The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-12-05
SIAM ANDMADAGAsOAR,
National and Natural OharaOteristios.

SIAM ANDMADAGASOAR. ss
National and Natural characteristics.
A late number of the Presbyterian Bonner,
a paper published at Pittsburg, Pa, contains
an interesting communication from a mission
airy at Bangkok, Siam, from which we con-
dense the following. The letter is dated May
9th:- AsH iH a.l
The kingdom of Siam is drained principally
by three large streams. which how south OR
south-southwest into the Gulf-the Bampa-
kong on the east, the Menam or Menam Chow
paga in the middle, and the Tachin on the
west. These three constitute the principal
arteries Of the kingdom, although there are
other minor streams of considerable impor-
tance. All these streams are connected to-
gether by series of canals and creeks, wind.
ing and twisting through each other, so as to
form kind of intricate network. These are
the highways of the kingdom, and consequent
ly so many avenues OF trade to the capital
Boats of all sizes and descriptions are con-
stantly seen winding through these canals, or
floating upon the bosom OF these broad riv-
ers. sef s,ssss
sa8 A FLOATING HOME. - g5reai
Imagine native boat about forty feet long,
and abont six feet across the beam, and in the
centre small cabin, about twelve feet long
This cabin serves as state room, dining saloon,
sitting room, &c. Then Imagine the mission
AIRY, his wife, and three or four children, as the
case may be, slowed away in that small cabin,
together with stores, beds, bedding, cooking
utensils, and other indispensables for the
journey, and you have pretty good picture
of the missionaries in Siam upon mission
tour. Upon the deck are five or six swarthy
natives, acting as boatmen, to propel the boat
with oars when necessary, but when a breeze
springs up, to hoist sail, and then stretch them
selves upon the deck, and perhaps sleep in the
broiling sun.
SIAM SUGAR.
The region along the Tachin river has been
devoted chiefly to the cultivation of sugar
cane by the Chinese. Vast numbers of Chinese
of all dialects flock to Siam every year, and
indeed they are now the chief producers of
the kingdom. Some of the more wealthy have
gone into the sugar business, and employ vast
numbers OF Coolies. On each bank of the
river may be seen vast fields Of sugar7cane,
and in some places it is cut down and collect
ed into heaps, ready to be put into boats and
taken TO the mills, which stud the banks OF
the stream in great numbers. The cane is
ground upon crude wooden concern, some
thing like an old fashioned cider-mll, only on
A much larger scale, and is turned with buffa-
loes. ~ 49, 90
Ile Juice flows through pipes from the mill
into kind of tank, whence it is taken in buck
cts to the place of boiling. A kind of furnace
is built about ten or twelve feet high, in the
top of which a large iron kettle is placed,
The whole operation is conducted in rather a
primitive style, and like all sugar-mills, one
who uses much Of the article had better shut
his eyes while visiting them. They manage,
however, to make some very pretty sugar, and
very cheap too, which makes person won
der, after seeing the crude processes through
which it has to pass. A young Chinese noble
man in Bangkok has sent to Europe for an
improved steam sugar-mih, which is expected
shortly. A wos9 ss
sai A sIAMEsE FARMING COMMUNITY,
Leaving the sugar district. we come into
farming neighborhood. The Palmyra began
to rear its lofty head, which indicates rice
growing region. Occasionally plantain. gar
den was seen on the bank of the river, the
broad leaves, split by the winds, were 'stream-
ing in shredsp in the breeze. The inhabitants
of farming community generally live in little
villages upon the banks of the river, During
the day they work in the fields, and at night
they return home. The houses are built of
bamboo and covered with the leaf of the Nay
fra palm, or kind of thatch made of long
coarse grass.
4uh hAEpIbs
The priests are generally lazy, arrogant and
ignorant. They are looked up to by the peo-
pie, and indeed they are the professors of the
country, and thus they are spoiled. The tenn
pies are the public schools and colleges
throughout the kingdom. We entered one of
these temple grounds with an armful of books
The priests novices and boys gathered around
us to the number of about thirty or forty
We commenced telling them, as well as we
could, the story of Jesus; but that only ex-
cited their rdicule We tell them they are
wicked, and must be lost, unless saved by
Christ; but that is equally absurd, for they
have been laying up merit for years. Their
pride must be humbled.
POOR PLACE FOR TOURISTS.
There is total lack Of variety in the seem
cry all along these rivers. When person has
seen three miles Of it, he has seen the whole
One mile of even the little Juniata is worth
the whole of it.. There is not even pleasing
legend connected with it, to give it interest.
Where such a thing is attempted, it is SO fab
ulons that it becomes disgusting. We visited
one place of notoriety, some distance from the
river 1t is said that certain king of Siam,
upon the birth Of son, was told by a soolh-
saver that the son would one day cost him his
life. Fear haunted him until he sent the child
awav to Cambodia When the son grew up,
and learned who he was, he collected an army
and started to attack his father. The father
heard Of his coming, and marched out 10 meet
him. They met upon this spot, when mis-
fathers army was defeated, and himself kill
ed. very high pagoda was erected upon
the spot.
sIAMEsE FRUITS.
AS if to compensate in part for the warm
weather, we are now enjoying some OF our
ricnest iruits. Among these, the mango stands
perhaps frst--a yellow, rich, juicy fruit
Have YOU ever eaten a mango? After dinner
we will have dessert. Here comes a dish
full of the yellow fruit. Roll m yonv slaeves
nearly to the elbows, and have a basin If vua,
ter standing by your side to wash vonr hands
occasionally. A inger-bowl will answer The
same purpose; but that, in the eyes Of son,a
may appear extravagant for missionaries 4
towel or fruit napkin is also indispensable e.
some say the fashionable way is to slice the
fruit off close to the seed, and then eat out
the slices with spoon, but that is rather a
slow process, and besides, some of the best ol
the fruit is thus lost. After all the precau
tions that can be taken, however, person il
likely to find the juice running down over his
beard, and perhaps extending even to the
skirts of his garments. After all the difficult
ty in eating it, however, the mango is deli.
cious.
Next comes the mango stine-a tart, pulpy
fruit, put up in lobes, within a dark, walnut
like she'll Break the shell and lift out the lobes
with a fork, and they melt in your mouth
49,. -. ,la Al.