger weapon;
some bearing three pronged spears som
swords and shields some bows and arrows
others again armed and equipped more a
Ter the manner of European iroops-wer
e''her drawn up in long lines, or were par'
ded back and forth AT one end of iii
principal avenue, standing at their ease III
aer awnings of white cloth, were the roy
elephanis-huge creatures, decked with III
richest trappings-at the other end wer
several horses elegantly caparisoned, the
grooms standing by them. Now aud the
prince would come by preceded by trai
OF servants bearing his belel, his sword, uu
o'e'ia' Ian, NC, when the mass of forms b,