Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-12-22
IN FAR AWAY SIAM
STORIES oFAsTaAHGf PEOPLE


A Largo audiences lisssssd 10 the Rev.
Dan =. Bradlsy's lecture last evening 90
-sisln. The Lssd a the White Els-
phank- The doctor wss born and spent
larrs portion u his boyhood Ia that
little known kingdoui. which y suppossd
10 hsss bsss encs gossrnsd BY the great
rsxsnt- -Wsag.~ The lecture vss iIlus-
tsatsd 81 . large nap a Slam. and by
swords and other weapons. and en-
bsoislssy of that strange people includ-
irg whole table full u erens-legBsd
idols. Raging from An ugly little 2 cent
Buxttha q crsditabls works a aSt In
silver ~ hsoesA Over the lecture plat
forrs TIE great rcd banner Of Siam. en-
hlassssd with Ne white elephant We
displayed.
M Brsdley bsgsn hIs talk with . d.
scriptioa q the physical charscteristies
of SIAN and the recent Frsnch sacrosck.
nsntA Siam, bseoes the resent Frsoch
csssson. W. about - large 10 ares -
Toxsa The terSitory est of the Aekoog
river, recently ssissd By Francs. y about
a large n sSsa - Michigan The %
ninsuIa portion a siam = sxessdinely
rich in minerals and hes The largest d.
posits of Tree tin in the world Over one
third q the tin ussd IN the world
coming from Siam This portion %
the kingdom h also dotted With i'm
mense forests ok teak. ross. ebony. iron.
rsttaa. bamboo and other vslusble
woods and 10 h toward these precious
forests that the eye Of England u low
ingiy turned
Fruiss az Great stse
A most interesting portion Of the lee
ture vas devoted TO the 6ors Of the
kingdom OF the white elephant. He
told of fruits weighing 100 pounds which
hang seventy five feet from the ground.
on the giant forest trees, and make il
sxcsedinely dangerous for the traveller
who seeks shelter under their branches
when the fruit 10 ripening. But 10 was
when the speaker spoke Of the animal
kingdom that the small boys and girls
In the audience began 10 look alive. OF
course the white elephant came 6rst
The white elephant" said Mr.. Brad
ley. -is found only In Siam and is ex-
ceedingly rare there. The souls OF the
deceased kings OF Siam gro supposed to
inhabit white elephants and when one
Ii found there Il . ssveu days feast 10
the capital. and the elephant 10 provided
with . palace with iiveried Ger.
wants to wait upon him the
rest Of his life. Moreover, when
q white elephant IL found, Il is consid-
cred sure sign that the highsr powers
approve Of the policy Of tho adninistra-
ton. ] think some administrations over
here might be glad IL they could lind
a white elephant" concluded the lee
turer with q smile which was audibly
echoed by the older members Of the
audience, who could appreciate the Joke.
A Snake story.
To illustrate the abundance Of snakes,
Mr.. Bradley told OF an anaconda thirty
feet long which was killed 10 the sewer
which drained his residence. The latter
part Of his lecture was devoted to the
government and religion OF SIAM The
government 10 an absolute gonarchy
and the people are merely slaves to the
king. the noblss holding the posi-
ton Of slave drivers Everything
in the empire 10 taxed. even
to hens egg and the taxe: are farmed
out % that the farmer has frequently to
pay 20 per cent Of his produce to the
tax-gathere. IL 70 alcommon thing Tor
q nobleman or any one who 10 IN imam.
cial distress 10 send his prettiesi
daughter to the palace Of the king. II
she finds favor in the royal eyes she be.
Gomez an object OF envy. but II she fails
to please. she ,s merely slave. II she
tries 70 escape. she 10 tied up in sack
and thrown into tho river. In conclu
sion Mr.. Brsdley discussed Buddhism
a. il exists In Siam. He chsractsxizes
| IL a. q, religion without hope. He also
told Of the literary and educational
facilities OF the kingdom and recited
some Of its poems