The Southern herald., 1884-09-20
An Eastern POtentate.
THEKNGOF cAMBoDIA ANDH ms PEOPLE

''is a town itself" Several thousand
people are lodged in the enclosure, all
Of whom are attached to the service Of
the King AT the end Of the first court
yard surrounded by different kinds Of
buildings, stands the European palace,
which is quite similar to the dwellings
Of the rich merchants of Saigon. Be-
hind that, in another enclosure, is the
native habitation, gardens and huts.
TINS is the division set apart for the
harem, and is closed to the profane.
The mandarins are the most energetic
purveyors of the harem. They hope to
obtain favor by giving their best-looking
daughters to the King. The woman are
allowed to go out, and, by one of those
strange caprices common enough among
the mcnarchs of the East, who are by
turns cruel and paternal, they are allow
led to marry, the King giving up all
his claims at the request of the lovers.
But, on the other hand, any attempt to
enter the sacred harem surreptitiously
is punished with the utmost severity.
The first time / visited Cambodia, a
young bonze, in high favor at the court,
was discovered flirting with one of the
prettiest wives of Norodom. The latter
according to the usual custom, ordered
the two lovers to be buried alive. The
accused, however, escaped the punish
ment through the Intervention of the
oldqueen mother, who is jealous Budd-
hist devotee. Since that time it appears
that the fair sex have not become wiser,
but their punishment has been changed.
On returning from our expedition, the
King, who had come to visit the chief Of
the French protectorate, asked for some
details as to the European method Of
executing, or rather shooting criminals.
M. Moura, without attaching much i'm
portance to the question, gratifed his
majesty's curiosity. But what was our
astonishment when two hours afterward
we learned that four young women Of
the harem had been shot in European
military style, and their heads taken of
and hung up for the encouragement Of
the other ladies of the household.
"The King received us cordially, and
promised to facilitate to the utmost Of
his ability our archaeological researches.
Afterward he asked for one ofour doctors.
He was lamed by recent fall, andit is
an article of faith in Cambodia that an
infrm or lame king is unfit to govern.
He told US in confidence that he was
obliged, in conformity with the super
stitious customs Of his subjects, to con-
suit innumerable quacks, astrologers,
and OWNERS. None of them was able to
cure him, and all agreed in imputing
to evil. spirits the persistence of his
trouble. Our doctor Immediately placed
himself at the disposition of his majesty.
Ceremony required that the august in.
valid could only be examined through
the Intermediary Of one of his wives
but the doctor convinced him Of the in
sufficiency of this method, and a close
examination Of the hurt was made ant
the remedies applied.
son going out Of the palace we fount
at the door group Of BONES on theil
knees, praying for the recovery Of the
King. Others were going through Tho
streets chanting and singing psalms
Publicprayers had been ordered through
out the kingdom. Around the pagodai
and in front of every house tall bamboo
canes we're placed and dressed with rib
bons Of various colors. Beside thI
statues of Buddha, at the crossroads anC
| the interior Of the Chinese dwellings
odoriferous torches were kept burning
Trade was suspended The people ap
peared outdoors in their holiday cos
tunes. In the evening and late at nigh
the streets were filled with people car
rying torches or lanterns. The sound
of the gong and Of the tam-tam werl
mixed with the constant detonatious o
fire-crackers, and the skywas continual
lily streaked with rockets, whose explo
sions and brilliancy were intended t
drive away the bad spirits that wer'
bent on tormenting the sovereign.
"The next day we met sort of cor
| tege, composed of about twenty natives
who we're marching in file, and befor'
whom the crowd Of people opened |
passage with great respect. This wa
the escort Of the little son Of Norodom
who was out for an airing The chilc
was seated upon the shoulder Of littl'
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