The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1868-07-04
A Floating city.

One Of the most wonderful cities in
the world is Bankok, the capital of Siam.
Did you ever witness such sight In your
life On either side Of the wide, majes-
tic stream, moored in regular streets and
alleys, extending as far as the eye can
reach, arc upwards of 10000 neat little
houses, each house floating on compact
rait OF bamboos, and the whole interme.
date space Of the river presents to our
astonished gaze one dense mass Of ships,
junks and boats of every conceivable
shape, color and size. As we glide
amongst these we occasionally encounter
a stray house broken loose from its moor
ings, and hurrying down the stream with
the tide, amidst the uproar and shouts of
the inhabitants and all the spectators.
We also noticed that all the front row of
houses are neatly painted shops, in
which various tempting commodities are
exposed for sale behind these again, at
equal distances, rise the lofty, elegant
porcelain towers Of the various watts and
temples. On our right hand side, as far
as the eye can see, are three stately pill
lars, erected TO the memory of three
defuDct kings, celebrated for some acts of
yalor and justice and little beyond
this, looming like line Of battle ships
amongst n lot Of cockleshells, rises the
struggling and not very elegant palace of
the King, where his Siamese Majesty,
with ever so many wives and children,
resides Right ahead, where the city ter
inmates, and the river. making a curve,
flows behind the palace. is neat looking
fort, surmounted with top of mango
trees. over which peep the roofs of two
houses aud flagstaff, from which floats
the royal penant anl the jack of Siam
flag of red groundwork, with o white
elephant worked in the centre. This Is
the fort and palace Of the Prince Chou
Eau King Siam, and one Of the most cx
tra0rdinary and intellectual men in the
East. OF him, however, we shall se
aud hear more, after we have bundled
our traps on shore and taken little rest
Now, be careful how you step ont of the
boat into the balcony OF the floating
house. for il will reccde 10 the force of
your effort 10 mount, and If not aware of
this, you lose your balance and fall into
the river. J aow we are safely tranship-
ped, for VIC cannot as yet say landed but
we now form an item, though a very
small one, of the vast population of the
city of Bankok. We take brief survey
OF our present apartments, and fad ev-
erytning though incouyenicntly small
clean, and in other respects comfortable
First We have little balcony that over
hangs the river, and il about twenty yards
long, by one and half broad. Then
We have an excellent sitting room, which
serves Us for parlor, dining room and
all then We have little side room for
books aud writing. and behind these. cx-
tending the length Of the other two,
bed room. OF course we must bring or
make our own furniture for though
those houses are pretty we'll of, on this
score the Siamese have seldom anything
besides their bedding materials, a few
pots and pans to cook with, few jars of
stores, and few fishing nets. Every
house has canoe attached TO it, and no
nation detests walking so much as the
Siamese |; at the same time they are all
expert swimmers, and both men aud
women begin to abquire this most neees-
sary accomplishment at an early age.
Without it man runs a momentary risk
of being drowned, as, when canoe up
sets, none of the passcrs by ever think it
necessary to lend any aid, supposing them
fully adequate 10 the task of saving their
own lives. Canoes are being hourly up
set, owing to the vast concourse of vessels
and boots plying to and fro; aud owing to
this negligence or carelessness in render.
ing assistance, q Mr. Benham, an Ameri-
can missionary. lost his life, some twelve
years ago, having upset his canoe when
it was just getting dark, and though sur
rounded by boats, no one deemed it nc
cessary to stop and pick the poor man up.
H. r L. l. IL