Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-07-21
THREE THOUSAND WIVE.


msene-OFsenaal Politics, Etcs
sinister IIaldeman, in talk with
New York Tribune reporter about Siam,
said:
1.-THE king is a man of about thirty
two. He is a pleasant, intelligent and
well.meaning man. He speaks English.
His secretary is also his half brother.
Tt is easy enough to secure an audience.
There is very little ceremony, consider
ing that il Is an Asiatic court. / would,
for instance, address q note to the secre-
tary and say / wished to have an audi
ence with the king. A reply would
come promptly. agreeing to request. ]
would don full dress suit, present my
self at the gates OF the palace. be re-
ceived by the guards, passed along by
different functionaries until | reached
bis majesty's presence. He would
shake hands with me in ordinary Euro
pean fashion, listen TO what ! had to
say, and when | had finished / would
rise and bow myself out. When / told
my English and French colleagues that
never awaited the kings pleasure to
terminate the interview, but always rose
when had stated my business they were
somewhat surprised. They regarded it
Is q breach OF etiquette. but the king,
am told, liked IL very much.
THE king is "a very much married
man. He has some three thousand
wives. The establishment where they
are housed is city almost in itself. They
ere kept very close from the eyes of men.
No Europeans and very few natives of
the male sex are allowed to enter the
sacred precincts. Mrs. Dalgrave, the
wife of the English agent, did get per-
mission once to visit the queens estab-
lishment. There is, by the way, only
one queen, the others are merely concu-
bines. II was very plainly furnished.
There was no splendor, gorgeousness,
and oil that sort of thing at all. The
floors were marble, and the women sat
on mats and rugs. They were chewing
the betel root and constantly splitting;
spittoons abounded. A few hangings
were all the decorations the walls had.
The women were very much like the Chi
nese women. The head is large, the
face broad, forehead low, the cheek
bones prominent, the lips thick, the eyes
black, though not upturned as in the
case Of the Chinese. There is, of course,
q whole army of female attendants"
Now something about Slams poll
tics2''
"Well, you know it is an absolute
monarchy. But there are two parties,
or rather factions. One is headed by
the king, the other was led until recently,
when ne died, by the ex-regent, who
governed during the minority of the
present king. There exists q good deal
Of jealousy, and as the crown does not
descend by right of primogeniture, the
death of ruler gives rise always to seri-
Gus trouble The present dynasty has
held sway for about four generations.
] had little difficulty when the ex-regent
died, which did not, however, lead to
any serious consequences. He was sour
old gentleman, querulOus and cross. /
paid him visit in my official capacity,
and so did the English and French
agents in theirs. He returned their calls,
but did not return mine. When he died
all the foreign representatives half
masted their flags according to custom.
/ did not. was requested by the prime
minister to do so. refused. ] said that
man who had shown so little respect
for the flag of the United States should
not be honored by it when dead. The
matter was reported to the king. He
said nothing. But when / saw him
later, he told me that he was very glad
I acted as did. 1t taught the followers
Of the ex-regent lesson.
1.-THE king remembered General Grant
very well. When left Siam he charged
me with message for him. was pre-
vented through General Grants illness
from delivering 1t. Altogether / sue
ceeded very well, indeed, IN gaining the
kings confidence. When he received me
in audience for the last time he said: 4
hope you will come back. General Grant
had two terms. You ought to have two
terms Also He presented me with two
decorations, and also wished to present
me with a valuable piece of property.
This. however, refused. But induced
him to give It in fee simple to the United
States for the use of legation, the first
instance In which asimilar gift has been
conveyed to the United States by for
eign power
General Halderman, among other in
teresting experiences in Siam, was able
TO be present at royal elephant hunt.
This was by special invitation Of the
king. who further distinguished him by
requesting the general to take 3 seat by
his side. The wild elephants were de-
coyed into sort of corral or stockade
by tame elephants. Over . hundred
were caught on this occasion.