Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-07-15
Amuscments of the siamese Court

AmuscmentB OF the b1amese court
OF all the diversions of the court the
most polite, and at the same time the
most engrossing, is the drama.
In great sala, or hall, which serves
as theater, the actors and actresses as
semble, their faces and bodies anointed
with creamy maize-colored cosmetic.
Fantastic extravagance of attire consti-
tutes the great gun in their arsenal Of
attractions. Hence earrings, bracelets,
massive chains and collars, tapering
crowns with wings, spangled robes, curl
Gus finger-rings, and, strangest of all,
long, tapering nails of gold, are Joined
to complete their elaborate adornment.
The play, in which are invariably en-
acted the adventures of gods, kings, he
roes, genii, demons, and a multitude of
characters, mythical and fabulous, is
often performed in lively pantomime,
the interludes being filed by strong
chorus, with songs and instrumental ac-
compartment. At other times the play
ers, in grotesque masks, gives bnrlesque
versions of the graver epics, to the great
amusement of the audience.
Chinese comedies, termed Ngiu, attract
the Siamese in crowds; but the foreign is
decidedly inferior to the native talent.
Naug," so called, is sort of tableau,
representing characters from the Hin
doc mythology. Parts of the popular epic
Ramayana, are admirably rendered iu
this style. In front of the royal palace
an immense transparent screen, mount
ed on great poles, is drawn across the
esplanade, and behind this, at a moder-
ate distance, great fires are lighted. Be-
tween the screen and the fire, masked
figures, grotesquely costumed, enact the
story Of Rama and Sity, aud the giant
Rawuna, with Hanuman and his army of
apes bridging the Gulf of Manaar and
piling up the Himalayas, while the bards,
in measured story, describe the several
exploits.
A great variety of puppet shows are
contrived for the delectation of the chill
dren; and the Liamese are marvelously
ingenious in the manufacture of toys
and dolls, Of porcelain, stone, wood,
bark and paper. They make pagodas,
temples, boats, and floating houses, with
miniature families to occupy them, and
all true to the life in every apartment
and occupation; watts, with idols and
palaces, with kings, queens, concubines,
royal children, courtiers, and slaves, all
complete in costume and attitude.
The royal children observe with grave
formalities the eventful custom of hair
cutting" for their favorite dolls; and
improvised for the occasion by
ingenious slaves, are the crowning glory
of those high holidays of toddling
princes and princesses.
The ladies of the harem amuse them
selves in the early and late hours of the
day by gathering flowers in the palace
gardens, feeding the birds in the aviaries
and the gold fishes in the ponds, and
twining garlands to adern the heads Of
their children, arranging bouquets, sing.
ing songs Of love or glory, dancing to
the music of the guitar, listening to
their slaves reading, strolling with their
little ones through the parks and par
terres, and especially in bathing. When
the heat is least oppressive they plunge
into the waters of the pretty retired
lakes, swimming and diving like foeks
of brown water fowl.-Mrs A. II. Leon
OgreUg