The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-04


70 has many big rivers, and tine country
is as much cut up with canals rs is llol
land During therainy seasonit becomes
a mighty lake. and tho people move here
and there from one city 60 another in
boats.
or TIE RIVER MENAI
The grcatestuver is the Mnam, which
the Siamcsc know by tar same name as
the Indians knew the Mississippi 1t Is
.thc father of waters" and 10 forms the
great highway Of the kingdom This
river flows into the Gulf of Siam 40 it,
head. and it is about forty miles from its
mouth that sit hero on its banks and
write this letter in this floating city OF
Bangkok Imagine city as large as
Chicago. Of which nincty-nino hun
lrcdths of the people live on the water
There are fifteen miles of floating houses
on the two sides of CHS river, and these.
with the king spalaccsand few foreign
buildings on thc hnd. mako up the CAPT
tal of the Siamose people.
There arc six millions and moro OF
these Siamosc and their country covers
q territory of about twice the sizo of
Colorado. four times the size Of New
York and IL is about iiyo times as big a.
Ohio. Tine c0cOaut and the palm tree
line the banks Of This Meuam river and
the boats nit in and ont Of junglcs which
remind one of tine swamps of Florida.
wish could give YOU a picture OF
D. q e.. ltupIrI-lI.
Tine sides of tho river are lined with
these small floating houses. They are
anchored 90 piles and they Die half hid
lon by Che great palm trees nthe banks.
Here and There % canal Juts of into
.he Jungle and tine houses on it makes
.lis % floating street These houses arc
made of bamboo. with thcirsidcsand then
roof. thafched with palm leaves. They
arc sometimes on piles high above the
water. bat moro often they rest on is.
surface They are tied % poles driven
into thc bed of the river, and they rise
and iall with the tide. Their average
hcight is not more than ten feet and
ack looks like two large dog kennels
fastened together and covered with palm
leaves.
Thcrver is winding IL is perhaps
luartor If "a milo wide and every turn
BRINGS new surprises. AS we near Bang
k0ll tho waters are aliyo with Craitoi all
Kinds. Little. naked, brown shock
headed youngsters paddle long canoes
NOT over two feet widc and go sharp that
tho least balance would unseat the
rover. There are lalf naked women
with great hats of straw, which look like
inverted work baskets sitting bare
legged and bare breasted in boats which
obey paddle along, and boats of all sizes
arc worked hy an ages and sexes from
babies Of @ to wrinklod old men and
short. gray haired women of GO. As You
enter Bangkok the crowd increases. Ia
stead of one lime OF floating houses along
the banks there are three and sometimes
.our THE whole river is alive, and you
mru your eyes this way and that. meet
ing "a maze of new objects 40 every turn.
LIFE LoNG SLAVERY.
THE king of Siam is supposed 90 own
fhc people. and elch man in thc realm
has % serve for three. six or ninemonth
as % servant of the government At
certain Time of the year the entire popn-
.ation is marked od to particular noble.
men or government masters These
masters. whenever the government dc
mand- anything of Them. can compdthc
anon marked of .o them 10 serve. All
einl. of work arc demanded, aad the
various mark. put upon the men indi-
.a-o their trades or profession. some
non are required togivc all their time
rothe governments and ia this case they
.ef nominal salaries Those who give
half their time work for the king Fifteen
laws. and then have fifteen days of.
The three months subjects get no pay
and during the time they are an Banghoh
they have to find themselves in food and
.ol.inr This work practically cnslaccs
the wis., population of males, and
.iaverv is common in siam. Criminals
convicted often become slaves, ana they
are sometimes marked or branded on
fhe forehead. have seen many men ~
chains during my stay here, and just
ont.ide the walls of the palace there are
M least two score of men, bright eyed
rood looking. lusty fellows who have
Great iron collars about their necks and
chains about their legs and arms, who
were making basket work. and VINO
offered TO sell me their wares as | passed
The debtor who does not pay IN Sam
mast become the slave of his creditor,
who charges him from 10 70 80 per cent.
a wear. puts him i'm chains and takes ms
,yor., as the interest on the debt.
There are hundreds Of such slaves IN
BANGKOK. and many of the men become
slaves by gambling away their living
T.e nation. an told, seems addicted 20
vice. rather than to virtue, and 1t Is
nearer akin 10 pure heathcnism than
any other have yet seen. Sull 1t claims
IN he nro~rc.sive. and It's king has made
some steps TO the front. ihe whole,
however. compares more - the colored
-cpub.ic of liayu or 10 tAe ilacks oi
san Dominco than to any o,hsr ciNiliza
NON. Ihc people are devoted e. buauh
ism. and the priests ale .gmhele4 l..
thousands. j rank O.. CarIcnter.
The once seeker and Matt Quay.
"Confound the luck, exclaimed man
from Bradford. Pa, Il can't find Sena-
t,r Ouav anywhere. 90 up TO his house
I'D t.., t.u mo lac Is not in / come